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Six days to the unofficial Christmas Shopping Season Santa Claus: Santa Claus wasn't always the round, cheerful figure we know today. He was first pictured as a rather dignified person in long robes. That's because the idea of this gift-bringer is based on St. Nicholas, a real 4th century bishop. One of the stories about him is this: Hearing of a nobleman who had no money for this 's dowries, St. Nicholas rode by their house and tossed in three bags of gold. One bag fell into a stocking drying by the chimney - and so the custom of hanging up Christmas stockings began. The legend of St. Nicholas - and the stocking - spread throughout Europe and was brought to this country by the Dutch. They called him Sinterklaas, but English-speaking settlers changed it to Santa Claus. Not until the 1800's did Santa lose this stern image. In 1822, Clement Moore's delightful poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," portrayed Santa with a fat belly and merry laugh. The final touch came in 1866, when famous cartoonist Thomas Nast drew a red-cheeked Santa with his Christmas list in a popular magazine (He contributed 33 Christmas drawings to Harper's Weekly from 1863 through 1866 and Santa is seen or referenced in all but one.) That's how have pictured... and loved... Santa ever since! Now for the first of fourteen Stocking Stuffers For Grownups. 1. For the cook: A bunch of cinnamon sticks tied up with a bright red ribbon; packets of out-of-the-ordinary herbs and spices (like saffron or peppercorns); a bouquet garni; a package of cheese-cloth; a decorative kitchen timer; a digital meat or candy thermometer; a nifty gadget or tool... like a small melon baller or mushroom brush for example. Just about any thing in the kitchen they might need but you don't want to it to be a present. Remember Stuff That Stocking with fun things. |
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Having read all of the above stories of Christmas, I thought I'd share some personal experiences. Well I grew in rural Quebec where Christmas was always something special. We had wonderful family tradition which we celebrated each year until I went away to high school in Montreal. My family moved later and in the meantime I was staying with relatives. My mom always made our Christmas very special even though she and dad did not spend an enormous amount on us. We also made many gifts. Also, bear in mind that we girls had grown up in a Catholic environment, hence all tradition were followed, including Christmas! From high school (graduated at 15) I went on to university and from there accepted a government position in France. I carried on some of my earlier Christmas traditions, that is until I met & married my late husband who was a non-Catholic and really never cared for Christmas. However, I later learned that it was due to an early unhappy child experience. He knew how Christmas time made me so happy so he went along with it. Later, on son was born and he carried on many traditions he had learned from me when and when my family visited. Later in life he married and to this day he has carried on some wonderful traditions. I shall be spending the festive holidays at his house. As always, we will be attending Midnight mass (which we now attend the earlier mass.. my son & grandson) and then back to the house for some French Canadian traditions. On the 25th, he usually receives other relatives and friends and then I return home the following day. No doubt I shall be doing the same this year. I don't over-indulge them with gifts, but it's always something from the heart. I do not believe in stressing myself out in the stores prior to and leading up to the holiday. I enjoy the few parties and gatherings I attend over the holidays as well, plus I like having a few close friends in for an evening. I don't do any special baking; I usually leave that up to my local bakery (a block away); much easier to pick up prior to leaving my home! Here's wishing you all a much happiness, stress free and an enjoyable festive season. Merry Christmas... sorry but we have too many 3rd world faiths here who refuse to wish any of us a Merry Christmas but insist on saying 'Happy Holidays' (but not  !!
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Dinty, Dinty, Dinty...... what AM I going to do with you?! I guess just keep loving you (I have to , don't I? ) LOL. All this talk about Christmas shopping....... sure do envy the Missus........... unless you expect her to do it all, and the wrapping too. Christmas displays are already prominent in the stores, right along with the Thanksgiving ones. Brings back lots of memories of the hustle and bustle of buying for our kids. My late husband was a horrible gift giver. I can't count the number of gifts that I had to grin and say thank you, all the while thinking "What in the world was he thinking?" LOL. Ahhhhh, the good old days! Trying to balance on a budget what the kids wanted and what they needed. We would ask each to make a list of three items they would like to receive. Always got them all the list because they never asked for much. One daughter just asked for a jar of dill pickles all to herself! They were so easy to please, it was always a joy to see their faces when they received far beyond their lists. Thanks for the memories. Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.
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Very interesting Dinty!! 
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Interesting story about St. Nicholas. Hope he gets to our house this year...
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The Christmast-Shopping started here 10 days ago, lights and all. Did you know there have been efforts to make the modern Santas thin to encourage the population to lose weight? I'll stick with the fat guy in the red suit.
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