Christmas Carols

 

The first Christmas hymns were written in the 5th Century. Originally composed in Latin, they contained primarily theological topics. Carols (noels), songs with more human and personal subjects, appeared in the 1200's. During the Middles Ages (AD 900-1400) people incorporated drama and plays into the celebration of Christmas. Carols became an integral part of these re-enactments. After the plays, carolers strolled down the street singing - thus, the birth of street caroling. Many of the traditional favorite Christmas carols, such as "O Come, All Yet Faithful" and "Silent Night" were written in the 1800's.The publication of Christmas music books in the 19th century helped to widen the appeal of carols. 

Christmas songs such as "Jingle Bells" and "White Christmas" came later and reflect a more secular viewpoint of the holiday. Handel's' Messiah, an oratorio first performed in 1742, had a modest public reception but gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best known choral works in Western music. 

Musicologists agree that Christmas music is among the finest written in the world. 

ref- Wikipedia

American Holidays - Bill Perry

Cranberry Pineapple Salad

 

We love making this recipe during the holidays. It's a refreshing salad/dessert any time of the year.  But the festive 

Whole Berry Cranberries goes so well with the holidays.

Cranberry Pineapple Salad

1 can (20 oz) Crushed Pineapple

2 packages (3 oz ) OR 1 large package Raspberry Gelatin

1 can (16 oz) Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

1 medium apple, chopped

2/3 cup Chopped Nuts

Drain pineapple, reserve all liquid.  Add enough cold water to measure 3 cups and pour into saucepan.

Bring to a boil, remove from heat.  

Add gelatin, stir for 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Add Whole Berry Cranberry sauce, and stir until well blended.  

Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate at least 1 1/2 hours until slightly thickened.

Stir in remaining pineapple, apple and nuts, stirring gently until well blended.

Pour into mediums size cake pan (or festive bowl) and refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

**I have also used Strawberry Jello as a substitute for the Raspberry, when in a pinch.  

Enjoy!

Saturday Sparks

Gift Giving

 

Presents. Who doesn't like receiving presents. For Birthdays or Christmas or any other occasion.

Critics of commercialization of Christmas tend to attribute the growth of holiday gift-giving to marketing efforts. However the historical custom of gift- giving appears to be established around 336 CE and is tied to the story of the traditional gifts of the Magi. Secondly, Saint Nicholas's tradition of gift-giving is also cited. For many centuries gift-giving took place on December 6 around Saint Nicolas Day or early January after New Years Eve. But the popularity of this custom grew after the reaction in 1823 of the poem Twas The Night Before Christmas and the novella The Christmas Carol. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas Eve became the most common date for gift-giving in Western Culture. 

Of course the economic impact started directing marketing efforts around the turn of the 20th century. In the early 2000's it is estimated that shoppers in the U.S. spent over $4 billion each day of the Christmas shopping season.

As the origin of Christmas reflects upon the first gifts of the Magi, gold, frankincense and myrrh, each one reflects the kindness that God showed in giving His Son as a gift to the world. Both Christians and non-Christians enjoy this opportunity to express love by gift-giving.

Ref - Wikipedia

American Holidays - Bill Perry

Christmas Cards

 

Have you picked up your mail today?? Was there a letter from a friend, or a package, or just bills and junk mail?

I've thought about how easy we have it in our world today. Most of us receive mail right at our front door. Packages arrive either by mail, or a delivery service like UPS or Fedex.

How hard it must have been years ago. The pioneers in our country waited weeks, or maybe even months to hear about their loved ones. Some people found out a year after a loved one had passed away. When receiving a letter, it was like receiving a gift. Family would gather around to hear the latest news from the letter being read.

During this season of the year, we tend to hear from family and friends that live far away. Christmas cards are still sent by way of postal. I love hearing from old friends and what has been going on in their lives during the past year.

Christmas cards are a rather recent addition to the holidays. Handwritten notes of holiday greetings preceded card giving. Artist John Calcott Horsley was approached by Henry Cole to design the first Christmas card in 1843. By the late 1860's, Christmas cards had become as popular as handwritten messages. Around 1875 Louis Prang, a Russian immigrant, is credited for designing the first multicolored cards. In 1915, the Hall Brothers, now Hallmark, sold a folded greeting card with an envelope in the United States. Billions of holiday greetings are sent by Americans in the mail each holiday season. 

The U.S. Postal Office Department introduced the first Christmas stamp on November 1, 1962 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. 

Designed by Jim Crawford, one billion copies of the Wreath, Two Candles and the words "Christmas 1962" was produced that year.

Ref - Smithsonian magazine

American Holidays - Bill Perry

USPS 

The legend of the Candy Cane

 

The red and white striped candy cane has become one of the most popular symbols of Christmas. Legend has it that in 1670 a German choirmaster, wishing to remedy the noise caused by children during church, asked a local candy maker to make sugar sticks for them. He asked to add a crock to the top of each stick, which would remind the children of the shepherds who visited the infant Jesus. The candy was originally white in color. The candy cane became associated with Christmas time.

The white canes made their appearance in the U.S. in 1847. Designed by a candy maker in Indiana, he thought about several aspects of Christmas and used these ideas in the candy canes design. The pure white represents both the virgin birth of Jesus and His sinless life on earth. The smaller red stripes symbolize the "stripes" Jesus received when He was whipped shortly before He died.  The larger red stripes stand for his blood that was shed as he died on the cross. The curled top makes it appear as a shepherd's staff. Upside down, the cane forms the letter "J" the first letter of the name of Jesus. Most of these symbols are not commonly known today. 

ref - American Holidays - Bill Perry'

History  

Wikipedia

Delicious Snacks

 Today I want to share these goodies. They are delicious for a snack, but they make very nice little gifts as well.

My niece made these Sweet Roasted Nuts for us one year and of course we all loved them and wanted the recipe. Well, she basically said she did not have a recipe but told me how to make them.

The cast of characters

1 bag of pecan halves (or 1 1/2 cups)
1 bag of walnuts (or 1 1/2 cups)

Melt 1/2 stick of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, a pinch of salt and a little vanilla in a sauce pan.

Coat the nuts in the mixture and then spread on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You will know when they are done when you smell them!

Cool on wax paper before storing

I found these little canning jars at Target, and they are the perfect size for gift giving.

I hope you enjoy making these little morsels. They are so delicious to eat and you could make someone very happy :-)

Saturday Sparks

The sparkle of Tinsel

 

Tinsel was originally made of extruded strands of silver. As early as the seventh century, families draped trees with long thin strands of silver. Although they had a tendency to tarnish, the stands were added to enhance the glow of flickering candlelight creating a twinkly effect.

In the early 1900's German immigrants imported traditions to America. They looked for ways to decorate trees inexpensively. So manufacturers started making tinsel out of aluminum and copper. Although affordable they were highly flammable. At the beginning of WW I copper went to the war effort and tinsel disappeared from Christmas displays. 

Lead was found to be a good substitute. Unlike silver, lead did not tarnish. So along with ornaments and electric lights, tinsel once again became popular. 

By the 1970's the government started limiting how much lead could be used in consumer products. By 1972 all lead was ceased to be used in tinsel.

Modern tinsel is made from polyvinyl chloride coated with a metal finish. 

Garland is a type if tinsel. It's like tinsel on a string that you wrap around the tree.

Do you use garland or tinsel on your Christmas tree? When we had a real tree, we would use tinsel. But it's been many years since we've had a real tree. So now we use garland.

Ref: Wikipedia 

Metalfloss