Auld Lang Syne

The song, "Auld Lang Syne," playing in the background, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scottish tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."



Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday, some are family-based and others communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath, as specified in the Shulkhan Arukh.[26] Adherents go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close from the second day for the whole week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.

Kwanzaa

DEFINITION OF KWANZAA Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language Kiswahili, has gained tremendous acceptance. Since its founding in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa has come to be observed by more than18 million people worldwide, as reported by the New York Times. When establishing Kwanzaa in 1966, Dr. Karenga included an additional "a" to the end of the spelling to reflect the difference between the African American celebration (kwanzaa) and the Motherland spelling (kwanza).
Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st.

Umoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity stresses the importance of togetherness for the family and the community, which is reflected in the African saying, "I am We," or "I am because We are."
Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) Self-Determination requires that we define our common interests and make decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community.
Ujima (oo-GEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility reminds us of our obligation to the past, present and future, and that we have a role to play in the community, society, and world.
Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) Cooperative economics emphasizes our collective economic strength and encourages us to meet common needs through mutual support.
Nia (NEE-yah) Purpose encourages us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community.
Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity makes use of our creative energies to build and maintain a strong and vibrant community.
Imani (ee-MAH-nee) Faith focuses on honoring the best of our traditions, draws upon the best in ourselves, and helps us strive for a higher level of life for humankind, by affirming our self-worth and confidence in our ability to succeed and triumph in righteous struggle.
CELEBRATING KWANZAA As it is always better to get an early start, I suggest that you begin the first week in December by making a check list for the following items: A Kinara (candle holder); Mkeka (placemat preferably made of straw); Mazao (crops, i.e., fruits and vegetables); Vibunzi/Muhindi (ears of corn to reflect the number of children in the household); Kikombe cha umoja (communal unity cup); Mishumaa saba (seven candles, one black, three red, and three green); and Zawadi (gifts that are enriching).
It is important that the Kinara not be confused with the menorah.* The Kinara holds seven candles to reflect the seven principles which are the foundation of Kwanzaa. If you don't have a Kinara and don't know where to get one, it is suggested that you use "kuumba" (creativity) and make one. A 2x4 or a piece of driftwood will do just fine, and screw-in candle holders can be purchased in most hardware stores. The Mkeka (place mat) shouldn't present a problem. While straw is suggested because it is traditional, cloth makes an adequate substitute. If cloth is used, one with an African print is preferred. The other symbols are easy to come by and warrant no further discussion other than to caution against placing the Mazao (crops)in a cornucopia which is Western. A plain straw basket or a bowl will do just fine. One last note, even households without any children should place an ear of corn on the place mat to symbolize the African concept of social parenthood. All seven symbols are creatively placed on top of the place mat, i.e., the symbols should be attractively arranged as they form the Kwanzaa centerpiece.

DECORATING THE HOME The Kinara along with the other symbols of Kwanzaa should dominate the room, which should be given an African motif. This is easily achieved and shouldn't result in too much expense. The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green. This should be kept in mind when decorating the home. Black, red and green streamers, balloons, cloth, flowers, and African prints can be hung tastefully around the room. Original art and sculpture may be displayed as well.

GIFTS Kuumba (creativity) is greatly encouraged. Not only is Kuumba one of the seven principles, it also brings a sense of personal satisfaction and puts one squarely into the spirit of Kwanzaa. Therefore, those symbols that can be made, should be made. The giving of gifts during Kwanzaa should be affordable and of an educational or artistic nature. Gifts are usually exchanged between parents and children and traditionally given on January 1st, the last day of Kwanzaa. However, gift giving during Kwanzaa may occur at any time.

THE KWANZAA FEAST OR KARAMU The Kwanzaa Karumu is traditionally held on December 31st (participants celebrating New Year's Eve, should plan their Karamu early in the evening). It is a very special event as it is the one Kwanzaa event that brings us closer to our African roots. The Karamu is a communal and cooperative effort. Ceremonies and cultural expressions are highly encouraged. It is important to decorate the place where the Karamu will be held, (e.g., home, community center, church) in an African motif that utilizes black, red, and green color scheme. A large Kwanzaa setting should dominate the room where the karamu will take place. A large Mkeka should be placed in the center of the floor where the food should be placed creatively and made accessible to all for self-service. Prior to and during the feast, an informative and entertaining program should be presented. Traditionally, the program involved welcoming, remembering, reassessment, recommitment and rejoicing, concluded by a farewell statement and a call for greater unity.

Below is a suggested format for the Karamu program, from a model by Dr. Karenga.

Kukaribisha (Welcoming)
Introductory Remarks and Recognition of Distinguished Guests and All Elders.
Cultural Expression (Songs, Music, Group Dancing, Poetry, Performances, Unity Circles)

Kuumba (Remembering)
Reflections of a Man, Woman and Child.
Cultural Expression

Kuchunguza Tena Na Kutoa Ahadi Tena (Reassessment and Recommitment)
Introduction of Distinguished Guest Lecturer and Short Talk.

Kushangilla (Rejoicing)

Tamshi la Tambiko (Libation Statement) It is tradition to pour libation in remembrance of the ancestors on all special occasions.
Kwanzaa, is such an occasion, as it provides
us an opportunity to reflect on our African past and American present. Water is suggested as it
holds the essence of life and should be placed
in a communal cup and poured in the direction
of the four winds; north, south, east, and west.
It should then be passed among family members
and guests who may either sip from
the cup or make a sipping gesture. LIBATION STATEMENT
For The Motherland cradle of civilization.
For the ancestors and their indomitable spirit
For the elders from whom we can learn much.
For our youth who represent the promise for tomorrow.
For our people the original people.
For our struggle and in remembrance of those who have struggled on our behalf.
For Umoja the principle of unity which should guide us in all that we do.
For the creator who provides all things great and small.

. Kikombe Cha Umoja (Unity Cup)
Kutoa Majina (Calling Names of Family Ancestors and Black Heroes)
Ngoma (Drums)
Karamu (Feast)

Tamshi la Tutaonana (The Farewell Statement)

*The "menorah" is a Jewish symbol that holds seven candles. The

Boxing Day

Despite its name, Boxing Day, which is celebrated on December 26 in Great Britain, has nothing to do with pugilistic competition. Nor is it a day for people to return unwanted Christmas presents. While the exact origins of the holiday are obscure, it is likely that Boxing Day began in England during the Middle Ages.
Some historians say the holiday developed because servants were required to work on Christmas Day, but took the following day off. As servants prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes.
Church Alms Boxes
Another theory is that the boxes placed in churches where parishioners deposited coins for the poor were opened and the contents distributed on December 26, which is also the Feast of St. Stephen.
As time went by, Boxing Day gift giving expanded to include those who had rendered a service during the previous year. This tradition survives today as people give presents to tradesmen, mail carriers, doormen, porters, and others who have helped them.
The Day after Christmas
Boxing Day is December 26, the day after Christmas, and is celebrated in Great Britain and in most areas settled by the English (the U.S. is the major exception), including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Bank Holidays
Boxing Day is just one of the British bank holidays recognized since 1871 that are observed by banks, government offices, and the post office. The others include Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Whitmonday (the day after Pentecost), and the banking holiday on the last Monday in August.
St. Stephen's Martyrdom
The Feast of St. Stephen also takes place on December 26. St. Stephen was one of the seven original deacons of the Christian Church who were ordained by the Apostles to care for widows and the poor. For the success of his preaching and his devotion to Christ, St. Stephen was stoned to death by a mob. As he died, he begged God not to punish his killers.

Historians say the holiday developed because servants were required to work on Christmas Day, but took the following day off. As servants prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes.

attempted terrorist attack christmas day

ROMULUS, Mich. – An attempted terrorist attack on a Christmas Day flight began with a pop and a puff of smoke — sending passengers scrambling to subdue a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from al-Qaida to blow up the airliner, officials and travelers said.

The commotion began as Northwest Airlines Flight 253, carrying 278 passengers and 11 crew members from Amsterdam, prepared to land in Detroit just before noon Friday. Travelers said they smelled smoke, saw a glow, and heard what sounded like firecrackers. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man, who officials say was trying to ignite an explosive device.

"It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase," said Peter Smith, a passenger from the Netherlands. "First there was a pop, and then (there) was smoke."

Smith said one passenger, sitting opposite the man, climbed over passengers, went across the aisle and tried to restrain the man. The heroic passenger appeared to have been burned.

Afterward, the suspect was taken to a front-row seat with his pants cut off and his legs burned. Multiple law enforcement officials also said the man appeared badly burned on his legs, indicating the explosive was strapped there. The components were apparently mixed in-flight and included a powdery substance, multiple law enforcement and counterterrorism officials said.

The White House said it believed it was an attempted act of terrorism and stricter security measures were quickly imposed on airline travel. The incident was reminiscent of Richard Reid, who tried to destroy a trans-Atlantic flight in 2001 with explosives hidden in his shoes, but was subdued by other passengers.

Multiple law enforcement officials identified the suspect in Friday's attempted attack as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. He was described as Nigerian.

One law enforcement official said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil, but other law enforcement officials cautioned that such claims could not be verified immediately, and said the man may have been acting independently — inspired but not specifically trained or ordered by terror groups.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.

The man was being questioned Friday evening. An intelligence official said he was being held and treated in an Ann Arbor, Mich., hospital. The hospital said one passenger from the flight was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, but referred all inquiries to the FBI.

Melinda Dennis, who was seated in the front row of the plane, said the man involved was brought to the front row and seated near her. She said his legs appeared to be badly burned and his pants were cut off. She said he was taken off the plane handcuffed to a stretcher.

One law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mutallab's name had surfaced earlier on at least one U.S. intelligence database, but he was not on a watch list or a no-fly list.

The suspect boarded in Nigeria and went through Amsterdam en route to Detroit, Rep. Peter King, the ranking GOP member of the House Homeland Security Committee, told CNN. A spokeswoman for police at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam declined comment about the case or about security procedures at the airport for Flight 253.

Dutch airline KLM says the connection in Amsterdam from Lagos, Nigeria, to Detroit involves a change in carrier and a change in aircraft.

Schiphol airport, one of Europe's busiest with a heavy load of transit passengers from Africa and Asia to North America, strictly enforces European security regulations including only allowing small amounts of liquid in hand luggage that must be placed inside clear plastic bags. After the attempted attack, passengers to the U.S. were being frisked at the gate as an added security measure, said airport spokeswoman Mirjam Snoerwang.

A spokesman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Akin Olukunle, said all passengers and their luggage are screened before boarding international flights. He also said the airport in Lagos cleared a U.S. Transportation Security Administration audit in November.

"We had a pass mark," Olukunle said. "We actually are up to standards in all senses."

Nigeria's information minister, Dora Akunyili, condemned the attempted bombing. She said the government has opened its own investigation into the suspect and will work with U.S. authorities.

"We state very clearly that as a nation we abhor all forms of violence," Akunyili said in a statement issued Saturday.

London's Metropolitan Police also was working with U.S. officials, a spokeswoman said, and searches were being conducted in that city. The spokeswoman would not provide additional details, including what connection the suspect had to London or what was being searched. She spoke on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.

Delta Air Lines Inc., which acquired Northwest last year, said a passenger caused a disturbance, was subdued, and the crew requested that law enforcement officials meet the flight.

Passenger Syed Jafri, a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said the incident occurred during the plane's descent. Jafri said he was seated three rows behind the passenger and said he saw a glow, and noticed a smoke smell. Then, he said, "a young man behind me jumped on him."

"Next thing you know, there was a lot of panic," he said.

Federal officials said there would be heightened security for both domestic and international flights at airports across the country, but the intensified levels would likely be "layered," differing from location to location depending on alerts, security concerns and other factors.

Passengers can expect to see heightened screening, more bomb-sniffing dog and officer units and behavioral-detection specialists at some airports, but there will also be unspecified less visible precautions as well, officials said.

The FBI and the Homeland Security Department issued an intelligence note on Nov. 20 about the threat picture for the holiday season, which was obtained by The Associated Press. At the time, officials said they had no specific information about attack plans by al-Qaida or other terrorist groups.

President Barack Obama was notified of the incident and discussed it with security officials, the White House said. Officials said he is monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates from his vacation spot in Hawaii.

___

K.C. Christmas weather 2009

Kansas City officials have implemented both phases of the city’s snow ordinance Friday morning in response to the Christmas snowstorm that moved through the area.

Under the ordinance, drivers who do not have snow tires or chains on their vehicles can be ticketed if they get stuck on a major thoroughfare. Also, cars parked on designated snow routes can be ticketed.

“Both phases went into effect this morning primarily because of the blowing snow,” said Dennis Gagnon, a spokesman for Kansas City’s Public Works Department. “Once we plow, it blows right back over it. Until that wind eases up, it will be an ongoing challenge.”

Crews didn’t start plowing the residential neighborhoods until this morning. Normally, the crews work 12 hours, starting at 6 or 7 a.m. They try to create a passable lane, Gagnon said.

“I think for most people, it would be best to minimize the trips that they make outside today,” Gagnon said.

Temperatures have dropped, limiting the effect that salt is having on the packed snow. Because of the lack of traffic, the salt also is not being mixed in well and any moisture is bonding really tight to the pavement, Gagnon said.

“We will be slower getting out of this one than other storms,” Gagnon said.

About five to 11 inches of snow fell across Kansas City, Gagnon said. But with the winds, snow has drifted. He said people should be patient, especially with temperatures expected to remain cold for the next several days. He said there is a good chance for refreezing to occur.

“It is a good day for people to lay low and enjoy a nice quiet Christmas,” Gagnon said.

Kansas Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kimberly Qualls agreed.

“Most of the west part of northeast Kansas has been removed from the blizzard warning, but we still remain under a winter weather advisory,” Qualls said. “However, we are going to struggle all day long and into this evening getting roads cleared.”

Some roadways are clear in areas, but then are covered with packed or drifting snow in other areas.

“We are still encouraging people not to get out,” Qualls said. “Stay home and enjoy Christmas. For those who do need to travel, take it slow and allow extra time.”

She said people can get the latest road conditions at www.kandrive.org, which has links to other websites.

“Pretty much if you are leaving anywhere in northeast Kansas or the Kansas City metropolitan area, you will drive through some type of snow-packed roadways,” she said.

Meanwhile, numerous flights were cancelled or delayed at Kansas City International Airport. Many of the cancellations Friday morning were the result of inbound flights being canceled last night, said Justin Meyer, a KCI spokesman.

“The airport never closed,” Meyer said. “Carriers chose not to fly flights in, resulting in the morning cancellations.”

A lot of flights from the mid-morning and beyond were on time, Meyer said.

“We are open for business,” Meyer said. Still, he suggested people plan plenty of time getting to the airport. He said most interstates have a single lane cleared, but exit ramps and flyovers may be snow packed.

For those who can’t make their travel plans because of the weather, most carriers are waiving change fees. Travelers should contact their airlines as soon as possible for details, Meyer said

2 children killed in Christmas morning fire

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fire officials say two children have died in a Christmas morning fire that destroyed a house in Kentucky.

Maj. Henry Ott of the Louisville Metro Arson Squad says the children were ages 10 and 12. Their grandparents were injured too.

Chief Chris Aponte of the Harrods Creek Fire Department says three firefighters were also hurt battling the blaze, which was reported through an alarm system just after 4:30 a.m.

Aponte tells The Courier-Journal the children's parents and grandparents had escaped and were trying to rescue the children when firefighters arrived.

Aponte says the grandfather was reported in intensive care and the grandmother was being evaluated for cuts and smoke inhalation.

Salvation Army major killed in front of three adopted children

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Salvation Army worker was shot and killed Christmas Eve in front of his three young children during an attempted robbery outside the charity's community center in North Little Rock, a Salvation Army official said Friday.

North Little Rock police said they were looking for the two men who accosted Salvation Army Maj. Philip Wise outside the community center about 4:15 p.m. Thursday. No arrests have been made.

The two men fled on foot into a nearby housing development, police Sgt. Terry Kuykendall said Friday. Police don't know whether Wise, who was active in the community, knew his attackers, he said.

Wise, 40, had gone to the community center with his children to pick up his wife — also a Salvation Army major — to drive to his mother's home in West Virginia, said Maj. Harvey Johnson, area commander of the Salvation Army. As Wise neared the side door, two men approached.

Both men were carrying hand guns, police said. One demanded money and shot Wise, Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Wise's wife, Cindy, was inside the center and called 911.

Blood stained the sidewalk outside the center Friday.

The Wises had just adopted their children — ages 4, 6 and 8 — last year, Johnson said. The three were siblings who came from an abusive family. They were receiving counseling after their father's death, he said.

Kuykendall said the children were standing beside their father when he was shot, but there was apparently no interaction between the youngsters and the two men.

Wise had worked for three years in Baring Cross, a low-income neighborhood troubled by gangs and drugs, Johnson said. He ran youth programs, a food pantry and church services.

"He was involved in the fabric of that community in a lot of different ways," Johnson said.

He described Wise as "a big boy" who played "a big old tuba" in a brass ensemble and used his love of music to try help others.

"He encouraged kids in music as an alternative to the life they were living," he said.

Kuykendall said he knew Wise, although they were not close friends.

"Mr. Wise within the last two months had spent so much time raising money so that several hundred children in this community could have a good Christmas, and for this to happen ... on Christmas Eve is just a tragedy," he said.

Wise was originally from Weirton, W.Va., and his wife, Cindy, was from Charleston, W.Va. They met 16 years ago at a Salvation Army school in Atlanta, Johnson said. Both had worked for the Salvation Army ever since.

"He's touched a lot of people," Johnson said. "But who would he have touched if he had been able to live out his career?"

don't leave home for Christmas!

Some holiday travelers will come home to broken doors and shattered windows this Christmas after Columbia Police respond to multiple overnight burglaries.



Police report 19 burglaries happened overnight, and 12 of those occured on Rolling Rock Dr. on Columbia's south side. The reports come after another string of burglaries in both November and December.



"We have every reason to believe that the burglaries from this morning are related to earlier reports our department has received regarding recent burglaries during November and December," said Jessie Haden of the Columbia Police Dept. in a press release Friday.



Christmas Eve break-ins put December's burglary count at 72. And in November, the department received 42 residential burglaries. Police attribute the spike to suspects taking advantage of holiday out-of-towners.



Investigators are working all cases, and could make patrol changes to deter future incidents.

Charlie Sheen Arrested in Colorado

ASPEN, Colo. – Charlie Sheen spent the better part of Christmas Day in a Colorado jail cell after being arrested on domestic violence allegations.

The 44-year-old actor was taken into custody Friday morning by officers responding to a 911 call from a house in this ski resort town about 200 miles west of Denver.

Sheen, the star of CBS' "Two and a Half Men," was taken to the Pitkin County jail and booked for investigation of second-degree assault and menacing, both felonies, along with criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, Aspen police spokeswoman Stephanie Dasaro said.

He was released in the late afternoon after posting $8,500 bond and being advised by a county judge on the conditions of his release, she said.

Dasaro declined to name Sheen's accuser, citing a department policy prohibiting the identification of potential victims in domestic violence cases.

It wasn't immediately known whether Sheen had retained an attorney. His publicist issued a statement urging against a rush to judgment.

"It would benefit everyone not to jump to any conclusion," Stan Rosenfield said.

Sheen is the son of actor Martin Sheen and brother of actor-director Emilio Estevez. He is married to Brooke Mueller Sheen, a real estate investor who gave birth to the couple's first children, twin boys, in March. They married in May 2008 following Sheen's bitter divorce from Denise Richards.

Charlie Sheen's screen credits include "Platoon," "Wall Street" and the "Hot Shots!" movies.

(maybe he didn't like his presents? or wanted turkey instead of ham? or just couldn't take another scenic Colorado xmas?)

here comes Santa Claus

when I was a kid, I remember wanting the Junior Girl Scout doll from the GS catalog, a giant stuffed Pink Panther at Trenton, & The Sunshine Family for Xmas. my kids have asked for various toys, movies, cds, clothes, games, & book series over the years. this year Katie wanted WiiCheer2 & Bratz dolls. KJ wanted the new Smackdown vs. Raw game. Kevin got a new Chiefs hoody & deb got a bag full of dvds.

when I was a kid, we opened our gifts on xmas eve, after milking & supper, because we had to milk early & head to Grandma Grace & Grandpa Vermals in Trenton xmas a.m. for mom's family xmas.

we saw Santa at church xmas programs at Half Rock. he'd bring every kid a gift & we'd have gift exchanges.

my kids have participated in church xmas programs sporadically over the years. right now we dont' attend church much.

santa always left the Axsom kids a thank you note for his fudge & coffee.
I didn't even put out Santa snacks this year,,,,the last few times we did, KJ ate them. KAtie requested I put the stockings out this year & she stuffed them. koren couldn't wait to tell kj that santa wasn't real, he couldn't wait to tell katie, & katie has no one to tell until she becomes an aunt!

back when we lived away, had to plan our little xmas with our kids around visits back home to family & our service industry jobs...so we opened our gifts anywhere from Dec. 21 on when we had a few minutes. spending holidays back homemeant spending the nite at my father in laws, so had to pack clothes, diaper bags, blankies, huggies, plus the Santa snack & stocking stuff. what a royal pain in the keester. now that we're back home we mainly stick to ourselves, inviting my parents over for supper when we're in the mood, but mainly hanging close to home for our holidays.

this was the first christmas koren couldn't come home...had an ice storm, & blowing blizzard conditions, so her & cody spent their first married xmas home with Lola & Watson in their cozy duplex. I bet they had a blast! I miss her, but I'm glad they got to have a low key day with the 2 of them, no long car rides, luggage, etc.

korens first xmas we were poor as church mice, we went to the new bethany walmart to get her a gift. he wanted the pink teddy bear with the ice cream cone that played music. i wanted the elephant with the huge rainbow ears. we couldn't afford both. he wiggled the toys in front of baby koren, she picked the bear. we went thru hardee's drivethru on the way home & split an order of fries with our change.

kj got a power ranger saba sword when he was 2. i'd forgotten the batteries, so drove around albany & found a gas station open & paid a fortune for batteries. he was SO happy!

when katie was still small enough I rocked her to sleep (& why I did this with 3 kids & never learned my lesson I still don't know!) she went to bed waaay early so I put out the santa stuff. she woke up about bedtime & was craning her neck to see why I wouldn't let her look over by the stockings. kj of course knew why...

I used to pose the kids by the tree before the school xmas concert...& make them listen to xmas stories...I made koren read them katie's first xmas while I took pics of them...I made it a point to watch every xmas special....this year can't even find the classic cartoons dvd set I bought a few years ago ...or the vhs OR dvd of my fave xmas movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. we did make cookies for the Girl Scout Xmas party, but that was our holiday baking, with the exception of pumpkin pies for thanksgiving & xmas. koren made xmas candy, but it is at her house.

over the years we have cut different holiday deals in the barn, I was supposed to have the morning off this year, got a call at 6:53 from the guy who was supposed to do a.m. shift, he was stuck in a snowdrift, so I got kevin up, he cleaned ice off the truck, & I went to work, where we found the office door frozen shut so kevin had to break in thru the barn while I walked risers 45 minutes late. also had a frozen broken water line in hallway & the boar kept opening gates while I was breeding. kevin had xmas eve off but had to go back tonite.

so, merry freaking christmas to us. and may god bless us everyone!

do they know its christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE


it doesn't seem like it was that long ago we were watching this on tv...like live...

traditional english christmas dinner

17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
Cookbooks at this time were written by and for the wealthy. The following menu reflects what an English nobleman might have served his guests at Christmas. Some early American settlers might have considered these foods "traditional" holiday fare, even though they probably set a simpler table. Note: the Pilgrims in 17th century Plimoth, as true with many early New England settlers, did not celebrate Christmas at this time.
[1685]
"A Bill of Fare for Christmas Day, and how to set the Meat in Order.: Oysters. 1. A collar of brawn. 2. Stewed Broth of Mutton marrow bones. 3. A grand Sallet. 4. A pottage of caponets. 5. A breast of veal in stoffado. 6. A boil'd partridge. 7. A chine of beef, or surloin roast. 8. Minced pies. 9. A Jegote of mutton with anchove sauce. 10. A made dish of sweet-bread. 11. A swan roast. 12. A pasty of venison. 13. A kid with a pudding in his belly. 14. A steak pie. 15. A hanch of venison roasted. 16. A turkey roast and stuck with cloves. 17. A made dish of chickens in puff paste. 18. Two bran geese roasted, one larded. 19. Two large capons, one larded. 20. A Custard.
"The second course for the same Mess. Oranges and Lemons. 1. A Young lamb or kid. 2. Two couple of rabbits, two larded. 3. A pig souc't with tongues. 4. Three ducks, one larded. 5. Three pheasants, 1 larded. 6. A Swan Pye. 7. Three brace of partridge, three larded. 8. Made dish in puff paste. 9. Bolonia sausages, and anChoves, mushrooms, and Cavieate, and pickled oysters in a dish. 10. Six teels, three larded. 11. A Gammon of Westphalia Bacon. 12. Ten plovers, five larded. 13. A quince Pye, or warden pye. 14. Six woodcocks, 3 larded. 15. A standing Tart in puff-paste, preserved fruits, Pippins &c. 16. A dish of Larks. 17. Six dried neats tongues. 18. Sturgeon. 19. Powdered Geese. Jellies."
---The Accomplisht Cook, Robert May, facsimile 1685 edition [Prospect Books:Devon] 2000 (pages unnumbered)
1700-1839--COLONIAL & EARLY AMERICA
Most late 18th and early 19th century cookbooks do not contain menus or "bills of fare," except, perhaps by season. What we know about Christmas dinners in this period is gleaned primarily from journals, letters, household inventories, and other primary sources. Most of the following menus are drawn by culinary historians and gifted chefs who have endeavored to replicate authentic period meals. Many contain modernized recipes.
[1769]
Christmas Brunch: Holiday Egg Nog, Virginia Ham, Beaten Biscuits, Corn Pudding, Chicken and Oyster Pie, Pumpkin Chips, Cucumber Pickle, Claret, Mincemeat Pie, Filbert Pudding, Honey Flummery, Plum Pudding, Madeira, Coffee, Walnuts."
---The Thirteen Colonies CookbookMary Donovan et al [Montclair Historical Society:Montclair NJ] (p. 185)
[1770s]
Christmas Day: Wassail, Cheese Wafers, Williamsburg Inn Chilled Crab Gumbo, Roast Young Tom Turkey, Fresh Mushroom Dressing, King's Arms Tavern Creamed Celery with Pecans, Heart of Lettuce, Russian Dressing, Eggnogg Pie and/or Ambrosia, Mince Pie with Rum Butter Sauce."
---The Williamsburg Cookbook, Traditional and Contemporary Recipes Initially Compiled and Adapted by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg with Commentary by Joan Parry Dutton, updated and enlarged [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation:Williamsburg VA] 1975 (p. 15)
[NOTE: Christmas in Colonial Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg]
[1770s]
Holiday menu at City Tavern, Philadelphia: Colonial inspired modern menu
[1790s]
"Christmas Dinner at Mount Vernon: An Onion Soup Call'd the King's Soup, Oysters on the Half Shell, Broiled Salt Roe Hering, Boiled Rockfish, Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Mutton Chops, Roast Suckling Pig, Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing, Round of Cold Boiled Beef with Horse-radish Sauce, Cold Baked Virginia Ham, Lima Beans, Baked Acorn Squash, Baked Celery with Slivered Almonds, Hominy Pudding, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Cantaloupe Pickle, Spiced Peaches in Brandy, Spiced Cranberries, Mincemeat Pie, Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Chess Tarts, Blancmange, Plums in Wine Jelly, Snowballs, Indian Pudding, Great Cake, Ice Cream, Plum Pudding, Fruits, Nuts, Raisins, Port, Madeira."
---The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating & Drinking, American Heritage Magazine [American Heritage Publishing Co.:New York] 1964 (p. 420)
[1847]
"To Arrange a Christmas Dinner. Place a high pyramid of evergreens (made as before directed) in the centre of the table. Let a roasted turkey of uncommon size occupy the middle or centre of one side of the table, on one end let there be a cold boiled ham, and at the other, fricasseed chicken or a roast pig; with the turkey serve mashed potatoes and turnips, boiled onions and dressed celery, or other salad with apple sauce--near the ham place fried or mashed potatoes and pickles or mangoes: and with the pig or fricassee, the same as with the turkey; large pitchers of sweet cider (or where that is not desired, ice water) should be placed diagonally opposite each other, on two corners of the table; boiled turkey with oyster sauce may occupy the place of the fricassee, or instead, a fine oyster pie. For desert, there should be only two very large and ornamental mince pies, one sufficiently large that each of the company may be helped from it, in token of common interest, is desirable. Ice creams and jellies and jams and ripe fruits and nuts, with sweet cider and syrup water of different sorts, or wines, complete the dessert. Biscuit and jelly sandwich may be served at dessert, or paste puffs and charlotte de russe or blancmange with strands of jelly."
---Mrs. Crowen's American Lady's Cookery Book, Mrs. T. J. Crowen [Dick & Fitzgerald:New York] 1847 (p. 404-5)
1850-1899--PIONEERS & INDUSTRIALISTS
Christmas menus reflect traditonal foods of the celebrant's original culture. In all times and places, the foods served for this holiday (and ingredients used) reflect the very best possible items available to the family. As you can imagine, pioneer American Christmas menus varied greatly. Christmas menus depended upon:
Location...cities offered more food choices than rural outposts
Situation...families living in homes/villages had more options than those living in camp-like quarters
Economics...the wealthier the famly, the better grade food afforded (fine white flour vs coarse brown)
Heritage...people cook what they know...Scandinavian pioneers in Minnesota set different traditional tables from the Germans from Russia in North Dakota, French Basques in Nevada, Dutch in Michigan, etc.
General popular Christmas foodstuffs of the period included roast beef, turkey, ham, potatoes, pickles, fine white bread, fruitcakes, cookies, pies. Oysters were treasured. Tinned oysters were available in some major cities but were expensive. Some families might have been able to afford them; others not. Chocolate, tea, and coffee were likewise imported and not always available. Most of what we know about pioneer era Christmas tables is gleaned from primary sources: letters, journals, peronal inventories, etc. Period cookbooks and menus only serve as period guides. If you need this information for a child's report, we recommend The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories/Barbara M. Walker. Your local public librarian will be happy to help you obtain a copy. If you are researching this topic for a college project (or constructing a historic menu for a museum, writing a book) we suggest you contact the foodways experts at Conner Prarie, IN (living history museum circa 1830s). In addition to identifying menus/foods, they can also advise on cooking utensils and methods. If you have a specfic target location in mind, the local historical society is generally your best first contact. We can help identify the organization if you wish.
[1870]
Christmas Dinner, Jennie June's American Cookery Book
[1877]
Christmas Dinners, Buckeye Cookery, Minneapolis
[1888]
"Murray Hill Hotel Christmas Dinner, New York City: Cherrystones, Celery, Cream of Artichokes, Florentine, Consomme of Game, Quenells, Terapene au Madere, Small Patties of Oyster Crabs, Fillet of Beef, Braise, Lithuanienne, Potatoes, Sprouts, Breast of Partridge, Truffle a la Toulouse, Timbale of Sweetbread, Victoria, Fresh Mushrooms on Toast, Punch a la Russe, Christmas Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Turkey with Chestnuts, Canvas Back, Stuffed Quail, Samp Fritters, Lettuce, Asparagus, Hollandaise, French Peas, Baked Cauliflower, Plum Pudding Polonaise, Mince Pie, Nesselrode, Fantasie, Cream a la Moscovite, Marsala Jelly, Assorted Cakes, Fruits Glaces, Cheese, Fruits, Coffee."
---"Tempting the Gourmands: Hotel Menus Appealing to Eye and Palate," The New York Times, December 26, 1888 (p. 8)
[1890]
Menu for a Christmas Dinner, Godey's Ladies Book
[1896]
Christmas Dinner, Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School Cook Book
[1897]
"Christmas Dinner: Oysters on the Half Shell, Clear Soup, Custard and Spinach Blocks, Olives, Celery, Deviled Spaghetti, Roasted Turkey, Chestnut Stuffing, Cranberry Jelly, Sweet Potato Croquettes, Peas Served in Turnip Cups, Ginger Sherbet, Lettuce Salad, Cheese Balls, Toasted Crackers, Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Coffee, Bonbons, Almonds.--The Ladies' Home Journal, December 1897"
---Savory Suppers & Fashionable Feasts: Dining in Victorian America, Susan Williams [Pantheon Books:New York] 1985 (p. 201)
1900s--DOMESTIC SCIENCE
[1903]
"Christmas Day Dinner: Oysters on Half Shell, Game Soup, Boiled White Fish, Sauce Maitre d'Hotel, Roast Goose, Apple Sauce, Boiled Potatoes, Mashed Turnips, Creamed Parsnips, Stewed Onions, Boiled Rice, Lobster Salad, Canvas Back Duck, Christmas Plum Pudding, Sauce, Vanilla Ice-cream, Mince Pie, Orange Jelly, Delicate Cake, Salted Almonds, Confectionery, Fruits, Coffee."
---The White House Cook Book, Hugo Zieman and Mrs. F. L. Gilette [Saafield Publishing Co.:New York] 1903 (p. 478)
[1904]
"Christmas Dinner Menu: Grapefruit, Cream of Oyster Soup, Radishes, Salted Nuts, Olives, Fish Cutlets with Shrimp Sauce, Potato Croquettes, Roast Turkey or Goose, Cranberry Sauce, Caramel Sweet Potatoes, Celery au Gratin, Pickled Peaches, Cider, Orange Salad with French Dressing, Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Nuts, Raisins, Crackers, Cheese, Coffee."
---Christmas Edition Gold Medal Flour Cook Book, facsimile reprint 1904 edition [General Mills:Minneapolis MN] 1970 (fronticepiece)
[1905]
"A Yule-Tide Dinner: Steamed Salmon, Game Pie, Potato Ring,Turnup Balls, Oysters in Lemon Shells, Roasted Pig, Nuts and Blossoms, Ginger Sherbet, Frozen Plum Pudding, Cranberry Raisin Jelly, Cheese Souffle, Mince Pastries."
---Consolidated Library of Modern Cooking and Household Recipes, Christine Terhune Herrick [R.J. Bodmer Company:New York] 1905 , Volume III (front matter)
[1906]
"Menu-Christmas: Breakfast: Oranges, Germia, Broiled Salt Mckerel, Chipped Beef on Toast, Baked Potatoes, Griddle Cakes, Muffins, Coffee...Dinner: Oysters on Half Shell, Cream Chicken Soup, Boiled Whitefish, sauce Maitre d'Hotel, Roast Goose, apple sauce, Boiled Potatoes, Mashed Turnips, Sweet Potatoes, Christmas Plum Pudding, Lemon Ice, Squash Pie, Quince Jelly, Delicate Cake, Salted Almonds, Fruit, Coffee...Supper: Cold Roast Gooses, Oyster Patties, Cold Slaw, Charlotte Russe, Popovers, Currant Jelly."
---The Blue Ribbon Cook Book, Annie R. Gregory [Monarch Book Company:Chicago] 1906 (p. 33)
[1909]
"A Christmas Dinner. Grape Fruit or Consomme, Celery, Olives, Mock Goose, Apple sauce, Baked Onions, Rice, Apple Salad, French Dressing, Wafers, Plum Pudding, Orange Sauce, Coffee, Candies, Fruits, Nuts."
---Mrs. Rorer's Vegetable Cookery and Meat Substitutes, Sarah Tyson Rorer [Arnold and Company:Philadelphia] 1909 (p. 315)
1910s--WWI
[1911]
"Christmas Diunner Menu No. 1: Sardine Cocktail, Chicken Consomme with Oysters, Pulled Bread, Olives, Salted Pecans, Spanish Mackerel, Jaffa, Dressed Cucumbers, Roast Goose, Potato Stuffing, Apple Baskets, Sweet Potatoes with Sherry, Cauliflower, Hongroise, Christmas Salad, Cheese Stars, Fruit Pudding, Monroe Sauce, Parfait Armour, Lady Fingers, Bonbons, Toasted Crackers, Roquefort, Cafe Noir."
---Catering for Special Occasions with Menus and Recipes, Fannie Merritt Farmer [David McKay:Philadelphia] 1911 (p. 167)
[1913]
"Christmas Dinner: Oysters, Mangoes, Celery, Stuffed Olives, Tomato Soup, Roast Turkey, Cranberry Jelly, Roast Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Turnips, Brussels Sprouts, Orange and Celery Salad, Vanilla Blanc-mange, English Plum Pudding, Fruit, Coffee."
---A Calendar of Dinners with 615 Recipes, Marion Harris Neil [Procter & Gamble:Cincinnati] 1913 (p. 229)
[1917]
"Christmas Dinner, Park Avenue Hotel: Blue Points, Cenery, Olives, Cream of Tomato, Roast Vermont Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Celery Dressing, Hashed Cream Potatoes, Mashed Turnips, Romaine Salad, Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce or Ice Cream Cake, Demi-tasse."
---"No Meat Christmas in the Big Hotels," The New York Times, December 16, 1917 (p. XX8)
[1919]
"December 25, Dinner: Blue Points, mignonette, Bisque d'ecrevisses, Salted Almonds, Celery, Ripe California olives, Fillet of trout, Cafe de Paris, Sweetbreads braise, au jus, Puree de marrons, Roast goose, apple sauce, Sweet potatoes, Southern style, Pate de foi gras de Strasbourg, Lettuce salad, aux fines herbes, Frozen diplomate pudding, Assorted cakes, Pont l'eveque cheese, Crackers, Nuts and raisins, Coffee."
---Hotel St. Francis Cook Book, Victor Hirtzler [Hotel Monthly Press:Chicago] 1919 (p. 383)
1920s--PROHIBITION
[1920]
"Christmas Dinner, 4PM: Clear Tomato Soup, Celery, Cole Slaw, Tuna Fish a la New berg, Potato Balls, Sliced Cucumbers, Roast Turkey, Game Filling, Brown Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Corn, Lettuce, Russian Dressing, Individual Plum Puddings, Coffe...-OR-...Celery, Pickles. Olives, Sardine Canape, Bouillon, Miniature Codfish Balls, Tomato Sauce, Parsley Potato Balls, Cucumbers, Baked Sugar-Cured Ham, Currant Jelly, Champagne Style Sauce, Paprika Potatoes, Peas, Asparagus Salad, Delmonte Dressing, Individual Hot Mince Tarts, Coffee."
---Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book, Mrs. Mary A. Wilson, instructor of cooking for the U.S. Navy [J.B. Lippincott:Philadelphia] 1920 (p. 469-470)
[1924]
"Christmas Dinner: No. 1: Oyster Cocktails in Green Pepper Shells, Celery, Ripe Olives, Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing, Apple Sauce, String Beans, Potato Puff, Lettuce Salad with Riced Cheese and Bar-le-Duc French Dressing, Toasted Wafers, English Plum Pudding, Bonbons, Coffee...No. 1: Cream of Celery Soup, Bread Sticks, Salted Peanuts, Stuffed Olives, Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Potato Souffle, Spinach in Eggs, White Grape Salad with Guava Jelly, French Dressing, Toasted Crackers, Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Bonbons, Coffee."
---The New Butterick Cook-Book, Flora Rose [Butterick Publishing Company:New York] 1924 (p. 59)
[1926]
Christmas Menus, U.S. Navy (scroll down past the Thanksgiving menus)
[1927]
"A Dainty Christmas Dinner for a not Overinflated Purse. Christmas Cocktail, Potage Parmentier, Pamesan Toasterettes, Roast Fowl with Fruit Dressing and Spiced Jelly Sauce, Duchess Potatoes, Moulded Spinach, Hot Cranberry Muffins, Celery-and-Olive Salad in Hubbardstron Cups, Green Mayonnaise, Cinnamon Toast Strips, Jewel Pudding with Whipped Cream, Red-and-Green Frosted Cake, Coffee, Candy, mixed fruit and nuts conclude this dinner."
---American Cookery, December 1927 (p. 371)
[1929]
"A Christmas Dinner. Stuffed Pimientos, Consomme, Croutons, Roast Turkey or Braised Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Bittered Burssels Sprouts, Piccalilli, Cranberry Sauce, Horseshoe Rolls, Butter, Jellied Coleslaw, Mayonniase, English Plum Pudding, Maraschino Hard Sauce, Black Coffee.
---Mrs. Allen on Cooking, Menus, Service, Ida C. Bailey Allen [Doubleday, Doran & Company:Garden City] 1929 (p. 875)
1930s---THE GREAT DEPRESSION
[1931]
"Christmas Dinner No. 1: Tomato cocktail, Roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, Giblet gravy, Mashed potatoes, Buttered onions, Spinach or another green vegetable, Cranberry relish, Celery and olives, Grapefruit salad, Plum pudding with hard sauce, Nuts and fruit, Coffee... Christmas Dinner No. 2: Roast chicken or roast pork loin, Browned potatoes, Mashed rutabaga turnip, String beans, Fried pineapple, Celery, Mince pie, Nuts and fruit, Coffee."
---Aunt Sammy's Radio Recipes Revised, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Home Economics [Government Printing Office:Washington DC] 1931 (p. 7)
[1932]
"An Old English Christmas Dinner Menu: Crystal Coca-Cola Cocktail served in the Living Room, Barley Broth with Saltines, Roast Goose or Young Suckling with Apple Stuffing, Black Currant Jam, Riced Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Old Fashioned Cole Slaw, Celery, Pickled Walnuts, Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce, Nuts, Coffee, Fruits."
---When You Entertain: What to Do, and How, Ida Baily Allen [Coca-Cola Company:Atlanta GA] 1932 (p. 90)
[1935]
Christmas menu, CCC Camp Squaw Butte, Oregon
[1936]
"Christmas Dinner: Oyster Cocktail, Wafers, Clear Soup, with Custard, Celery, Salted Nuts, Roast Goose with Dressing, Applesauce, Glaced Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Squash, Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts, Cranberry Ring with Grapefruit and Malaga Grape Salad, Plum Pudding Trimmed with Holly, Hard Sauce or Brandy Sauce, Lemon Milk Sherbet, Mince Pie, Mixed Nuts and Raisins, Fruit, Candies, Coffee."
---The Settlement Cook Book, Mrs. Simon Kander, 21st Edition Enlarged and Revised [Settlement Cook Book Co.:Milwaukee WI] 1936 (p. 617)
[1937]
"Christmas Dinner: Crabmeat Cocktail, Roast Goose Sage-onion Dressing, Frozen Spiced Applesauce, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Turnips, Celery, Stuffed Olives, Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Salted Nuts, Mints, Coffee."
---America's Cook Book, Home Institute of The New York Herald Tribune [Charles Scribner's Sons:New York] 1937 (p. 861)
[1939]
"Christmas. Celery, Oysters on the Half Shell, Olives, Bouillon or Essence of Tomato, Melba Toast, Roast Goose, Savory Stuffing or Little Roast Pig, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Onions, Apple and Grape Salad, Mince Pie or Plum Pudding, Hard and Liquid Sauce, Balck Coffee."
---Boston Cooking School Cook Book, Fannie Merritt Farmer [Little Brown:Boston] 1939 (p. 13)
1940s--WORLD WAR II
[1940]
"Family Christmas Dinner: Grape Juice--Ginger Ale Cup, Cheese Popcorn, Roast Goose or Turkey, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Cranberry Relish, Olives, Celery, Green Salad, Rolls, Jellied Raspberry Grapefruit or Plum Pudding, Coffee."
---Young America's Cook Book: A Cook Book for Boys and Girls Who Like Good Food, Compiled by The Home Institute of the New York Herald Tribune [Charles Scribner's Sons:New York] 1940 (p. 226)
[1942]
"Christmas Dinner, The White House: Oyster cocktail, Clear soup with sherry, Roast turkey, Chestnut dressing, Cranberry jelly, Deerfoot sausage, Beans, Cauliflower au gratin, Casserole sweet potatoes with orange, Grapefruit and avacado salad, Plum pudding, Hard sauce, Coffee."
---"White House Menu Today," The New York Times, December 25, 1942 (p. 9)
[1942]
Christmas Dinner, U.S. Navy Receiving Station, Boston Massachusetts
[1944]
"Christmas Dinner I: Cranberry Sherbet, Roast Turkey, Oyster Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes, Piquante Spinach with Beets, Grapefruit and Celery Salad, Christmas Plum Pudding, Foamy Sauce, Coffee.--Christmas Dinner II: Roast Duck, Creole Rice Stuffing, Buttered Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Carrot Sticks, Olives, Orange Milk Sherbet, Mixed Nuts, Coffee."
---Good Housekeeping Cookbook, completely revised edition [Farrar & Rinehart:New York] 1944 (p. 375)
[1945]
Christmas Dinner, U.S. Air Force
[1947]
"Christmas Dinner, The White House: Tomato Consomme, Curled Celery, Assorted Olives, Roast Turkey, Chestnut Dressing, Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Jelly, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, Plum Pudding, Molded Ring with Fruit, Candy, Nuts, Coffee."
---"Simple Menu Set For White House," The New York Times, December 23, 1947 (p. 28)
1950s--SUBURBAN LIFE
[1950]
"Christmas Dinner. Consomme, Melba Toast, Celery Curls, Olives, Roast Turkey, Mushroom and Oyster Stuffing, Cranberry Relish, Sweetpotato Souffle, Broccoli, Green Salad Bowl with French Dressing, Individual Plum Puddings with Brazil-nut Hard Sauce, Coffee, Milk."
---Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, edited by Ruth Berolzheimer [Culinary Arts Institute:Chicago] 1950 (p. 86)
[1952]
Christmas Dinner, 4th Higher Interceptor Wing, Korea
[1956]
"Fireside Buffet: Holiday Glazed Ham, Parsley Potatoes, Spiced Peaches, Corn-bread Diamonds, Vegetable Scallop, Relishes: Olives, Water Cress, Watermelon Rind, Radishes, Celery Crescents, Eggnogg Pie, Coffee, Salted Nuts, Mints."
---Family Circle, December 1956 (p. 42)
[1956]
"A Dinner in Red for Christmas: Fruit Cocktail, Salmon Pudding, Cheese Sauce, Potato Cubes, Corn Relish in Red Pepper Cups, Radish Flowers, Roast Turkey or Roast Duck with Oyster Stuffing, Cranberry Molds, Creole Brains, Asparagus in Red Pepper Rings, Egg Rolls, Tomato Jelly with Stuffed Olives and Celery, Charlotte, Fruit Cake, Coffee, Cheese, Crackers."
---Mary Lyles Wilson Cookbook, Mary Lyles Wilson [Southwestern Company:Nashville TN] 1956 (p. 306)
[1959]
"Duckling Dinner: French Onion Soup, Hokliday Duckling With Orange Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Mushroom Wild Rice, Almond Green Beans, Gala Fruit Wreath, Parkerhouse Rolls, Butter, Assorted Cheese and Crackers, Hot Coffee."
"Rib-Roast Splurge: Merrie Roast of Beef, Roast Potatoes, French-fried Onion Rings, Broccoli with Easy Hollandaise, Salad Apple Ring, Brown-and-serve Fantans, Candle Cake, Hot Coffee, Mugs of Milk."
---Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book: Special Occasions, [Meredith Press:New York] 1959 (p. 75-6)
1960s--COMPLICATED & CONFLICTED
[1963]
"Holiday Feasting: Baked Liver Pate and/or Shrimp Relish, Roast Turkey, Mushroom-Rice Stuffing with lots of Gravy, Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes, Onions Parmesan, Green Beans with Herb Sauce, Relish Bouquet: Cranberry Sauce, Olives, Celery Fans, Cranberry-Crunch, with Soft Vanilla Ice Cream or Gouda Cheese or Heavenly Honey-Walnut Pumpkin Pie or Lemon Sherbet with Minted Pineapple, Coffee, of course."
---Good Housekeeping Cookbook, Dorothy B. Marsh editor [Good Housekeeping:New York] 1963 (p. 69)
[1963]
"Christmas: Savory Roast Beef, Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, Braised Celery with Mushrooms, Tomato Aspic served on Green-Pepper Rings, Rolls, Mincemeat Glace, Coffee."
---McCall's Cook Book, [Random House:New York] 1963 (p. 716)
[1966]
"A Dinner for Christmas Day: Caviar Roulade, Standing Rib Roast, Potatoes-in-the-Shell Souffle, Cauliflower with Mustard sauce, Buttered Green Beans, Frozen Fruitcake."
---The New York Times Menu Cook Book, Craig Claiborne [Harper & Row:New York] 1966 (p. 51)
[1967]
Christmas Day Dinner, U.S. Field Artillery, Vietnam
1970s--TRADITIONAL YET CONVENIENT
[1973]
"Christmas Holiday Dinner: Planned for eight to ten, Hot Cheese Bacon Puffs, jellied Consomme with Red Caviar, Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding or Savory Roast Potatoes, Buttered Peas with Mushrooms, Cauliflower Surprise, Hearts fo Celery or Fennel, Cherry Tomatoes, Radishes and Scallions on Ice, Hot Rolls, Butter, Steamed Plum Pudding with Pudding Sauce or Glazed Lemon-Cream-Cheese Cake, Red Burgundy, Coffee."
---The New McCall's Cook Book, Mary Eckley [Random House:New York] 1973 (p. 574)
[1975]
"Christmas Dinner: Shrimp Cocktail, (Chilled Traminer, Riesling, or Rhine wine), Roast Goose with Sage and Onion Dressing, Braised Chestnuts, Giblet Gravy, Spicy Applesauce, Green Beans in Mustard Sauce, Molded Cranberry-Pecan Salad, Plum Pudding with Brandy or Rum Sauce, Milk, Coffee, Tea."
---The Doubleday Cookbook: Complete Contemporary Cooking, Jean Anderson & Elaine Hanna [Doubleday:Garden City NY] 1975 (p. 74)
[1976]
"Christmas Dinner: Oysters Rockefeller, Roast Domestic Goose, Baked Potatoes, Butter, Broccoli Casserole, Classic Waldorf Salad, Tutti-frutti Tortoni, Coffee, Tea."
---Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook [Meredith Corporation:Des Moines IA] 1976 (p. 383)
RECOMMENDED READING (historic menus & recipes)
The Christmas Cook: Three Centuries of American Yuletide Sweets, William Woys Weaver
Christmas Feasts from History, Lorna Sass

About these notes: Food history can be a complicated topic. These notes are not meant to be a comprehensive treatment of the subject, but a summary of salient points supported with culinary evidence. If you need more information we suggest you start by asking your librarian to help you find the books and articles cited in these notes. Article databases are good for locating current recipes, consumer trends, and new products.

WWE Tribute To The Troops

an annual Dailey holiday tradition...

Coca Cola & Santa Claus

Coke Lore
Coca-Cola® and Santa Claus
Most people can agree on what Santa Claus looks like -- jolly, with a red suit and a white beard. But he did not always look that way, and Coca-Cola® advertising actually helped shape this modern-day image of Santa.

2006 marked the 75th anniversary of the famous Coca-Cola Santa Claus. Starting in 1931, magazine ads for Coca-Cola featured St. Nick as a kind, jolly man in a red suit. Because magazines were so widely viewed, and because this image of Santa appeared for more than three decades, the image of Santa most people have today is largely based on our advertising.

Before the 1931 introduction of the Coca-Cola Santa Claus created by artist Haddon Sundblom, the image of Santa ranged from big to small and fat to tall. Santa even appeared as an elf and looked a bit spooky.

Through the centuries, Santa Claus has been depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to an elf. He has worn a bishop's robe and a Norse huntsman's animal skin. The modern-day Santa Claus is a combination of a number of the stories from a variety of countries.

The Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly in 1862; Santa was shown as a small elf-like figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years and along the way changed the color of his coat from tan to the now traditional red. Though some people believe the Coca-Cola Santa wears red because that is the Coke® color, the red suit comes from Nast's interpretation of St. Nick.

The Coca-Cola Company began its Christmas advertising in the 1920s with shopping-related ads in magazines like The Saturday Evening Post. The first Santa ads used a strict-looking Claus, in the vein of Thomas Nast.

At this time, many people thought of Coca-Cola as a drink only for warm weather. The Coca-Cola Company began a campaign to remind people that Coca-Cola was a great choice in any month. This began with the 1922 slogan "Thirst Knows No Season," and continued with a campaign connecting a true icon of winter -- Santa Claus -- with the beverage.

In 1930, artist Fred Mizen painted a department store Santa in a crowd drinking a bottle of Coke. The ad featured the world's largest soda fountain, which was located in the department store of Famous Barr Co. in St. Louis, Mo. Mizen's painting was used in print ads that Christmas season, appearing in The Saturday Evening Post in December 1930.

Archie Lee, the D'Arcy Advertising Agency executive working with The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the next campaign to show a wholesome Santa as both realistic and symbolic. In 1931, The Coca-Cola Company commissioned Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop advertising images using Santa Claus -- showing Santa himself, not a man dressed as Santa, as Mizen’s work had portrayed him.


For inspiration, Sundblom turned to Clement Clark Moore's 1822 poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (commonly called "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"). Moore's description of St. Nick led to an image of Santa that was warm, friendly, pleasantly plump and human. For the next 33 years, Sundblom painted portraits of Santa that helped to create the modern image of Santa -- an interpretation that today lives on in the minds of people of all ages, all over the world.


From 1931 to 1964, Coca-Cola advertising showed Santa delivering (and playing!) with toys, pausing to read a letter and enjoy a Coke, playing with children who stayed up to greet him and raiding the refrigerators at a number of homes. The original oil paintings Sundblom created were adapted for Coca-Cola advertising in magazines, store displays, billboards, posters, calendars and even plush dolls. Many of those items today are popular collectibles.

The Coca-Cola Santa made its debut in 1931 in The Saturday Evening Post and appeared regularly in that magazine, as well as Ladies Home Journal, National Geographic, The New Yorker and others. The instantly popular ad campaign appeared each season, reflecting the times. One ad even featured Santa in a rocket!

Sundblom continued to create new visions of Santa Claus through 1964. For decades after, Coca-Cola advertising has featured Santa’s image based on Sundblom’s original works.

These original paintings by Haddon Sundblom are some of the most prized pieces in the art collection of our Company’s Archives Department, and have been on exhibit around the world, including at the Louvre in Paris, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the Isetan Department Store in Tokyo and the NK Department Store in Stockholm.

The Coca-Cola Santa has had a powerful, enduring quality that continues to resonate today. Many of the original paintings can be seen on display at World of Coca-Cola Atlanta or touring during the holiday season.

Did you know?
It's a common misconception that Santa wears a red coat because red is the color of Coca-Cola. In fact, Santa appeared in a red coat before artist Haddon Sundblom painted him for Coca-Cola advertising.

People loved the Coca-Cola Santa images and paid such close attention to them, that when anything changed, they sent letters to The Coca-Cola Company. One year, Santa's large belt was backwards (perhaps because artist Haddon Sundblom used himself as a model and painted by looking in a mirror). Another year, Santa Claus appeared without a wedding ring, causing fans to write asking what happened to Mrs. Claus.

In the beginning, artist Haddon Sundblom painted the image of Santa using a live model -- his friend, Lou Prentiss, a retired salesman. When Prentiss passed away, Sundblom used himself as a model, painting while looking into a mirror. After the 1930s, he used photographs to create the image of St. Nick.

The children who appear with Santa Claus in Haddon Sundlbom’s paintings were based on Sundblom's neighbors. However, the neighbors were both girls, and Sundblom simply changed one to a boy in his paintings!

The dog in the 1964 original Santa Claus painting by artist Haddon Sundblom was actually a gray poodle belonging to the neighborhood florist. Sundblom painted the animal with black fur, instead, to make the dog stand out in the holiday scene.


The image of Santa Claus has appeared on cartons for bottles of Coca-Cola since 1931, when artist Haddon Sundblom first created his version of St. Nick. Early cartons completely covered the bottles of Coke -- almost as if they were inside a box -- and had a handle at the very top. The carton itself was created -- and patented -- by the Coca-Cola system. Introduced in 1923, it allowed people to take home more bottles of Coke.

The Coca-Cola Polar Bear stars with Santa Claus on the 2006 store advertising for the U.S. Hispanic market. The Coca-Cola Polar Bear was introduced in 1993 as part of the "Always Coca-Cola" campaign. The first commercial featuring the bear showed was called "Northern Lights" and showed a group of bears watching a "movie" (the aurora borealis) and drinking from bottles of Coca-Cola.

The "Sprite Boy" character, who appeared with Santa Claus and was used in Coca-Cola advertising in the 1940s and 50s, was also created by artist Haddon Sundblom. Though The Coca-Cola Company does have a drink called Sprite®, the Sprite Boy character was not named for the beverage. Sprite Boy's name came because he is a sprite -- an elf. Sprite Boy first appeared in ads in 1942, while the drink Sprite was not introduced until the 1960s.

In 2001, the artwork from Haddon Sundblom's 1962 original painting was used as the basis for an animated TV commercial starring the Coca-Cola Santa. The ad was created by Academy Award-winning animator Alexandre Petrov.

This Incredible Time Of The Year

Katie was Reindeer 1 & played in 5th grade band at this years school xmas concert, KJ was ineligible since he was home sick...and of course Grandma Janet & mom were there!

Christmas Spectacular 2009

Katie's secomd Christmas recital...

dancing at Princeton Christmas Celebration

The Dance Studio loves to entertain the masses....here are Nesa, Katie, & Mackenzie waiting their turn to dance at the Senior Center...

Girl Scouts Go Caroling

it's an annual holdiay tradition, caroling businesses around the Mercer square...

gifts....

at Wal-Mart yesterday, bought gifts for School Nurse Mary, Katie's teacher Mrs Holt, for Stephanie The Dance Teacher, & 4-H gift for Nicole. still have classroom gift left...

rec'd first Xmas card

from Kevin's brother David, his girlfriend Melissa, & their combined kids yesterday December 4th.

christmas cards

are in the mail...(I think!)
front porch is decorated.
katie decorated the tree and the house.