“Something just for Christmas Eve – Just Enjoy”
If you are receiving a Baby Grand Piano, tonight… this is one way you and the family can play and enjoy good music tonight and all at the same time!
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and… just in case you like what you see… as some of these recipes can be made by you when you have the time – as you know everyone does like a Chocolate covered Cherry – that is nice and juicy – and ever so delicious!
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Great Depression Cooking – Depression Breakfast
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How To Make Real Divinity – The Hillbilly Kitchen
“Merry Christmas” … have fun in the kitchen with the family… as you all enjoy some sweet treats! D.V.
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“CHRISTMAS EVE”
Christmas Eve on December 24 kicks off a series of holiday traditions. Some are ancient practices with a modern spin, while others date back hundreds of years.
Christmas Eve is filled with both religious and nonreligious traditions. Religious traditions center around the birth of Jesus. Different denominations have their own traditions. On Christmas Eve Roman Catholics and Anglicans hold Midnight Mass. Lutherans celebrate with candlelight services and Christmas carols. Many evangelical churches hold evening services where families celebrate Holy Communion.
Around the world, Christmas Eve is celebrated with a variety of foods. In Italy, they celebrate the Feast of Seven Fishes. Russians traditionally serve a 12-dish Christmas Eve Supper before opening gifts. Meanwhile, in Bulgaria, the Christmas Eve meal consists of an odd number of meatless dishes.
Besides food and religious services, the holiday is when Santa Clause takes to the sky in his sleigh to deliver Christmas gifts around the world. Other names for the white-bearded man in a red suit include Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, and Saint Nicholas. No matter what he is called, the legend of Santa is based on a real-life man named Saint Nicholas of Myra. The early Christian bishop was known for secret gift-giving, as well as many miracles. Through the years, the legend of Santa grew to include the North Pole, a sleigh driven by reindeer, a naughty or nice list, and his jolly laugh, “ho, ho, ho.”
HOW TO OBSERVE #ChristmasEve
What are some of your holiday traditions? How did they begin?
There are many ways to observe Christmas Eve. For many families, the most important thing is to make lasting memories with their loved ones. Here are some ways to celebrate:
- Attend church for a candlelight service or Midnight Mass
- Read the account of Jesus’ birth from the book of Luke
- Put out milk and cookies for Santa
- Pass out Christmas cookies and other goodies to your neighbors
- Host an ugly Christmas sweater party
- Gather around the tree with your family and cups of cocoa and share favorite holiday memories
- Go caroling in your neighborhood or at a senior center
- Make a gingerbread house
- Hang up Christmas stockings
- Read Christmas classics like The Night Before Christmas and A Christmas Carol
- Watch a fun Christmas movie like Elf, Home Alone, or The Grinch
- Rent a limo and look at Christmas lights
As you can see, there are many wonderful ways to celebrate Christmas Eve. Share how you’ll be celebrating this special day by posting on social media with #ChristmasEve.
CHRISTMAS EVE HISTORY
Hearkening back to the 16th century when Christian traditions were first influenced by winter solstice celebrations, decorating and preparing for Christmas Day took place the evening before. This included putting up the tree, decorating with mistletoe and holly, bringing in the Yule log and making dishes for the Christmas meal.
Jewish traditions have historically influenced Christian practices, too. One such practice is that the church day traditionally begins in the evening. Christian churches have celebrated Christmas Eve in part because it is believed that Jesus was born at midnight. Many churches today hold Christmas Eve services or Midnight Masses. They may also hold candlelight vigils, Nativity productions or sing carols.
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“The Instructions YOU NEED – For the Gift YOU Received”
Everyone receives an extra special gift… that they always wanted, but do not receive the correct INSTRUCTIONS!
So… today the very first thing I decided to check out on the computer… “TODAY” was an old time friend, “BOB ROSS” to which … so many of us, did take the time to watch a good number of years ago… remembering that we would take the time to watch… as a family group or with their Grandson… like I did!
Sit down… right NOW… with your children and or Grandchildren, if you are so LUCKY to have… as I am, because …this is good medicine for everyone.
Remembering… when I was in the Third and Fourth Grades, we had “Sister Florence” as our teacher and she had a table in one corner of our classroom, with all kinds of artistic painting colors suppliers in paints and pencils and a whole assortment of the necessary things to create “Works of Art!”
At that time… I do not believe that we were too interested in that stuff, as we did not really have the full length of time to sit and pay attention, as well as to understand… that which would be creative in many ways – if at that time, we like being there… instead…we did not want to be there.
I did enjoy the time that I had to make several things for my MOTHER, as she would give us the highest amounts of praise for any and all of the things that we would make, and the best part of those creations we made for her… she kept and saved forever!
So with the items that MOM saved of ours, and when we were in the process of moving… those treasures of long ago, I wrapped to be saved and have kept with my stuff, just as if they were the best treasures on this Earth… to be saved…forever!
Some things in LIFE mean more to some people than to others. Since my MOTHER saved all of our PRIZE offerings when we were little, something so simple… not that I had seen done by other families… made a difference to me internally.
When my children came into this world, and started to create “WONDERS” of all kinds, I found special boxes to save each and everything, all hand-created items… no matter what! So today, I have all those “Treasures” still nicely boxed and in some cases… the box is overflowing!
Once you become a “TREASURE-Keeper” always a “TREASURE-KEEPER.”
JUST… the other day… as I was opening boxes that have a variety of CHRISTMAS STUFF…. there was that largest of boxes the “TREASURES” of the CREATIONS of the GRAND-CHILDREN … and now the Grandchildren are having their own families and children… and so soon, I hope to be seeing more wonderful hand created items… made by the GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN!
I do believe that this world is a very wonderful place to be… when you have the chance of a LIFETIME – that is to have the next GENERATIONS … that just seem to be more creative than the last… with the next generation having ideas of how to do and able to make many more highly creative items… than those items made by hand… that even “US” the older generation will still want to collect and keep forever!
This week of Christmas Time … we need more TIME to be with those we LOVE … getting to remember all of the good times we all had… while continuing to make more memories that will fill volumes… So NOW… always giving THANKS to the ALMIGHTY that He put us all together in the best of FAMILIES … where we will all share the LOVE and with as much as we were given to share! D.V.
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“The Song – If YOU MISS SOMEONE”
If you’re missing someone this Christmas this song’s dedicated to you – The Piano Guys ft Craig Aven
Everyone has someone that they will miss – and so this song’s for you and for me!
This is the same PHOTO of my MOTHER, that is hanging in my bedroom. When I first ran across this old PHOTO of my Mother, when I was just a teenager, I had ask her why it was not hanging up for everyone to see? She just said, she did not like it and did not want everyone to see it? – Something that I could not understand back then, I think it is beautiful… and I will always have it hanging … at least where I can see it… everyday!
My husband, Lee… just so glad that I had this PHOTO of Lee and … so when that day came, that he died, I wanted something to hang on the wall – a memory of him as he was for all to see and remember, so having this small photo only in black and white, I took this photo to the Famous Barr Store in downtown, Saint Louis… was able to have them enlarge and put in just the right colors … taking out the unnecessary background, and with a frame that makes it look like millions to me – but this is something that the boys and I can see everyday – just so that we will never ever forget him… as he is there as we can always see … remembering him.
This is that “million” dollar smile of my brother DENNY – and wish that it were in color – as he has red hair. You can see that he is in the Army and now on Christmas Leave – and just home for a few days… but, this is the very best reminder… that we should always make the most of each day with our FAMILY… as we never ever know when that time will come – and all we will have are those few PHOTOS and MEMORIES… to last a Lifetime!
My younger sister, Eve Karen and her son Christopher, taken a long time ago.
Christopher just passed away a couple of years ago and just too young to go – good job with many friends and leaving a wife nd child – but never to be forgotten.
Eve Karen was just a couple weeks short of her Fiftieth Birthday, had a very rare disease, that when they know you have it – it is too late to do anything for you. Can not remember the name of it – but when I do… will let you know.
Some in my Family… that are not here…but in a far better place, Heaven – Never ever forgotten – – always will be remember! D.V.
P.S. pancreatic cancer
On April 2, 1991, Landon began to suffer from a severe headache while he was on a skiing vacation in Utah. On April 5, 1991, he learned that he had been diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer known as exocrine adenocarcinoma, which had begun to impact the tissues and blood vessels around the pancreas. The cancer was inoperable and terminal. On May 9, 1991, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to speak about the cancer and condemn the tabloid press for its sensational headlines and inaccurate stories, including the claim that he and his wife were trying to have another child. During his appearance, Landon pledged to fight the disease and asked his fans to pray for him. On May 21, 1991, he underwent successful surgery for a near-fatal blood clot in his left leg. In June 1991, he appeared on the cover of Life Magazine after granting the periodical an exclusive private interview about his life, his family, and his struggle to live. On July 1, 1991, at age 54, Landon died in Malibu, California.
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“There is Christmas and then there is Christmas”
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When it is this near to Christmas Day – one does have to think about why we set this day aside to celebrate – and to remember that some of our FAMILY is no longer here, but in a far better place – they are now in Heaven, and celebrating with the KING …our Lord and Savior … and we should be reading something from the BIBLE… if we do not know the full story, of the Redeemer the Messiah!
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“CROSSWORD PUZZLE DAY”
Crossword Puzzle Day on December 21st commemorates the birth of a challenging word game enjoyed by millions around the world.
The first crossword puzzles were published in England in children’s books and other publications. They were simple word games derived from the word squares where letters were arranged in a square so that the words read the same across and down.
The object of a crossword puzzle is to fill in the white spaces of a grid with the correct words using the clues provided. Black spaces separate individual words. The clues to more challenging puzzles read like riddles, making the game more complex.
Many tout the benefits of crossword puzzles. Not only are they fun, but challenging crossword puzzles may help delay the effects of dementia or sharpen the brain for problem-solving. They can also increase vocabulary and even relieve the mind from the stress of the day by focusing on something other than worldly problems.
HOW TO OBSERVE #CrosswordPuzzleDay
Buy a crossword book or find one online. Enjoy some popcorn while you puzzle your way through your favorite crossword! Use #CrosswordPuzzleDay to post on social media.
Educators, check out Week 15 of the National Day Calendar Classroom for a lesson designed for you.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE DAY HISTORY
Journalist Arthur Wynne from Liverpool is credited as the inventor of the word game we know today. He created what is considered the first known published crossword puzzle. The puzzle appeared in the December 21, 1913, edition of the New York World newspaper.
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