| ST. NICKAs the story goes, Jolly ol' Saint | | | | stocking stuffing came from kids leaving |
| Nicholas was a real guy from Myra in the | | | | carrots and turnips in their shoes for |
| country of Turkey. He was a 4th Century | | | | Santa's horse or donkey, long before he was |
| bishop made famous when he heard the story of | | | | known to have reindeer. Santa would |
| three Italian maidens whose families had | | | | gratefully take the snacks for his stead and |
| fallen on hard times. Their father couldn't | | | | replace them with treats for the giving |
| afford to have all three of them get married, | | | | children.CANDIED CANEThe red and white |
| so he was considering selling one of the | | | | striped holiday pacifier has been around for |
| daughters into slavery to pay for the other | | | | several centuries. Parents have long been |
| two to have weddings. Well, as you can | | | | giving their children white sugar sticks to |
| imagine that's a pretty bad deal for anyone | | | | keep their yaps shut, then in the 1670's an |
| and St. Nick decided to help the family out. | | | | industrious German choirmaster bent the |
| One night he snuck up on their roof and | | | | sticks to resemble shepherd staff. With their |
| secretly tossed three bags of gold down the | | | | somewhat holy interpretation, as Jesus was |
| chimney. With his gift all three daughters | | | | the Good Shepherd, and convenient hook shape |
| were able to get married and his generosity | | | | for hanging on tree branches, the candy |
| became famous. He became the patron saint of | | | | became a favorite Christmas tree decoration. |
| children, orphans, sailors, students, | | | | When turned upside down, the hook is big "J", |
| pawnbrokers, thieves and the countries of | | | | a fitting symbol for Big J.Over time, the |
| Russia and Greece.SANTA'S GOT A BRAND NEW | | | | candy adopted its peppermint flavor and |
| BAGOver time the legend of St. Nicholas grew | | | | familiar stripes. Peppermint is similar to |
| and the feast of St. Nicholas celebrated on | | | | hyssop, which was used for ancient |
| December 6th, the day he died. St. Nicholas' | | | | purification and sacrifice rituals. The |
| eternal retirement as Santa Claus evolved | | | | traditional candy cane has three small red |
| over several centuries as the legend of St. | | | | stripes and one large one. The most common |
| Nicholas was carried over to surrounding | | | | interpretation states the three small ones |
| countries. Dutch and German settlers brought | | | | represent the Holy Trinity and the larger one |
| the basic ideas of what would become Santa | | | | reminds us of God. Another versions states |
| Claus to the New World. The Dutch had | | | | that the three small stripes represent our |
| Sinterklaas and the Germans had Pelsnickel | | | | own sins while the larger symbolizes Christ's |
| and Christkindl and both celebrated the feast | | | | Passion. Green is the color of giving and a |
| of St. Nicholas. The idea of naughty and nice | | | | green stripe is sometimes added to represents |
| seems to come from Pelsnickel would bring | | | | Jesus is God's gift to us.KISSY FACEBy |
| rewards to the good and punishment to the | | | | definition, mistletoe is an aerial evergreen |
| wicked. The Dutch version of Santa lived in | | | | parasitic plant that has no roots of its own |
| Spain, rode a white horse and traveled with | | | | and lives off the tree it attaches itself to. |
| six to eight black men who helped him deliver | | | | Doesn't sound so romantic does it?Well, |
| gifts. Over the centuries, this slowly | | | | centuries ago, Druids respected mistletoe as |
| changed to characters who were far more | | | | a sacred plant with spiritual and medicinal |
| politically correct. The men became | | | | healing qualities. Much fanfare went into |
| Telatubby-type rainbow colored helpers. This | | | | collecting the plant and they used a special |
| was combined with Scandinavian Yuletide | | | | gold dagger to harvest it. A Norse myth tells |
| tradition of gifting giving elves and presto, | | | | the story of a Balder, the god of light, who |
| Santa now had a legion of toy building elves | | | | was shot down by an arrow crafted from a |
| to bring joy to the world.The modern version | | | | branch of mistletoe. Earth and heaven wept |
| of Santa Claus quickly took shape with | | | | for his death and for three days each element |
| American writers during the holiday season.In | | | | tried in vain to bring Balder back to life. |
| 1808, Washington Irving created the idea of a | | | | It was his mother, Frigga who restored but |
| pipe smoking Santa with a broad-rimmed hat | | | | not before her fallen tears were transformed |
| riding over the tree-tops in horse-drawn | | | | into the white berries of the mistletoe. From |
| wagon dropping gifts down chimneys to all his | | | | then on she decreed that no harm would fall |
| favorite kids.In 1822, Dr. Clement Clark | | | | to anyone under the mistletoe and they shall |
| Moore left the longest lasting impression of | | | | receive only a kiss of love.O' CHRISTMAS |
| the jolly ol' man with his story, "A Visit | | | | TREEIn the 4th Century AD, the Roman Church |
| from St. Nicholas", better known as "The | | | | decided Christmas should officially be |
| Night Before Christmas". He established that | | | | celebrated on December 25th. By doing this |
| Santa lived in the Artic with a flying sleigh | | | | some of the pagan customs of the Roman |
| pulled by eight reindeer. He described Santa | | | | Saturnalia were absorbed as it was celebrated |
| as having 'a broad face, and a little round | | | | at that same time of year. During Saturnalia |
| belly, that shook when he laughed like a bowl | | | | people feasted, exchanged gifts and decorated |
| full of jelly."Thomas Nast illustrated covers | | | | their homes with lamps and evergreen shrubs. |
| for Harper's Weekly in the late 1800's and by | | | | The food and presents were fine with the |
| request of President Lincoln was commissioned | | | | Church, but the evergreen stuff was just too |
| to create a special Christmas picture for the | | | | pagan for them at it was forbidden. For |
| cover. This started an annual tradition for | | | | centuries the battle over festive home |
| Nast who used the opportunity to mould Santa | | | | decoration ensued. In the 16th Century John |
| to his liking. Nast created the standard | | | | Calvin forbade the observance of Christmas |
| Santa suit, his home at the North Pole and | | | | and Easter and in 1659 it was against the law |
| the image of him pouring over a list of | | | | in Massachusetts to celebrate Christmas |
| naughty or nice.By the 1850, Nast's new | | | | anywhere else but in church. It wasn't fully |
| version of Santa began appearing in American | | | | embraced until the mid-nineteenth century by |
| department stores. Santa's image evolved with | | | | England's Prince Albert allowing for |
| each new holiday season. The modern image of | | | | Christmas and the home decoration of |
| Santa was firmly solidified by artist Haddon | | | | Christmas trees to be fully accepted.Today it |
| Sundblom in 1931, when he created an annual | | | | is customary for nearly everyone to have a |
| Santa campaign for Coca-Cola.RUDOLPHIn 1939, | | | | Christmas tree in their homes, regardless of |
| Robert May, an advertising writer for the | | | | strong religious affiliations. 2004 marks the |
| Montgomery Ward department store created the | | | | 72nd Annual lighting of the Rockefeller |
| marketing idea of Rudolph the Red-nosed | | | | Christmas Tree.ROCKEFELLER CENTERThe annual |
| Reindeer. Montgomery Ward distributed 2.4 | | | | Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is |
| million copies of the story booklet in its | | | | usually a Norway Spruce. They usually have a |
| first year of release. May had suffered | | | | life span of 80 to 110 years and grow about a |
| considerable financial strife, his wife had | | | | foot a year. The desired dimensions are a |
| died of a terminal illness and in 1947 the | | | | minimum of 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide. 75 |
| department store signed over the copyright of | | | | to 100 feet tall are preferred. The trees are |
| Rudolph to him. May's brother-in-law soon | | | | located in the Northeastern part of the |
| after wrote the lyrics for the song, 'Rudolph | | | | United States. It takes all of two minutes to |
| the Red-Nosed Reindeer'. Gene Autry was the | | | | cut it down by requires 20 people and a |
| first to record the song in 1949 and it went | | | | 280-ton all-terrain hydraulic crane to handle |
| on to becoming the second best selling song | | | | the tree. Once in place it is transported via |
| of all time, second only to 'White | | | | a custom built telescoping flatbed truck to |
| Christmas'. The famous Rudolph Christmas | | | | New York City.CHRISTMAS LIGHTSAfter centuries |
| special was created in 1964 and remains a | | | | of repression, Christmas became a legal |
| classic to this day.WE THREE KINGSGold, | | | | holiday in 1859 in the state of |
| frankincense and myrrh - precious metal and | | | | Massachusetts. Soon the rest of the United |
| gum resins, that's what the three wise men | | | | States followed and in 1882 Thomas Edison |
| brought to the baby Jesus on his birthday. | | | | struck upon the idea of electric Christmas |
| These were rare and special gifts, things you | | | | lights. By 1912, outdoor Christmas tree |
| wouldn't normally be able to get your hands | | | | lights had become common in Boston. After the |
| on, especially if you were an infant even if | | | | first World War, the lights caught on Europe |
| you're dad was the creator of the known | | | | and by the mid-20th Century they had become |
| universe. Everybody knows what gold is and | | | | widespread and a well-established part of the |
| I'm guessing the guy who brought it was the | | | | holiday cheer. These days it is the inciting |
| town favorite, so what about frankincense and | | | | moment that marks the holiday season with the |
| myrrh? Frankincense is hardened tree sap from | | | | sight of the first Christmas lights of the |
| the Boswelia tree. Myrrh is also hardened | | | | year.CELEBRITY CHRISTMASHere's the scene, a |
| tree sap from the Miphora tree family. They | | | | reenactment of the nativity starring Samuel |
| both are used as incense and commonly found | | | | L. Jackson, Hugh Grant and Graham Norton as |
| in the country of Somalia.An interesting | | | | shepherds, David and Victoria Beckham as |
| note, nothing in the Bible states how many | | | | Joseph and Mary, British Prime Minister Tony |
| wise men showed up bearing gifts. Gaspar, | | | | Blair, The Duke of Edinburgh and President |
| Melchior and Balthasar are commonly referred | | | | George W. Bush as the Three Wise Men, Kyle |
| to has the names of the wise men, but these | | | | Minogue as the Angel and J.C. playing himself |
| names don't appear in the Bible either. The | | | | as an infant. It's not a movie, but this |
| number three is reference to the three types | | | | year's Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Nativity |
| of gifts presented. Also there is no mention | | | | scene now on display in London. We'll leave |
| of the wise men riding camels or being kings. | | | | it to you to find what's wrong with that |
| There is further evidence that the men showed | | | | picture.To read more articles by Chad, visit |
| up sometime after the actual birth as the | | | | the American Pop Culture Encyclopedia at: |
| source info in Matthew 2:11 states, "And when | | | | American Pop Culture Encyclopedia. |
| they were come into the house, they say the | | | | |
| young child with Mary his mother, and fell | | | | |
| down, and worshipped him..." Hmmm, it seems | | | | If you would like to read this article, or |
| by this time Mary had a home and Jesus a | | | | others like it, on American Pop Culture |
| young kid, instead of an infant in a | | | | Encyclopedia, please visit: Merry Christmas! |
| stable.STOCKING STUFFERSThe original idea for | | | | |