St. Nicholas Day is today, a December 6 holiday. Yes, there really was a Christian Saint Nicholas. He lived in the country of Greece, just a couple hundred years after the birth of Christ. This day is in honor of Saint Nicholas and his life. Saint Nicholas became a priest, and later, a Bishop of the early Catholic Church. True to the Christian concept of giving up belongings and following Christ, St. Nicholas gave up all of his belongings. He was well known for giving to needy people, especially children. There are many stories and tales of him helping out children in need.

The practice of hanging up stockings originated with Saint Nicholas. As the ancient legend goes, Saint Nicholas was known to throw small bags of gold coins into the open windows of poor homes. After one bag of gold fell into the stocking of a child, news got around. Children soon began hanging their stockings by their chimneys “in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there”.

It wasn’t until the 1800’s that the spirit of St. Nicholas’ life evolved into the creation of Santa Claus. And, this happened in America. Santa Claus emerged (or evolved) from the stories and legends of St. Nicholas. Santa Claus was kind and generous to children. Unlike “St. Nick”, Santa Claus is largely a non-religious character. Although hs does have roots in Christianity.

The three pictures on this page, are a good example of the evolution from St. Nicholas and his practices, through to the arrival of Santa Claus and the traditions of modern-day Christmas.

Have a happy St. Nicholas Day.

Make Cut Out Snowflake Day is here and now. Aren’t you happy that this December 27 holiday has finally arrived!? Here’s a day to show your crafty skills, as you make paper snowflakes. Cutting out snowflakes is a great project for kids. However, you don’t have to be a kid, to have fun making paper snowflakes. It’s a skill that is practiced by many people. They say no two snowflakes are alike. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, that there are seemingly countless different snowflake designs. Templates abound, from fast and easy patterns to intricate time-consuming designs to challenge the most practiced snowflake maker.

This is a great after-Christmas project for your kids. After all the excitement, the kids settle down, if only for a few minutes, and work on a fun art project at home. Most of the winter is ahead of us. So, the snowflakes make a great decoration for your home or your child’s room. The holiday decorations will soon be stored away until next year. But, you can leave the snowflakes p until spring.

So, if you like snow…bring it on! Bring out the paper and scissors and cut out some paper snowflakes on this very special Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day.

Today is Santa’s List Day a December 4 holiday. Santa Claus has a “Nice List” and a “Naughty List”. You never want to get on the naughty list. Have you been good all year? Have you been naughty? Or, have you been nice? Santa knows the answer. He always knows. Santa, with the help of his elves, creates the first draft of these lists by December 4 each year. Thanks to the hard work of his elves, Santa Claus creates and updates the two lists. The short list contains the names of a few children who have been naughty. A much longer list is filled with the names of children who have been good all year long.

Santa’s Elves are everywhere, checking up on children all over the world, to see who has been naughty, and who has been nice. Don’t try to see them, they are very clever in hiding as they watch to see who is naughty and who is nice. They are watching all of the time. The elves help Santa Claus to update the “Naughty List” and the “Nice List”.  Changes are made to the list as needed, all the way up to about an hour before Santa leaves in his sled to deliver toys to children on the “Nice List.”

Which list are you on, Naughty or Nice? Kids….. make sure to be especially good around the holidays. That’s when parents need children to be on their best behavior, as they are busy preparing for the holidays. The ever-present elves will take notice and report your good behavior to Santa Claus at the North Pole. 

We hope you have a joyful and Happy Santa’s List Day!!!!

Are you who you think you are? What exciting, fascinating, and famous people are in your family tree!? Were any of your ancestors involved in historic events? Celebrate your genealogy, as today is Roots Day. This December 23 holiday is a great day to celebrate your heritage. Many of us are returning to our roots today, as we head home for Christmas. Returning to our roots is a warm, cozy, and comfortable feeling. It’s a sense of belonging.

A hobby and a quest: Many people get caught up and become captivated with researching and uncovering their family roots. This hobby is the study of Genealogy. Genealogy can take interesting twists and turns. We often discover our ancestors come from exciting and fascinating places. We find we are related to famous people in history. Sometimes, we come upon dead ends in our genealogical family tree. Other times, we find a distant relative who has performed some of the very same research. The result of the encounter could provide you with huge sections of the family tree, literally handed to you.

Be prepared to find amazing facts about your roots. Some will be wonderful, like having a World War II hero in your family tree. Or, you may discover and correspond with distant relatives on your family tree. Sometimes, you find disturbing things like a murderer or criminal among your ancestors. Either way, use Roots Day to learn about your roots. And find out more about who you are and who your ancestors were.

Today’s Reading: Roots, by Alex Haley

Today is National Roof Over Your Head Day. This December 3 holiday is a day of appreciation for the things we have, starting with the roof over our heads. Even if it’s not a great house, as long as the roof keeps you warm and dry, you are better off than those who are homeless in the world.

For most of us, a roof over our heads signifies living in a house that protects us from the elements, keeping us warm, dry, and cozy. Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as you and I. There are many homeless people right here in our country. Some people live in a cardboard box on the street…… literally. There are millions of people around the world who live in poverty or disaster areas and do not have a home to keep them comfortable and safe.

Did You Know? There are over 500,000 homeless people in the United States and millions around the world.

Happy National Roof Over Your Head Day!

Today is Roast Chestnuts Day, a December 14 holiday. Aren’t you excited!? Every Christmas holiday we all sing about “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire….” But, have you ever roasted chestnuts!? It may surprise you to know that some people have never even tasted a chestnut. How unfortunate for them!! Don’t you think it’s time you gave them a try!? For those new to this healthy and nutritious nut, use this holiday to enjoy your first chestnuts. Simply roast some chestnuts today. Without a doubt, you will be glad that you did. 

If you’ve never roasted them during the holidays before, then you can start a new holiday tradition. Roast them in the early evening, so they will be done in time for an evening snack. They go great with a cup of hot chocolate by the fireside.

With the holidays rapidly approaching, take a few minutes to roast chestnuts. Make sure to roast enough to share with family, co-workers, and friends. You can even wrap some up and include them in gift baskets.

National Prohibition Repeal Day is today, a December 5 holiday. It commemorates the repeal of the 18th Amendment. Once more, Americans were free to buy, sell, and consume alcoholic beverages. No more bathtub beer. I’ll drink to that!

In the early 1900s, many of the good people of America believed that alcohol was the root cause of many social ills in the country. Prohibition on a national scale was promoted in part by the American Christian Women’s Temperance Union. This movement grew in popularity. Ultimately, the United States Congress passed the 18th amendment on January 16, 1919. The 16th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, transportation, sale, and consumption of alcohol. It took effect on January 17, 1920. Countless Americans engaged in the legal sale of alcohol were out of work. 

The ban on alcohol did little to improve the social conditions of the country or to reduce crime. Rather, crime increased as racketeers and bootleggers got into the business of making and selling alcohol. The popularity of the 18th Amendment waned. More and more people and groups sought its repeal.  

Congress passed the 21st Amendment, effectively repealing the 18th Amendment. On December 5, 1933, the State of Utah voted its approval of the 21st Amendment, achieving the 3/4 of the states needed to approve this amendment. Thus, on this day, the 18th Amendment was formally repealed.

Important Note: While Repeal Day certainly is a day to have a drink in celebration of our rights and freedoms, we should always remember to drink responsibly.

This December 25 holiday is a very, very special day. In addition to Christmas, it’s National Pumpkin Pie Day. This holiday celebrates one of America’s favorite pies. Pumpkin pie is steeped in holiday tradition. The peak consumption period for pumpkin pie begins at the fall harvest and lasts through to the Christmas meal and dessert.

One might wonder why celebrate this holiday on Christmas Day. If any holiday can steal a little attention from Christmas, it is National Pumpkin Pie Day. Unfortunately, we have yet to find the creator of this day. So, the timing remains a mystery. However, we are thankful for this special recognition and will certainly have a little pumpkin pie with our whipped cream today. 

Did you know? There are at least two Christmas songs that sing the tradition of eating pumpkin pie for the holidays. Those songs are :

• Home for the Holidays 
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Recipe of the Day: Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Happy National Pumpkin Pie Day

….oh, and Merry Christmas, too!

Pepper Pot Day is today. This December 29 holiday. It commemorates the creation of this thick spicy soup, which was served to the Continental Army during the cold, harsh winter of 1777-1778.  Pepper Pot soup, also spelled “Pepperpot”, was first made on December 29, 1777. The soup is popular in Pennsylvania where it is called Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup. It is also a popular dish in the south. This soup has roots in Guyana, where it is also popular.

According to the legend………..

During the Revolutionary War, the Continental army camped at Valley Forge.  The winter was cold and harsh. Conditions were deplorable. Often, food was scarce. George Washington asked his army’s chef to prepare a meal for the army that would both warm them and boost their morale. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat, and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other spices and ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as “Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot and somewhat spicy soup was well received by the troops. It was called “the soup that won the war”.

Celebrate Pepper Pot Day by making some Pepper Pot soup for the family. Note: while tripe was the main ingredient of this soup, you can substitute it with chicken, pig, or beef.

Oatmeal Muffin Day is today, a December 19 holiday. on this food holiday, enjoy the cholesterol-lowering benefit of oatmeal in your muffins. That’s great news… eating something that tastes good and is also healthy for you. During the holidays, we’re usually eating high-fat, high-sugar, and high in cholesterol foods. So, it’s good to eat these healthy oatmeal muffins.

Unlike many other December holidays, this special day is not steeped in tradition. To the contrary, we have found no information about this day. But, it is clear to us, that eating these muffins will fulfill the objective of this day. Of course, baking the muffins yourself adds to the enjoyment and pleasure of this day.

Have a couple of oatmeal muffins and have a Happy Oatmeal Muffin Day!!!