Awesome Hank
The figure known around the world today as Santa Claus is regularly depicted as a rotund man who wears a red suit, runs a toy factory staffed by elves and flies the world once a year with a reindeer-drawn sleigh to deliver toys to good girls and boys who have made it onto Santa’s Nice List.
This image is known by millions of children in every part of the world. But how did it get started?
Our modern Santa was inspired by a real individual who was born in the area of the world now known as Turkey. Nicholas was born around 280 AD and was the only son of Epiphanus and Johanna, wealthy Christian parents who died in an epidemic when Nicholas was young. He was then raised by his uncle, who was the bishop of Patara.
Following the devout Christian beliefs of his parents and uncle, Nicholas gave away his inheritance to the poor and devoted his life to helping children and the poor.
When Saint Nicholas died, the anniversary of his death on December 6 became known as Saint Nicholas Day, a time of feasting and celebrating. But Saint Nicholas’ name and good deeds did not die with him. His legend spread far and wide. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him and because of the many miracles attributed to him, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker.
He was known by several other names, too. He is also known as Nicholas of Myra because he was the bishop of Myra, and his relics are in an Italian city named Bari, so he is also known as Nicholas of Bari.
The Dutch called him Sinter Klaas, a short version of Sint Nikolaas, and brought the name and the legend with them to the United States.
Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of New York City, and was mentioned in a book published by Washington Irving on Saint Nicholas Day.
But it was Clement Moore’s poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” that created Saint Nicholas’ image as “a jolly old elf” with a “little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.”
That image was strengthened by political cartoonist Thomas Nast, who used the jolly character in Moore’s poem for a series of cartoons he began drawing in 1863. In the cartoons that appeared in Harper’s Weekly, Nash drew Santa Claus with a beard and fur clothing. These images helped created the modern image of Santa. The illustrator also invented the elves, Santa’s wife and the idea that Santa lived at the North Pole
Today Saint Nicholas’ legacy continues to live in the hearts and minds of children who believe in the kindly gift-giving Santa Claus, who keeps track of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice and then rewards good children with gifts on Christmas Eve.
Parents can continue to keep the legend of Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus alive with santa letters from Christmas Letter Tips.com.
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Posted in Christmas · August 30th, 2010 · Comments (0)
Coming up with the perfect present for your mom or grandma during the holidays can be a challenge.
Many people buy generic gift baskets for these special women, but gift baskets aren’t always very personal. You can, however, turn them into terrific Christmas presents mom will love and Grandma Christmas gifts. How do you do this? You simply create your own basket filled with things she’ll like. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Books
Is your mom or grandma a reader? Books are great items to stuff into a gift basket because they give you an opportunity to show your favorite woman that you know what she likes. Romance novels? Mysteries? The latest celebrity autobiography? Try to pick something that has recently come out so you’re sure she won’t already have it.
T-Shirts
T-shirts are great items to add to gift baskets because they can be rolled so they don’t take up much room. But your mom or grandma can continue to enjoy them long after the holidays have passed. Look for shirts declaring “World’s Greatest Mom” or “I Love My Grandma.” You can also create personalized shirts online with your own photos or text.
Jewelry
Jewelry is always a great gift idea. If you’re buying an expensive ring or necklace, you can make it the center of the basket. If you’re buying something less expensive, you can simply arrange it with the other gifts. Pendants that show a mother and child figure or that have birthstones represeting her children or grandchildren’s birthdays will add a personal touch to the basket.
Chocolate, Coffee and Other Edibles
Adding some edible gifts, from chocolate or fruits to coffee or tea, is always a good way to fill your basket. If your mom or grandma has a sweet tooth, include some of her favorite types of chocolate candy. Or, better yet, bake some of her favorite cookies. She’ll appreciate the fact that you know she loves Hershey’s Kisses and likes Snickerdoodle cookies. If she’s a coffee or tea lover, try some gourmet flavors.
Engraved Boxes, Ornaments, Frames
To round out your basket, you might want to include a personalized, engraved frame, Christmas tree ornament or box to hold photos or other treasures. You can buy these online at stores specializing in personalized gifts. Be sure to order in advance so you’ll have it in time to include in your basket.
Any of these gifts would be nice when given alone, but they’re even better when mixed and matched together. You can even create a theme. For instance, if your theme is book lover, you might want to get a shirt that says something about books (such as “So many books, so little time”) and a necklace with a book. If your theme is coffee lover, you might want to include a mug instead of a T-shirt and buy a book with recipes for different types of coffee drinks.
Use your imagination and you can create a great Christmas basket she’s sure to love.
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Posted in Christmas · August 29th, 2010 · Comments (0)