JOURNAL READS
The Real Twelve Days of Christmas
My first Christmas in America I was shocked to find Christmas trees up in November and early December, but I chalked it up to cultural differences. But as December 12th came round and people started counting down the "Twelve Days of Christmas", I found myself frustrated with the realization that a rich historic tradition had essentially a commercial gimmick, totally separated from how it was and still is celebrated across Christendom.
Santa Lucia: A Celebration of Light
Remembering Lucia and her kind actions towards others is a wonderful way to add meaning to your Christmas season. Here are some ideas of ways to celebrate at home this year and tell her story.
The Christmas Advent: A German Tradition
One of the most endearing German traditions though has had a slower entrance into American homes. It is the tradition of the advent wreath.
The story goes that young orphans at a seminary in Germany would ask the pastor each day if it was yet Christmas. Perhaps wearied of their questioning or desiring to help them count the days down, he built a wreath from an old wagonwheel, with 20 small red candles and 4 large white ones to countdown the coming of Christmas.....