It is that time again….the fat guy in the red suit to visit all the girls and boys…..to bring joy and smiles to the world.

I want to take this opportunity to wish all my loyal readers and occasional visitor a very Merry Christmas….

I hope your shopping experience was not traumatic and your hunt for those perfect gifts were successful.

Since I will not be posting any news stuff how about I give you a little history to carry the day?

Do have a tree?  Do you know the origin of using a tree?

Good thing I am here to help….

Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, many ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness.

In the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return.

The ancient Egyptians worshipped a god called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a blazing disk in his crown. At the solstice, when Ra began to recover from his illness, the Egyptians filled their homes with green palms and papyrus reeds, which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death.

Early Romans marked the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that soon, farms and orchards would be green and fruitful. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.

In Northern Europe the Druids, the priests of the ancient Celts, also decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life. The Vikings in Scandinavia honored the evergreen mistletoe for its role in the death of the Balder, a god of light.

Learn more…..

https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees

And now you know.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I am off to do some cooking for the family meal…..to include ham with my special glaze, corn pudding, my special mac and cheese (my granddaughter’s favorite) and sweet potato pie….

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and you got all the stuff you desire.

Fun, Food and family….if that is what you seek on this day then please be careful and drive with caution.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD DAY!

Tomorrow is another day and I shall return full of opinionated stuff.

Peace Out my friends.

chuq