Appreciation of the quality and the artistry of the cards grew in the late 1800s. By John Hanc A prominent educator and patron of the arts, Henry Cole travelled in the elite, social circles of early Victorian England, and had the misfortune of having too many friends. During the holiday season of 1843, those friends[…]
Exploring family gift giving and other holiday traditions, old and new. Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! Charles Dickens Gift Giving Some curmudgeons do[…]
Sadly, Follen’s Christmas tree has gone largely forgotten. Karl Follen came to America from Germany in 1825 as political refugee. As a young law professor he had written that people are justified in rising up against despotic regimes. Lafayette, returning for the fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution, assisted with introductions. Soon Follen was again[…]
Washington’s crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 led to victory, but terrible weather led to more casualties than the battle. Introduction For most people today, Christmas is a time of food, family and festivities, when attention turns from work and woes to fellowship and celebration. Yet it has not always been so. In[…]
Nativity scenes first originated in the small Italian town of Greccio. Introduction Around the Christmas season, it is common to see a display of the Nativity scene: a small manger with the baby Jesus and his family, shepherds, the three wise men believed to have visited Jesus after his birth and several barnyard animals. One[…]
The pagans paved the way for our modern festivities. Introduction The idea of hanging up decorations in the middle of winter is older than Christmas itself. Decorations are mentioned in ancient descriptions of the Roman feast of Saturnalia, which is thought to have originated in the 5th century BC. Some 900 years later, a Christian[…]
The greatest gift one can give is food to a starving person. The Santa Claus we know and love was based on St. Nicholas, a 4th century Christian bishop from what is now modern day Turkey. St. Nick’s idea of Christmas today would be gifts of food for the millions of starving people in the[…]
Ginger root was first cultivated in ancient China, where it was commonly used as a medical treatment. By Tori AveryChef and Author Run, run, fast as you can,You cant catch me, Im the gingerbread man! The Gingerbread Man, a fairy tale No confection symbolizes the holidays quite like gingerbread in its many forms, from edible[…]
According to legend, the Ethiopian shepherd Kaldim introduced the properties of coffee to humanity in the 9th century. He noticed that his goats began galloping along the hills after eating the leaves of a wild-growing coffee tree. The shepherd told the abbot of the local monastery about this unique plant, and he tried the leaves and[…]