St Nicholas (Father Christmas) is the historical Santa Clause. He was Bishop of Myra, Asia Minor (near modern Finke, Turkey) around the year 325 AD. HIs traditional feast day is December 6. There are several legends about him which are summarized below. All have the same basic theme: he was the ultimate anonymous gift giver. He also did not expect a return for his good … Continue reading The Progression of Santa Clause
Holidays are an important and stress time for many families. The focus of the holidays is to celebrate but often we become so busy with preparations that we forget their true meaning. Meeting everyone’s needs during the holidays, as well as bringing to life the picture we’ve painted in our own minds, can over-stress our bodies. Our bodies can be over-stressed both physically (e.g. overeating, … Continue reading Stress and the Holidays
This holiday is not so celebrated in the United States as it is in other countries. Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th by having a young women come with lights and sweets. My mother loved this holiday and we celebrated every year until I was in high school. We used to get up early and make some sort of breakfast, my memories are that … Continue reading Santa Lucia
Holiday Party Games: Word Game: How many words can your make from “Happy Thanksgiving”. Feather Game: Divide in teams (relay-style game). First person must try to keep a feather in the air by blowing it to designated spot. Player than passes it back to next player. First team finished wins. Lost Mittens: Everyone brings a pair of mittens. They turn them inside out and toss in … Continue reading Kid’s Korner: Holiday Party Games
Each family has different holiday traditions, throughout the years those traditions may be altered or change entirely due to marriage, babies, location. There are many different traditions that I enjoyed as a child and I plan on continuing as an adult with my family. My Christmas Holiday starts on Thanksgiving weekend. We always put up the Christmas tree, decorate the house and start the baking! … Continue reading Holiday Traditions
Give each child their own nativity set. It could be one they can play with or one that’s handmade. Let them keep it in their room. Teach children customs from another faith or country. serve smelts, spaghetti with anchovies, and shrimp on Christmas Eve as the Italians do. You could light a Hanukkah candles to remember where the Jewish and Christian faiths come from. Families from … Continue reading Holiday Ideas
Do’s: Let your genuine concern and caring show. Express your sorrow about the death and acknowledge your friend’s pain. Remember: sayings something is better than saying nothing. Be available to listen. The grieving person needs to express their thoughts and feelings about what has happened. They may long for the opportunity to go over all of the events that have occurred and express their feelings of loss. Offer to help … Continue reading How to Help a Friend who is Grieving
A holiday party is in progress and a photo is being snapped. This is the scene as you watch through the frosted windowpane: A woman wears a black velvet dress cut to a “V” in back. Her hair is upswept and perfectly lacquered. Her nails are perfectly manicured and her smile shows perfect teeth. Her children, too, are dressed festively. The girl is dressed in red … Continue reading Peeking Through the Window
Protect your children from other people’s advice. A well-maning relative may say, “You’re the man of the family now,” to a 7-year-old who is not qualified to fill that role. Consider taking them out of school temporarily. Some teachers expect “business as usual” when your child may not be up to it. After dealing with a death, your child may feel his/her peers are immature or … Continue reading For Children Dealing with Death
On the first day of Christmas, ENCOURAGEMENT said to mer: 1. Be Sure to PRAY. WIth your spiritual needs filled, you will have a sense of peace. 2.EAT REGULARLY. Maintain regular eating patterns. Avoid excessive sugar, caffeine and alcohol which could contribute to feelings of irritability, testiness, and drowsiness. 3.Know your LIMITS (physical, mental, monetary, etc.) and adhere to them. 4.PACE yourself- give yourself plenty of time to … Continue reading 12 Ways to a Happy Holiday Season
ART with Angela DiCicco, The Italian Grandmama's Guide 