THE
‘X’ CHRONICLES NEWSPAPER
Planet Earth’s ONLY Paranormal / Parapsychology Newspaper
Vol. 14, No 12
M E R RY C H R I S T M A S
From The ‘X’ Zone Radio
& TV, The ‘X’ Chronicles
Newspaper XZBN &
REL-MAR
And A Very
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From Our Home to Yours
Rob & Laura
ISSN - 1499-8599 (E-dition) / ISSN - 1499-8602 (CD-ROM)
A Rob McConnell's Christmas
Well here we are at my favourite time of
the year, the Christmas Holidays.
There’s something very special about
Christmas. People are walking about with a
spring in their step, and being much friendlier
then they are throughout the rest fo the year.
Maybe it's because people stop and
think about how lucky they are to have what
they have, counting their blessing so to speak or
is it because there really is a Christmas Spirit
that is able to work it’s way through the
commercialism that the Christmas Season has
become?
Sometimes it seems that commercialism
has won the battle of the true meaning of
Christmas, but not in the hearts of believers in
Christmas World-wide.
No more is Christmas about the family
gathering, seeing relatives that you haven’t seen
throughout the year, or the wonderful Christmas
Dinner that you will be having Christmas Day
or being thankful for those you love and those
who love you.
When I was young, Christmas was a
time of reflection on the year that had just
passed, and the memories of those who were no
longer with us.
I remember the first Christmas that my
DECEMBER 2009 $4.95(US)
Nanny was no longer with us after her battle
with cancer, and looking at the place that was
hers at the dining room table and missing her so
much.
I remember all the Christmas traditions
that my brother and I looked so forward to...
decorating the house, making Christmas chains
from colour papers and helping Mom with the
addressing of Christmas Cards.
One of the biggest was going out with
Dad one night in December to the Christmas
Tree lot, and bringing the tree home on the top
of our old white Pontiac with smiles on our little
faces from ear to ear. My Dad, who is an expert
at selecting the perfect Christmas Tree, always
knew which tree in the out door tree lot, was the
perfect tree for our home
I can still remember the smell of all
those evergreens. Ah yes! Christmas was nearly
here.
As Christmas Day approached, the
Christmas cards arrived from all of mom and
dads friends and our family in New Brunswick.
We had row, upon row, upon row of Christmas
cards, and, sometimes there were so many that
the string broke.
When Mom was cooking the Christmas
turkey, Uncle Stan, who now watches from
above, (Continued on Page 2)
would come over for the turkey neck, which
 2 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
In This Edition of
The ‘X’ Chronicles
Newspaper
(Print/Online/CD ROM/e-Book
Version)
DECEMBER 2009 - 44 Pages
A Rob McConnell Christmas.... ...............Pg 01
A Biblical Christmas Story......................Pg 04
Christmas Factoids...................................Pg 05
The Three Wisemen................................Pg 06
A Police Officers Christmas......................Pg 07
Twas the Night After Christmas................Pg 07
Where Was Jesus Born..............................Pg 08
The Twelve Days of Christmas...............Pg 09
More Christmas Factoids..........................Pg 11
The Origins of Christmas.........................Pg 12
What Was The Star of Bethlehem..............Pg 14
The History of Santa Claus.......................Pg 15
Winter Solstice Celebrations....................Pg 16
The Silent Night......................................Pg 17
Christmas Superstitions.............................Pg 18
Who Started The Christmas Card Craze....Pg 18
Christmas Around the World......................Pg 19
The ‘X’ Zone Store Advertisement............Pg 22
The ‘X’ Zone Store Advertisement...........Pg 23
The Real Nativity Story..............................Pg 29
The Little Drummer Boy............................Pg 33
Christmas Traditions..................................Pg 36
Christmas in Canada..................................Pg 39
Merry Christmas To Our Troops...............Pg 41
What Is The Mayan Calendar About? ..Pg 35
Christmas Poems.......................................Pg 43
Christmas Eve............................................Pg 43
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Mom always cooked just right for him.
Cooking cookies required the combined
skills of Mom, Aunt Alozia, Aunt Barbara and
Aunt Georgie. My brother and I were the
unofficial cookie testers. The rating of how the
cookies tasted was equal to the number of
cookies that we could grab without being
caught, the consequence of getting caught was
getting your fingers tapped, and being sent to
your room, ironically with milk and some of
those yummy Christmas cookies.
Talk abut your win-win situation!
One of my all time favourite memories
of Christmas was when we lived in the Park
Extension area of Montréal.
It was Christmas Eve, and my Uncle
Peter and his wife Aunt Georgie had come into
the city from their home in rural Chambly with
cousins Peter and Nadine. I remember that Peter
and I were sent to the local variety store,
"Belliveau's" which was one block away.
The excitement of Christmas was in the
air. It was Christmas Eve, and Santa would be
making his historic flight in just hours!
We both got bundled up in our snow
suits, and I remember crossing Wiseman and St.
Roch, and hearing the snow crunching beneath
our feet it was a perfect Christmas Eve. Santa
would have no problems coming down our
chimney.
I remember looking up at the moon and
my cousin Peter telling me that Santa was
coming, that he could tell, and it was going to be
a good Christmas, and it was!
Christmas morning my brother and I
work up and after rifling through the Christmas
stocking that we always found in our bedrooms,
we went down the hall to the living room where
the Christmas Tree had been decorated by the
angles before Santa's arrival, and we peered into
the living room which was inaccessible to us by
the glass door that was locked. Trembling with
excitement and anticipation at what was under
the tree for us, we did our best to be two quiet
little boys while Mom and Dad slept in the room
across from the living room.... okay, we made
enough noise to wake the dead as we yelled to
the sleeping world that "Santa Was Here!"
Poor Mom and Dad probably had just
gone to bed for their "long winter nap".
It was many years later with our own
children I learned how they must have both felt
Christmas morning.
However, mom and dad would always
give in to Christmas excitement of my brother
and I and the door was unlocked and yes... there
it was... or were we dreaming?!?!?
No! It was true - there it was! Santa had
brought us an electric train with all the
attachments and accessories! A duel control
transformer, electric switches, a mountain, a
working oil derrick, a beacon light that rotated
(red on one side with green on the other),
houses, little people...Wow!
I still remember the excitement from
that morning so many years ago.
It was not long after that we moved to
the country where all our Aunts and Uncles
lived and Christmas took on a totally different
meaning for me.
Continued on Page 3
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 A Rob McConnell Christmas 3
A Rob McConnell
Christmas
Continued from Page 2

It was here that I learned that the true meaning

of Christmas is the love that you receive from
others and the love that you give them.
The love between family is always there,
however, I believe that Christmas reminds us of
just how much family means to us and keeps the
flame of love glowing for those who are no
longer with us.
Christmas is a reminder that we should
count our blessings every day when we wake up
for who we are, who we have in our lives, and
the love they share with us, and how they have
made a positive difference in our lives.
I miss those Christmas holidays at home. I
miss the smell of mom's Christmas cake, her
cookies, and the Christmas feast that she would
prepare that one and all enjoyed so very much.
I miss opening presents with mom and dad, and
my younger brother.
And as I sit here writing this story, I miss the
younger years with my children who have now
all grown up, and look forward to Christmas
with my grand children and the entire family as
they now come to our home with their family,
and the tradition continues.
I remember my years on the police force
working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and
watching the world under my care, wake up,
and make their way to church and then to their
families for their Christmas dinner, as I was
going to be when my shift ended.
People would stop us on patrol to wish us a
Merry Christmas and thank us for being there
for them.
I always felt so good after my shift when I
had done my best to keep those that I was
entrusted with keeping them safe and there no
major incidents to report on my patrol log.
It is now Laura and the girls who do the
Christmas cooking, while, without my partner
in crime, my younger brother who still lives in
Montreal with his family, I am still the
unofficial Christmas cookie tester, and yes, I
still get my fingers tapped and I still enjoy being
sent to the family room with milk and the
cookies that are being cooked in the kitchen.
As I reflect over the years, and visions of my
past fill my head and heart, I realize how very
fortunate I am.
My Mom and Dad are still with me, and I
call them up as often as I can just to tell them I
love them.
Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles as well as
cousins are now watching from above now
including my older Cousin Peter, but he is in
great company with Nanny, Grandpa and
Grandma McConnell, Uncle Peter and Aunt
Georgie, Uncle Stan and Aunt Margaret, their
son Cousin Wayne, Uncle Lloyd and his son
Cousin Terry, Aunt Joan, Aunt Marion, and
Uncle Mack.
To those who are still with us, Mom, Dad,
Laura, our children Amy, Carrie, Clint,
Stephanie, Ryan and Belinda, to our Grand
Children, Jessica, Cassandra, Calvin, Victoria
and Brooklyn, my brother Anthony and my
niece Cassandra Lee, Aunt Flo, Aunt Bea, Aunt
Barbara and Uncle Joe, Cousins Melody,
Joseph, Dorothy, Nadine and Stephen and theirs
and to anyone who I might have missed, I love
you all and thank you for the rich memories and
the love and life lesson that you all shared that
make up who I am today - thank you. Without
knowing it you each have given me a
Christmas Gift, a Christmas Memory that
money could never buy or replace.
So as we will sit at a family Christmas
Dinner this December 25th, I know in my heart
of hearts that there will be a grand family
Christmas Dinner on high and they too will be
thinking of us on this very special day of the
year.
Even though we are learning that the birth
of Christ was actually in March, and that
reindeer shed their antlers in the winter, the
message of Christmas and the way the
Christmas Spirit affects us all cannot be denied.
My Christmas wish for each and every one
who reads this story is that you and yours have
a wonderful Christmas and may the Spirit of
Christmas fill your heart and touch those you
love and call "friend."
Just one final thought.
Could you just imagine what a wonderful
world this would be if we could make every day
of the year Christmas Day?
From our home to you and yours, Merry
Christmas everyone and may each and
everyone of you have a loved filled, spiritual,
happy and healthy New Year.
Rob, Laura & Family

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Bermuda Triangle

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 4 The Biblical Christmas Story
THE GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO
ST LUKE
CHAPTER 2
1 Now it came to pass in those days,
there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus,
that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrolment made
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to enrol themselves,
every one to his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the
city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of
David;
5 to enrol himself with Mary, who was
betrothed to him, being great with child.
6 And it came to pass, while they were
there, the days were fulfilled that she should be
delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn
son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger, because there was no
room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds in the same
country abiding in the field, and keeping watch
by night over their flock.
9 And an angel of the Lord stood by
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Be not
afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy which shall be to all the people:
11 for there is born to you this day in the
city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall
find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and
lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on
earth peace among men in whom he is well
pleased.
15 And it came to pass, when the angels
went away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said one to another, Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is
come to pass, which the Lord hath made known
unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found
both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the
manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made
known concerning the saying which was spoken
to them about this child.
18 And all that heard it wondered at the
things which were spoken unto them by the
shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings,
pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they had heard and seen, even as it was
spoken unto them.
21 And when eight days were fulfilled
for circumcising him, his name was called
JESUS, which was so called by the angel before
he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of their
purification according to the law of Moses were
fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to
present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that openeth the womb shall be
called holy to the Lord),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to
that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair
of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And behold, there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this
man was righteous and devout, looking for the
consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was
upon him.
26 And it had been revealed unto him by
the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death,
before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the
temple: and when the parents brought in the
child Jesus, that they might do concerning him
after the custom of the law,
28 then he received him into his arms,
and blessed God, and said,
29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart,
Lord, According to thy word, in peace;
30 For mine eyes have seen thy
salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the
face of all peoples;
32 A light for revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And his father and his mother were
marvelling at the things which were spoken
concerning him;
34 and Simeon blessed them, and said
unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel;
and for a sign which is spoken against;
35 yea and a sword shall pierce through
thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts
may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe
of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived
with a husband seven years from her virginity,
37 and she had been a widow even unto
fourscore and four years), who departed not
from the temple, worshipping with fastings and
supplications night and day.
38 And coming up at that very hour she
gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all
them that were looking for the redemption of
Jerusalem.
39 And when they had accomplished all
things that were according to the law of the
Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own
city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and waxed
strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of
God was upon him.
Continued on Page 5
 The Biblical Christmas Story
THE GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO
ST LUKE
CHAPTER 2
Continued from Page 4
41 And his parents went every year to
Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old,
they went up after the custom of the feast;
43 and when they had fulfilled the days,
as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried
behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it
not;
44 but supposing him to be in the
company, they went a day's journey; and they
sought for him among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance:
45 and when they found him not, they
returned to Jerusalem, seeking for him.
46 And it came to pass, after three days
they found him in the temple, sitting in the
midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and
asking them questions:
47 and all that heard him were amazed at
his understanding and his answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were
astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son,
why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy
father and I sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that
ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my
Father's house?
50 And they understood not the saying
which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and
came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto
them: and his mother kept all these sayings in
her heart.
52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and men.[]
5
Christmas Factoids
Hot cockles" was a popular game at
Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in
which the other players took turns striking the
blindfolded player, who had to guess the name
of the person delivering each blow. "Hot
cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the
Victorian era.
"White Christmas" (1954), starring
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, was the first
movie to be made in Vista Vision, a deep-focus
process.
"The Nutcracker" is the name for the
ballet performed around Christmas time each
year. "The Nutcracker Suite" is the title of the
music Tchaikovsky wrote.
"Wassail" comes from the Old Norse
"ves heill"--to be of good health. This evolved
into the tradition of visiting neighbors on
Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.
A Christmas club, a savings account in
which a person deposits a fixed amount of
money regularly to be used at Christmas for
shopping, came about around 1905.
A traditional Christmas dinner in early
England was the head of a pig prepared with
mustard.
Keep on the look out for more Factoids!

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 6 The Three Wise Men
The Three Wise Men,
The Magi
Early Christian legends tell of twelve
wise men living in the East. Their special
treasure was a scroll written by Seth, the son of
Adam. On this scroll was written prophecies
concerning the Messiah of the Jews and the star
which would appear at His birth. This group of
wise men devoted themselves to watching for
the Messiah's star. From generation to
generation, every month, these twelve wise men
would ascend into a mountain cave and spend
three days purifying themselves in its fountains,
searching for the star, and praying to be led to
the Messiah. As each man died, his son or other
close relative took his place. (According to
some, when these men were not being wise
men, they were simple farmers and only went
up on the mountain for a few days each year
after the corn was threshed.)
About the year 6 B.C., the long awaited
men's visit. According to Matthew 2:11, the "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall
star appeared. It shone brightly in the shape of a
wise men came "into the house" and saw "the worship.." (Is 49:7); and "The kings of Tarshish
beautiful boy child with a cross glowing behind
young Child with Mary His mother." And in and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of
him. The star-child announced, "The King of
Matthew 2:16, it is written that Herod put to Sheba and Seba will offer gifts" (Ps 72:10). The
the Jews is born in Judea. Go quickly to worship
death all the male children who were "two years number of kings varied - usually being two,
him."
old and under, according to the time which he four, or twelve. Eventually, the number three
Some say the Christ-Star miraculously
had determined from the wise men." was settled upon because of the three gifts they
enabled the wise men to reach Jerusalem in 12
The star which the wise men followed bore and the twelve wise men became known as
or 13 days without stopping for food or rest. The
appeared in fulfillment of the prophecy of the "Three Kings of the Orient" (Mt. 2:11).
journey seemed to last only a day! Others say
Balaam: "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, They are usually referred to as Caspar,
the journey took about two years during which
but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Melchior, and Balthasar. Furthermore, some
the Christ-Star taught them the Gospel of Peace
Scepter shall rise out of Israel..." (Num 24:17). people believe each of the wise men came from
and replenished their supplies of food and water
The most likely scientific explanation for the one of the three continents that were known of
so they had no need to stop on the way to
Christmas star is that a triple planetary at the time of Christ's birth.
Jerusalem. This legend was so popular that
conjunction occurred in the House of the Caspar (a.k.a. Gasper) is alternatively
Chrysostom included it in his commentaries.
Hebrews (Pisces) on February 6, 6 B.C. and portrayed as the oldest and the youngest of the
A later legend states that a young
appeared to be a temporary new star. But no wise men. He is believed to have come from
shepherdess named Madelon met the wise men
scientific explanation for the star's appearance Europe or Tarsus bearing the gift of myrrh.
journeying to Bethlehem and wept because she
is necessary. At various times, Christians have Myrrh is the fragrant gum of certain plants
had no suitable gift to give a king. Catching the
believed this star was an angel, the Christ Child, which grew in Arabia and India. It was
sweet aroma of a lily, Madelon looked up from
the Holy Spirit, or even a temporary star created imported by the Israelites for use in expensive
her tears and found an angel standing before her
only for this mission and then removed from perfumes and incense (Ps 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Esth
with a wand made of lilies. As soon as she
creation. 2:12; Ex 30:23). It also had medicinal uses.
shared the cause of her sorrow with the angel, it
The Greek word interpreted as "wise Because it was believed to strengthen a child
waved its wand, causing the road to Bethlehem
men" is "Magoi." It has several possible and get rid of worms, the gift of myrrh signifies
to be lined with white Christmas roses. Madelon
meanings. One is "deceiver." They were magoi Christ's mortality, and His roles of the Suffering
gathered a bouquet of these flowers as she ran to
because they deceived Herod by returning to Savior and the Great Physician. It both a
catch up with the wise men. In Bethlehem, she
their homes by a different route rather than Christmas and a Passion symbol. At Golgotha,
presented her roses to the Christ Child and His
betraying the Child to him. Another meaning for before He was crucified, Jesus was offered
touch caused them to glow with a pink tinge.
Magoi is magicians or sorcerers. The "science" "wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did
In exchange for their expensive gifts,
of the Medes, Persians, and other Gentile not take it" (Mk 15:23). This drink was believed
Mary gave the wise men some of the swaddling
nations of that time included astrology, to lessen the pains of crucifixion. Myrrh was
clothes in which Jesus had been wrapped. She
divination, and enchantment. Chrysostom also used in the burial practices of the Jews.
also gave them a little box with a stone in it. The
speculates that Christ chose to reveal His birth Nicodemus supplied a mixture of myrrh and
stone was supposed to remind them that their
to such men in order to give future sinners the aloes to wrap Christ's body when it was placed
faith ought to be as strong as a rock. Mary
hope of divine welcome and forgiveness. in the tomb (Jn 19:39-40; Mk 15:23). The wise
must've neglected to tell them that because,
(Astrology, sorcery, and divination are men are said to have received the gifts of truth
thinking this stone was worthless baggage, the
forbidden in the Bible. The LORD warns that and humility in exchange for their myrrh.
wise men tossed it into a well. Whereupon fire
unavoidable and unpredictable disasters will Melchior (a.k.a. "the white one") came
from heaven filled the well. The amazed wise
fall upon those who rely on such practices (Deut from Asia or Arabia. He is usually portrayed as
men carried the fire back to their own country
18:12-15; 18:18; Is 47:11-24). "Magoi" can also an old man. His gift of gold is believed to have
and built a magnificent cathedral around it so
refer to those who interpret dreams and offer financed the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. It
that the people could worship it. Later, they
wise council. Daniel was called the chief of represents the immortality, purity, divinity, and
were baptized and, giving all their possessions
Nebuchadnezzar's magicians because he kingship of Jesus Christ and His titles of the
to the poor, they went about living a life of
interpreted the dream messages God sent to this Light of the World, the Morning Star, and the
poverty and preaching the Gospel of Peace until
king (Dan 2; 4). Dayspring. Gold was used in both the temple
their martyrdom in India.
By the 6th century, the wise men were worship (Ex 25:11; 28:2-30; 1 Ki 6:14-35) and
Although it is common to see images of
referred to as kings in the popular imagination. in the worship of idols (Ex 32:2-4; 1 Ki 12-28).
the wise men worshiping Jesus in the manger,
This assumption is linked to such prophecies as: The wise men received spiritual wealth and the
two scripture passages make it seem more likely
"The Gentiles shall come to your light, and gift of Charity for their gold.
that the Child was a toddler living in a rented
kings to the brightness of your rising" (Is 60:3);
house in Bethlehem at the time of the wise (Continued on Page 7)
 The Three Wise Men
The Three Wise Men,
The Magi
Continued from Page 6
Balthasar came from Ethiopia or Saba. He is
often portrayed as a black man of about forty
years of age. He brought the gift of
frankincense. Frankincense is the dried resin of
Boswellia trees which, at the time of Christ,
grew in Arabia, India, and Ethiopia. It was used
in perfumes (Song 3:6; 4:6) and incense for the
temple worship (Ex 30:9, 34-38; Lev 2:1-12;
6:14-28; 24:7). Because incense represents the
prayers of the faithful rising towards Heaven,
the gift of frankincense symbolizes sacrifice,
Christ's divine nature, and His titles of High
Priest and Son of God. The wise men were
given the gift of Faith for their frankincense.
The gifts of the wise men were also
thought to represent the three items contained in
the Ark of the Covenant. Gold symbolized the
manna. Frankincense represented the tablets of
the Ten Commandments. And myrrh was
emblematic of the rod of Aaron.
The story of the wise men may be found
in Matthew 2:1-16. Their visit is
commemorated on the feast of the Epiphany
(Twelfth Night or January 6). On January 6th,
four great events in the life of Christ are
celebrated - the visit of the Magi (Epiphany);
Christ's baptism in the river Jordan by John
(Theophany); the miracle at Cana where Jesus
changed water into wine (Bethany); and the
feeding of the 5000 men along with their wives
and children with five loaves of bread
(Phagiphany).
At one time Epiphany was celebrated in
much the same way as Christmas is now. Even
today, in some countries, the wise men or their
camels bear Christmas gifts for the children
each year. In Czechoslovakia, the initials of the
magi's names are written over the entranceways
of houses to celebrate Epiphany.
Today, the bodies of the magi are in the
Cologne Cathedral where they are venerated as
saints and called the "Three Kings of Cologne."
Their feast day is July 23. They have become
the patron saints of travelers. Their names have
been engraved on rings to prevent cramps and
objects have been touched to their skulls and
worn to prevent accidents.[]
POLICE OFFICER
CHRISTMAS
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all
through the streets,
not a person was stirring, 'cept an officer
on the beat.
As he quietly patrolled the town with
great care,
children and parents slept peacefully
there.
The officer was clad in his blues and his
vest,
gun on his hip, always looking his best.
He'd just pulled aside for a quick bite to
eat,
When all of a sudden, out on the street,
A bright light appeared from out of
nowhere,
He shielded his eyes from the brilliant
glare.
' Twas an angel of the Lord at the squad's
rear,
He smiled and spoke, "Dear Officer,
don't fear."
"I've been sent by God with a message
for you
who faithfully serve while wearing the
blue.
He wants you to know He loves you all,
He's pleased with the way you've
answered His call.
"To protect and serve others, so selfless
you've been,
Your bravery and kindness have known
no end.
Even in tragedy, when nights became
long,
You've helped countless strangers by
being strong.
"God sees your heart, the joy and the
pain,
He knows the profession can often bring
strain.
So he sent me here to let you know,
That as you patrol, He goes where you
go.
"As you protect others, your Father
protects you,
His angels go with you, His Spirit does,
too.
No bullet too fast, no bad guy too strong,
I'm sent to make sure that your life will
be long.
"So fear not the night, and fear not the
day,
fear not the threats that might come your
way.
I'm sent to accompany you on your beat,
There's not one moment you're alone on
the street."
The officer sat stunned by the love of
His God,
He bowed his head, with a tear gave a
nod.
7
As the officer said thank you, the angel
took flight,
"God's got your back, carry on, and
goodnight."
'Twas the Night After
Christmas
By Jeff Foxworthy
'Twas the night after Christmas and all through the
trailer, the beer had gone flat and the pizza was
staler. The tube socks hung empty, no candies or
toys and I was camped out on my old Lay-Z-Boy.
The kids they weren't talking to me or my wife,
the worst Christmas they said they had had in their
lives. My wife couldn't argue and neither could I,
so I watched TV and my wife, she just cried.
When out in the yard the dog started barkin', I
stood up and looked and I saw Sheriff Larkin. He
yelled, "Roy I am sworn to uphold the laws and I
got a complaint here from a feller named Claus."
I said, "Claus, I don't know nobody named Claus,
and you ain't taking me in without probable
cause." Then the Sheriff he said, "The man was
shot at last night." I said, "That might have been
me, just what's he look like."
The Sheriff replied, "Well he's a jolly old feller,
with a big beer gut belly, that shakes when he
laughs like a bowl full of jelly. He sports a long
beard, and a nose like a cherry." I said, "Sheriff
that sounds like my wife's sister Sherri."
"It's no time for jokes Roy" the Sheriff he said.
"The man I'm describing in dressed all in red. I'm
here for the truth now, it's time to come clean. Tell
me what you've done, tell me what you've seen."
Well I started to lie then I thought what the hell, it
wouldn't have been the first time that I've spent
New Years in jail. I said, "Sheriff it happened last
night about ten, and I thought that my wife had
been drinking again."
When she walked in from work she was as white
as a ghost. I thought maybe she had seen one of
them UFO's. But she said that a bunch of deer had
just flown over her head, and stopped on the roof
of our good neighbour Red.
Well I ran outside to look and the sight made me
shudder, a freezer full of venison standing right on
Red's gutter. Well my hands were a shakin' as I
grabbed my gun, when outta Red's chimney this
feller did run.
And slung on his back was this bag over flowin'. I
thought he stolen Red's stuff while old Red was
out bowling'. So I yelled, "Drop fat boy, hands in
the air!" But he went about his business like he
hadn't a care.
So I popped a warning shot over his head. Well he
dropped that bag and he jumped in that sled. And
as he flew off I heard him extort, "That's assault
with intent Roy, I'll see ya in court."
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 8 Where Was Jesus Born?
WHERE WAS JESUS
BORN?
Christian tradition states that Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, Judea (now Palestine). This is about
six miles, ten kilometers, south of Jerusalem
"on the east side of the 'Patriarch's Highway'
that ran along the ridge between Shechem and
Hebron:" 1 The Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem was built by Constantine the Great,
circa 330 CE. It is believed by many Christians
and Muslims to have been built over the
location of Jesus' birth. The exact spot of Jesus'
birth is identified by a hole in a 14 point star in
a underground cave beneath the church.
However, the location of Christ's birth is not
certain.
* Matthew 2:1-6 quotes Micah 5:2 as one proof
that Jesus was the anticipated Messiah. Micah
predicted that out of Bethlehem would "come a
ruler who will be the shepherd of my people
Israel." The picture drawn by Matthew is of an
engaged couple who were living in Bethlehem
at the time of Jesus' birth.
* Luke 2:1-7 describes Joseph and Mary as
residents of Nazareth in the Galilee. They had to
travel the approximately 90 miles (140 km)
south from Nazareth in the Galilee to
Bethlehem in Judea in order to take part in the
Roman census and taxation. Jesus was born
while they were in Bethlehem. This version of
the Christmas story seems a little strange, for
many reasons:
- The status of a woman in 1st century
Palestine was only slightly above that of a slave.
Only Joseph would be required to register with
the authorities, because only men paid taxes.
The presence of his fiancée or wife would be
redundant. Mary would hardly have made the
100 mile trip while 9 months pregnant unless it
was absolutely necessary. Joseph would have
traveled alone.
- Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist
with the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), has
said: "Basic medical knowledge tells you that a
heavily pregnant woman could not ride a
donkey that kind of distance without losing her
baby."
- There is no record of a worldwide
census having been made in the last decade
BCE. If one had been conducted, it would have
been so disruptive that it certainly would have
been recorded at the time in Roman documents.
A census was taken by Quirinius during 6 CE,
but that would have been when Jesus was about
ten years of age. Also, it was held in Judea, but
not the Galilee where Joseph lived.
- It makes absolutely no sense to require
Jews and other inhabitants of the Roman
Empire to return to their ancestral town for
registration. The economy of the Empire would
be devastated if everyone had to make such a
visit. The transportation facilities would be
hopelessly overloaded. Censuses are always
taken where people live -- in ancient times and
now.
* Mark 6:1 contradicts Matthew by identifying
Nazareth as Jesus' birthplace as his
"hometown." John 7:41-43 also contradicts
Matthew. It has people in a crowd rejecting
Jesus as the Messiah because the Messiah was
expected to come from Bethlehem in Judea,
whereas Jesus was known to come from
Galilee. But both are compatible with Luke's
account, assuming that Joseph and Mary
returned quickly from Bethlehem in Judea to
Nazareth.
* There are numerous references in New
Testament that identify Jesus as coming from
Nazareth. The early Christians were called
"Nazarenes." Jesus was called "Jesus of
Nazareth" or "Jesus the Nazarene" or "Jesus the
Nazorean" - and never "Jesus of Bethlehem."
Perhaps the most important reason to suspect
the accuracy of Matthew and Luke is that
Bethlehem in Judea did not exist as a
functioning town between 7 and 4 BCE when
Jesus is believed to have been born.
Archaeological studies of the town have turned
up a great deal of ancient Iron Age material
from 1200 to 550 BCE and material from the
sixth century CE, but nothing from the 1st
century BCE and 1st century CE. According to
Aviram Oshiri, this included the "...Church of
the Nativity and associated Byzantine and
medieval buildings. But there is a complete
absence of information for antiquities from the
Herodian period--that is, from the time around
the birth of Jesus." So, it appears that Bethlehem
was deserted at the time that Jesus was born.
As usual, there is a division within Christianity
along conservative/liberal lines:
* Conservative Christians usually believe in the
inerrancy of the Bible. Since the Gospels of
Matthew and Luke both refer to Bethlehem in
Judea, then that must have been Jesus' place of
birth. It is confirmed by the passage in Micah
5:2 which implied that the Messiah would be
born there.
* Some liberal Christians are convinced by the
lack of archaeological evidence in Bethlehem,
Judea and the presence of archaeological
evidence in Bethlehem, Galilee that he was
probably born in the Galilee. Further, according
to theologians Don Cuppitt and Peter
Armstrong, "...our first principle of historical
criticism must be: be wary of any details in the
gospels which have close parallels in the Old
Testament."Their reasoning was that Christians
in the first century CE diligently searched the
Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) for
references for the coming Messiah. They would
have found the reference to Bethlehem, Judea,
in Micah 5:3 and assumed that Jesus must have
been born there. So, the authors of Matthew and
Luke would have followed this tradition.
An alternate birth location:
A new possibility has been suggested recently.
There appears to have been a small hamlet in
Galilee that was also called Bethlehem --
"Bethlehem HaGalilit" in Hebrew. It was
located very close to Nazareth.
Bruce Chilton, author of "Rabbi Jesus"
comments:
"Bethlehem in Hebrew means 'house of
bread,' a common name for settlements with
mills capable of producing fine flour, rather
than the course grade most Israelites used for
their daily needs. In 1975, amid the musty,
damp and badly lit back shelves of the
University Library in Cambridge, I first learned
of a Galilean Bethlehem, near Nazareth, from
an obscure study of the Talmud published
during the nineteenth century. I was surprised
by the dearth of discussion of this place in New
Testament studies as the possible site of Jesus'
birth, especially since a northern Bethlehem is
mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Joshua
19:15)....Now, however, archeological
excavations show that Bethlehem in Galilee is a
first-century site just seven miles [12 km] from
Nazareth, so my former reserve can be put
aside. There is good reason to surmise that the
Bethlehem to which Matthew refers was in
Galilee."
Aviram Oshiri writes:
"I had never before questioned the
assumption that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in
Judea. But in the early 1990s, as an
archaeologist working for the IAA, I was
contracted to perform some salvage excavations
around building and infrastructure projects in a
small rural community in the Galilee. When I
started work, some of the people who lived
around the site told me how Jesus was really
born there, not in the south. Intrigued, I
researched the archaeological evidence for
Bethlehem in Judea at the time of Jesus and
found nothing. This was very surprising, as
Herodian remains should be the first thing one
should find. What was even more surprising is
what archaeologists had already uncovered and
what I was to discover over the next 11 years of
excavation at the small rural site--Bethlehem of
Galilee."
Excavations between 1992 and 2003 have
uncovered the remains of a large church and
monastery built circa 500 CE. Oshri said:
"There is no doubt in my mind that these are
impressive and important evidence of a strong
Christian community established in Bethlehem
a short time after Jesus' death." He is certain that
the structures are Christian because of the oil
lamps with crosses, baptismal font, bronze
cross, and pig bones found on the site. He
expects that recognition of Bethlehem in Galilee
as the birth place of Jesus may take a long time.
He said: "Business interests are too important.
After all this time, the churches do not have a
strong interest in changing the nativity story."
He is probably right. With the fabulous success
of The Da Vinci Code, and the newly preserved
and translated Gospel of Judas, and the rising
interest in Gnosticism -- one of the three main
divisions within the early Christian movement -
- Christians are probably not in a mood to
relocate Jesus' birth from its traditional location.
It has been a settled issue for over a millennium
and a half. []
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 Twelve Days of Christmas 9
The Twelve Days of century religious wars in England, with hidden
references to the basic teachings of the Christian
December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the
song, Christ is symbolically presented as a
Christmas Faith. They contend that it was a mnemonic mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy
device to teach the catechism to youngsters. The predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling
"true love" mentioned in the song is not an the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate
by Dennis Bratcher
earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself. The of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How
"me" who receives the presents refers to every often would I have sheltered you under my
The Twelve Days of Christmas is
baptized person who is part of the Christian wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would
probably the most misunderstood part of the
Faith. Each of the "days" represents some aspect not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)
church year among Christians who are not part
of the Christian Faith that was important for
of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much
children to learn. On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love
popular belief, these are not the twelve days
However, many have questioned the gave to me...
before Christmas, but in most of the Western
historical accuracy of this origin of the song The
Church are the twelve days from Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas. While some have Two Turtle Doves
until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th;
trying to debunk this as an "urban myth" out of
the 12 days count from December 25th until
personal agendas, others have tried to deal with The Old and New Testaments, which together
January 5th). In some traditions, the first day of
this account of the song's origin in the name of bear witness to God's self-revelation in history
Christmas begins on the evening of December
historical accuracy (see Snopes on The 12 Days and the creation of a people to tell the Story of
25th with the following day considered the First
of Christmas). There is little "hard" evidence God to the world.
Day of Christmas (December 26th). In these
available either way. Some church historians
traditions, the twelve days begin December 26
affirm this account as basically accurate, while On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love
and include Epiphany on January 6.
others point out apparent historical and logical gave to me...
The origin and counting of the Twelve
discrepancies.
Days is complicated, and is related to
However, we need to acknowledge that Three French Hens
differences in calendars, church traditions, and
the "evidence" on both sides is mostly in logical
ways to observe this holy day in various
deduction and probabilities. Lack of positive The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2)
cultures (see Christmas). In the Western church,
evidence does not automatically provide Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Epiphany is usually celebrated as the time the
negative evidence. One internet site devoted to
Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the
debunking hoaxes and legends says that, "there On the 4th day of Christmas my true love
young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). Traditionally there
is no substantive evidence to demonstrate that gave to me...
were three Magi, probably from the fact of three
the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was
gifts, even though the biblical narrative never
created or used as a secret means of preserving Four Calling Birds
says how many Magi came. In some cultures,
tenets of the Catholic faith, or that this claim is
especially Hispanic and Latin American culture,
anything but a fanciful modern day speculation. The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3)
January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or
. .." What is omitted is that there is no Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good
simply the Day of the Kings (Span: la Fiesta de
"substantive evidence" that will disprove it News of God's reconciliation of the world to
Reyes, el Dia de los Tres Reyes, or el Dia de los
either. Himself in Jesus Christ.
Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Even
It is certainly possible, in fact probable,
though December 25th is celebrated as
that this view of the song is legendary or On the 5th day of Christmas my true love
Christmas in these cultures, January 6th is often
anecdotal. Without corroboration and in the gave to me...
the day for giving gifts. In some places it is
absence of "substantive evidence," we probably
traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of
should not take rigid positions on either side and Five Gold Rings
the Twelve Days of Christmas. Since Eastern
turn the song into a crusade for personal
Orthodox traditions use a different religious
opinions. That would do more to violate the The first Five Books of the Old Testament,
calendar, they celebrate Christmas on January
spirit of Christmas than the song is worth. So, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1)
7th and observe Epiphany or Theophany on
for the sake of historical accuracy, we need to Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers,
January 19th.
acknowledge the likelihood that the song had and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of
By the 16th century, some European and
secular origins. humanity's sinful failure and God's response of
Scandinavian cultures had combined the Twelve
However, on another level, this should grace in the creation of a people to be a light to
Days of Christmas with (sometimes pagan)
not prevent us from using the song in the world.
festivals celebrating the changing of the year.
celebration of Christmas. Many of the symbols
These were usually associated with driving
of Christianity were not originally religious, On the 6th day of Christmas my true love
away evil spirits for the start of the new year.
including even the present date of Christmas, gave to me...
The Twelfth Night is January 5th, the
but were appropriated from contemporary
last day of the Christmas Season before
culture by the Christian Faith as vehicles of Six Geese A-laying
Epiphany (January 6th). In some church
worship and proclamation. Perhaps, when all is
traditions, January 5th is considered the
said and done, historical accuracy is not really The six days of creation that confesses God as
eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of
the point. Perhaps more important is that Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).
January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night,
Christians can celebrate their rich heritage, and
the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas
God's grace, through one more avenue this On the 7th day of Christmas my true love
the following day. Twelfth Night often included
Christmas. Now, when they hear what they once gave to me...
feasting along with the removal of Christmas
thought was only a secular "nonsense song,"
decorations. French and English celebrations of
they will be reminded in one more way of the Seven Swans A-swimming
Twelfth Night included a King's Cake,
grace of God working in transforming ways in
remembering the visit of the Three Magi, and
their lives and in our world. After all, is that not The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy,
ale or wine (a King's Cake is part of the
the meaning of Christmas anyway? 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5)
observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic
giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans
culture of the Southern USA). In some cultures,
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
the King's Cake was part of the celebration of
gave to me...
the day of Epiphany.
(Continued on Page 11)
The popular song "The Twelve Days of
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
Christmas" is usually seen as simply a nonsense
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Christian instruction, perhaps dating to the 16th
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 Twelve Days of Christmas 11
The Twelve Days of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the
resurrection of the body, 12) and life
star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin.

Christmas everlasting. At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages,

swans and peacocks were sometimes served
Continued from Page 9
MORE CHRISTMAS "endored." This meant the flesh was painted
with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love
gave to me...
FACTOIDS addition to their painted flesh, endored birds
were served wrapped in their own skin and
According to historical accounts, the first feathers, which had been removed and set aside
Eight Maids A-milking
Christmas in the Philippines was celebrated 200 prior to roasting.
The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in years before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the
country for the western world, likely between Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his
spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those
the years 1280 and 1320 AD. character in "A Christmas Carol," three other
who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the
alliterative names were considered by Charles
merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the
According to the National Christmas Tree Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and
peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for
Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Small Sam.
righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)
Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them
are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington,
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love
farms. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina
gave to me...
are the top Christmas tree producing states.
After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas
Nine Ladies Dancing
wrote several other Christmas stories, one each trees - 8.6 million in 1998.
The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, year, but none was as successful as the original.
Candy canes began as straight white sticks of
3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,
Alabama was the first state to recognize sugar candy used to decorated the Christmas
6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and
Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral
9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22)
began in 1836. decided have the ends bent to depict a
shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love
Although many believe the Friday after the children to keep them quiet during the
gave to me...
Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century
year, it is not. It is the fifth to tenth busiest day. that candy canes acquired their red stripes.
Ten Lords A-leaping
The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are
the two busiest shopping days of the year. Charles Dickens' initial choice for Scrooge's
The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no
statement "Bah Humbug" was "Bah Christmas."
other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol;
3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) American billionaire Ross Perot tried to airlift
28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to Child singer Jimmy Boyd was 12 years and 11
Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your
American POW's in North Vietnam in 1969. months old when he sang the Christmas
father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not
favorite, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear
America's official national Christmas tree is The song hit the top of the pop charts.
false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-
17) located in King's Canyon National Park in
California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the Christmas caroling began as an old English
"General Grant Tree," is over 300 feet (90 custom called Wassailing - toasting neighbors to
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love
meters) high. It was made the official Christmas a long and healthy life.
gave to me...
tree in 1925.
Christmas Day in the Ukraine can be celebrated
Eleven Pipers Piping
An artificial spider and web are often included on either December 25, in faithful alliance with
in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar, or on
The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2)
A spider web found on Christmas morning is January 7, which is the Orthodox or Eastern
Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6)
believed to bring good luck. Rite (Julian calendar), the church holy day.
Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James
bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas
An average household in America will mail out Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa.
bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not
28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight Children are fond of the age-old custom of
include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who
cards return in their place. producing pantomimes - for instance, "Babes in
betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the
the Wood," founded on one of the oldest ballads
Romans.
Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but in the English language. Boxing Day on
cookies that were imported to the United States December 26th, when boxes of food and
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love
from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's clothing are given to the poor, is observed as a
gave to me...
circus-like boxes were designed with a string holiday.
Twelve Drummers Drumming handle so that they could be hung on a
Christmas tree. Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland.
Some historians believe that Christmas is
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles'
As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, downplayed in Scotland because of the
Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty,
D.C. was worried by the amount of extra mail at influence of the Presbyterian Church (or Kirk),
creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus
Christmas time. His preferred solution to the which considered Christmas a "Papist," or
Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was
problem was to limit by law the number of cards Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and
a person could send. Even though commercial Scotland tends to be somber.
born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was cards were not available at that time, people
were already sending so many home-made Christmas presents were known in antiquity
buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5)
cards that sixteen extra postmen had to be hired among kings and chieftains, especially on the
On the third day he rose again. He ascended into
in the city. European continent. However, they have been
heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the
common among ordinary people in Iceland only
Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living
At Christmas, Ukrainians prepare a traditional during the past 100 or so years.
and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8)
the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of twelve-course meal. A family's youngest child
watches through the window for the evening Watch for more ‘X’ Mas Factoids!
 12 The Origin of “Xmas”
The Origin of "Xmas"
by Dennis Bratcher
Some people seem to get worked up easily
about things that are either largely irrelevant or
incidental, or that they do not really understand.
This seems to be the case with some religious
folk when the topic is an aspect of Christianity
that is personally important to them.
For example, around Christmas each year there
are always those who loudly decry the use of the
abbreviation "Xmas" as some kind of
blasphemy against Christ and Christianity. This
concern has been elevated recently with the
public debates about manger scenes and the
substitution of "holiday" for Christmas in stores
and government venues. Among religious
folks, the objection to Xmas is usually along the
line that people have taken Christ out of
Christmas and replaced him with an unknown
(since the Greek letter chi, [C,c] which looks
like the English letter x, is the symbol for an
unknown quantity in mathematics).
For example, on the "Voice of Prophecy" web
site is an article entitled "You Can’t "X" out
Christ."
You’ve heard the classic story about the little
boy who noticed the huge red-and-green sign
spray-painted on a department story: "Happy
Xmas." And he wondered aloud about the X.
Why was it X-mas? And finally, in a forlorn
voice, he asked his dad: "Did they cross Christ
out of Christmas, Daddy?" And the father had
never thought of it that way before, but finally
nodded. "Yes, Son, I guess they did." And it
makes you think.
Well it certainly does make one think. It makes
one think how uninformed or misinformed, and
unnecessarily militant with that misinformation,
so many Christians are concerning their own
Faith. The story illustrates what could have been
a marvelous opportunity to teach a child about
some of the important symbolism of the
Christian Faith. But it was an opportunity lost,
in this story at least, because many Christians
do not understand their own iconography and
symbolism. The results are often battles waged
against windmills while far more consequential
issues for the Faith are neglected (a modern
example of Matt. 23:23).
Now, in all honesty, the article on that web site
focuses on the secular commercialization of
Christmas, something to which most Christians
I know would object or at least with which they
are uncomfortable (note similar comments by
Ken Collins in Christmas Facts [external link]).
But the fact that the use of "Xmas" can be
associated so easily with crass
commercialization rather than locating it within
the Christian tradition itself reveals a lack of
understanding of heritage and history.
The same perspective is obvious in this
response to a BBC broadcast on the meaning of
Christmas:
The time has come to separate the religious
festival of Christmas from the trading season of
"xmas."
It is as if the term "Xmas" used anywhere in
public is part of some diabolical grinchly plot to
subvert Christmas. This is implied in other
places as well. A 2005 poll on the website
bible.com, a popular biblical resource site, has
this question: "What concerns you the most
about how the world is attacking Christmas, a
Christian holiday?" The four choices given in
order are:
1) Using an "X" to replace Christ’s name in
Christmas - i.e. Xmas;
2) Banning manger scenes from public places;
3) Substituting "Happy Holidays" for "Merry
Christmas";
4) Emphasizing Santa Claus over Baby Jesus.
Certainly, the question does not imply what the
web site itself thinks of the answers. But the fact
that this issue can still be included with the
other fears that people have about Christmas
illustrates a continuing and significant level of
misinformation mixed with people’s concerns.
And the less than neutral language of the
question ("world," "attacking," "Christian")
certainly leaves the impression that using
"Xmas" is part of some worldly plot to
overthrow Christendom.
This misunderstanding and fear mongering
about the use of "Xmas" is not a new
phenomenon. I heard the same kinds of
comments in sermons many years ago. It was
especially prevalent among those Christians and
church leaders who wanted or needed to see the
world in negative and threatening terms (see
The Jonah Syndrome), or who tended to see
everything in society as part of some grand
conspiracy of Satan or the inexorable working
out of God’s own predetermined plan, without
really knowing all the facts or complexities of
the situation (see Christians and Urban
Legends).
I have no doubt that some people write "Xmas"
because they are too busy or too lazy to write
out the whole word. And no doubt some secular
people, who are just as uninformed as
Christians, see "Xmas" as a way to avoid
writing "Christ." And certainly there are secular
and commercial motives in the fact that
"XMAS" appears in ads and signs because it
can be larger and more attention getting in the
same amount of space (more bang for the buck).
But those factors do not take away the
thoroughly Christian origin of the word
"Xmas." In this instance, all of the hype and
hysteria over supposedly taking Christ out of
Christmas by writing "Xmas" instead of
spelling out "Christmas" is both uninformed and
misdirected.
Abbreviations used as Christian symbols have a
long history in the church. The letters of the
word "Christ" in Greek, the language in which
the New Testament was written, or various titles
for Jesus early became symbols of Christ and
Christianity. For example, the first two letters of
the word Christ (cristoV, or as it would be
written in older manuscripts, CRISTOS) are the
Greek letters chi (c or C) and rho (r or R). These
letters were used in the early church to create
the chi-rho monogram (see Chrismons), a
symbol that by the fourth century became part
of the official battle standard of the emperor
Constantine.
Another example is the symbol of the fish, one
of the earliest symbols of Christians that has
been found scratched on the walls of the
catacombs of Rome. It likely originated from
using the first letter of several titles of Jesus
(Jesus Christ Son of God Savior). When
combined these initial letters together spelled
the Greek word for fish (icquV, ichthus).
The exact origin of the single letter X for Christ
cannot be pinpointed with certainty. Some claim
that it began in the first century AD along with
the other symbols, but evidence is lacking.
Others think that it came into widespread use by
the thirteenth century along with many other
abbreviations and symbols for Christianity and
various Christian ideas that were popular in the
Middle Ages. However, again, the evidence is
sparse.
In any case, by the fifteenth century Xmas
emerged as a widely used symbol for Christmas.
In 1436 Johannes Gutenberg invented the
printing press with moveable type. In the early
days of printing typesetting was done by hand
and was very tedious and expensive. As a result,
abbreviations were common. In religious
publications, the church began to use the
abbreviation C for the word "Christ" to cut
down on the cost of the books and pamphlets.
From there, the abbreviation moved into general
use in newspapers and other publications, and
"Xmas" became an accepted way of printing
"Christmas" (along with the abbreviations Xian
and Xianity). Even Webster’s dictionary
acknowledges that the abbreviation Xmas was
in common use by the middle of the sixteenth
century.
So there is no grand scheme to dilute
Christianity by promoting the use of Xmas
instead of Christmas. It is not a modern
invention to try to convert Christmas into a
secular day, nor is it a device to promote the
commercialism of the holiday season. Its origin
is thoroughly rooted in the heritage of the
Church. It is simply another way to say
Christmas, drawing on a long history of
symbolic abbreviations used in the church. In
fact, as with other abbreviations used in
common speech or writing (such as Mr. or etc.),
the abbreviation "Xmas" should be pronounced
"Christmas" just as if the word were written out
in full, rather than saying "exmas."
Understanding this use of Christian symbolism
might help us modern day Xians focus on more
important issues of the Faith during Advent, and
bring a little more Peace to the Xmas Season.[]
For all your ‘X’ Mas Shopping Needs
www.xzonexmaslist.com
Dare to Believe - Dare to be Heard
With Rob McConnell in The ‘X’ Zone
www.xzoneradio.com
McArthur and Company www.mcarthur-co.com 13
 14 What Was the Star of Bethlehem?
Christmas in June?
Stars say maybe
Best candidate for ‘Star of
Wonder’ reached climax in 2
B.C.
The Star of Bethlehem is one of the best-
known parts of the Christmas story, celebrated
in the gospels as well as a constellation of
holiday songs. Was it purely a divine sign,
created miraculously to mark Jesus' birth? Can
the phenomenon be linked to an actual
astronomical event?
Astronomers can't answer the first
question. However, they can turn the clock back
on the night sky's appearance, to come up with
some astronomical events that might have been
interpreted as a "Star of Wonder" by the
ancients.
The most likely candidate for the
Christmas Star made its most dramatic
appearance not on Dec. 25 in the year 1 A.D.,
but on June 17 in the year 2 B.C. What's more,
that event was not the appearance of a single
bright star, but a grand conjunction involving
the brightest planets and one of the brightest
stars in the sky.
The "Christmas in June" scenario has
been a favorite for more than 20 years, but it got
an additional boost when Australian astronomer
Dave Reneke ran a sky-mapping software
program back more than 2,000 years and
confirmed the sequence of observation.
"We are not saying this was definitely
the Christmas Star, but it is the strongest
explanation for it of any I have seen so far,"
London's Telegraph newspaper quoted Reneke
as saying on Tuesday. "There's no other
explanation that so closely matches the facts we
have from the time."
Here's how the Griffith Observatory's
John Mosley laid out the evidence in his long-
accepted analysis of the Christmas Star story:
Step 1: The time frame for Jesus' birth
Step 2: Was it really a star?
Beyond the timing issue, there’s another
consideration: A comet or supernova big enough
to attract the wise men’s attention would have
been widely noticed by royalty and commoners
as well. But King Herod and his advisers
seemed not to know or care about the star until
the astrologers from the east came to visit.
However, if we suppose that the “star”
actually referred to the planets, the situation is
less problematic. The movements and
groupings of planets in the night sky were of
exceeding interest to astrologers and were
closely tracked around the world.
Historical records and modern-day
computer simulations indicate that there was a
rare series of planetary groupings, also known
as conjunctions, during the years 3 B.C. and 2
B.C.
Step 3: Retracing the conjunctions
The show started on the morning of June
12 in 3 B.C., when Venus could be sighted very
close to Saturn in the eastern sky. Then there
was a spectacular pairing of Venus and Jupiter
on Aug. 12 in the constellation Leo, which
ancient astrologers associated with the destiny
of the Jews.
Between September of 3 B.C. and June
of 2 B.C., Jupiter passed by the star Regulus in
Leo, reversed itself and passed it again, then
turned back and passed the star a third time.
This was another remarkable event, since
astrologers considered Jupiter the kingly planet
and regarded Regulus as the “king star.”
The crowning touch came on June 17,
when Jupiter seemed to approach so close to
Venus that, without binoculars, they would have
looked like a single star.
The whole sequence of events could
have been enough for at least three astrologers
to go to Jerusalem and ask Herod: “Where is he
that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen
his star in the east and are come to worship
him.”
However, the 2 B.C. date is problematic
for scholars who argue that Jesus' birth had to
take place before 4 B.C. That date marks the
death of Herod the Great, the ruler who sent the
Magi on their way to Bethlehem, according to
Matthew's gospel. The timing for Herod's death
is known with some certainty because it meshes
with Josephus' historical account as well as the
dates for the reigns of contemporaneous Roman
leaders.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE
Christmas Carol
Said the night wind to the little lamb:
Do you see what I see?
'Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star
Dancing in the night,
|: With a tail as big as a kite. :|
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song
High above the tree,
|: With a voice as big as the sea. :|
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child
Shivers in the cold,
|: Let us bring Him silver and gold. :|
Said the king to the people ev'rywhere:
Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people ev'rywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child
Sleeping in the night.
|: He will bring us goodness and light. :|

The first thing is to determine the Step 4: Does it make sense?

approximate date of Jesus’ birth. Then
astronomers can look at the sky phenomena of
that period and try to identify the star. It doesn’t
work the other way around: Since virtually any
year can boast at least one reasonably
interesting sky event, the astronomy must
follow the history.
Let’s assume, as many historians have,
that the most likely time frame for the birth of
Jesus was in the years before A.D. 1. Let’s also
assume that the Star of Bethlehem could be
observed by skywatchers elsewhere in the
world, and not just by the Magi who followed
the star to Jesus' birthplace. The Magi, who are
known as “wise men” or “kings” in the
Christmas story, were actually priests who
relied on astrology.
These assumptions would rule out some
of the prime suspects in the mystery: comets,
brightening stars known as novae, and
exploding stars known as supernovae. The
Chinese, who did a particularly good job of
cataloging astronomical phenomena, recorded
no such phenomena during the years in
question.
This doesn’t mean that astrology works.
We haven’t ruled out other possibilities for the
Star of Bethlehem. And the mere existence of
interesting celestial events does nothing to
prove that the birth of Jesus was accompanied
by a star, that the Magi existed, or even that the
Nativity took place as described in the Bible.
Matching up the June 17 date with
biblical accounts produces a mixed verdict.
Biblical scholars can't rule out the
possibility that the Nativity occurred during the
middle of the year. In fact, there's no reference
to December, let alone Dec. 25, in the gospels'
stories of the Nativity.
"December is an arbitrary date we have
accepted, but it doesn't really mean that is when
it happened," said Reneke, who is news editor
of Australia's Sky and Space magazine.
Luke's scriptural account about shepherds being
out in their fields would make much more sense
if the birth occurred during the Middle East's
milder months — say, the April-through-
October time frame.
 History of Santa Claus
Histry of Santa Claus
Santa Claus hasn't always looked like
the jolly old fellow we know today. Like so
many other American traditions, he's a product
of the great American melting pot - a blend of
many different cultures and customs. His
earliest ancestors date back to pre-Christian
days, when sky-riding gods ruled the earth. The
mythological characters Odin, Thor, and Saturn
gave us the basis for many of Santa's distinctive
characteristics.
But the most influential figure in the
shaping of today's generous as loving Santa
Claus was a real man. St. Nicholas of Myra
(now Turkey), a fourth century bishop. As a
champion of children and the needy, he was
legendary for his kindness and generosity.
A TRADITION OF BENEVOLENCE
In a well known story illustrating St,
Nicholas' benevolence, we find two of the basic
principles of the holiday spirit - giving to others
and helping the less fortunate - as well as the
tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace.
According to this legend, there were
three Italian maidens whose families had fallen
on hard times. Because their father could not
afford the dowries necessary for them to marry,
he was considering selling one of his daughters
into slavery to get dowries for the other two.
When the good saint heard of the family's
plight, he went to their home late one night and
anonymously tossed three bags of gold down
the chimney. Miraculously, a bag fell into each
of the sisters stockings, were hanging by the fire
to dry. His kindhearted gift made it possible for
all three sisters to marry.
A variation of this story is that as each
girl was ready to wed, St. Nicholas came in the
middle of the night when no one could see him
and tossed a bag of gold through an open
window into her stocking. The idea of gifts
being delivered through an open window may
have begun as a way to explain how Santa
enters homes that have no chimney.
PATRON SAINT
Because of his wisdom and sensitivity,
many groups claimed St. Nicholas as their
patron saint. Children, orphans, sailors, and
even thieves often prayed to the compassionate
saint for guidance and protection. Entire
countries, including Russia and Greece, also
adopted him as their patron saint, as well as
students and pawnbrokers.
Throughout his life, St. Nicholas tried to
help others while inspiring the to imitate his
virtues. Legends of his unselfish giving spread
all over Northern Europe, and accounts of his
heroic deeds blended with regional folklore.
Eventually, the image of the stately saint was
transformed onto an almost mystical being, one
known for rewarding the good and punishing
the bad.
The date of his death, December 6th,
was commemorated with an annual feast, which
gradually came to mark the beginning of the
medieval Christmas season. On St. Nicholas'
Eve, youngsters would set out food for the saint,
straw for his horses and schnapps for his
attendant. The next morning, obedient children
awoke to find their gifts replaced with sweets
and toys, found their offering untouched , along
with a rod or a bundle of switched. St. Nicholas'
Day is still observed in many countries, and
gifts are exchanged in honor of the spirit of
brotherhood and charity that he embodied.
THE MAKING OF SANTA CLAUS
After the Protestant Reformation in the
sixteenth century, the feasting and veneration of
Catholic saints were banned. But people had
become accustomed to the annual visit from
their gift-giving saint and didn't want to forget
the purpose of the holiday. So in some
countries, the festivities of St. Nicholas' Day
were merged with Christmas celebrations, and
although the gift-bearer took on new, non-
religious forms, he still reflected the saints
generous spirit.
In Germany, he appeared as
Weihnachtsmann, in England as Father
Christmas, and in France, as Pèrè Noël, who left
small gifts in the children's shoes.
In the areas where St. Nicholas was still
portrayed as the gift-bearer, a host of other
characters developed to be his assistants. Two of
his most well-known helpers were Knecht
Ruprecht and the Belsnickle. Depending on the
local tradition, they were either attendants to St.
Nicholas or gift-bears themselves, but in all
cases, both were fearsome characters,
brandishing rods and switches. It was not only
their dusty to reward good children but also to
reprove children who were naughty and couldn't
recite their prayers.
Knecht Ruprecht (meaning Servant
Rupert) was also by other names such as Black
Peter (so called because he delivered the
presents down the chimney for St. Nicholas and
became blackened with soot).
In some places, the images, of Knecht
Ruprecht and St. Nicholas merged to form Ru
Klaus (meaning Rough Nicholas - so named
because of his rugged appearance), Aschen
Klaus (meaning Ash Nicholas - because he
carried a sack of ashes as well as a bundle of
switches), and Pelznickle (meaning Furry
Nicholas - referring to his fur clad appearance).
Not all of St. Nicholas' companions
were frightening. In fact, the Christkindl
(meaning Christ Child) was thought to
accompany him in many countries. Often
portrayed by a fair-haired young girl, this
angelic figure was sometimes the gift-bearer
too.
SANTA IN AMERICA
Immigrants to the New World brought along
their various beliefs when they crossed the
Atlantic. The Scandinavians introduced gift-
giving elves, the Germans brought not only
their Belsnickle and Chistkindle but also their
decorated trees and the Irish contributed the
ancient Gaelic custom of placing a lighted
candle in the window.
In the 1600's, the Dutch presented
Sinterklaas (meaning St. Nicholas) to the
colonies. In their excitement, many English-
speaking children uttered the name so quickly
that Sinterklaas sounded like Santy Claus. After
years of mispronunciation, the name evolved
15
into Santa Claus.
In 1808, American author Washington
Irving created a new version of old St. Nick.
This one rode over the treetops in a horse drawn
wagon "dropping gifts down the chimneys of
his favorites." In his satire, Diedrich
Knickerbocker's History of New York from the
Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch
Dynasty, Irving described Santa as a jolly
Dutchman who smoked a long stemmed clay
pipe and wore baggy breeches and a broad
brimmed hat. Also, the familiar phrase,
"...laying his finger beside his nose...," first
appeared in Irving's story.
That phrase was used again in 1822 in
the now-classic poem by Dr. Clement Clarke
Moore, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," more
commonly know as "The Night Before
Christmas." His verse gave an Arctic flavor to
Santa's image when he substituted eight tiny
reindeer and a sleigh for Irving's horse and
wagon. It is Moore's description of Santa that
we most often think of today: "He had a broad
face, and a little round belly, that shook, when
he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly."
Up to this point, Santa's physical
appearance and the color of his suit were open
to individual interpretation. Then in 1863,
Thomas Nast, a German immigrant, gave us a
visual image of the cheerful giver that was to
later become widely accepted.
When Nast was asked to illustrate
Moore's charming verse for a book of children's
poems, he gave us a softer, kinder Santa who
was still old but appeared less stern than the
ecclesiastical St. Nicholas. He dressed his elfin
figure in red and endowed him with human
characteristics. Most important of all, Nast gave
Santa a home at the North Pole. For twenty-
three years, his annual drawings in Harpers
Weekly magazine allowed Americans to peek
into the magical world of Santa Claus and set
the stage for the shaping of today's merry
gentleman.
Artist Haddon Sundblom added the final
touches to Santa's modern image. Beginning in
1931, his billboard and other advertisements for
Coca Cola-Cola featured a portly, grandfatherly
Santa with human proportions and a ruddy
complexion. Sunblom's exuberant, twinkle-
eyed Santa firmly fixed the gift-giver's image in
the public mind.
St. Nicholas' evolution into today's
happy, larger-than-life Santa Claus is a
wonderful example of the blending of countless
beliefs and practices from around the world.
This benevolent figure encompasses all the
goodness and innocence of childhood. And
because goodness is his very essence, in every
kindness we do, Santa will always be
remembered.[]
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 16 Winter Solstice Celebrations
Winter Solstice
celebrations: a.k.a.
Christmas, Saturnalia,
Yule, the Long Night,
etc.
Religious folk worldwide observe many
seasonal days of celebration during the month
of December. Most are religious holy days, and
are linked in some way to the winter solstice in
the Northern Hemisphere. On that day, due to
the earth's tilt on its axis, the daytime hours are
at a minimum in the Northern hemisphere, and
night time is at a maximum. (In the southern
hemisphere, the summer solstice is celebrated in
December, when the night time is at a minimum
and the daytime is at a maximum. We will
assume that the reader lives in the Northern
hemisphere for the rest of this article.)
People view other religions in various
ways, and thus treat the celebrations of other
faiths differently:
* Some people value the range of
December celebrations, because it is evidence
of diversity of belief within our common
humanity. They respect both their own religious
traditions and those of other faiths for their
ability to inspire people to lead more ethical
lives. Religious diversity is to them a positive
influence.
* Others reject the importance of all
celebrations other than the holy day recognized
by their own religion. Some even reject their
religion's holy days which are seen to have
Pagan origins (e.g. Easter and Christmas).
* Some view other religions as being
inspired by Satan. Thus the solstice celebrations
of other religions are rejected because they are
seen to be Satanic in origin.
Origins of solstice celebration
The seasons of the year are caused by
the 23.5© tilt of the earth's axis. Because the
earth is rotating like a top or gyroscope, it points
in a fixed direction continuously -- towards a
point in space near the North Star. But the earth
is also revolving around the sun. During half of
the year, the southern hemisphere is more
exposed to the sun than is the northern
hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the
reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern
Hemisphere the sun appears high in the sky
during summertime and low in the sky during
winter. The time of the year when the sun
reaches its maximum elevation occurs on the
day with the greatest number of daylight hours.
This is called the summer solstice, and is
typically on JUN-21 in the Northern
Hemisphere -- the first day of summer.
"Solstice" is derived from two Latin words:
"sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to
stand still. The lowest elevation occurs about
DEC-21 and is the winter solstice -- the first day
of winter, when the night time hours are
maximum.
In pre-historic times, winter was a very
difficult time for Aboriginal people in the
northern latitudes. The growing season had
ended and the tribe had to live off of stored food
and whatever animals they could catch. The
people would be troubled as the life-giving sun
sank lower in the sky each noon. They feared
that it would eventually disappear and leave
them in permanent darkness and extreme cold.
After the winter solstice, they would have
reason to celebrate as they saw the sun rising
and strengthening once more. Although many
months of cold weather remained before spring,
they took heart that the return of the warm
season was inevitable. The concept of birth and
or death/rebirth became associated with the
winter solstice. The Aboriginal people had no
elaborate instruments to detect the solstice. But
they were able to notice a slight elevation of the
sun's path within a few days after the solstice --
perhaps by DEC-25. Celebrations were often
timed for about the 25th.
December celebrations in many faiths and
locations - ancient and modern
* ANCIENT BRAZIL: Brazilian
archeologists have found an assembly of 127
granite blocks arranged equidistant from each
other. They apparently form an ancient
astronomical observatory. One of the stones
marked the position of the sun at the time of the
winter solstice and were probably used in
religious rituals
* ANCIENT EGYPT: The god-
man/savior Osiris died and was entombed on
DEC-21. "At midnight, the priests emerged
from an inner shrine crying 'The Virgin has
brought forth! The light is waxing" and showing
the image of a baby to the worshipers."
* ANCIENT GREECE: The winter
solstice ritual was called Lenaea, the Festival of
the Wild Women. In very ancient times, a man
representing the harvest god Dionysos was torn
to pieces and eaten by a gang of women on this
day. Later in the ritual, Dionysos would be
reborn as a baby. By classical times, the human
sacrifice had been replaced by the killing of a
goat. The women's role had changed to that of
funeral mourners and observers of the birth.
* ANCIENT ROME: Saturnalia began
as a feast day for Saturn on DEC-17 and of Ops
(DEC-19). About 50 BCE, both were later
converted into two day celebrations. During the
Empire, the festivals were combined to cover a
full week: DEC-17 to 23.
By the third century CE, there were
many religions and spiritual mysteries being
followed within the Roman Empire. Many, if
not most, celebrated the birth of their god-man
near the time of the solstice. Emperor Aurelian
(270 to 275 CE) blended a number of Pagan
solstice celebrations of the nativity of such god-
men/saviors as Appolo, Attis, Baal, Dionysus,
Helios, Hercules, Horus, Mithra, Osiris,
Perseus, and Theseus into a single festival
called the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun"
on DEC-25. At the time, Mithraism and
Christianity were fierce competitors. Aurelian
had even declared Mithraism the official
religion of the Roman Empire in 274 CE.
Christianity won out by becoming the new
official religion in the 4th century CE.
* ATHEISTS: There has been a recent
increase in solstice observances by Atheists in
the U.S. For example, The American Atheists
and local Atheist groups have organized
celebrations for 2000-DEC, including the Great
North Texas Infidel Bash in Weatherford TX;
Winter Solstice bash in Roselle NJ; Winter
Solstice Parties in York PA, Boise ID, North
Bethesda MD, and Des Moines IA; Winter
Solstice Gatherings in Phoenix AZ and Denver
CO: a Year End Awards and Review Dinner
(YEAR) in San Francisco, CA.
* BUDDHISM: On DEC-8, or on the
Sunday immediately preceding, Buddhists
celebrate Bodhi Day (a.k.a. Rohatsu). It recalls
the day in 596 BCE, when the Buddha achieved
enlightenment. He had left his family and
possessions behind at the age of 29, and sought
the meaning of life -- particularly the reasons
for its hardships. He studied under many
spiritual teachers without success. Finally, he
sat under a pipal tree and vowed that he would
stay there until he found what he was seeking.
On the morning of the eighth day, he realized
that everyone suffers due to ignorance. But
ignorance can be overcome through the
Eightfold Path that he advocated. This day is
generally regarded as the birth day of
Buddhism. Being an Eastern tradition, Bodhi
Day has none of the associations with the
solstice and seasonal changes found in other
religious observances at this time of year.
However, it does signify the point in time when
the Buddha achieved enlightenment and
escaped the endless cycle of birth, death and
rebirth through reincarnation -- themes that are
observed in other religions in December.
* CHRISTIANITY: Any record of the
date of birth of Yeshua of Nazareth (later known
as Jesus Christ) has been lost. There is sufficient
evidence in the Gospels to indicate that Yeshua
was born in the fall, but this seems to have been
unknown to early Christians. By the beginning
of the 4th century CE, there was intense interest
in choosing a day to celebrate Yeshua's birthday.
The western church leaders selected DEC-25
because this was already the date recognized
throughout the Roman Empire as the birthday of
various Pagan gods. Since there was no central
Christian authority at the time, it took centuries
before the tradition was universally accepted:
- Eastern churches began to celebrate
Christmas after 375 CE.
- The church in Jerusalem started in the
7th century.
- Ireland started in the 5th century.
- Austria, England and Switzerland in
the 8th
- Slavic lands in the 9th and 10th
centuries.
Many symbols and practices associated
with Christmas are of Pagan origin: holly, ivy,
mistletoe, yule log, the giving of gifts,
decorated evergreen tree, magical reindeer, etc.
Polydor Virgil, an early British Christian, said
"Dancing, masques, mummeries, stageplays,
and other such Christmas disorders now in use
with Christians, were derived from these
Roman Saturnalian and Bacchanalian festivals;
which should cause all pious Christians
eternally to abominate them." In Massachusetts,
Puritans unsuccessfully tried to ban Christmas
entirely during the 17th century, because of its
heathenism. The English Parliament abolished
Christmas in 1647. Some contemporary
Christian faith groups do not celebrate
Christmas. Included among these was the
Worldwide Church of God (before its recent
conversion to Evangelical Christianity) and the
Jehovah's Witnesses. (Continued on Page 17)
 Winter Solstice Celebrations 17
Winter Solstice small meals and visit with friends and family. It
is a time of worship and contemplation. A time
Celtic beliefs and practices. Wiccans recognize
eight seasonal days of celebration. Four are
celebrations: a.k.a. to strengthen family and community ties." minor sabbats and occur at the two solstices and
Because Ramadan is part of a lunar- the two equinoxes. The other are major sabbats
Christmas, Saturnalia, based calendar, it starts about 11 days earlier which happen approximately halfway between
Yule, the Long Night, each year. In the year 2000, the nominal date
will be NOV-27. Ramadan is thus not associated
an equinox and solstice. The winter solstice
sabbat is often called Yule. It is a time for
etc. with the winter solstice as are other religious introspection, and planning for the future.
celebrations. It is just by coincidence that it has Wiccans may celebrate the Sabbat on the
Continued from Page 16
occurred during December in recent years. evening before the time of the actual solstice, at
* JUDAISM: Jews celebrate an 8 day sunrise on the morning of the solstice, or at the
* DRUIDISM: Druids and Druidesses
festival of Hanukkah, (a.k.a. Feast of Lights, exact time of the astronomical event.
formed the professional class in ancient Celtic
Festival of lights, Feast of Dedication, Monotheistic religions, like Judaism,
society. They performed the functions of
Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukah). It recalls the Christianity and Islam, tend to view time as
modern day priests, teachers, ambassadors,
war fought by the Maccabees in the cause of linear. It started with creation; the world as we
astronomers, genealogists, philosophers,
religious freedom. Antiochus, the king of Syria, know it will end at some time in the future.
musicians, theologians, scientists, poets and
conquered Judea in the 2nd century BCE. He Aboriginal and Neopagan religions see time as
judges. Druids led all public rituals, which were
terminated worship in the Temple and stole the circular and repetitive, with lunar (monthly) and
normally held within fenced groves of sacred
sacred lamp, the menorah, from before the altar. solar (yearly) cycles. Their "...rituals guarantee
trees. The solstice is the time of the death of the
At the time of the solstice, they rededicated the the continuity of nature's cycles, which
old sun and the birth of the dark-half of the year.
Temple to a Pagan deity. Judah the Maccabee traditional human societies depend on for their
It was called "Alban Arthuan by the ancient
lead a band of rebels, and succeeding in retaking sustenance."
Druids. It is the end of month of the Elder Tree
Jerusalem. They restored the temple and lit the * NEOLITHIC EUROPE: Many
and the start of the month of the Birch. The
menorah. It was exactly three years after the remains of ancient stone structures can be found
three days before Yule is a magical time. This is
flame had been extinguished -- at the time of the in Europe dating back many millennia. Some
the time of the Serpent Days or
Pagan rite. appear to have religious/astronomical purposes;
transformation...The Elder and Birch stand at
Although they had found only sufficient others are burial tombs. These structures were
the entrance to Annwn or Celtic underworld
consecrated oil to last for 24 hours, the flames built before writing was developed. One can
where all life was formed. Like several other
burned steadily for eight days. "Today's only speculate on the significance of the winter
myths they guard the entrance to the
menorahs have nine branches; the ninth branch solstice to the builders. Two examples of
underworld. This is the time the Sun God
is for the shamash, or servant light, which is passage tombs are:
journey's thru the underworld to learn the
used to light the other eight candles. People eat At Newgrange, in Brugh-na-Boyne,
secrets of death and life. And bring out those
potato latkes, exchange gifts, and play dreidel County Meath, in eastern Ireland. It is perhaps
souls to be reincarnated." A modern-day Druid,
games. And as they gaze at the light of the the most famous of the 250 passage tombs in
Amergin Aryson, has composed a Druidic ritual
menorah, they give thanks for the miracle in the Ireland. It covers an area of one acre, and has an
for the Winter Solstice.
Temple long ago." internal passage that is almost 60 feet (19 m)
* INCA RELIGION: The ancient Incas
Modern-day Jews celebrate Hanukkah long. The tomb has been dated at about 3,200
celebrated a festival if Inti Raymi at the time of
by lighting one candle for each of the eight days BCE; it is one of the oldest structures in the
the Winter Solstice. Since the Inca Empire was
of the festival. Once a minor festival, it has been world -- and the roof still doesn't leak after
mainly south of the equator, the festival was
growing in importance in recent years, perhaps 5,200 years! Above the entrance way is a stone
held in June. It celebrates "the Festival of the
because of the pressure of Christmas. "roof box" that allows the light from the sun to
Sun where the god of the Sun, Wiracocha, is
* NATIVE AMERICAN penetrate to the back of the cairn at sunrise on
honored." Ceremonies were banned by the
SPIRITUALITY: and near the winter solstice. The horizontal
Roman Catholic conquistadores in 1572 century
The Pueblo tribe observe both the dimension of the box matches the width of the
as part of their forced conversions of the Inca
summer and winter solstices. Although the sun as viewed from the back of the passage. In
people to Christianity. A local group of Quecia
specific details of the rituals differ from pueblo the years since the tomb was constructed by
Indians in Cusco, Peru revived the festival in
to pueblo, "the rites are built around the sun, the Neolithic farmers, the Earth's tilt on its axis has
1944. It is now a major festival which begins in
coming new year and the rebirth of vegetation changed from about 24 to about 23© degrees
Cusco and proceeds to an ancient amphitheater
in the spring....Winter solstice rites now. As a result, the sun rises about two solar
a few miles away.
include...prayerstick making, retreats, altars, diameters farther south today. The monument is
* IRAN: Shabe-Yalda (a.k.a. Shab-e
emesis and prayers for increase." surrounded by a circle of standing stones that
Yaldaa) is celebrated in Iran by followers of
The Hopi tribe "is dedicated to giving were added later during the Bronze Age.
many religions. It originated in Zoroastrianism,
aid and direction to the sun which is ready to At Maeshowe, (Orkneys, Scotland). It is
the state religion which preceded Islam. The
'return' and give strength to budding life." Their a chambered cairn built on a leveled area with a
name refers to the birthday or rebirth of the sun.
ceremony is called "Soyal." It lasts for 20 days surrounding bank and ditch. It has been carbon
People gather at home around a korsee -- a low
and includes "prayerstick making, purification, dated at 2750 BCE. Inside the cairn is a stone
square table -- all night. They tell stories and
rituals and a concluding rabbit hunt, feast and structure with a long entry tunnel. The structure
read poetry. They eat watermelons,
blessing..." is aligned so that sunlight can shine along the
pomegranates and a special dried fruit/nut mix.
There are countless stone structures entry passage into the interior of the megalith,
Bonfires are lit outside.
created by Natives in the past to detect the and illuminate the back of the structure. This
* ISLAM: During the period 1997 to
solstices and equinoxes. One was called happens at sunrise at and near the winter
1999, the first day of the Islamic lunar month of
Calendar One by its modern-day finder. It is in solstice. Starting in the late 1990's, live video
Ramadan occurred in December. The nominal
a natural amphitheatre of about 20 acres in size and still images have been broadcast to the
dates were 1997-DEC-31, 1998-DEC-20 and
in Vermont. From a stone enclosure in the center world via the Internet.
1999-DEC-9. The actual date for the start of
of the bowl, one can see a number of vertical
Ramadan depends upon the sighting of the
crescent moon, and thus can be delayed by a
rocks and natural features in the horizon which The Winter Solstice in the
formed the edge of the bowl. At the solstices
few days from the nominal date. This is the
and equinoxes, the sun rises and sets at notches Northern Hemisphere
holiest period in the Islamic year. It honors the
lunar month in which the Qura'n was revealed
or peaks in the ridge which surrounded the (UT):
calendar.
by God to humanity. "It is during this month
* NEOPAGANISM: This is a group of
that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan.
Lasting for the entire month, Muslims fast
religions which are attempted re-creations of 2010 DEC-21 @ 23:38
ancient Pagan religions. Of these, Wicca is the
during the daylight hours and in the evening eat
most common; it is loosely based on ancient
18 Syncrohearts

www.syncrohearts.com
 The Silent Night
The Silent Night
A true Christmas miracle
born from the horror of
world war and the unifying
music of Christmas
In any conversation about Christmas
miracles, someone usually refers to the true
story of a Silent Night during 1914 when an
unlikely truce between opposing German and
British forces demonstrated the true spirit of
Christmas in a way unlikely to be forgotten
The Beginnings
People associate the song Silent Night
with the so-called "Christmas Truce" because
it's the first song known to have echoed across
the war-torn battlefield and also because for that
night the rifles went silent. On that Christmas
Eve, German soldiers began decorating their
trenches and singing the famous song. Inspired,
the British soldiers returned carols in English,
and one of the most famous Christmas miracles
of modern history was born.
The Truce
By December 24th, soldiers on both
sides were discouraged and dispirited, and it's
safe to say no one wanted to spend Christmas in
a trench, far from family and friends. So it
makes sense that both sides were ready for a
truce.
Once the carols had been sung, soldiers
began to shout greetings across the field.
Several of the German soldiers spoke English,
allowing the sides to communicate freely. Soon,
brave soldiers began to visit across the neutral
zone in the middle of the field (also known as
"No Man's Land"). They exchanged gifts of
whatever they had: whiskey, jam, cigars,
chocolate and uniform buttons or pieces.
One of the more painful but important
part of such Christmas miracles is the emotional
impact, and the truce allowed both sides to
retrieve soldiers whose bodies had fallen in the
middle of the field. Prior to now, it had been too
dangerous to emerge from the trenches to claim
the bodies. Now, soldiers were given the chance
to bury the bodies of their fallen brothers.
In fact, in some cases German and
British soldiers joined together to hold funeral
services for their friends, reading verses from
the Bible, particularly the 23rd psalm.
All Good Things...
Unfortunately, Christmas miracles are often all
too fleeting. In this case, the war had to resume,
and while some soldiers refused to fight,
understandably reluctant to resume killing their
new found friends, army officials intervened,
and by New Year's Day, the truce was over in all
areas -- but not in the hearts of those who
experienced it.
The last surviving veteran of the
Christmas truce died in Scotland at the age of
109, but like all Christmas miracles, this one
will survive those who experienced it for many
years. []
Christmas Superstitions
About Trees
Unusual Christmas
superstitions about
everyone's favorite
decoration! The Christmas
Tree
It's hard to write too many articles about
Christmas superstitions involving your tree --
there are literally hundreds of stories, legends,
and myths about trees. So no matter how much
of a Christmas buff you may be, there might be
a few superstitions you have yet to encounter.
1. Spring, Spring, Come Around!
Long before anyone set up the first
Christmas tree, people brought winter greenery
into their homes. The superstition was that if
you forgot this custom, spring might forget to
return next season! Of course, that's not the only
magic of the tree: winter greenery is thought to
keep away witches, spirits, and other evil
forces.
People would actually decorate greenery
long before Christmas superstitions came about,
but they'd decorate the bushes outside their
homes. Why? Because they figured those evil
spirits were looking for shelter (I guess they
don't like winter, either) and they didn't want
them moving into their homes.
2. The Yule Log
There are enough Christmas
superstitions about the Yule log to fill their own
book -- but one of the sweetest says that if you
want good luck, you should cut the Yule log
from this year's tree and let it cure until next
Christmas. Of course, if you let that log go out
during the twelve days of Christmas you're
ruined: bad luck for the rest of the year. Keep
adding wood but make sure a section of the
original Yule log keeps burning.
3. Light up your Life
The original candles were placed on
trees to frighten away the devil and evil spirits
long before the tree was called a "Christmas
tree." Romans started this tradition, and they
took it a step further by attaching pieces of
metal so the added reflections would further
terrify those evil presences.
4. Apples Galore
If you've ever seen apple decorations on
a tree, you probably didn't realize they were part
of Christmas superstitions. In the eleventh
century, before the official "Christmas tree" as
we know it, people would decorate trees with
apples on Christmas eve to encourage luck and
plenty in the coming year.
If you love Christmas trees -- and really,
who doesn't? -- these Christmas superstitions
should help you enjoy your holiday season to its
very fullest.[]
19
Who Started The
Christmas Cards
Tradition?
Why We Send Christmas Cards
During the Holiday Season
This year while you're preparing all of
the Christmas cards that will be going out to
friends and family you may take a moment to
wonder why you do it and who started it all.
After all, it's not like the apostles took it upon
themselves to send each other greeting cards to
remember the birthday of Jesus. Hey, Hallmark
didn't even exist back then! So how did
Christmas cards become a part of this Christian
holiday? Here's where it all began...
Let's Travel Back in Time
Let's go back in time to 1840s Britain.
The first postal deliveries were being sent
thanks to the brand new “Penny Post” that had
been set up.
Now that the Penny Post enabled people
to send Christmas greetings to one another it
became customary to do so. However, many
people found it tedious and time consuming to
hand write all of their Christmas letters. In
1843, the first Christmas card was
commissioned.
Christmas Cards Come to America
For about 30 years, Americans had to
import their Christmas cards from Britain. It
wasn't until 1875 that the first Christmas cards
would be printed in the United States.
And the Christmas cards sent back then
really didn't mirror today's popular cards at all.
The Christmas cards of yesteryear tended to
depict flowers and faeries. It wasn't until later
years that Christmas cards took on a “holiday
theme”.
And the Evolution Continues...
What the Penny Post did for Christmas
cards back in the mid 1800s, the Internet is
doing today. The way we greet one another at
Christmas is changing once again. Thanks to the
wider acceptance of “e-cards” all it takes is the
click of the mouse to send your friends and
family Christmas greetings. Who knows what
tomorrow brings...
20 ‘X’ Zone Advertisers
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 Christmas Around the World 21
Christmas in Africa
Preparation for Christmas in the Congo
begins when some group is designated to
prepare the annual Christmas pageant.
Christmas day begins with groups of
carolers walking to and fro through the village,
along the roadway, by the houses of the
missionaries, singing the lovely carols known
the world around. Often people may be
awakened by a group of carolers beginning to
converge on the house of worship. They return
home to make final preparation as to the clothes
one must wear and also as to his offering for the
Christmas service.
The most important part of their
Christmas worship service is the love offering,
this is the gift in honor of Jesus. Then at about 8
or 9 o'clock everyone makes their way to the
celebration of the birthday of Jesus.
Everyone who attends the service goes
forward to lay down their gift upon the raised
platform near the Communion table. Not one
person will attend the service without giving a
gift.
Now people have Christmas dinners
after the service, preparing tables out in front of
their home and inviting many of their intimate
friends to share.
Christmas in South Africa is a summer
holiday. In December, the southern summer
brings glorious days of sunshine that carry an
irresistible invitation to the beaches, the rivers,
and the shaded mountain slopes. Then the South
African holiday season reaches its height.
Schools are closed, and camping is the order of
the day. In South Africa there is no snow, but it
has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of
cultivated and wild flowers being in their full
pride.
In the cities and towns carolers make
their rounds on Christmas Eve. Church services
are held on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve
celebrations in larger centers include "Carols by
Candlelight" and special screen and floor
shows.
Homes are decorated with pine
branches, and all have the decorated Christmas
fir in a corner, with presents for the children
around. At bedtime on Christmas Eve, children
may also hang up their stockings for presents
from Father Christmas.
Many South Africans have a Christmas
dinner in the open-air lunch. For many more, it
is the traditional dinner of either turkey, roast
beef, mince pies, or suckling pig, yellow rice
with raisins, vegetables, and plum pudding,
crackers, paper hats, and all. In the afternoon,
families go out into the country and usually
there are games or bathing in the warm
sunshine, and then home in the cool of the
evening. Boxing Day is also a proclaimed
public holiday usually spent in the open air. It
falls on December 26 and is a day of real
relaxation.
In Ghana, on Africa's west coast, most
churches herald the coming of Christmas by
decorating the church and homes beginning
with the first week in Advent, four weeks before
Christmas. This season happens to coincide
with the cocoa harvest, so it is a time of wealth.
Everyone returns home from wherever they
might be such as farms or mines.
On the eve of Christmas, children march
up and down the streets singing Christmas
Carols and shouting "Christ is coming, Christ is
coming! He is near!" in their language. In the
evening, people flock to churches which have
been decorated with Christmas evergreens or
palm trees massed with candles. Hymns are
sung and Nativity plays are presented.
On Christmas Day, children and older
people, representing the angels in the fields
outside Bethlehem, go from house to house
singing. Another church service is held where
they dress in their native attire or Western
costumes. Later on there is a feast of rice and
yam paste called fufu with stew or okra soup,
porridge and meats. Families eat together or
with close neighbors, and presents are given.
On the west coast of Africa, in Liberia,
most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas
tree, which is decorated with bells. On
Christmas morning, people are woken up by
carols. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap,
sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged. Also
in the morning a church service is held in which
the Christmas scene is enacted and hymns and
carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with
everyone sitting in a circle to share the meal of
rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the
afternoon, and at night fireworks light up the
sky.
Christmas in Bethlehem
In Bethlehem the town where Jesus is
said to have been born is the site of the Church
of the Nativity, which is ablaze with flags and
decorations on every Christmas. On Christmas
Eve natives and visitors alike crowd the
church's doorways and stand on the roof to
watch for the dramatic annual procession.
Galloping horsemen and police mounted on
Arabian horses lead the parade. They are
followed by solitary horseman carrying a cross
and sitting astride a coal-black steed, then
comes the churchmen and government officials.
The procession solemnly enters the doors and
places an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the
Church. Deep winding stairs lead to a grotto
where visitors find a silver star marking the site
of the birth of Jesus.
Christian homes in Bethlehem are
marked by a cross painted over the door and
each home displays a homemade manger scene.
A star is set up on a pole in the village square.
Christmas in Bulgaria
Christmas Eve is as important as
Christmas day in Bulgaria. A special diner,
consisting of at least twelve dishes is prepared.
All of them are without meat and each of them
represents a separate month of the year. The
dishes consist of beans, different kinds of nuts,
dried plums, cakes, and the traditional Banitza.
On this day the whole family gathers, eat on
straw and get off the table in the same time.
In the past Christmas was celebrated
differently. There were boys and non-married
young men who were visiting the houses,
singing songs for wealth and health for the
hosts. They were rewarded with money, food
and so on. They were bringing long sticks to put
kravai which are round breads with holes in
them. They were called Rkoledaris. In the
houses the families gathered sitting on the
ground or on dry grass and eating meatless
food. There were 7 or 12 meals: wine, Rakia ,
sarmy and so on. There always was a huge
round bread where all the cattle, the house and
things like that were carved.
Bulgarians make Christmas wishes
around the fire and eat blood sausage.
Christmas in China
The Christian children of China
decorate trees with colorful ornaments. These
ornaments are made from paper in the shapes of
flowers, chains and lanterns. They also hang
muslin stockings hoping that Christmas Old
Man will fill them with gifts and treats.
The Chinese Christmas trees are called
"Trees of Light." Santa Claus is called Dun Che
Lao Ren which means "Christmas Old Man.".
The non-Christian Chinese call this
season the Spring Festival and celebrate with
many festivities that include delicious meals
and pay respects to their ancestors. The children
are the main focus of these celebrations, they
receive new clothes and toys, eat delectable
food and watch firecrackers displays.
Christmas in Egypt
The Coptic Church is an Orthodox
Church and in the Coptic Church Christmas is
celebrated on the 7th January. Advent is
observed for forty days and during this period
people are expected to fast eating no meat,
poultry or dairy products. Some people only do
this during the last week of Advent.
On the Eve of Christmas everyone goes
to church wearing a completely new outfit. The
Christmas service ends at midnight with the
ringing of church bells, then people go home to
eat a special Christmas meal known as fata,
which consists of bread, rice, garlic and boiled
meat.
On Christmas morning people in Egypt
visit friends and neighbors. They take with them
kaik which is a type of shortbread, which they
take with them to give to the people they visit
and eaten with a drink known as shortbat.
Christmas Day is a public holiday for
Christians.
Christmas in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Christmas known as Ganna is
celebrated on January 7th. This celebration
takes place in ancient churches carved from
solid volcanic rock and also in modern churches
that are designed in three concentric circles.
Men and boys sit separately from girls and
women. Also the choir sings from the outside
circle.
People receive candles as they enter the
church. After lighting the candles everyone
walks around the church three times, then
stands throughout the mass, which may last up
to three hours.
Food served at Christmas usually
includes injera, a sourdough pancake like bread.
Injera serves as both plate and fork. Doro wat, a
spicy chicken stew might be the main meal. A
piece of the injera is used to scoop up the wat.
Baskets decorated beautifully are used to serve
the wat. (Continued on Page 24)
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 24 Christmas Around the World
Christmas Around the Gifts are exchanged on January 1st, St Basil's
Day.
dipped into water to bless it. People would take
the water home with them drink three sips
World On Christmas Eve, groups of people before eating anything.
gather around the holiday table. Figs, dried on
Continued from Page 21
rooftops are served with the spicy golden Christmas in India
Chrisopsomo bread.
Christmas in Ethiopia
As people are they greet one another by Christians in India decorate banana or
saying Hronia polla or many happy years. The mango trees. They also light small oil-burning
Gift giving is a very small part of
table filled with food may include such dishes lamps as Christmas decorations and fill their
Christmas celebration. Children usually receive
as kourambiethes, a Greek nut cookie. churches with red flowers.
very simple presents such as clothing.
In Ethiopia Christmas day is January 7, They give presents to family members
Christmas in Holland and baksheesh, or charity, to the poor people.
so on Christmas Eve the city is crowded with
pilgrims from all parts of the country. They In India, the poinsettia is in flower and
St Nicholas arrives early in Holland with so the churches are decorated with this brilliant
remain outdoors all night, praying and chanting.
his gifts, in November. He is dressed in Bishop's bloom for the Christmas Midnight Mass.
In the morning, a colorful procession makes its
robes and journeys in a boat with his helper who In South India, Christians put small
way to a nearby hilltop where a service is held.
is called Black Peter and who wears Spanish clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their
Three young men march at the head of the
clothes. It is said that the pair live most of the houses at Christmas, just as the Hindus do
crowd, lashing whips from left to right to keep
year preparing lists of presents and writing during their festival called Diwali.
the people in line. Those who worship are fed
every child's behavior in a very large book.
with bread and wine that has been blessed by
Many people go to Amsterdam docks to greet Christmas in Iran (Persia)
priests. After the service is over the rest of the
him. He mounts a snow horse and rides through
day is spent dancing, playing sport and feasting.
the streets in a great parade, amid many Christmas in Iran is known as the Little
festivities. Feast. For the first 25 days of December, a great
Christmas in Greece
December 5th is Sinterklaas Eve or fast is observed, during which no meat, eggs,
Sinterklass Eve, and presents are given and milk, or cheese is eaten. It is a time of peace and
St. Nicholas is important in Greece as
received. meditation; a time for attending services at the
the patron saint of sailors. According to Greek
Farmers in Holland blow long horns at church. When the fast is over, the feast is begun,
tradition, his clothes are drenched with brine,
sunset each evening during the Christmas for plenty of meat is prepared for the Christmas
his beard drips with seawater, and his face is
period. The horns are blown over water wells dinner.
covered with perspiration because he has been
which makes the sound extremely loud. This is Christmas Eve is the last day of the fast.
working hard against the waves to reach sinking
done to announce the coming of Christmas. Almost before dawn on Christmas Day, the
ships and rescue them from the angry sea. Greek
All Dutch children know that people attend Mass to receive Communion and
ships never leave port without some sort of St.
Sinterklaas or Sinterklass lived in Spain, where it is not until they have received this
Nicholas icon on board.
he spends his time recording the behavior of all Communion that they are permitted to break
On Christmas Eve small boys to the
the children in his little red book, while Piet fast.
beating of drums and the tinkling of triangles
stocks up on the presents. The boys and girls of Iran have never
usually sing carols. They go from house to
Christmas Day is a religious time, and heard of Santa Claus, so they do not exchange
house and are given dried figs, almonds,
the day is spent with visits to Church. In the gifts at Christmas. But they do receive new
walnuts and lots of sweets or sometimes small
afternoon, people sit around the tree, sing carols clothes, which they proudly wear all during the
gifts.
and tell stories. happy Christmas week.
After 40 days of fasting, the Christmas
feast is looked forward to with great A dish eaten for Christmas day is a kind
Christmas in the Holy Land of chicken stew. It is cooked in large quantities
anticipation by adults and children alike. Pigs
are slaughtered and on almost every table are and lasts several days.
Christmas in the Holy Land where
loaves of christopsomo or "Christ Bread". This
Christ is believed to have been born is often full Christmas in Iraq
bread is made in large sweet loaves of various
of travelers come to celebrate Christmas. Here
shapes and the crusts are engraved and
in a grotto there is a 14-pointed Silver Star on In the Christian homes an unusual
decorated in some way that reflects the family's
the floor is where the birthplace is supposed to ceremony is held in the courtyard of the home
profession.
have been. on Christmas Eve. One of the children in the
Christmas trees are not commonly used
There are three Christmas Eves in the family reads the story of the Nativity from an
in Greece. In almost every home the main
Holy Land. One on the 24th December Arabic Bible. The other members of the family
symbol of the season is a shallow wooden bowl
celebrated by the Protestant and Catholic hold lighted candles, and as soon as the story
with a piece of wire is suspended across the rim;
Churches. The second for the Greek Orthodox, has been read a bonfire is lit in one corner of the
from that hangs a sprig of basil wrapped around
Coptic (Egyptian) and Syrian churches. The courtyard. The fire is made of dried thorns and
a wooden cross. A small amount of water is kept
third is the Armenian Church. At times, all three the future of the house for the coming year
in the bowl to keep the basil alive and fresh.
services are going on at the same time, but, in depends upon the way the fire burns. If the
Once a day, a family member, usually the
different parts of the church, as well as in thorns burn to ashes, the family will have good
mother, dips the cross and basil into some holy
different languages. For lunch they eat turkey, fortune. While the fire is burning, a psalm is
water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room
spiced with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg and sung. When the fire is reduced to ashes,
of the house. This ritual is believed to keep the
stuffed with rice, meat,, pine nuts and almonds. everyone jumps over the ashes three times and
Killantzaroi away from the house.
Early in the evening, members of the makes a wish.
There is a tradition kallikantzeri, where
Protestant church groups would go around On Christmas day a similar bonfire is
the mischievous goblins appear from the earth
singing carols. On Christmas morning children built in the church. While the fire burns the men
during the 12 days of Christmas.
would open their presents before breakfast. of the congregation chant a hymn. Then there is
At Christmas very few presents are
After breakfast Protestant people would go to a procession in which the officials of the church
given to each other. Instead, small gifts are
church, and visit friends to wish them a happy march behind the bishop, who carries an image
given to hospitals and orphanages.
Christmas. of the infant Jesus upon a scarlet cushion. The
Priests sometimes go from house to
The Catholic Church priests would long Christmas service always ends with the
house sprinkling holy water around to get rid of
come a bless water from which all members of blessing of the people. The bishop reaches forth
the bad spirits who may be hiding in people's
the family would take a sip. and touches a member of the congregation with
houses.
The member of the Greek Orthodox his hand, putting his blessing upon him. That
In most Greek homes an evergreen tree
Church Epiphany is very important. They have person touches the one next him, and so on,
is decorated with tinsel and a star placed on top.
a special church service at which a cross was until all have received "the Touch of Peace."
 Christmas Around the World 25
Christmas Around the
World
Continued from Page 24
Christmas in Italy
The Christmas season in Italy goes for
three weeks, starting 8 days before Christmas
known as the Novena. During this period,
children go from house to house reciting
Christmas poems and singing.
In some parts shepherds bring musical
instruments into the villages, play and sing
Christmas songs.
In the week before Christmas children
go from house to house dressed as shepherds,
playing pipes, singing and reciting Christmas
poems. They are given money to buy presents.
A strict feast is observed for 24 hours
before Christmas Eve, and is followed by a
celebration meal, in which a light Milanese cake
called panettone features as well as chocolate.
Presents and empty boxes, are drawn
from the Urn of Fate - lucky dip, which always
contains one gift per person. By twilight,
candles are lighted around the family crib
known as the Presepio, prayers are said, and
children recite poems.
At noon on Christmas Day the pope
gives his blessing to crowds gathered in the
huge Vatican square.
In Italy the children wait until Epiphany,
January 6, for their presents. According to
tradition, the presents are delivered by a kind
ugly witch called Befana on a broomstick. It
was said that she was told by the three kings that
the baby Jesus was born, she was busy and
delayed visiting the baby.
She missed the Star lost her way and has
been flying around ever since, leaving presents
at every house with children in case he is there.
She slides down chimneys, and fills stockings
and shoes with good things for good children
and it is said leaves coal for children who are
not so good.
Christmas in Japan
Only 1 per cent of Japanese people
believe in Christ. Even so, most Japanese
people decorate their stores and homes with
evergreens during Christmas.
They enjoy giving each other gifts, and
this is the part they celebrate.
They have a Buddhist monk called
Hotei-osho who acts like Santa Claus. He brings
presents to each house and leaves them for the
children. Some think he has eyes in the back of
his head, so children try to behave like he is
nearby.
Among the Christian Japanese
Christmas is not a day for the family. They do
not have turkey or plum pudding, rather than
that the day is spent doing nice things for others
especially those who are sick in hospitals.
Christmas for those in Sunday schools is
the happiest day of the year. On Christmas Eve
or Christmas night, the children put on
programs that last for hours, they sing, they
recite and they put on a drama of the day Jesus
was born in Bethlehem.
Most children may not like Hotei-osho
so they may receive their presents from Santa
who goes around with a red-nosed reindeer.
Christmas in Mexico
Mexicans share many traditions with the
Spanish. Their main Christmas celebration is
called La Posada, which is a religious
procession that reenacts the search for shelter by
Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus.
During the procession, the celebrants go from
house to house carrying the images of Mary and
Joseph looking for shelter.
Santa Claus is not predominant, but the
bright red suit is represented in the traditional
flower of the season. This flower is the
poinsettia, which has a brilliant red star-shaped
bloom. It is believed that a young boy walking
to the church to see the nativity scene showing
the birth of Jesus had realized on the way that he
had no gift to offer the Christ child so he
gathered up some plain green branches as he
walked in he was laughed at but upon placing
the branches near the manger they started to
bloom a bright red poinsettia flower on each
branch.
The Mexican children receive gifts. On
Christmas day they are blindfolded and taken to
try and break a decorated clay piñata that
dangles and swings at the end of a rope. Once
the piñata has been broken, the children clamber
to recover the candy that was inside the piñata.
Those children who have been good also on
January 6th receive a gift from the Three Wise
Men.
Mexicans attend a midnight mass
service which is called la Misa Del Gallo or "the
rooster's mass," and at the mass they sing
lullabies to Jesus.
Christmas in Nicaragua
Christmas begins officially on
December 6 in Nicaragua, but actual activities
begin on December 16 with the performance of
the lodging difficulties of Mary and Joseph. The
home where lodging is found, supplies wine and
food. Every home contains a manger scene.
From December 16 until Christmas Eve Mass,
prayer is held each evening in the home,
followed by refreshments and the singing of
carols. After Christmas Eve Mass, the
Christmas dinner is consumed with only the
adults in attendance. Christmas cards are
exchanged which are white and plain.
Christmas Day is celebrated with much
fun and eating, fireworks and dancing. The
main streets of the town and cities are decorated
and have loud-speakers broadcasting Christmas
carols.
Christmas in Pakistan
In Pakistan 25 December is a public
holiday it is however in memory of Jinnah the
founder of Pakistan.
In Christian homes they celebrate
Christmas with the exchanging of gifts and
cards, the wearing of new clothes and the
visiting of houses of friends.
They have a church service which is
packed on Christmas day which is called Bara
Din the big day.
Christmas in Peru
In Peru nativity scenes with Retablos
inside are very popular. When priests were first
taken to traveling they would carry small altars
around with them for festival days. These
gradually developed into portable boxes with
saints above the altar and scenes from everyday
life below it. Now the retablos depict Mary,
Joseph and baby Jesus, with local people
crowding around.
Christmas in Russia
In Russia the religious festival of
Christmas is being replaced by the Festival of
Winter but there are some traditions that are still
kept up in some parts of the country.
In the traditional Russian Christmas,
special prayers are said and people fast,
sometimes for 39 days, until January 6th
Christmas Eve, when the first evening star in
appears in the sky. Then begins a twelve course
supper in honor of each of the twelve apostles -
fish, beet soup or Borsch, cabbage stuffed with
millet, cooked dried fruit and much more.
Hay is spread on the floors and tables to
encourage horse feed to grow in the coming
year and people make clucking noises to
encourage their hens to lay eggs.
On Christmas Day, hymns and carols are
sung. People gather in churches which have
been decorated with the usual Christmas trees or
Yelka, flowers and colored lights.
Christmas dinner includes a variety of
different meats - goose and suckling pig are
favorites.
Babushka is a traditional Christmas
figure who distributes presents to children. Her
name means grandmother and the legend is told
that she declined to go with the wise men to see
Jesus because of the cold weather. (Ctd Pg 26)
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
People Listen To
The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show
with
Rob McConnell
on
AM 580 CFRA
 26 Christmas Around the World
Christmas Around the called ringli and hot chocolate.
In Switzerland, the Chlausjagen Festival
event. This celebration reminds us of the baby
in a Bethlehem manger whose birthday we
World or Feast of St. Nichohlas is celebrated at dusk celebrate. But whether Christmas is celebrated
on 6 December with a procession of "lifeltrager' on December 25th or on January 7th the
Continued from Page 25
wearing gigantic illuminated lanterns in the message is the same: "Peace on Earth! Good
shape of a Bishop's mitre on their heads. will towards men!
Christmas in Russia
The Swiss wait for the Christ child In the Ukraine, Father Frost visits all the
Continues
called Christkindli, to arrive with gifts for all in children in a sleigh pulled by only three
his reindeer-drawn sleigh. reindeer.
However, she regretted not going and set
In Switzerland, during the holiday He brings along a little girl named
off to try and catch up, filling her basket with
season the Star Singers or Sternsingers dressed Snowflake Girl. She wears a silver blue
presents. She never found Jesus, and that is why
as the Three Kings parade through the streets of costume trimmed with white fur and a crown
she visits each house, leaving toys for good
cities and towns singing Christmas songs. shaped like a snowflake.
children.
In Zurich, Santa visits in a special
The role of Father Christmas was played
fairytale tram and gives the children a ride Christmas in Vietnam
by Dedushka Moroz or Grandfather Christmas
through the city, singing songs with them and
sharing a basket full of sweets. Traditional Vietnamese religions are
Christmas in South America
Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of
Christmas in Ukraine Taoism and Confucianism. However, during
Native Bolivians celebrate Christmas
French rule, many people became Christians.
more as a harvest festival. Thanks are given for
Sviata Vechera OR "Holy Supper" is the Christmas is one of the four most important
completion of the year's work. They give an
central tradition of the beautiful Christmas Eve festivals of the Vietnamese year, they being the
account of the work done during the year and
celebrations in Ukrainian homes. The dinner birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the mid-
propose what is to be done the next year.
table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the autumn festival. Although the Christians
Christmas tends to become a feast of adoration
embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the observed the religious rituals of Christmas.
of the Goddess Mother Earth, who is asked to
manger in Bethlehem. On Christmas Eve the Christians would
bring a fruitful harvest, to keep away plagues,
When the children see the first Star in attend a midnight Mass. After Church people
and to give a prosperous year.
the eastern evening sky, which symbolizes the would return to their homes for the most
In Brazil Santa Claus is little known and
trek of the Three Wise Men, the Sviata Vechera important meal the Christmas supper. The
those who do know of the jolly fellow call him
may begin. In farming communities the head of dinner usually consisted of chicken soup, and
Papa Noel.
the household now brings in a sheaf of wheat wealthier people ate turkey and Christmas
The children have no Christmas trees,
called the didukh which represents the Pudding.
but they do have a crèche or Presepio,
importance of the ancient and rich wheat crops The European customs of Santa Claus
representing the Christ-child's birth. Gifts and
of Ukraine, the staff of life through the and the Christmas tree were popular and
toys are exchanged during the holidays after
centuries. Didukh means literally "grandfather children would leave their shoes out on
which the Presepio is put away until the
spirit" so it symbolizes the family's ancestors. In Christmas Eve.
following Christmas.
city homes a few stalks of golden wheat in a
In Ecuador the children write letters to
vase are often used to decorate the table. Christmas in Yugoslavia
the Christ-child and place shoes in the window
A prayer is said and the father says the
in which he may place toys as he passes by on
traditional Christmas greeting, "Khristos In Yugoslavia, children celebrate the
Christmas Eve. Noise-making toys are common
rodyvsya!" which translated is Christ is born!, second Sunday before Christmas as Mother's
and are used with much energy on the streets on
which is answered by the family with "Slavite Day. The children creep in and tie her feet to a
Christmas morning.
Yoho!" which translated is Let Us Glorify Him!. chair and shout, "Mother's Day, Mother's Day,
Since the weather is very warm, most
In some families the Old Slavic form Khristos what will you pay to get away?" She then gives
celebrations are in the streets. There are
razhdayetsya is used. them presents. Children play the same trick on
firecrackers, brass bands, and dancing. At
At the end of the Sviata Vechera the their father the week after.
midnight everyone goes to Mass. after which
family often sings Kolyadky which is a Those Yugoslavs who live in the country
the family dinner is enjoyed.
Ukrainian Christmas Carols. In many fear bad luck if their Christmas log burns out
communities the old Ukrainian tradition of and so someone has to stand over the log all
Christmas in Swaziland
caroling is carried on by groups of young people Christmas night to ensure it stays lit up.
and members of organizations and churches A Christmas cake called chestnitsa,
In Swaziland Christmas is on the 25th
calling at homes and collecting donations. contains a gold or silver coin and is said that
December. It is a beautiful time of year, where
The favorite Ukrainian carol is Boh whomever gets it can expect lots of good luck.
Christians get together, with friends and
predvichny meaning God Eternal which has a The Yugoslavs eat roast pig as their
families to celebrate Christmas.
very beautiful melody and lyrics. Some Christmas dish and it must be carved a
The day starts with a midnight mass in
Ukrainian carols are unusual because they particular way, according to old customs.
church then is followed by a meal, at home.
mention Ukraine while others are ancient pagan Every household has a Christmas crib.
Children take this opportunity to open
songs of a thousand years ago which have been According to old customs they go on an
presents, and sing Christmas carols.
converted into Christian carols. expedition to the forests to gather moss with
Christmas is a joyous day which opens which to line the crib. Also families would have
Christmas in Switzerland
for Ukrainian families with attendance at an old-fashioned music box that plays
Church. Ukrainian Churches offer services Christmas carols.[]
A tinkling of a silver bell heralds the
starting before midnight on Christmas Eve and
arrival of Christkindli - a white clad angel, with
on Christmas morning. Christmas supper,
a face veil held in place by a jeweled crown.
without Lenten restrictions, does not have as
The tree candles are lit as she enters each house
many traditions connected with it as Sviata
and hands out presents from the basket held by
Vechera. The old tradition in Ukraine of giving
her child helpers.
gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, December
The week before Christmas, children
19th, has generally been replaced by the
dress up and visit homes with small gifts. Bell
Christmas date.
ringing has become a tradition, and each village
The traditional Christmas customs of
competes with the next when calling people to
Ukraine add color and significance to the winter
midnight mass. After the service, families
festival of Christmas, and Ukrainian Christmas
gather to share huge homemade doughnuts
on January 7th is usually a peaceful and quiet
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28
A Book of Insight
Wisdom from the Other Side
“In light and in love, we
wish you a joyous
awakening”
“A Book of Insight” is available at
the following locations:
www.abookofinsight.com
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A Book of Insight
As long as mankind has had conscious awareness, he has sought answers to questions
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What really happens to us when we die? Are heaven and hell real? Are we alone in this
Universe or do other realities exist?
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 The Real Nativity Story
The Real Nativity
Story: Surprising
Truths You May Not
Know!
The biblical accounts of Jesus
Christ's birth present some
surprising differences from
popular ideas and traditions. Do
you know the facts from the
fiction?
by John Ross Schroeder and Doug Johnson
Most of us have been brought up with
the traditional Christmas story—you know, the
one about Jesus being born on Christmas day in
a stable in Bethlehem with the shepherds and
three wise men looking on as depicted in
countless manger scenes.
But is that the way it really happened?
Most people think so, but a careful look at what
the Bible really says reveals some surprising
differences. Let's examine what the Bible
actually does say about the circumstances
surrounding Christ's birth.
While the Gospel accounts of Matthew
and Luke describe the true story of Jesus' birth,
we'll see that they assuredly do not describe the
Christmas story so popular at this time of year.
Luke's important background
Consider first Luke, the Gospel writer
who had the detailed mind of a physician and a
historian. He wanted to make sure he presented
all the pertinent facts.
Notice his preface: " Since many have
undertaken to set down an orderly account of
the events that have been fulfilled among us,
just as they were handed on to us by those who
from the beginning were eyewitnesses and
servants of the word, I too decided, after
investigating everything carefully from the very
first, to write an orderly account for you, most
excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the
truth concerning the things about which you
have been instructed" (Luke 1:1-4, New
Revised Standard Version, emphasis added
throughout).
Luke, in other words, interviewed those
who had witnessed or were knowledgeable of
the events of Christ's life, and that information
was the basis for his Gospel. After this
important introduction, Luke begins the true
story leading to Jesus' birth with an account of
God's dealings with Zacharias, the father of
John the Baptist:
"There was in the days of Herod, the
king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias,
of the division [or "course"] of Abijah. His wife
was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name
was Elizabeth " (verse 5). Later in the account it
tells us she was a cousin of Mary (verse 36,
King James Version).
"And they were both righteous before
God, walking in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had
no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and
they were both well advanced in years" (verses
6-7).
Zacharias' priestly assignment or
"division" helps us to know and understand the
general time frame of Christ's birth. His was
"the course of Abijah." But what does this
mean?
About a thousand years earlier, King
David had organized the Levitical priesthood
into 24 "courses" or "divisions." As explained in
1 Chronicles 24 and more specifically in verses
3, 10 and 19, there was an abundance of priests
to serve in the various temple functions.
Not wanting any to be left out of
serving, David's solution was to divide the
priests into 24 courses. Each priest would then
serve for a specified week-long term twice
during the year, plus the three festival seasons
(Deuteronomy 16:16) when all the priests
would serve.
The question is: Do we know at what
times of the year the course of Abijah served at
the temple? Yes, we do. The determination can
be made by combining the information in 1
Chronicles 24 with a study into the traditions of
Judaism regarding when the temple courses
were carried out during the year.
The evidence points to Zacharias' week
of service described by Luke being around
Pentecost, which generally falls in late May to
mid-June on our calendar. Although they fall at
specific times on God's sacred calendar, the
dates of His annual Holy Days and festivals
vary up to several weeks on the Roman calendar
we use today.
So it seems we can ascertain when
Zacharias was serving in the temple. One
resource, The Companion Bible, calculates it to
the week of June 13-19 in the determined year
(1974, Appendix 179, p. 200).
An unexpected angelic appearance
Luke's account continues: "So it was,
that while he was serving as priest before God
in the order of his division, according to the
custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn
incense when he went into the temple of the
Lord" (Luke 1:8-9).
29
What happened next would have been
rather frightening to anyone. "Then an angel of
the Lord appeared to him . . . And when
Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear
fell upon him. But the angel said to him, 'Do not
be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard;
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and
you shall call his name John'" (verses 11-13).
Then the angel explained the mission of
Zacharias' son-to-be, John the Baptist: "He will
also be filled with the Holy Spirit from his
mother's womb . . . He will also go before Him
[Jesus Christ, the coming Messiah] in the spirit
and power of Elijah . . . to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord" (verses 15-17).
Although a righteous man, in this
instance Zacharias was all too human and
displayed a lack of faith in the angel Gabriel's
message. Because of his unbelief, he would not
be able to speak again until his son John was
born (verses 18-20).
Timing of Elizabeth's and Mary's
conceptions
"So it was, as soon as the days of his service
were completed, that he departed to his own
house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth
conceived; and she hid herself five months"
(Luke 1:23-24). Since Zacharias' temple course
was in mid-June, assuming she became
pregnant within a couple of weeks, five months
would put this into mid- to late November.
The scene then shifts to the Messiah's
birth: "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel
was sent by God to a city of Galilee named
Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose
name was Joseph . . . The angel said to her,
'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with
you; blessed are you among women" (verses
26-28).
(Continued on Page 31)
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30 Navigating the Healthcare Maze

NAVIGATING
THE
HEALTHCARE
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 The Real Nativity Story
The Real Nativity
Story: Surprising
Truths You May Not
Know!
The biblical accounts of Jesus
Christ's birth present some
surprising differences from
popular ideas and traditions. Do
you know the facts from the
fiction?
Continued from Page 29
This account clearly shows that Mary
was a remarkable young woman of faith.
Gabriel said to her, "And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son,
and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great,
and will be called the Son of the Highest . . .
And He will reign over the house of Jacob
[Israel] forever" (verses 31-33).
Mary, since she was a virgin, then asked
the obvious question. The answer came back:
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Highest will overshadow you"
(verse 35).
Gabriel emphasized God's miracle-
working power: "Now indeed, Elizabeth, your
relative [ cousin, KJV] has also conceived a son
in her old age; and this is now the sixth month
for her who was called barren. For with God
nothing will be impossible" (verses 36-37).
Mary and Elizabeth
So a little more time has elapsed. It is
now Elizabeth's sixth month, perhaps late
December or a little beyond. "Now Mary arose
in those days [the same basic time frame] and
went into the hill country with haste, to a city of
Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and
greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when
Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the
babe leaped in her womb" (verses 39-41).
Elizabeth at this time was in her sixth
month of pregnancy with John the Baptist. It
would not be a stretch to understand from the
previous passage that Mary was now also
pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth even speaks of
Mary as though she knows Mary is an expectant
mother: "But why is this granted to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me? For
indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting
sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my
womb for joy" (verses 43-44).
Verse 56 says, "And Mary remained
with her about three months, and returned to her
house." Timewise it was now late March. Mary
stayed with Elizabeth right to the birth of John
the Baptist. "Now Elizabeth 's full time came for
her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son"
(verse 57).
We see, then, that Mary was probably
three months pregnant when John was born.
John was probably born in late March or early
April. So when was Jesus Christ born? Six
months later would be late September or early
October—in the autumn of the year, not in the
dead of winter, as so many today mistakenly
assume.
The evidence of the Roman census
Can we find other biblical evidence that
Jesus was born in the autumn rather than in
winter? Indeed we can.
Continuing in Luke's account: "And it
came to pass in those days that a decree went
out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be registered" (Luke 2:1). "All the
world" in this context would mean all the areas
under Roman rule. "This census took place
while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all
went to be registered, everyone to his own city"
(verses 2-3).
What kind of people were the Romans
when it came to order and efficiency? They built
bridges, roads and buildings that in some cases
are still in use to this day, 2,000 years later.
Their roads were marvels of engineering. They
constructed great waterworks and sewage
systems. Even today, our city planning owes a
great deal to the Romans. Even much of modern
government and military organization is copied
from the Romans. They were masters of
organization and structure.
Would the Romans, then, have ordered a
census in the dead of winter? Of course not.
This would have defeated the whole purpose! In
winter, temperatures drop below freezing
around Jerusalem, and the roads would have
been muddy and wet with cold rains and
occasional snow. It would've been a terrible
time to travel, especially for a wife nearing her
delivery.
One author states that this census "could
hardly have been at that season [winter],
however, for such a time would surely not have
been chosen by the authorities for a public
enrollment, which necessitated the population's
traveling from all parts to their natal districts,
storms and rain making journeys both unsafe
and unpleasant in winter, except in specially
favorable years. Snow is not at all uncommon at
Jerusalem in the winter months, and I have
known it so deep that people lost their way
outside the gates" (Cunningham Geikie,
"Christmas at Bethlehem," Edward Deems,
editor, Holy-Days and Holidays, 1968, p. 405).
No rational Roman official would have
scheduled a census in winter. For an agrarian
society such as that of first-century Judea, a
census in the autumn, when the crops would've
been safely gathered in, would have made much
more sense.
Why was there no room in Bethlehem?
Picking up our story in Luke again, we
find other biblical evidence for the true timing
of Jesus Christ's birth.
"Joseph also went up from Galilee, out
of the city of Nazareth . . . because he was of the
house and lineage of David, to be registered
with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with
child. So it was, that while they were there, the
days were completed for her to be delivered"
(verses 4-6).
We don't know how far ahead of time
they traveled, nor how long they were there for
the census. The essential point is that the most
important human birth in all history took place
31
under these circumstances.
"And she brought forth her firstborn
Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloth, and
laid Him in a manger [margin, feed trough],
because there was no room for them in the inn"
(verse 7).
But why was there no room for Joseph
and Mary in Bethlehem? We learn a great deal
from understanding the culture of the time.
If we have judged the time frame
correctly based on John being conceived shortly
after the time of the first term of Abijah around
Pentecost, and his birth following nine months
later, followed by Jesus' birth six months after
that in late September or possibly early October,
was something else happening at that particular
time of the year that would've created crowded
conditions in Bethlehem?
Indeed there was. Late September and
early October is the autumn festival season on
God's calendar, one of the three times in the
year when families would travel to Jerusalem to
observe God's Holy Days (see Deuteronomy
16:16). With the Jews of Israel still obeying this
command, even today it is difficult to find a
hotel room in Jerusalem at this time of year!
The population of Jerusalem swelled
several times over to overflowing at this time.
This affected nearby towns such as Bethlehem,
a few miles south of Jerusalem. Because of this
huge influx of people, every house was filled.
Joseph and Mary did find a place in what was
normally used to shelter animals. It certainly
wouldn't have been first class, but likely they
were thankful to have even that.
The shepherds and their flocks
Continuing in Luke's account, we find
further proof that Jesus wasn't born in winter.
Verse 8 tells us, " Now there were in the same
country shepherds living out in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night."
This likewise shows that these events
did not take place in winter. The common
practice of shepherds was to keep their flocks in
the open fields from April to October, but in the
cold and wet winter months they took their
flocks back home and sheltered them.
The Interpreter's One-Volume
Commentary (1971) says this passage argues
"against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec.
25 since the weather would not have permitted"
shepherds watching over their flocks in the
fields at night.
Adam Clarke's Commentary explains
that, "as these shepherds had not yet brought
home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument
that October had not yet commenced, and that,
consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th
of December, when no flocks were out in the
fields; nor could He have been born later than
September, as the flocks were still in the fields
by night. On this very ground the nativity in
December should be given up. The feeding of
the flocks by night in the fields is a
chronological fact, which casts considerable
light upon this disputed point."
Again, the evidence in Luke points to a
late September birth.
(Continued on Page 32)
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 32 The Real Nativity Story
The Real Nativity
Story: Surprising
Truths You May Not
Know!
The biblical accounts of Jesus
Christ's birth present some
surprising differences from
popular ideas and traditions. Do
you know the facts from the
fiction?
Continued from Page 31
The shepherds come to see Jesus
Continuing the story in Luke 2:10-17: "
Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid,
for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
which will be to all people. For there is born to
you this day in the city of David a Savior, who
is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to
you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling
cloths, lying in a manger.'
". . . And they came with haste and
found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a
manger. Now when they had seen Him, they
made widely known the saying which was told
them concerning this Child."
We might notice that only the shepherds
arrive in time to see Jesus in the manger. The
wise men, as we will see, didn't arrive on the
scene until later.
" And when eight days were completed
for the circumcision of the Child, His name was
called Jesus, the name given by the angel before
He was conceived in the womb. Now when the
days of her purification according to the law of
Moses were completed, they brought Him to
Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is
written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male who
opens the womb shall be called holy to the
Lord'), and to offer a sacrifice . . . a pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:21-
24; compare Exodus 13:2).
This was called "redeeming the
firstborn." Leviticus 12:2-3, 6 tells us that this
ceremony occurred 40 days after the birth of a
son. So if Christ was born in late September, we
are now into mid-November.
The wise men and Herod
We'll now continue the story flow in
Matthew 2:1-3: "Now after Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, behold, wise men from the East came to
Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been
born King of the Jews? For we have seen His
star in the East and have come to worship Him.'
When Herod the king heard this, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."
Why did this news disturb Herod? Other
historical accounts attest to Herod's paranoia
about being overthrown. The news that a new
king of the Jews had been born threatened his
position.
Herod obviously knew of the traditions
and the prophecies relating to the Messiah.
"And when he had gathered all the chief priests
and scribes of the people together, he inquired
of them where the Christ was to be born. So
they said to him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea'"
(verses 4-5).
King Herod carefully concealed his
murderous intentions. "Then Herod, when he
had secretly called the wise men, determined
from them what time the star appeared. And he
sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search
carefully for the young Child, and when you
have found Him, bring back word to me, that I
may come and worship Him also'" (verses 7-8).
Notice that now Herod referred to Jesus
not as a baby, but as "the young Child." He
realized how long their travels would have
taken the wise men—possibly from as far away
as Parthia or the region around Babylon, where
the Israelites and Jews had been exiled centuries
before. Herod knew from when the star had
appeared that he was not seeking a newborn
baby, but a boy by now considerably older.
And to remove any threat to his position,
Herod "put to death all the male children who
were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from
two years old and under, according to the time
which he had determined from the wise men"
(verse 16). Herod, covering all of his bases in
protecting his throne, ordered the murderous
slaughter of those 2 years old and under.
It wasn't the common nativity scene
The wise men were miraculously guided
to the Christ child (verses 9-10). "And when
they had come into the house, they saw the
young Child with Mary His mother" (verse 11).
The typical nativity scene completely falls apart
at this point. There is no mention of a manger
here. Rather Jesus was, as stated, in a house.
And Jesus was no longer an infant, He was a
young child. The wise men obviously visited
Jesus long after the shepherds had come and
gone—perhaps a year or more later.
The typical manger scene includes three
wise men. The Bible, however, nowhere says
how many wise men there were. It does note,
however, that they presented three kinds of
giftsto Him—gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Why these three particular gifts? Their
symbolism is striking when we understand it.
Gold was a gift for royalty—in this case
the chosen King of the Jews and ultimately the
"King of Kings and Lord of Lords" who will
rule over the entire earth (Revelation 19:16).
Frankincense was an incense intimately
connected with the priesthood and temple
sacrifices, foreshadowing the fact that Jesus
Christ would serve as our High Priest and give
Himself as the perfect sacrifice to pay the
penalty for the sins of all mankind (Hebrews
4:14-15; 9:11-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Myrrh had a much more sobering
symbolism. When a person died, this perfuming
agent was wrapped with the body to help cover
up the stench of death. Jesus' own body would
be wrapped in linen with myrrh and aloes (John
19:39-40).
Why we should celebrate God's Holy Days
instead
Matthew and Luke reveal the true story
of the birth of Jesus Christ and the general
timing of when it really occurred. John the
Baptist was born in the spring. His cousin Jesus
was born six months later—probably in late
September, possibly early October. The
shepherds visited immediately; the wise men—
their number unknown—arrived much later.
It's tragic that the true story should have
become so badly garbled by human traditions.
It's also tragic that people ignore the Bible's
clear instructions and invent their own. Jesus
Himself roundly condemned religious leaders
of His day who were "making the word of God
of no effect through your tradition" (Mark
7:13).
A strong and weighty biblical principle
is found in Deuteronomy 12. It tells us why we
should observe the annual Holy Days and
festivals God has revealed in His Word—not
traditional holidays borrowed from paganism:
"You shall not worship the LORD your
God in that way; for every abomination to the
LORD which He hates have they done to their
gods . . . whatever I command you, be careful to
observe it; you shall not add to it, nor take away
from it" (Deuteronomy 12:31-32).
Have you ever thought it curious that
although two of the Gospel writers describe the
circumstances surrounding Christ's birth (the
other two don't even cover the event), neither of
them gives the date? Has it puzzled you that the
Bible never once mentions "Christmas"? And
that none of the biblical writers says anything
about commemorating that birth?
We do find, however, explicit
commands to commemorate Jesus Christ's
sacrifice and death on our behalf (1 Corinthians
11:23-26). We also find commands to observe
other biblical festivals, the same festivals Jesus
and the New Testament Church celebrated. Isn't
it about time you looked into the Bible to see
what God's Word says about them? []
More Christmas Factoids!
Cultured Christmas trees must be
shaped as they grow to produce fuller foliage.
To slow the upward growth and to encourage
branching, they are hand-clipped in each spring.
Trees grown in the wild have sparser branches,
and are known in the industry as "Charlie
Brown" trees.
During the ancient 12-day Christmas
celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule
log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would
be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to
ensure that the good luck carried on from year
to year. The Yule log custom was handed down
from the Druids.
During the Christmas buying season,
Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340
times every minute in the United States.
During the Christmas/Hanukkah season,
more than 1.76 billion candy canes will be
made.
During World War II it was necessary
for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for
the troops in Europe to receive them in time.
Merchants joined in the effort to remind the
public to shop and mail early and the protracted
shopping season was born.
For every real Christmas tree harvested,
2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ‘X’ ZONE NATION
 The Little Drummer Boy
The Little Drummer Boy
David grew up in the kitchen of the inn.
His father was the innkeeper. His mother
cooked the food. David's older sisters cleaned
the rooms, and his older brother swept the
stable. David loved to sing. He would sing to his
mother as she cooked the food. David made up
songs and banged on pots and bowls as he sang
to her. David's mother smiled at him. "Someday
you will sing in the temple, my son," his mother
said. David grinned at his mother. "Tem-ple,"
David said very carefully.
David's father came into the kitchen.
"How is my big boy?" David's father asked as
he swung David onto his shoulders. "Pum Pum
Pum! Tem-ple come!" David sang as he
drummed on his father's head with a wooden
spoon. David's father smiled as his son kept on
drumming. "We must find this boy a drum or
my poor head will not survive!" said David's
father, with a laugh.
A few years later David got a small
drum for his birthday. Soon he was beating
rhythms on his drum wherever he went. Pat-a-
rum, pat-a-rum, pat-a-rum, David drummed to
copy the donkeys on the road. Swish-click-
click-tum, swish-click-click-tum, went David's
drumming to copy his brother sweeping straw in
the stable.
One day David's father said to his
family, "We are going to be very busy. Caesar
Augustus has ordered a count of all the families
in all the towns." "Pum Pum. Pa-rum-pum-pum-
pum. I counted six of us!" David sang. "Why
does this make us busy?" "Because people will
come to Bethlehem to be counted with their
families," said David's father. "They will need a
place to stay. They will stay with us, and we will
be very busy."
David's mother cooked more food.
David's sisters cleaned the rooms. David's
brother swept out the stable and put new hay
and pots of water in the stalls. David's father
greeted the people as they came into town. Soon
the inn was very full. David played his drum
and sang his songs for the people.
Late one night there was a knock at the
door. David peeked around his father at the
young man and his wife, who was on a donkey.
They had no room for these people! What could
they do? David's father was a kind man. "You
can stay in the stable," he said. "It is warm and
dry there. I can send food out to you." The
young man thanked David's father and walked
the donkey to the stable.
David helped his mother carry bread and
cheese out to the young couple. His mother told
him the woman was going to have a baby soon.
The next day there was a lot of excitement. "The
young woman who stayed in the stable last
night had her baby," David's mother told him.
"The baby is the King of Kings, they say!" said
David's father.
David could not see the baby because of
the crowd around the stable. David stood at the
back of the crowd and began to make up a song
for the baby: "Come, they told me, our newborn
king to see. Our finest gifts we bring to lay
before the king. So to honor him when we
come."
The crowd began to part when they
heard David's beautiful singing: "Baby Jesus, I
33
am a poor boy, too. I have no gift to bring that's And he whistled, and shouted, and
fit to give a king. Shall I play for you on my called them by name;
drum?
David stepped closer to Mary, Joseph, "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now,
and their son. Baby Jesus smiled at David, Prancer and Vixen!
reached out, and patted his drum. On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and
Love, spirit, and the beat of his drum Blitzen!
brought one little boy closer to the infant Jesus. To the top of the porch! to the top of the
Continue to the next page to Read 'The Wishing wall!
Star,' and learn how hope, love, and a shining Now dash away! dash away! dash away
star helped bring another little boy closer to all!"
someone he loved -- on Christmas Eve. As dry leaves that before the wild
hurricane fly,
Santa’s Reindeer When they meet with an obstacle, mount
to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they
The legend of Santa's reindeer was flew,
created in a famous poem by Clement Clarke With the sleigh full of Toys, and St.
Moore (1779-1863). Clement was the son of the Nicholas too.
bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the
New York. The poem "A Visit From Saint roof,
Nicholas" was written as a Christmas gift for his The prancing and pawing of each little
children in 1822. The poem is currently better hoof.” []
known by the title "The Night Before
Christmas" from its famous opening line.
Santa has eight reindeer, who magically
pull his sleigh through the sky. They are named
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid,
Donder and Blitzen.
Another, perhaps now more famous,
reindeer used by Santa on foggy nights is
Rudolf. The story of Rudolf the red-nosed
Reindeer was created by Robert L May in 1939,
in a give-away booklet for the Montgomery
Ward department stores chain of Chicago where
he worked. Rudolf the red-nosed Reindeer was
then made famouse by the song recorded by
Gene Autry in 1949.
Here is an extract from Clement Clarke
Moore's famous work:-
When, what to my wondering eyes
should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny
rein-deer,
With a little old driver, so lively and
quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they
came,
34 WorldShift 2012 by Erin Laszlo
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 Frank Ogden - “Dr Tomorrow” 35

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 36 Christmas Traditions
Christmas Traditions
Christmas Stockings
Christmas stockings are hung near the
chimney on Christmas Eve for Santa Claus to
fill it with goodies for the children. It is an
empty sock or a bag that is given the shape of a
sock. The children in United States and some
other countries have been following this
tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking,
believing that Father Christmas will fill it with
sweets and gifts for them. The items that are
believed to be stuffed in the Christmas stocking
by Santa Claus are known as stocking stuffers.
The tradition of the Christmas stockings
began by a story told since ancient time about a
kind noble man who had three daughters. The
wife of the nobleman expired and the daughters
and their father were left in a state of sorrow.
The daughters had to do all the work in the
house. When the daughters became young and
eligible for marriage, the poor father could not
afford to give the huge dowries to their
husbands.
One evening the daughters, after
washing their stockings hung them near the fire
place to be dried. Santa Claus being moved by
the plight of the daughters came in and put in
three bags of gold one in each of the stocking
hanging by the chimney. The next morning the
family noticed the gold bags and the nobleman
had enough for his daughter’s marriage. The
daughters got married and they lived happily
ever after. Since then children have been
hanging Christmas stockings.
Christmas stockings are supposed to
have the gifts given by Santa Claus. The other
gifts are wrapped in present papers and placed
near the Christmas tree. It is believed that a
child who misbehaves during the year will not
get a gift in their Christmas stocking. The
Christmas stockings are traditionally hung on
the fireplace. But as most of the modern homes
do not have a fireplace, any location is suitable
for hanging the Christmas stockings. In many
traditions the Christmas stocking is to be stuffed
by a gift that will stimulate the five sensory
organs.
The gift given by Santa Claus would be
something to eat, a thing that makes a sound and
gives a pleasant view to the eyes or gift which
has a lovely fragrance.
In the present modern culture there are
special Christmas stockings available in the
market. Some families design unique stockings
for each family member.
Mistletoe
Mistletoe was used by 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.
Scandanavians 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.
Holly, Ivy and Greenery
In Northern Europe Christmas occurred
during the middle of winter, when ghosts and
demons could be heard howling in the winter
winds. Boughs of holly, believed to have
magical powers since they remained green
through the harsh winter, were often placed over
the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery
was also brought indoors to freshen the air and
brighten the mood during the long, dreary
winter.
Legend also has it that holly sprang from
the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth.
The pointed leaves were said to represent the
crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross
and the red berries symbolized the blood he
shed.
Poinsettias
A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named
after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to
Mexico who brought the plant to America in
1828. Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican
Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas
celebrations. One legend has it that a young
Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village
Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the
Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches
from along the road and brought them to the
church.
(Continued on Page 38)
Great 2012 Books! 37
 38 Christmas Traditions
Christmas Traditions
Continued from Page 36
Poinsettias
Continues
Though the other children mocked him,
when the leaves were laid at the manger, a
beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each
branch. The bright red petals, often mistaken
for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the
plant.
The Candy cane
It was not long after Europeans began
using Christmas trees that special decorations
were used to adorn them. Food items, such as
candies and cookies, were used predominately
and straight white candy sticks were one of the
confections used as ornamentation. Legend has
it that during the 17th century, craftsmen created
the white sticks of candy in the shape of
shephreds' crooks at the suggestion of the
choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in
Germany.
The candy treats were given to children
to keep them quiet during ceremonies at the
living creche, or Nativity scene, and the custom
of passing out the candy crooks at such
ceremonies soon spread throughout Europe.
According to the National
Confectioner's Association, in 1847 German
immigrant August Imgard used the candy cane
to decorate a Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio.
More than 50 years later, Bob McCormack of
Albany, Georgia supposedly made candy canes
as treats for family, friends and local
shopkeepers. McCormack's brother-in-law,
Catholic priest Gregory Keller, invented a
machine in the 1950s that automated the
production of candy canes, thus eliminating the
usual laborious process of creating the treats
and the popularity of the candy cane grew.
More recent explanations of the candy
cane's symbolism hold that the color white
represents Christ's purity, the red the blood he
shed, and the presence of three red stripes the
Holy Trinity. While factual evidence for these
notions does not exist, they have become
increasingly common and at times are even
represented as fact. Regardless, the candy cane
remains a favorite holiday treat and decoration.
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward
company, department store operators, had been
purchasing and distributing children's coloring
books as Christmas gifts for their customers for
several years. In 1939, Montgomery Ward
tapped one of their own employees to create a
book for them, thus saving money. 34-year old
copywriter Robert L. May wrote the story of
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in 1939, and
2.4 million copies were handed out that year.
Despite the wartime paper shortage, over 6
million copies had been distributed by 1946.
May drew in part on the story "The Ugly
Duckling" and in part from his own experiences
as an often taunted, small, frail youth to create
the story of the misfit reindeer. Though Rollo
and Reginald were considered, May settled on
Rudolph as his reindeer's name.
Writing in verse as a series of rhyming
couplets, May tested the story as he went along
on his 4-year old daughter Barbara, who loved
the story
Sadly, Robert Mays wife died around
the time he was creating Rudolph, leaving Mays
deeply in debt due to medical bills. However, he
was able to persuade Sewell Avery,
Montgomery Ward's corporate president, to turn
the copyright over to him in January 1947, thus
ensuring May's financial security.
May's story "Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer" was printed commercially in 1947
and in 1948 a nine-minute cartoon of the story
was shown in theaters. When May's brother-in-
law, songwriter Johnny Marks, wrote the lyrics
and melody for the song "Rudolph the Red-
Nosed Reindeer", the Rudolph phenomenon
was born. Turned down by many musical artists
afraid to contend with the legend of Santa
Claus, the song was recorded by Gene Autry in
1949 at the urging of Autry's wife. The song
sold two million copies that year, going on to
become one of the best-selling songs of all time,
second only to Bing Crosby's "White
Christmas". The 1964 television special about
Rudolph, narrated by Burl Ives, remains a
holiday favorite to this day and Rudolph himself
has become a much-loved Christmas icon.
Hanukkah
Commencing on the 25th day of the
Hebrew month Kislev, Hanukkah is a Jewish
holiday commemorating the rededication of the
Holy Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration
by the Syrians.
In 168 BC, members of the Jewish
family Maccabee led a revolt against the Greek
Syrians due to the policies of Syrian King
Antiochus IV which were aimed at nullifying
the Jewish faith. Part of this strategem included
changing the Beit HaMikdash - the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem - to a Greek temple
complete with idolatry. Led by Judah
Maccabee, the Jews won victory over the
Syrians in 165 BC and reclaimed their temple.
After cleansing the temple and
preparing for its rededication, it was found there
was not enough oil to light the N'er Tamid, an
oil lamp present in Jewish houses of worship
which represents eternal light. Once lit, the
lamp should never be extinguished.
A search of the temple produced a small
vial of undefiled oil -- enough for only one day.
Miraculously, the Temple lights burned for eight
days until a new supply of oil was brought. In
remembrance of this miracle, one candle of the
Menorah - an eight branched candelabra - is lit
each of the eight days of Hanukkah. Hanukkah,
which means dedication, is a Hebrew word
when translated is commonly spelled Hanukah,
Chanukah, and Hannukah due to different
translations and customs.
The tradition of receiving gifts on each
of the eight days of Hanukkah is relatively new
and due in part to the celebration's proximity to
the Christmas season.
Kwanzaa
Doctor Maulana Karenga, a Professor at
California State University in Long Beach,
California, created Kwanzaa in 1966. It is a
holiday celebrated by millions of African-
Americans around the world, encouraging them
to remember their African heritage and consider
their current place in America today. Kwanzaa
is celebrated fom December 26 to January 1 and
involves seven principles called Nguzo Saba:
Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-
determination), Ujima (Collective Work and
Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative
Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba
(Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
In the Kwanzaa ritual, seven candles
called Mishumaa Saba are placed in a Kinara, or
candleholder, which is then set upon the
Mikeka, a mat usually made of straw.
Three green candles are placed on the
left, three red candles on the right and a black
candle in the center, each candle representing
one of the seven principles of the celebration.
One candle is lit each day of the Kwanzaa
celebration, beginning from left to right The
colors of Kwanzaa ~ black, red and green ~ also
have a special significance. Black symbolizes
the faces of the African people, Red symbolizes
the blood they have shed, and Green represents
hope and the color of the motherland. The name
itself - Kwanzaa - is a Swahili word meaning
"fruits of the harvest."
JOYEUX NOEL!
 Christmas in Canada 39
CHRISTMAS IN
CANADA
Christmas in Canada has a neat a little
history, Canada was claimed by England in the
1400's later in the 1600's a French explorer by
the name of Samuel de Champlain founded
Quebec City, and Canada became a country
with two distinctive backgrounds living as one.
Christmas Eve for the French Canadian
was the highlight of the holidays preparing for
days for the reveillon, the evening meal. They
would the decorate the tree and place the creche,
a Nativity scene under the tree before going to
midnight mass. They would then come home
from church to a feast of la tourtiere, a meat pie
and various other dishes. Topping off the meal
was the Yule log, a chocolate cake in the shape
of a log to symbolize the birch log burned in the
fireplace on reveillon before the French came to
Canada. The children would open their gifts
from their stockings during reveillon saving the
big gifts for New Year's day. Christmas day for
the French was a day for relaxation and for destroyed over 325 acres of the north end of the Pastry:
children to play and have fun. city, killing over 1900 people, and injuring over
Christmas for English Canadian's 9000 more. In response to this devastation, the Stir the flour, salt, baking soda, turmeric and
focused on Christmas day, with the exchanging people of Boston sent help in the form of savory together in a bowl.
of presents on Christmas day in the morning, doctors, nurses, food and supplies. And as a
and then off to church, and back later for a great small token of appreciation, Canadians send a Cut in the lard until pieces are the size of peas.
feast. Dinner consisted of roast goose or beef special Christmas tree to Boston every year. Add ice water by the tablespoon, stirring with a
and plum pudding. One fun tradition they had Christmas is a time for tradition and fork or finger tips until just enough water has
was the kissing ball -- a ring of evergreen goodwill toward others. The story of the people been added that you can pat the dough lightly
boughs with candles, apples and nuts hung in of Boston helping others in their time of need, into a ball. (Since flour varies, you may not
doorway. Although it really represented the even though it was not actually Christmas, still need all the water).
return of light after the winter solstice, young exhibits the true spirit of Christmas. And
men used this opportunity to steal a kiss from because of the kindness of strangers, a Roll out dough and pat with butter, and roll up
any single lady standing under it, hence the celebration between two cities in two separate towards you like a jelly-roll.
name of kissing ball. countries has become a holiday tradition.
Christmas today in Canada is a Refrigerate for a couple of hours before using.
conglomerate of cultures and traditions from all
over the world. As in the United States, our
RECIPE FOR A Filling:

country was populated with people emigrating TRADITIONAL Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to
from other countries searching for a better life.
The Christmas tree came from Germany, as well
TOURTIERE a boil, stirring to break meat into small pieces.

as the Advent Calendars and gingerbread Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
House, the English introduced greeting cards, Add a bit of Quebec to your Christmas meal this
from Ireland came the custom of decorating our winter. A meat lover's delight, this savory pork
Remove from heat and cool.
windows with lights, the United States gave us pie is sure to stave off the heartiest of appetites.
Roll out chilled dough, and cut two pieces for
Santa Claus, and the French introduced the one 8-inch pie or 8 individual pie plates.
creche (Nativity) scene and carols. So really a Ingredients
Canadian Christmas is a mixture of various Line pie plate with one of pieces of pastry.
cultures combined to create the festivities we Pastry:
have come to know. Fill generously with meat mixture.
When I sat down to write this article, I 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
was not sure what to write about, since 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
Top with the other pastry and pinch edges
Christmas in Canada is basically the same as 1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
together.
Christmas in the United States. As I was doing pinch of turmeric
research, I came across articles on the Boston 1/4 tsp (1 ml) savory
Brush top with an egg beaten with 2 tbsp. (30
Christmas tree. Growing up in Halifax, Nova 1/2 cup (125 ml) pure lard
ml) of water.
Scotia, I had taken this tradition for granted, and 1/3 (80 ml) ice water
had not really taken a look at the significance 1/3 (80 ml) butter
Bake at 400 degrees F until golden brown, serve
behind this tradition. This seems to be a habit hot.
we all can to fall into around the holidays, Filling:
getting caught up into the shopping and
commercialism Christmas has become, and 1 lb ground pork
forgetting what Christmas is all about. 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
For those of you that have not heard of 1 small onion, chopped
the Boston Christmas Tree tradition, it started 1 garlic clove, minced
over eighty years ago with the Halifax 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt
Explosion. On December 6, 1917, two ships 1/2 tsp. (2 ml) savory
collided in the harbor and caused a large 1/4 (1 ml) ground cloves
explosion heard over 100 Km away. The 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
explosion and the tidal wave in its aftermath Cooking Instructions
40 Chuckin’ Chuck by Mike Seid

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THE ASTONISHING TALE OF
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 Merry Christmas To Our Troops 41

GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR US.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2010

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 Apex Strategic Investigations Group
CHRISTMAS POEMS
Christmas poems have been part of the
Christmas tradition for ages. These poems have
been written by famous poets over centuries.
They are commonly written on the traditions,
history and origin of Christmas.
These poems go back hundreds of years.
The famous poem "Nativity" was written by
John Donne who was born in 1572. However,
the tradition of writing poems specifically for
Christmas started in 1822 when Clement C.
Moore published his famous poem "A Visit
from Saint Nicholas". The poem was published
under a different name - the popularly known
"Night Before Christmas." He wrote it as a gift
for his children and read it to them during the
Christmas time. It was the story of Santa Claus,
flying around on his sleigh with eight reindeers
and climbing down chimneys. The story of that
poem eventually became inseparable from
Christmas and has forever been woven into the
very idea of Christmas.
Other poets have contributed to the rich
collection of popular Christmas poems. Poets
like Thomas hardy, Henry, Vaughan, Richard
Wilber and Henry Wordsworth Longfellow
have penned Christmas poems in their times.
Some Christmas poems are dedicated to the
special occasion of Christmas, while others are
religious and dedicated to the Jesus Christ and
His teachings. Still others are children poems
meant for kids to playfully sing with friends
during the Christmas season. All these poems
have a common thread – they are all in the spirit
of the Christmas season and touch a cord in the
heart of anyone who sings it or listens to it.
These also form the emotional connections to
fond memories of childhood, when children of
today become adults of tomorrow.
Poems have a life of their own.
Admittedly, seasoned poets know how to rhyme
and make it flow and thus make it an easy read.
However, poems can be and have been written
by many ordinary people. Whether written by
famous poets and read by millions or written by
a Mom for her loving children or even penned
by a lonely soul talking to God out there, poems
sizzle with the raw emotions contained in their
words.
Christmas poems are no different.
Hidden in the lines that are all too familiar to
those who read it every year are emotions,
stories of bygone eras and teaching from ancient
times. These provide us with a unique vision of
the life at the time the poem was written.
Christmas poems have been written over many
years, each presenting a unique view of the
same occasion, filtered by the norms of those
times.
Christmas poems have been written in
many forms and for many kinds of people who
have played a significant role in our society and
in our lives. Poems for teachers, for fathers, for
mothers, funny poems, melancholy ones and
many others have been written by professional
and amateur writers alike.
Write a poem this season, for someone
you love or care for. Or just write one to
celebrate the Christmas season. Draw
inspiration by reading other poems let your
creativity flow. Let your words remain a fond
memory for others, for years after you have
passed.
43
CHRISTMAS EVE
The day before Christmas is known as
the Christmas Eve. Thus 24th December is the
Christmas Eve celebrated all over the world.
The midnight mass celebration is conducted on
the Christmas Eve. In the Western Christian
churches, the Christmas Eve marks the
beginning of the Christmas season. The
Christmas vigil services are celebrated in the
afternoons or the evenings on the Christmas
Eve. This service marks the beginning of the
Christmas day.
All the churches through out the world
celebrate the midnight mass. However in the
present times due to time restrictions many
APEX
churches celebrate the services in the late STRATEGIC
evenings. The catholic churches also organize a
candle service on the Christmas Eve. Some INVESTIGATIONS
churches organize skits depicting the nativity
scenes. The protestant churches also organize
GROUP
prayer services on the Christmas Eve.
The BBC broadcasts a carol singing all For over thirty years, Apex Strategic
over the world that is a symbol that Christmas Investigations Group has been active in
celebrations have begun in the UK. On the the United States and abroad
Christmas Eve the entire family and the conducting investigative research and
relatives gather to enjoy a wonderful dinner
along with singing and dancing. There are
special operations for attorneys,
different specialties prepared on the Christmas insurance companies, corporations,
Eve in different parts of the world. financial institutions, government and
Preparations of turkey, fish, chicken, law enforcement agencies, and other
salads and other varieties are prepared. It is a investigative firms.
popular belief that on the night of the Christmas
Eve Santa Claus visits the hoses and stuffs the
stockings hung on the fire place with presents.
Our extensive experience and cutting
Different parts of the world have different gift- edge techniques have led us to winning
givers. In some places it is the Baby Jesus who strategies for our clients' intelligence,
gives presents weeks before the Christmas day. litigation and business needs.
In many countries the gifts are opened on the
Christmas Eve itself. In US and UK children The staff at Apex Strategic
open their gifts on the Christmas morning. The
Christmas tree is set up on this day in most of
Investigations Group is composed of
the families. Some set up their Christmas trees experienced, multilingual professionals
weeks before the Christmas Eve at the time of from a variety of fields, including legal,
the thanks giving day. law enforcement, electronics, finance,
The Christmas Eve is also known as the intelligence, computer science and
Good Night in some parts and is celebrated by human resources.
people enjoying party until midnight. After the
party they open the gifts presented to them. The
party is a get together of family and friends Our staff is competent and
feasting on delicious meals and dancing and committed. We make full utilization of
singing in merriment. The food prepared for the each individual's unique strengths and
celebrations vary with the regions of the world. abilities in order to provide the highest
We can also relish on the desserts prepared from level of services and quality of results.
eggs, milk, almonds and honey. The Christmas
Eve is a day you spend along with your loved
ones enjoying the Christmas season. The Apex Strategic Investigations
Group is available to assist you around
the clock.
Apex Strategic
Investigations Group
578 Washington Blvd. Suite 500
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Voice: 1.310.663.0257
SleuthOne@worldfind.biz
WWW.WORLDFIND.BIZ
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The Exodus Revelation

www.mysteriousworld/Journal/2008/Spring/Artifacts