The ABC's of Christmas ~ B

The surest way to enhance the charm and magic of the holidays, is to deck your halls with sentimental decorations and traditional touches that will bring joy all season long. ~ Victoria magazine

Welcome back dear friends! Today I'm doing the letter B of Christmas.

B is for ...Baking, Boxing Day, Baubles, Bethlehem...

When my children were growing up, I did a lot of baking for the holidays. In fact, I used to make fifteen kinds of sweets every Christmas.

Included in all that baking were pies, tarts, cookies, including gingerbread boys, donuts, two fruit cakes, fudge, and peanut brittle. I also made pate which is a rich meat pie that I still make every year. I usually make it with a bannock crust.

We had a lot of company in those days and it always gave me such pleasure to serve my goodies to special family members and friends!

The day after Christmas Day is called Boxing Day and it is a holiday which is celebrated in many countries, including Canada, Australia, and England, etc.  
There are any number of explanations for the name, however, most relate to the giving of a box of food or money to the needy. Christmas is a time for charity and good will toward men. 

Here in Canada, Boxing Day allows us some down time after the busy Christmas preparations. It is a rather relaxed affair and is usually spent with extended family and friends. Usually there are leftovers from Christmas dinner to be savoured.


This is one of the many Baubles on my Christmas tree. It is a Limoges ornament which was given to me by my mother years ago. It is a beautiful porcelain ornament of pink and white encircled with bows, butterflies, and flowers. It is topped by a little blue butterfly.

More baubles. Many of my ornaments are gifts from family and friends and hold much sentimental value like this lovely globe of angels from my oldest son. 

This snowflake was from my hubby.

'O Little Town of Bethlehem' is a popular Christmas carol which was penned by Rector Phillips Brooks {1835-1903} of Philadelphia in 1867 and the music was composed by his church organist Lewis H. Redner {1831-1908} in 1868 for the Sunday school children's choir. 

The Christmas carol was written following Rector Brooks' pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was inspired by the view of Bethlehem especially at night time. 

Thank you for visiting today and thank you for your wonderful comments on the letter A.  I hope you will join me again as we talk about the C of Christmas later in the week. Have a delightful day, dear friends!

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi