Christmas Day 7

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me … seven swans-a-swimming.

Birds … again! Don’t get me wrong, I love birds, but I’m not sure why the folks who wrote the Twelve Days of Christmas were so enamored with them. The author of Brownielocks.com may have a clue for us:

Because many waterfowl could both fly and swim, the ancients had a real fascination with them. Many believed that these animals had a connection between [the] natural and supernatural worlds. The migrations of some birds (disappearing when days grew short and coming when they grew longer) also added to their beliefs. Egypt linked swans with immortality, just like they did the geese. The Greek priests, who worship Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, are believed to be descended from swans. Old Celtic and British myths believe that lost loved ones turn into swans, with gold or silver chains on their necks to symbolize their enchantment. The transformation is believed to take place during their Samhain festival, where the gates of the other worlds open up and souls are free to pass.

King Edward of England, in 1304 took his vows of knighthood over two white swans decorated with gold nets and crowns. Since then, the swans became associated with royalty; and having swans was strictly exclusive to the monarchy. In Britain today, the swan is still considered a symbol of royalty.

In 1697 black swans were discovered in Australia. This caused a great stir in Europe, because up until then, it was believed that swans were suppose to be white. At least, they were all white in Europe!

Theologically, the seven swans represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, or the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. For those of you who may not be familiar with these, consider the following lists:

Gifts of the Holy Spirit (per Romans 12:6-8)*
- Prophecy
- Ministry
- Teaching
- Exhortation
- Giving
- Leading
- Showing Mercy

*Several gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in Scripture. Other lists are given in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians.

Sacraments of the Catholic Church
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (Communion)
- Penance & Reconciliation (Confession)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Marriage

Being Lutheran, I prefer the former list. I really can’t say any more than that, as I haven’t done enough study of the gifts of the Spirit to know that much about them (hmm … possible project for 2007?).

So, other than today being the seventh day of Christmas, it is also New Year’s Eve, a time for fond farewells and new beginnings. I spent the day attending church, making beef stew with creamy mashed potatoes (for lunch), baking six-dozen snickerdoodle cookies, calling my mom, and attending the annual New Year’s Eve party at the home of Koalagirl15. Somewhat busy for the “Sabbath,” I know, but it really couldn’t be helped. The party was great as always and, once again, the ladies prevailed at Battle of the Sexes, a board game that forces men to answer “girly” questions and women to test their brainpower against “guy” queries. Admittedly, the men were at a distinct disadvantage this year, as many of their questions involved French terms like cloche, peau de soie, and grande battement. Of course, the ladies did miss a question about football: What two NFL teams play on Thanksgiving Day? We answered the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers, which was only half right. The correct answer was the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys. Oh, well. Se la vie.

One last note: according to the Lutheran church calendar, today is the First Sunday after Christmas, a day when my denomination remembers the presentation of Christ at the temple forty days after His birth. The website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has a good summary of this event:

The story of the Presentation is told in Luke 2:22-29. Mary and Joseph were faithful Jews and observed their religious customs. An important custom was for the couple to take their first-born son to the Temple. The baby was taken to the Temple forty days after his birth and was dedicated to God. In addition, if the parents were wealthy, they were to bring a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtle dove to be offered as a sacrifice at the Temple. The custom provided that if the parents were poor, they were to offer two pigeons or two turtle doves for the sacrifice.

When Jesus was forty days old, Mary and Joseph took Him to the Temple in Jerusalem. They were not wealthy, so they took two turtle doves with them to offer as a sacrifice at the Temple. As they arrived at the Temple, Mary and Joseph were met by a very old man named Simeon. He was a holy man and was noted as a very intelligent scholar. Simeon spent much time studying about the prophets of Israel. It was during his studies that he learned of the coming of the Messiah … From that time on, Simeon spent his time praying for the Messiah to come. He spent many years in prayer. Finally, while Simeon was praying he heard the voice of God. God promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

When Simeon saw Jesus, he took the baby in his arms and blessed the Lord and said:

“Lord, now let Your servant go in peace according to Your promise, because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory to your people Israel.”

From this passage of Scripture comes the Latin Nunc Dimittis that was sung in the Lutheran church that I attended as a child. After Communion, the entire congregation would chant:

Lord, now lettest thou they servant depart in peace:
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation:
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles:
and the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

May you depart 2006 (and enter 2007) in a safe and enjoyable way. Happy New Year!

Photo of Seven Swans-a-Swimming Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Christmas Day 6

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … six geese-a-laying.

For those of you who can’t wait for the holiday season to end (and I’ve met a few of you lately), today is the halfway point. You only have six more days of torture until Epiphany. For those of you who are still celebrating, you have six more days of fun and festivities to keep you busy. I am of the latter persuasion, as you may have surmised by now.

Surprisingly (or not), did you notice that, once again, a bird is the symbol of the day in the Twelve Days of Christmas tune? Thus far, the song has sported a partridge, two turtle doves, a few hens, and some blackbirds. Today, the music adds a gaggle of geese. Why?

Theologically, the six geese-a-laying symbolize the six days of creation. According to Genesis 1, that would mean “day” and “night” were designed on day one; the “sky” and the separation of the waters were engineered on day two; the “land,” the “sea,” and vegetation were made on day three; the sun, the moon, and the stars were fashioned on day four; sea creatures, marine life, and birds were brought into being on day five; and all other living creatures (including man) were created on day six.

Historically, mythologically, the geese represent many other ideas: fertility, protection, seaside vegetation, etc. The author of Brownielocks.com elaborates for us:

Because of their migration habits, they [geese] were often considered to be a symbol of the solar year and also fertility. Ancient Egyptians believed that a mummy’s soul rose up in the form of a goose with a human head. The Roman goddess Juno considered the goose sacred. Why? In 387 B.C., the geese in her temple cackled and honked, warning the Romans that barbarians were close. Ever since then, the geese were honored for their protective services. Medieval seafarers had a strange tale on the origin of the goose. It seems that on the hull of their ships grew this long, goose-shaped barnacle. Coincidentally, there was also an Arctic goose that migrated around England. Since this goose and the barnacle looked a lot alike, the sailors said that the goose originated from the barnacle, and in some tales a seaside tree.

Why was this so important? … because the goose came from a tree it was suddenly all right to eat because it was then considered a “fruit” and not the “flesh of animals.” By the 18th century, the goose was the customary Christmas dinner. The boar had been hunted to extinction, so it was no longer served. But, many homes served a string of sausages around the goose as a reminder of the boar in days past.

Fascinating stuff, but nothing that really drives home a lesson of great theological import (especially since I am writing this near midnight). If I think of something profound and inspiring, I will let you know.

Not much else happened around here this Saturday. I picked up the altar flowers for church at Tommy’s Flowers in Groton and worked around the house. Pretty boring, but relaxing. What can I say, I’m still on Christmas vacation.

Photo of Six Geese-a-Laying Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Holiday Anti-Letter

Posted as a joke on Smart Mom Blog, the website of a fellow homeschooler, I thought this holiday anti-letter was cute. How often do we all receive Christmas letters that summarize lives that seem almost too full, too busy, or too successful? Smart Mom’s version is closer to reality for me on some days or, at least, closer to how I feel on some days. Life can be pretty ordinary on a fairly regular basis. I, for one, don’t consider that a bad thing. It does keep my stress level down, that’s for sure. But, then again, who wants to get a Christmas letter that outlines the ordinary? Maybe that’s why we get those seasonal compositions that seem to be written like adventure stories. I, myself, rarely send out an annual Christmas letter, although this year I did for various reasons. Hopefully, mine wasn’t too obnoxious. Of course, you will need to guess at that judgment unless, of course, you actually received one of my letters; in which case, you can let me know how I did.

Note: To maintain the personal privacy of other individuals named in my Christmas letter, I chose not to post it here on the blog.

50th Wedding Anniversary

Etiquette question: is it correct to observe a wedding anniversary if one half of the married couple is deceased? Strange query, I know, but this issue has been troubling me for a while now because, if my father were still living, today would have been my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. I did call my mother this morning to wish her “Happy Anniversary,” just so she knew I was aware that she might be reflecting on marriage memories today. She thanked me for my sentiment and did not indicate that I upset her or that she felt my comment was out of place. No. In fact, she went on to share some marriage musings with me.

It would have been nice to share this day with both my parents, although I doubt they would have had a big party. They rarely agreed on the size of celebrations, or the public nature of them. My mother, a gourmet pastry chef, is certainly capable of planning, organizing, and executing such a large event, but I guess she just isn’t that comfortable with crowds. My father, on the other hand, was a social butterfly. Being a meat cutter since age fourteen, I am sure he would have enjoyed a huge party that welcomed a flock of relatives, friends, co-workers, and customers. Either way, I know they would have had a lovely day appreciating each other and the life they had created. I only hope my marriage will last as long and be as happy.

Happy Anniversary, Mom (and Dad).

Christmas Day 5

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … five golden rings.

This is my favorite verse in the carol, the Twelve Days of Christmas. I like the musical respite it provides between the long “later days” and the short “earlier days” of the counting sequence. I guess by the time I hit this part of the tune, I need a breath.

So, what do the five rings symbolize? Traditionally, theologically, they refer to the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Commonly accepted as having been written by Moses, these tomes cover such topics as the creation of the world, the creation of man (and woman), the fall of man, Noah and his ark, the faithfulness of Abraham, the life of Isaac, the exploits of Jacob, the establishment of the ancient nation of Israel, the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the institution of the Passover, the wilderness wanderings of the ancient Israelites, the death of Moses, and the entrance of the ancient Israelites into the Promised Land. Not light reading by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely worth the effort.

So, what else could these lovely rings represent? I have been using the explanations from Brownielocks.com to illuminate some of the more common, non-religious meanings of the carol symbols. Here is what they have to say about the golden circles:

If you’re a jewelry fan, you’re going to be disappointed to learn that it’s not actually golden rings that are given on day [five]. Once again, this is [a] reference to birds (do you see a pattern here?) and the [five] golden rings are said to represent the gold rings on a pheasant’s neck. Why the pheasant?

It all begins with the legend of Jason and the Argonauts back in 750 B.C. when they sailed from Thessaly, Greece in search of the “Golden Fleece.” During this epic journey, they landed in Phalis, acquiring not only the sorceress, Medea, but also a lot of golden birds. The Greek word phasianornis means “bird of Phasis.” It is believed that this species of ring-necked pheasant [is] from the sub-species of the infamous “Golden Fleece.” Soon, eating pheasant was only for the very rich and royal, often becoming the high-point of the feast. Many times, it was customary to swear an oath upon it before eating.

I have never eaten pheasant, so I couldn’t say if it is a meal fit for a king. Next year, my daughter plans to cook goose for Christmas, so I will someday be able to relate my feelings about that culinary wonder. Until then, I must confess my ignorance of exotic game bird as entrée.

Major happening of the day: receipt of my newly purchased Christmas dishes from SmartBargains.com. The American Atelier hand-painted ornament dessert plates arrived in beautiful condition and are just as gorgeous in person as they were in the online photograph. The Julen breakfast service for eight, on the other hand, didn’t fare so well. Out of a full complement of mugs, plates, and bowls, only a few pieces made it intact, the equivalent of only two place settings. The rest were broken and barely recognizable as dishes. Fortunately, the company is replacing everything.

Other activities for the day:
- purchased Christmas storage boxes
- called friends in Virginia and Florida
- called Mom in Minnesota
- ordered floral arrangement for Sunday (12/31) altar flowers
- encouraged King Richard III to complete medical history paperwork
- ordered new cookie gun from Amazon.com
- ordered The Autobiography of Santa Claus from Amazon.com
- ordered Beethoven Early String Quartets from Amazon.com (for school)

A very low-key day by any measure. I hope you and yours had a relaxing time as well. Tomorrow is the halfway point of the holiday, so enjoy it while you can. The daily grind is coming soon.

Photo of Five Golden Rings Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Christmas Day 4

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … four calling birds.

Did you know that, according to Brownielocks.com, we have all been singing the wrong words to this verse of the Twelve Days of Christmas? Here is what the website says:

Four Calling (Colly) Birds

Yes, that’s right! All these years you’ve been singing “calling birds” when the reality is, it’s colly birds. So what are these birds? A colly bird is a European black bird. Colly means black. It’s my view that it’s the word “coal + ie” said with a little accent. Therefore, a dark black bird looked like black coal and was called a “coalie” or “Colly Bird.”

So, the song is really saying … four crows. But, who wants a crow for Christmas? They did! You see … back in the Medieval days, blackbird was considered a delicacy. In the children’s song “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” there are 24 blackbirds baked in a pie. Pies seem to be a real gourmet food in the peak of The Twelfth Night days and were often a sign of status and competition among the wealthy. Dining during this time was a form of entertainment, with food presentations having fireworks, and surprises coming out of them. But, the grandest pie of all was said to be in the year 1770 for Sir Henry Grey at a Twelfth Night celebration in London. This pie is said to be 9 feet in circumference. The filling was composed of two bushels of flour, two woodcocks, two turkeys, two rabbits, two ox tongues, four geese, four ducks, four partridges, six pigeons, seven blackbirds and twenty pounds of butter! The pie weighed 168 pounds and was wheeled into the dining room. Imagine the cholesterol?

I don’t know about you, but I am very happy NOT to eat blackbird pie. I wonder if it tastes like chicken? All exotic protein foods seem to be described as tasting like chicken. I guess I will never know.

Theologically, the four calling birds represent the four Gospels --- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you have never read the Bible, or if you have just never read any of the Gospels, I would recommend starting with John. It is the most moving of the four, written in a much different style than the other three.

Aside from investigating some history about the fourth day of Christmas, I spent the rest of my "fourth day" working at home, attending a magic show at our local library (given by The Amazing Zacchini, a friend of Katherine the Great), and exchanging gifts with our friends in Uncasville. My husband made ham salad sandwiches for supper, too, from the leftover Christmas ham. I love it when men cook!

Hope your “fourth day” went well. As Christmas continues, be merry!

Photo of Rusty Blackbirds by John James Audubon was taken from ArtPrintCollection.com.

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

Earlier today, I was watching Fox News when a reporter stated that the favorite hymn of the late former President Gerald R. Ford was “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” I, too, love this hymn and thought I would share it with you this morning.

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who walked’st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protest us wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

I also found the following information about this hymn on Cyberhymnal.org:

Words: William Whiting, 1860. He wrote the lyrics as a poem for a student about to sail for America.

Music: Melita, John B. Dykes, in Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861. Dykes fittingly named the tune after a locale associated with a Biblical shipwreck. Melita was the island the Apostle Paul reached after his ship went down (Acts 28:1); today we know it as the isle of Malta.

Listen for this hymn in the coming days as we progress through the ceremonies, services, and remembrances of the late former President.

Christmas Day 3

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me … three French hens.

Similar to my question about turtledoves yesterday, today I ask, “What is a French hen anyway?” From Brownielocks.com I learned this:

Some believe that the French hens prove that this song [the Twelve Days of Christmas] originated in France. How? The Latin name for France was Gaul, which comes from the Latin word Gallia. This is close to the Roman word for rooster.

In the Christian religion, it is believed that a cock crowed when Christ was born as a sign that “the light of the world” had arrived. This is why a rooster on a Christian tomb symbolizes the resurrection.

During the 18th century, large, exotic fowl from the Orient were brought back to England. These birds mated with the descendants of the Roman-breed chickens. It is believed that the “three French hens” in the song represent a new breed. White chickens are believed to bring good luck. And, hens are believed to symbolize motherly devotion.

According to the history of the carol, the Twelve Days of Christmas, the three French hens represent the three theological virtues --- faith, hope, and charity (love) --- listed in 1 Corinthians 13:13:

“But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” NASB

According to Wikipedia:

- In Catholic theology, it is held that these virtues differ from the cardinal virtues in that they cannot be obtained by human effort. A person can only receive them by their being “infused”--- through Divine grace --- into the person.

- In some Christian traditions, there are four cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, courage, and justice.

- These “cardinal” virtues are not the same as the three theological virtues: faith, hope and charity (see 1 Corinthians 13). Together, they comprise what are known as the seven cardinal virtues, also known as the heavenly virtues.

So, the French hens are all about virtue, about striving for high moral standards. I suppose the question to ask now is “How am I doing in that effort?” How are you doing?

Photo of Three French Hens Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Christmas Day 2

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me … two turtledoves.

What exactly is a turtle dove? In this case, it isn’t an animal. It is a thing. Actually, it is two things: the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. As I mentioned yesterday, the Twelve Days of Christmas was written as a “catechism song” to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith at a time when Catholicism was outlawed in England. In case I didn’t mention it yesterday, the partridge in the pear tree refers to He who should be our one true love --- God.

Historically, the day after Christmas is known as “Boxing Day.” Some of the theories as to how this term came about, all from Wikipedia:

- It was the day when people would give a present or Christmas “box” to those who have worked for them throughout the year. This is still done in Britain for postmen and paper-boys, though now the “box” is usually given before Christmas, no after.

- In feudal times, Christmas was a reason for gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on 26 December, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day.

- In England many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day’s work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day!

- In churches, it was traditional to open the church’s donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the “box” in “Boxing Day” comes from that lockbox in which the donations were left.

Wikipedia also gives this information in reference to December 26th being recognized as “St. Stephen’s Day:”

- As in most of the rest of the UK and Ireland, the day after Christmas Day was always most significant in the day-to-day events of Wales. Some activities that took place on this day seem peculiarly Welsh, including that of “holly beating” or “holming.” In this, it was customary for young men and boys to slash the unprotected arms of female domestic servants with holly branches until they bled. In some areas it was the legs that were beaten. In other, it was the custom for the last person to get out of bed in the morning to be beaten with sprigs of holly and made to carry out all the commands of the family. On many farms, horses and other animals were bled in a custom that was thought to be good for the animals’ health, evening increasing their stamina. These customs died out before the end of the 19th century.

So, what did I do on the second day of Christmas? Well, I CERTAINLY didn’t beat my child with a sprig of holly until she bled. Nor did I donate goods to the poor (like I probably should have). No, I shopped. It is a tradition in our family to go out early on the day after Christmas to acquire much needed supplies for next year: gift wrap, bows, ribbon, dinnerware, ornaments, storage boxes, etc. Sometimes I shop for these items online as well. I actually did that a few days ago, picking up some dishes, a new Christmas stocking for my husband, and two sealing wax stamps to use on greeting cards.

More important than all this after-Christmas shopping, though, was the shopping I did at Home Depot. After some discussion, some diagramming, and some measuring, my husband and I ordered a cabinet to install in our master bedroom closet, a step toward household organization that is a long time in coming. The drawer unit is scheduled to arrive at the end of January so, between now and then, I have some serious sorting to accomplish. It is a big job but one that, I know, will contribute positively to the atmosphere of my home. Stay tuned for updates.

Photo of Two Turtle Doves Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Christmas Day 1

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me … a partridge in a pear tree.

According to the age-old custom of numbering the days of Christmas, Day 1 is actually December 25th --- Christmas Day. The carol to which the aforementioned words belong derives from a memory game played on Twelfth Night, where players were required to recite objects named by previous players and then add more objects to the challenge. The tune is apparently Gaelic in origin. The carol itself is considered traditionally English. Over the years, I have also been told that the Twelve Days of Christmas was written as a “catechism song” to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith during the many years when Catholicism was outlawed in England. At any rate, it is a favorite tune of the season.

So, did I get a partridge in a pear tree for Christmas? No, I did not. I did get a Mouse Trap game, something I have wanted since childhood. My parents never purchased this item for my sister and me when we were young. If we wanted to corral small rodents, we had to go to a neighbor’s house. Fortunately, now, I can catch these critters at home anytime I want.

My dear friend in Washington, D. C. gave me a very providential gift --- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Being a career Lutheran, prayer is a spiritual discipline that has never come easy to me. That’s why, even before Christmas, I had decided to make prayer my quiet time focus for 2007. In His attention to detail, the Lord saw fit to motivate one of my friends to supply, as a Christmas gift, a tool for my upcoming study. Amazing.

My daughter, the music lover, gifted me with Vivaldi’s Gloria in D, a choral piece that I sang in high school way back when. Gloria was the first present that I experienced after all the unwrapping was completed. Astonishingly enough, I can still sing some of the alto part even after all these years (and even after snacking on the peanut butter truffles that arrived in my stocking). If you have never had the opportunity to hear Gloria in D, I would encourage you to obtain a copy from your local library or bookstore before the holidays are over. Even better, scare up a live performance of the piece at your local concert hall. You won’t regret it.

My husband outdid himself this year, giving me a print called “Christmas Memories” by the artist P. Buckley Moss. Ms. Moss is a favorite of my mother, an artist as well by both nature and training. Having come across some stunning Moss Christmas ornaments this season, I found myself admiring more Moss pieces than ever before. That led to the addition of “Christmas Memories” to my holiday wish list. The rest, as they say, is history. Wisely, my husband purchased the print unframed so I can mat and frame it to my own taste. What a guy.

My girlfriend, Koalagirl15, gave me what will probably become my second latest artistic fascination--- the work of Jim Shore. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this gentleman, he is primarily a sculptor whose exposure to a master-quilter grandmother is reflected in every piece he creates. Mine is “Santa With Cat.” The jolly old elf is decked out in a long red coat adorned with a quilt pattern all around the bottom. In his right arm is a feline who looks like a light-colored version of my cat, Kit. It is truly a beautiful figurine.

Not to be forgotten, my mother and aunt, knowing my penchant for Christmas ornaments and my love of instruction, gave me a “teacher” angel/bear to hang on my tree. My mother also gave my daughter an adorable ornament of a mouse hiding in and eating a wedge of Swiss cheese. This is quite appropriate as Katherine the Great is a cheese connoisseur.

Aside from all this giving and receiving, my family and I relaxed at home in the afternoon, watching the movies we received: A Boyfriend for Christmas and Yours, Mine, and Ours (the original version). We also enjoyed the new Miracle on 34th Street on television. My daughter and I played Mouse Trap, too. Dinner was late in the afternoon. Dessert was later in the evening at the home of Koalagirl15: pumpkin tarts, pecan pie, homemade apple pie, and a Reese’s peanut butter cup pie. The latter was Jesus’ birthday cake, so we opened the evening by singing “Happy Birthday” to the King.

All and all, it was a comfortable and comforting day that was actually very low stress, even though I was scrambling to finish some early-morning gift decorating at 6:00 AM. Being the second Christmas without my beloved dad, part of the day still felt a little empty. I suppose the holiday will always feel that way to some degree. That small void did not detract from the experience, however. I think it only made the day richer as we related stories of Christmases past while enjoying the Christmas present.

In closing, I would like to offer one reminder: Christmas isn’t over. Remember, historically, the holiday begins on December 25th and ends on January 5th, the day before Epiphany. Celebrate until the end. After all, we are commemorating the birth of our Savior. What better reason to party!

Photo of Partridge in a Pear Tree Christmas ornament by artist P. Buckley Moss was taken from the website of the Finn Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL.

Ready or Not!

It’s Christmas Eve. Ready or not, the holiday has arrived! I would have to say that I am NOT as ready as I would like to be, but the essentials are complete: the tree is decorated, the presents are wrapped, and the food is ready (except for some cookies that didn’t get done because I was ill for two weeks). The baked eggs are in the refrigerator for breakfast. The oatmeal will be prepared in the morning, as will the fresh fruit --- strawberries and blueberries. The pecan pie is frozen and in no hurry to be baked as we don’t need it until tomorrow evening for dessert at the home of Koalagirl15. My family and I have attended Christmas Eve service at Christ Lutheran Church and we are now at home watching Holiday Inn. Christmas may not be the sparkling, superbly organized event that I was shooting for, but it is certainly comfortable, sufficient, and extremely blessed.

I hope this entry finds you and yours just as comfortable, and just as blessed. May the Christ of Christmas live in your hearts today and always.

Men & Gift Wrap

This article came to my husband from a good friend in Oklahoma. I have no idea where he found it, so I can’t give credit where credit is due. However, I do know a man wrote it, and if I do discover the author, I will let you know. Until then, I hope you get a chuckle out of this. I certainly did.

This is the time of year when we think back to the very first Christmas when the Three Wise Men: Gaspar, Balthazar and Herb (actually Melchior) went to see the baby Jesus; and according to the Book of Matthew, "presented unto Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

These are simple words, but if we analyze them carefully, we discover an important, yet often overlooked, theological fact. There is no mention of wrapping paper. If there had been wrapping paper, Matthew would have said so: "And lo, the gifts were inside 600 square cubits of paper. And the paper was festooned with pictures of Frosty the Snowman. And Joseph was going to throweth it away, but Mary saideth unto him, she saideth, “Holdeth it! That is nice paper! Saveth it for next year!' And Joseph did rolleth his eyeballs. And the baby Jesus was more interested in the paper than the frankincense." But these words do not appear in the Bible, which means that the very first Christmas gifts were NOT wrapped. This is because the people giving those gifts had two important characteristics:

1. They were wise.
2. They were men.

Men are not big gift wrappers. Men do not understand the point of putting paper on a gift just so somebody else can tear it off. This is not just my opinion; this is a scientific fact based on a statistical survey of two guys I know. One is Rob, who said the only time he ever wraps a gift is "if it's such a poor gift that I don't want to be there when the person opens it.” The other is Gene, who told me he does wrap gifts, but as a matter of principle never takes more than 15 seconds per gift. "No one ever had to wonder which presents daddy wrapped at Christmas," Gene said. "They were the ones that looked like enormous spitballs."

I also wrap gifts, but because of some defect in my motor skills, I can never completely wrap them. I can take a gift the size of a deck of cards and put it in the exact center of a piece of wrapping paper the size of a regulation volleyball court, but when I am done folding and taping, you can still see a sector of the gift peeking out (sometimes I camouflage this sector with a marking pen). If I had been an ancient Egyptian in the field of mummies, the lower half of the Pharaoh's body would be covered only by Scotch tape.

On the other hand, if you give my wife a 12-inch square of wrapping paper, she can wrap a C-130 cargo plane. My wife, like many women, actually likes wrapping things. If she gives you a gift that requires batteries, she wraps the batteries separately, which to me is very close to being a symptom of mental illness. If it were possible, my wife would wrap each individual volt.

My point is that gift-wrapping is one of those skills like having babies that come more naturally to women than to men. That is why today I am presenting:

GIFT WRAPPING TIPS FOR MEN

• Whenever possible, buy gifts that are already wrapped. If, when the recipient opens the gift, neither one of you recognizes it, you can claim that it's myrrh.

• The editors of Woman's Day magazine recently ran an item on how to make your own wrapping paper by printing a design on it with an apple sliced in half horizontally and dipped in a mixture of food coloring and liquid starch. They must be [crazy].

• If you're giving a hard-to-wrap gift, skip the wrapping paper! Just put it inside a bag and stick one of those little adhesive bows on it. This creates a festive visual effect that is sure to delight the lucky recipient on Christmas morning:

YOUR WIFE: Why is there a Hefty trash bag under the tree?

YOU: It's a gift! See? It has a bow!

YOUR WIFE (peering into the trash bag): It's a leaf blower.

YOU: Gas-powered! Five horsepower!

YOUR WIFE: I want a divorce.

YOU: I also got you some myrrh.

In conclusion, remember that the important thing is not what you give or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt.

Paper! Paper! Paper!

For years, my husband has lovingly referred to me as “the catalog queen.” Sadly, I must admit to the truth of that label. I do save catalogs, not just for online shopping, but for ideas --- decorating ideas, gift ideas, gardening ideas, you name it. When we moved into our house, I saved so many catalogs they began to invade the living space (of course, my husband would say they still invade the living space, but that is another story). Eventually, tired of the paper piles, my loving mate gave me The Catalog Rule: they must all fit into one file drawer. I have stuck to this rule, for the most part, even though I don’t always get the catalogs filed in a timely manner (hence, the catalogs that still invade the living space).

So with Christmas rapidly approaching, this morning I decided to clear the catalog clutter from my family room so it would be somewhat more presentable for the holiday. After some preliminary sorting, I opened the file drawer and began to clear the outdated volumes, replacing them with the newer editions. One hour later, my home was 105 pounds lighter! That’s right, I cleared 56 pounds of catalogs, 44 pounds of magazines, and 5 pounds of phone books from my home. I was a little surprised at the weight. My husband wasn’t shocked at all. I just hope my garbage man isn’t shocked when he has to lift all that paper into the trash truck on Thursday.

Getting Back to Normal

After almost two weeks of fighting an upper respiratory infection (and the associated side effects of my medication), I think I am getting back to normal. How can I tell? Well, aside from the fact that my fever is gone and I don’t feel like sleeping all day, I have restarted my morning routine, a somewhat time-consuming bit of work during the holidays and while recovering from illness:

PETS
- feed & water cats
- wash cat dishes
- freshen pet water (both bird & cat)
- check bird seed (replace if necessary)
- wipe down/disinfectant counters around cat dishes
- clean litter box
- vacuum pet corner

CHRISTMAS
- water tree
- vacuum needles around & under tree
- wrap a few gifts

HEALTH
- steam & irrigate sinuses
- inhaler dose
- expectorant dose
- take vitamins
- shower & dress
- early morning snack: yogurt, Raisin Bran

PERSONAL
- pick up e-mail
- read/watch news
- check blogs
- check bank balance
- check weather
- check calendar
- write daily priorities list

Once all this is finished, I sit down for my daily quiet time with the Lord (although I must admit I let this slide a bit while I was really sick).

I hope this entry finds you well and fully into the fun and frenzy of the holiday. Take care and God bless.

Christmas Shipping Completed

Due to recent illness in my family, Christmas plans and organization have gone out the window. I am now in crisis mode, completing only those tasks that are absolutely necessary for the holiday. Today that included shipping gifts to family and friends in Minnesota, Florida, California, and Virginia. The financial damages weren’t too out of line, given that I was shipping several heavy boxes only nine days before the holiday. Not the ideal situation but, nonetheless, reality.

Next year, I plan to have my shopping and shipping finished by Tuesday, December 4th!

Relapse!

After thinking that I contracted a less intense version of the latest cold bug that is traveling through my community, and after thinking that I would be back to “normal” within a few days of falling ill, I am disappointed to report that I was not so fortunate. On Wednesday last, almost one week after my first cold began, the increasing severity of my symptoms necessitated a visit to the local medical clinic. One breathing treatment later, I emerged with an inhaler, some narcotic cough syrup, and antibiotics. Not at all what I expected. Of course, I can’t complain because, being the mother of an only child (who is older), I can rest. My friend, Koalagirl15, is not so fortunate. Recovering from illness herself, she is nursing three children, a husband, and a grandmother back to health. Prayers for all would be greatly appreciated.

Ringing in Christmas

This afternoon, my daughter had her first Christmas concert with The Shoreline Ringers Community Handbell Choir, a good effort that was much appreciated by the audience at Colchester Federated Church in Colchester, CT. Yet, as beautiful as the music was, I am certain the director and members will find something to improve before their next performance on Friday, December 15th. High-caliber musicians are like that, finding details to tweak in each playing of a piece. That’s what makes them excellent performers and what makes their music such a listening pleasure.

The holiday concert program includes the following selections (see below), so if you have time this coming weekend, join the ringers at one of their concert venues. Visit their website for more information.

CONCERT PROGRAM
Joy to the World
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
West Indies Carol
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Overture to Cantata 142
In the Bleak Midwinter
The Nutcracker
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Ukrainian Bell Carol Fantasy
White Christmas
Sleigh Ride

Merry Christmas!

First Cold of the Season

Well, after nursing my daughter through her first cold of the season almost a month ago, I finally caught mine. It began as a sore throat last Thursday, became horrible sinus congestion, nausea, and vomiting on Friday, and settled (unfortunately) in my chest on Saturday. Now it is Sunday and after much rest, Zicam, flat ginger ale, and several steam treatments, I am functioning near some level of normal. The coughing fits I could do without but, thankfully, they only occur once or twice a day, and then only if I neglect my cough suppressant. Too much information? Sorry.

For those of you who live in southern New England, this is only one version of the latest "bug" that is traveling through the families in town. Happily, I got what seems to be the less intense version. Some folks have been sick in bed for days, while others have suffered for weeks with profound exhaustion. Hopefully, I will be back to “completely normal” by the end of the week. Until then, blog entries may be at a minimum.

Have a great week!

Friends Doing Well

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. --- Romans 8:28

This verse means more to me and gives me more comfort of late than almost any other verse in the Bible. It gives me such peace to know that no matter what gets thrown at me, God will bring me through it in a way that glorifies Him and that benefits all involved. This week the above verse doesn’t apply to me, though; it applies to two of my homeschooling friends. Both had major surgery and both are doing well. To my knowledge, the prognosis for each is better than anticipated. Once again, I have been shown that God is great and greatly to be praised.

A Child Is Born

This Sunday night past, my daughter and I attended a local performance of Handel’s Messiah at Noank Baptist Church in Noank, CT. Like my child, I adore this masterpiece and listen to it all year long. Yet, I never really meditated on the words to any of the individual songs within the oratorio until this morning. I was contemplating “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” when it occurred to me that the names for God that are enumerated in this piece reflect His very Triune nature:

Wonderful Counselor – GOD the HOLY SPIRIT
Mighty God – GOD the FATHER
Everlasting Father – GOD the FATHER
Prince of Peace – GOD the SON

Isn’t it amazing how the Lord continues to reveal Himself to us in such small, seemingly insignificant ways? Our God is an awesome God.

Let It Snow!

Mark the calendar: first snowfall of the season. This is the view from one of my living room windows. It looks cold to me, although I haven’t ventured outside yet this morning. In keeping with tradition, I will need to bake some cookies today. I like to bake a batch of cookies (usually something very simple) to mark the first snowfall of the year. Maybe some Russian Teacakes; they look a lot like snowballs.

Have a wonderful Tuesday. God bless.

Christmas Speech Night

Tonight, our homeschool support group hosted a Christmas Speech Night where the students could perform, memorized or not, a holiday-themed selection of poetry, a dramatic reading, or some other informative article. My daughter, who HATES public speaking and avoids it whenever possible, decided at the last minute to read the following from Christmas Customs and Traditions by Frank Muir. Thankfully for her nerves, the effort was well received.

THE KISSING BOUGH

In his book The English Festivals (London, 1947), the poet and glass-engraver Laurence Whistler has shown that in many parts of rural England there was an alternative to the Christmas tree called a kissing bough. This was a spherical framework bound with box, rosemary or some other evergreen, inside which red apples dangled from coloured ribbons. Fixed to the strip of metal or osier that formed the circumference of the sphere were coloured candles. The whole thing was then hung up in a prominent place and mistletoe tied beneath it.

One year my family decided that a kissing bough might be more fun than the usual tree. Out came the pliers and the wire. Simple craftsmanship. As we did not grow either box or rosemary in the garden we chose pagan ivy. This we bound round the wire frame. Next came the seven apples suspended on red ribbons. So far no problems, but where to put it? The hall ceiling was too low to hang a four-foot, round, verdant football. The answer seemed to be to hang it above the staircase. This entailed climbing a ladder, chiseling the paint out of the joints on the outside of the window overlooking the stairs, and then pushing a five-foot length of wood through the gap between the bottom of the window and the frame. Inside, this piece of wood stuck out over the stairs like a gibbet. Next we threw up some nylon washing line with a guaranteed breaking-strain of half a ton --- essential for our kissing bough --- and hauled the mighty structure up into position. With the aid of a step-ladder the candles were fixed on. The village shop had run out of the little red ones so we had to make do with the leftovers from last year’s power cuts. It really looked rather Christmassy. I sent my wife back up the step-ladder to light the candles while I fetched the garden hose from the garage. Then we all stood round and watched the candlelight reflecting off the red apples and the draught from the partly opened window blowing the drips of wax on to the dogs. What better way of celebrating Christmas Eve --- picking wax out of Afghan hound coats?

A Day of Rest?

Being the first Sunday in Advent, I suppose I should have relaxed at home as I imagine other Christians do on God’s designated day of repose, but I didn’t. I spent the day doing anything but resting, instead sampling a festival of Christmas delights:

8:30 AM WORSHIP @ CHURCH: I love the first Sunday in Advent! The church is decked out for the holidays, making everything look so festive and special. The Christmas tree is in the narthex, adorned with ornaments; the Advent wreath is by the altar, sporting the blue and pink candles of the season; and greenery arrangements seem to be everywhere, filling the air with the heavenly aroma of pine. Yet, I love Advent for another, more important, less sensory reason --- it marks the start of the church year, my chance for a “new beginning” with God. Over the years, I have come to see Advent as both a time of anticipation of the coming of Christ and as a time for making some personal “spiritual New Year’s Resolutions.” For 2006: spend more time in daily prayer.

9:45 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL: After church, I headed to Sunday School. 2006 marks my fifth year of service as a Sunday School teacher and, hopefully, my best. The young people that God has placed in my path this year are just fantastic, not because they have the “faith thing” all figured out, but because they are struggling with how to apply it in their everyday lives (and they are very honest about that struggle). Imagine that, the kids face the same challenges that adult believers face. This common ground makes for great conversation and some awesome instructional moments. God truly is an awesome God. Today’s topic: authentic faith, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a little history of Advent.

11:30 AM LUNCH @ 99 RESTAURANT: A meal with my family at one of our neighborhood eateries. The Garlic Parmesan Crusted Tilapia was quite good. I had it with rice and butternut squash. My husband tried the Tropical Chicken Salad, while my daughter opted for Shrimp Scampi (sans tomatoes, please). Quite tasty, and no leftovers.

1:30 PM THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS: An annual tradition at the Florence Griswold Museum, this was my first trip to the gallery, not just my first trip for the Christmas tree display. What a treat! Not only were my daughter and I privileged to enjoy five beautifully and artfully decorated trees of the season, but we were equally blessed to see some breathtaking artwork as well. Each tree represented a different “ancient element” --- fire, water, earth, and air. The fifth tree was the “palette tree,” decorated almost exclusively with wooden palette-shaped ornaments, all hand-painted by professional artists. For a close-up view of these lovely creations, click here.

4:00 PM SERVICE OF LESSONS & CAROLS: An annual tradition at house (at least for now), this was the first year my family was able to attend this service for pure enjoyment. For many years, my daughter was required to play in the handbell choir, with the associated rehearsals beforehand. Not so, this year. A move to a new church, and the associated change to a new bell choir, meant listening pleasure only. It felt a bit odd at first, but we all adjusted quite quickly. Fellowship time afterwards allowed us to catch up with a few friends we missed seeing on Sunday mornings. All in all, a nice service.

7:30 PM HANDEL’S MESSIAH: The highlight of the day! Katherine the Great has gone to sleep listening to this piece of music more nights than I can count. It is one of her favorites (and mine). This performance was especially enjoyable because it offered a chance to see some of our friends and acquaintances “do their thing.” The conductor is a former handbell compatriot from Shoreline Ringers; the harpsichordist is the founder of Calvary Music School (where my daughter takes music composition class), a new friend from church played violin in the orchestra (we were privileged to sit with her husband during the concert). An even more interesting fact: these people are all well acquainted with my daughter’s composition teacher. It truly is a very small world.

So, how was your Sunday? Hopefully as enjoyable as mine. May you have a blessed Advent season, awaiting the birth of our Lord.

Advent Calendars

One of my most beloved childhood Christmas memories is of the Advent calendar my mother created out of burlap, felt, and leftover greeting cards. It hung on a door in the kitchen and each morning my sister and I would race to be the one to turn over the picture that would mark one day closer to Christmas, when the door to the stable at the top of the calendar would be opened to show the baby Jesus lying in a manger. Admittedly, as the mere listing of construction “ingredients” --- burlap, felt, and scavenged drawings --- the calendar sounds rather hokey, but it really was (and is) a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. As far as I know, my mother still hangs it in her kitchen every December.

The observation of Advent is, for me, the only way to combat the rampant commercialism that so many people complain has overtaken the Christmas holiday. For all the knick-knacks and signs that sport the quote “Jesus is the reason for the season,” it really is a pretty hollow sentiment unless I can make that change of focus personal. My solution is to run back to that holiday ritual my mother gave me so long ago: the Advent calendar.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Advent and the Advent calendar, may I offer this explanation from the website of The Lutheran Hour Ministries:

WHAT IS ADVENT?

The Church divides the year into different seasons that emphasize the life of Christ and the life of the Church. Beginning on Sunday, December 3rd, we will enter the season of the Church year called Advent. Advent is a four-week season of preparation and anticipation leading up to Christmas, on December 25th.

The focus of Advent is two-fold. On the one hand, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world as both God and man so that our sins might be forgiven. On the other hand, we anticipate the day when Jesus will return to Earth and bring an end to this world. Those will be scary days, but we can look forward to the end of the world with hope because through faith in Jesus, the end of this world will mean the beginning of a new life with Christ for eternity.

Advent, then, is a time for us to repent and believe. Knowing that Jesus was born to forgive our sins, we repent (admit our failures to God) and believe that we are forgiven because of the death and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf. Also, knowing that Jesus is coming back, we repent and believe that when He returns, He will give us eternal life.

If you would like to utilize an Advent calendar to refocus your Christmas season on the Christ child and His saving work, The Lutheran Hour Ministries offers access to an online Advent calendar and associated daily devotionals. If you would prefer a different Advent calendar, try one of these:

Advent Calendar at TeachingMom.com
St. Margaret Mary Parish

Have a blessed Advent as you prepare for the birth of Christ --- the reason for the season.

Another Christmas Carol List

When my daughter read the Top 25 Most-Performed Holiday Songs For The First Five Years of the 21st Century, she decided to make her own list of favorite Christmas carols. Here it is. Enjoy!

1. I Saw Three Ships Traditional English
2. The Cherry Tree Traditional English
3. In the Bleak Midwinter Gustav Holst
4. The Holly and the Ivy Traditional
5. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel French plainsong
6. Once In Royal David’s City Henry J. Gauntlett
7. Cold December Flies Away Traditional Catalonian
8. Prepare the Way, O Zion Traditional Swedish
9. The Seven Rejoices of Mary Traditional Irish
10. Gaudete from Piae Cantiones
11. Angels We Have Heard On High Traditional French
12. What Child Is This Traditional English
13. O Come, All Ye Faithful John Francis Wade
14. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Traditional English
15. Ding Dong Merrily On High George R. Woodward
16. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Richard S. Willis
17. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn
18. Awake, and Join the Cheerful Choir Traditional English
19. Angels From the Realms of Glory James Montgomery
20. ‘Twas In the Moon of Wintertime Traditional French
21. Joy to the World Lowell Mason
22. Good Christian Men, Rejoice Traditional German
23. March of the Kings Georg Bizet
24. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Traditional French
25. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Traditional Polish

Christmas Carol List

This list of Christmas carols appeared in my local newspaper this morning. Apparently, it is from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and is their list of the Top 25 Most-Performed Holiday Songs For The First Five Years of the 21st Century. As a practicing Christian, I find it a little disconcerting that only two traditional “religious” carols found their way into the group.

1. The Christmas Song
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. Winter Wonderland
5. White Christmas
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
7. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. Jingle Bell Rock
9. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
10. Little Drummer Boy
11. Sleigh Ride
12. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
13. Silver Bells
14. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
15. Feliz Navidad
16. Blue Christmas
17. Frosty The Snowman
18. A Holly Jolly Christmas
19. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
20. Here Comes Santa Claus
21. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
22. Home For The Holidays
23. Carol Of The Bells
24. Santa Baby
25. Wonderful Christmastime