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Season’s Greeti(«s
Christfe legacy: ‘Love one another as I loved you’
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ANNUNCIATION (rater pral as Ctefh altarpiecet bo Robert Camp.. the Master as
Fterafc. TV Mtfrapabtin Mnii as Art. Tte Claistars Ctfcrtiwi.
Straw, ‘Staff of Lie,’ for decorations
Although the Egyptians hand-
Ifc a fl - - .h C .fcLX*
UIICJfICU lIICU nnO IWLWEV aKHI^
the banks of the Nile is early as
5000 BC. it was not until the
MiddteJVgss dittos material
for tV home.
.Moat were designed with re
prOpCl®*© SdteCto *n©Wl
which straw comes, is cotsidcitd
lobe “the Staff of Life." Others
showed rani scenes Mid mdodkd
wall hangings* wreaths, table cen
Yuletide joy and gloiy voiced
through festive cards, music
>« »—»- »«««
ly snjm
Through many cemriet,
Christmas cants have expressed
the joy and glory of tVYuletide
Modem composers, too, have
been inspired by the birth of the
Christ Child to create some of
their aaost celebrated works.
Mask for Christmas began
with musical prayers, or htaats.
of the Chretiau church. Carols,
and the fcthagr that have iaspired
them, have endured for centuries.
The word "carol," probably taken
(torn the Greek word "chores."
■nans a dance. Early medieval
carols, suitable for dancing. were
b °te LeSTS. ftrocis of Assisi
placed the first manger on display
at Greccio, Italy, complete with
living atimats and sttnaes of the
Holy Family. TV creche was
taken an in many churches ac
compared by singing of the Gos
pel message
Soon,piifiamiii fa |ta irting
out the events and composed
carols to sing with their Nativity
plays. Street caroling was bom
when tin actors coatiawcil their
Tinging as they studied down the
S °Jacopone da after
the da«h of St. Fkancts, was one
of *e greatest of the early com
Holiday superstitions
inte w!
SShiat caused bf good or
evil fates, Mmqt of iesc bebefs
hove been cost aside as aanjßs
ttssssns:
the 12
ike
Chrin—ff *«*«it>*
k\ tori lock to let any fae at
nm^\'r3r , «U» slay a
-
tcrpaeees end tnaß figures
A delightful story, dating back
to early Slavic days, tells of the
spiritual significance of straw.
To allow them to take part in the
grace of the Lord's humble birth,
hole children were not put to
sleep in their usual beds on
Christmas Eve. Instead, they
"ntWptttb deep <* a had of
straw!
And, as a reminder that all the
pleasures and special yoys of this
glorious holiday originated from
posers, and his carols were fa
mous all over Europe.
"OCome. All Ye FanhfaT'or
"Adeste Rdeles." owe of the
most popular of Christmas carols,
w as wntten by John Fritters Wade
in about 1742, a fact only recently
come to light.
"God Rest You Merry . Gen
tlemen," probably written about
the Mth century, or earlier, is a
great British favorite.
TV words to Night"
were written on Christmas Eve,
1818. by Father Josef Mohr, ms
tor of a church in Austria. The
same nude, the church organist.
Frau Gruber, composed the
musktjAd it was nrr if trd at
KKdteUbi hfass.
ith.n&— «h-., ~h .1 n
numps DfiX’iv. an /vmcrxaii
LMe Town of Bethlehem '* TV
19th century French composer
Adolphe Charles Adam wroae "O
Holyraght," and its ftaaihar En
|hsh words were written by John
Some of tV world's finest
jas aa
tka of wrfti holiday
In 1734, Johann Sebastian
Bach wrote his "Christmas
Oratorio," a set rtf sin cantatas
oonposed to V petfonaod one at
each of sitt services between
YouH lose a head before ant
Orisiis if you don't partake of
ill inrittoMa loHdw dlihi pud*
dag. Aad to relinearnce preisio
CvMR MU HKX NT OC RMOVH|
are burned
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hMKmi«w.idNta
facto! In >fa
ML Mjtw, it it Mwtdd*
*g St C £n
sgnfa.faßhiM Mat odttd
ha beared that a cherry Or*
C»ad Mok in dcwMiyear
the Hob Child, straw was spread
under Orisanas trees and on the
floor. Straw was used too, in the
manger where tee Christ Child
was first placed.
AMmigjk teteir aitetel impor
tance has lessened with the pass-
Sos time, straw oratrarwr are
popular as contemporary tree
and home decorations. Straw spi
rals, shenves of wheat and wham
sacai straw figures continue to ea-
Ktee traversal warmth and
of the season.
Christmas and the Epiphany. TV
texts are taken mostly from
Hnkiw and Lake. Today this
masterpiece is performed as a
single work.
George Friedrich Handel pre
sented his “Messiah" in ife
This work was completed in oady
24 days, an inctedMy shod time
considering dot it takes nearly
three hours to perform in its en
tirety.
Composers in dw 20th century ,
too, have written music arousal
the theme of the holiday. One of
the most familiar of these is
Menom's "Aaaahl and TV Night
Visitors,' originally comma
sumed for television, and now an
Oftetntirc«nptilKns are
B'fdiamin Britton's Christmas
Cantata. "St. Nicholas." and
Rdpk Vaughm Vims' "fto
task on Christmas Carols. “
And annong the aaost popular
classics are "Frosty the Snow
man," "Jingle Bells."
> JS- - j-a v -a- -sh-j vt 1 »h-:
NRijgi BK RCtHvWcQ fvCah
deer," "White Christmas." mi
"Santa CUus Is Coming To
Toum.”
Festive carols and mask wiH
always V a joyful part of Christ
to express their htopy^ndjnbitma
Why wreaths
used as decor
tot aost pagnfar
Its use cat be (raced to Me
Advent «md of UMm
■Mde k pofMbarwtdTcMerEjh
SiOri^Mw
wwi b aerie of t»tqw«s
wH fed rikfcsj®^%
Etonian. North Cteroian, Thursday. December 25, I*o
Nativity is symbol
of Christmas Spirit
And become to passim those days, AaAmwntMtdrmirjhw
Ciaenr dugnstus, domed dm world ihtmU be taxed, t Ami ibis taxing
was first raadr whmCyvwrar was governor of Syria. Mud atf wemto
hr mated, every one ran* tea mm <hy. And Joseph also went up from
(Mr, antefdmecityofNmmeedt, tern btem, mm he city <f David,
whhh is ended fletWrhem,' (teawr he sms «f Ate htmst ami lineage of
Omni:) To hr mated w(t May tea esponsed wife, being great mi
-A.4J
And so «r owns, iter, while they «w Jhrre. the days were <r-
Wttf stelP 'StertEffH W wPteoWB-, AMH sffC jWW War
firstborn son, mad wrapped him m swaddtmg clothes. and laid him in a
monger; became there wm mo room fir hem in he hm.
*
4m( tew unr m ter rate country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping wroth overdrew-pack by migfo. And. 10. the angel es the Lard
eeme i(m mad ter of ibf mated reboot them
and they were sareqfomd
And the angel said onto them. Fear net; for. beheld. I bring yea good
things vfgreeejm, which slmd be to att people. Fer unto yen is barn
this dry m the city es Dated * Stniemr, which is Christ the Lewd.
Lake 2:1-11
lbs «Iter snxy of a ample woman who fives hiith lo a son. while
may flora brae with her tetemd. k teds a story for all time, of the
Nativity, and Betel theta's hoar of glory.
The first men ho see rad worship Jears were te»e shepherds, lending
their sheep when tee Angel appeared with news of His hate. It seems
fining teat tee fast witnesses to the bate of Jesus Christ were men of
humble origin. They found Joseph, Mary and tee Child in the stable.
And they adored Hun
When they heard that tee So* of God was horn to Mary, rich and poor
bowed down in worship, A Star appeared heralding the miraculous
hate and graded the Three Wise Men to where Jesus lay. There tee
Magi presented imv gins im adored Him.
The Bible wanes tete three gifts: gold, a precious metal; frankincense
and mynh. valued for teteir raoewse There are nch. symbohe meanings
to these gifts, as well. Mmy church scholars interpret tee gold to mean
Love or Christ as Kh* of The World. Frankincense is considered to
mena prayer or Christ as Kmg of Heaves. The thorny myrrh means
Sl< ThH'L«pefc. tel tray htthe about Jesos' early years, hot Christians
everywhere tie familiar with Ms deeds and words, which demonstrated
His boundless k»we, mercy and charity. His teaching, solidly grounded
n the Old Tc mmrwt, oortes a message of Love. Love of God. Love of
Ota's neighbor.
The essence of Orisnamty is summed up in Christ's words (John
15 lIV ‘"These dungs have I spoken unto you. dm my joy might
reman in yon. and dot your joy ought be tel. Tins is my command
ment. That ye tea* owe another as I have towed you."
This B. Christ's legacy. Hb gift to the world!
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ahnarta centtny
PVtograph cnnrlasy nf TV Onhhamd (CaV) Museum.
Hints to help with
trimming that tree
it comm to wag Soto Md deoo
ntioos a » m..Mt an
..Jaw best to beat them. B
yoate an mr, Aate bMt ail be
hefafak
ndtoMfcw •£ tfaneriaefthe
height oftoe tree, tones riKwarih
Hat %w ejsds Me aate of
bdkjmtNi
foot Mat da to#t, Mas toe
Ma >Mb| MIM a da
bnMaa os ayari^an.
vww - w . --- *■- _ a-- a-_ -
wad w for nvotci mat wc*
IMpddni
srrSSES
"ngne" style Ran tom ai
Mfa *oa%of at* to Me baa,
tkssxs*-.
Lake 2:1-11
them to a wooden tame under the
To crease a spiral of lights, run
wo saands around tree ebageo-
oae clockwise, oae rota
aerefactonse.
Or drape straps ia wavy loops
fee a pit is at. afnranl look.
TMtd should aot just be tossed
over a see. Four to eight straads
tong a dre to of a branch give a
pactld, tcide effect.
Haag largest aad beoviest oa
aaoaeats a boaoaa of tree aad
agar stars as yea get toward the
age anting sate flaaaaMe or-
An citfaatinat ilinnk is lovely
aad eaay to do. Snags of pop
coan. ah of coaaa aad piae
Chokies towed Ike aas or
galas arwmnb adda'Wrey ~'
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\ DORATI ON Os 1 Ilf SHKPHERDS (center panel of triptych by Gerard David Tempera and
oil on wood. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Michael hriedsam Collection. 1931.
Visit from St Nicholas’
written as Christmas gift
by Marjorie Miller
“flippy Christmas to all. ami
to all a goad-night."
These heart-warming and
familiar words, so dear to all.
complete Clement Clarke
Moore's beloved poem. A Visit
from St. Nicholas.
Dr. Moore, a classical scholar
and part-tune poet, wtoae his im
moral and whimsical poem on a
cold Christmas Eve in 1822. as a
present he had promised to his
children
Clement Clarke Moore is best
remembered for having created
the tow popular image of Sana
Claus, that happy, portly, white
bended figure, dressed in fur,
smoking a pipe, and carrying a
bulging sack of toys over his
shoulder. It is thought that an old
Dutch handyman who (hove Dr.
Moore 's sletgh the night the poem
was written was tV model for tV
cheiubk Santa figure.
Imagine how delighted the
Moore children must have been
with this colorful tale How capti
vated. as their father read. "Now
Dasher! now. Dancer! now,
Ptancer and Vixen! On! Comet,
on! Cupid, on! Deader and
Btitzen."
TV young family memorired
the poem they loved so. although
Dr. Moore thought fink of it and
relegated it to a desk (hawer.
Sometime after the holiday, a
faintly acquaintance, intrigued
with the fascinating and spell
banding tale, sent a copy to her
local newspaper, where it was re
primed. Unfortunately. she forgot
to say who had written the de
lightful poem, and far some years
it was repruned "anonymously"
in other papers and magaxmes.
Later, in the 1860's. Thomas
Nast, an Americtti poftkil car
toonist, created the rotund, bodty
Santa we know, in his fur
trimmed red suit.
Some gift shopping ideas for those special people
Tis Berner To Give . . .
thaa to receive. Aa old
adage that tags trwe, anreso a
the holiday season tbaa aavy other
late of die year. Smarting at
sanaai gifts caa add a spirit of
advtatate to holiday stopping.
Small shops aod colorful
boutiques with unique items
abnuad ia abaott every city «ad
tow*. Tty to set soaae extra twwe
aside far brows iag before you
sing. YoaH enjoy it. aad your
Although better known for his political cartoons, Thomas Nast
also drew this charming scene of Santa Claus waiting for the
children to go to bed on Christmas eve. TV drawing appeared
m Harper’s Weekly, January 3,1874. Courtesy of the New York
Historical Society , New York City .
A collection of verse printed in
1837. called 7*e New York Book
of Poetry, carried Dr. Moore's
poem with his name. And it was
also included in a volume of Dr.
Moore's poems, printed in 1844.
Although he did not consider 4
Visit from St. Nicholas a signifi
cant poem, it eclipsed all his other
writings on the Bible and classical
literature.
Clement Moore never received
a single penny in royalties from
his poem, although it has been
reprinted countless thousands of
friends win appreciate the extra
(bought aad effort
For a handcrafts-ophile you
could choose a small loom and
some unusual yams in interesting
textures aad shades. An ait huff
wiH surety cherish a carved Afri
cm tribal mask
And how about filling a tiny
wicker basket with preny ribbon
sachets, in a variety of floral and
spice scents! Most health food
anil apothecary shops stock these.
Season’s Greetings
times. Almost every American
child, and millions of other chil
dren all over the world, have been
delighted by this endearing clas
sic.
There is no estimating how
many people have read or heard it
in the dozens of languages in
which it has appeared.
Dr. Clement Clarke Moore has
been likened to the kindly,
humorous figure he gave to the
world, a man who brought joy to
others and whose own reward was
the happiness he left as his legacy.
made from natural ingredients.
A store that sells old clothing
usually has beaded pouches that
make really wonderful evening
bags. And old crystal chokers and
rope necklaces come in beautiful
irndcsccnt colors'
Many of these same saves have
barely worn Chinese kimonos that
can double as housecoats and as
soft wraps over evening cloahev
You’re hound lo come up with
lots of clever klcas. so have fan!