Christmas Stockings History

Author: Santa | Filed under: Christmas Trivia Tuesday Jun 1,2010

christmas stockings historyMost cultures have some version of a Christmas stocking and there are many theories about the origin of the stockings left out for Santa to fill. History gives us no written records, so let’s look at some of the more interesting legends surrounding Christmas stockings history.

One legend surrounding the origins of the Christmas stockings features Odin, the principle god of Norse mythology and his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. The legend says that each year, during the Yule season, Odin would lead a great hunt. It goes on to state that children would place their boots near the chimney and leave them filled with hay, sugar, carrots and other treats to satisfy the hungry horse after the day’s hunt. Odin would then replace the food that Sleipnir ate with small gifts or candy to thank the children for their kindness and generosity.

Another legend involves Saint Nicholas and the three daughters of an poverty-stricken nobleman. Though the man and his family had once been happy and prosperous, they had fallen on hard times. Bad business decisions and the wife’s illness and subsequent death had led to a decline in the families fortune. By the time the daughter reached the age to wed the family was living in a small cottage and the father was devastated to realize that his daughters would not be able to marry, due to the lack of dowries. Though the villagers were sympathetic to the man’s plight, they knew he was proud and would not accept charity, even to salvage his daughters’ futures.

As he was passing through the small town, Saint Nicholas happened to hear the villagers talking about the sad plight of the girls and their father. Being the generous saint that he was, he wanted to help. Waiting until nightfall, he peered into the family’s windows and saw the girls freshly washed stockings hanging by the fireplace to dry. After the family was asleep, he snuck into the house and removed three bags of gold coins from his pouch. He placed a bag of coins in each of the girls’ stockings and left.

When the girls and their father arose in the morning, they found the bags of coins and their joyous voices could be heard far and wide. It is said that the girls were all married and they, as well as their father, lived happily ever-after.

The re-telling of this story led children to begin hanging their stocking by the fireplace or leaving their shoes outside the door, hoping that they too might be the recipient of gifts from Saint Nicholas.

The hanging of Christmas stockings remains one of Christmas’ more popular traditions. While it is clear that the Christmas stocking’s history will remain a mystery, hanging stockings on Christmas Eve is a custom is here to stay.

Edible Christmas Gifts – Cheap Or Inexpensive Christmas Gifts That Deliver Much More Than They Cost

Author: Santa | Filed under: Christmas Food, Christmas Gift Ideas Tuesday Jun 1,2010

By Elisabeth Kuhn

Are you worried about spending too much on Christmas presents? Don’t be. Great gifts don’t have to cost much at all. Read on for some easy and dollar-stretching edible Christmas gift ideas.

California Signature Wine Gift BasketWe all need to eat. But sometimes, especially during tough times, we deprive ourselves. And that’s when edible gifts can be especially welcome — cool treats that your gifts’ recipients wouldn’t have made for themselves.

Of course, the traditional way to approach edible gifts was to go to a gourmet store and order a very expensive gift basket. Or order it from a catalogue. I’m sure you know which ones I’m talking about.

But it doesn’t have to be that expensive. In fact, there are some downright cheap Christmas gifts that can bring a lot of joy and pleasure. Here are a few ideas of varying degrees of thriftiness:

1) Store bought goods

One of our most treasured edible gifts when I grew up in Germany was a Stollen, a German Christmas cake that keeps well, ships well, and tastes utterly delicious (especially the kind filled with marzipan — or the ones that are spiked with rum). And it’s not very expensive either. Neither are a lot of other ready-made Holiday cookies or cakes you can buy at the store.

2) Store bought ingredients, assembled at home

You can create your own gift baskets by assembling some choice fruits and cheeses. If you pick well, you can get a great assortment for less than $10. And for a few dollars more, you can create a veritable gourmet feast. Read on for a variation on that concept…

3) Home-made edibles

Of course, you can also bake cakes or cookies, or create other fancy edibles, wrap them nicely, and send them on their way.

4) Home-made do-it-yourself edibles

This last one is my favorite: Home-made do-it-yourself edible Christmas gifts! Just assemble the ingredients, pack them up nicely, attach a recipe card, and send them to the lucky recipient.

Of course, as a nice bonus, you can use the same recipes to make some treats for yourself. In fact, I would highly recommend that you try out everything you plan to make to ensure the result is what you were hoping for. You might even try out several recipes to find the ones you like best.

Another big advantage to the do-it-yourself edible Christmas gifts is that they will usually keep for quite a long time. This means, they will keep until all the perishable holiday goodies are long gone — and can bring back the glow of Christmas even when the snow is but a distant memory!

But where are you going to find the right kind of recipes for easy to assemble edible Christmas gifts? Here’s my FREE gift for you: A huge collection of yummy edible Christmas gift recipes that you can instantly download — so you can get started right away! Just click on this link: http://www.EdibleChristmasGifts.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elisabeth_Kuhn

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My Favorite Animated Christmas Movies

Author: Santa | Filed under: Christmas Videos Friday May 21,2010

animated christmas movies - charlie brown christmasby Debora Dyess
Now that my grandchildren are old enough to watch TV, I’m getting a refresher course in animated Christmas movies. These films created great memories for me when I was little, and I hope they create the same magic for my grandkids. With a bag of popcorn, a mug of hot chocolate and your favorite little ones cuddled in your lap, there’s no better way to spend a cold December evening.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol – (1983) – Mickey Mouse and Christmas are both almost universally loved by children, and this movie brings the two favorites together. There is probably no one better suited to play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge than Scrooge McDuck – at least in the animated version. Then add in Mickey Mouse as the faithful and loyal Bob Cratchit and the rest of the Disney gang to round out the cast and you have a Christmas winner. This animated Christmas movie also has a super soundtrack. With Goofy, Jiminy Cricket and the Giant as the Ghosts, this animated version of Dicken’s classic tale isn’t too scary for the little ones and enjoyable for all ages.

A Charlie Brown Christmas – (1965) – This has to be one of the all-time best animated Christmas movies. Full of traditional Peanuts music and animation, this movie is still a charmer. Charles Schultz deftly scripts Charlie Brown’s search for the true meaning of Christmas without being too heavy-handed by giving Linus a center-stage recitation of the nativity story and having Charlie Brown save a scraggly tree. “Charlie’s search for the truth is the same search we all go through,” a preacher told me once. “The transformation of the tree is what happens in our lives with God’s love.”

How the Grinch Stole Christmas – (1966) While the Whos in Whoville prepare for a big Christmas celebration, the Grinch does not like Christmas one little bit. The trouble that ensues makes for one of the most beloved animated Christmas adventures ever created. In an effort to stop the special day, Grinch schemes and dreams and devises a wickedly elaborate plan … and some pretty good songs and chuckles, to boot. Even though I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, I still wait in anticipation for the Grinch to realize the true meaning of Christmas as he sits on the top of Mt. Crumpit listening to the Whos singing on Christmas morning. This animated tale of redemption and joy, all bundled up in Dr. Seuss’ weird words and crazy pictures, will always be a winner.

T’was the Night Before Christmas – (1974) – When I was little, I sometimes wondered if Santa might forget Christmas or our house… or me! I’d close my eyes for nights before Christmas, silently praying, “God, please let him know I believe in him.”

The characters in this movie want Santa to know they still believe in him, too. Put off by a letter from Albert Mouse, Santa Claus decides to skip this little town inhabited by talking mice. Everyone has to work together to convince Old St. Nick that they really do believe and really want him to bring gifts to their town. As if the plot weren’t clever enough to make it worth watching, the film also has a terrific soundtrack, including great songs like “Even a Miracle Needs a Hand.” And, of course, it has a happy ending, making this a wonderful seasonal movie.

In my opinion, these are some of the best animated Christmas movies ever created, and they’re as much a part of Christmas as a brightly decorated tree, Santa Claus or a nativity scene. And, while new animated Christmas movies may appear every year, none will take the place in my heart of these beloved favorites.

Adapted with permission from: Printable Santa Letters.com

Live Nativity Scenes: How to Organize One for the Holidays

Author: Santa | Filed under: More Christmas Sunday May 9,2010

The Nativity at Night, 1640

by Debora Dyess

We’ve all seen it – wise men, shepherds, sheep, a donkey, maybe some chickens, Mary and Joseph. Attention is on a single baby – Jesus, lying in a manger. It tells us one thing: Christmas is here!

By learning how to organize a live nativity, you could create an annual tradition, combining art, building, sewing and fun.

Start with a vision. Will you present the manger scene with basic characters, or expand to the whole Christmas story with many actors? This decision determines everything from your budget to preparation time. This reproduction requires actors, costumes, sets and scripts. Pray for a good group of volunteers!

Your volunteer pool determines your characters. You must have the Holy Family, but can expand from there. Live animals are great, but require planning. If they aren’t possible, clever wooden cut-outs can substitute.

If your church or community theater has a costume closet, raid it (permission, first!). Otherwise, these costumes are basically one-size-fits-almost-all, making an easy sewing project. They also hide layers of clothing, protecting actors from the cold.

Sets should be constructed with scenes and landscape in mind. Take advantage of trees, rocks and hills on site. Check load capacities of extension cords used to light sets. For more extensive lighting, consult an electrician. For set construction, borrow a garage. Pray for a ‘building manager’ with carpentry and people skills, since volunteers may not know a circular saw from a square. This individual must be able to plan the set, and organize purchasing, materials and workers.

Write your script to match your event. Sandy Pohlmann, organizer of live nativities at Zion Lutheran Church of Helotes, San Antonio, TX, decided on a shepherd- guide for their nativity. The shepherd narrated and quieted the crowd as needed. Each character had their portion of the story to tell, scripted well in advance.

Nobody told Sandy how to organize a live nativity. Success was measured in growing numbers of visitors each year, and donations made to defray expensea. She suggests planning begin in July for your first event. “It takes lots of time and commitment,” she explained, “and a lot of volunteers. But it is worth it.”

Making a Baby Christmas Stocking

Author: Santa | Filed under: Christmas Crafts Monday May 3,2010

baby christmas stockingPart of welcoming Baby into the family is the addition of a baby Christmas stocking. Placing it with the others on the mantle somehow solidifies the little one’s place in the household.

Picking the baby Christmas stocking used to be limited to choosing pink or blue, with the words “Baby’s First Christmas” embroidered on the front. But times have changed! Stockings can specialize in the family’s favorite sports teams, hobby or town or have photo inserts for that all-important first-year portrait.

If you’re a crafty mom, making a baby Christmas stocking is an enjoyable way to prepare for the holiday. The stocking will be unique and truly special.

Begin with a plain stocking. Patterns are available in stores and online. (I like the clear directions and pattern at Craft and Fabric links. Here are two other easy ideas.

Handprint Christmas Tree Stocking
Make a Christmas tree from your baby’s hand- and foot- prints. Start with the trunk of the tree. Using brown paint, footprint your child. Carefully press the tiny foot to the stocking, positioning it correctly. Green handprints make boughs of the Christmas tree. Make a handprint stamp by transferring your baby’s handprint to thick FunFoam. Cut it out and use it to create the tree. This prevents accidents caused by wiggling little fingers! Use 3-5 near the bottom of the tree and decrease by one until the top is created. Fingers should point out for the lower branches, and up for the top. The number of handprints will vary, depending on the size of the stocking. Allow the painted tree to dry, then adorn with beads, sequins, buttons, etc. Tiny charms can be used as miniature ornaments, and a locket can hold a photo of Baby.

Photo Insert Baby Christmas Stocking
Photo insert stockings are easily made. Purchase fabric needed, plus a small square of thin vinyl (available in many fabric sections). Before sewing the front and back stocking pieces together, position the vinyl on front of the stocking and sew in place on three sides. Once the photo is inside, close the opening and sew the stocking as directed. Cover stitching with decorations or trim. Several photo inserts can be placed on the stocking to show baby’s growth during the first year or Baby with different family members.

However you choose to make your baby Christmas stocking, enjoy! This is a great Christmas for you and your family.

The German Christmas Pickle: An Urban Legend

Author: Santa | Filed under: Christmas Trivia Saturday Apr 24,2010


by Sherry Law
Though many people may disagree, it appears that the legend of the German Christmas Pickle is another example of what has come to be known as an “urban legend.”

According to several sites spread across the Internet, the German Christmas Pickle is a “very ancient Christmas eve tradition in Germany.” Supposedly generations of German parents would hide an ornament shaped like a pickle somewhere deep within the branches of their Christmas tree after all of the other ornaments had been hung. The first child to find the ornament the next morning got an extra present from St. Nick. If the first person to find the pickle was an adult, they were supposed to have good luck during the course of the next year.

When you look closely at the legend, however, it appears to fall apart. First, children in Germany traditionally open their gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning and St Nick generally visits on either the 5th or 6th of December. Both of these facts would make it impossible for the first child to see the pickle on Christmas morning to get an extra present from St Nick. But even more importantly is the fact that few, if any, native Germans have ever even heard of the tradition. Those that have apparently learned about it from either Americans or German friends who learned of it while visiting America.

So where did the legend of the German Christmas Pickle come from? One popular story being related across the Internet deals with a Bavarian-born Civil War soldier being captured and sent to prison in Andersonville, Georgia. In poor health, starving and fearing death, he is said to have begged one of the guards for a pickle. The guard found the poor man a pickle, which miraculously revived him and allowed him to live long enough to return to his family. Once there, he is said to have started the tradition of hiding the pickle among the boughs of the Christmas tree each year.

Regardless of whether this is the origin of the German Christmas Pickle or not, the fact remains that Germans do not claim the tradition, and though it is a cute and unusual legend, the German Christmas Pickle tradition appears to be a total fabrication.

About.com says “Urban legends are popular stories alleged to be true which spread from person to person via oral or written communication, “ and that they “tend to arise spontaneously and are rarely traceable to a single point of origin.” The legend of the German Christmas Pickle definitely seems to fall into the category of an urban legend. And like other urban legends, the who and why is probably destined to remain a mystery.

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