Countdown ‘Til Christmas

25 Daily Traditions and Gift Ideas

from

Around the World

By

Eileen Telford

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2012 by Eileen Telford

Dedication Page

To all my Puritan Ancestors who left England

stopped off in Holland

and adopted all of the wonderful traditions

from that country and passed their Christmas DNA to me.

Also, to my other ancestors from Scandinavia,

the British Isles and France—

And all of the other wonderful people

I’ve met who passed on their Christmas traditions to me.

To all I say

THANK YOU

Author Page

Eileen loves Christmas.  She wanted to know more about it and the traditions that are so different and varied.  It took a year to research the different countries and various traditions that celebrate the birth of Christ.  This book is a work of love that shares Eileen’s love of Christmas and of the Savior of the World.

Look for Eileen’s other Christmas books.

Contact her at eileentelford101@gmail.com

Table of Contents

The Sunday closest to November 30th

THE ADVENT WREATH

December 1st

ADVENT  CALENDARS

December 2nd

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

December 3rd

THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS

December 4th

DECORATIONS

December 5th

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

December 6th

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

December 7th

THE NATIVITY OR “THE CRECHE”

December 8th

HOLLY AND IVY --

December 9th

CANDLES

December 10th

SANTA CLAUS

December 11th

CANDY CANES

December 12th

GUADALUPE DAY

December 13th

ST. LUCIA DAY

December 14th

CAROLS -- “SILENT NIGHT”

December 15th

GIFT GIVING

December 16th

CHRISTMAS CARDS

December 17th

THE EXTRA PLATE

December 18th

GOOD KING WENCESLAUS

December 19th

THE NUTCRACKER

December 20

MISTLETOE

December 21st

X-MAS

December 22nd

YULE LOGS AND “THE FIRST NOEL”

December 23rd

CHRISTMAS  BELLS

December 24th

A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR JESUS

December 25th

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

COUNTDOWN 'TIL CHRISTMAS

25 DAILY TRADITIONS AND GIFT IDEAS

FROM AROUND THE WORLD

By Eileen Telford

Christmas Trees, holly wreaths, candles and candy canes – where did we get these traditions and what do they have to do with the Christ child born in a stable more than two thousand years ago?

The stories behind these and other traditions tell a tale of the Christ Child and the message He brought to the world.  That message is one of peace, good will, love, and giving.

As you read this book and share the messages, stories, and gifts with the children in your life, you will feel the Christmas spirit.  You will laugh and cry and say, “I didn't know that!”  You will feel what countless children around the world feel and have felt about Christmas.

Read one chapter a day as noted on the top of each chapter.   Have fun with the gift suggestions.  Make a wreath, bake some cookies, rent a video and stir up a pot full of wassail for all to enjoy.  Make this book and the season come alive for you and your loved ones.

Christmas is the most beloved season of all for children around the world – and for the young at heart as well.

May you feel the love of Christ in your heart as you and your family enjoy this Christmas season as never before!

The Sunday closest to November 30th            Scandinavia

THE ADVENT WREATH

The word ADVENT is a Latin word meaning “the coming.”  As early as the sixth century Christians took the time of the Advent (about thirty days) to reflect on the coming of Christ.

As Christianity moved north to the Scandinavian countries, the converted Vikings caught on to the idea of Christ being a light to the world.

In the dark, harsh winters of those frigid north lands, the Vikings had long marveled at the evergreen tree and the miracle that it lived when all other vegetation died.  They made wreaths from the boughs of the evergreen tree and brought them indoors for good luck.  Once they became converted to Christianity, they added four candles to the wreaths to remind them of their new faith in Christ.  One candle was lit each of the four Sundays before Christmas day.

ñ      The first candle represented the prophets who foretold of the coming of Christ.

ñ      The second candle represented the Bible and its message.

ñ      The third candle represented Mary, the mother of Christ, and her willingness to accept her mission to be His mother.

ñ      The fourth candle represented John the Baptist who foretold that the Savior would soon come to save them.

ñ      A fifth larger white candle was lit on Christmas Day to represent the birth of the Christ Child.

Other countries in Europe later caught on to the idea of the Advent wreath and added their ideas to it.  Some countries used three purple candles to represent Hope, Peace and Love which were lit the first three Sundays of Advent.   On the fourth week a red candle was added to represent the crucifixion of the Savior and His love for us.  A big white candle was added on Christmas Day to represent the birth of the Christ Child and Him as the Light of the world.

Suggested gift:  An Advent Wreath with four smaller candles (white or colored) to be lit on the four Sundays before Christmas day, and one white large candle to be lit on Christmas Day.

December 1st                                                  Germany

ADVENT  CALENDARS

More than two hundred years Advent wreaths hung in homes around Germany.  However, the devout German people wanted their children to look forward to the birth of the Christ Child on Christmas Day.  Instead of candles, many German families hung twenty-four small bags to the wreath, one to be opened each day of the month starting on December 1st.

The children eagerly looked forward to the little gifts each day and when all the bags were opened, the family knew when to celebrate Christmas day.

In the late 1800's a child named Gerhard Lang lived in Germany with his mother.  His mother used the concept of the Advent wreath, but instead placed a numbered board on the wall.  On this board she attached twenty-four pieces of candy tied with a string.  Each day little Gerhard was allowed to eat one piece of candy.  When the candy was gone, it was Christmas Day.

In 1908 Gerhard Lang had grown into a man and owned a printing firm with another man, Reichhold.  Lang remembered the little Advent calendar of his youth and decided to reproduce it on paper – not with pieces of candy on a string, but with pictures of candy, toys or a Christmas decoration hidden behind doors or windows which could be opened as children counted down the days until Christmas.  The “Munich Christmas Calendar” became an overnight success in Germany.  The idea of the Advent Calendar soon spread throughout Europe and to the United States by the end of World War II.

Today Advent calendars are one of the most popular ways for children around the world to count down the days until Christmas.

Suggested gift:  An Advent calendar – one that you make or buy to help your children count down the days until Christmas.  You could even tie little bags of candies to a wreath if you wanted a very traditional Advent calendar to mark the days.

December 2nd                                                 Germany

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The evergreen tree has been called a miracle tree because it alone stayed green in the coldest and darkest of winters when all other vegetation died.  The people of Scandinavia and other European countries brought the evergreens indoors in the winter months because they thought it brought them good luck.

In the seventh century a monk by the name of St. Boniface from England traveled Europe as a missionary.  It was written that on one of his journeys he came upon a group of men who surrounded an oak tree.  They had a small boy with them and they were ready to sacrifice the boy to their pagan god, Thor.  St. Boniface boldly demanded that they stop the ritual, but they refused.  He then struck the oak tree with his fist.  The mighty oak tree shuddered and then fell to the earth.  Hidden behind the tree stood a small fir tree.  St. Boniface explained to the men that the evergreen tree was the Tree of Life and that even the bitterest winters could not kill the evergreen.  He said that the tree represented the eternal life offered them by Jesus Christ.  He pointed to the triangular shape of the tree and explained that it represented the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.  The men gave up their pagan ways immediately and accepted Christ.

Five centuries later the evergreen tree was still accepted as the Tree of Life and was hung upside down from the ceilings in Christian homes throughout Europe.  It is not known why the trees were hung upside down.

Martin Luther, a religious reformer from Germany, was the first one to bring an evergreen tree indoors as a symbol of Christmas.  Legend has it that as he came home one wintry night, he saw the light of the moon passing through a small evergreen tree.  The sight so enthralled him that he wanted to duplicate the effect in his home.

He placed an evergreen on the floor in his home and placed small candles in candle holders on the tree.  He taught his family and others that the tree represented eternal life and that the green color did not fade, just as the love of God will never fade.  He also taught them that the candles represented the Light of Christ which His birth brought to the world – and the hope of the resurrection.

Still, it was not until 184l when Queen Victoria of England married Prince Albert of Germany that Christmas trees were brought into the homes in England.  An engraving of their Christmas tree appeared in American newspapers – and the idea caught on in the new world.

By the 1880s Christmas trees became so popular that some thought the poor evergreens might become extinct.  Artificial trees made of feathers or brushes were introduced as alternatives.

Now the evergreen has become a beloved symbol of Christmas and is enjoyed by children worldwide.

Suggested gift:  Set up a Christmas tree in your home.  You may choose to cut down your own, buy one from the Boy Scouts or other folks, or purchase a live one in a pot that you can keep alive all year long.  Many stores sell beautiful artificial trees that don't have bare branches and don't look like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.  Make decorating your Christmas tree a cherished tradition.

December 3rd                                                 Italy

THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS

No one really knows the origin of the three colors of Christmas – green, red and gold, but it likely came from the Romans in Italy.

The evergreen had long been used to represent life as it did not die in winter.  Along with the evergreen were the holly trees with their rich red berries which also grew in winter.  Pagans used the evergreen and the holly leaves in their ceremonies, but church leaders from the middle ages searched for a way to use these ancient customs to teach Christianity.

They taught that the green from the holly leaves and evergreens represented life eternal, and the rich red berries represented the blood of Christ which He shed for us to give us eternal life.  Even though it is hard to think of the death of Christ on the celebration of His birth, it was His death and resurrection which gives us hope for eternal life as well...

When the Wise Men brought gifts to the Christ Child, one of the gifts was gold.  It was a precious commodity even back then – and was an unusual gift to give an infant – unless that infant was a King.

Also, the new star of the East cast down a heavenly golden light to lead the Wise Men to the Babe in the Manger.

Though many colors are used to decorate for Christmas, the three traditional colors are still green, red and gold and those colors are seen everywhere.   As the Christmas carol Silver Bells says, “See the streetlights, even stoplights blink of “bright red and green” [and gold].

Suggested gift:  Ornaments of red, green and gold for your tree.  You could also get a holly wreath with a bright gold bow for your front door.

December 4th                                                              Norway

DECORATIONS

Ivy, holly and mistletoe were most likely the first decorations of Christmas.  But before that, the Vikings of the Scandinavian countries such as Norway made ornate decorations from straw for their pagan gods.  Once these people became Christians, they made stars, angels and even tiny mangers to set on table tops or to place on their evergreen trees in their homes.

About the same time, Germans and Italians made triangular shaped boxes out of wood to set on tables or to hang on walls.  The boxes, named litchstocks in Germany and ceppos in Italy, were soon found in almost every home.  Tiny carved pieces from the Nativity graced the shelves in the boxes.

In such places as Germany, families tied shiny red apples to the branches of their Christmas trees.  Later, strings of popcorn, walnuts, white candy canes and dolls became popular decorations.  Cookies cut out in the shape of stars and angels appeared on the trees as well.

In the 1860s the first commercial ornaments sold were glass beads and they were made by a German company by the name of Lauscha.  In addition to the beads, they made tin ornaments and then later, delicate glass ornaments.

These became very popular in Germany and later, England.  A decade later they came to the United States.

In 1880 Frank W. Woolworth sold the Lauscha ornaments in his “five cent” stores nationwide.  He made it possible for wealthy and middle class families to have commercial decorations for their trees.

In 1937 Max Eckardt, an American who imported delicate glass ornaments from Germany, realized that soon the world would be at war.  He started his own glass works company so that he would not have to depend on imported goods to sell.  Now beautifully crafted glass ornaments were available at very affordable prices in America.

After World War II, plastic and metal compounds became available for commercial use.  Enterprising men and women created beautiful plastic and metal Christmas ornaments.  These became commonplace in the 1950s.   Then in the 1960s and 1970s decorations moved outdoors for the first time.

Now sales and revenues for Christmas decorations rank just behind that of gift giving.  Thousands of people spend hours and days decorating not only their homes but their yards as well.  For many, the season would not be complete without a drive around the city and suburbs to admire all of the beautiful Christmas decorations.

Yes, in ancient times, the Norse Christians found great joy as they fashioned stars and angels out of straw for their Christmas decorations.  No doubt their children delighted in helping to place these ornaments on their trees.

And today we follow in those same traditions as we gather together as families and decorate our Christmas trees.  Our decorations look different from the Norse, but the joy and happiness we experience as families are the same.

Suggested gift:  Buy or make special ornaments for your tree this year.  If you prefer, each child could make a special ornament out of a variety of materials -- yarn, paper, straw or anything else you might find around the house or yard or in a local craft store.  Have fun creating ornaments as a family.

December 5th                                                              Holland

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

Tingling with excitement, children in Holland eagerly place their wooden shoes by the hearth on St. Nicholas Eve, which is December 5th.   They hope that the good St. Nicholas will remember them for the good things they've done during the year and not the bad ones.  If they have been bad, such as teasing their brothers or sisters, or not doing their chores, Black Pete might visit them instead of St. Nicholas and bring them a lump of coal or a bundle of switches!

The tradition of leaving shoes – or stockings-- by the fireplace dates back to the 4th century.  At that time, a goodly man named St. Nicholas, Bishop of Mira, lived in a country which is now part of present day Turkey by the Mediterranean Sea.

St. Nicholas loved little children and cared for them and the poor people of villages.  Whenever he visited, he gave gifts of coins or food.  According to a popular legend, three young teenage girls had no money for dowries as their father was an impoverished nobleman.  Without proper dowries, the girls were doomed to a life of poverty with no chance to ever marry.

The poor father did not know what to do, so the oldest daughter decided to sell herself into slavery thereby allowing her two younger sisters to marry.  Before that happened however, St. Nicholas learned about the three girls and their tragic situation.  At night he tossed a bag of gold down their chimney and it chanced to fall in the stocking of the oldest girl as it hung by the hearth to dry.  The gold provided a dowry for the girl and brought great happiness to her and her family.  She married a fine man and was not forced into slavery.  Legend has it that St. Nicholas also tossed bags of gold down the chimney for dowries for the other two girls when they came of age to marry..

The story of the poor, dowerless girls spread far and wide.  When people heard that St. Nicholas was in town, the children laid their stockings by the hearth at night, hoping that good old St. Nicholas would come down the chimney and provide them with bags of gold as well.

December 6th is the anniversary of the death of St. Nicholas who died around 350 A.D.  In commemoration of him, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated in many places in the world.  In Holland, on St. Nicholas Eve (December 5th), little children place their wooden shoes (or stockings) by the fireplace in hopes that St. Nicholas will fill them with candy and presents.

When Puritans left Holland, some of the Dutch people also immigrated to the new land called America.  These Dutch settlers continued to celebrate St. Nicholas day on December 6th  even though their Puritan neighbors did not.  The Dutch name for St. Nicholas is Sinterklaas, and when their American friends tried to pronounce the strange name, it sounded like Santy Claus.  Within a few years the name evolved into Santa Claus.

In 1822 Dr. Clement Clarke Moore wrote a wonderful poem for his daughter, Charity.  In the poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” Dr. Moore described St. Nicholas and his remarkable visit on Christmas Eve, December 24th, rather than on St. Nicholas Eve, which was December 5th.  Dr. Moore changed the night of the visit to coincide with Christmas Eve.  In the poem, Dr. Moore writes, “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.”

After the publication of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” -- which was changed to “The Night Before Christmas,” children in America began hanging their stockings by the chimney with care – which countless children in Holland and all over the world were already doing.

Thanks to Dr. Moore and his wonderful poem, Christmas truly came to America – and it became a joyous holiday for children in this country just as it was for children in Europe and Scandinavia.

As an interesting tidbit of information, an orange in the toe of a child's stocking on Christmas morning is symbolic of the golden coins which St. Nicholas gave the three dowerless girls centuries ago.  Children in many countries of the world may also find an apple for health or a walnut for good luck in the toes of their stockings as well as an orange.

Suggested  gift:  An orange for each child – and perhaps an apple and some nuts as well.  You may choose to buy or make some special stockings for each child and let them hang them by the hearth on December 5th in commemoration of St. Nicholas Eve.  It could be a fun tradition for you and your family to celebrate St. Nicholas Day as the Dutch children do, with special gifts in their stockings when they awaken on St. Nicholas Day.  Also, Dutch children receive a chocolate letter of their first name.  These can be created by you or purchased online from a number of sources.

December 6th                                                              Turkey

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

A Brief History of St. Nicholas

Tales of St. Nicholas date back to the third century A.D. -- for that is when he was born to his aged parents.  The couple prayed for thirty years to have a child.  At last their prayers were answered and they were blessed with a little son.  They lived in Lycia, which is located in present day Turkey by the Mediterranean Sea.

When Nicholas was nine years old he was orphaned and raised by guardians.  He never forgot the teachings of his parents.  He gave generously to the poor and was beloved by all.

Many tales have been told about St. Nicholas, but none is better known or more beloved than one about the three penniless sisters who had no money for a dowry.  Legend has it that St. Nicholas threw a bag of gold down the chimney and it landed in the oldest girl's stocking as it lay drying by the hearth.  He gave gold two more times to the other sisters, allowing each of the girls to marry.  Many scholars feel that the tradition of putting stockings on the hearth on Christmas Eve derived from this legend.

One Golden Christmas is a retelling of that cherished legend of so many years ago -- when St. Nicholas was a young man. Names and details have been added to enrich the tale, but the story remains as it has for centuries – a timeless tale of hopes and dreams fulfilled.

Suggested gift: Download a copy of “One Golden Christmas” written by Eileen Telford.  It is found in Grandma's Christmas Lessons, a Kindle book on Amazon.com.  Share this story – and other Christmas stories with your children or enjoy reading them yourself.

You can also get a copy of Clement C. Moore's classic tale of “The Night Before Christmas” and enjoy this story with your family.

December 7th                                                             Italy

THE NATIVITY OR “THE CRECHE”

Gazing at a Nativity set brings the true meaning of Christmas to mind for young and old.  Many families look forward to setting up Holy Family with the Babe in the manager as the central figure in the Crèche.  The word Crèche is French and it means crib or cradle.

Because the French use elaborate Crèche settings as a part of their Christmas celebrations, many people believe that the first Nativity scenes began in France.  This is not so.

During the Dark Ages in Europe artists made carvings and etchings of the Holy Family as early as the fourth century.   However, St. Francis of Assisi (Italy) brought the Nativity to life and is responsible for its popularity.  He desired to portray the Nativity in such a way that all who viewed it might truly appreciate the humble beginnings of the Lord.

In the thirteenth century St. Francis, with the help of a friend, created a manger scene in Greccio, Italy, in the Umbrian hills.  In that outdoor setting, a humble manager filled with hay lay between an ox and a donkey.  With candles lit in reverence, St. Francis held mass on Christmas Eve in 1223.

St. Francis encouraged children to view his Nativity scene up close.  He chose people to play the principle characters and to sit or stand next to live animals.  St. Bonaventure described the scene thus, “Greccio was transformed almost into a second Bethlehem and that wonderful night seemed like the fullest day to both man and beast for the joy they felt at the renewing of the mystery.”

The popularity of the Greccio manger scene spread throughout Europe.  Music added to the beauty of the pageant.  Soon each country and culture added to the Nativity pageantry as the reenactments of the Nativity graced each home – from the Court of Kings to the humblest cottage.   When the Spanish came to the New World in the sixteenth century, they brought the Nativity pageants, known as mystery plays, with them.  The Indian converts, under the direction of the Franciscan monks, performed these plays – adapted to their culture.  The Native Americans on the west coast of America performed these pageants long before the Pilgrims came to the New World on the east coast.

In the eighteenth century in Naples, Italy, the crèche changed from the humble setting St. Francis had envisioned to the elaborate standards of the court of King Carlo III.  The king commissioned artists to sculpt the figures while the queen and ladies of the court fashioned the elaborate costumes worn by the Holy Family, the angels, shepherds, and hundreds of other characters.  Artisans, jewelers and other craftsmen worked on the dazzling displays.

These ornate scenes caught the fancy of other craftsmen and they duplicated the Nativities and peddled them in France.  The Italians called them santi belli – or “beautiful saints”; the French called them santon – or “little saint.”  They became very popular in France and remain so today.

Despite the popularity of Nativity scenes in Europe and Mexico, the Southwest and parts of old California, this tradition did not catch on in New England.  The Puritans outlawed Christmas and forbade its celebration.  However, as more and more people immigrated from the Old World, Nativity scenes and the celebration of Christmas slowly became popular in America as well.  Today Nativity scenes and Christmas Pageants grace almost every home and Church at Christmas time in all parts of this country as well as world wide.

Suggested gift:  A Nativity set to enjoy the whole season long.  You might also plan to perform the Nativity in your own home on Christmas Eve.  One of the most delightful Christmas books I've ever read is “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” written by Barbara Robinson.  Publishers Weekly said that it is “One of the best Christmas books ever.”  Many colleges and theatrical groups perform the play each Christmas; find out if it is available in your area.  Also, a video has been made by that name starring Loretta Switt (from the TV M.A.S.H. Series.)  It is delightful and very well acted.  Check out the book – or the movie -- and enjoy it as a family this season.  It is definitely worth the watch or the time it takes to read it.

December 8th                                                  British Isles

HOLLY AND IVY --

AND DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS TREATS

The Holly tree and the Ivy plant hold a special place at Christmas time in many countries – including the British Isles.  The holly and the ivy, whose bright green leaves grow in the midst of the bleakness of winter, made the plants mysterious and even holy.

Early Christians in the British Isles felt that the crown of thorns worn by Christ on Calvary was made from the thorny holly leaves.  Legend has it that the original berries on the Holly tree were white, but the drops of blood from Christ caused them to change to red.

An English legend states that the robin got its red breast from plucking the thorns from Christ's cruel crown.  The robins enjoy eating holly berries as do other birds.

Another legend states that when the men who wanted to crucify the Lord went to the forest to cut down a tree to fashion a cross.  All of the trees of the forest, rather than submit to such an evil task, burst into splinter-size pieces as soon as an axe struck them.  It is said that the holly tree alone humbled itself to become the cross.  For that reason the holly tree was called a holy tree.  Many scholars believe that the word holy comes from holly and its close association with the crucifixion of the Lord..  Many also believe that the word holiday comes from the holly tree as well.

Centuries ago, as the story is told, a nobleman gave a grand feast to his friends.  Holly, with its bold, thorny leaves, traditionally represented men, while Ivy, with its soft-edged, gentle leaves, represented women.  The nobleman offered a challenge to Holly – and to the men sitting at his feast.  He asked every man who ruled his home to stand and sing.  One lone man stood and nervously sang a solo.  He sat down, and the nobleman challenged Ivy, or the women to stand and sing if they ruled their homes.  All of the women, except one, stood and bellowed a loud, most enthusiastic song amidst raucous laughter.  “Ivy wins!” shouted the host, to the delight of the women and dismay of the men.

Sprigs of holly and ivy adorn many homes in the British Isles.  Legend has it that that holly and ivy above your door will keep away witches and tax collectors.

Many foods represent Christmas, but Plum Pudding is heralded by England as their favored holiday treat.  In Dickens' classic book, “A Christmas Carol,” Bob Cratchit's wife fussed over whether or not her pudding would be an acceptable offering for their Christmas feast.

In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit entered – flushed, but smiling proudly – with the pudding,          like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half a quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top.

Oh, what a wonderful pudding, Bob Cratchit said, and calmly, too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage.

In England in the 15th century, King Henry VII is credited for making the delicious festive drink of wassail.  Warm and spicy, wassail adds to any holiday celebration.

In Scotland, special oatmeal cookies called bannock cakes are served during the Christmas season.

Suggested gift:  Several ideas come to mind:  Make a Plum Pudding or Oatmeal Scotchies for dessert.   Purchase special holiday mugs for your family and make a big batch of steaming hot wassail.  Also, making a wreath of holly leaves and/or ivy and talking about the religious significance of the holly tree could prove both interesting and inspirational.

December 9th                                                              Ireland

CANDLES

Flickering candles brighten homes all around the world at Christmas time.  Ireland, however, boasts a special tradition when it comes to candles.

Each family places a tall, thick white candle on the windowsill of the front window on Christmas Eve.  The youngest child then lights the candle, usually with the help of a parent.  This tradition of choosing the youngest child honors the Christ Child.  The glowing candle burns all night long for Mary and Joseph as they search for lodging -- and for all weary travelers.

Suggest gift idea:  A large thick white candle for lighting on Christmas Eve – or throughout the Christmas season to remind your family to be kind to everyone – family, friends and strangers..

December 10th                                                            Russia

SANTA CLAUS

also known as

GRANDFATHER FROST, FATHER CHRISTMAS OR ST. NICHOLAS

St. Nicholas of Bari, although born in the third century of present day Turkey, became the patron saint of Russia.  He is also the patron saint of bankers, sailors, pawnbrokers, vagabonds, thieves and children the world over.

His names are varied:  In Sweden he is Jultomten, in Holland Sinterklaas, in England Father Christmas, in France Pere Noel.  In Germany he is known as Weibnachtsmann as well as Christkindl or the Christ Child.  In Russia he was known as the Miracle Maker but now he is known as Grandfather Frost.  The Chinese call him Lam Khoong-Khoong which means Nice Old Father.

The Dutch settlers to the Americas brought Sinterklaas with them.  Soon the name became changed to Santy Claus or Santa Claus as we know him today.

In Holland Sinterklaas delivers toys to children a sleigh drawn by goats.  Jultomten in Sweden also had a small sleigh pulled by goats.

In 1822 Clement C. Moore wrote the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” and introduced Santa Claus to the non-Dutch people of the United States.  Within a few years Santa Claus became a beloved figure in the celebration of Christmas.  He represents all that is good about Christmas:  caring for others, happiness, giving gifts, and bringing joy and gladness to the heart of children.

St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa Claus or Father Frost – no matter how you spell it, simply means one word and that word is happiness.

Suggest gift idea:   A replica of St. Nicholas in his deep burgundy bishop's robes, which is how the Russians portray St. Nicholas.  You could also start of collection of Santa Claus ornaments or figurines from around the world.  Add to it each season.

December 11th                                                Germany

CANDY CANES

Most people have heard that candy canes represent the shepherd's staff or crook.  However, few have heard the charming story as to the beginning of the candy cane.

According to recorded history, in 1670 a choir master at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany faced a problem:  how to keep the children in the choir quiet during the long services.  Hard candy had been around for centuries and was probably one of the first treats given to children on St. Nicholas Day over a thousand years ago.  Still, the ingredients were costly and so a piece of hard candy was a rare treat.

The choir director immediately thought of giving the children a stick of candy to lick during the services, but doubted that the clergy or the parents would much appreciate it – even if it did keep the youngsters quiet.  In as stroke of pure inspiration, the choir director spoke to the confectioner and asked if it were possible to put a bend at the top of the candy stick, causing it to resemble a shepherd's crook or cane.  The confectioner told him that it was possible and the sweet treats were created for the Christmas Eve Mass.

The choir director explained to the priests, parents and the children what the  candy cane represented, and the treats were distributed.  The children sang like angels and were too busy enjoying their treats to disturb the religious service.  From that time forward, the candy cane became a part of Christmas celebrations.

Within a hundred years from that time, candy canes decorated Christmas trees throughout Germany.  Soon many homes throughout Europe hung candy canes from their trees as well.  However, all of these candy canes were white.

Legend has it that the red striping appeared on candy canes in England when Christmas was banned by the Puritan leader Cromwell.  A Christian confectioner hand painted three thin red stripes on the candy canes to represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and another thick red stripe to represent the redemption through the blood of Christ.  These candy canes were handed out to devout Christians as a way to show their faith.

Because of the time it took to hand paint these candy canes, the idea did not spread quickly.  It wasn't until the 1920's in the United States when a Christian confectioner named Bob McCormick found a way to twist colors into the candy cane.  Soon other candy makers were doing the same thing.  A candy maker in Indiana, whose brother was a priest, learned of the legend of the candy canes with the three small stripes and thick red stripe as a way of identifying Christians in England.  He created these candy canes as a way to proclaim his faith and carry on the old tradition -- the three small stripes for the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the thick red stripe for the redeeming blood of Christ, the white showing the purity of Christ, the crook for the shepherds who found the Babe in the Manger, and the cane, held upside down, showed the letter “J” for Jesus.

What started with a sweet treat from St. Nicholas in the fourth century, and continued as a teaching tool by a music director in the 17th century, is now a cherished tradition in homes during Christmas season world wide.  (Take a good look at traditional candy canes – the ones with red striping, not the green or pink or yellow ones.  You will be surprised to see that they contain three small thin stripes and one thicker red stripe.  I was surprised myself when I learned of this tradition.)

Suggested gift:  Red striped candy canes to decorate your tree and/or simply to enjoy.

December 12th                                                            Mexico

GUADALUPE DAY

Juan Diego, a poor Indian in the sixteenth century traveled on foot towards what is now Mexico City.  He claimed to have seen a vision of a young Indian woman with dark skin, black hair and dark eyes surrounded by a bright light.  The young woman spoke to Juan Diego and told him that she was the mother of God and of all Indians.

Juan Diego ran to tell the bishop who did not believe him.  Later Juan Diego returned to the bishop and told him that roses had grown on the spot where he had seen the vision.  The woman in the vision told Juan to pick the roses and place them inside his cloak.  As Juan Diego opened his cloak, roses fell onto the ground.  Inside his cloak was a painting of the woman he had seen.  Juan told the bishop that the woman called herself Holy Mary of Guadalupe.

At last the bishop believed Juan Diego and ordered a shrine to be built on the spot where Juan Diego said he had had the vision.  The bishop felt that he had indeed seen Mary, the Holy Mother of the Christ Child. The cloak Juan Diego wore, with the painting of the Indian woman, hangs in the shrine outside Mexico City even today, almost five hundred years later.

Guadalupe Day is celebrated by everyone throughout Mexico.  It is their most important religious holiday.  People bring gifts of flowers, pigs, chickens and eggs to churches.  They view colorful puppet shows depicting the story of Juan Diego's vision when he saw Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Also in Mexico children celebrate holidays such as birthdays and Christmas by hanging a piñata from a tree or the ceiling.  The piñata traditionally was made from a clay pot, but is now made from a papier-mâché.  The decorated pot or papier-mâché mold is filled with candy and toys and is suspended by a string or rope.  The rules of the game are that one child at a time is blindfolded and given a big stick with which to hit the piñata and spill its contents onto the ground.  Each child has one minute to strike at the piñata.  The game is great fun as the person holding the piñata usually pulls it out of reach just as the child strikes at it.  When the piñata is finally struck, the candy and toys are divided among the children at the party.

Suggested gift:  A candy, treat-filled piñata.  They can be purchased at some grocery or specialty stores especially during the holiday season.  You could make your own piñata which would provide hours of fun for you and your youngsters, but it does take drying time in between each of the stages as the piñata is completed.  (Directions can be found on line or in some craft stores or library books.)

December 13th                                                            Sweden

ST. LUCIA DAY

Throughout all of Sweden on December thirteenth, everyone celebrates St.  Lucia Day.  On that day a young girl leads a procession through town wearing a long white dress, a red sash, and a crown of green leaves with seven candles on it.  She carries a tray of small cakes and is followed by other children also dressed in white.  The girls hold candles and the boys wear pointed caps and carry stars on sticks.  The young people deliver cakes and coffee to hospitals, offices, factories and homes.

This holiday commemorates the life of a young Christian girl named Lucia who lived in Italy about the first century A.D.  She lived during the time of Nero's persecutions of the Christians.  The early Christians were common people who testified of their faith openly.  It is a common fallacy that the Christians hid in the catacombs for safety, but this is not true.  However, the Christians did go to the catacombs, underground burial places, to pray and to find strength to face their trials and persecutions.  Lucia brought food and drink to those Christians who worshiped and prayed in the catacombs.  In order to free up her hands to carry more food and drink, Lucia wore a crown of leaves with candles woven in them to light her way in the dark catacombs.

Lucia was found by the Roman soldiers as she brought food and drink to her elders.  She would not deny her faith in Christ nor denounce her religion.  As a result, Lucia was killed.

When the Norse Vikings converted to Christianity, they learned the story of the brave young girl, Lucia, who would not denounce her faith.  On December 13th each year, they commemorated her life and her death by conducting a procession through each town and village in all of Sweden.  A pretty young girl was chosen to act the part of St. Lucia.  Her white gown represented her purity, the red sash, her martyrdom, and the seven candles, the seven churches of Rome as spoken of by St. Paul in the New Testament.   The young girl carried food and drink to all those who professed faith in Jesus Christ.  The other children served as her helpers.

The tradition of celebrating St. Lucia Day on December 13th has continued through the centuries in Sweden as well as in Italy.  Each town chooses a “St. Lucia” each year and she and her helpers bring small cakes and coffee or hot chocolate to hospitals, offices, factories and homes.  Within each home, one of the daughters will act the part of St. Lucia and provide cakes and coffee for her parents on this special day.

Suggested gift:  Small cakes and cups of hot chocolate to share with the family.  If you have a young girl in your family, she may want to put on a white dress like St. Lucia and deliver the cakes and drinks to those living at home.  As a word of caution, if you use candles in a crown of holly leaves, don't light them.  Some of the modern processions of St. Lucia have the girls wear a crown with electric candles for safety reasons.

December 14th                                                            Austria

CAROLS -- “SILENT NIGHT”

“Silent Night” -- one of the most beloved of all Christmas carols, probably would not have been written were it not for a broken organ and an enthusiastic young assistant priest who wanted music for Christmas Mass.

Twenty-five year old Josef Mohr served in St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria.  He loved music and found great joy at the assignment of preparing music for the small church.  In 1818, as he prepared music for Christmas Mass, he discovered, hours before the midnight service that the old organ would not work.

Mohr struggled with the instrument, but could not budge a sound out of it.  Frantic, he pulled out a poem he'd written two years earlier and rushed over to see his friend, Franz Gruber, a school teacher.  Gruber played the organ for St. Nicholas Church at their services, and now learned with dismay that the organ could not be fixed in time for the Midnight Mass.

Mohr begged Gruber to write a simple melody for the little poem he'd written, “Stille Nacht!  Helige Nacht!”  He explained that because of the broken organ, the music must be learned by their choir in just a few hours and accompanied by a guitar rather than the organ.

Mohr tread through the snow of that bitterly cold night, back to the small church where he finished preparations for the Holy Mass.  A few hours later Gruber joined him and shared the simple melody with Mohr.  Mohr learned the chords and then taught the music and lyrics to the waiting choir.  What should have taken weeks to accomplish was done in a matter of hours – and was truly a miracle.

A few weeks later Karl Mauracher, an organ builder and repairman came to St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf to repair their organ.  While there Mohr told him the story of the little song and the miracle of how it came together.  Mauracher wrote down the words and learned the melody.  As he traveled throughout Austria, repairing organs, he sang the little song and thus “Silent Night” was introduced to a number of small churches and towns.

During the nineteenth century throughout Austria and Germany folk singers traveled around the countryside singing for their supper, so to speak.  In 1832, some fourteen years after “Silent Night” was first performed in St. Nicholas Church, the Stasser family singers appeared in a community where Mauracher had repaired an organ.  The Stasser family learned the simple melody and performed it a few weeks later at a concert in Leipzig.  King William IV of Prussia sat in the audience and became deeply moved by the song and requested that his nation's Cathedral Choir sing the song.

Because it gained the king's favor, “Silent Night” traveled throughout Europe and soon to Great Britain.  In 1839 another Austrian family brought “Silent Night to America.  They sang for a large crowd at Trinity Church in 1939.  The song, with its beautiful melody and simple words became a beloved song throughout America.

During the civil war, it was not uncommon for the fighting to cease and both the Union and the Confederacy to come together and share gifts, read Scriptures and sing “Silent Night.”  This miraculous cease fire occurred during World Wars I and II as well, as both sides sang “Silent Night” together in their own languages.

“Silent Night,” the most recorded of all Christmas carols, came to the world as a result of a humble prayer offered by a young priest who wanted his small flock to worship the Lord through music.  Little did Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber realize on that Christmas night so long ago that their tender carol would touch so many lives and bring the joyous message of Christ's birth to the entire world.

Suggested gift:  A recording of “Silent Night” to share with your family.  If you or anyone you know has a guitar, you may want to prepare in advance for that person to play “Silent Night” on the guitar and have your family sing along.

December 15th                                                Denmark

GIFT GIVING

The ancient Magi, known as the Wise Men, traveled from the Far East to give gifts to the tiny Babe in Bethlehem.  Most people attribute the tradition of gift-giving at Christmas time to them.

St. Nicholas, the benevolent Bishop of Myra, added deeply to this tradition by giving gifts and money to poor children all across Asia Minor in the fourth century A.D.

In many countries in Europe, it was believed that the Wise Men reached the Christ Child on January 6th twelve days after His birth.  Gifts were given on this day rather than on December 25th. to commemorate the gifts given by the Wise Men.

In most European countries, December 25th    became known as the day to worship the Lord and Epiphany (January 6th) as the day to give small presents to children.

In Germany the traditional Christmas tree stood bedecked with shiny red apples, nuts tied on with string, candy canes and small presents.  German children waited with eager anticipation for January 6th, to take the delicious goodies and presents off the tree and enjoy them.

In the Netherlands, parents delighted in hiding the presents for their children and leaving small hints behind.  Thus the Epiphany became a time of great fun as well as surprises.

The Danes of Denmark took the game of gift-giving one step further.  Small presents were purchased for family members and then wrapped in a larger box – with a different family member's name on it.  The present was wrapped again, with a different name, and again with a different name and so on and so on until the presents were very large.  The family gathered for a fun time of unwrapping and passing presents around, never knowing which present was yours until it was at last unwrapped and had your name upon it!

In Italy, as well as some countries in South America, gifts are given by the good witch, La Befana.  Tradition tells us that the Wise Men came to her as they traveled to Bethlehem, but she refused to go with them to see the Christ Child.  She explained that she had too much house work to do and would catch up with them later.  And so the Wise Men left without her.  The next day, as La Befana thought about it, she bitterly regretted her decision not to go with the Wise Men.  She climbed on her magical sweeping broom and followed the Wise Men to Bethlehem.  However, she never did catch up with them, nor did she find the Christ Child.

Each January 6th, the day of the Epiphany, La Befana climbs on her broom in search of the Christ Child.  She does not find him, and so she gives her gifts to the good little children she meets on her journey to find Him

.

The Puritans who settled America did not celebrate Christmas.  In fact, by law, churches were strictly forbidden to congregate together on December 25th.  Christmas was a gloomy, dark day – and hardly a day for celebrating the glorious birth of the Babe in Bethlehem.

Gift giving in America was not known among most of the people who lived here until 1822 when Clement C. Moore wrote his wonderful poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”   With the swift publication of that poem, intended only for Moore's young children, the idea of celebrating Christmas with presents for children became popular.  The Dutch children celebrated St. Nicholas Eve on December 5th, but Moore changed the day to December 25th to coincide with the birth of Christ.

Children everywhere now knew about the kindly St. Nicholas who came down chimneys to bring gifts to good girls and boys.  After the poem was published, Christmas instantly became a day of gladness and joy, a time for children to hope and to believe – and not a day for gloomy, sour-faced adults.

Though some may argue that Christmas is far too commercial, it should be remembered that less than 200 years ago, Christmas was not celebrated at all in this country.  Gift giving, and its roots, stem back to three wise men that traveled a thousand or more miles to give gifts to the Christ Child.  It also stems back to a kindly bishop who gave to the poor and brought them great joy.

Christmas is a time for giving – as the Wise Men gave to the Christ Child – and as God gave us His precious Son, and as Christ gives to us.  And we give to others, as a way of showing our love to the Holy Child born in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago

Giving, then, is a wonderful circle – and the circle is not complete without receiving as well as giving.  Even the smallest child can be taught the blessing of giving and receiving at Christmas time.

Suggested gift ideas:  1- A gift exchange among family members.  2- Giving a gift secretly to a neighbor or friend.  3- Picking a “Secret Santa” tag off a tree at the mall and buying gifts for a needy girl or boy.  4- Giving food and gifts to a family in need.  5- Hanging gifts on your tree as did the Germans of long ago.  6- Wrapping presents, as did the Danes, with multiple layers and different names with each layer – and making a fun party out of the evening.

Gift giving should be what you think is best, but remember, for a gift to be truly given, it must be graciously received.  Children need to learn to both give and to receive well – and you, as the parent, are the one who is best able to this.

December 16th                                                            England

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Christmas and Christmas cards seem to go together like candy canes and Christmas trees, but the tradition of sending cards to celebrate the season is a fairly new tradition as traditions go.

In the mid-nineteen hundreds, Sir Henry Cole lived in England.  He not only wrote books on art and architecture, he was also a publisher and editor of children's books, the director of the London Museum and he worked in the public records office.  In addition, he attended a great many social functions, including visits to the palace with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  A man of high energy and great creativity, he still lacked one very important commodity:  time.

Every year Cole received stacks of letters from friends, relatives and business associates wishing him a wonderful holiday season.  To sit and answer every letter seemed an impossible task, but not to answer them would surely create hard feelings.

In 1843 Sir Cole sat at his desk, overwhelmed by the stack of holiday letters.  As he mused over what could be done, he picked up a piece of stiff paper.  He folded it in half and then remembered an assignment he'd had in grade school decades before.  His teacher asked that he and his class mates draw a Christmas piece on the stiff paper.

Memories flooded his mind of wonderful family dinners and the little pictures he'd drawn as a child.  With those thoughts in mind he visited an artist friend, John Calcott Horsley.  Cole explained his idea to Horsley who immediately caught the vision of creating a Christmas card.

Horsley created a wonderful four color design of a family toasting each other for the holidays then Cole added his sentiments to the printed cards.  Ultimately, he sent out 1000 cards that year.  Though Cole delighted in the clever resolution to his problem, some of his Puritanical friends did not appreciate the artwork which portrayed drinking spirits.   But many of his friends loved the Christmas cards and within two years the idea spread from England and from there throughout Europe.

However, the idea of sending out Christmas cards did not cross the Atlantic Ocean to the United States at that time.  The new nation found itself embroiled in the Civil War.  Additionally, celebrating Christmas was illegal in this country.  The Puritans who first settled America believed Christmas was a pagan holiday and by law its citizens could not congregate on Christmas Day.  Only the Dutch and German settlers openly celebrated Christmas.  These ideas began to change when Dr. Clement C. Moore, a bishop in the Episcopal Church, wrote a fanciful poem called “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”

Thomas Nast, a German immigrant, illustrated Dr. Moore's famous poem, and the visual image of St. Nicholas came to mind.  When President Lincoln saw Nast's drawings, he asked the artist to draw Santa Claus visiting the Federal troops on Christmas Eve as they sat around a battlefield campfire.  The President wanted children in both the North and the South to know that Santa Claus stood for preserving the Union.

After the Civil War, Louis Prang, a German-born printer and artist who lived in the United States, decided to print Christmas cards as a way to build his printing business.  He'd already printed some cards for himself to send out to family and friends in the 1850s and then he expanded the cards to sell to others.  By 1880 Prang Christmas cards were in great demand in America as well as Europe.  By 1890 European printers had developed cheaper ways to print Christmas cards which drove Prang out of business, but he will always be known as the Father of the American Christmas Card.

Prang's cards were rich in color and detail, displaying beautiful Christmas scenes, birds, street scenes and families, but it was Thomas Nast who brought images of Santa Claus to the Christmas card scene.  These images became highly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries.

And now we have a full array of Christmas cards to choose from each year:  Nativity scenes, Angels, winter scenes, Christmas trees, candy canes, and cardinals -- not to mention Santa Claus, jingle bells, silver bells and partridges in pear trees.  The cards are as varied as the persons purchasing them.  But all of them bear the same message – the message Sir Henry Cole wanted to convey in 1843:  I am thinking of you – and want you and your loved ones to enjoy a wonderful holiday season.

Gift ideas:  Buy or make Christmas cards to send out to loved ones.  Spend the evening preparing the cards while you sip hot cocoa or wassail and listen to beautiful Christmas music.

December 17th                                                            Poland

THE EXTRA PLATE

On Christmas Eve in Poland a special dinner is prepared for the family.  The meal consists of twelve courses in commemoration of the twelve apostles.  In addition, an extra plate is set. The plate is for the Christ Child – or for any weary traveler who might need food or a roof over his head that night.  Joseph and Mary traveled far – and no one offered them a meal or a place to sleep.

A hand painted sign in the kitchen or over the hearth reads:  “Our hearts are open to stranger, kith and kin.”

Also on Christmas Eve, children sleep on straw mats to remind them of the Babe in Bethlehem who slept on straw for his humble bed.

Suggested gift:  Purchase a special plate – different from your usual plates.  Set a place at your table using the special plate for the Christ Child as a reminder that as we serve our fellow men, we are serving the Lord.

December 18th                        Czechoslovakia / Bohemia

GOOD KING WENCESLAUS

Wenceslaus, the son of Duke Borivoy of Bohemia, now part of the country of Czechoslovakia, lived in early 900's.  Born a few minutes earlier than his twin brother, Boleslaus, he became the leader of his country in 922 when his father, the Duke, was killed in battle.  Though only fifteen years old, young Wenceslaus became a compassionate, loving leader of his people.

Raised by his grandmother, Ludmilla – a good Christian woman, Wenceslaus embraced her teachings of faith, hope and charity.  He led his small kingdom with compassion and caring.   He brought about laws to provide justice and mercy for his subjects.  Traveling throughout his country, Wenceslaus truly wanted to know what his people needed.  As often as possible, he provided his people with firewood, meat and provisions.

Because of his sincere compassion, coupled by his generous works, many of the pagans in his country converted to Christianity.

Unfortunately, his twin brother and mother did not share in Wenceslaus's views of Christianity.  They sought to overthrow him and arranged for the assassination of his beloved grandmother Ludmilla during her daily prayers.  Young Wenceslaus, with great wisdom and keen leadership, put down the rebellion and once again brought peace to the kingdom.  Showing forth great compassion and love, he did not execute his mother or twin brother, but rather, banished them from the kingdom.

Wenceslaus loved Christmas and showed great kindness to his subjects during the cold winter months.  On Christmas Eve, he traveled the countryside giving meat, firewood and other commodities to those in need.  Indeed, his compassion was equal to that of St. Nicholas who lived five hundred years before him, and Jesus Christ, whose life he chose to emulate.  When the young duke married and had a son, the whole kingdom of Bohemia rejoiced.  He truly was beloved by his people.

Although banished, Boleslaus still raged with jealousy and vowed to rule the kingdom in the place of Wenceslaus.  Secretly, he organized another rebellion.  As Wenceslaus, the twenty-two year old monarch, walked to the church for his daily prayers, he started with surprise when his twin brother called to him.  Turning to greet his twin brother, Boleslaus and the other evil confederates rushed upon the duke with swords and stabbed him.  Wenceslaus fell on the church steps and looked up at his brother before he died.  His last words were, “Brother, may God forgive you.”

Boleslaus stared at his brother, now dead on the church steps, and he felt pangs of guilt and sorrow for what he had done.  Rather than join with the rebels who wanted to overthrow the Christian kingdom of Wenceslaus, Boleslaus turned away from them.  He became a Christian and kept the memory of his brother alive.  Because of Boleslaus, the Crown of Wenceslaus became the symbol for the Czech nation.

The Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas” (spelling changed in modern times)” by John Mason Neale, shared the memory of this wonderful saint in words and music.  Though Wenceslaus was a duke, and not a king, Neale used those words as the young monarch of more than a thousand years ago imitated the actions of the King, Jesus Christ, and all he believed.

The young page, or servant, in the song represents you and I as we struggle to do good, following the goodly works of the King.  In the fourth verse, the page complains to King Wenceslaus that it is much too cold a night to be out giving food and firewood to the poor.  Listen to the words:

“Sire, the night is darker now,

And the wind blows stronger;

Fails my heart, I know not how,

I can go on longer.”

“Mark my footsteps, good my page;

Tread thou in them boldly:

Thou shalt find the winter's rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly.”

As we follow in the Savior's footsteps, just as the young page followed King Wenceslaus, we will find the storms of the world less harsh and find joy in service.  Note the last verse:

In his master's steps he trod

Where the snow lay dinted;

Heat was in the very sod

Which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure,

Wealth or rank possessing,

Ye who now will bless the poor,

Shall yourselves find blessings.

Suggested gift item:  An empty basket.  Ask your family to fill it with gifts such as coins, bread, fruit, nuts or any such things.  Take the basket, topped by a great bow symbolizing brotherhood and love, and give it to someone in need.

December 19th                                                Germany

THE NUTCRACKER

In Germany, as well as other parts of Europe, nuts were a rare treat for Christmas.  Nuts tied to Christmas trees as decorations tempted children weeks before they were allowed to eat them.  The nuts were usually taken down on the twelfth day of Christmas, which was on the Epiphany, January 6th.   And, of course, a nutcracker was needed to crack the hard shells.

Decorative nutcrackers filled homes throughout Germany and other places in Europe.   It was the nutcracker, a short little wooden man with a too large a head and too long a torso, held up by two short little legs, which inspired E.T.A. Hoffman to write his darkly magical tale called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

The original tale written in 1816 by Hoffman was not a children's tale at all, but rather, a dark story written for adults to explore humanity and relationships in symbolic ways.  The main theme of the story seemed to be that if you think life is bad, it can always get worse – and that dreams do not come true. The publisher of the book wanted to lighten it up and asked the noted French author, Alexander Dumas, to brighten up the story.

Dumas did lighten up the story.  He changed the depressing ending to a happy one, and the book sold many copies.

The Dumas version of The Nutcracker reached the famed Russian Imperial Ballet master, Marius Petipa, who was convinced that the story could be adapted to the stage.  He asked his friend, Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky, to compose the score.

Tchaikovsky was not thrilled with the idea.  He did not like the story or the setting, but Petipa insisted that it stay true to the Dumas version.  The great composer wrote the score, but was not pleased with it.  The ballet, though not popular, continued to be performed in Russia, Europe and England for a number of years.  It did not come to the United States until 1954 when William Christensen and George Balanchine worked together to turn The Nutcracker into a fanciful children's ballet.

Within a decade The Nutcracker became a Christmas classic and beloved by children, ballet troops and critics alike.

Although The Nutcracker does not embrace the scriptural story of Christmas, it does accomplish something wonderful and magical:  it pulls families together as it did centuries ago.  In the twelfth century, families sat around the hearth as Father or Mother used the nutcracker to break open the hard shells and give sweet kernels to their delighted children.  In modern times The Nutcracker ballet opens the hard hearts and stagnant imaginations of children and their parents as together they watch the fanciful story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, showing that dreams do come true.

Suggest gift idea:  A wooden nutcracker dressed in his fine military costume and a sack full of nuts; or, if you are lucky enough to find them, tickets to The Nutcracker Ballet.

December 20                                                               England

MISTLETOE

In modern times, standing beneath the mistletoe means only one thing: sharing a kiss.

However, in ancient civilizations, mistletoe carried a much different meaning.  Many deemed it sacred and thought its powers were miraculous.  The ancients stood in awe of the small plant with its bright shiny leaves and berries which grew even in the harshest conditions and in the dead of winter.  The ancient Greeks and Celts felt that only a sacred plant could grow out of seemingly nothing.  The plant grew from the tops of trees without needing soil to survive.    They did not understand that mistletoe is parasite plant and it survives by tapping into the sap of living trees.

In Scandinavia and Europe, a tree which had mistletoe growing upon it was considered sacred.  Scandinavian warriors ceased their battles if they looked up and saw mistletoe growing on the trees under which they were fighting.  They felt that to continue fighting would dishonor God.  The mistletoe became a symbol for peace – and, even more, a symbol which demanded peace.

Mistletoe then grew in legend as the role of protector.  By the Middle Ages sprigs of mistletoe hung over doors and babies cradles and served as a form of protection.  The bright leaves and berries warded off harm from fearful beasts of the forest as well evil spirits and illness.

The legend of mistletoe next traveled to England where it took on a new role – that of love.

If a couple kissed under a sprig of mistletoe, God would bless them with everlasting love.  To keep young men from getting carried away, each time they kissed a girl beneath the mistletoe, a berry must be plucked off.  Thus, when the berries were gone, the kissing had to stop.

A French legend has it that mistletoe grew on the cross of Christ.  This symbolized to Christians that even in death, life springs forth.  As Christ died on the cross, He was resurrected into life eternal.  The mistletoe passed from the cross to a tree and then to another tree, just as the message of Christianity spread from person to person throughout the world.   Evil men could not destroy the message of Christianity anymore than they could destroy the spontaneous growth of the mistletoe.

A sprig of mistletoe hanging from doors at Christmastime symbolizes not only the message of love which Christ has for us, but of the love we should have for each other – not just a Christmastime but all year long.

Suggest gift idea:  a sprig of mistletoe to hang from a doorway in your home.

December 21st                                                            Greece

X-MAS

When Paul taught the Gospel of Christ to the Greeks, they embraced it wholeheartedly.  The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos.  The letter X was a holy symbol.  The Christian Greeks helped to finance Paul's missions and Christianity spread.

Those who did not embrace Christianity were appalled that their countrymen embraced the teachings of a Jew.  The Greeks were persecuted and martyred for their beliefs.  When a Christian gave his life for the cause of the Savior, an X was placed on the spot as a way of remembering his sacrifice for the Lord.

Though the early converts were highly educated, as the message of the Gospel spread, many of the new Greek converts could neither read nor write.  But they could understand the symbol of the X.  They understood that that symbol represented their faith and their profound belief in Christ.

Catholic clerics who recorded the Gospels also understood the Greek meaning for Christ – Xristos and the symbol of the X.  As they recorded history in stone or in writing, a decorative X was much easier to do, and much more easily recognized than writing out the word Christ or Christianity.  They also wanted to honor those martyrs who had fallen for the cause of the Savior.

When persecutions arose among the early Christians, the symbol X showed who was a Christian and who was not.  The term X-Mas – meaning holy Mass of Christ – was used by the Greeks to keep from using the Savior's name too frequently.

With the coming of the printing press and the later popularity of giving presents for Christmas, many shopkeepers found they could save ink in advertising by using the word X-Mas to stand for Christmas.  Also, few people today speak Greek, so the message and power of the letter X as a symbol of Christ and those martyred for his cause has been lost.  Many modern day Christians are critical of the word X-Mas instead of spelling out Christmas.  However, if the ancient Greeks were to come today and see X-Mas written on newspapers and on store windows they would instantly rejoice – seeing how many people in this modern world recognized and worshiped Christ.  Also, the Greeks of today do not give nor exchange gifts at Christmas.  They consider X-Mas to be a holy day.  They celebrate it by making a special cake with nuts and sprinkling it with powdered sugar.  They enjoy eating this rare treat as a family.

Suggest gift idea:  Make and serve a special cake with nuts and sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

December 22nd                                                           England

YULE LOGS AND “THE FIRST NOEL”

Yule logs, made famous by the Vikings, actually began hundreds of centuries before the birth of Christ.  The ancient Egyptians burned logs to celebrate the winter solstice.  Likely, both Cleopatra and Moses were aware of this ancient custom.

In the Dark Ages when the Vikings invaded England, they brought many customs with them, one of which was the burning of the Yule log.  The word Yule comes from the Norse word jul, or wheel.  As the year constantly turns -- as does a wheel, the Yule log symbolized the slowly turning of the year – and the ending of one year and the beginning of the next.

The original custom required that two trees be cut – an oak tree, symbolizing life, and a pine tree, symbolizing death.  A log from each tree was cut and lit at the same time.  The wood which burned the longest showed the fate of the village – life or death.

About this same time period people in Eastern Europe celebrated the Feast of Lights – a time for burning a log to symbolize the Light of Christ coming to a dark world.  The Teutonic Knights, an order of military monks founded during the Crusades, learned of the pagan rites of the burning of the Yule logs in England and they found it appalling.  However, it reminded them of the Festival of Lights, and they taught new Christian converts that the Yule log symbolized Christ and the burning of evil in the world.

The adapted custom required a family to cut a huge tree and prepare it to be burned.  The drying and preparing of the tree took an entire year.  During this time, the Yule log was rubbed with oil, wine, spices and salt to prepare it for the burning.  The log was later hollowed out and filled with sweet spices and oils to represent the gifts of the Magi to the Christ Child.  On Christmas Eve the log was lit by the wife and mother of the home.  A ceremony of hand washing preceded the burning of the Yule log, for all must be done in holiness and purity.  The log must burn for the entire twelve days of Christmas – ending on January 6th when the Magi found the Christ child.  If it burned up or failed to keep burning before that time, evil would befall the family.  It became the task of the women of the family to tend to the fire day and night to ensure that it burned well, but not too quickly.

As homes became smaller, so did the Yule logs.  Soon, it was the hope of the family to keep the Yule log burning for twelve hours.

In England, the peasants who embraced the custom of the burning of the Yule log started the ceremony by singing a beautiful folk song called “The First Noel.”  The song was not written down and would not be for three hundred years, but the peasants kept it alive from generation to generation as they lit the annual Yule log.

During the Middle Ages, the church clergy disdained all folk music and would not allow it to be part of their religious services.  But the common folk loved the music as it spoke to them of the joyous birth of the Savior whom they loved.   Minstrels from England brought “The First Noel” to France.  The common folk in France loved it and gave it a new twist – singing the song as a round.

The French also gave the Yule log a new twist as well.  Rather than burn the log in the hearth, the covered a log with a cloth.  The children then beat upon the covered log and demanded their presents.  When the cloth was removed and no presents were beneath it, the children were made to go outside and confess their sins.  When they returned, they found their presents packed around the log.  Eventually, the French replaced the log with a cake shaped in the form of a log.  The cake, called buche de Noel, was eaten after midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

In 1833 “The First Noel” was finally published by William Sandys.  By the mid-1800s the Church of England finally allowed new songs into their services and “The First Noel” became a favorite of all who heard it.

Were it not for the tradition of singing “The First Noel” as the Yule log was lit, it is likely that neither the tradition nor the song would have survived.  But both did survive – and now we have a joyous carol to sing as we welcome in the Yuletide Season -- and those of us with the means, always enjoy a cheery log in the hearth, its fiery glow coming from wood, electricity, or gas – or a visual representation on a VCR or DVD.

Suggested gift idea:  Obtain the music for or a recording of “The First Noel” and listen to it or sing it around a Yule log – be it made of wood or cake.  The important thing is to enjoy the love which comes from being together this Yuletide season.

December 23rd           Norway/USA/and The North Pole

CHRISTMAS  BELLS

In Norway, church bells ring in every hill and clime on Christmas Eve.  The bells ring in the joyous news of the Savior's birth and welcome all to come and worship.

In the United States, silver bells ring on street corners in cities and in front of shopping malls and other stores, reminding shoppers to give to those less fortunate.

Bells adorn the doors of homes and churches and welcome friends and strangers to come and celebrate this wondrous season of cheer and good will.

In the classic Christmas story, “The Polar Express,” Chris Van Allsburg relates a story from his childhood when he learns of the magic of Christmas – and the power of believing.

The beautiful Christmas carol, “Silver Bells” was written by Jay Livington and Ray Evans for Bob Hope's movie,   President John F. Kennedy served as President of the United States in the 1960's and he declared “Silver Bells” as his favorite Christmas carols.  Since its first recording, “Silver Bells” has been recorded by countless artists and remains a favorite of millions of people.

You may be surprised to learn that “Jingle Bells” was originally written as a Thanksgiving Day song for a religious service.  At the time in the early 1840's Christmas was not celebrated much in New England or elsewhere in the United States.  Young James S. Pierpont was asked by his father, the minister of the Medford, Massachusetts Unitarian church, to compose a song for their Thanksgiving Day service, which was the major holiday of the year.  The choir and congregation loved the bright little jingle called “One Horse Open Sleigh.”  Several members of the congregation asked that it be performed again at a Christmas service later that year so that it could be enjoyed by even more people.  The song, renamed “Jingle Bells” became an overnight success.  Even though it does not mention the word Christmas or anything religious, “Jingle Bells” is now one of the most popular Christmas carols ever written.  Indeed, it wouldn't seem like Christmas without hearing or singing this bright little jingle at least once during the holiday season.

Suggested gift:  A silver bell, a jingle bell, or a CD of any of the songs mentioned above, or you may choose to buy “The Polar Express” -- either as the book or a DVD, and enjoy it as a family.

December 24th                                                Germany

A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR JESUS

The tradition of baking a birthday cake for Jesus probably started in Germany about five hundred years ago.  The family gathered in the kitchen and together they stirred the ingredients for the special birthday cake.  As they stirred the batter, parents took the opportunity to teach their children about the tiny Babe in the manger.  They spoke of the Holy Family and how much Mary and Joseph loved the baby Jesus.

The parents then placed special items, carefully washed, into the batter as surprises for the children – glass marbles, small metal toys or coins.  These would be found later as the children carefully ate their pieces of cake.  The small gifts represented the gifts the wise men left for the baby Jesus and the gift of eternal life with Jesus gave to all of us.

After the cake finished baking, the family iced and decorated it.  At times they colored the icing red to remind the children of the blood the grown-up Jesus shed for them to pay for their sins.  The cake rose in the oven as it baked, signifying to the children that all would rise again just as the resurrected Lord did.

After the baked cake cooled and the family decorated it, a pure white candle was then placed on it.  The candle reminded the children of the Light of Christ and also the Star of Bethlehem which led the shepherds and the Wise Men to the Holy Child.

As the family gathered together on Christmas Eve – or Christmas Day – to eat the cake, they were reminded once again of the joy of family and the blessings of having Christ in their lives.  They then joined together and sang a Christmas carol – or in modern times, Happy Birthday, in honor of the Baby Jesus who was born on Christmas Day.

The sweet cake reminded the children of the blessings of the Gospel in their lives.  The little toys, coins and trinkets baked into the cake helped the children feel loved and special by their parents – and by a loving Father in Heaven who gave His child to the world.

Suggested gift: Purchase a white cake mix and a single white candle and bake a birthday cake for Jesus.

December 25th                                                            England

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Many of us do not understand the full meaning of the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” nor do we realize that the Twelve Days of Christmas actually starts on December 25th and ends on January 6th, the day of Epiphany – when the Wise Men finally found the baby Jesus lying in the manger.

Tradition has it that the wise men took twelve days to find the Christ Child after the sign of the Star was given.  The day they found the Christ Child was called the Epiphany.  The word epiphany means an appearance or a manifestation – usually of a deity or god.  Thus, the celebration of Epiphany for centuries meant the celebration of when the wise men found the Christ Child in Bethlehem.

For centuries children were not allowed to open their presents on Christmas Day but on the Epiphany, January 6th.  Presents were hung on the tree and were not wrapped and placed under the tree as we do today.  Tasty apples, nuts and gingerbread cookies tempted children and adults alike as they waited through the twelve days of Christmas for the Epiphany to finally come.

Centuries ago when the Church of England became the state church, Catholics were persecuted because they would not adopt the practices of the State Religion.  Catholics were forbidden to practice their religion, but they did not want their children to forget the teachings of their faith.  Because of this, devout Catholics taught their children a seemingly nonsensical song to keep their beliefs firmly implanted in their hearts and minds.  The song probably seemed ridiculous to anyone not of their faith, but had great meaning to the those of the Catholic faith..  That song was called, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”  In the song, my true love was not a lover nor a sweetheart, but the Catholic Church’s code word for God.   Herewith are the meanings behind the twelve gifts of Christmas as told in the song:

1. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me -- a partridge in a pear tree.  The partridge represents the Son of God, which is the greatest gift that God has given to His children.  That is why it is listed as the first gift of Christmas.  The partridge was chosen to symbolize the Savior because it is the only bird which will sacrifice its life for its children.  It will lead predators away from the young chicks and give its life to protect them.    The pear tree represents the cross upon which Christ died.

2. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me – two turtle doves.  These birds represent the Old and the New Testaments.  From these two gifts one can learn all about God and His love for His children.

3. On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me – three French hens.  These birds represent Faith, Hope and Charity – as found in I Corinthians chapter 13.

4. On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – four calling birds.  These birds represent the four Gospels:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

5. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – five golden rings.  These golden rings represent the first five books in the Old Testament which were written by Moses.

6. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – six geese a-laying.  The eggs which hatch represent the six days of the Creation.

7. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me – seven swans a-swimming.  The swans represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:  prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion.  Because the swans are such graceful, beautiful birds, they seem to be the perfect representations for these gifts.

8. On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – eight maids a-milking.  These maids represent the poor and humble people of the earth.  At the time this song was written, one of the lowliest jobs was that of a milk maid, yet Christ cared for them and loved them.  The number eight represents the qualities listed in the beatitudes:  those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

9. On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – nine ladies dancing.  These ladies represent the nine fruits of the Spirit, namely:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

10. On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – ten lords a-leaping.  These lords represent the judges in charge of the law, namely the Ten Commandments.

11. On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me – eleven pipers piping.  These pipers represent the eleven remaining apostles of the Lord after Judas betrayed the Savior.

12. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me – twelve drummers drumming.  These final gifts deal specifically with the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed as taught by the Catholic Church.  These points taught the basis for their faith and their beliefs.

The repetitive nature of the song reinforced the teachings – and it always led back to the first and most important gift from God:  The Savior who gave His life for His children.

Although we may find the song to be humorous and sometimes tedious, it was a most important teaching aid used by the persecuted Catholics of centuries ago.  It helped them teach their children to be strong and loyal to their beliefs in the face of persecution.  As we sing this song with new understanding, perhaps our hearts will be touched by the gifts which Our True Love, even Heavenly Father, gives to us this Christmas season and always.

Suggested gift:  CD of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” or a ceramic partridge to remind the family of the song and what the partridge represents.

Or you can get very creative and give special gifts to your family as you count down the next twelve days until the Epiphany.  This will definitely stretch out the merriment of the Christmas season. Place these gifts on the kitchen or dining room table each morning so that when your children awake they will find them lying there.  You may want to start with the first day (which is Christmas Day) after your usual Christmas festivities are over.  Explain to your family that they can look forward to a special surprise each morning for the next twelve days as you look forward to the Epiphany.

These are some of the ideas I've used for my family, based on the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

1. December 25-  (A Partridge in a Pear Tree)  A can of pears and box of Pepperidge (partridge?) Farms Goldfish crackers

2. December 26-  (Two Turtle Doves)  A box of Turtle Brownies to bake together later in the day.

3. December 27-  (Three French Hens)  A three-egg omelette  (I decorated raw eggs still in their shells with simple homemade felt French berets and drew faces on the eggs.  I wrote a sign which read:  The best eggs come from French Hens.)

4. December 28-  (Four Calling Birds)   Four “Chicken Polka” stuffed animals - each holding a cell phone.  They pretended to be talking to each other.  They excitedly told about the special dinner that night of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken.)

5. December 29-  (Five Golden Rings)  Five golden egg bagels with cream cheese, or you could get a special family ring for each member of your family.  I did that one year; expensive, but memorable.

6. December 30-  (Six Geese a' Laying)  If you can find them, six plastic Easter eggs stuffed with small candies.  Peanut M'n'Ms also look like eggs a geese might have laid.  One year I drew a picture of six geese talking to each other.  They fussed over what to give the children for a present.  They finally came up with the idea of giving them a picture of their home.  The last goose cried, “Puzzle solved!” My kids got a 1000 piece puzzle of a pastoral scene for them to put together.

7. December 31st-  (Seven Swans a' Swimming)  I gave them a choice between “Schwann's ice cream”, a swim night at the local pool,  a swim suit calendar (not even!), Mom singing “Way Down Upon the Swany River” or making cookies in the shape of swans.  The cookies won.

8. January 1t-  (Eight Maids a' Milking)  Milk Maid caramels and apples.  We cut up the apples and dipped them in the melted caramel sauce.  Yum.

9. January 2-   (Nine Ladies Dancing)  Nine dolls lined up on the table along with nine lady finger pastries and the CD:  “Barbie and the Nutcracker”

10. January 3- (Ten Lords a' Leaping)  This was a stretch.  We ended up with ten lighted candles with the flames a'leaping as we watched the classic Christmas movie:  “The Bishop's Wife”

11. January 4-  (Eleven Pipers Piping) I lined up eleven stuffed animals from the kids with a sign which read:  Eleven pipers piping makes quite a symphony.  I purchased a large Hershey's Symphony chocolate candy far for all of us to share.

12. January 5- (Twelve Drummers Drumming)  I found a copy of the old animated movie “The Little Drummer Boy” for us to watch together.  I also bought a CD with my favorite artist singing “The Little Drummer Boy”

13. January 6-  The Epiphany!  I placed a bowl of red apples, a bag of nuts to crack and a special wrapped gift for each family member on the table.  It was like Christmas morning all over again, but, in a way, more special because it was so unexpected.  We talked about how excited the Wise Men must have been to finally find the tiny Babe in the Manger and to give Him their gifts.  We also talked about what gifts we have been given, such as singing or drawing or playing sports, and how we can share these gifts with others.  I made sure to point out special talents which each child possessed to make him or her feel special.  (For example, one child makes everyone smile; another child tells funny stories which make everyone laugh; another child has a knack for decorating her room and making things beautiful; another child makes great cookies and treats.  It's not hard to find special things about our children when we look for them.)

Final Word

I hope you enjoyed learning about all of these different traditions from around the world.  I had a great time studying, learning and organizing these into a day by day book.  It occurred to me that there are many other types of traditions that families celebrate during the holiday season.  What I would like to do is compile a book of traditions that your family celebrates from Thanksgiving to New Years.  To submit your family’s traditions, write them up and send them to me at eileentelford101@gmail.com.  I can’t include traditions or reply to everyone.  If I choose your family’s traditions I will contact you for more information.  I will also need your permission to include these in a book.

I just had another thought.  If you have a very special recipe for a traditional food that you eat during the holidays send me that too.  I am always interested in how people celebrate.  I would especially like to see a photo of that special dish too.

Check out my other books of Christmas stories.

Until next time I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous, Happy New Year.

Eileen Telford

2012

Table of Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Author Page

THE ADVENT WREATH

ADVENT CALENDARS

THE CHRISTMAS

THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS

DECORATIONS

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

THE NATIVITY OR “THE CRECHE”

HOLLY AND IVY --

CANDLES

SANTA CLAUS

CANDY CANES

GUADALUPE DAY

ST. LUCIA DAY

CAROLS -- “SILENT NIGHT”

GIFT GIVING

CHRISTMAS CARDS

THE EXTRA PLATE

GOOD KING WENCESLAUS

THE NUTCRACKER

MISTLETOE

X-MAS

YULE LOGS AND “THE FIRST NOEL”

CHRISTMAS BELLS

A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR JESUS

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Final Word

Table of Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Author Page

THE ADVENT WREATH

ADVENT CALENDARS

THE CHRISTMAS

THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS

DECORATIONS

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

THE NATIVITY OR “THE CRECHE”

HOLLY AND IVY --

CANDLES

SANTA CLAUS

CANDY CANES

GUADALUPE DAY

ST. LUCIA DAY

CAROLS -- “SILENT NIGHT”

GIFT GIVING

CHRISTMAS CARDS

THE EXTRA PLATE

GOOD KING WENCESLAUS

THE NUTCRACKER

MISTLETOE

X-MAS

YULE LOGS AND “THE FIRST NOEL”

CHRISTMAS BELLS

A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR JESUS

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Final Word