Flair For Writing Issue 13-Christmas

Flair For Writing Issue Thirteen
Editor: Megan Rose Princess Megan Rose 10 Years
Assistant Editor: Angel Angel
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Greetings Everyone! Angel and I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. Angel made Thanksgiving Dinner for her Sweetie Phillip, son Robert, mother and sisters. I made Thanksgiving Dinner for my husband and I. It took the turkey 9 and 1/2 hours to bake but I think I started him out too low but it was good when it got done.

Christmas. Can you believe it? It's almost time. Snow, Santa, Presents, Mistletoe, Christmas Trees. Sigh. Angel and I just love Christmas. Where I live, there is a Christmas Tree Farm and two real live reindeer! A male and a female one. Rudy and Angel. Not our Angel but a reindeer named Angel. She's friendly but the male one has a wild look in his eye. They are beautiful. You just have to love them.

I'm sure we all have Christmas memories. One of my best ones is when Dad was in the Air Force and we lived in Arkansas and my grandparents came to spend Christmas with us. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and there was Grandma holding the Calico Cat, Fluffy that I loved so much when I stayed with her in the summers! The cat and I were happy to see each other. I was glad to see my grandparents, too. Fluffy passed on years ago but I'm sure I will see her again someday along with my grandparents. It was a great Christmas that year.

This month, Angel and I would like to share some interesting Christmas info about Christmas history and traditions. We hope you will enjoy these items.

The first Christmas celebration in what was later to become the continental United States took place in St. Augustine, Florida{a really neat town. I've been there} in 1565. Old documents state that Father Fraqncisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales presided over a Christmas service held at the Nombre de Dios Mission that year. The Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Leche now marks this location. The town of St. Augustine boasts of being the oldest settlement founded by the Spanish, which is now the United States. St. Augustine has a old fort where the Spanish had their headquarters, so to speak. They also have a neat black and white lighthouse which is a neat site, too.

In Jamestown, Virginia, a ragged band of Englishmen huddled together on Christmas morning in 1607. Out of 100 people that had settled here, only 40 people were stil alive to celebrate Christmas in the New World. Captain John Smith, the leader wasn't here for the celebration. He had left them to barter for food with the Indians but he was lucky to have come back alive. Pocohontas, the young Indian woman came to his defense and he bought back some food. Christmas Day was observed with little food and an Angelican worship service by the grateful settlers.

In Virginia, Maryland and the Carolinas, the majority of early settlers were of English descent. As their way of way became more secure in the second half of the seventeenth century, they reproduced the Christmas of their homelands. They celebrated with feasting, drinking, card playing, horse racing and other games. Church services were offered but they didn't play a big role in Christmas celebrations.The wealthy southerns had bountiful feasts, fox hunts{Boo!} and open hospitality. George Washington{who later became President} hosted a Christmas Banquet and served: turtle soup, oysters, crab, codfish, venison, boiled mutton, suckling cornbread, cakes, pudding, biscuits, fruits and pies. Wines and a special drink: EGGNOG completed the Christmas feast. Most wealthy parents didn't give presents to their children. Instead, small gifts were given to servants and slaves by the wealthy plantation owners. Southern colonists transported a number of old English Christmas customs to the New World including: Christmas Carols, Yule logs, kissing under the mistletoe and decking homes with greenery. Many religious people ignored the day altogether. Ones who did celebrate did so without Santa Claus, gift exchanging, Christmas Cards and Christmas trees. In the next two centuries, Christmas celebrations included Santa Claus, presents, Christmas cards and Church services.

Gingerbread

The term "gingerbread" encompasses a variety of sweet, spicy cookies, cakes and breads. These foods originated in medieval Europe at a time when ginger was especially popular. Gingerbread has been used as a popular spice for centuries for celebrated occasions. It has been a favorite Christmas treat for centuries.

Gingerbread was used for stomach distress as well as to favor sauces. After the fall of the Roman Empire, ginger was hard to come by due to trade routes being dissolved. Spice merchants pit a high price tag on gingerbread. The treat became rare and the only wealthy could afford to buy this sought after treat after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Chopped fruits began to replace gingerbread in cakes and breads but gingerbread was still the preferred ingredient. It was only enjoyed by those who could afford it. Gingerbread cookies became popular when the ginger dough and ingredients were cut into GINGERBREAD MEN. These are still a cute, preferred treat today. Germany came up with this idea as well as the popular Gingerbread Houses. The Gingergread House played an important role in the fairy tale HANSEL AND GRETEL. In the US gingerbread men, cookies and houses are still popular. Sometimes, cookies briefly serve as ornaments for the Christmas Trees before they are eaten.

Angel and I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas Newsletter. There will be another one out in 2 weeks. We will talk about angels and Christmas Trees. If you have any ideas you would like to share, E-mail Megan or Angel. In the meantime, enjoy Christmas shopping and decorating. Love and Hugs: Megan and Angel

All sigs and images done by Angel.

Items of interest for your reading pleasure:

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ID: 724921   (Rated: E) The Animals and Christmas  A poem about the animals talking about the first Christmas. by Princess Megan Rose 10 Years

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