Your Are in Danger of Losing the Christmas Spirit When . . .

You are in danger of losing the Christmas Spirit when. . .
by Barbara M. Barthelette

1. One of the children says he/she only wants one thing for Christmas . . . and it costs $300.

2. The children want to know Santa’s e-mail address.

3. The Christmas cookies are eaten up as they exit the oven.

4. You start receiving the same fruitcakes you sent to all the relatives.

5. Your husband asks what date Christmas falls on this year.

6. You get ten minutes notice that three of your children are not only in a Christmas play but require costumes.

7. You find a front parking place at the mall on December 23rd and discover you left your checkbook and credit cards at home.

8. You get out the Christmas decorations and discover the missing eggs from the Easter egg hunt.

9. Your twelve year old announces that he still believes in Santa . . . and he want a computer for Christmas from St. Nick.

10. You ask the children to put on some Christmas music and you hear cats giving a rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Christmas Anticipation – Christmas Memories

Although new Christmas memories are to be cherished, who doesn’t have one that is the comparison of every other one they ever experience? I know the childhood years put a special glow on those memories, but I have yet to experience or replicate one I enjoyed in my youth.

As far back as I can remember, we had a set ritual for Christmas Eve. while my mother stayed home to rest up for Midnight Mass, my father would take me to visit relatives and to sing a specially learned Christmas song for the nuns at the convent. It was always a very anxious evening for me because when we got back home, the Christ Child would have already been there and we would have Christmas! In our family, the Baby Jesus brought the Christmas surprises.

I could never, however, understand my parents. Why would anyone want to leave the house when this momentous event was taking place. I wanted to sneak a peek at the Christ Child. I figured if we stayed home, maybe the festivities would get an early start. We could have more time before Midnight Mass! My mother, for some reason, was very adamant about getting us out of the house for most of the evening. No matter how I approached my father about the matter, he persisted in supporting my mother in this yearly folly.

I thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas Eve visit to my Great Aunt and Uncle. They had treats, candy and gifts for us to take home. There were exceedingly kind but the visit seemed to drag. The grown ups were very placid about it all and my anguished eye contact and gestures of ‘let’s go now!’ to my father, only received gentle smiles.

The nuns at the convent always welcomed our arrival. They exclaimed over the cookies we brought and seemingly spent hours rounding up the other nuns to listen to my carefully memorized Christmas hymns. I sang carefully but swiftly and was chagrined when the nuns asked for more than one encore.

I needed no coaxing to pile back into the car for the return trip home Our tour of duty was worth it, however, and the hours spent in anticipation of Christmas were forgotten the minute we pulled into the driveway and saw the candle-lit tree shining through the window. I were suddenly shy because the Christ Child had once again been there for us!

When we entered the house, I usually discovered my mother just exiting from the bathroom where she said she had been most of the two hours we had been gone. She was always as surprised as I was to see the transformed living room. She, too, was a bit sorry not to have caught the Christ Child in action. She did say that once she thought she had heard an angel giggle. If only she had not been in the tub, she often exclaimed, she would have checked this out.

When I was eight years old, my father was serving a year-long tour of duty in Morocco. It was the first year our family would not have the holiday together. Having reached the mature age of eight, I was starting to have a few suspicions about Christmas Eve, especially my parents involvement. I was curious to see how my mother would pull off this holiday without an accomplice.

Christmas Eve my mother took me on the usual round of visits. She seemed very calm and not the least anxious. Our last visit was to friends and we spent an enjoyable hour there. I played with their children and talked excitedly about Christmas expectations. Soon my mother appeared at their bedroom door and said it was time to head home.

As we pulled into the driveway, I peeked out the car window and there was the Christmas tree sparkling through the curtains. The presents were there, the candles were lit and I truly believed in it all for a few more years. There was no explanation for our miraculous Christmas Eve.

Years later, my mother became unable to care for herself and I had to find alternative care for her. In cleaning out her home, I came across a treasure—all the letters she had sent to my father when he was stationed in Morocco. I found out how she coped on her own that long year and I found out how she managed that special Christmas Eve.

My discovery didn’t mar my memories in the least. Instead of a bit of magic it was a gift of a childhood miracle. I can’t remember what I received in the way of material presents that year. I do remember the warmth I felt and still feel in the glow of the candle light my mother provided for me.

Barbara Barthelette

Christmas Crafts – Tis the Season All Too Soon!

Working on Christmas crafts. Yes, it is ONLY the end of August but, count the days, we will be sitting down to turkey dinners before you know it and realizing the Christmas Season is around the corner. Lots of opportunities for creativity at the various stores. The plain, cutouts and little boxes provide a lot of empty space to fill with paint and faux jewels.

Father’s Days Around the World

Culled from a surf of the Internet, some fun facts, trivia, and items of interest on Father’s Day. First of all, Father’s Day isn’t celebrated on the same day around the world although Fathers do have their special day in most countries.

On February 23rd, in Russia, they have Defender of the Fatherland Day. This holiday celebrates people who are serving or were serving in the Russian Armed Forces. More recently, however, the celebrations include all men and gives the males equal time to the International Women’s Day which is celebrated on March 8th.

On March 19th, Adnorra, Bolivia, Honduras, Italy, Liechtenstein, Portugal, and Spain set aside this day to honor their fathers.

The Sixth week following Easter Sunday (Ascension Day) is the day set aside for dads in Germany.

Constitution Day or June 5th, is the day for Denmark.

South Korea is the only country claiming May 8th for Father’s Day.

Romania, Austria, Belgium gives honor to their male parents on the Second Sunday of May.

The third Sunday in June is a busy day for families and fathers in Togo, Afghanistan, Antigua, Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela,and Zimbabwe.

El Salvador celebrates on June 17th. Iran celebrates on June 18th. Jordan, Syria, and Uganda have the 21st, Nicaragua and Poland, June 23rd,

Lithuania had the first Sunday in June. Haiti sets aside the Last Sunday of June.

There are some July Father’s Day celebrations, too. Dominican Republic claims the last Sunday in that month. Uruguay has the Second Sunday of July.

In August, Brazil honors the second Sunday while Nepal has New Moon Day, also known as Amavasya, which happens in late August or early September.

Taiwan is alone with staking out August 8th for Father’s Day. The Second Sunday in August belongs to Somoa.

The First Sunday of September is for Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Luxembourg has the First Sunday in October and seems to be the lone country designating that date.

The Second Sunday of November belongs to Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

As they say, last but not least, Thailand has December 5th.

Mother’s Day in Any Language!

In the United States, we will be celebrating Mother’s Day tomorrow. Mother’s Day is considered a national holiday and probably accounts for the most flowers and candy purchased for the entire year! It, at least, comes in a close tie with Christmas and Valentine’s day. Traditions for these festive occasion usually include flowers, candy, phone calls from children grown and far away, chores taken on by the family, dinner out and if you are especially blessed, breakfast in bed! In the Catholic Church, a added benefit of the day, are special Masses and prayers offered for mothers throughout the month.

In Australia, Mother’s Day falls on the same day as in the United States. There is that matter of the time difference which means Australia is always ahead of us in getting into the next day but we won’t worry about that as long as the mothers are celebrated and remembered! There is a tradition in Australia of wearing a carnation on Mother’s Day. A colored flower indicates that a person’s mother is living and a white one is worn to honor a deceased mother.

Just as in the United States, Mothers Day in Canada is a most popular festival after Valentine’s Day and Christmas. And, as in the United States, the commercial side of the world does good business with offerings of Mother’s Day cards, candy, and flowers!

In France, Mother’s Day is on the last Sunday in May. Usually, the family gathers for a special dinner and dessert is a beautifully decorated cake to mark the occasion. The cake is usually frosted to look like flowers – tasty and beautiful.

For less than a decade, India has been celebrating Mother’s Day. It has, however, in that short a time, grown to be a successful and lovingly anticipated holiday celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Like other countries, India takes the time to appreciate mothers and surprise them with gifts and thanksgiving for having them in their lives. The stores and restaurants have many options for the day. Seemingly, the quick way the country has accepted the concept of Mother’s Day shows that it will soon be considered a day of national celebration.

Mothering Sunday in Ireland is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent. The history behind this chosen day on the calender goes back to the medieval practice when poor families had to send their children to work as apprentices or house servants. Every year, in the middle of Lent, the children were given one day off to visit their “Mother Church” and ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary in their lives. After paying their respects to the Mother of God, the children visited their mothers and gave them flowers that gathered on their walk home. Flowers and cards are generally the signs of appreciation given to the mothers of Ireland on their day.

Mother’s Day in Mexico has a fixed date and always falls on May 10th each year. Mother’s Day is a widespread and colorful celebration in the country. Sons and daughters begin the festivities the day before by visiting their mothers on May ninth. There is a special Catholic Mass offered for the mothers. The song played by the various bands and orchestras involved in the celebrations is “las mananitas”.

This is the morning song
that King David used to sing
Today being the day of your saint, we sing it to you

Wake up my dearest, wake up, see now that the day has dawned
the sparrows are singing, the moon has finally set.

How lovely is this morning, when I come to greet you
we all come with joy and pleasure to congratulate you.

The very day you were born all the flowers first bloomed
and in the baptismal font all the nightingales sang.

The dawn has come my darling, and the sunlight is here for us.
Rise up and shine with the morning and you’ll see that here’s the dawn.

In South Africa, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May. The families of South Africa take the true meaning of the holiday very seriously in celebrating their mothers with thanks, love, and care on their day. The little children carefully made heartfelt homemade gifts. They also remember that it is not just mothers who should be honored on this day but grandmothers and the women in their lives that have been like mothers to them.

The Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic calendar falls on December eight. In Spain, they also celebrate Mother’s day on that date paying tribute not only to their mothers but to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Seems an appropriate and loving way to honor both our heavenly Mother and the mothers God has blessed us with on earth.

The United Kingdom celebrates Mothering Sunday which falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Interesting to note that the UK has a history of celebrating mothers much earlier than in the United States. In the 1600’s, the UK was the first country in the world to put aside a day specifically for mothers. The tradition of Mothering Sunday stopped with the Industrial Revolution in England when life patterns and working conditions underwent so many changes. In today’s world, the original meaning of Mothering Sunday has disappeared and is now celebrated much like the United States version.

Mother’s Day . . . From the Beginning!

Believe it or not, Mother’s Day can actually be traced back to ancient Roman and Greek times. There is also a beginning history in the United Kingdom where a day called Mothering Sunday was celebrated long before it was celebrated in the United States. But, who are we to thank for the existence of Mother’s Day in our world today? Names that are probably not familiar to any of us up until now . . . Julian Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis who worked to see this day come into existence.

Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated in 46 countries. Millions of people take advantage of this day to honor their mothers for their efforts in giving them life and life-long support. As we, mothers, know, raising children never stops even when they grow up!

To get back to the ancient origins of Mother’s day: In Greece there was an ancient spring festival that was dedicated to maternal goddesses. You can find mention of these gods and goddesses in Greek mythology but, basically, the day was used to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus as well as the mothers of many other mythological deities. Interesting note: Rhea’s husband, Cronus, made it a practice to swallow their children! Being a good mother, Rhea finally figured out a way to trick Cronus into swallowing rock instead of her current newborn thus saving her son, Zeus. Ah, family memories!

About 250 years before the Birth of Christ, the ancient Romans also had a spring festival. This day was dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. Her special day was call Hilaria. Cybele was a goddess around which the Romans had a rather bloody Phyrygian cult. Cybele was also known as Magna Mater or great Goddess. Glad we’ve switched from sacrificial bulls to flowers for the Mother’s Day we know today!

Naturally, the Early Christians had a Mother’s Day of sorts on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The English were the ones to expand this celebration to include all mothers and called it Mothering Sunday.

The ‘pioneers’ of Mother’s Day? Julian Ward Howe suggested the idea in 1872. She was an activist, writer and poet. Even if we don’t recognize her name, we all know the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” which is credited to her. Ms. Howe originally suggested June Second be celebrated as Mother’s Day and wanted it dedicated to peace. She tirelessly fought to make Mother’s Day official. Although her idea was well-taken, it was replaced by Mother’s Day being celebrated in the month of May as it continues today.

Although never married, Anna Jarvis is, today, recognized as the Founder of Mother’s Day in the United States. She is known as the Mother of Mother’s Day which seems fair for a woman who worked long and hard to provide this annual day of honor to all mothers.