Christmas Day Post

Merry Christmas Everyone Have A Great Day. Enjoy it with the people you love and may many blessings come your way. It's not always about the presents or the food, it's about family and celebrating Jesus's birth. We may sing carols and we celebrate with family. One thing we do is that we go to church and we hear God's word, and we sing Christmas songs, and we hear sermons and we also hear the Christmas Story. I want to share some Christmas Traditions that people celebrate all around the world. Christmas in Costa Rica comes at the end of the school year and the start of the holidays - so people really look forward to getting to the beach! People like to decorate their houses with beautiful tropical flowers. A model of the nativity scene, called the Pasito or Portal, is the center of the display. It's also decorated with flowers and sometimes fruit. Some of the scenes take a long time to make and all the family is involved. As well as the traditional figures, people add other models including houses and lots of different sorts of animals. Christmas wreaths are made of cypress branches and are decorated with red coffee berries and ribbons. Most homes, shops and important buildings are decorated with Christmas lights. In Costa Rica, the gift bringer is often 'Niño dios' (Child God, meaning Jesus) or 'Colacho' (another name for St. Nicholas). Apples are popular in the run up to Christmas with apple stands appearing at the sides of the road. On Christmas Eve, everyone puts on their best clothes and goes to Midnight Mass. In Costa Rica it's called the 'Misa de Gallo (Mass of the Rooster); it's also called that in Spain. After Midnight Mass the main Christmas meal is eaten. It normal includes chicken and pork tamales that have been wrapped for cooking in plantain leaves. To drink there's lots of egg nog and rum punch! In Bulgaria, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. Many countries in Eastern Europe celebrate Christmas on January 7th as most Orthodox Churches use the old Julian Calendar, but the Bulgarian Orthodox Church uses the Gregorian calendar Christmas in on the 25th December. For many Bulgarians, the preparations for Christmas start with Advent which lasts 40 days in the Orthodox Church and starts on November 15th. One legend in Bulgaria is that Mary started her labor on 'Ignazhden', December 20th (Saint Ignatius of Antioch's Day) and she gave birth of Christmas Eve but the birth of Jesus wasn't announced until Christmas Day. The 20th is also the traditional 'new year' in Bulgarian culture. It's traditional to eat a special ring shaped caked called 'kolaks' on this day.Christmas Eve (called 'Badni Veche') is a very important day and the main Christmas meal is eaten in the evening of Christmas Eve.The meal should traditionally have an odd number of dishes in it (normally 7, 9 or 11) and an odd number of people sitting around the table. (Salt, pepper and sugar can count as separate dishes!) Straw is often put under the tablecloth and you might even bring a wooden plough into the house and put it behind the door! These are meant to help you have good crops during the next year. There's a special round and decorated loaf of bread called 'pita' which has a coin baked in it. If you find the good you're meant to have good luck for the next year! The bread is normally cut by the oldest person at the meal and hands it around the table. Christmas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is more of a religious festival than being commercial. Most people won't have any presents. Christmas Eve is very important with Churches having big musical evenings (many churches have at least 5 or 6 choirs) and a nativity play. These plays last a very long time. They start at the beginning of the evening with the creation and the Garden of Eden and end with the story of King Herod killing the baby boys. People taking part in the play really like to show off their 'best' acting skills and tend to go over the top and 'ham it up'! King Herod and the soldiers are often figures of fun (like pantomime 'baddies') and Mary is often well advanced in labor before she arrives! The birth of Jesus is timed to happen as close to midnight as possible and after that come the shepherds, the wise men and the slaughter of the innocents. This means the play normally finishes about 1am. However, in some places there will be further singing until dawn! The Christmas day service then starts at 9am with lots more singing. On Christmas day, most families try to have a better meal than usual. If they can afford it, they will have some meat (normally chicken or pork). The rest of the day is spent quite quietly, maybe sleeping after a busy and late night on Christmas Eve! People go back to work on the 26th (Boxing Day). Christmas is a very social time in Trinidad and Tobago with most people having parties. Both children and adults go from house to house between neighbors and relatives for food and drink. The radio stations play Trinidadian Christmas carols and songs as well as traditional and contemporary carols from the USA. A special Trinidadian music, Parang, is also played. Parang is an upbeat Venezuela-Trinidad hybrid. Most people paint and make repairs to their houses and hang new curtains and decorations (especially lights) for Christmas. Often, this is the time that most people buy new electrical appliances and furniture. Most families spend Christmas Day at home with friends and family members.The Christmas day meal is usually prepared throughout mid-December, and into the new year! The traditional Trinibagonian Christmas meal include apples and grapes, sorrel, ponche-de-creme (a version of egg nog), ham, turkey, homemade bread, ginger beer, pastelles (a version of tamales) and local wine. Trinidadian Christmas fruitcake is traditional and is eaten in most homes. The fruits (such as raisins and sultanas) in the cake are usually soaked in cherry wine, sherry and rum for several months before Christmas! To learn more about different Christmas Traditions from all of the world, I will be posting the link to the website, so that you can look and learn about how each country celebrates Christmas from the way we in the United States celebrate Christmas. I find it interesting that people have Christmas differently than we do and I think it's neat to learn about it too. http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/trinidad_tobago.shtml Here is the link to the website, so you can learn about all the different countries and how they celebrate Christmas in their country. I hope everybody today has a wonderful Christmas Day with their families and friends. I hope that you have also learned some new things from today's post and will have enjoyed reading and learning about it, just as much as I have and did enjoy learning something new today, about different Christmas traditions. Merry Christmas Everyone and to all of your families and to anybody else who just needs a little bit of a good and happy Christmas because I know sometimes, kids who don't always get one.

Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas to all

Happy Christmas Eve to all, I hope you have a great day. Tomorrow is Christmas Day and I think Christmas is a wonderful time of year. I love Christmas because it's time to be with family and there's so much more on why Christmas is special. What are the things that you do with your families on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day? What are some of your traditions that you do to make today and Christmas special? How is Christmas Eve which is today, and Christmas Day which is tomorrow celebrated in your house? What do you like most about the two days? Also do you and your family go somewhere or do you guys stay home? What's your favorite Christmas song? Do you enjoy putting up the lights, or the tree? What do you like to do the most to get ready for the holidays? I hope all of you have a great day today and a great day tomorrow. I hope that every day is a good day for you. I hope you enjoy the day. Also if you could name one thing that you liked about the holidays or any holiday, what would it be and why? Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas to all of you.

My Christmas Post for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

The snow was falling, the kids were laughing and not a creature was around. The children were laughing and having fun, as the snow was falling down. It was cold and freezing the weather was insane as the lights started flickering and the kids started to scream, ''why!'' The parents were trying to calm them as they all screamed in terror, and the parents said, ''Hush hush.'' The power went out, and the parents lit some candles so that there could be light. The parents then told their kids a Christmas Story, that was sure to be a delight. The kids started to be calm, and not make a peep. The kids then soon started to fall asleep, and the parents put them to bed and tucked them in. Then the parents decided to wrap the presents in silence and when they did, they felt good because the kids would have something to open on Christmas Day. I would like to say that after they did this, they went to bed because they knew that the next morning would be Christmas Day, and they couldn't wait to celebrate the day and morning with their children and have the greatest day of their lives. Now I would like to share some of my favorite Christmas songs with you. https://youtu.be/5XWY_OmEG1Q this is the first video. It's become one of my favorite Christmas songs this year. https://youtu.be/l8wo7EHtQmc Here is the second video I like.  At this time I would like to also tell wish everybody a great Christmas and Christmas Eve with their families. I know that I will enjoy this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family. So that is all for now. Until next time, I can't wait to share something different with all of you. I don't know what day that will be, but whenever it is, you will know because I will have already posted something new for you. Now that I have shared some things like my favorite Christmas songs, and a Christmas story. I would like to know some favorite things you and your family do to get ready for this time of year. I would also like to know what are some traditions that you and your family do for Christmas? What activities do you and your family like to do? Also do you all open presents before church or do you do it after lunch, or before bed, or after dinner? How do you and your families spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together? Is there a certain way, you and your families do things? Is there a gift exchange that you and your families do, or do you go to your grandparent's house for Christmas? So what kind of things do you like to do, and how are you going to spend this year with your family?

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad  I love you, I hope your day is great and filled with laughter and hope all of your dreams come true. I hope that your day is wonderful and you have fun on your birthday. I love you dad and I know you love me. You're funny and kind and nice and hope it's a good birthday.

I know I haven't written in awhile but now I am writing again. Today I want to share some of my favorite songs and hopefully the songs that I share with you today will inspire you in some way or help you in some way. Here is the first song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Otg-5p7qug
Now here is the second video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJWQzjfU3o Here is the third video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8 Here is the fourth video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a1WKcB7umU Here is the fifth video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NhHzTq5wQQ So these are just some videos I wanted to share with you tonight and I hope that you enjoy them and I can not wait to share something different tomorrow or on Wednesday, but whatever day I do decide to share with you, then I hope you're looking forward to it. I know I am looking forward to doing it on one of those days. I enjoy writing and doing posts like this because it makes me feel good and makes feel good knowing it might be helping someone else. So I hope you enjoy tonight's blog post and have a good rest of the evening.

Different Traditions that countries have for Halloween

Tonight I want to share different traditions that other countries have for Halloween. So here is the first country: In Ireland, which is considered to be where Halloween, the day is still celebrated much like it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were centuries ago, and all over the country, children get dressed up in costumes and spend the evening "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhoods. After trick-or-treating, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends. At the parties, many games are played, including "snap-apple," a game in which an apple on a string is tied to a doorframe or tree and players attempt to bite the hanging apple. In addition to bobbing for apples, parents often arrange treasure hunts, with candy or pastries as the "treasure." The Irish also play a card game where cards are laid face down on a table with candy or coins underneath them. When a child chooses a card, he receives whatever prize is found below it. A traditional food eaten on Halloween is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater's future. If a ring is found, it means that the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is on its way. Children are also known to play tricks on their neighbors, such as "knock-a-dolly," a prank in which children knock on the doors of their neighbors, but run away before the door is opened. Here is the second country: In Austria, some people will leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. It was once believed that these would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night that Austrians considered to be magical. Here is the third country:

The Belgians believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross one's path and also unlucky if it should enter a home or travel on a ship. The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives. Here is the fourth country: Modern Halloween celebrations in Canada began with the arrival of Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Jack O'Lanterns are carved and the festivities include parties, trick-or-treating and the decorating of homes with pumpkins and corn stalks. Here is the fifth country: In China, the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bonfires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night. Worshippers in Buddhist temples fashion "boats of the law" from paper, some of which are very large, which are then burned in the evening hours. The purpose of this custom is twofold: as a remembrance of the dead and in order to free the spirits of the "pretas" in order that they might ascend to heaven. "Pretas" are the spirits of those who died as a result of an accident or drowning and whose bodies were consequently never buried. The presence of "pretas" among the living is thought by the Chinese to be dangerous. Under the guidance of Buddhist temples, societies are formed to carry out ceremonies for the "pretas," which includes the lighting of lanterns. Monks are invited to recite sacred verses and offerings of fruit are presented. Here is the sixth country: In Czechoslovakia, chairs are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. There is one chair for each living family member and one for each family member's spirit. Here is the seventh country: While the Irish and Scots preferred turnips, English children made "punkies" out of large beets (which they call beetroots), upon which they carved a design of their choice. Then, they would carry their "punkies" through the streets while singing the "Punkie Night Song" as they knocked on doors and asked for money. Halloween became Guy Fawkes Night and moved a few days later - see the History of Halloween, but recently it has been celebrated on October 31, in addition to Guy Fawkes Night. In some rural areas, turnip lanterns were placed on gateposts to protect homes from the spirits who roamed on Halloween night. Another custom was to toss objects such as stones, vegetables and nuts into a bonfire to frighten away the spirits. These symbolic sacrifices were also used as fortune-telling tools. If a pebble thrown into the flames at night was no longer visible in the morning, then it was believed that the person who tossed the pebble would not survive another year. If nuts tossed into the fire by young lovers then exploded, it signified a quarrelsome marriage. For the most part however, the English ceased celebrating Halloween with the spread of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. Since followers of the new religion did not believe in Saints, they saw no reason to celebrate the Eve of All Saints' Day. However, in recent years, the American "trick or treating" custom, together with the donning of costumes for going door-to-door, has become a relatively popular pastime among English children at Halloween, although many of the adults (particularly the older generations) have little idea as to why they are being asked for sweets and are usually ill-prepared to accommodate their small and hopeful callers. Here is the eighth country: On the evening of November 5, bonfires are lit throughout England. Effigies are burned and fireworks are set off. Although it falls around the same time and has some similar traditions, this celebration has little to do with Halloween or the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The English, for the most part, stopped celebrating Halloween as Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation began to spread. It was on Halloween in 1517 that Martin Luther began to try to reform the Catholic Church. It ended in the formation of the Protestant Church, which didn't believe in saints. So they had no reason to celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. However, a new autumn ritual did emerge. Guy Fawkes Day festivities were designed to commemorate the execution of a notorious English traitor, Guy Fawkes.  Without Saints, there would be no All Hallow's eve, no Halloween and no partying, so in Britain, when a a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and King James I in 1605 was foiled (for the whole story, click here!), this became a convenient means to solve two issues at once. The celebrations that people were accustomed to just moved to November 5 and became Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes was not-too-bright accomplice who became the fall 'guy"  (his name is also where we get the word "guy" from) in a Catholic plot to blow up the English Parliament, which at that time was Protestant. So, although technically, the celebration was to commemorate the failure of the plot, nonetheless, it was Halloween. Bonfires were lit across the country. People made lanterns from carved out turnips and children went begging for "a penny for the guy" (and they were to use the pennies to buy more wood for the bonfire upon which Guy Fawkes was to be burned alive. gruesome, huh?  I knew you'd like that. Here is the ninth country:

Unlike most nations of the world, Halloween is not celebrated by the French in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an "American" holiday in France and was virtually unknown in the country until around 1996. A combination of the French love of parties, fete's and costume events, and some simple crass commercialism has led to the rapid rise of the holiday in France. The French had been hearing about Halloween from foreign residents and tourists and in their English classes for years before the holiday ever showed its (masked) face in France. In 1982, the American Dream bar/restaurant in Paris began celebrating Halloween. At first it had to explain the holiday to each customer, but since about 1995, French customers have tended to be more and more familiar with Halloween. The Mask Museum in Saint-Hilaire-Saint Florent was opened by Cesar group in 1992, and the owners started working to expand Halloween in France the following year.
In 1996, the village of Saint Germain-en-Laye held a Halloween party on 24 October in the middle of the day, to give locals an idea of what it was all about. Meanwhile, companies like France Télécom, McDonald's, Disney, and Coca Cola began using pumpkins and other Halloween images and ideas in publicity campaigns. This simultaneously increased French people's knowledge about Halloween and made it seem like another imposition of American culture. How is Halloween celebrated in France?
Halloween in France is usually celebrated by costumed people of all ages going to parties at friends' homes, restaurants, bars, or clubs. The costumes themselves tend to be traditionally "scary" - mummies, ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires - rather than the cute costumes like princesses, superheroes, and the cartoon character of the day which are popular in the US. Trick-or-treating is extremely rare; when it does exist, it is not from house-to-house, but from store-to-store.
Stores, malls, restaurants, offices, and homes decorate their windows; pastry and candy shops make up special desserts and candies; and many different kinds of companies use Halloween in their ads. Supermarkets sell pumpkins for jack-o'-lanterns and candy companies are now marketing candy in the traditional Halloween format: one big bag filled with lots of little packages, which may encourage trick-or-treating. Traditionally, pumpkins are not a popular food in France, so the high demand for jack-o'-lanterns during Halloween has been a boon for pumpkin growers. There is even a pumpkin patch at a farm outside of Paris where people can pick their own. Halloween in France is rather controversial, due to the perception of corporate and cultural influence, as well as the fact that it is not a typical French holiday and some people still don't understand what is being celebrated. Because Halloween is seen as an American celebration, some French people refuse to enjoy it, having decided to include it in their anti-American boycott. It's too early to tell whether Halloween will develop into a long-term tradition; once the novelty wears off, it may turn out to be just a fad. Tenth Country: In Germany, the people put away their knives on Halloween night. The reason for this is because they do not want to risk harm to (or from) the returning spirits. Eleventh Country:  The Halloween celebration in Hong Kong is known as "Yue Lan" (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and is a time when it is believed that spirits roam the world for twenty-four hours. Some people burn pictures of fruit or money at this time, believing these images would reach the spirit world and bring comfort to the ghosts. Fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge. Twelfth Country:
Japan does not celebrate a western-style Halloween. While most people here know a little about Halloween in the United States, with the costumes, parties, and trick-or-treating; very few know exactly when or how it's celebrated. The Japanese celebrate the "Obon Festival" (also known as "Matsuri" or "Urabon" and pronounced, "oh bone.) which is similar to Halloween festivities in that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set afloat on rivers and seas. During the "Obon Festival," a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found. "Obon" is one of the two main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces. Traditionally, in rural areas where gravesites are in the neighborhood, the pathway from the graves to the home is swept clean, and a general house-cleaning is also done. Then, on the 13th, an altar is set up with various food offerings, and "welcoming fires" are set in front of the house and along the path to guide and welcome the spirits. People may even hire a priest to come and chant prayers. On the evening of the 15th "send-off fires" are lit, and the spirits return to their graves. People who spend o-bon away from their ancestral homes or live in the city usually just make a little token fire on their veranda or patio. Memorial stones are cleaned and community dances performed. The "Obon Festival" takes place during July or August. region, festivals, food booths, and bon dances can be found in the evening, with lots and lots of people enjoying themselves. Even those who don't observe the religious rite outlined above participate in the festivals. You used to see many people wearing a yukata, a lightweight cotton kimono, but these days you usually only see a few girls wearing them. Thirteenth Country: In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as "Chusok." It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The "Chusok" festival takes place in the month of August. Fourteenth Country:Among New World Spanish-speaking nations, particularly Mexico and Aztec-influenced Latin America, Halloween is known as "El Dia de los Muertos." the days of the dead, a three-day celebration that begins on the evening of October 31 and culminates on November 2.  This is an ancient festivity that has been transformed throughout the years. It was originally intended in prehistoric Mexico to celebrate children and the dead. Mexican families remember their dead and the continuity of life.  It is a joyous and happy holiday...a time to remember friends and family who have died. Officially commemorated on November 2 (All Souls' Day), the three-day celebration actually begins on the evening of October 31. Designed to honor the dead who are believed to return to their homes on Halloween, many families construct an altar in their home and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, fresh water and samples of the deceased's favorite foods and drinks. Frequently, a basin and towel are left out in order that the spirit can wash prior to indulging in the feast. Candles are incense are burned to help the departed find his or her way home. On November 2, relatives gather at the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Relatives also tidy the gravesites of deceased family members, including snipping weeds, making repairs and painting. The grave is then adorned with flowers, wreaths or paper streamers. They bring picnics and sit around the grave sites sharing stories of the departed and feasting on foods such as spicy meat dishes, batter bread and lots of sweets; some shaped like skulls. The abundance of food, drink and good company creates a festive atmosphere along with recognizing the cycle of life by the interaction of the living with the dead. Some of these gatherings may even include tequila and a mariachi band although American Halloween customs are gradually taking over this celebration. In Mexico during the Autumn, countless numbers of Monarch butterflies return to the shelter of Mexico's oyamel fir trees. It was the belief of the Aztecs that these butterflies bore the spirits of dead ancestors. In the villages, parades are held. People dress as skeletons and dance in the streets. Often, a live person is placed inside a coffin which is then paraded through the streets while vendors toss fruit, flowers and candies into the casket. Home feast are held and loaves of bread, "Bread of the Dead" are given. Inside the loaves are sugar skeletons or other items of death motif. This gift is more prized if the skull or skeleton is embossed with ones own name. The families also attend candle lit ceremonies in church and offer prayers. The whole celebration is about life from beginning to end.  Last country: In Sweden, Halloween is known as "Alla Helgons Dag" and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, "Alla Helgons Dag" has an eve which is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint's Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation. I found this on a website on Google and I found it interesting enough to share with you because I think it's interesting to learn about what different traditions, countries have. I hope that you will have learned something from this tonight. I can't wait to share something different with you tomorrow. I hope that everyone has had a good day. I hope this post will have educated you in some way, and may have helped you to learn something new about the different countries I posted and what their traditions are for Halloween. Well that's it for now, so I hope everyone has a great rest of the night. I hope everyone has a goodnight and I'll share more tomorrow.

 

 

 

Ways we can help and teach others about God

Today I just want to share a message and the message is this: We believe in what God teaches us, but there are others that don't believe in what we do. God is not dead, he's alive. Others who don't believe that, are the ones we should help because we don't know what they have gone through, that made them change their relationship with God. So today, I just want you to reflect and think of ways you can help someone have a relationship with God. I hope these posts have been helping you in some way. I can't wait to share something with you tomorrow that's new and different, but until then please enjoy today's post.