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Let me delight you with insights about the most famous Christmas poem ever “Twas the Night Before Christmas” By Clement C Moore 1823. It is not only magical but it transformed the world as we know it!

Let us start with the history of this famous poem. While known mostly today as “The Night Before Christmas” or “Twas the Night Before Christmas” which was taken from its first line, it was in fact originally called “A Visit from St. Nicholas”. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember that special holiday memory, that Christmas back in 1981 when your grandmother took your sister and you to visit relatives back in the mountains. Their simple but loving ways made an impression on you that has affected your life for good. Or, how about the time you visited your Dad on board his navy ship for Christmas dinner. You’ll never forget it as long as you live. Sometimes when you’re feeling a wee bit blue you can drag up one of those special memories and before you know it your imagination has you planning something just as unique and memorable with your family for the next holiday. The most important thing we have on earth is our relationships. Things don’t bring happiness, ask Hollywood, relationships bring happiness. Nurture them and life will be full filling, neglect them and you will regret it. Start now panning your next holiday memory and share it here for everyone else to enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

The “big gift” of the year is a Christmas gift announced on television that excites all kids to want it that year. Every year, this “big gift” is announced, and parents are urged by their children to start beating each other over the head to buy it. This is a scenario played out every single year, and each year it seems to get worse.

Is the fighting and inflated prices really worth the big toy of the year? Should you go out and battle others just to get a doll or an action figure? Read the rest of this entry »

Christmas is a time of presents and memories. Growing up, my wife Peg and I had different expectations at Christmas time. I was an only child until I turned fifteen, but Peg came from a family of seven children. Gifts abounded in my family. It was always easier than mentioning love, but it was our way of showing it. Gifts in Peg’s large family were limited, noise wasn’t. Gifts from both families were well thought out, however. Read the rest of this entry »

Today is Christmas Day Yr. 2007 - and it is customary to greet everyone (Family & Friends) the usual greetings: “Merry Christmas”. As a Catholic Nation, Filipinos mostly believe that Jesus Christ is the Son-of-God, sent by our Heavenly Father, to redeem the World from the clutches of Satan - and to bring Light and Love to a people (suffering and lost in darkness) and to open the gates of Heaven. Read the rest of this entry »

You may not feel like “Deck the Halls” this season.  A loved one’s poor health and all the changes that has brought into your life can put a damper on your holiday spirit.  Try these tips for easing the blues and enjoying the season:

No need to keep up all the family traditions.  Decorate simply, with just a few displays that are especially meaningful and spirit-boosting. Ask others to host or help with family celebrations. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some insights into “Christ” and “Christmas” that is really going to rock the foundation of this celebration as most people know it today.  According to Timothy Freke, philosopher, historian and best selling author in his book “The Jesus Mysteries” published in 1999 and co-written with Peter Gandy a classicist, Jesus is what he refers to as a “every man figure” and the stories surrounding him are purely teaching stories. His conclusion is that the Jesus story is a mythical story. Read the rest of this entry »

The real meaning of Christmas, the season of good cheer, is about giving
especially to provide some assistance to those who need help for their daily
survival and who therefore don’t have the material resources to enjoy the
Christmas season. The importance of giving to those in need during Christmas is
embodied in the story of Jesus’ birth, which is the reason it is
celebrated. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems every year, around Christmas time, a debate begins between Christians and the rest of the World over whether Christmas symbols should be displayed and the traditional greeting “Merry Christmas” should be used as opposed to something more inclusive, like “Happy Holidays.”  This debate reveals that both sides suffer a deep ignorance of the whole celebration.  All religions regard God as a distant, all-powerful being, whose presence and blessings we have to earn by certain religious practices.  This, predictably, places a barrier between those practicing a specific religion and all others.  Christmas celebrates just the opposite… an inclusive God who loves us all so much and wants to be so close to us, He becomes human and lives with us. Read the rest of this entry »

The first weekend in advent is the start of the Christmas season in Bavaria. In our village, Bayerisch Eisenstein, deep in the Bavarian Forest on border with the Czech Republic, this is how the season goes. This weekend, the decorations start to appear on and in people’s houses. Coloured lights are almost unknown here but white lights are quite widely used - strings of white lights draped around the balconies or cascading down like icicles, or draped around outdoor trees. The autumn decorations of greenery, pine cones and candles are dressed up. On the Saturday, there is an advent market in the Waidlerhuette, our local ‘village hall’, selling decorations, presents, cakes and biscuits, even home made schnaps. The ladies of the village bake huge quantities for every event and would put most WI markets to shame. They have even produced their own cookery book. Read the rest of this entry »