Collage of Life

12 Days Of Christmas: Noche Buena (Christmas Dinner)

2010-12-25T00:46:00.000-08:00

My Family's Feast

"Its Christmas all over the world..." Wow finally its Christmas now, after a long wait and thanks i manage to accomplished the "simbang gabi" ^__^ Gradually my wishes are granted, thank you Lord :D. 12mn everyone in the world prepared a smaal meal for their family to share with on this holiday. The mother and every remember of the family have their part to take, to make it on time for noche buena.

In our household, we cook 2 meals__The specialty of mame which is called "meat doves" & buttered vegetables. And we order to deliver some food from the restaurant. We always do this yearly (Christmas & New Year ^__^). It is because we're too tired to arrange so much cooking for this event, that's why we decided to order and deliver it beforehand. All we need to do is wait for the deliveries we made and when it arrives, we settle it on the table :D (easy,isn't it??^__^)

When the clock strike to 12mn, we embrace each other and the inception for us a happy bonding (conversation or whatever...) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

12 Days of Christmas: Inaanak (Godchild)

2010-12-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

Two more days to go and its Christmas!!! They say that this month is the "time for giving" to everyone(your love ones, unfortunate ones and most the godchildren of yours). It is a gift in terms of things or somethings they wants or needs; money; anything which makes them happy:D

Indeed, Christmas season is the happiest, wonderful time like as I written on my other blog. And the most happy to celebrate this holidays are the children. You know why?? Aside that they have a christmas vacation(a break from their study) Its also a time for them to be lazy around(go shopping, skate on ice or ski). And most of all collecting gifts(from their families, colleagues or friends and godparents).

In the Philippines, its also practice that ever children visits their godparents in their house. That's why the godparent(s) prepared a gift for their godchildren yearly. But some godparents are dread for this time to come,you know why? Because they have a lot of godchildren(friendly ^__^) or maybe because the parents or the inaanak (godchild) are to materialistic. FYI, godparents is the "Helpers to the Road of Faith" not because of thing that inaanak(godchild) redeem from their godparents.

Many godparents hid themselves at home or even go on vacation til holiday is over^__^. I'm one of those godparents that dread this. Its because the parents are more demanding to asked me about the gift I should give for their son or daughter. And sometimes I forgot to give last year, they ask to give it this year :( What a bad logic they have.(is it right for them to be choosey or the one be to decide for me..),and that's what I hate most.

I'm not doing or writing this because of that certain basis I mentioned above. Hoping that this logic come from the parents or inaank would change or back what it used to be.

12 Days Of Christmas: Christmas Caroling

2010-12-22T06:08:00.000-08:00

Simbang Gabi is not only a tradition practice here in the Philippines every Christmas season. There's caroling as well__Both are similar day to start (Dec. 16). Young or old, boy or girl or even in group, with partner or solo are dominated around the streets. They bear their own instruments and singing in-front of each door.

On my opinion, the carolers nowadays annoys me because:

their singing is not that good (you can't barely hear their voice :/ ).
others are hid in the corner (maybe they shy or whatever???)
they don't sing well (out of tune ^__^) or
some of them have repetition on 1 house for caroling
they don't dress well (as if, they are not presentable enough)

Caroling years back have a good meaning because the logic of the carolers was not to earn money but to give Christmas spirits to every household ^__^. Unlike today, they have only in mind is MONEY!!!! I'm not saying against of it, so we let the carolers to be back on Dec. 23__one down for all :D

12 Days of Christmas: Bustling Day for Me...

2010-12-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

Whew!!! Its been 6 days already of "simbang gabi" and thank goodness I still survive to carry out this traditional goa, three more days to go^__^. And its been 6 days as well, whereas I have sleepless nights :( This is not cause of the said holiday activity but because of my insomnia.

Today, after the Mass I just have a few hours of sleep then I mobilize to do the chores. Because 4 days to go and its Christmas. We need to organize or make our home more beautiful__Anyway, already one week ago since the last time we had a general cleaning (we do this weekly).

I sweep the floor, wash plates & clothes. After what I've done, I feel exhausted :( I am not complaining for this__I just fret I can't attend the "simbang gabi" on 7th day. It would be a waste if I can't, so I pray that I can arise tomorrow ^__^

12 Days Of Christmas: It's My Day!!!

2010-12-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's my day!!! A very festive day of life. And I want to acknowledge first God for accord me all the blessings He showered me (health, love, peace of mind, trust, and all the things which money can't buy),the answered prayers-safety of my love ones specially my mame{mom}, dade{dad} and kuya{big bro}.

Another year over and through this year I learned a lot from it. Although my life our life is not smooth as we imagine.

As of today I have some aspiration to fulfill or dream of :D.

To own a house & lot ^__^ (syempre, here in Makati...probably in Rockwell, White Plains or Forbes :D)
To know how to drive
To own a car, of course (for #2)
To give help the unfortunate ones (orphanage or the special)
To have a BF ^__^
To manage my own company (either hotel, travel agency or airline__ as if I'm a billionaire)
To give my bro his own business (computer shop or anything about his course_multi- media)
To ask my mame to have her early retirement & take charge of house responsibilities
To travel around the world

That's all I wish, It's ok if some of it can't achieve because I most appreciated if I receive the money can't buy^__^

12 Days Of Christmas: Ambience of Christmas

2010-12-19T06:58:00.000-08:00

December is such a wonderful month of the year. A most entertaining, amusing of all time (for me or even for everybody else). Indeed, not only this month (December) which happen to have a holiday but as I said this is the magnificent and celebrated most part of the world :D.

The surroundings alter to match the season. Every corner of particular home of someone or a vicinity of each city. They make an effort to decorate in or out of their home. For this reason, the creativity of oneself suddenly come into sight by their masterpiece.

In our home, we started to decorate early as October ^__^ We have a stockings, Christmas tree, Christmas lights, poinsettia and Christmas bell and also Santa Claus doll. Our house is not that big, so there's few Christmas ornaments we use. The most important is, we're together__We love each other, trust, understand and everything which money can't buy.

12 Days Of Christmas: Christmas Songs

2010-12-18T06:08:00.000-08:00

There are plenty of clues to discern that Christmas is approaching__ The cold breeze of wind, the atmosphere everywhere gradually adorn Christmas ornaments or even the we can hear some of establishments playing Christmas song or music.

For me, there are a lot of Christmas songs that I long to play & listen to. Foreign or local Christmas song that bear in me. Back on my childhood I felt blissful & delighted whenever I witness this kind of scene every year :D. From that point I master the lyrics of each songs & even their title.

I felt blue when I watched one of the episode (kids who won on a pageant) of "Wiling Willie". The "kanta-nong" were several Christmas songs & they don't even manage to crack it :(

I'm not assert for them (kids) to be fond on this genre of music. But at least they know about a little.

12 Days Of Christmas: Pandesal (Filipino Bread) & Christmas Delicacies

2010-12-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

Finally, the "simbang gabi just around the corner. This the only chance when we (my family) have a bite of "pandesal" :D. Because we're diligent from our obligation, that's why don't have enough time to flee at the bakery to purchase the said food.

FYI (for your information), pandesal was acclaimed for a filipino bread. Same in other countries like Korea- kyongju bread; Japan- melon bread; China- fried bread sticks(youtiao) and a lot more. Pandesal came from a Spanish word "pan de sal" which means bread of salt.

Mostly pandesal eat for breakfast and always associate with a cup of coffee. We ( filipinos) dip a bite size of pandesal in the coffee (yup!! its taste excellent ^__^). Even we spread it with butter, margarine (if you want, you can toast) liver spread and other spread you want with it.

This, pandesal is not only food that I can eat all along on this occasion. I crave for some puto bumbong and bibingka (rice cake). Love most to have a bite of puto bumbong ^__^.

Not at most simbang gabi is the tradition have taking part for us every Christmas season. Of course, after the mass, we go to s stall shop of the said delicacies near the church to have an advance breakfast :D

12 Days Of Christmas: Mass at Dawn (Simbang Gabi)

2010-12-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

Today is the 1st day of "simbang gabi" (mass at dawn). This is a senile Christmas Tradition that we (filipinos) heed & accustom since Spanish era. This "simbang gabi" starts from December 16- 24 (total of 9 mornings mass). Its been said that only Philippines have this "simbang gabi "in the whole world (compared to other christian/ catholic country). And there's a belief that once that we accomplish the said tradition, "make a wish & will be granted ^__^

As I rise this morning (2:30 am) I brace myself for this occasion. And It was 3:45am when my mame (mom) & I departed from our home. There are so many people attended, then the mass onset at 4:30am (why?? it should be 4am, to bad...)

The homily was good :) and the presiding priest correlate the 9 mornings of mass to a 9 months conceived of Mary with Jesus. The priest had many stories as paradigm in the homily. For me it should be enthusiastic (coz I feel sleepy, for others as well ^__^) if the priest expression was lively.

After the mass, I hurriedly went back to sleep because I feel dizzy (not enough sleep yesterday :D). Thank God this day was over and 8 more days to complete ^__^.

12 Days Of Christmas: Christmas Trivia & Origins

2010-12-15T07:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas is one of the holidays that celebrates all over (most remarkable & exciting :D ). Have you query how this stuff, characters beget? Here are some scoop which I uncover (from internet ^__^)

Candy Cane

During the 17th century, craftsmen created white sticks of candy in the shape of shephreds' crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during ceremonies at the living creche, or Nativity scene, and the custom of passing out the candy crooks at such ceremonies soon spread throughout Europe.

According to the National Confectioner's Association, in 1847 German immigrant August Imgard used the candy cane to decorate a Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio. More than 50 years later, Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia supposedly made candy canes as treats for family, friends and local shopkeepers. McCormack's brother-in-law, Catholic priest Gregory Keller, invented a machine in the 1950s that automated the production of candy canes, thus eliminating the usual laborious process of creating the treats and the popularity of the candy cane grew.

More recent explanations of the candy cane's symbolism hold that the color white represents Christ's purity, the red the blood he shed, and the presence of three red stripes the Holy Trinity. While factual evidence for these notions does not exist, they have become increasingly common and at times are even represented as fact. Regardless, the candy cane remains a favorite holiday treat and decoration.

Christmas Carols

The early Christmas music compositions are regarded as chants and hymns. The original carols referred to a circle dance which did not have any singing - that came later. As the church struggled against the influences of pagan customs, the singing of carols was barred from sacred services. However, outside the church, Nativity carols were written and became popular. Nearly all were simple folk songs created by people from the countryside.

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with bringing carols into the formal worship of the church during a Christmas Midnight Mass in a cave in Greccio, in the province of Umbria in 1223. It's said that the music sung that night was more akin to what we know as carols than to hymns. Carols enjoyed further development and popularity when they were used in the mystery plays of the Middle Ages.

Wandering minstrels traveled from hamlet to castle, performing carols in the distant past. In later years, villages had their own bands of waits.

Waits were originally watchmen who patrolled the streets and byways of the old walled cities keeping guard against fire and singing out the hours of the night. During the holiday season, they would include some carols for the people along the way, although some folks complained that they would rather get a good nights sleep than have somebody singing under their window. Eventually the term was used to describe groups of musicians who sang and played for various civic events during the Christmas season.

Today, a look at a small-town newspaper lists dozens of caroling events, not just on Christmas Eve, but throughout the holiday.

Christmas Rose

A well known English plant, the Christmas rose, is a true Christmas flower. It is sometimes called the Snow or Winter Rose. It blooms in the depths of winter in the mountains of Central Europe. Legend links it with the birth of Christ and a little shepherdess named Madelon.

As Madelon tented her sheep one cold and wintry night, wise men and other shepherds passed by the snow covered field where she was with their gifts for the Christ Child. The wise men carried the rich gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense and the shepherds, fruits, honey and doves. Poor

Madelon began to weep at the thought of having nothing, not even a simple flower for the Newborn King. An angel, seeing her tears, brushed away the snow revealing a most beautiful white flower tipped with pink - the Christmas rose.

Also in central and northern Europe it is the custom to break off a branch of a cherry tree at the beginning of the Advent and keep it in water in a warm room; the flowers should burst into bloom at Christmas time.

Christmas Star

The stars that appear in the sky today are the same ones that were there two thousand years ago. Was there a nova at the time of Jesus' birth? The exact time of His birth is not known, but astronomers cannot place a new star appearance anywhere near the possible time. Could it have been a shooting star? Again, the astronomers say it was not likely. A meteor lasts only a few seconds or minutes at best. The wise men followed the star for weeks looking for Jesus. We can rule out comets as well. They can be seen by the naked eye for a week or months. But modern astronomers know which comets were close enough to earth hundreds and thousands of years ago and there was no comet visible to humans around the time of Christ's birth.

Some star gazers suggest that if we move the birth of Jesus to the springtime of 6 B.C., we can attribute the star to the time the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were close together in the heavens. They formed a triangle in the group of stars known as Pisces.

The wise men, themselves, were astrologers and studied the stars and planets and knew, according to Jewish rabbis, of the triangle and that it had appeared before the birth of Moses. Perhaps they interpreted it as a sign of a great event in the land of the Jewish people. This may have been the star of Bethlehem. Pisces became the special constellation of the Hebrew people.

Still, many people prefer to believe that the strange star did appear, and that it was simply a miracle and throughout the world today, the Christian holiday has usually begun with the appearance of the first star of Christmas Eve.

The Festival of the Star is held in Poland. Right after the Christmas Eve meal, the village priest, acts as the "Star Man" and tests the children's knowledge of religion. In Alaska, boys and girls carry a star shaped figure from house to house and sing carols in hopes of receiving treats. In Hungary a star-shaped pattern is carved in a half of an apple and is suppose to bring good luck.

In general, the Christmas star symbolizes high hopes and high ideals - hope for good fortune, hope for reaching above oneself. For all human beings, regardless of religion, stars have special meaning for all share the heavens, no matter what barriers keep them apart on earth.

Christmas Stockings

There was a kindly nobleman whose wife had died of an illness leaving the nobleman and his three daughters in despair. After losing all his money in useless and bad inventions the family had to move into a peasant's cottage, where the daughters did their own cooking, sewing and cleaning.

When it came time for the daughters to marry, the father became even more depressed as his daughters could not marry without dowries, money and property given to the new husband's family.

One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night Saint Nicholas, knowing the despair of the father, stopped by the nobleman's house. Looking in the window Saint Nicholas saw that the family had gone to bed. He also noticed the daughters stockings. Inspiration struck Saint Nicholas and he took three small bags of gold from his pouch and threw them one by one down the chimney and they landed in the stockings.

The next morning when the daughters awoke they found their stockings contained enough gold for them to get married. The nobleman was able to see his three daughters marry and he lived a long and happy life.

Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings. In some countries children have similar customs, in France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes.

In Holland the children fill their shoes with hay and a carrot for the horse of Sintirklass. In Hungary children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill.

Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch. And in Puerto Rico children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings.

The first mention Christmas stockings being hung from or near a chimney were made only earlier this century by the illustrator, Thomas Nast, through his pictures and the writer, Clement Moore, in a story about a 'visit from St.Nick'. The story quickly caught on.

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there"

Up until lately, it was traditional to receive small items like fruit, nuts and candy in your stocking, but these have been replaced in the last half-century by more expensive gifts in many homes.

Christmas Tree

Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness.

In the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return.

The ancient Egyptians worshipped a god called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a blazing disk in his crown. At the solstice, when Ra began to recover from the illness, the Egyptians filled their homes with green palm rushes which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death.

Early Romans marked the solstice with a feast called the Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that soon farms and orchards would be green and fruitful. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.

In Northern Europe the mysterious Druids, the priests of the ancient Celts, also decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life. The fierce Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder.

Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16^th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16^th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.

Most 19^th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier. The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. But, as late as the 1840s Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans.

It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. To the New England Puritans, Christmas was sacred. The pilgrims’s second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out “pagan mockery” of the observance, penalizing any frivolity. The influential Oliver Cromwell preached against “the heathen traditions” of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated “that sacred event.” In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the 19^th century, when the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy.

In 1846, the popular royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were sketched in the Illustrated London News standing with their children around a Christmas tree. Unlike the previous royal family, Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at court immediately became fashionable—not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. The Christmas tree had arrived.

By the 1890s Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas tree popularity was on the rise around the U.S. It was noted that Europeans used small trees about four feet in height, while Americans liked their Christmas trees to reach from floor to ceiling.

The early 20^th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German-American sect continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts. Electricity brought about Christmas lights, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. With this, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares across the country and having a Christmas tree in the home became an American tradition.

Xmas is an abbreviation for Christmas. It is derived from the word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, transliterated as Christos, which is Greek for Christ. Greek is the language in which the whole New Testament was written.

Originally, Xmas was an abbreviation where the X represents the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of Christ's name. However, because of the modern interpretations of the letter X, many people are unaware of this and assume that this abbreviation is meant to drop Christ from Christmas.

Fruit Cake & Christmas Foods

According to "The Joy of Cooking," by Irma Rombauer and Marion Becker, "Many people feel that these cakes improve greatly with age. When they are well saturated with alcoholic liquors, which raise the spirits and keep down mold, and are buried in powdered sugar in tightly closed tins, they have been enjoyed as long as 25 years after baking."

TURKEY
Meat has always featured at the centre of traditional Christmas feasts, although it is has not always been in the form of turkey. The act of serving a large roasted joint of meat at Christmas is believed to originate from ancient sacrificial rites to appease the gods and hopefully ensure a sufficient harvest in the following year. Popular meats used for early celebratory purposes were beef, mutton, pork, peacocks and swans. King James I can be thanked for the emergence of turkey as he introduced it during the seventeenth century for the important reason that it was far kinder to his delicate digestive system! Of course not everyone could afford it, and the poor had to make do with goose.

MINCE PIES
Mince pies, or Christmas pies as they were often known, have existed for centuries, although their shape and content have changed dramatically through the ages. In their original form mince pies were much larger, crib-shaped to represent the manger and packed full of meat, spices and fruit. Unfortunately, the mince pie tradition hasn't always been upheld as during his time in the mid-seventeenth century Cromwell decided they were far too indulgent and banned them. Eventually mince pies came back into existence after the Restoration. The sweet, rich and fruity pies that we are now accustomed to developed early in the twentieth century when the meat content was removed for good.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Christmas pudding, or plum/figgy pudding, is believed to originate from the medieval period when plum pottage was served during festivities. Plum pottage was a meat broth that had breadcrumbs and dried fruit added for thickening purposes, and was seasoned with wine and spices. This form of broth developed into a thicker pudding during the seventeenth century when pudding cloths were invented; the meat content was later removed and it became more as we know it today. The pudding became specifically associated with Christmas, rather than merely any festive occasions, when it was introduced to the Royal Christmas dinner table by Prince Albert.

CHRISTMAS CAKE
Christmas cake as we know it now - a rich fruit cake with marzipan and icing - was introduced as a custom by the Victorians. Prior to that period, cake was eaten during Christmas, but without the toppings. The idea of using marzipan is thought to be linked to the Tudor Marchpane an iced and decorated cake of marzipan that acted as the table centrepiece during banquets and festive occasions
credit - Rachel Newcomb

Eggnog
According to reports by Captain John Smith, the first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in his 1607 Jamestown settlement. Nog comes from the word grog, which refers to any drink made with rum.

Christmas Gifts

The custom of giving gifts to relatives and friends on a special day in winter probably began in ancient Rome and northern Europe. In these regions, people gave each other small presents as part of their year-end celebrations.

In the United States and England, children hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace on Christmas Eve, hoping that it will be filled with treats while they sleep. In Scandinavia, similar-minded children leave their shoes on the hearth. This tradition can be traced to legends about Saint Nicholas. One legend tells of three poor sisters who could not marry because they had no money for a dowry. To save them from being sold by their father, St. Nick left each of the three sisters gifts of gold coins. One went down the chimney and landed in a pair of shoes that had been left on the hearth. Another went into a window and into a pair of stockings left hanging by the fire to dry.

No one was really in the habit of exchanging elaborate gifts until late in the 1800s. The Santa Claus stories of giving gifts to good children, combined with an amazing retailing phenomenon that has grown since the turn of the century, has made gift giving a central focus of the Christmas tradition.

Yule Log

In Northern Europe, Winter festivities were once considered to be a Feast of the Dead, complete with ceremonies full of spirits, devils, and the haunting presence of the Norse god, Odin, and his night riders. One particularly durable Solstice festival was "Jol" (also known as "Jule" and pronounced "Yule"), a feast celebrated throughout Northern Europe and particularly in Scandinavia to honor Jolnir, another name for Odin. Since Odin was the god of intoxicating drink and ecstasy, as well as the god of death, Yule customs varied greatly from region to region. Odin's sacrificial beer became the specially blessed Christmas ale mentioned in medieval lore, and fresh food and drink were left on tables after Christmas feasts to feed the roaming Yuletide ghosts. Even the bonfires of former ancient times survived in the tradition of the Yule Log, perhaps the most universal of all Christmas symbols.

The origins of the Yule Log can be traced back to the Midwinter festivals in which the Norsemen indulged...nights filled with feasting, "drinking Yule" and watching the fire leap around the log burning in the home hearth. The ceremonies and beliefs associated with the Yule Log's sacred origins are closely linked to representations of health, fruitfulness and productivity. In England, the Yule was cut and dragged home by oxen or horses as the people walked alongside and sang merry songs. It was often decorated with evergreens and sometimes sprinkled with grain or cider before it was finally set alight.

In Yugoslavia, the Yule Log was cut just before dawn on Christmas Eve and carried into the house at twilight. The wood itself was decorated with flowers, colored silks and gold, and then doused with wine and an offering of grain. In an area of France known as Provencal, families would go together to cut the Yule Log, singing as they went along. These songs asked for blessings to be bestowed upon their crops and their flocks. The people of Provencal called their Yule Log the trefoire and, with great ceremony, carried the log around the house three times and christened it with wine before it was set ablaze.

To all European races, the Yule Log was believed to bring beneficial magic and was kept burning for at least twelve hours and sometimes as long as twelve days, warming both the house and those who resided within. When the fire of the Yule Log was finally quenched, a small fragment of the wood would be saved and used to light the next year's log. It was also believed that as long as the Yule Log burned, the house would be protected from witchcraft. The ashes that remained from the sacred Yule Log were scattered over fields to bring fertility, or cast into wells to purify and sweeten the water. Sometimes, the ashes were used in the creation of various charms...to free cattle from vermin, for example, or to ward off hailstorms.

Some sources state that the origin of Yule is associated with an ancient Scandinavian fertility god and that the large, single Log is representative of a phallic idol. Tradition states that this Log was required to burn for twelve days and a different sacrifice to the fertility god had to be offered in the fire on each of those twelve days.

Wreaths

In ancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victory. Some believe that this is where the hanging of wreaths on doors came from.

The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. Christians kept these popular traditions alive, and by the 16th century Catholics and Protestants throughout Germany used these symbols to celebrate their Advent hope in Christ, the everlasting Light. From Germany the use of the Advent wreath spread to other parts of the Christian world. Traditionally, the wreath is made of four candles in a circle of evergreens with a fifth candle in the middle.

Three candles are violet and the fourth is rose, but four white candles or four violet candles can also be used. Each day at home, the candles are lighted, perhaps before the evening meal-- one candle the first week, and then another each succeeding week until December 25th. A short prayer may accompany the lighting of each candle. The last candle is the middle candle. The lighting of this candle takes place on Christmas Eve. It represents Jesus Christ being born.

Poinsettia

A favorite flower in the United States is the poinsettia, with its beautiful, red, star-shape. It is called the "Flame Leaf" in Central America or "Flower of the Holy Night" and was brought here over a hundred years ago by Dr. Joel Poinsett, our first ambassador to Mexico. Most of the poinsettias used now come from California.

The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing.

One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course other children teased them when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so we see them today.

Mistletoe was held sacred by the Norse, the Celtic Druids and the North American Indians. The Druid priests would cut mistletoe from an oak tree with a golden sickle. The branches had to be caught before they touched the ground. They then divided the branches into many sprigs and distributed them to the people, who hung them over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. The folklore continued over the centuries. It was believed that a sprig placed in a baby's cradle would protect the child from goblins. Giving a sprig to the first cow calving after New Year would protect the entire herd.

Mistletoe is a symbol for peace and joy. The idea originated in the ancient times of the Druids: whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. From this comes the custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

In the 18th Century, the exchanging of kisses between a man and a woman was adopted as a promise to marry. At Christmas a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe cannot refuse to be kissed. The kiss could mean deep romance, lasting friendship and goodwill. It was believed that if the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect to marry the following year.

***

Mistletoe is an aerial parasite that has no roots of its own and lives off the tree that it attaches itself to. Without that tree it would die. Mistletoe was thought to be sacred by ancient Europeans. Druid priests employed it in their sacrifices to the gods while Celtic people felt it possessed miraculous healing powers. In fact, in the Celtic language mistletoe means "all-heal." It not only cured diseases, but could also render poisons harmless, make humans and animals prolific, keep one safe from witchcraft, protect the house from ghosts and even make them speak. With all of this, it was thought to bring good luck to anyone privileged to have it.

Norsemen offer us a beautiful symbolic myth about mistletoe. 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. Frigga, the goddess and his mother finally restored him. 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.

Later, the eighteenth-century English credited mistletoe not with miraculous healing powers, but 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. Whether we believe it or not, it always makes for fun and frolic at Christmas celebrations.

Holly

To avoid persecution during the Roman pagan festival of Saturnalis, the early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, holly and mistletoe lost their pagan associations and became symbols of Christmas.

Holly was the sacred plant of Saturn and was used at the Roman Saturnalia festival to honor him. Romans gave one another holly wreaths and carried them about decorating images of Saturn with it. Centuries later, in December, while other Romans continued their pagan worship, Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus . To avoid persecution, they decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, holly lost its pagan association and became a symbol of Christmas.

***

The Druids believed that holly, with its shiny leaves and red berries stayed green to keep the earth beautiful when the sacred oak lost it leaves. They wore sprigs of holly in their hair when they went into the forest to watch their priests cut the sacred mistletoe.

The plant has come to stand for peace and joy, people often settle arguments under a holly tree. Holly is believed to frighten off witches and protect the home from thunder and lightning. In West England it is said sprigs of holly around a young girl's bed on Christmas Eve are suppose to keep away mischievous little goblins. In Germany, a piece that has been used in church decorations is regarded as a charm against lightning. In England, British farmers put sprigs of holly on their beehives. On the first Christmas, they believed, the bees hummed in honor of the Christ Child. The English also mention the "he holly and the she holly" as being the determining factor in who will rule the household in the following year, the "she holly" having smooth leaves and the "he holly" having prickly ones. Other beliefs included putting a sprig of holly on the bedpost to bring sweet dreams and making a tonic from holly to cure a cough. All of these references give light to "decking the halls with boughs of holly."

Ivy, Laurel & Rosemary

Christmas Ivy

Ivy has been a symbol of eternal life in the pagan world and then came to represent new promise and eternal life in the Christian world. Ivy is more of an English Christmas green than an American one. It is considered a feeble clinging plant, rather feminine in nature, not at all like the masculine sturdy holly leaf. It was the ancient symbol of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry.

Laurel
Among the Romans who remained pagan, the laurel leaf was sacred to the sun god Apollo. In the Christian sect it came to symbolize the triumph of Humanity as represented by the Son Man. Bay is also a name used for laurel. As the bay tree, the true laurel of the Ancients, is scarce in England. Substitutions such the common cherry laurel, the Portugal laurel, the Aucuba and others are often used. A British Christmas carol about the three kings leans heavily on the word "laurel".

"We come walking with our staves, wreathed with laurel: We seek the King Jesus, Him that saves, To Bring Him laurel..."

Rosemary

Rosemary is yet another Christmas green. Though now it is used to mainly season foods, during the Middle Ages it was spread on the floor at Christmas. As people walked on it, the fragrant smell arose filling the house. The story associated with the shrub is that Mary laid the garments of the Christ Child on its branches and caused it to have such a wonderful aroma. It is also said that rosemary is extremely offensive to evil spirits, thus, being well suited to the advent of their Conqueror. The name rosemary is given, too, an association to the Virgin Mary's name, making it all the more fitting for the Christmas season.

Glastonbury Thorn

The glastonbury thorn legend ties in Christ's death as well as the celebration of his birth. The legend goes that soon after the death of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea came to Britain to spread the message of Christianity. When he traveled there from the Holy Land he brought with him his staff. Being tired from his journey, he lay down to rest. In doing so, he pushed his staff into the ground beside him. When he awoke, he found that the staff had taken root and begun to grow and blossom. It is said he left it there and it has flowered every Christmas and every spring . It is also said that a puritan trying to cut down the tree was blinded by a spllinter of the wood before he could do so. The original thorn did eventually die but not before many cuttings had been taken. It is one of these very cuttings which is in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey today.

North Pole

Thomas Nast established Santa's workshop and official residence at the North Pole in four different drawings between 1879 and 1886. On January 4, 1879, Harper’s Weekly published "A Christmas Post," showing a girl putting a letter in the mailbox, addressed to St. Claus, North Pole. The sketch titled "The Shine of Saint Nicholas" published on December 31, 1882, showed good children at the North Pole; Santa was seated on a box with the inscription "Saint Nicholas, North Pole." Harper’s Weekly on December 19, 1885 published "Santa Claus’s Route," a sketch showing two children looking at a map of the world and tracing Santa's journey from the North Pole to the United States.

Finally, in "Santa Claus and His Works," printed in Harper’s Weekly in 1886, Nast showed Santa and his workshop at Santa Claussville, North Pole. In 1869, American writer George P. Webster published Santa Claus and His Works and took up this idea, explaining that Santa's toy factory and "his house, during the long summer months, was hidden in the ice and snow of the North Pole". Although his name did not appear on the cover, the seven color illustrations were provided by Nast, who gave us a look at the red and white suit of Santa. Many of the illustrations in the book were colorized expansions of the woodcuts from Harper’s Weekly.

***The other 'north pole' story...

Children naturally wanted to know where Santa Claus actually came from. Where did he live when he wasn't delivering presents? Those questions gave rise to the legend that Santa Claus lived at the North Pole, where his Christmas-gift workshop was also located.

In 1925, since grazing reindeer would not be possible at the North Pole, newspapers revealed that Santa Claus in fact lived in Finnish Lapland. "Uncle Markus", Markus Rautio, who compared the popular "Children's hour" on Finnish public radio, revealed the great secret for the first time in 1927: Santa Claus lives on Lapland's Korvatunturi - "Ear Fell"

The fell, which is situated directly on Finland's eastern frontier, somewhat resembles a hare's ears - which are in fact Santa Claus's ears, with which he listens to hear if the world's children are being nice. Santa has the assistance of a busy group of elves, who have quite their own history in Scandinanvian legend.

Over the centuries, customs from different parts of the Northern Hemisphere thus came together and created the whole world's Santa Claus - the ageless, timeless, deathless white-bearded man who gives out gifts on Christmas and always returns to Korvatunturi in Finnish Lapland.

Since the 1950s, Santa has happily sojourned at Napapiiri, near Rovaniemi, at times other than Christmas, to meet children and the young at heart. By 1985 his visits to Napapiiri had become so regular that he established his own Santa Claus Office there. He comes there every day of the year to hear what children want for Christmas and to talk with children who have arrived from around the world. Santa Claus Village is also the location of Santa's main Post Office, which receives children's letters from the four corners of the world.

Mrs. Claus

Where did Mrs. Claus come from??

Though no mention was made of her, Santa Claus' wife made her debut in 1899 in Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride, one of a set of thirty-two books by Katharine Lee Bates, composer of "America the Beautiful. In 1908, another story encouraged children to start leaving a little food for Santa Claus because he would be tired after his hard work. Carrots and other treats were later added for his reindeer. Of course, Santa always left a note thanking the children for their kindness. A 1910 advertisement for Ivory Soap showed a child sitting in front of the fireplace with a bowl of water, a towel and a bar of Ivory soap so that Santa could wash up after coming down the chimney. Following the ad to the letter, soiled wash clothes and dirty water was often found on Christmas morning.

Rudolph

1939 Copywriter Robert L. May of the Montgomery Ward Company created a poem about Rudolph, the ninth reindeer. May had been "often taunted as a child for being shy, small and slight." He created an ostracized reindeer with a shiny red nose who became a hero one foggy Christmas eve. Santa was part-way through deliveries when the visibility started to degenerate. Santa added Rudolph to his team of reindeer to help illuminate the path. A copy of the poem was given free to Montgomery Ward customers.

1949: Johnny Marks wrote the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Rudolph was relocated to the North Pole where he was initially rejected by the other reindeer who wouldn't let him play in their reindeer games because of his strange looking nose. The song was recorded by Gene Autry and became his all-time best seller. Next to "White Christmas" it is the most popular song of all time.

Letter to Santa

In the latter part of the eighteen hundreds, children wrote letters to Santa Claus. By the 1890s post offices were overrun with letters for Santa each December. There was great diversity in the correct spelling o his and where he lived - South or North Pole - as well as what to do with the letters. Mail clerks gravely stamped them with a certification that the addressee could not be found and forwarded them to the dead letter office in Washington.

But children had faith in the Postal Service and knew Santa would get their letters. They came from children from all walks of life. One Christmas Eve, eight-year-old Edsel Ford, son of Henry and Clara Ford, and the future president of the Ford Motor Company, penned his letter in Detroit, Michigan:

Dear Santa Claus:

I Havent Had Any Christmas Tree in 4 Years And I Have Broken My Trimmings And I Want A Pair of Roller Skates And A Book, I Cant Think Of Any Thing More. I Want You To Think O Something More.

Good By.

Edsel Ford

Snacks for Santa

COOKIES

Do you know that the most popular cookie kids leave for Santa is the Oreo? Maybe that's because over 9.1 billion of them are sold each year. There is no exact date recorded, but the idea of leaving cookies for Santa started sometime in the 193s. Naughty kids use them to bribe Santa at the last minute and nice kids use them as a way of thanking him for all his hard work on Christmas Eve.

12 Days Of Christmas: Namamasko Po (Christmas Alms)

2010-12-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

It's true that whatever we see, listen on tv or radio and even in the internet mean a lot to us. Through that way we can easy grasp admonition in our life. Considering myself a drone (not all time ^__^ only whenever I get ,weary). I've seen this story (a korean channel, with subtitle, of course ^__^), although I haven't gaze the start that's why I seek it in the internet.

Discount the religion been accord here:

THE MUSTARD SEED

There was a rich man who found his gold suddenly transformed into ashes; and he took to his bed and refused all food. A friend, hearing of his sickness, visited the rich man and learned the cause of his grief. And the friend said: "Thou didst not make good use of thy wealth. When thou didst hoard it up it was not better than ashes. Now heed my advice. Spread mats in the bazaar; pile up these ashes, and pretend to trade with them." The rich man did as his friend had told him, and when his neighbors asked him, "Why sellest thou ashes?" he said: "I offer my goods for sale."

After some time a young girl, named Kisa Gotami, an orphan and very poor, passed by, and seeing the rich man in the bazaar, said: "My lord, why pilest thou thus up gold and silver for sale?" And the rich man said: "Wilt thou please hand me that gold and silver?" And Kisa Gotami took up a handful of ashes, and lo! they changed back into gold. Considering that Kisa Gotami had the mental eye of spiritual knowledge and saw the real worth of things, the rich man gave her in marriage to his son, and he said: "With many, gold is no better than ashes, but with Kisa Gotami ashes become pure gold."

And Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbors, asking them for medicine, and the people said: "She has lost her senses. The boy is dead. At length Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request: "I cannot give thee medicine for thy child, but I know a physician who can." The girl said: "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?" And the man replied: "Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha."

Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried: "Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy." The Buddha answered: "I want a handful of mustard-seed." And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added: "The mustard-seed must be taken from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend." Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and said: "Here is mustard-seed; take it!" But when she asked Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?" They answered her: "Alas the living are few, but the dead are many. Do not remind us of our deepest grief." And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it.

Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside, watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. And she considered the fate of men, that their lives flicker up and are extinguished. And she thought to herself: "How selfish am I in my grief! Death is common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness."

Putting away the selfishness of her affection for her child, Kisa Gotami had the dead body buried in the forest. Returning to the Buddha, she took refuge in him and found comfort in the Dharma, which is a balm that will soothe all the pains of our troubled hearts.

The Buddha said: "The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain. For there is not any means by which those that have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals when born are always in danger of death. As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both those who are fools and those who are wise, all fall into the power of death; all are subject to death.

"Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life, a father cannot save his son, nor kinsmen their relations. Mark I while relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply, one by one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. So the world is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world. In whatever manner people think a thing will come to pass, it is often different when it happens, and great is the disappointment; see, such are the terms of the world.

"Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain peace of mind; on the contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. People pass away, and their fate after death will be according to their deeds. If a man live a hundred years, or even more, he will at last be separated from the company of his relatives, and leave the life of this world. He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief. He who has drawn out the arrow and has become composed will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and be blessed."

By this story, its enlighten me everything (aside what "Buddha said"). Specially that, we can all encounter trial & triumphs in our life. Don't assume that your only one to experience hardhips in life. Beside we're the master of our lives so whatever arise to us, it is all because of the decision we made. Like the saying "Suffer the consequences" (correct me if I'm wrong :D ).

What I'm trying to convey...Christmas is approaching, right?? Everywhere, anywhere many people knocking each door of the house & the giving some envelop or a letter beseech for a donation or whatever it's written. For goodness sake!!! Indeed, Christmas is giving (well not only that time, anytime we want to) if all person that knock at our door there's nothing gonna be left for us (as if we're millionaire or we acquire more than we consume).

On a contrary, maybe we have more than they have___But I think, that's the way of their obstacle in life and we have our own as well. Like as I written above, we made that for ourselves so why aggravate others if they have their own issue and as if they 're the one accountable for it.

12 Days Of Christmas: Cold Breeze (Paglamig ng Hangin)

2010-12-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

Yipee!!! 12 days to go and it's CHRISTMAS again ^__^ All over the world are preparing a long awaited for this special holiday of the year. Young or old, woman or man, rich or unfortunate ones are happy for this day to come...

"Paglamig ng Hangin hatid ng Pasko na nanariwa sa'kin gunita..."or "Malamig ang simoy ng hangi, kay saya ng bawat damdamin..."(lyrics from pinoy x'mas song), Since the "Ber" month sneak (from Sept.- Dec.) we feel the cold breeze. And from that point of views, we apprehend that "Christmas is near" so everyone starting to counting down of days 'till Christmas. We felt this cold breeze most when December arrived, even at noon time it still cold.because of that we bathe using heater. And our sweaters or jackets that we cache are now out to use. We even adorn our house to establish Christmas spirits (Christmas tree, lights, latern, bells, etc)

Most of people all over the world are busy to alter this said special occasion (busy shoppers rushing around,gifts giving, x'mas caroling, parties, family reunion, etc). And it's only a justification for us to prepared for this holiday because we're happy to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. We may not know the real date of His birth but at least we commemorate Him, and we're thankful for His benevolence all the time.

A Date with my Family

2010-12-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, December 11, 2010____my mame (mommy), kuya (big bro.) and me had a date together. My mame & I went first to mall and latter with my kuya. It was already 2pm when my mom and I had our lunch at the food court of the mall located at the basement of it. And then we met by kuya. Then back to shop again :D

We bought clothes that can be use in all Christmas Party that we're invited (fab & friendly :D), New Year's Celebration (family reunion). And we even bought gifts, afterwards do the grocery. It's already past 10 when we done everything___shopping.

I'm not happy because what things we bought but the experience that can never be replace or buy. It's been long since anyway the last time we had this (back when we're young). Because we've been spending our time most in our work and even if we have spare time, we just want to take a rest.

Beginner ^__^

2010-12-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

It almost 24 hours since i made my own account in this site .So this gonna be my first attempt to write my own blog. Everyone have always have their "First Time" :D and I'm not familiar yet to navigate in this site. Which is which button to click: what is what that something to do in here.

I join here for a lot of reason:

1) To get busy of myself, I get easily bored when I'm home.

2) Maybe I can share some of my thoughts, from my friends (through our chit-chat bonding :D), interesting issues,topics that i read (internet,books,magazines,etc.),watch (TV,DVDs) or even from my daily life experience.

3) It increase my knowledge learn that can be useful to be a good human being by reading others blog, AND

4) To widen knowledge in vocabulary, composing good grammar in sentences,etc.

Well by the time goes by, I have might post several blogs that can be read and hope that some of the bloggers will apprehend my effort. Hoping that they can ascertain "some" of my topics fruitful. And definitely familiar in here.