Author: sandramervillehart

The Christmas Child by Max Lucado

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51cqcdm7vhl-_sx497_bo1204203200_I read this book in an hour yet the story touched me.

A photo received by a Chicago man’s father with no explanation and no return address prompts a visit to a small Texas church.

One man on the brink of divorce at Christmas hears the story of another man whose mistakes brought tragedy to the ones he loved most.

Touching book about healing and forgiveness at Christmas.

I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this author. The hardback book makes a nice gift or stocking stuffer.

-Review by Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Oh, Bring Us a Figgy Pudding

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by Sandra Merville Hart

We sing the familiar Christmas tune, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” every year. I realized that I had never eaten Figgie Pudding at the holidays or on any other occasion.

Searching through my cookbooks written in the 1800s didn’t produce a recipe for the pudding, which made me wonder when folks sang the song originally. Yet if carolers refused to leave until they received a serving, the dessert must taste delicious.

img_2488The song is believed to date back to England in the 1500s. Carolers sang to their neighbors with greetings of the season. They hoped wealthy citizens would give them a treat, such as figgy pudding, to reward their entertainment.

The song, “Here We Come A-wassailing,” asked for a drink from rich neighbors’ wassail bowl, an invitation to warm themselves around the fire, and maybe a pork pie. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” issues a specific request—Figgie Pudding.

Apparently, the tradition of making this dessert at Christmas had faded by the nineteenth century, but I was still wanted to make the pudding.

I found a modern recipe on the Food Network site. Click here  to see the recipe.

img_2497I made the pudding as directed. The cook said that the ratio of ingredients half-filled eight ramekins. Mine hold six ounces, so I’m not sure what size ramekins the cook used because there was a lot of batter leftover. The remaining batter went into a casserole dish, so this recipe will feed about a dozen guests.

My husband and I both enjoyed the rich pudding with a hint of chocolate. The creamy sauce on top enhanced the flavor. The dates and figs flavored every bite.

If you try this, I’d love to hear about it.

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

Sources

“Warm Sticky Figgy Pudding,” Television Food Network GP, 2016/10/25  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/warm-sticky-figgy-pudding-recipe.html

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” Carols.org.uk, 2016/10/25  https://www.carols.org.uk/we_wish_you_a_merry_christmas.htm.

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” Wikipedia, 2016/10/25  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Wish_You_a_Merry_Christmas.

 

The Twelve Days of Christmas

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by Sandra Merville Hart

The Twelve Days of Christmas isn’t just a song; it was a celebration of Jesus’s birth beginning on Christmas Day. This was the Day 1 or the first day of Christmas.

A saint was honored on each successive day. For instance, December 26th was Day 2. This is Boxing Day. St. Stephen was the one remembered on this day.

The Twelfth Night—or Epiphany Eve—is January 5th, the evening before the Twelfth Day when people celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. January 6th is the final day of Christmas.

Folks hosted big parties on the Twelfth Night. They played music–usually bagpipes–and played games. Hostesses served Twelfth Night cake every year. It was a fun and festive event.

rock-partridge-50362_960_720Our beloved song, Twelve Days of Christmas, seems to have begun as a “memories—and—forfeits” game, as is printed in a children’s book in 1780, Mirth Without Mischief. The leader began the game by quoting a verse that the followers repeated. This continued until a player made a mistake, when that person paid a small forfeit or penalty—possibly a kiss.

This was one of the games played at Twelfth Night parties. When this and other games finished, guests sat down to enjoy a meal that included mince pies and Twelfth Night cake.

The Christmas season ended on January 6th, known as Epiphany. This day honors two events in Jesus’s life: the first event happened when the Magi traveled from the east to bring gifts to the newborn king, Jesus; and the second event took place when John the Baptist baptized Jesus.

the-three-magi-160632_960_720Many Christians across the world still celebrate Epiphany. Several countries including Austria, Italy, and Uruguay recognize this day as a public holiday.

Citizens of different countries celebrate Epiphany in various ways. For example, the children of Spain leave straw or grain for the horses of the three kings inside their shoes on Epiphany Eve, January 5th. They are delighted to find cookies or gifts has replaced the grain on Epiphany.

The three kings ride into many cities in Spain on Epiphany Eve. Drummers dressed in medieval costumes and military bands enter with the kings as part of the event.

Traditionally, the Twelve Days of Christmas has been much more than a fun song. Learning the history adds meaning to what we already love about the season.

Sources

“Epiphany,” Timeanddate.com, 2016/10/25  https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/epiphany.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas,” WhyChristmas.com, 2016/10/25  http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/12daysofchristmas.shtml.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas (Song,)” Wikipedia, 2016/10/25  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song).

Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe – a Review

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I had previously read and enjoyed both these Christmas novels. I recently reread them. It had been long enough that I didn’t remember many of the details. The second time through was just as heartwarming.

51cytrwnjyl-_sx318_bo1204203200_An Appalachian Christmas by Irene Brand

Julia Mayfield just wants to fulfill her sister’s dying wish and introduce her nephew to his grandparents. They refuse to meet him, leaving her with a dilemma: she can stay in the tiny town of Mistletoe and work on a book assignment as an intriguing farmer, David Armstrong, suggests while waiting for their attitude to soften or return home.

Somehow, her decision seems very important.

When reading this, I was confused about the time period. At first I thought it was set after World War I. Then I realized the setting was after World War II. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable Christmas read.

 

Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Anita Higman

Holly Goodnight has always been best friends with Owen “Quig” Quigly since their toddler years in their small town of Noel. She hopes that someday her mother, who left her on a shop doorstep as a baby, will return but after almost thirty years that doesn’t seem likely.

An author, Van Keaton, arrives in town with a shocking proposal to write her story. Quig, who believes it will help Holly to deal with her past, urges her to agree then watches as the woman he has always loved begins to fall for the handsome author.

I enjoyed both these Christmas romances.

-Review by Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

What was Wassailing?

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by Sandra Merville Hart

We often hear an old song at Christmas, “Here we come A-wassailing.” So what does this mean?

In Old English, the word wassail meant “be you healthy.”

Wassail were warm mulled drinks. The beverages became “mulled” when heated with spices and some type of sweetener. Early drinks were made with mead, where ale was sweetened with honey and then brewed. Crab apples were roasted and then added to the mead to create lambswool, a beverage. Folks drank lambswool to celebrate the wheat harvest on Lammas Day, an event observed by the English in August.

crabapple-193676_960_720Wassail later was made with mulled cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar. Toasted bread topped the drinks served in a large bowl shared by everyone.

Wassailing referred to the tradition of caroling, with folks singing Christmas carols to neighbors. They brought greetings of the season as well as wishes for good health.

Generosity abounded at Christmas, at least in the hearts of some of the wealthier English citizens. Orphans and beggars often traveled snowy roads to knock on doors. They offered to sing of good cheer for a drink from the owner’s wassail bowl.

open-fire-885860_960_720They also hoped for a pork pie or an invitation to warm themselves around the fire.

The song also mentions their need of money: “We have got a little purse of stretching leather skin; We want a little of your money to line it well within.” The orphans hoped for pennies.

A hot drink on a cold winter’s night warmed the carolers’ spirits just as their songs cheered the listeners.

“Love and joy come to you”—Merry Christmas!

Sources

“Here We Come A-Wassailing,” Wikipedia, 2016/10/19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_We_Come_A-wassailing.

“Wassail,” Wikipedia, 2016/10/19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassail.

 

 

 

Silent Night

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Joseph Mohr, a young priest at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria, was asked to plan the music for that all-important service, Christmas Eve Mass.

1818 was an especially cold winter. Mohr strolled over snow-covered lanes to the village church hours before the service was to begin. The choir had practiced the songs. They were ready, even though snowy weather had prevented some from attending practices.

The church organ didn’t work. What could he do?

angel-8186_960_720He hurried to the home of Franz Gruber, a schoolteacher and musician friend. Whether he went there to talk about a poem he wrote or remembered while there is unclear. At some point in their conversation, Mohr showed a poem that he had written two years previously while he served at a church in Mariapfarr. He asked Gruber to compose music and guitar accompaniment for the Christmas poem.

That evening, Mohr and Gruber sang the song for the first time as the guitar played “Stille Nacht.” Singing four-part harmony, the choir repeated the last two lines of each stanza.

christmas-1010749_960_720Karl Mauracher, an organ repairman, came to St. Nicholas the following month. While Mauracher worked on the organ, Mohr told him of the new song sung on Christmas Eve, accompanied by guitar. Mohr sang “Stille Nacht” for Mauracher, who loved it so much that he taught the song to other churches.

Mohr died before his song became well-known throughout Europe. The problem was that folks assumed one of the famous composers, such as Mozart or Beethoven wrote the melody. Gruber’s claims that he wrote the tune didn’t dispel lingering doubts. It wasn’t until an original document by Mohr was found in 1995 that folks widely accepted Gruber’s claim. The manuscript showed that Mohr penned the poem in 1816 and the Gruber composed the music in 1818.

“Stille Nacht” has been translated into English as “Silent Night.” Two centuries later, the carol is still sung every Christmas season. The talents of these two men live on in this song.

Sources

Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas, Zondervan, 2010.

Egan, Bill. “Silent Night: The Song Heard ‘Round the World,” Silentnight.web.za, 2016/10/27 http://www.silentnight.web.za/history/index.htm.

“Silent Night,” Wikipedia, 2016/10/27  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night.

Ten Christmas Songs that Mention Food

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by Sandra Merville Hart

It’s that time of year again. Shoppers hear Christmas tunes in malls and stores while selecting the perfect sweater for Grandpa. Radio stations play familiar carols as commuters rush from one store to the next searching for the video game that tops their teenager’s wish list.

pumpkin-pie-520655_960_720We hum the tunes and suddenly remember that lunch was hours ago. It’s funny to think that several of our favorites mention food.

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention food or drink:

  • “The Christmas Song” – Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
  • “Let it Snow” – And I’ve brought some corn for popping 
  • “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas” – With candy canes and silver lanes aglow
  • “Over the River and Through the Woods” – Hurrah for fun; the pudding’s done, Hurrah for pumpkin pie.
  • “The Wassail Song” – Love and joy come to you, and to your wassail, too
  • “Sleigh Ride” – When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
  • “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” – Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie
  • “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Marshmallows for toasting
  • “Home for the Holidays” – And some homemade pumpkin pie
  • “We wish you a Merry Christmas” – Oh, bring us a figgy pudding

 chestnuts-789518_960_720So if you find yourself a bit hungry while Christmas shopping, it may be the songs you are humming along to from the sound system!

Merry Christmas!

 

Sources

“Christmas Lyrics,” Mikeleal.com,  2016/10/19 http://www.mikeleal.com/christmas/songs.html.”

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

This Week in History: Civil War Battle of Franklin

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Wednesday, November 30, 1864

 Jacob Cox led Union soldiers under General Schofield south of Franklin, Tennessee, around dawn where they set up a line of defense as well as along the Harpeth River. Federals wanted to hold the city long enough to repair bridges for crossing.

Confederate General John Bell Hood resolved not to allow the Federals to reach Nashville. He arrived with 30,000 troops around 4 pm and launched an assault on the Union front. Though they almost broke through, the Southerners took heavy losses.

Some of the whole war’s bloodiest fighting happened at the Carter House. Tragically, Confederate soldier Tod Carter was fatally wounded in the frontal assault and died in his childhood home.

The battle that raged well past nightfall claimed the lives of 6 Confederate generals, including Pat Cleburne, tragic losses for the Southerners.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Long, E.B with Long, Barbara. The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac 1861-1865, A Da Capo Paperback, 1971.

“Franklin,” Civil War Trust, 2016/08/04 http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/franklin.html.