1700 Posts By Christmas 2011

[FatherChristmas]

Merry Christmas Eve Eve everyone!

[Jolly O'Leary]

Jennifer, just a question...how did you come to find yourself in Sweden? Happy cooking for November Christmas!,

Easy, I married a Swede! We made our first christmas swedish meatballs today. Just finishing them up now, will have a simple dinner and then make deviled eggs after that. Might put the carrot raisin salad off until tomorrow.

What are some other essential Christmas dishes my Christmas friends enjoy on Christmas Eve and Christmas day? Swedes also have "boxing day" called the Second day of Christmas, anandag jul.

We watched The Hebrew Hammer (caution, check your inhibitions at the door) while cooking. I am thinking that if we have Jul i November next year, making meatballs could be a weekend project, then we can freeze them for December.

[CandyKane]

Only 99 posts to go! Woohoo! I'm pretty sure we can finish up this Christmas thread today!

[CandyKane]

Dd went with my parents to spend the night at their house tonight. And hubby is off doing his Christmas shopping. He's a day early this year. I'm gonna finish my cleaning then finish up all the odds and ends. I might even start baking this afternoon.

[CandyKane]

Found this interesting article about how Rudolph came to be a part of our Christmas traditions.

http://www.windstream.net/news/read.php ... 3E&ps=1011

[FatherChristmas]

Found this interesting article about how Rudolph came to be a part of our Christmas traditions.

http://www.windstream.net/news/read.php ... 3E&ps=1011

Thanks for sharing! I can't imagine Santa's sleigh without Rudolph

[CandyKane]

The Christmas gifts are wrapped! Just finished the last of them and got dd's stocking stuffed. Hopefully she won't notice it's not hanging up when she comes home tomorrow evening.

[CandyKane]

I got a Christmas card today from some dear friends who used to be our neighbors but now they live in Texas. They have been playing Santa and Mrs. Claus professionally for over 20 years. They sent a picture of themselves all dressed up in the card. It's so festive.

[CandyKane]

From the Old English 'Cristes Mæsse' ~ meaning the 'mass of Christ' ~ the story of Christmas begins with the birth of a babe in Bethlehem.

It is believed that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. December was likely chosen so the Catholic Church could compete with rival pagan rituals held at that time of year and because of its closeness with the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, a traditional time of celebration among many ancient cultures.

[CandyKane]

The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A.D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors purportedly stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas' popularity throughout Europe.

His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims he that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cape, flowing white beard, and bishop's mitre.


In Greece, he is the patron saint of sailors, in France he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium the patron of children and travellers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated to him and some time around the 12th century an official church holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity.

After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged.

In 1822 Clement C. Moore composed the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas, published as The Night Before Christmas as a gift for his children. In it, he portrays Santa Claus:

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly,
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

Other countries feature different gift-bearers for the Christmas or Advent season: La Befana in Italy ~ The Three Kings in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico ~ Christkindl or the Christ Child in Switzerland and Austria ~ Father Christmas in England ~ and Pere Noël, Father Christmas or the Christ Child in France. Still, the figure of Santa Claus as a jolly, benevolent, plump man in a red suit described in Moore's poem remains with us today and is recognized by children and adults alike around the world.

[CandyKane]

In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religous play depicted the story of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden -- the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the prophecy of a saviour coming, and so was often performed during the Advent season.

It is held that Protestant reformer Martin Luther first adorned trees with light. While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate the effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir tree inside his home


The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany. The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England. Brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans, the Christmas tree became by the late 19th century.

[CandyKane]

Christmas Stockings


According to legend, a kindly nobleman grew despondent over the death of his beloved wife and foolishly squandered his fortune. This left his three young daughters without dowries and thus facing a life of spinsterhood.

The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls' plight, set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman's house and threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were fortuitously captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry.

[CandyKane]

“WHEN Scrooge awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber”.

Thus begins the 2nd chapter of the world’s most famous Christmas story, ”A Christmas Carol”, by Charles Dickens.

[CandyKane]

I just watched the second part of the 2 part episode from the Waltons The Children's Carol. No matter how many times I see it, the ending always makes me cry. Now I'm watching another Christmas episode.

[CandyKane]

Don't forget the batteries-------Good Christmas advice!

[CandyKane]

Only 4 hours left until the Santa Tracker launches on Norad.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/ Merry Christmas!

[CandyKane]

We have enjoyed a quite evening at home. Hubby even got take out so I didn't have to cook. It's a nice break and I needed the rest before the real Christmas fun starts tomorrow.

[Noel+]

Merry Christmas Eve Eve everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE.........everyone!

[Noel+]

I got a Christmas card today from some dear friends who used to be our neighbors but now they live in Texas. They have been playing Santa and Mrs. Claus professionally for over 20 years. They sent a picture of themselves all dressed up in the card. It's so festive.

What a wonderful Christmas surprise, CK! Happy Christmas Eve eve!

[Noel+]

Just off work and stopping by to share Christmas Eve-eve joy with all my CAY friends!