The Candy Cane

The wide red stripe represents the sacrifice of Christ -- "For by the stripes we are healed". As for the red narrow stripes, it represents our own sacrifices  --  "in giving", and the white stripe is a symbol of purity.

In the Old Testament, the peppermint plant is a member of the hyssop family, a medicine herb which is used for cleansing.

The ritual of breaking bread is still a custom in many countries, as Christ's body was broken for you. The same custom goes for the candy cane, brake the candy cane and share it with somebody, thus sharing in the sweetness  of the true meaning of Christmas.

The Story of Gingerbread

Most early immigrants to North America came from Europe, therefore most customs are from European origin.

Gingerbread is traced to Europe back to the 11th century. Crusader returning from the Middle East and brought back among other items a spice -- ginger. Soon after, different varieties of gingerbread appeared throughout western Europe. The variations varied widely from sweet, dark, spicy, soft or crusty, the only common characteristic was the ginger spice. 

Gingerbread, the name comes from the Latin word "Zingebar", and was not used until the 15th century. By that time, gingerbread gained great popularity, especially in Germany and France. Bakers in both countries formed their own guilds, which gave them exclusive rights to make and sell the bread. However, a law was formed which prohibits them to produce gingerbread at Eastern and Christmas ("Government Red Tape" was well established). This law was eliminated in the 16th century, because of the popularity and favorite attraction of Gingerbread Bakers at market places, were gingerbread was freshly baked. Gingerbread gained such popularity at the already famous "Christkindlesmarket", in Nuremberg, Germany, that it was called the "Gingerbread Capital of the World".

The first gingerbread houses were made in Germany. Children story writer, Brothers Grimm, made them famous in the very popular fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel". The story featured a gingerbread house, which was called "Hexenhäuschen", (Witch House. The story goes, ...in which two lost children came upon and nibbled on the sweet gingerbread house, the evil witch caught and imprisoned them).

The Holly Leaf

From the holly bush we collect the holly leafs and berries for decoration during the Christmas Season. The leafs of the holly leaf is a reminder of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore upon his crucifixion. The red berries remind us of the blood that Jesus shed.

The Mistletoe

We all enjoy the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. That tradition began in Scandinavia with a goddess called "Frigga". Her son Balder, was shut with an arrow made of mistletoe. While Frigga's friends conjured up powers the save the boy's life, his mother Frigga shed tears of sorrow which became the white berries of the mistletoe. The boy was saved by her friends and Frigga ordered that the mistletoe should never again be used to harm others. In her thanks, she made the mistletoe a symbol of love, and she kissed everybody who passed under it.

Thank you Frigga, for a nice tradition.

Christmas Carols

Not all Christmas songs are carols. The majority of songs sung by choirs in the churches are hymns. Many centuries ago a carol was a "group dance", with happy and joyful songs accompanied. Gradually during the years the meaning carol became the song itself and without the dancing. The name carol became a happy melody that everybody could sing. Until today, caroling still means singing a happy song or tune, but is more related to the joyous event that mankind has ever heard.

The Story of Eggnog

Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry, and also put on a few extra pounds. Actually, we only put on one or two pounds, as new studies tell us. So, dig in.

A very popular Christmas drink is the eggnog. In the 17th century, Europeans consumed a very strong ale which they called "nog", it was especially popular in Britain. The North American eggnog derived from these earlier days.

The German had a favorite drink which they consumed in alehouses called "Biersuppe", which means "Beer Soup", which was an egg based ale. In France, they drunk a drink called "Lait de Poule", a mixture of egg yolks, milk, sugar and spirits, such as sherry, rum or brandy. 

The North American took the name from the german ale and the ingredients from the French Lait de Poule, changed it somewhat and derived to the modern known Eggnog.