Meaningful letters
Writing letters to Santa is one of the main entertainments for children at Christmas. With over 120,000 letters sent to Santa last year through the Australian post it’s now time to start thinking what to write in this years letter to Santa.
Sometimes kids write amazing things in their Santa letters. Instead of asking for a toy or a play thing they sometimes ask for things from Santa that are more heart felt and meaningful. And sometimes they write something very funny and amusing.
Do you remember anything you asked Santa for in a letter? What about anything amusing or special your children asked Santa for?
Has anybody in your family ever kept copies of Santa letters as a memento?
Where did Santa come from?
We all know that Santa lives in the North Pole…But where did he originally come from? The main question is…Where and how was Santa born?
Santa’s origins begin in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a very generous man who was particularly devoted to children. It is said that he wanted to give money to the poor but didn’t want them to know it was him, so one day he climbed on top of houses and dropped purses of money down the chimneys. Though he passed away and was buried he was later stolen in 1087 which increased his popularity.
The reputations of Saint Nicholas’ kindness grew so muc hthat people began to think that he could perform miracles. He became the patron saint of Russia where he became known for his flowing red cape and his pushy beard. He became known as a saint across many countries due to his generosity.
In Holland the legend of Saint Nicholas was kept alive and they spelt his name as Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes beside the fireplace at night and Sinterklaas would reward the good children by putting lollies in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought the tradition to America in the 17th century and the Anglican name of Santa Clause was brought about.
So after being born in the 4th century and having his remains stolen, Saint Nicholas has truly travelled across the globe to become the Santa Clause that we know today.
Nuts and Bolts ~ a recipe
Though it’s not a strictly Christmas recipe, it’s original and great fun for the kids.
My aunty made them last Christmas and I just couldn’t stop snacking on them! These addictive little treats are delicious, fun and very, very easy to make.
The ingredients are:
1 x 675 packet of Nutri Grain
1 x 45 grams packet of Cream of Chicken Soup powder
1 x 45 grams packet of French Onion Soup powder
2 teaspoons of mustard powder
1 tablespoon of curry powder
2/3 cup of Canola oil
500 grams of unsalted peanuts
One you have all this the making of Nuts and Bolts is extremely simple…
1. Warm oil in microwave for about 20 seconds
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a lidded container
3. Shake until the Nutri Grain is covered with the dry ingredients
4. Pour and stir in oil and shake some more
5. Keep stored in an air tight container
If the Nutri Grain goes a little soggy, simply heat in a moderate oven until they are crispy again.
If you don’t like peanuts you can change the recipe to cashews or even some mixed nuts. You could even throw in a broken up packet of 2 minute noodles to make Nuts, Bolts and Screws!
Great for a snack as everyone arrives or shares out presents at Christmas, or make little packets of it as gifts.
Nuts & Bolts can be added to any entertainer’s table.
Different celebrations around Christmas time
We have a very diverse Community here in Australia, and I thought it would be nice to have a post on different celebrations that are celebrated around the world at about the same time as Christmas.
Christmas – December 25th
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Though in most places the celebration is not considered to be the actual date of Christ, in most places around the world Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. Christmas Eve is the preceding day, December 24.
In Germany and other European countries, the main Christmas celebrations commence on the evening of the 24th. During the Christmas season, people traditionally exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees.
The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, an early English phrase that means Mass of Christ.
Hanukkah – starts December 21st
Hanukkah means “dedication” or “consecration”, and is also called “The festival of Lights”. It is a Jewish festivity that lasts eight days starting on the 25th day of Kislev which normally occurs late November or early December.
Eid-al-Adha – Muslim Holiday – December 19th
Eid-al-Adha or “the festival of sacrifice” is a three-day feast that follows the Pilgrimage to Mecca. It is a religious festival conducted by Druze and Muslims across the globe and is a commemoration of God’s forgiveness of Ibrahim (Abraham) from his vow to sacrifice his own son as was commanded by Allah.
Kwanzaa – December 26th
Kwanzaa (Quansa) is celebrated by many African-Americans. It is a week long festival that runs from December 26th through to January 1st.
It was started in 1966 by Doctor Maulana Karenga. Karenga established Kwanzaa as a means to help the African-Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of “African traditions” and “common humanist principles.” There are 7 principles of Kwanzaa, and each day represents a different one of the principles. First principle is Unity, followed by self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and lastly is faith.
Bodhi Day – usually December 8th
Bodhi Day (or Bodhi) is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, experienced enlightenment.
The prince, Siddhartha Gautama, left his home, family and all his possessions behind at the age of twenty-nine to go look for the meaning of life. After six years, and still not finding what he was looking for, he sat down under a pipal tree and vowed not to arise until he understood his purpose in life. He sat through the week, day and night, and on the eighth morning came to the realization which became the founding principles of what the world now calls Buddhism.
Crazy Customs
Last night, the TV show 20 to 1 featured the top 20 crazy customs we keep. And one of the customs they listed was putting up Chirstmas lights on the outside of our houses!
They showed many examples of decorated houses, including the incredible displays in Deck the Halls (2006 movie) and a Chevy Chase film from the late 80s. There were also a number of interviews with celebrities about what they thought of extravagant displays of Christmas lights.
It was interesting how some people were amazed at the time and expense people went to, while others thought it was part of the magic of Christmas. There was also mention of the competitive nature of Christmas lights in some places – one person has 20 lights so their neighbour has to put up 25, and so on!
Apparently, there is one Australian town (Casino in NSW) where a particular family is not allowed to put up lights anymore – well, at least not to enter the local lights competition as no one could ever beat their display! That doesn’t seem to fit the spirit of competition or Christmas!
There was no mention of communities and neighbourhoods that work together to provide Christmas joy – streets where there is unity so families can visit a number of displays in one place.
Does your area compete over Christmas lights or work together? Do you think one way or the other gets better or more impressive light displays?
Christmas carol lyrics…
When many Christmas carols are learned by hearing them and trying to figure out the words, it isn’t surprising that sometimes the words sung aren’t exactly as expected. Especially when teh singer is young and doesn’t always know the words or meanings of the songs to be able to judge their errors.
Here are some song errrors I’ve heard of – do you have any others?
- Frosty the snowman is a ferret elf I say
- You’ll go down in listerine (How’s that for commercialism taking over!)
- Olive, the other reindeer
- Sleep in heavenly peas
- Good tidings we bring to you and your kid
- Come, froggy faithful
Santa’s names
Have you ever thought about how many names Santa has? There’s not just Santa, Santa Claus or Mr Claus – there is quite a range and sometimes children get confused when Santa is called something else in a book or story.
Here are some of the most ocmmon names for the jolly man who loves chidlren and makes their Christmases special…
Santa Claus – or Santa for short – or Santo Clos (in Mexico)
St Nicholas – or St Nick for short (also spelt Nikolas)
Father Christmas or Pere Noel (in French) or Pare Noel (in Spanish) or Noel Baba (in Turkish)
Sinterklaas (Dutch variation of Saint Nicholas and believed to be the origins of Santa Claus))
Kris Kringle
Odin ( a Germanic God also associated with Christmas)
Tomte or Nisse (Nordic folklore names)
Neclaus
Grandfather Christmas
Grandfather Frost or Father Frost
Papai Noel (in Brazil) translates as Father Noah
Are there any others you know of?
Fruit mince
Fruit mince can be bought in any supermarket, but it is so much nicer to use home made mince when making puddings, cakes, fruit mince tarts and the like. So here is a simple recipe for fruit mince – good to make it in or before October for best results at Christmas.
Oh, and jars of mince can themselves be a lovely Christmas gift!
Home made fruit mince
1/3 cup raisins, chopped finely
1/3 cup currants
1/3 cup sultanas
1 Tbs mixed peel, finely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs butter (melted)
1 Tbs brandy
1 apple, grated
Mix the fruit and peel, then add the remaining ingredients. Once thoroughly mixed, bottle and seal tightly.
* a small amount of grated ginger is a nice touch
* it is best to sterilise your bottles before adding the mince – as easy as heating them in the oven or in a pot of boiling water. Be careful not to burn yourself.
What is your favourite fruit mince treat? Myself, I find it hard to go past a fruit mince pie, yum!
Christmas needlework
There is nothing more loving and special as a gift than something hand made specifically for the recipient. Of course, if they are skilled crafters, the gift is truly valuable, lol!
If you are anything like me, there is no way you could sit down in December and start making some lovely gifts for people – who has that much time in December?
So this year I figure I might get started early by starting some craft projects now when I am relaxed (holidays are wonderful things!) I found a few needlework projects relating to Christmas but then I figured it didn’t have to have a Christmas theme to be a Christmas present, lol, so I’m going to ‘catch a falling star’ instead.
And I’m also looking for inspiration for a scrapbooking page that I may create as a hanging picture for my parents and in laws. Figure its a unique gift for people who just buy anything they want or need during the year!
Mummy needs a stocking too…
I’ve been meaning to post this since Christmas!
This year, my kids decided that Mummy needed to have a stocking too, as Santa only brings gifts for kids. So, I gave them some shopping money (they’re 3 & 5 and don’t get pocket money yet), and they took their Oma to Chadstone to buy items for Mummy’s stocking. They made some great choices, include a Christmas angel with my name on it, a headband, a book to read, and some bubble bath.
On Christmas morning, we all had fun opening our stockings together, and the boys were so proud of the stocking they had put together for Mummy.
Christmas Lights in ACT
There is a lot of fun and delight to be had from Christmas lights, for the young and the young at heart! Some homes have lights in their tree, some have just a few lights visible to the world, but there is a growing number of homes (and businesses) that make a display every Christmas for many people to enjoy.
Next year, when you are thinking about where to go for some Christmas magic, try some of the magnificent light displays across the Australian Capital Territory.
Sharing…
Share the light displays you know of – give an address or directions to find the displays so other people can enjoy those lights, too.
Rank the displays as follows:
4 Santas – spectacular displays that are an event in themselves
3 Santas – displays that are worth taking a detour to on your way home
2 Santas – displays that locals should know about for choosing the best route home
1 Santa – nice displays that perhaps aren’t worth travelling to, but are enjoyable just the same
Christmas Lights in NT
There is a lot of fun and delight to be had from Christmas lights, for the young and the young at heart! Some homes have lights in their tree, some have just a few lights visible to the world, but there is a growing number of homes (and businesses) that make a display every Christmas for many people to enjoy.
Next year, when you are thinking about where to go for some Christmas magic, try some of the magnificent light displays across the Northern Territory.
Sharing…
Share the light displays you know of – give an address or directions to find the displays so other people can enjoy those lights, too.
Rank the displays as follows:
4 Santas – spectacular displays that are an event in themselves
3 Santas – displays that are worth taking a detour to on your way home
2 Santas – displays that locals should know about for choosing the best route home
1 Santa – nice displays that perhaps aren’t worth travelling to, but are enjoyable just the same
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