Get Your Own! | More Flash Toys Links for your scary delight!
Ghost pictures
Ghost pictures
Ghost pictures
Ghost pictures
Ghost pictures
Halloween Movies
Witch Trials
Witch
Witches
Witches
Witches
Blairwitch
Halloween Do's and Don'ts
Don't let the little ones get spooked with scary stories.
Don't take your eyes off the kids in traffic.
Don't forget that the kids are not only excited but probably also on a sugar rush.
Don't forget that there are three kinds of monsters on Halloween: spooks; little kids painting old people's verandas with fluoro-green paint; and the one-adult-in-millions who is a danger to your kids. Ward off all three.
Halloween Poetry
Halloween is thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad ... Robert Burns, note to Halloween
Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweet-heart's name: This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest colour blaz'd; As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow, For t'was thy nut that did so brightly glow! John Gay, Spell; divinations with nuts, to foretell one's lover, were common on Halloween
Sad am I At this time of winter On Halloween night And I without eggs. Divination night, South Uist island; eggs were used to seek a husband
Halloween Trivia
Symbols
Jack-o'-lanterns may be carved with a funny face.
Halloween's theme is spooky or scary things particularly involving death, black magic, or mythical monsters. Commonly-associated Halloween characters include ghosts, witches, bats, black cats, owls, goblins, zombies and demons, as well as certain fictional figures like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. Homes are often decorated with these symbols around Halloween.
Black and orange are the traditional colors of Halloween. In modern Halloween images and products, purple, green, and red are also prominent.
Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins and scarecrows, are also reflected in symbols of Halloween.
The jack-o'-lantern, a carved vegetable lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols. In Britain and Ireland, a turnip was and sometimes still is used, but immigrants to America quickly adopted the pumpkin because it is much larger and easier to carve. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark. The practice was originally intended to frighten away evil spirits or monsters.
Trick-or-treating
The main event of Halloween is trick-or-treating, also known as guising in Scotland, in which children dress up in costume disguises and go door-to-door in their neighborhood, ringing each doorbell and yelling "trick or treat!" The occupants of the house (who might themselves dress in a scary costume) will then hand out small candies, miniature chocolate bars or other treats. Homes sometimes use sound effects and fog machines to help set a spooky mood. Other house decoration themes (that are less scary) are used to entertain younger visitors. Children can often accumulate many treats on Halloween night, filling up entire pillow cases or shopping bags.
In Scotland, children or guisers are likely to recite "The sky is blue, the grass is green, may we have our Halloween" instead of "trick or treat!", they will then have to impress the members of the houses they visit with a song, trick, joke or dance in order to earn their treats.
Tricks play less of a role in modern Halloween, though the night before Halloween is often marked by pranks such as soaping windows, egging houses or stringing toilet paper through trees. Before indoor plumbing was so widespread, tipping over or displacing outhouses was a popular form of trick.
Typical Halloween costumes have traditionally been monsters such as vampires, ghosts, witches, and devils. The stereotypical Halloween costume is a sheet with eyeholes cut in it as a ghost costume. In 19th-century Scotland and Ireland the reason for wearing such fearsome (and non-fearsome) costumes was the belief that since the spirits that were abroad that night were essentially intent on doing harm, the best way to avoid this was to fool the spirits into believing that you were one of them. In recent years, it has become common for costumes to be based on themes other than traditional horror, such as dressing up as a character from a TV show or movie, or choosing a recognizable face from the public sphere, such as a politician (in 2004, for example, George W. Bush and John F. Kerry were both popular costumes in America). In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, for example, costumes of firefighters, police officers, and United States military personnel became popular among children. In 2004, an estimated 2.15 million children in the United States were expected to dress up as Spider Man, the year's most popular costume.
"'Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" has become a common sight during Halloween in America, Canada, and Mexico. Started by UNICEF in 1950, the program involves the distribution of small boxes by schools to trick-or-treaters, in which they can solicit small change donations from the houses they visit. It is estimated that children have collected more than $119 million for UNICEF since its inception.
BIG research conducted a survey for the National Retail Federation in the US and found that 54.1% of consumers planned to buy a costume for Halloween 2004, spending $28.11 on average. An estimate of $3.12 billion was made for the holiday spending.
A child usually "grows out of" trick-or-treating by his or her teenage years. Teenagers and adults instead often celebrate Halloween with costume parties or other social get-togethers.
Games There are several games traditionally associated with Halloween parties. The most common is bobbing for apples, in which apples float in a tub or a large basin of water; the participants must use their teeth to remove an apple from the basin. Another common game involves hanging up treacle or syrup-coated scones by strings; these must be eaten without using hands while they remain attached to the string, an activity which inevitably leads to a very sticky face.
Some games traditionally played at Halloween are forms of divination. In Puicíní (pronounced "pook-eeny"), a game played in Ireland, a blindfolded person is seated in front of a table on which are placed several saucers. The saucers are shuffled and the seated person then chooses one by touch. The contents of the saucer determine the person's life for the following year. A saucer containing earth means someone known to the player will die during the next year, a saucer containing water foretells travel, a coin means new wealth, a bean means poverty, etc. In 19th-century Ireland, young women placed slugs in saucers sprinkled with flour. The wriggling of the slugs and the patterns subsequently left behind on the saucers were believed to portray the faces of the women's future spouses.
In North America, unmarried women were frequently told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before they married, a skull would appear. The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on greeting cards from the late nineteenth century.
The telling of ghost stories and viewing of horror films are common fixtures of Halloween parties. Television specials with a Halloween theme, usually aimed at children, are commonly aired on or before the holiday.
Foods Candy apples Because the holiday comes in the wake of the annual apple harvest, candy apples (also known as toffee apples) are a common treat at Halloween. They are made by rolling whole apples in a sticky sugar syrup, and sometimes then rolling them in nuts. At one time candy apples were a common treat given to children, but this practice rapidly waned after widespread rumors that some individuals were embedding items like pins and razor blades in the apples that they would pass out to children. The vast majority of the reported cases turned out to be hoaxes, and the few that were real caused only minor injuries, but many parents were under the assumption that the practice was common. At the peak of this hysteria, some hospitals were offering to x-ray children's Halloween haul at no cost in order to look for such items.
A Halloween custom which has survived unchanged to this day in Ireland is the baking (or more often nowadays the purchase) of a barmbrack (Irish "báirín breac"). This is a light fruit cake into which a plain ring is placed before baking. It is said that whoever finds this ring will find his or her true love during the following year.
Other foods associated with the holiday:
candy corn
hot apple cider
roasted pumpkin seeds
My pet vitual spider 'Spidy, interacts with the mouse!
| adopt your own virtual pet! |
More Halloween Trivia
An American custom? Many Australians think it is.
Not so. Trick-or-treating was going on in some parts of Australia before it was ever seen in some parts of the USA. And the Scots have trick or treating for 500 years. Halloween itself is millennia old, and, writes almanackist Pip Wilson, seems to be in Australia to stay
Your Aussie Halloween
It's Tue Oct 11 12:53:48 2005
with 19 days left before Halloween
More Halloween folklore at October 31 in the Book of Days
itches and spooks might come a-knocking on your door on the night of October 31. Send them away if you will, by all means, but not because they're enacting a foreign custom. Most Aussies unwittingly have Halloween customs deep within their rattling bones.
Halloween was already an ancient festival of souls 2,000 years ago. It has long been commemorated in countries from Ireland and Poland to Mexico and the Philippines (where trick-or-treating is called Nangangaluluwa, and your chickens are in danger of being purloined).
Halloween customs are relatively new to Australia, but are rapidly establishing themselves. When you come to think of it, every old, cherished custom was once a new-fangled idea, even in the BCE.
The ancient Druids of Britain and Ireland, whose mysteries held sway for centuries before the Romans came to those islands, celebrated a spooky night on October 31. These pagans – Druids, and the Celts in general, of whom they were the priestly class – called it Samhain. In the Northern Hemisphere, the day which falls slap bang between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, is November 1. The eve of Samhain, October 31, was the night the lord of death was said to judge the souls of the departed.
"Samhain eve was associated with the opening of the Sidhes [fairies] and was a time of the dead. The feast marked the beginning of winter proper and its name may be related to 'summer's end'. At this time beasts were slaughtered for winter store and to conserve herds during the lean months: beasts were brought into winter pasture or into outbuildings. But most especially it was the inception of winter when the Cailleach [crone; ancient mother] ruled. In a curious early Irish text we hear of a strange boardgame which the boys of Rome play. At one end of the board is a cailleach with a dragon which she sends against a maiden with the lamb. The game was instituted by the sibyl, says the story, and explains why Samhain is so called. This contest is a clear remembrance of combat between winter and spring, which in Celtic terms were governed by the Cailleach and Brigit respectively." Source: Encyclopedia of the Celts
What you could have expected on Samhain eve if you were a suburban Celt or Briton in 300 BCE, was to go to the mall bonfire and watch a neighbour being roasted alive, while you nibbled roast chestnuts with your diet cola. This was an 'end of summer' ceremony, and the druidic priests built a bonfire (bone-fire) to represent the sun which they wished would return, dispelling bitter cold and famine.
The Romans invaded Britain, and outlawed human sacrifice, so the Druids put another horse on the barbie. In 834, two centuries after St Augustine of Canterbury had brought Christianity to Britain, Pope Gregory the Great and succeeding pontiffs ordered that the ancient pagan rituals, which couldn't be stamped out among the masses, be Christianized. Spring fertility rites became Easter. Winter solstice, or yule, rites became Christmas. Samhain became All Saints' Day, November 1 (the day following is All Souls' Day). Another word for saint was 'hallow', and 'even' meant 'evening before': All Hallows' eve became called ... Halloweven, or Hallowe'en.
There are other factors in the origin of this famous feast, most notably the Lemuralia (also known as the Lemuria) of ancient Rome. Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs, on 609 or 610, on the final day of the Lemuralia, May 13. The feast of the dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since.
The old customs passed from generation to generation, and sometimes their religious origins were forgotten. The ancient Druids had used the sacred apple for divining the future; today in Ireland or America you can see the party-goers 'bobbing' for apples – they grab the fruit with their teeth out of a tub of water.
Prognosticating the future was always an important part of Halloween, and European girls would look for signs of their future husbands in the way hazelnuts burned on the kitchen fire-grate, on 'Nutcrack Night' as Britons sometimes called Halloween. (Hazel is associated with witchcraft.)
The English poet John Gay wrote in reference to this practice,
Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name: This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest colour blaz'd; As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow, For 'twas thy Nut that did so brightly glow!
Other auguries of romance included egg whites, melted lead, needles, hemp (yes, hemp) and, as Robbie Burns tells us in his poem Halloween, cabbages.
Villagers divined, from stones in the ashes of a bonfire, the names of those who would die in the coming year. The souls of the dead have always been a central concept of Samhain and Halloween, as have grotesque costumes and even 'trick-or-treating'. We have 16th-century records of Scottish 'guisers', young men in fantastic costumes and masks going from door to door with turnip lanterns. Emboldened by their anonymity, they asked "Please to help the guisers" and were rewarded with apples, nuts and copper coins.
The Truth About Halloween
From Terri Paajanen,
Your Guide to Pagan / Wiccan Religion.
Don't let common stereotypes about this holiday fool you To most people, Halloween is a fun holiday to dress up and eat candy. Well, even Pagans like to eat candy on Halloween, but we consider it to be a very important holiday in a more spiritual sense as well.
The proper name for the occassion is Samhain (pronounced Sow-en or Sow-een). It's sometimes referred to as the Witches New Year, because our religious year starts/ends with Samhain. The holiday began being called "Halloween" because the Catholic church created All Saints Day (or All Hallows Day) on November 1st, in an attempt to turn people away from the original Pagan holiday. The night before became known as "All Hallows Eve", which then got shortened up to Halloween.
If you are concerned about the Pagan nature of October 31st, then you should probably stop celebrating Christmas and Easter, too. Though those holidays have been thoroughly adopted by the Christian religion, they were both originally Pagan celebrations (Yule and Ostara). Halloween is the only holiday that has kept most of its Pagan meanings, without the Christian overtones. Many fundamentalist Christian groups stand against the celebration of Halloween because they feel it is associated with demons and Satan. Unfortunately, most (if not all) of their 'facts' are incorrect.
The most common error, is that Halloween is celebrated to honour the Celtic God of the Dead, Samhain. The Celts had no such God. The word "Samhain" more likely came from "samhuinn", which is the Gaelic word for "summer's end". A fitting name, since that is precisely what this holiday is celebrating.
There is nothing Satanic about Halloween, either in modern times, or in the early history of the festival. Of course, there is nothing Satanic about any aspects of Wicca, witchcraft or Paganism, but that's another story altogether. We don't celebrate black masses, conduct sacrifices or cast hexes on Halloween (or any other day!)
So now you know what Halloween isn't, but what does Halloween mean? Well, to Pagans who celebrate Samhain, it is the third and last of the year's harvest festivals. The crops are in, and it's time to relax and prepare for the long winter ahead. Samhain is a time to reflect on the events of the past year, and to remember those who have passed away. It's at this time of the year that spirits travel from this world to the next. Both good and evil spirits.
Part of the mythology of the holiday is that the God dies at Samhain, and the Goddess mourns Him until His rebirth at Yule. It is Her mourning that brings about the shorter, cold days of winter. After His birth at Yule, the days begin to get longer again.
Many of the symbols and traditions that we see around Halloween today can be traced to earlier times. Carving of jack-o-lanterns probably started with turnips rather than pumpkins, but the idea is the same either way. With the spirits of the dead travelling on this day, people would carve faces into turnips (or gourds or whatever) in order to scare away any evil spirits. The dressing up in costumes was also done to scare off bad spirits.
The idea of playing tricks was not done maliciously, but just as a way of having a bit of fun before the long dark winter settled in. The original gathering of treats was done to provide offerings to the Gods, in thanks for the harvest.
Personally, I leave a candle lit in the window along with a food offering for the spirits that might pass my way.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31, usually by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting candy. It is celebrated in much of the Western world, though most commonly in the United States, the British Isles, Canada and sometimes in Australia and New Zealand. Irish, Scots and other immigrants brought older versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.
The term "Halloween" derives from Hallowe'en, an old contraction, still retained in Scotland, of "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the day before the Catholic All Saints holy day, which used to be called "All Hallows," derived from All Hallowed Souls. In Ireland, the name was Hallow Eve and this name is still used by some older people. Halloween was formerly also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries (along with Christmas and Easter, two other traditional northern European pagan holidays) and given a Christian reinterpretation. In Mexico, All Saint's Day, following Halloween, is the Day of the Dead.
Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the pookah, a mischievous spirit.
In the United Kingdom in particular, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on Halloween. The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans invaded Britain, they embellished the tradition with their own, which is the celebration of the harvest and honoring the dead. These traditions were then passed on to the United States.
Halloween is sometimes associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the "liminal" times of the year when the spirit world can make contact with the natural world and when magic is most potent
Click on here to go to a website that is very funny, than move your mouse over the people standing at the bus stop/Peeping
A little witch news
Dutch Witches Get Tax Break for Studies APPELSCHA, Netherlands - Dutch witches were guaranteed a financial treat when the Leeuwarden District Court reaffirmed their legal right to write off the costs of schooling — including in witchcraft — against their tax bills. Those costs run to thousands of euros.
The case is brewing political fury in the halls of Dutch government where a member of parliament for the ruling Christian Democrats demanded an explanation.
"It's just because the word 'witch' was mentioned that they have woken up," said Margarita Rongen, clad in flowing black velvet robes and wearing a Wiccan talisman. "This write-off has been around for a long time."
The court found that a witch can declare schooling costs if it increases the likelihood of employment.
Lawmaker Pieter Omtzigt was astounded.
"If we spend euro1,000 on a witchcraft class, that's euro1,000 we can't spent elsewhere," Omtzigt said.
When he asked about it in parliament, Junior Finance Minister Joop Wijn wrote, "Under the circumstances, the cost of a course to become a witch qualifies as school fees."
New Orleans Voodoo is endanger / They may have relocated in Texas where everyone's ex-es live!HA-HA-Look out if you have a ex in Texas!
AP - Sun Oct 30,11:42 PM ET
Voodoo dolls are on display at Voodoo Authentica, a shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans, La., Saturday, Oct. 29 , 2005. Hurricane Katrina displaced many local practitioners of the nature based religion,
Voodoo Practitioners Scatter After Katrina
For Thanksgiving season I would like to revisualize the reason we have the tradition of Thanksgiving,and to share not only the story that I have found in varied internet sites,but also my thoughts.
To me Thanksgiving is a time to revive peace and to reach out to others in friendship,regardless of our circumstance in life,race or religion.to invite friendship, and to give to those in need. What a beautiful reception the Pilgrims received when they arrived to America.
On the first Thanksgiving two cultures of people shared their knowledge,food,and united in friendship.
If only we could go back to the feelings of that day, and accept the differences of each other and unite in friendship, There would be a beginning for peace in the world.
Visualize the hardships and sacrifice the Pilgrims endured.
To begin life in a new land that would be built to believe in freedom,equaliy and God.
The first Thanksgiving story is beginning of becoming one country united under God.
The Thanksgiving Story-The first Thanksgiving
September–November 1620: The Mayflower Voyage
The Pilgrims leave Plymouth Harbor in England on a ship called the Mayflower. They seek freedom in America to worship the way they want. The voyage is difficult, but only one of the 102 passengers dies.
April, the Mayflower sails back to England. All of the Pilgrims choose to stay.
The Wampanoag share their knowledge of hunting, fishing and farming. A Wampanoag named Hobbamock moves with his family to Plimoth.
Massasoit and Squanto are captured by another native tribe, the Narraganset. The Pilgrims send 10 men to confront the Narraganset. Massasoit and Squanto are released.
November 1620–February 1621: The First Days of Plimoth
The Mayflower's destination is northern Virginia, but the ship is thrown off course by a storm. On December 11th the Mayflower lands at Plimoth and decides to stay.
The Pilgrims' first winter is very difficult. There are not enough houses built when the snow begins to fall. Many Pilgrims stay aboard the Mayflower through the winter. The Pilgrims suffer from the bitter cold and lack of food, and only half survive.
October 1621: Harvest Feast
Plimoth Governor William Bradford declares a feast to give thanks to God for their first harvest. Massasoit and 90 other Wampanoag are invited to join the 52 Pilgrims for this three-day feast.
The English serve wild turkeys, geese, and ducks. The Wampanoag bring five deer, along with lobsters, clams, oysters, and fish. The feast also includes cucumbers, carrots, cabbages, turnips, radishes, onions, beets, corn, and wild fruits.
A Native American named Samoset walks into Plimoth colony and says "Welcome Englishmen." Samoset had learned some English from European fishermen. He introduces the Pilgrims to the Wampanoag leader Chief Massasoit. They also meet Squanto, who knows English too.
Chief Massasoit offers friendship and help to the Pilgrims. The two groups exchange gifts and sign the "Treaty of Friendship."
We know what Thanksgiving is really about!
Save a turkey,eat fish!
Magic of Christmas
Christmas is just around the corner!
Don't forget needy children !
Help someone have a Merry Christmas!
Children living in poverty need to have nice times,
It doesn't take much to put a smile on a child's face,
Be Santa and feel the magic,
A gift or money,
One organization is for the angel tree,
who have children in need.
Children of prisoners who have to pay
for their parents mistakes,
without having financial and emotional support of a two parent household.
The address is
Prison Fellowship
Mail Processing Center
UP.O.Box 1550
Merrifield,VA.22116-9880
You can find out a child's name and age and find out what
they'd like, and make it personal,or give to any organization.
I don't know any of these children' their problems,
But I know how it feels to come from a low income family.
My father was a disabled veteran of ww2 and my mother a waitress
who raised 3 children while my father was in and out of
hospitals,and I personally have been a single mother,
and realize how hard it is to provide for needs,
and every mother wants to give her child more.
A single mother struggles to provide for her child and is usually feeling very alone.
I hope those who read this will go a little extra this
year,and find a needy child to give a little magic to.
There is magic in giving too.
Not everything is a scam,there are real organizations of people
that want to help the less fortunate,but they need resources,
Children of soldiers.and vets,children of Katrina.Children of
prisoners,Children of disabled,children of poverty,
need your help.
What better way to make a difference in a child's life?
I believe in Santa!
With a long list of needy children with Chritmas wishes,
Santa is accepting appilcations for helpers!
Find His magic by giving!
Cool Christmas Links
Reindeer Facts
Reindeer info
Lost Reindeer
Mistletoe
Santa Letters
Gifts
Grandma got run over by a Reindeer song
Xmas Gag gifts
Click on the link and use your arrow keys to get Santa drunk.Don't touch the train track! In the essence of holiday stress, thought you might take a moment from your busy, busy lives to demonstrate your keyboarding prowess.Use your arrow keys to take Santa to his goal of complete alcoholic oblivion!
Reindeer song
AllHolidaysMusic.com
Moon over the North Pole
For those who don't believe in Santa,
Santa sent you a message delivered by his elf,
Yeah, the elf has to do all Santa's dirty work,
another elfing Christmas to those who don't believe!
And you have just been elfed!
Funny Christmas Cartoons!
Ouch that hurt!getting run over by a reindeer is painful,
but naaw we grandma's anit dead!ha-ha.
Mistletoe its history, meaning and traditions
Mistletoe
Origins of its name - The common name of the plant is derived from the ancient belief that mistletoe was propagated from bird droppings. This belief was related to the then-accepted principle that life could spring spontaneously from dung. It was observed in ancient times that mistletoe would often appear on a branch or twig where birds had left droppings. "Mistel" is the Anglo-Saxon word for "dung," and "tan" is the word for "twig". So, mistletoe means "dung-on-a-twig
The Plant :
Mistletoe is especially interesting botanically because it is a partial parasite (a "hemiparasite"). As a parasitic plant, it grows on the branches or trunk of a tree and actually sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up nutrients. But mistletoe is also capable for growing on its own; like other plants it can produce its own food by photosynthesis. Mistletoe, however, is more commonly found growing as a parasitic plant. There are two types of mistletoe. The mistletoe that is commonly used as a Christmas decoration (Phoradendron flavescens) is native to North America and grows as a parasite on trees from New Jersey to Florida. The other type of mistletoe, Viscum album, is of European origin. The European mistletoe is a green shrub with small, yellow flowers and white, sticky berries which are considered poisonous. It commonly seen on apple but only rarely on oak trees. The rarer oak mistletoe was greatly venerated by the ancient Celts and Germans and used as a ceremonial plant by early Europeans. The Greeks and earlier peoples thought that it had mystical powers and down through the centuries it became associated with many folklore customs.
The Mistletoe Magic :
From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore. It was considered to bestow life and fertility; a protection against poison; and an aphrodisiac. The mistletoe of the sacred oak was especially sacred to the ancient Celtic Druids. On the sixth night of the moon white-robed Druid priests would cut the oak mistletoe with a golden sickle. Two white bulls would be sacrificed amid prayers that the recipients of the mistletoe would prosper. Later, the ritual of cutting the mistletoe from the oak came to symbolize the emasculation of the old King by his successor. Mistletoe was long regarded as both a sexual symbol and the "soul" of the oak. It was gathered at both mid-summer and winter solstices, and the custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions. The Greeks also thought that it had mystical powers and down through the centuries it became associated with many folklore customs. In the Middle Ages and later, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches. It was also believed that the oak mistletoe could extinguish fire. This was associated with an earlier belief that the mistletoe itself could come to the tree during a flash of lightning. The traditions which began with the European mistletoe were transferred to the similar American plant with the process of immigration and settlement.
Kissing under the mistletoe :
Kissing under the mistletoe is first found associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rites. They probably originated from two beliefs. One belief was that it has power to bestow fertility. It was also believed that the dung from which the mistletoe would also possess "life-giving" power. In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up. Later, the eighteenth-century English credited with a certain magical appeal called a kissing ball. At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year. In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the twelfth night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry. Whether we believe it or not, it always makes for fun and frolic at Christmas celebrations. Even if the pagan significance has been long forgotten, the custom of exchanging a kiss under the mistletoe can still be found in many European countries as well as in Canada. Thus if a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life. In France, the custom linked to mistletoe was reserved for New Year's Day: "Au gui l'An neuf" (Mistletoe for the New Year). Today, kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe any time during the holiday season.
The Legend :
For its supposedly mystical power mistletoe has long been at the center of many folklore. One is associated with the Goddess Frigga. The story goes that Mistletoe was the sacred plant of Frigga, goddess of love and the mother of Balder, the god of the summer sun. Balder had a dream of death which greatly alarmed his mother, for should he die, all life on earth would end. In an attempt to keep this from happening, Frigga went at once to air, fire, water, earth, and every animal and plant seeking a promise that no harm would come to her son. Balder now could not be hurt by anything on earth or under the earth. But Balder had one enemy, Loki, god of evil and he knew of one plant that Frigga had overlooked in her quest to keep her son safe. It grew neither on the earth nor under the earth, but on apple and oak trees. It was lowly mistletoe. So Loki made an arrow tip of the mistletoe, gave to the blind god of winter, Hoder, who shot it , striking Balder dead. The sky paled and all things in earth and heaven wept for the sun god. For three days each element tried to bring Balder back to life. He was finally restored by Frigga, the goddess and his mother. It is said the tears she shed for her son turned into the pearly white berries on the mistletoe plant and in her joy Frigga kissed everyone who passed beneath the tree on which it grew. The story ends with a decree that who should ever stand under the humble mistletoe, no harm should befall them, only a kiss, a token of love. What could be more natural than to translate the spirit of this old myth into a Christian way of thinking and accept the mistletoe as the emblem of that Love which conquers Death? Its medicinal properties, whether real or imaginary, make it a just emblematic of that Tree of Life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations thus paralleling it to the Virgin Birth of Christ.
Give us a kiss! Druids reveal the mystery of mistletoe
Tue Dec 6,11:15 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - Druids recreated an ancient ceremony at Britain's largest mistletoe market to honor the festive plant, traditionally held over the heads of those in the mood for a cheeky Christmas kiss.
Devotees of the Celtic religion also revealed the little-known -- and surprising -- reasons why the festive sprig is just the job for those feeling both festive and frisky.
Out to rediscover the plant's spiritual side, druids performed the blessing in England's self-styled "Mistletoe Town", Tenbury Wells, in Worcestershire, central England.
The druids believe mistletoe is special because it never touches the ground, and possesses symbolic fertility qualities.
Druid Stefan Allen, from the Mistletoe Foundation, revealed just what makes mistletoe so appropriate to smooch beneath.
"Traditionally mistletoe was considered to be the semen of the gods and of the forest, because the berries contain a liquid that looks like and has the texture of semen," he said.
"This is the real reason we kiss under it at Christmas, this and because mistletoe blooms in the dark womb of wintertime."
Huddled in a circle, the druids clasped bunches of mistletoe and performed a ritual asking for the plant to bring blessings to all the homes it was going to.
After the ceremony, an auction of mistletoe and its prickly Christmas bedfellow holly began at the town's Old Cattle Market, with bunches predicted to fetch up to 100 pounds (147 euros, 173 dollars).
Mistletoe expert Jonathan Briggs said it was boom-time for his favourite plant while the outlook for holly was "sad".
"This year is a very good year for mistletoe. We have got a large number of berries and they are very white," he said.
"Conversely, holly is looking pretty sad, with not so many berries on it at all, but we have large quantities of mistletoe and it's looking absolutely perfect."
Mistletoe received a further seal of approval after members of Britain's lower House of Commons proposed a motion backing the creation of an annual national Mistletoe Day, planned for December 1 each year.
The Date of Christmas
The idea to celebrate Christmas on December 25 originated in the 4th century. The Catholic Church wanted to eclipse the festivities of a rival pagan religion that threatened Christianity's existence. The Romans celebrated the birthday of their sun god, Mithras during this time of year. Although it was not popular, or even proper, to celebrate people's birthdays in those times, church leaders decided that in order to compete with the pagan celebration they would themselves order a festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the actual season of Jesus' birth is thought to be in the spring, the date of December 25 was chosen as the official birthday celebration as Christ's Mass so that it would compete head on with the rival pagan celebration. Christmas was slow to catch on in America. The early colonists considered it a pagan ritual. The celebration of Christmas was even banned by law in Massachusetts in colonial days.
Mistletoe and Holly
Two hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Druids used mistletoe to celebrate the coming of winter. They would gather this evergreen plant that is parasitic upon other trees and used it to decorate their homes. They believed the plant had special healing powers for everything from female infertility to poison ingestion. Scandinavians also thought of mistletoe as a plant of peace and harmony. They associated mistletoe with their goddess of love, Frigga. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe probably derived from this belief. The early church banned the use of mistletoe in Christmas celebrations because of its pagan origins. Instead, church fathers suggested the use of holly as an appropriate substitute for Christmas greenery.
Poinsettias
Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They were named after America's first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. He brought the plants to America in 1828. The Mexicans in the eighteenth century thought the plants were symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem. Thus the Poinsettia became associated with the Christmas season. The actual flower of the poinsettia is small and yellow. But surrounding the flower are large, bright red leaves, often mistaken for petals.
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas Tree originated in Germany in the 16th century. It was common for the Germanic people to decorate fir trees, both inside and out, with roses, apples, and colored paper. It is believed that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to light a Christmas tree with candles. While coming home one dark winter's night near Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of the starlight shining through the branches of a small fir tree outside his home. He duplicated the starlight by using candles attached to the branches of his indoor Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was not widely used in Britain until the 19th century. It was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans in the 1820's.
Xmas
This abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ's name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect.
The Candy Cane
Candy canes have been around for centuries, but it wasn't until around 1900 that they were decorated with red stripes and bent into the shape of a cane. They were sometimes handed out during church services to keep the children quiet. One story (almost certainly false) that is often told about the origin of the candy cane is as follows:
In the late 1800's a candy maker in Indiana wanted to express the meaning of Christmas through a symbol made of candy. He came up with the idea of bending one of his white candy sticks into the shape of a Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols of Christ's love and sacrifice through the Candy Cane. First, he used a plain white peppermint stick. The color white symbolizes the purity and sinless nature of Jesus. Next, he added three small stripes to symbolize the pain inflicted upon Jesus before His death on the cross. There are three of them to represent the Holy Trinity. He added a bold stripe to represent the blood Jesus shed for mankind. When looked at with the crook on top, it looks like a shepherd's staff because Jesus is the shepherd of man. If you turn it upside down, it becomes the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus' name. The candy maker made these candy canes for Christmas, so everyone would remember what Christmas is all about.
Santa Claus
The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century. He was very pious from an early age, devoting his life to Christianity. He became widely known for his generosity for the poor. But the Romans held him in contempt. He was imprisoned and tortured. But when Constantine became emperor of Rome, he allowed Nicholas to go free. Constantine became a Christian and convened the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nicholas was a delegate to the council. He is especially noted for his love of children and for his generosity. He is the patron saint of sailors, Sicily, Greece, and Russia. He is also, of course, the patron saint of children. The Dutch kept the legend of St. Nicholas alive. In 16th century Holland, Dutch children would place their wooden shoes by the hearth in hopes that they would be filled with a treat. The Dutch spelled St. Nicholas as Sint Nikolaas, which became corrupted to Sinterklaas, and finally, in Anglican, to Santa Claus. In 1822, Clement C. Moore composed his famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nick," which was later published as "The Night Before Christmas." Moore is credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly fat man in a red suit
A brief History of Santa Claus
Santa Claus has been called by several different names throughout the years. Traditions and legends of Santa Claus for the evolution of the modern-day Santa may have been based on the early Dutch legend of Sinterklaas, originating in the 1600's. Santa Claus really started to get famous when American author Washington Irving published stories about Santa Claus, referring to him as Saint Nicholas who arrived on Christmas Eve bringing presents for children.
Santa Claus changed and became more famous when writer Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem in 1823 about a Christmas Eve visit from Saint Nicholas, better known as "The Night Before Christmas" (listed below). Millions of children now could have a consistent description of Santa Claus and his eight flying reindeer.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
Santa Claus is Popular!
American magazines picked up on the popularity of Santa Claus, and many different versions of Santa Claus were published over the next 50 years. Santa Claus even began to appear in advertisements for popular products.
The most famous reindeer, red nosed Rudolph started to appear in the late 1930's.
Santa Claus, Rudolph, and the other reindeer would get periodic boosts in popularity when songs, stories, movies, or videos were released about them. Some of the more significant of there were: Santa Claus is coming to Town
Jolly old St. Nick
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
Around the world Santa Claus is known as:
English - Kris Kringle or Father Christmas = The Santa Claus name more likely evolved from the name of Saint Nicholas.
Belgium - De Kerstman (Christmas Man) is celebrated on Dec. 26th note: Sinterklass (which is derived from the Dutch name Sint Nicolaas) is celebrated on December 6th
Italy - Babbo Natale
Germany - Weihnachtsmann or Sankt Nikolaus
Sweden - Jultomten, or Christmas Brownie
Hawaii - Kanakaloka
Chile - Viejo Pascuerro
France - Pere Noel
Japan - Hoteiosho - a priest who bears gifts or Santa Kurohsu
Russia - Ded Moroz - Granfather Frost also Baboushka, a witch that visits good children on Christmas Eve
Where does Santa holiday?
Associated Press
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Copenhagen — It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here.
More than 100 Santa Clauses and their little helpers danced and bellowed ho-hos at the annual World Santa Claus Congress.
Despite a sprinkle of rain and trees in full Nordic summer bloom, the St. Nicks from 10 countries were in a yuletide spirit Monday as they kicked off a three-day convention in Denmark, including a Santa parade and a chimney-climbing competition.
Now Christmas comes twice a year...
July 27 2005 at 11:40AM
Copenhagen - Eighty Santas from around the world, backed by their elves, have agreed to establish a second Christmas in July to ease their heavy workload each December, their spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"At the special request of the Japanese Santa Claus, the congress decided to approve two Christmases, one on July 24-25 for the southern hemisphere and another one on December 24-25 for the northern hemisphere," spokesperson Tina Baungaard told AFP.
The decision was approved at their 42nd annual convention in Denmark by Santas from Canada, Europe, Japan and the United States who have been meeting since Monday at the world's oldest theme park, Bakken, north of Copenhagen.
"The Santa Clauses and other Father Christmases are too stressed with too much work to do at the end of the year, since they up until now have had to travel around the entire world in a race against the clock to deliver all their presents in time," Baungaard said.
"They're exhausted, so they agreed to a proposal from the Japanese Santa Claus which greatly improves their working conditions," she said.
On Wednesday, the Santas and their little helpers handed out gifts to delighted children at Bakken, after holding a parade in the streets of Copenhagen on Tuesday. The Santas have been meeting in Denmark every summer since 1963.
One noticeable absentee, however, is the Finnish Santa, who has boycotted the event for years over his refusal to acknowledge that the one true Santa is the one from Greenland, who lives in a secret location. - Sapa-AFP
The Legends of Christmas
Holly, Mistletoe and Ivy
The custom of decorating homes with evergreens during the holiday season has been practiced worldwide for thousands of years. Evergreens are symbols of enduring life because they stay beautiful in the winter when most plants wither and die. They have always been associated with winter festivals. It was believed that the evergreens held magical power because of their perennial greenness. Homes were decorated with these plants in the hope of enticing the spirits of the woods inside to bring good luck in the coming year.
Legends describe holly as masculine because it uses it's thorns to protect itself the way a man would use a weapon to protect himself. Ivy is considered feminine because it entwines or embraces whatever it is near. Mistletoe is thought to bring good luck and fertility .
A 15th century Christmas carol tells of the contest between the holly and the ivy for the place of honor in the hall. The song is a duet with each part claiming his or her superiority. In the end the holly, with its red berries, wins over the ivy and its black berries.
The legend of kissing under the mistletoe has it roots in a Scandinavian myth. Legend has it that the Norse God, Baldur was protected from evil by everything that came from the elements of fire, water, air and earth. But an evil spirit formed an arrow from mistletoe and killed him. The tears of Baldur's mother, Frigga, became the white berries of the mistletoe. His life was restored and Frigga, being the Goddess of Love and Beauty, is said to have kissed anyone passing under the mistletoe. The myth of mistletoe spread throughout the land and even enemies would call a truce when they met underneath it.
The Legends of Christmas
The Bride's Tree
According to an old German tradition, a newlywed couple's tree should include these 12 ornaments to ensure happiness for their life together.
An Angel symbolizes God.
A Bird symbolizes good luck.
A House signifies family shelter.
A Teapot symbolizes hospitality.
A Pine Cone symbolizes eternity.
Fruit symbolizes plentiful blessings.
A Rose is the symbol of the Virgin Mary.
An Animal symbolizes peace with nature.
A Santa Claus is the symbol of giving and caring.
A Fish symbolizes Christ as well as fertility.
A Flower Basket represents beauty in the home.
A Heart represents true love
Today's Cost;
12 Days of Christmas."
To buy the partridge in a pear tree, the 12 drummers drumming and all the gifts in between in the verses of the famous song you'd have to shell out $18,348, according to PNC Advisors' annual survey. And if you were really true to the song, buying all the gifts including the repetitions? Those 364 items would cost a cool $72,608, up 9.5% from last year's $66,344.
The Christmas Index
1984 2004 2005 chg 04-05
One Partridge in a Pear Tree $32.52 $93.00 $104.99 12.90%
Partridge 12.57 15.00 15.00 0.00%
Pear Tree 19.95 78.00 89.99 15.40%
Two Turtle Doves 47.71 40.00 40.00 0.00%
Three French Hens 14.78 45.00 45.00 0.00%
Four Calling Birds 280.00 396.00 399.96 1.00%
Five Gold Rings 275.00 255.00 325.00 27.50%
Six Geese-a-Laying 150.00 210.00 300.00 42.90%
Seven Swans-a-Swimming 7,000.00 3,500.00 4,200.00 20.00%
Eight Maids-a-Milking 26.80 41.20 41.20 0.00%
Nine Ladies Dancing 1,511.50 4,400.13 4,576.14 4.00%
10 Lords-a-Leaping 1,679.45 4,039.08 4,039.08 0.00%
11 Pipers Piping 770.56 2,053.20 2,053.20 0.00%
12 Drummers Drumming 834.78 2,224.30 2,224.30 0.00%
Total Christmas Price Index 12,623.10 17,296.91 18,348.87 6.10%
True cost of Christmas in song 62,427.10 66,334.46 72,608.02 9.50%
"Core" index, excluding swans 13,796.91 14,148.87 2.60%
Source: PNC Advisors
This year's headlines had an impact on the index. Avian flu? Those swans and geese are going to cost you more because of a spike in the price of large birds. And the French hens? You can't import them from France this year -- though there are domestic suppliers. Meanwhile, energy prices are driving up some delivery costs.
The bling will cost you more
The holiday survey is used as a tongue-in-cheek indicator of inflation, though this year's increase in the Christmas Index outpaces the government's measurement. PNC's Christmas Price Index is up 6.1% from 2004. The core Christmas index -- excluding the swans -- is up just 2.6% this year, though. Start investing with $100.
Inflation fears have stoked the price of gold, and so you'll have to dig a little deeper if you want those five gold rings. They'll cost you $325, up 27.5% from last year. The jump in price for those six geese -- up 42.9% to $300 -- outstripped even the hike in gold bands, though.
“The Christmas Price Index reflects the economic trends that we have witnessed during the past year,” Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Advisors, said in a statement. “Not only are avian flu fears and fuel costs driving prices higher, but gold prices are also on the rise. Meanwhile, wages for skilled laborers are struggling to keep up with rising expenses.”
Not much to leap about
The prices in one area of the index seem to be holding steady. The wages of Maids-a-Milking, Lords-a-Leaping, Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming did not budge in 2005, PNC Advisors reported, demonstrating that it was a difficult year to keep up with higher costs of living.
According to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Company, the Nine Ladies Dancing received a pay raise of 4%, but they were the only lucky ones to get a raise this year.
PNC also checks the cost of Christmas on the Internet, which is significantly higher. The Christmas Internet Index rose 5.7% to $29,322.80 primarily because of shipping costs, up due to rising fuel prices, PNC said.
Any way you look at it, bringing the song to life is an expensive proposition, romantic though it may be. Maybe your true love would just rather have the cash.
The true meaning of the song,
"Twelve Days of Christmas"
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially that partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
Well here is your answer!
From l558 until l829, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed 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, which 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, and 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.
Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
Now you know how this very strange song became a Beautiful Christmas Carol.
The Christmas Story
St. Luke 2: 1 – 14
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them at the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Christmas
To me Christmas is not only religious significance,
but a reminder ,what ever your circumstance in life,
to strive to make the world a better place to live,
and what ever your circumstance is,one person
can make a difference to the world.
To me Christmas needs no certain date,
December 25th..or perhaps June 17th,
as some believe because of planet alignment,etc..
A June starry night,
or on a December night with
one bright star a silver moon.
Christmas is a symbol,
of God's love for the world,
A symbol of sacrifice and love.
Christmas is a symbol of hope. And a beautiful reminder to have faith,
in things unseen.
A realization that life it's self is beyond understanding.
There is no truer quote than
'To live every moment as if there is a God ,
is far better than to die believing there is no God,
and to find out than, that God does exist.'
Every teaching of Jesus,
Every parable
was to improve life,
give hope,offer peace,wisdom and faith.
What ever a person's faith is,
Christmas is a beautiful message.,
to all that choose to accept it.
God sends a baby.His Son' as a reminder
of how precious love and life are,
and how much we are loved by Him.
He has given the world a Christmas gift.
Maybe the gift came in December,
Maybe the gift came in June,
What matters is not the date the gift came,
But that we received the gift.
For links to my poetry,digital art,photography and other cool things.
Go to
Home A Salute to soldiers in music Christmas Music Music Spiritual Music Merry Christmas Judy's Digital Arts Fun Family Photographs Fun Family Photographs2 Family Photographs Family Photographs2 Family Moments Our Family Our Little Primcess Ladies Night Out Judy Music Elvis FamilyPhotos2 FamilyPhotos3 FamilyPhotos 2007 Crystal's Creations Holidays HolidaysTwo HolidaysThree Misc Judy's Fantasy Pictures Pictures of Judy Oct 2006 Me Judy's Page Judy's Then and Now Pictures of Judy FamilyPhotos Random Thoughts Class of 2007 Legends Louisiana Redneck Jokes Religious Poetry of other poets Salute to soldiers Messages from soldiers Poetry and Lyrics,Links,Digital art,Photography, Articles of Interest,Cool and Fun things, Cool and Fun things two Photographs of me,Photographs of family and friends Digital Art and Photography