Monday, December 24, 2007

Christmas riddles

What did the reindeer say before launching into his comedy routine?
This will sleigh you.

What do lions sing at Christmas?
Jungle bells!

When is a boat like a pile of snow?
When it's adrift.

What do you call the fear of getting stuck in a chimney?
Santaclaustrophobia

How do snowmen get around?
On their icicles.

Merry Christmas from Bud's World

The Candy Cane Legend

“Look at the Candy cane…What do you see? Stripes that are red…Like blood shed for me.
White for my Savior…Who’s sinless and pure! ‘J’’ is for Jesus… ‘My lord,’ that’s for sure!
Turn it around…and a staff you will see… Jesus my shepherd…Was born for me!”

Many years ago, a candy maker wanted to make a candy cane at Christmas time that would serve as witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus. He began with a stick of pure white hard candy; white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; hard to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation of the church; firmness to represent the promise of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which He reached down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs that, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received and by which we are all healed. The large red stripe was for the Promise of eternal life. Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane – a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the true meaning is still there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Christmas Trivia:

What popular children's cracker was introduced in 1902 as a Christmas ornament?
The National Biscuit Company introduced the ‘Barnum’s Animal Cracker’ and box. The box, as it does today, had a string designed so that the box could be hung as a Christmas ornament.
In 1939 Robert May created what Christmas figure as a Christmas promotion for Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago?
Rudolph the Red Noised Reindeer.
In the 1920’s what world wide beverage company adopted the Santa Claus figures for a winter advertising promotion?
The Coca-Cola Company used Santa Claus to promote the idea that a soft drink was a winter beverage as well as a summer beverage.
Who was the first United States ambassador to Mexico?
Joel Poinsett the developer of the popular Christmas Poinsettia flowers.
What popular Christmas candy had its debut and was given out by a choirmaster in 1670 to quiet the noisy children?
The candy cane.
Which American President banned the Christmas Tree from being displayed in the White House?
The environmentalist President Teddy Roosevelt.
In what year did Coca-Cola hire Haddon Sundblom to illustrate Santa Claus dressed in the red Santa Claus suit and Santa Claus hat trimmed in white fur that helped standardize the image of the gift-bringer in the eyes of America?
Haddon Sunblom was hired to illustrate Santa Claus in 1931 and drew Santa Claus

History of the Carols

Merry Christmas From Bud’s History of the Carols

‘O Holy Night’ (1847) Words / music (Adam-Dwight )

Adolphe Adam, whose ballet Giselle remains a mainstay of most world-class dance companies, is equally famous for his Christmas song ‘O Holy Night,’ so universally loved and so frequently sung that many assume it to be a folksong or carol.
Having composed the melody, Adam requested some suitable lyrics from his poet friend Cappeau de Roquemaure, who based his poem on the Christmas story. So enamored was the Parisian public of its first performance in 1847, that Adam was hailed as the composer of the day, despite the fact that some clergy found his melody too passionate, too lacking in Christian humility, and for a time sought to ban its use.
Popular everywhere in France, ‘Cantique de Noel’ (its original French title) was hardly known elsewhere until about 1916, when the legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso made a recording that spread its fame throughout the world. English lyrics were added by the distinguished American clergyman John Sullivan Dwight.

Christmas Day in History…

1939 – Montgomery Ward stores introduced ‘Rudolph’ the 9th reindeer
1923 – 1st electrically lit Christmas tree was displayed in the White House
1884 – Layne Hall of Silver Creek, NY was born (He would become
“The oldest legally licensed driver in U.S. history” at 105 years of age)
1818 - 1st U.S. performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ premiered in Boston, Mass.
1818 – The 1st time ‘Silent Night’ was sung (Austria)
1776 – George Washington crossed the Delaware River
1492 - Columbus' ship Santa Maria docked at Dominican Republic 1223 - St. Francis of Assisi assembled 1st Nativity scene (Greccio, Italy)

Ref. BuffaloHistory Cyberhymnal TimelinesOfHistory SilverCreek.com DmarieCapsule RDM