Christmas

Christmas Traditions–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the fourth day…

The fourth day of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Innocents also called Childermas or Innocent’s Day.  The earliest recording of the celebration of this feast is 485 AD when mentioned as following the feasts of St. Stephen and St. John.   It is held in remembrance of the children who were put to death by King Herod following his decree that all male infants in Bethlehem aged two and under be killed. This was Herod’s attempt to destroy the Christ child after the Wise Men seeking “the newborn king of the Jews” did not return to tell him where the child could be found.

The children are remembered during the Christmas season as they lost their lives because of Herod’s hatred and fear of the Christ child and they are considered martyrs.    Indeed Christmas joy is tempered today by this sadness yet the loss of their innocent lives reminds us of the preciousness of all life, especially those of children.

This day is considered a day for children.  Tradition has it as a day to bless your children for protection and intercede for the protection of all children especially those in danger.  Some traditions have the youngest child become “king” for the day and as such rules the day by making decisions about what to eat or what activities to do.  Another tradition is to serve soft food as infants would eat and to serve a food red in color which is usually a dessert in remembrance of the children whose lives were lost.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…

...four calling birds

~four calling birds…

 

 

 

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~An Old Irish Blessing~

Marian McCoy Boveri

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Day 1:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day 2:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day 3:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day 4:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

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Christmas Traditions–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the third day…

The third day of Christmas is the Feast of St. John in remembrance of St. John the Apostle who is described as the disciple “whom Jesus loved”. On this day the church offered a special blessing of wine in honor of St. John. The blessed wine was called the “Love of St. John” and used for special occasions throughout the year and for the sick. Legend tells of St. John drinking a glass of poisoned wine but not suffering any harm as he had blessed the wine before its drinking.

On this day it was a tradition to drink “to the love of St. John”. St. John’s wine was often served warm with mulling spices added creating a special drink for the day. The tradition called for the father of the house to lift his glass to the mother and say: “I drink you the love of St. John.” and the mother would reply: “I thank you for the love of St. John.” Then the mother would turn to the oldest child and repeat the same. Each person once toasted turns to the next in age until all had given and received the toast.

The idea behind the tradition is for the head of the household to begin the toast and pass it around to the oldest down to the youngest. Although it is certainly still within tradition to simply pass a glass to each guest while saying “I drink you the love of St. John.” as the recipient replies “I thank you for the love of St. John.”

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me…

...three french hens

~ three french hens…

 

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~An Old Irish Blessing~

Marian McCoy Boveri

——————

Day 1:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day 2:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day 3:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

 

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Christmas Tradition–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the second day…

The “Twelve Days of Christmas” has become synonymous with the well-known Christmas carol of the same name first published in England in 1780 and believed to be of French origin. In actuality it is a period of time marking the celebration of Christmas from Christmas Day to Epiphany first decreed as such circa 567. It is also known as “Christmastide”.

The second day of Christmas is St. Stephen’s Day which commemorates the first Christian martyr and became a day in which to share leftover food from Christmas with the poor. In some countries, including Ireland, it is called Wren’s Day. In countries with a UK origin, it is also known as Boxing Day after the boxes that were opened on this day to share the alms with the poor. It is the day in which servants and tradesmen received their Christmas gifts from their bosses or employers which came to be known as a “Christmas box”. It was also tradition to give servants the day off in order to celebrate Christmas with their families.

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me…

Two Turtle Doves

~ two turtle doves and…

 

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~An Old Irish Blessing~

Marian McCoy Boveri

——————

Day Two: Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Day One:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

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Christmas Tradition–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the first day…

Merry Christmas!  Did you know that the twelve days of Christmas BEGIN on Christmas Day?!  The celebration of Christmas lasts twelve days–to the “Twelfth Night”–and ends on January 6, which is Epiphany.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

First Day of Christmas

~ a partridge in a pear tree!

 

Until we meet again…may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~An Old Irish Blessing~

Marian McCoy Boveri

——————

Day 1:  Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_eireann’>eireann / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

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Christmas Traditions–O Christmas Tree–How Lovely Are Your Branches!

Christmas Tree Plate Godey's Lady's Book December 1850

Godey’s Lady’s Book
December 1850

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches! ~ from “O Christmas Tree”

It’s time to celebrate Christmas and one of the many traditions that have come to be associated with this holiday is the Christmas tree.   Whether it’s a real evergreen tree that was harvested at a tree farm or bought at a favorite Christmas tree lot or an artificial tree that is put up year after year–it is truly a welcome addition to the home at the holiday season.  The practice of bringing greenery and evergreens into the home during the winter is as old of a practice as can be remembered.  Decorating the home with greenery was in truth originally a remembrance and promise of the harvest to come.

It is said that in central Europe the practice of hanging a decorated evergreen tree upside down or creating a symbolic tree made of wood in the shape of a triangle as a symbol of Christianity became commonplace in certain areas as early as the 12th century.  Legend has it that this practice originated with the 8th century monk, Saint Boniface from Devonshire, who went to Germany to teach the word of God.  As trees were an important part of the inhabitants’ beliefs, the monk used the evergreen tree with its triangular shape to teach about the Trinity.

Another Christmas origin can be seen with the medieval practice during the 15th and 16th centuries of decorating an evergreen tree or branch with apples (representing the forbidden fruit) and wafers (representing the Eucharist and redemption).  This was done for plays performed on Christmas Eve which at that time was also known as Adam and Eve’s Day.

  • It is commonly held that the origin of displaying a Christmas tree as we know it was in Northern Europe, most likely Germany, during the 16th century.
  • The first written record of the “Christmas” tree was in Riga, Latvia, when in 1510 a local merchant’s guild decorated a tree with roses, danced around it in the marketplace, and set it ablaze at the end. [1]  This same written record refers to these same events occurring as early as 1476. [2]
  • In 1530, there is a record of trees being sold in the marketplace in Alsace, France (then in German territory) for the purpose of being brought into the home.  There was a law that restricted their height to 8 shoe lengths (which is slightly over 4 feet).  [1]
  • Early Christmas trees were decorated with fruit, nuts, and other edible foods.
  • Putting lights on the tree is said to have originated in the 16th century with Martin Luther who upon seeing the light of the stars shining through the evergreen trees, put candles on an evergreen tree as representative of “Jesus, who left the stars of heaven to come to earth at Christmas.” [3]

While the Christmas tree was brought to America as early as 1747 by Pennsylvania German immigrants, it was still not a common practice as late as the 1840s.

  • The first record of a public display of a Christmas tree in America was in the 1830s in Pennsylvania by German immigrants.
  • It was actually Queen Victoria of England and her German Prince Albert that brought the tradition of setting up and decorating a Christmas tree into mainstream practice.  As Queen Victoria was popular with her subjects, what she did and what she wore quickly became trends.  A picture of the Queen and her husband standing around a decorated Christmas tree was widely circulated in London in 1848.  The same picture sans crown and mustache to make it more appealing to the American public was published in Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1850 (pictured above) and the Christmas tree soon became an accepted and practiced Christmas tradition.
  • In 1851 Christmas trees began to be sold commercially being randomly harvested from the forest.
  • By 1870 putting up a Christmas tree was a common practice in America.

In the end the use of greenery in the home has always been symbolic of the light shining in the darkness, the hope and promise of new growth, and everlasting life.  What better way to celebrate Christmas, which is truly about the hope and promise of a Savior that comes to be the light of the world, than with a Christmas tree?!

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

~ an Old Irish Blessing

  1.  (http://www.realchristmastrees.org/dnn/education/historyofchristmastrees.aspx)
  2.  (www.firstChristmastree.net)
  3. (http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/trees.shtml)
  4.  (http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees)
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Holidays and Seasons–Christmas in July!

 

Merry Christmas!

Well almost–there are only 6 months more to go.  But wait–it really is time to celebrate Christmas–in July.

Some may wonder if the retailers have finally succeeded in bringing Christmas earlier and earlier to the point of absolute madness or could there be another reason for all this celebration?

Certainly there is some truth in using Christmas in July to create sales opportunities especially since there are no real holidays after Independence Day and before Labor Day.  Creating a holiday in between is a great way to stir up sales–but retailers aren’t really to blame for starting this second Christmas celebration.

Before we look into its celebration, it is interesting to note that the first known recorded mention of Christmas in July was in the opera, “Werther”, written in 1892.   In the story children practicing a Christmas song were admonished:  “When you sing Christmas in July, you rush the season.”  Guess even back then no one really wanted to see Christmas come before its time.

  • The first recollected celebration of Christmas in July happened in 1933 at Camp Keystone, a girl’s summer camp in North Carolina, where it was decided to hold a Christmas party at their camp-out complete with a Christmas tree, presents, and a visit from St. Nick.  In 1935 the National Recreation Association’s magazine wrote “all mystery and wonder surround this annual event”.
  • Of course what better way to popularize something than through the movies?  The next known boost to this holiday was through the 1940 movie “Christmas in July”.
  • Perhaps the most noble early celebration of Christmas in July comes in 1942 at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.  The pastor, following a practice from a former church he had attended in Philadelphia, collected gifts and donations early in order to distribute to missions worldwide in time for Christmas.  Things didn’t move quite as quickly back then as they do now.
  • A Christmas campaign was instituted in July 1944 by the U.S. Post Office and the U.S. Army and Navy in conjunction with the American greeting card and advertising industries.  A luncheon was held in July in New York to encourage early mailing for service men and women stationed overseas to assure the mail would reach them by Christmas.  One must imagine that this most surely lent itself to a frenzy of Christmas shopping in July.  A true retailer’s dream come true.  Is it any wonder then that Christmas in July is something retailers quickly took a liking to?
  • By the 1950s Christmas in July sales were commonplace in the U.S.  It was a great way for the retailers to clear out last season’s merchandise in preparation for the coming season.  Christmas in July was officially here to stay.
  • There remains another Christmas in July origin (also known as Yulefest or Yuletide) which is centered around the thought that countries in the southern hemisphere who have their winter during this month want to celebrate Christmas during the cooler season just like their northern hemisphere counterparts do.  As July is typically the coldest month, social gatherings during the winter easily led to festivities reminiscent of Christmas.  In Australia, Christmas in July has become a big event with stores advertising just as if it were indeed Christmas and people decorating their homes and gathering to celebrate as well.  It is believed to have originated with (or at least promoted by) an Irish group who upon seeing snow in July while visiting Sydney’s Blue Mountains thought it perfect for celebrating Christmas.

Whether or not you like the idea of celebrating Christmas twice–Christmas in July is here to stay.  In the end–a little Christmas taken in its true spirit is something we all could do with having a little more of.

Merry Christmas!

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.  ~ an Old Irish Blessing