The ABC's of Christmas - Q

Q - The ABC's of Christmas

Lord, help me this Christmas to reflect the light of Your presence and goodness to others. - an except from Our Daily Bread. 

Hello everyone. If you have been following along, you know that today's letter of the ABC's of Christmas is Q.

There is not a lot for Q but this is what I came up with.

is for....
The Queen's Speech and Quirky.

For some, watching the Queen's speech at 3pm on Christmas Day, is an integral part of the traditions of the day. I know my mother never missed it.
The first broadcast from the monarch began during the reign of the present Queen's grandfather, King George V, who in 1932 spoke in the 'wireless' from an office in Sandringham.

The tradition was maintained by his son King George VI, who became king following his brother's abdication and continued by the Queen.

Courtesy of US Weekly on Internet

I wracked my brain for another Q word and I came up with Quirky. When I think of quirky at Christmastime, I think of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. 

Charlie Brown tree courtesy of the Internet

Charlie Brown attempted to restore the proper spirit of Christmas with a sad and quirky little tree. The little tree was mocked like Charlie Brown himself. He needed Linus' help to learn the real meaning of Christmas. In the end, the kids transform the  quirky little tree into a holiday standout and Linus said, "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love." {excerpt from Charles M. Shulz's, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but in His Presence. ~ unknown

A Charlie Brown Christmas has a heart warming message to us all. It doesn't matter the size of the tree or the gift but who is gathered around it. If LOVE is around it, that's all that matters! God's love and loved ones.

So, there you have it! Short and sweet today.

Have a delightful day and please join me again tomorrow for the letter R.

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

The ABC's of Christmas - P

Love came down at Christmas, 

Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign. -Christina Georgina Rossetti

Hello my lovely friends and welcome to the letter P of the ABC's of Christmas!

is for...
Plum pudding, Prince of Peace, Poinsettia, Peace on earth, A Partridge In A Pear Tree.

One of the best things about Christmas dinner, besides the family sitting around the table eating turkey, is Plum Pudding.
Much like mince pies, plum pudding was not only an indulgent Christmas food, but it was also steeped in religious meaning.

 

Internet

This is some interesting information I found on this delightful pudding...
As with mincemeat, the mix should contain 13 ingredients, and the pudding should be made on the 25th Sunday after Trinity, or stir-up Sunday as it has come to be known, since every member of the family should take a turn to stir the mixture from east to west to honour the journey of the wise men. A silver coin is mixed in and the guest who finds it in his slice is said to have good fortune in the coming year. The pudding itself is normally the finale of Christmas dinner and is served topped with holly and doused in brandy, which is then lit and brought to the table with much ceremony and to a great applause.

I have always loved plum pudding myself and when I was growing up my mother always served it on Christmas Day. But my own family didn't much care for it so I made pumpkin pie instead. These days, I make pumpkin pie along with a Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce which everyone enjoys.

You can find the recipe for it here.

Poinsettias are popular potted plants, particularly at Christmas and are known as the Christmas Star and Christmas flower. It's said that poinsettias' association with Christmas comes from a Mexican legend. The story goes that a child, with no means for a grander gift, gathered humble weeds from the side of the road to place at the church altar on Christmas Eve. As the congregation witnessed a Christmas miracle, the weeds turned into brilliant red and green flowers. The flower is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, first United States ambassador to Mexico and the amateur botanist who introduced the plant to the US in 1825. 
The poinsettia provides effective colour in home decor and is a symbol of purity. 

A Partridge in a Pear Tree is an English Christmas carol also known as, The Twelve Days of Christmas, that enumerates in the manner of a cumulative song a series of increasingly grand gifts given on the twelve days of Christmas beginning with Christmas Day. The song was published in 1780 without music as a chant or rhyme. The standard tune now associated with it is derived from a 1909 arrangement of a traditional folk melody by English composer Fredric Austin. {excerpt from Wikpedia}

There is a wonderful Christian version of the meaning of the gifts given but because of the length of this post I won't get into those.

Prince of Peace is one of the many names given to our Saviour. Eight hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah prophesied -

"For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6

Thank you for stopping by today and have a joyful weekend. Please join me on Monday for the letter Q.

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi