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Post date: Dec 13, 2017 3:16:55 PM
The Origin of Santa Claus!
By Josh B. and Nathan D.
Santa Claus is a main figure in the story of Christmas. Some people may be asking where exactly did this story come from?
The legend of Santa comes from a monk named St. Nicholas hundreds of years ago. St. Nicholas was believed to be born in Turkey on March 15th, 270 A.D. The monk, St. Nicholas, died on December 6, 343 A.D. Many Dutch families gather to honor the anniversary of St. Nicholas’s death. A feast is celebrated on the anniversary of his death. Sinterklaas is what they called him in Dutch. He was said to be a hero and the saver of children. Stories are told of how he gave away all of the money he inherited and how he saved three young girls from being tortured by their father. Santa is a jolly figure made from the stories of St. Nicholas.
St. Nicholas made his way into America's pop culture towards the end of the 18th century. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. Even today St. Nicholas is in the hearts of many people and may never be forgotten. He was a true hero that saved many, and is still celebrated by people today.
To sum things up, the origin of Santa Claus comes from an ancient monk hundreds of years ago. Some of the character traits from St. Nicholas have remained through Santa Claus. St. Nicholas saved many people from horrible fates and is now seen as the figure Santa Claus.
Christmas Tree Traditions!
By Brook S. & Madi C.
Some people all around the world put up Christmas trees and decorate them with many things.
The recorded data of a Christmas tree first being used is argued throughout the cities of Tallinn in Estonia and Riga in Latvia. They both claimed that they had the first Christmas tree, Tallinn in 1441 and Riga in 1510. Also, the evergreen fir tree has traditionally been used to celebrate winter festivals both pagan, and Christian, for thousands of years. The pagans used some branches of the tree to decorate their homes during the winter time, which made them think of the spring to come!
A legend about the Christmas Tree is a story dealing with a poor lost boy that ended up at the Forster’s home. “The boy was welcomed as the family fed, washed him, and put him to bed. The next morning, Christmas morning, the family was woken by a choir of angels, and the poor little boy had turned into Jesus Christ, the Christ child.” Then, the boy went out to get a branch from a fir tree, pine tree, and gave it to the family as a thank you present. Ever since that night people remembered that and now they bring a full Christmas tree into their homes!
People all around the world decorate their Christmas trees different. For example, in Australia, beach decorations like shells which are used to reflect the season. Ukrainians have a tradition of webs and spider decorations which is said to represent a famous folktale about a Christmas spider. Real fruit was traditionally used in France, but for obvious reasons, they’re now ornaments. Some people
decorated their tree with lit candles, paper mache animals, apples, oranges, and strings of popcorn.
In Brazil, Christmas falls during the summer so they decorate with cotton balls to represent the falling snow! In Japan people that celebrate Christmas put small toys, dolls, paper ornaments, gold paper fans, wind chimes, and lanterns along the branches of the Christmas tree. In South Africa, they don’t celebrate with Christmas trees, instead they put tinsel and wool on their windows. Lastly, in the Philippines they use handmade trees in a variety of colors and sizes. Then, they make ornaments that are star lanterns, which are made of bamboo sticks, covered with brightly colored rice paper or cellophane. Each ornament features a tassel on each point, which is hung on the windows!
In conclusion, many people from other countries celebrate Christmas with and without a Christmas tree.
The Yearly Winter Solstice
By Charles L. & Jacob H.
The Winter Solstice has many effects to the world. This year, the Winter Solstice occurs on Thursday, December 21st, 2017, and next year it will be Friday, December 21st, 2018. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and it lasts seven hours and 49 minutes. During the Solstice, the Southern and Northern Hemispheres have different effects. This event can also be called Midwinter, Yule, the Longest Night, or Jol.
The Southern Hemisphere during the Winter Solstice has its longest day of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it has its shortest day. Because of the North Pole tilting furthest from the sun, the Northern Hemisphere does not get as much sunlight, making it a short day. The Southern Hemisphere faces toward the sun more than it does all year causing it to be the longest day of the year. When this event
happens, it usually influences holidays most celebrated such as Christmas and Hanukkah. This is because people think of the winter Solstice as a reminder that Christmas is near.
The Solstice happens twice a year. The first time the Solstice it happens, on June 21st, the Southern Hemisphere has its shortest day of the year, but the Northern Hemisphere has its longest day of the year. The second time it happens, on December 21st, the Northern Hemisphere has its shortest day of the year, and the Southern Hemisphere has its longest day of the year.
In conclusion, during the Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere has the shortest day of sunlight of the year, and the Southern Hemisphere has its longest day of sunlight of the year.
Legends of Christmas - Candy Cane & Rudolph
By Camden B. & Connor B.
Different legends have different backgrounds. People have different theories about two different legends.
The first legend is the legend of candy canes. The candy cane was created by a German choirmaster, someone who teaches choir students, who was teaching some children that were loud and noisy. He had an idea that created a new addition in Christmas traditions. His idea was to make a stick of candy to make the kids quiet and to stop talking. Since giving children chocolates and candies was considered wrong and against the rules of his church, he curved the end into a hook so it would be in the shape of a shepherd’s cane, which attached some form of religious value to them. After some time, it had been seen as the letter J, representing Jesus’s name. People think that the red stripes on a candy cane is for Jesus’ blood and the white stripes were for his purity. This has kept people guessing for years.
Another Christmas legend’s origin is of Rudolph. Rudolph was created by a man named Robert May. Robert was a poor copywriter in Chicago who was barely making ends meet for his daughter Barbara, and his wife Evelyn. Evelyn had been diagnosed with cancer and bedridden for two years. His daughter had asked him, “Why isn’t my mommy just like everyone else’s mommy?” This had inspired Robert to make a story to make his daughter see life in a more positive, optimistic way. He made the story to make Barbara think that just because someone is different, it doesn’t mean that they have no purpose and aren't as important as others.
To sum things up, the legends and origins of the candy cane and Rudolph are very different than other origins. They are very unexpected ideas that started and have lasted for years.
Christmas in Ukraine
By Lexi B. & McKenna D.
Christmas in Ukraine is very different than Christmas in America. Everything from when they celebrate Christmas to what decorations they put on their Christmas trees.
Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 7th. This is the day after Epiphany. Epiphany is a feast of the three kings. On January 7th-14th people dress up, visit homes, sing Christmas songs, and wish each other blessings. One of the most popular Christmas songs is Boh Predvichny. This song is all about Jesus being born and, him saving his people. They might even have a puppet show of a nativity, holiday concerts, and Christmas fairs. Christmas is very important to Ukrainians, so most schools, offices, and businesses are closed. In some religions they decorate Christmas eggs, like Easter eggs but for Christmas. These traditions might sound a little strange to us Americans because, we do not celebrate Christmas like them.
In Ukraine, they call St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, Ded Moroz. They also have a girl, like an elf, to help Santa on Christmas Eve night. She is named the Snowflake Girl. Snowflake Girl helps Santa on his journey to deliver presents. She wears a silver blue costume trimmed with white fur and a snowflake like crown.
Christmas trees in Ukraine are very different than our Christmas trees. They will put everything from spider webs made of paper to silver wire, called ‘pavukyp (which means ‘little spider’) on their Christmas tree. There is a story that leads back to the tradition of putting spider webs on their Christmas tree. The story is called, “The Christmas Spider,” and it is very popular. It states that finding a spider on a web on the tree is meant to be good luck.
The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve (January 6th). The meal is called Sviata Vecheria, also known as “Holy Supper.” On this day they can not eat dinner until they see the first star in the night sky, then they can go inside and eat their dinner. Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner may include, kutia (sweet grain pudding), borscht (beet soup), vushka (small dumplings with mushrooms), varenyky (dumplings with cabbage and potatoes), and holubtsi (stuffed cabbage roll).
To sum things up, Ukraine celebrates Christmas in many different ways.
Many Different Types Of Christmas Trees
By Zac C. & Davin R.
There are many different types of Christmas trees such as White Pine, Scotch Pine, Virginia Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, and White Spruce.
The tallest pine tree in the United States is the White Pine tree. White Pine has soft flexible needles and has a bluish-green color. It has needles that are two and a half to five inches long, but the White Pine has very little aroma. If people are looking for trees that have a lot of aroma, this is not the tree for them. White Pine has a broad geographic range. It grows from Newfoundland to Manitoba through the Northern United States to Northern and Eastern Ohio, then Southward along the Appalachian Mountains to Northern Georgia and South Carolina. It can be found from sea level in its Northern range to 5,000 feet in the Appalachian Mountains.
Then comes the Scotch Pine tree. Its needles are one inch in length, and they don’t fall off the tree when they dry out. The color of the tree is bright green and it is the most common Christmas tree in the United States Scotch Pine is native to Europe and Asia. From the British isles and Scandinavian peninsulas through central Europe South to the Mediterranean and East through Eastern Siberia, Scotch Pine can be found at varying elevations. Scotch Pine was introduced to North America by European settlers and has long been cultivated, especially in the Eastern United States and Canada. It is adaptable to a wide variety of sites and accordingly, has been widely planted for both Christmas tree and ornamental purposes. Although plantations have been established in the United States for the purpose of producing forest products, the species does not perform as well as in its native habitat.
Next, is the Virginia Pine tree it comes in small, medium, or large. It is a good nesting spot for woodpeckers and it is really common for Christmas trees in the south. It has loblolly needles that can grow up to four to nine inches. The natural range of the Virginia Pine begins in central Pennsylvania and extends southward near Northern Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Bounded on the east by the Atlantic coast, it extends west into Ohio, Southern Indiana and Tennessee. Using the selection and genetic improvement projects described above, its range has been extended into Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, east Texas, and Southern areas of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Next, are the spruce trees such as the Colorado Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, and the White Spruce. The Colorado Blue Spruce it has a bluish-gray color, it has a good symmetrical form, and it also has blue foliage. When people crush the needles, it gives off a bad odor. The needles look dull bluish-gray to silvery blue. It can reach the height of 65 to 115 feet with a diameter of two-three feet. It is a narrow, pyramidal shape tree with cone shaped crown.
The Norway Spruce can grow up 130 to 215 feet tall. Also, the Norway Spruce has dark green needles, the tree look the dark green and has triangular shape. The needles on the tree are four sided that are one and a half to one inch long. Needles are shaped with a blunt tip on the needle and bit sharp. They are considered one of the most important species of trees of Europe, they originally from Europe. It is now many in Southeastern Canada, and it is also in the Northeastern of the United States.
Finally, is the White Spruce. It can reach a height of 80-140 feet and demeter of the tree can be one in an half five to three feet. Needles are one-half to three fourths of an inch long and they have a blunt tip. Color of the needles are bluish-green and they are four sided. The tree can reach the height of 80 to 140 feet high and diameter is one point five to three feet. The oldest know White Spruce is three hundred years old, the tree is found in the Northeastern of the United States and Canada.
To sum things up, there are many different types of Christmas trees out there.
The Gift Giving Tradition
By Mallory R. & Brooke S.
Many people wonder why others give and receive gifts on Christmas. One of the main reasons people have customs of giving and receiving gifts on Christmas is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the wise men, frankincense, gold, and myrrh.
Frankincense was a perfume used in Jewish worship and as a gift; the perfume made people know that they had to worship Jesus to receive gifts. Gold was associated with kings, and Christians believe that Jesus is the king of all kings. Myrrh was a perfume that was put on dead bodies to make them smell nice. The perfume showed that Jesus would be crucified. Crucifixion is the execution of a person by nailing or binding them onto a cross.
Some people may not believe in Christianity and may do some things differently. Today, people give gifts at Christmas for their own reasons. For some people, it is a special time to let family and friends know that they care about them by giving gifts. Also, giving gifts at Christmas can become mechanical or even a chore. When that happens, people should set it aside for a few moments and consider why they give gifts on Christmas.
Overall, giving gifts on Christmas is one of the customs that people practice every year for certain reasons.
Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol “BAH HUMBUG”
By Aniah D. & Matthew I.
The famous author, Charles Dickens, was born on February 7th, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Charles was the second child born to his parents. Although, Charles grew up extremely poor, he was always very happy and cheerful in his childhood. As he aged, he began writing for a magazine. This is when he began writing his first novel, Oliver Twist. Around this time he wed his wife, Catherine Dickens and the two had ten children. As his life went on, he continued writing classic novels, but none topped A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens sadly passed away on June 9th, 1870.
Charles Dickens began writing A Christmas Carol in October of 1843, and it was published that same year around Christmas. Charles wrote this story mostly because he wanted to show the world that child labor was wrong and he tried to center Christmas around the kids more. This had a lasting impact even to this day. A Christmas Carol rekindled the joy of Christmas around the world showing the people that it’s a time for celebrating and having fun.
A Christmas Carol centers on Ebenezer Scrooge, a penny-pinching rude man who cares about no one. Scrooge detests Christmas and everything about the whole season. When one night Scrooge in sitting in his large house, he is visited by the ghost of his deceased partner, Jacob Marley, who had died many years before on Christmas Eve. He informs Scrooge that three ghosts will visit him, the ghosts of the past, present, and future. The ghosts show him his mistakes and how horribly selfish he has been and will be. When Scrooge wakes up on Christmas day, he sends his worker Bob Cratchit and his son, Tiny Tim (who suffers from a unknown disease) a large turkey so they can celebrate Christmas. Scrooge ends up visiting his son and going to his party. As the years go by, Scrooge seems to obtain more and more Christmas spirit. Scrooge treats Tiny Tim like his own child providing large and expensive gifts for him, and Scrooge becomes an all around better person.
In conclusion, Charles Dickens is considered by many people to be an amazing author, and he shaped Christmas.
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