The ABC's of Christmas - C

Welcome friends to the ABC's of Christmas.

Today's letter is ~ C.

Before I get to the letter, I would like to wish all my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope your day is filled with good food and the love of family and friends. We here in Canada have already celebrated Thanksgiving in October but I am careful to give thanks every day because I have much to be thankful for.

is for Candy canes, carollers, cards, charity, Christ Child...

courtesy of the internet

There are many stories and legends about the candy cane. I will share this one today.

The Story of the Candy Cane

Once upon a time, an Indiana candymaker decided to create a new kind of candy that would witness to his Christian faith. He began with a stick of pure, white, hard candy–white to symbolize Jesus’ Virgin Birth and sinless life, and hard to symbolize the firmness of the promises of God, the Rock of our salvation.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent both the precious name of Jesus and the staff used by the “Good Shepherd” to gently bring back His stray lambs.  Thinking this candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker decorated it with red stripes.  He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed.  The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have eternal life.

Although the candy cane is for many simply another Christmas decoration, its true meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.”

Did you know that Christmas cards first originated in ancient Rome? However the first earliest known designer of a Christmas card was Sir Henry Cole, the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was both the Penny Post postal service in 1840 and the industrialization of the printing industry however, that led to the popularity of sending Christmas cards. By 1846, one thousand were sold at one shilling each. Cards in unsealed envelopes could be posted for half a penny.

I like the old fashioned way of sending a lovely card to family and friends as it is much more personal. Sadly, it is fast becoming a thing of the past however, with the use of email. I don't know about you, but I enjoy receiving a lovely card in the mail. When I first got married, my Christmas card list was quite lengthy and sadly now, it is less than a dozen. There are reasons for that of course with the passing of family members and friends. How about you, do you send Christmas cards?

Although there are plenty of formal carol concerts, there is something charming about carollers singing on one's doorstep. In the name of charity and goodwill to all men, groups make their way from door to door or gather beneath a street lamp to sing. It is both a charming and romantic sight this time of year.

Our most important C is of course, the Christ Child. We wouldn't be celebrating Christmas at all if not for His coming the first time as a new born baby in a lowly stable.

"....for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." 
Luke 2: 11-12

Let us give thanks this season for His beautiful gift to us that first Christmas.

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

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