12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

This is something shared with me by my friend Janis and I am sharing it with you all.

One Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.  What, in the world do-leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that will not come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? This week, I found out. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality that the children could remember. -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. -Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. -Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.- -The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John. -The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. -The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. -Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. -The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. -Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. -The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. -The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. -The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed. So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.' Merry Christmas Everyone! Love and hugs,

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CHRISTMAS TREES

Christmas Trees

In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religous play depicted the story of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden. A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden -- the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the prophecy of a saviour coming, and so was often performed during the Advent season. It is held that Protestant reformer Martin Luther first adorned trees with light. While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate the effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir tree inside his home

The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany. The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England. Brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans, the Christmas tree became by the late 19th century.




Love and hugs,

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ADELAIDE'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT - This coming Saturday

It is such an exciting time in Adelaide for children at the moment (and for lots of adults too ) - only 3 sleeps until the Christmas Pageant -  the time when Father Christmas arrives in town to take up residence in the Magic Cave in our of our big Department Stores.  From now until Christmas children can visit him and put in their requests for their gifts.

http://www.cupageant.com.au/pageantday

That link will take you to a site which describes the Pageant in detail and shows some of the floats in the Parade.

The weather is something which plays an important part for this day - I have memories of taking my children and sitting from about seven in the morning in stinking heat and other years sitting in the rain at the side of the road.  We would sit for about three hours or more waiting for Santa to arrive.

I hope you enjoy looking at that site - the tabs across the top of the page will give you all the details.

Let's all keep our fingers crossed for good weather for this coming Saturday so that Santa can be welcomed in great style.

Love and hugs,

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He's making a list,
Checking it twice,
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He sees you when you're sleeping,
He knows when you're awake.
He knows if you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!

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AN OLD SARDINIAN LEGEND

"According to an ancient Sardinian legend, the bodies of those who are born on Christmas Eve will never dissolve into dust but are preserved until the end of time." 

Grazia Deledda 

That is an interesting snippet for those who were born on Christmas Eve,.

Love and smiles.

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