| ST. NICKAs the story goes, Jolly ol' Saint Nicholas was | | | | stable.STOCKING STUFFERSThe original idea for |
| a real guy from Myra in the country of Turkey. He | | | | stocking stuffing came from kids leaving carrots and |
| was a 4th Century bishop made famous when he | | | | turnips in their shoes for Santa's horse or donkey, long |
| heard the story of three Italian maidens whose families | | | | before he was known to have reindeer. Santa would |
| had fallen on hard times. Their father couldn't afford to | | | | gratefully take the snacks for his stead and replace |
| have all three of them get married, so he was | | | | them with treats for the giving children.CANDIED |
| considering selling one of the daughters into slavery to | | | | CANEThe red and white striped holiday pacifier has |
| pay for the other two to have weddings. Well, as you | | | | been around for several centuries. Parents have long |
| can imagine that's a pretty bad deal for anyone and | | | | been giving their children white sugar sticks to keep |
| St. Nick decided to help the family out. One night he | | | | their yaps shut, then in the 1670's an industrious |
| snuck up on their roof and secretly tossed three bags | | | | German choirmaster bent the sticks to resemble |
| of gold down the chimney. With his gift all three | | | | shepherd staff. With their somewhat holy interpretation, |
| daughters were able to get married and his generosity | | | | as Jesus was the Good Shepherd, and convenient |
| became famous. He became the patron saint of | | | | hook shape for hanging on tree branches, the candy |
| children, orphans, sailors, students, pawnbrokers, thieves | | | | became a favorite Christmas tree decoration. When |
| and the countries of Russia and Greece.SANTA'S | | | | turned upside down, the hook is big "J", a fitting symbol |
| GOT A BRAND NEW BAGOver time the legend of | | | | for Big J.Over time, the candy adopted its peppermint |
| St. Nicholas grew and the feast of St. Nicholas | | | | flavor and familiar stripes. Peppermint is similar to |
| celebrated on December 6th, the day he died. St. | | | | hyssop, which was used for ancient purification and |
| Nicholas' eternal retirement as Santa Claus evolved | | | | sacrifice rituals. The traditional candy cane has three |
| over several centuries as the legend of St. Nicholas | | | | small red stripes and one large one. The most |
| was carried over to surrounding countries. Dutch and | | | | common interpretation states the three small ones |
| German settlers brought the basic ideas of what | | | | represent the Holy Trinity and the larger one reminds |
| would become Santa Claus to the New World. The | | | | us of God. Another versions states that the three |
| Dutch had Sinterklaas and the Germans had Pelsnickel | | | | small stripes represent our own sins while the larger |
| and Christkindl and both celebrated the feast of St. | | | | symbolizes Christ's Passion. Green is the color of |
| Nicholas. The idea of naughty and nice seems to | | | | giving and a green stripe is sometimes added to |
| come from Pelsnickel would bring rewards to the good | | | | represents Jesus is God's gift to us.KISSY FACEBy |
| and punishment to the wicked. The Dutch version of | | | | definition, mistletoe is an aerial evergreen parasitic plant |
| Santa lived in Spain, rode a white horse and traveled | | | | that has no roots of its own and lives off the tree it |
| with six to eight black men who helped him deliver | | | | attaches itself to. Doesn't sound so romantic does |
| gifts. Over the centuries, this slowly changed to | | | | it?Well, centuries ago, Druids respected mistletoe as a |
| characters who were far more politically correct. The | | | | sacred plant with spiritual and medicinal healing qualities. |
| men became Telatubby-type rainbow colored helpers. | | | | Much fanfare went into collecting the plant and they |
| This was combined with Scandinavian Yuletide tradition | | | | used a special gold dagger to harvest it. A Norse myth |
| of gifting giving elves and presto, Santa now had a | | | | tells the story of a Balder, the god of light, who was |
| legion of toy building elves to bring joy to the world.The | | | | shot down by an arrow crafted from a branch of |
| modern version of Santa Claus quickly took shape | | | | mistletoe. Earth and heaven wept for his death and for |
| with American writers during the holiday season.In 1808, | | | | three days each element tried in vain to bring Balder |
| Washington Irving created the idea of a pipe smoking | | | | back to life. It was his mother, Frigga who restored but |
| Santa with a broad-rimmed hat riding over the | | | | not before her fallen tears were transformed into the |
| tree-tops in horse-drawn wagon dropping gifts down | | | | white berries of the mistletoe. From then on she |
| chimneys to all his favorite kids.In 1822, Dr. Clement | | | | decreed that no harm would fall to anyone under the |
| Clark Moore left the longest lasting impression of the | | | | mistletoe and they shall receive only a kiss of love.O' |
| jolly ol' man with his story, "A Visit from St. Nicholas", | | | | CHRISTMAS TREEIn the 4th Century AD, the Roman |
| better known as "The Night Before Christmas". He | | | | Church decided Christmas should officially be |
| established that Santa lived in the Artic with a flying | | | | celebrated on December 25th. By doing this some of |
| sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. He described Santa as | | | | the pagan customs of the Roman Saturnalia were |
| having 'a broad face, and a little round belly, that shook | | | | absorbed as it was celebrated at that same time of |
| when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly."Thomas Nast | | | | year. During Saturnalia people feasted, exchanged gifts |
| illustrated covers for Harper's Weekly in the late 1800's | | | | and decorated their homes with lamps and evergreen |
| and by request of President Lincoln was | | | | shrubs. The food and presents were fine with the |
| commissioned to create a special Christmas picture | | | | Church, but the evergreen stuff was just too pagan |
| for the cover. This started an annual tradition for Nast | | | | for them at it was forbidden. For centuries the battle |
| who used the opportunity to mould Santa to his liking. | | | | over festive home decoration ensued. In the 16th |
| Nast created the standard Santa suit, his home at the | | | | Century John Calvin forbade the observance of |
| North Pole and the image of him pouring over a list of | | | | Christmas and Easter and in 1659 it was against the |
| naughty or nice.By the 1850, Nast's new version of | | | | law in Massachusetts to celebrate Christmas |
| Santa began appearing in American department | | | | anywhere else but in church. It wasn't fully embraced |
| stores. Santa's image evolved with each new holiday | | | | until the mid-nineteenth century by England's Prince |
| season. The modern image of Santa was firmly | | | | Albert allowing for Christmas and the home decoration |
| solidified by artist Haddon Sundblom in 1931, when he | | | | of Christmas trees to be fully accepted.Today it is |
| created an annual Santa campaign for | | | | customary for nearly everyone to have a Christmas |
| Coca-Cola.RUDOLPHIn 1939, Robert May, an | | | | tree in their homes, regardless of strong religious |
| advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward | | | | affiliations. 2004 marks the 72nd Annual lighting of the |
| department store created the marketing idea of | | | | Rockefeller Christmas Tree.ROCKEFELLER |
| Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Montgomery Ward | | | | CENTERThe annual Christmas tree at Rockefeller |
| distributed 2.4 million copies of the story booklet in its | | | | Center is usually a Norway Spruce. They usually have |
| first year of release. May had suffered considerable | | | | a life span of 80 to 110 years and grow about a foot a |
| financial strife, his wife had died of a terminal illness and | | | | year. The desired dimensions are a minimum of 65 |
| in 1947 the department store signed over the copyright | | | | feet tall and 35 feet wide. 75 to 100 feet tall are |
| of Rudolph to him. May's brother-in-law soon after | | | | preferred. The trees are located in the Northeastern |
| wrote the lyrics for the song, 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed | | | | part of the United States. It takes all of two minutes to |
| Reindeer'. Gene Autry was the first to record the song | | | | cut it down by requires 20 people and a 280-ton |
| in 1949 and it went on to becoming the second best | | | | all-terrain hydraulic crane to handle the tree. Once in |
| selling song of all time, second only to 'White | | | | place it is transported via a custom built telescoping |
| Christmas'. The famous Rudolph Christmas special | | | | flatbed truck to New York City.CHRISTMAS |
| was created in 1964 and remains a classic to this | | | | LIGHTSAfter centuries of repression, Christmas |
| day.WE THREE KINGSGold, frankincense and myrrh - | | | | became a legal holiday in 1859 in the state of |
| precious metal and gum resins, that's what the three | | | | Massachusetts. Soon the rest of the United States |
| wise men brought to the baby Jesus on his birthday. | | | | followed and in 1882 Thomas Edison struck upon the |
| These were rare and special gifts, things you wouldn't | | | | idea of electric Christmas lights. By 1912, outdoor |
| normally be able to get your hands on, especially if you | | | | Christmas tree lights had become common in Boston. |
| were an infant even if you're dad was the creator of | | | | After the first World War, the lights caught on Europe |
| the known universe. Everybody knows what gold is | | | | and by the mid-20th Century they had become |
| and I'm guessing the guy who brought it was the town | | | | widespread and a well-established part of the holiday |
| favorite, so what about frankincense and myrrh? | | | | cheer. These days it is the inciting moment that marks |
| Frankincense is hardened tree sap from the Boswelia | | | | the holiday season with the sight of the first Christmas |
| tree. Myrrh is also hardened tree sap from the Miphora | | | | lights of the year.CELEBRITY CHRISTMASHere's the |
| tree family. They both are used as incense and | | | | scene, a reenactment of the nativity starring Samuel L. |
| commonly found in the country of Somalia.An | | | | Jackson, Hugh Grant and Graham Norton as |
| interesting note, nothing in the Bible states how many | | | | shepherds, David and Victoria Beckham as Joseph |
| wise men showed up bearing gifts. Gaspar, Melchior | | | | and Mary, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, The Duke |
| and Balthasar are commonly referred to has the | | | | of Edinburgh and President George W. Bush as the |
| names of the wise men, but these names don't | | | | Three Wise Men, Kyle Minogue as the Angel and J.C. |
| appear in the Bible either. The number three is | | | | playing himself as an infant. It's not a movie, but this |
| reference to the three types of gifts presented. Also | | | | year's Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Nativity scene |
| there is no mention of the wise men riding camels or | | | | now on display in London. We'll leave it to you to find |
| being kings. There is further evidence that the men | | | | what's wrong with that picture.To read more articles |
| showed up sometime after the actual birth as the | | | | by Chad, visit the American Pop Culture Encyclopedia |
| source info in Matthew 2:11 states, "And when they | | | | at: American Pop Culture Encyclopedia. |
| were come into the house, they say the young child | | | | If you would like to read this article, or others like it, on |
| with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped | | | | American Pop Culture Encyclopedia, please visit: Merry |
| him..." Hmmm, it seems by this time Mary had a home | | | | Christmas! |
| and Jesus a young kid, instead of an infant in a | | | | |