Giving Thanks.

This week we in the United States celebrated Thanksgiving, a day we eat turkey and lots of food being thankful for all our blessings. Many people say they are thankful for their family, their health, their job(s), their friends, and more. I say the same things, but what specific things can we think of to be thankful for.

I am thankful that my middle daughter sees things that need to be done and takes initiative to do the job. The day before Thanksgiving, she saw our backyard covered with leaves. She grabbed a rake and raked all the leaves then bagged them all with the help of her younger brother so they could be taken away.

I am thankful that same daughter who does not like eating blueberries or blueberry muffins decided to try my blueberry pie. She then when on for some time saying that it was the best tasting pie she ever had. She does not eat blueberries by themselves or in muffins, but she loves that blueberry pie (she had another piece today) and asked when I would make another one. That made me so happy.

I am thankful that two of my boys and one of my girls have jobs doing work they enjoy. They are faithful in doing their work.

I am thankful for God’s provision for our family. God gave my boy a car so he could go to and from work with his brother and help the family out when transportation is needed.

I am thankful for God’s plan of salvation where He took me, a person who broke His law and deserves to be punished, and reconciled me to Himself by having His Son, Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas, pay the penalty for my sin, a penalty I could never pay. I accepted the offer of Jesus’ payment for the penalty of my sins. Now I know I will live with Him forever when my time on earth is through.

What are you thankful for?

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Looking for a website that will give you the widest variety of Christmas music? Go to the best online radio station I have found, https://www.stfrancis.edu/spirit/. I’m sure you will love it, too.

Starting November 29 and going through December 24, catch the Adventures of the Cinnamon Bear on my website https://www.customsofchristmas.com/adventcal-cbear.html.

Merry Christmas!

The Customs of Christmas – the Story of a Website

Why did I call my website, and this blog, The Customs of Christmas?  That is a story that begins way back in my childhood. 

Growing up radio stations did not start playing Christmas music 24/7 in November.  The radio station I listened to, WROW out of Albany, NY, 590 on the AM dial, did not start playing Christmas music until the first week of December.  Even then we heard just one Christmas song per hour on the hour.  The second week another Christmas song was added, one at the top of the hour and one on the half hour.  The third week of December the station started playing Christmas songs every quarter hour.  It stayed that way all the way to 6:00 pm Christmas Eve.  Then WROW played their 24 Hours of Christmas program.  Not only did they play Christmas music, but they played programs that I looked forward to hearing every year.  They had live reports from NORAD telling us where Santa Claus was on his Christmas flight.  They also played a version of A Christmas Carol that included the songs from Scrooge, the Albert Finney version of A Christmas Carol.  (One year I recorded it off the radio onto a cassette tape.  I still have that recording enjoying it whenever it is played.)  They also surrounded their commercials with a series of ad wrappers that gave us the history of some of our … customs of Christmas.

As time went on WROW’s Christmas programming increased to 30 hours then 36 hours.  I have not been back home for Christmas in some time so I do not know what WROW’s Christmas programming may be now.

In 1999 I worked for a company that put on a Christmas luncheon and program for the employees.  That year I oversaw putting the program together.  Can you guess what I did?  Yes, it was The Customs of Christmas.

In 2000 I took a course on web design.  In it we had to design a website.  I already had all the text I used for the Christmas luncheon program.  It was perfect for a website, a home page with several pages for content.  That is how my Christmas website that investigates the history of our customs of Christmas began.

Since then the website has grown to include histories, recipes, games, and an advent calendar featuring The Cinnamon Bear, a radio show that has played over the air every year since 1937.

Stop by and enjoy the website, customsofchristmas.com.  The advent calendar begins November 29.  Tell me what you like and what you would like to see on the website. 

Christmas Websites To Explore

The Christmas season will be upon us before we know it.  Here are some Christmas website for you to explore now so you can use the information they have to enhance your Christmas celebration and involve all the little ones, and the not-so-little ones also, in your life.

www.christmas.com – This is a fun little website that offers a lot of Christmas fun.  Get new recipes to try, play some Christmas games, listen to some music, and avail yourself of their planning tips for the Christmas season.  One of the nice features on this site are the free family pages.  Families can upload and share Christmas memories and photos.  Let other family members know what recipes you are using for this year’s Christmas feast.  Don’t forget to post your Christmas wish lists.

www.northpole.com – This fun website has been around a long time.  Established in 1996 it has grown to what it is today.  On it you will find fun things for the kids to do, crafts to make, and recipes to try.

www.allthingschristmas.com – This website is a treasure trove of Christmas information and articles.  They also have a presence on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AllThingsChristmas/.  Also look for some Christmas giveaways here.

www.customsofchristmas.com – Don’t forget our own little website.  Find out the origins of many of our Christmas customs and traditions.  In addition to all that you will find games, craft ideas, recipes, and free downloads.  Remember our advent calendar.  It starts on November 29 and goes through Christmas Eve.  Each day you can listen to a 15 minutes segment of the story The Adventures of The Cinnamon Bear.  This story has been loved by thousands of kids and kids-at-heart for many years.

The Adventures of the Cinnamon Bear begins

Be sure to stop by my website, CustomsOfChristmas.com, every day between today and Christmas to listen to The Cinnamon Bear.  First aired in 1937, Paddy O’Cinnamon, the Cinnamon Bear, helps Jimmy and Judy as they chase down the Crazy Quilt Dragon to get back their silver star that should sit upon the top of their Christmas tree.

Every day between now and Christmas a different 15-minute episode will be available for your listening pleasure.

Happy listening!

Celebrating Advent

On November 30 our family will begin our celebration of Advent.  Advent for us is not just a countdown to Christmas.  It is a time for us to prepare for the celebration of and to remember the birthday of Jesus. 

This year we are using a book written by Arnold Ytreeide called Bartholomew’s Passage.  It is about a young Jewish boy and his adventures just prior to the birth of Jesus.  This book is one of three interrelated books for Advent written by Mr. Ytreeide: Bartholomew’s Passage, Jotham’s Journey, and Tabitha’s Travels.  Every night we read a portion of the story until, on Christmas morning, the story ends with the main character of the story arriving at the manger where the baby Jesus lays.

This is an excellent way for the entire family to get into the Advent season.  Even our youngest child sits quietly to find out what will happen to Bartholomew tonight.

If you haven’t yet begun celebrating the Advent season or if you are looking for something new for Advent, why don’t you look for one of these books.  You won’t regret it.

 

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Countdown to Christmas with CustomsOfChristmas.com’s Cinnamon Bear Advent Calendar.  Taken from The Cinnamon Bear radio program the advent calendar follows the adventures of Paddy O’Cinnamon as he helps Jimmy and Judy find the silver star, stolen by Crazy Quilt Dragon, that belongs on top of their Christmas tree.  The 26-segment story, each segment 12 – 15 minutes long, begins on Saturday, November 29, and continues through Christmas Eve.  Join us and the Cinnamon Bear this Christmas season as we count down to Christmas.

 

 

 

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Buckeyes

1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pound milk chocolate

In a large mixing bowl, stir together powdered sugar, peanut butter, and butter until well combined.  Shape into about 30 1-inch balls.  Place balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Let stand for about 25 minutes or until dry.  Place water in the bottom of a double boiler to within ½ inch of upper pan.  Make sure the upper pan does not touch the water.  While balls are cooling and the water is heating, finely chop the chocolate so it will melt quickly.  Bring the water to a boil.  Remove from heat and place about ¼ of the chocolate in the top of the double boiler.  Stir until melted.  Add about ½ cup more, stir, and repeat until all chocolate is melted.  Stir until chocolate has reached 120 degrees; reheat if necessary to reach this temperature.  After the chocolate has reached 120 degrees, refill bottom of double boiler with cool water to within ½ inch of upper pan.  Stir frequently until chocolate cools to 83 degrees.  This should take about 30 minutes.  Using a toothpick, dip balls in chocolate, working quickly and stirring chocolate frequently to keep it evenly heated.  Place balls on cookie sheet.  (Chocolate will stay close to 83 degrees for about 30 minutes.  If temperature falls below 80 degrees, chocolate must be remelted.)  Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place.