Traditions Blog Post

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>

 

By |Blog, Christmas, Traditions Blog Post, Winter Blog Posts|Comments Off on Christmas Traditions–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the third day…

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>

By |Blog, Christmas, Traditions Blog Post, Winter Blog Posts|Comments Off on Christmas Tradition–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the second day…

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>

By |Blog, Christmas, Traditions Blog Post, Winter Blog Posts|Comments Off on Christmas Tradition–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the first day…

Celebrate Traditions–Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

By |Blog, Easter, Spring Blog Posts, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Celebrate Traditions–Happy Easter!

Celebrate Traditions ~ Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!

 

 

An Old Irish Blessing

An Old Irish Blessing

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!  <–click for video

By |Blog, St. Patrick's Day, Summer Blog Posts, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Celebrate Traditions ~ Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!

Celebrate Spring Traditions–St. Brigid’s Day and St. Brigid’s Cross

 

St. Brigid Source: Saint Brigid Church

St. Brigid
Source: Saint Brigid Church

February 1 is known as St. Brigid’s Day in Ireland. She is an Irish saint that was born in circa 451 AD and her feast day celebrates the arrival of Spring. In the old Irish calendar there were four quarter days that marked the shift in season and upon which celebrations were held.  St. Brigid’s Day, also known as Imbolc, was the quarter day that signified the ending of the long, hard winter and the arrival of spring. It falls about half-way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

It is believed that St. Brigid’s parents were Dubthach, a Leinster chieftain and a pagan, and Brocaa, a slave and a Christian baptized by St. Patrick.  When it was discovered that she was pregnant, Dubthach’s wife had Brigid’s mother sold to a Druid landowner.  Brigid was known for her charity and gave away anything she could to the the poor.   Her Druid owner returned Brigid to her father when she was about 10-years-old.  Her father soon tired of her giving away his belongings so he sought to sell her to the King of Leinster.  As Dubthach spoke with the King, Brigid gave away her father’s sword to a beggar so he could barter it for food.  The King, who was a Christian,  spoke with Brigid, saw her heart and declared, “Her merit before God is greater than ours”.  The King then convinced Dubthach to grant Brigid her freedom.

It is said that Brigid, who was very beautiful, prayed that God would remove her beauty so that she could live a consecrated life devoted to Christ rather than accept the many hands of marriage that were offered to her.  Once her father saw that her beauty had been taken, he agreed to allow her to enter a religious life.  Upon taking her vows, Brigid’s beauty was restored.

Brigid founded the first monastery for women religious in Ardagh.  Before this, women who consecrated themselves to God lived in private homes.  Shortly thereafter, the monastery was moved to Kildare and became known as “The Church of the Oak” as it was built above the shrine to the Celtic goddess of the same name which was under a large oak tree.  Brigid also founded a monastery for men as well and went on to set up monasteries all over Ireland.  It was during her travels that her Christ-given healing abilities and wisdom became known and she affectionately was called “The Mary of the Gaels”.

Brigid later founded a school of art and metallurgy that produced the Book of Kildare.  This work was said to have been “created by angels”.

A tradition in Ireland is to make a new St. Brigid’s cross for the home out of rushes or reeds on St. Brigid’s Day to insure protection of the home, especially from fire, throughout the coming year.  Legend has it that St. Brigid picked rushes from the floor and made a cross in an effort to convert a dying pagan chieftain.  “He asked her about what she was doing and, in explaining, she told him about christ and the meaning of the Cross.  He came to faith and was baptized.”

“Once the cross is woven, it is blessed with holy water and with the words:

May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost be on this Cross and on the place where it hangs and on everyone who looks at it.” (1)

Click here for instructions on how to make a St. Brigid’s Cross.

St. Brigid's Cross Source: Wikipedia

St. Brigid’s Cross
Source: Wikipedia

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

~ An Old Irish Blessing

Marian McCoy Boveri

 

Sources:

(1)  http://fisheaters.com/customstimeafterepiphany2a.html

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/st-brigids-day-1st-february-marks-the-start-of-celtic-spring-189211061-237561961.html

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=453

http://www.crosscrucifix.com/articlehome.htm

By |Blog, Spring Blog Posts, St. Patrick's Day, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Celebrate Spring Traditions–St. Brigid’s Day and St. Brigid’s Cross

Celebrate Traditions ~ St. Valentine’s Day

What a great Valentine’s Day tradition!!!  Found this at decorating-by-day.com (http://goo.gl/lia6E5).  Great for home, school, or even your office!  Spread the love with encouraging words written on hearts and posted on the door.  Start February 1st and finish on February 14th, St. Valentine’s Day.

1-14.valentine's door

By |Blog, Traditions Blog Post, Valentine's Day, Winter Blog Posts|Comments Off on Celebrate Traditions ~ St. Valentine’s Day

Celebrate Fall Traditions–Pumpkin Recipes

It’s that time of year where everything pumpkin shows up.  I found this delicious recipe for pumpkin pie in a glass with this Pumpkin Pie Nog at http://www.recipe.com/pumpkin-pie-nog/.  I also think the pumpkin “bowl” is such a creative touch.

Hope this inspires you to celebrate the season by enjoying the harvest.

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
~ An old Irish blessing
Marian McCoy Boveri
By |Blog, Fall Blog Posts, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Celebrate Fall Traditions–Pumpkin Recipes

Seasons–Autumn Leaves are on Their Way!

Autumn leaves are on their way!

By |Blog, Fall Blog Posts, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Seasons–Autumn Leaves are on Their Way!

Celebrate Traditions–Memorial Day–A Day of Remembrance

“The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree.” ~Thomas Campbell

Memorial Day originated shortly after the Civil War as a day to remember fallen soldiers of the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers and other appropriate objects.  Before it’s official proclamation as Decoration Day in 1868, it had become tradition to decorate the graves of fallen Civil War Soldiers towards the end of May around the time that flowers started to bloom.

5-25.decorationday5

The Veterans Administration’s history page describes one of the earliest records of this traditions in a beautiful story of forgiveness and compassion shown by women in decorating graves of fallen soldiers:

Local springtime tributes to the Civil War dead already had been held in various places. One of the first occurred in Columbus, Miss., April 25, 1866, when a group of women visited a cemetery to decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers who had fallen in battle at Shiloh. Nearby were the graves of Union soldiers, neglected because they were the enemy. Disturbed at the sight of the bare graves, the women placed some of their flowers on those graves, as well.” (3)

According to history recounted by the Clarion County Historical Society:

“[t]he earliest evidence of observance goes back to various women’s groups in the North and South, when ladies organized events to honor their war dead by decorating graves. The earliest recorded event took place on April 25, 1866 in Columbus, Mississippi when a group of women formed an association to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers, starting with those who died in the Battle of Shiloh.” (2)

It was officially named Decoration Day and thus proclaimed on May 5 1868 by General John Logan who was the National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic.  His General Orders No. 11 proclaimed in part:

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

“‘We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion.’ What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” (3)

he term “Memorial Day” was not used officially until 1967, its use first emerged circa 1880s.

It wasn’t until after World War I that the day was expanded to honor those who had served and died in all American wars and not just those of the Civil War.  The term Memorial Day was first used in 1882 but did not gain regular use until after World War II.  The day was not officially called Memorial Day until 1967.  On June 28, 1968, Congress moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to Monday in order to create three-day weekends through the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  This moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May.  The law federally took affect in 1971; however, it would be a few years before all 50 states adopted Congress’ order.  Memorial Day was also then declared a national holiday.

Memorial Day has also become to be known as the official start of summer.

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

~An Old Irish Blessing

Marian McCoy Boveri

(3)  http://www.usmemorialday.org/?p=90

(2)  https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152253979979830&id=109532589829&substory_index=0

(1) http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp and

Decoration Day Becomes Memorial Day

https://www.morningagclips.com/decoration-day/

By |Blog, Memorial Day, Summer Blog Posts, Traditions Blog Post|Comments Off on Celebrate Traditions–Memorial Day–A Day of Remembrance