The ABC's of Christmas - M

From home to home, and from heart to heart, from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other. - Emily Matthews

M- The ABC's of Christmas

Welcome to another ABC's of Christmas. Today's letter is...M.

is for...

Manger, mantel, mincemeat, mistletoe, mulled apple juice, and Merry Christmas.

I always make mincemeat pie or tarts for Christmas. To me, you just can't have the holidays without this wonderfully spicy filling in a flaky crust.

I have been loving this delectable pastry ever since I was a little girl when my mother used to make it.

Mistletoe ....why do we kiss under the mistletoe?

Mistletoe was used by the Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter.

The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward of evil spirits. The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace.

Scandinavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed under the mistletoe had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year. {Excerpt from the Internet}

Mulled Apple Juice
This is a very nice hot beverage we enjoy in the wintertime; especially during the holidays.

Heat 1- 48 oz. can of good apple juice in the top of a double boiler with 6-8 whole cloves and a 4-5 inch piece of stick cinnamon. Remove the spices after 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

This is my mantel all decked out for Christmas. I used fairy lights, pink and gold balls, glittered magnolias, and mercury glass candlesticks. Oops, I forgot to light the candles.

This is what it looks like at night.

Close-up of the mantel. 

The heart of Christmas; the Manger. The Creator of the world visited our world by becoming one of us. Yet He walked this earth without sin. This is the greatest Gift of all!

Internet

Without the manger and the Holy Child in it, there would be no Christmas.

The shepherds "...came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger." ~ Luke 2:16 

From my home to yours ~ Merry Christmas! 

I hope you will join me again tomorrow as I do the letter N. Have a wonderful day everyone!

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi