Re: more holidat, winter stuff

[Guest guest]

I like it, too; this is also the origin of the little guy

from the North Pole, who only later became called

Santa Claus, or Saint . And in English, there

is the "Yule Log," to be burned in the fireplace, and

Yuletide.

My maternal grandmother (we are jewish on both sides,

all directions) told me that she just liked "the idea of a bit

of light in the middle of winter." I decided not to explaine

solstice and equinox to her. There seem to be candles

or lights in most all winter festivals, I notice.

Love to you, Reb, and to , and to all in our group,

n

To: MSersLife Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 10:13:12 PMSubject: Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the "eve" part of the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte - literally "Christmas tomte") is kind of related to the hustomte (house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte

("Santa") is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The "tomte" is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though. love/Reb>> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is

a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important> snow!> > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > surrounding mountain-tops!> > Love to you all,>

n>

[Guest guest]

St.

was a real person. http://orthodoxwiki.org/_of_Myra

I don’t

quite understand how he got connected to The Polar Elf, but hey – the Creator

works in mysterious ways, yes? I’m sure neither nor the

Elf mind!

Midwinter

festivals of all kinds feature candles, lanterns, fires – on the shortest

day of the year, you make light to bring light back to the world…

Yay! Feeling better

today…

in WY

" You get a wonderful view from the point of no return... "

http://practical-blackwork.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liadains_fancies

Re: ON " the

twelve days of Christmas " --not just in the U.S./ reply to

Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar

with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but

on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the " eve " part of

the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I

know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte -

literally " Christmas tomte " ) is kind of related to the hustomte

(house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and

especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you

stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you

don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by

giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte

the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte

( " Santa " ) is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man

for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The

" tomte " is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from

the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for

that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of

the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though.

love

/Reb

>

> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas

> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it

pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of

it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly

Lutheran. It is definitely not a " United States " thing.

If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I

am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole

Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little

light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic

combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I

grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark

winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

>

> I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all

during

> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

> were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that

all-important

> snow!

>

> At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

> surrounding mountain-tops!

>

> Love to you all,

> n

>

[Guest guest]



yes he was a Bishop

Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the "eve" part of the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte - literally "Christmas tomte") is kind of related to the hustomte (house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte ("Santa") is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The "tomte" is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though. love/Reb>> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important> snow!> > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > surrounding mountain-tops!> > Love to you all,> n>

[Guest guest]



winter solstice is the shortest day of the year - goes back to pagan Yule

Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the "eve" part of the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte - literally "Christmas tomte") is kind of related to the hustomte (house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte ("Santa") is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The "tomte" is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though. love/Reb>> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important> snow!> > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > surrounding mountain-tops!> > Love to you all,> n>

[Guest guest]



winter solstice is the shortest day of the year - goes back to pagan Yule

Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the "eve" part of the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte - literally "Christmas tomte") is kind of related to the hustomte (house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte ("Santa") is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The "tomte" is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though. love/Reb>> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important> snow!> > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > surrounding mountain-tops!> > Love to you all,> n>

[Guest guest]

And before – probably

back to when Man got enough brain cells and awareness to notice “Hey, Dude, the

days are shorter every day, we better DO something!” <G>

Right now here, it’s

dark by 4:30 in the afternoon. I could use to light a few more candles

myself!

T

in WY

" You get a wonderful view from the point of no return... "

http://practical-blackwork.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liadains_fancies

Re: more holidat,

winter stuff

winter solstice is the shortest day

of the year - goes back to pagan Yule

Re: ON " the

twelve days of Christmas " --not just in the U.S./ reply to

Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar

with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but

on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the " eve " part of

the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I

know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte -

literally " Christmas tomte " ) is kind of related to the hustomte

(house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and

especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you

stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you

don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by

giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte

the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte

( " Santa " ) is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man

for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The

" tomte " is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from

the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for

that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of

the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though.

love

/Reb

>

> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas

> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it

pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of

it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly

Lutheran. It is definitely not a " United States " thing.

If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I

am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole

Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little

light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic

combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I

grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark

winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

>

> I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all

during

> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

> were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that

all-important

> snow!

>

> At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

> surrounding mountain-tops!

>

> Love to you all,

> n

>

[Guest guest]

And before – probably

back to when Man got enough brain cells and awareness to notice “Hey, Dude, the

days are shorter every day, we better DO something!” <G>

Right now here, it’s

dark by 4:30 in the afternoon. I could use to light a few more candles

myself!

T

in WY

" You get a wonderful view from the point of no return... "

http://practical-blackwork.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liadains_fancies

Re: more holidat,

winter stuff

winter solstice is the shortest day

of the year - goes back to pagan Yule

Re: ON " the

twelve days of Christmas " --not just in the U.S./ reply to

Reb--fun for group

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar

with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but

on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the " eve " part of

the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I

know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte -

literally " Christmas tomte " ) is kind of related to the hustomte

(house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and

especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you

stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you

don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by

giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte

the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte

( " Santa " ) is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man

for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The

" tomte " is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from

the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for

that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of

the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though.

love

/Reb

>

> http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Twelve_Days_ of_Christmas

> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it

pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of

it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly

Lutheran. It is definitely not a " United States " thing.

If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I

am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole

Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little

light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic

combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I

grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark

winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

>

> I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all

during

> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

> were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that

all-important

> snow!

>

> At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

> surrounding mountain-tops!

>

> Love to you all,

> n

>