Christmas Chanukkah Kwanzaa Chinese New Year
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Some facts about Christmas: The Star: The five-pointed Christmas star is unique. To many Chrisitans, the star symbolizes the principles taught by Jesus, who is called in the Bible "the bright and morning star" The Tree: The evergreen tree is an emblem of eternal life. Originally used on tabletops, the Christmas tree did not "grow" to its traditional floor-to-ceiling size until it reached North America. Although it first became known in North america during the 1840's, the Christmas tree was not a universal symbol until the 1930's. The custom of decorating the tree originates back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when apples were hung on trees to represent the "paradise" tree in pageants telling the story of Adam and Eve. This evolved into the hanging of sweets on the tree. Later, paper and glass decorations were used. Santa Claus: The beloved figure of Santa Claus originated from the European traditions revolving around Saint Nicholas. When the Santa Claus legend came to North America, he became associated with Christmas, rather than December 6, the feast day of Saint Nicholas. Most of the features of the Santa legend, including his climbing down chimneys and wearing a red suit, are Dutch in origin. The addition of Santa's home at the North Pole and flying reindeer come from Scandinavia. The Santa legend was made popular by stories by Washington Irving, the cartoons of Thomas Nast and the poem "A Visist from Saint Nicholas" by Clement Moore. |
10. Ice Skating On Ponds 9. Oodles and oodles of lights (not to mention the tour buses cruising through our subdivision) 8. Four weeks of vacation! 7. Cheesy holiday specials (especially the ones you've seen 10+ times!) 6. Christmas parties. 5. Hearing the same songs over and over and over again. 4. Making Snowmen at Midnight. 3. Watching the snow fall for hours. 2. Family and friend reunions. 1. That gosh darn cheery spirit everyone seems to get into! |
Once, long ago, a magnificent church stood on a high hill in a great city. When lighted up for a special festival it could be seen for miles around. And yet there was something even more remarkable about this church than its beauty: the strange and wonderful legend of the bells At the corner of the church was a tall gray tower, and at the top of the tower, so people said, was a chime of the most beautiful bells in the world. But the fact was that no on had heard the bells for many years. Not even on Christmas. for it was the custom on Christmas Eve for all the people to bring to the church their offerings to the Christ child. And there had been a time when a very unusual offering laid on the altar brought glorious music from the chimes far up in the tower. Some said that the wind rang them, and others that the angels set them swinging. But latley no offering had been great enough to deserve the music of the chimes. Now a few miles from the city, in a small village, lived a boy named Pedro and his little brother. They knew very little about the Christmas chimes, but they had heard of the service in the church on Christmas eve and they decded to go to see the beautiful celebration. The day before Christmas was bitterly cold, with a hard white crust on the ground. Pedro and his little brother started out early in the afternoon, and despite the cold they reached the edge of the city by nightfall. They were about to enter one of the great gates when Pedro saw something dark on the snow near their path. It was a poor woman, who had fallen just outside the city, too sick and tired to get in where she might have found shelter. Pedro tried to rouse her, but she was barely conscious. "It's no use, little brother. You will have to go alone." "Without you?" cried the little brother. Pedro nodded slowly. "This woman will freeze to death if nobody cares for her. Everyone has probably gone to the church now, but when you come back, be sure and bring someone to help her. I will stay here and try to keep her from freezing, and perhaps get her to eat the roll I have in my pcoket." "But I can't leave you!" cried his little brother. "Both of us need not miss the service," said Pedro. "You must see and hear everything twice, once for you and once for me. I am sure the Christ child knows how I would love to worship him. And if you get a chance, take this silver piece of mine and when no one is looking, lay it down for my offering." In this way he hurried his little brother off to the city, and winked hard to keep back the tears of disappointment. The great church was a brilliant place that night; it had never looked so beautiful. When the organ played and the thousands of people sang, the walls shook with the sound. At the close of the service came the procession with the offerings to be laid on the altar. Some brought jewels, some heavy baskets of gold. A famous writer laid down a book he had been writing for years. And last of all walked the King of the country, hoping with all the rest to win for himself the chime of the Christmas bells. A great murmur went tough the church as the King took from his head the royal crown, all set with precious stones, and laid it on the altar. "Surely," eveyrone said "we will hear the bells now!" But the cold wind was all that was heard in the tower. The procession was over, and the choir began the closing hymn. Suddenly the organist stopped playing. The singing ceased. Not a sound could be heard from anyone in the church. As all the people strained their ears to listen, there came softly -but distinctly- the sound of the chimes in the tower. So far away and yet so clear, the music seemed so much sweeter than anythng ever heard before. Then they all stood up together and looked at the altar to see what great gift had awakened the long silent bells. But all they saw was the childish figure of Pedro's little brother, who had crept softly down the aisle when no one was looking and laid Pedro's little piece of silver on the altar. ~ Raymond McDonald Alden |
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Chanukkah is the festival of Lights. The Menorah & Candles The Chanukkah Menorah, or candelabra holds nine candles. eight of the candles stand for tbe eight days the oil burned in the legend of the first Chanukkah. The ninth candle is the shamos candle (servant candle) which is used to light all the other candles. Candles are inserted in the menorah from right to left, the direction in which the Hebrew language is written. Candles are lit at sunset. The first candle lit is the shamos candle, which is used to light all the other candles. They are lit from left to right, the newest candle first. The Dreidle: The dreidle is the name of a small spinning top, and also the game played with the top. Four Hebrew letters are inscribed on the dreidle-gimmel(g); shin (sh); nun(n); and heh(h). THe letters stand for the Hebrew words "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham," which means "A Great Miracle Happened There." Latkes: Latkes, or potato pancakes are traditonal Chanukkah food. Chanukkah Gelt Chanukkah is a time of giving gifts. Chanukkah gelt (coins/money) is traditionally given to children. |
since June 19th, 1998