From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality
which the children could remember.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol…so pass it on if you wish.’
Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone – and, remember, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days following December 25th. The Christmas Season runs until Epiphany, January 6.
Tra·di·tion~noun
[from Latin trāditiō a handing down, surrender, from trādere to give up, transmit, from trans- + dāre to give]
1: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4: characteristic manner, method, or style
5: The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication.
6: A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage.
7: A set of such customs and usages viewed as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present: followed family tradition in dress and manners.
8: A body of unwritten religious precepts.
9: A time-honored practice or set of such practices.
10: the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc., esp by word of mouth.
11: the body of customs, thought, practices, etc., belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period.
12: a specific custom or practice of long standing
-tra·di·tion·al~adjective
-tra·di·tion·al·ly~adverb
-tra·di·tion·less~adjective
-traditionist~noun
It’s time for Fire Day Friday when we take Our Krazy Kitchen outdoors and experiment with live fire (grilling, smoking, roasting, baking using flame).
You can turn this…..
Into this….. (I think this is the first officially licensed OKK product)
But first, the Legal Department here at OKK “asked” (okay….they locked me in a dungeon and force fed me Brussels sprouts until I agreed) to post the following Safety Notice:
For this project you will need:
Place the smoke generator on a trivet or other heat resistant, non-conductive surface in the bottom of the smoke box.
Plug in the soldering iron and wait for the first wisps of smoke (3-5 minutes)…..
Here are some quick tips I can think of
Try as I may, I just can’t think about December recipes without coming back to cookies. Holiday cookies are the best, and these cookies are our family’s all-time favorites. A classic Martha Stewart recipe, but worth Every Single Masochistic Step. Truthfully, they take some time but it’s not that bad, and you can divide it up and make them in stages if you need to.|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Makes 2 dozen
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Don’t forget to visit me at The Bad Girl’s Kitchen for more fabulous recipes!
The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th).
The origin and counting of the Twelve Days is complicated, and is related to differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures. In the Western church, Epiphany is usually celebrated as the time the Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). Traditionally there were three Magi, probably from the fact of three gifts, even though the biblical narrative never says how many Magi came. In some cultures, especially Hispanic and Latin American culture, January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or simply the Day of the Kings. You can read the entire article here. They explain the song in relation to Christianity.
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me… A Partridge in a Pear Tree
Day 1, Christmas Day, December 25
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ’s sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . .” (Luke 13:34)
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Two Turtle Doves
Day 2, December 26
The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God’s self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Three French Hens
Day 3, December 27
The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Four Calling Birds
Day 4, December 28
The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God’s reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Five Gold Rings
Day 5, December 29
The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity’s sinful failure and God’s response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Six Geese A-laying
Day 6, December 30
The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Seven Swans A-swimming
Day 7, December 31
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Eight Maids A-milking
Day 8, January 1
The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Day 9, January 2
Nine Ladies Dancing
The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,
6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22)
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Ten Lords A-leaping
Day 10, January 3
The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God’s name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Eleven Pipers Piping
Day 11, January 4
The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans.
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Twelve Drummers Drumming
Day 12, January 5
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.
Uploaded to Flickr by Douglas CoulterI’ve posted a Christmas pudding recipe at Joy of Desserts, and I’m looking forward to your own Christmas or other sweet dessert recipes. Just link below.
White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix in a Jar
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup firmly packed C&H Golden Brown Sugar
1/3 cup C&H Pure Cane Sugar
3/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup – (6-oz package) vanilla milk chips
Instructions:
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Spoon into 1-quart, widemouthed canning jar. Layer remaining ingredients in order given, making sure to pack down each layer firmly. Clean inside of jar with a dry paper towel after each layer. Decorate lid by cutting fabric into a 7-inch wide square or circle. Secure with a rubber band and tie with a decorative ribbon and accents.
Download PDF file and attach these instructions to the jar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 2/3 cup softened butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Slowly add contents of jar and mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.
Quick Tip: Toasting heightens the flavor of nuts. To toast macadamia nuts, spread the nuts in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown, watching carefully and stirring once or twice to brown evenly.
Full Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure we were contacted and asked to voice opinion and C&H/Domino Sugar links in exchange for a gift card. We did this because we believe in the product and the recipes and not for payment.
and Save Room for Dessert!
Pick your favorite badge!
