To paraphrase a line from William Shakespeare’s Richard the Third, Act 1, scene 1, “[Then was] the winter of our discontent.”
Gone are weeks upon weeks of unseasonably cold days and freezing nighttime temperatures, testing the wills of people with the mindset that the Sunshine State should always and forever provide weather conditions conducive to wearing shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and sandals as they bask in the sun beneath the shade of beach umbrellas on sandy beaches or lounging on open air pool decks with coolers filled with such thirst quenchers as bottled water and cans of beer.
Whew! We sure missed out on a lot this past winter! The proof of the matter came with a report from the National Weather Service that the average temperatures in the Tampa Bay area were about seven degrees below normal, the coldest winter since 1914 when data were first kept.
Surely, these past months have led to many a conversation that reinforced some people’s beliefs that the global warming scenario is more a contrived script of fiction than it is a fact of scientific research. Never mind international government assessments to the contrary – a statement released last fall from the G-20 Summit read, “We underscore anew our resolve to take strong action to address the threat of dangerous climate change.”
The few reprieves from global warming chitter-chatter were worrisome exchanges on health care reform, the unwavering disdain between Republicans and Democrats, and the squabble mongering from Tea Party enthusiasts. The unknowns of the health care bill are so numerous that the debate will go on and on for years, as will the daily droll about the weather.
And yet, some of us truly appreciated the brisk, fresh air that provided a respite from using no-drip 12-hour pump pray mists for temporary relief from constant bouts of inflammation of the nasal passages. Too soon, airborne pollen put an end to those free-breathing days; colorful patches of yellow still lay in contrast to the gray-painted floor on my back porch.
People who may have suffered most of all are those stricken with hypothyroidism. Layers upon layers of clothes, including sweatshirts and insulated coats, still left some in bone-rattling shivers. Even prescribed medications were unable to overcome the symptoms of the disease. Since I couldn’t imagine the discomfort, empathy was replaced with sympathy by turning up the thermostat a few degrees.
Fortunately, spring is now securely upon us with daytime temps hovering around eight degrees and, finally, the opportunity to get a little burned while soaking up the warmth of the sun. Caution: melanoma can be safely treated in its early stages – otherwise the cancer can be a life-threatening disease. But, oh, isn’t it so worth it to wear upon the face and body a deep, dark tan?
Within weeks, sunshine supermen will be mowing, trimming, landscaping and sweating under the blazing hot sun through twelve-hour days of sunlight. Soon, a growing number of pickup trucks will be on the roads hauling lawn equipment and loads of debris on trailer-beds. As they add to traffic congestion, and annoy the heck out of aggressive drivers and scare the pants off timid slowpokes, get over yourself and be grateful that hundreds of your fellow citizens will spend a few months making money that hasn’t been there since last fall.
In this economic climate, the added flow of currency will lead to an increase in consumer spending, thus bringing income to local businesses that will need to replace inventory and perhaps add to their payrolls. Anyway, that’s the way capitalism is supposed to work as a means to get us out of our economic doldrums. Most of us have a relative, friend or neighbor who will benefit from what will hopefully be a work-filled rainy season.
We’re also just a few weeks away from hurricane season. It’s an unknown equation but meteorologists foresee increased activity, quite different from the past few years. If El Nino weakens this year as predicted, Florida may see its first named hurricane hit landfall since Wilma crossed over the southern part of the state in October 2005.
That said, a heavy rainfall might also shake and shimmy your home and bodies as layers of limestone crumble beneath the sandy surface and create the dreaded sinkhole.
Never mind the falderal. It's all iffy stuff anyway. Duke ended March Madness winning the 2010 NCAA Tournament Championship. Tiger Woods is back in the swinger’s circuit in the Masters. The Red Sox won the MLB season opener. There you have it – baseball, the quintessential sign of summer. Water parks, barbeques and vacation trips are just a flip of the calendar away.
Winter has passed. Spring is here. But to quote Henry James, “Summer afternoon, Summer afternoon… the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Hurricane Job Market
Here we are just a few weeks away from the first of June and if you care to put any degree of validity to the experts, for a full six months, through November 30, our concerns and fears will be heightened with predictions that the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will be active and very possibly severe.
AccuWeather meteorologist Joe Bastardi forecasts 16-18 tropical storms, 15 of which will hit the Atlantic coastline or the Gulf of Mexico. Of seven landfalls, five will be hurricanes and two or three will be major threats to the U.S.
As Bastardi had predicted, the 2009 hurricane season brought 11 tropical depressions and only nine developed into tropical storms, the lowest number since 1997.
Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University, who has made seasonal hurricane predictions since 1984, foresees a 64% chance of landfall along the Atlantic coastline, and a 40% likelihood that Florida will be affected. Respectively, historical averages are 52%, 31% and 30%.
The forecast release this past December concludes there will be 11-16 named tropical storms, 6-8 hurricanes and 3-5 major hurricanes, all of which are considerably higher than statistical data would indicate. Updates will be issued April 8, June 2 and August 4.
During a discussion with a new acquaintance, Linda and I touched upon the affects that a major hurricane would have on the Florida economy. I made reference to the $4.5 billion in assets in the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, which, by its own analysis, will be seriously short of covering potential claims that could exceed $28 billion in a severe season. Since she’s not a homeowner, I discounted the importance of mentioning to Linda the additional ‘assessments’ that would be placed on insurance policies. She had other thoughts on her mind.
To go back a couple of steps, the conversation actually began with Linda relating events in her life that began shortly after graduating from high school, where she had been an academically excellent student, an accomplished athlete and socially popular.
Linda had intentions to attend the University of Florida but an unplanned pregnancy left her an unwed mother and kept her from joining her friends on the path to higher education. She vacated her home when she realized the live-in boyfriend/father was smoking crack. This was the first of three homes her well-to-do father would buy for her over the next ten years.
As Linda explained other circumstances in her life, I had to agree with her self-appraisal that she’s a smart person who doesn’t make smart decisions. Her second relationship began with a hopeful marriage but her bipolar condition contributed to her filing for divorce from a husband who had become a successful businessman. She had full custody of the two boys and a third son who was fathered by a second husband – another bad choice with drugs again the cause for divorce.
Nearly 30 years old now, her three boys are 4, 9 and 11 years old. She no longer has custody of any. The oldest lives with Lisa’s mother. The middle child lives with the successful ex-husband. The youngest one is in a foster home in Wisconsin.
After first being under-employed then eventually unemployed for the past three years, Linda and her current husband, Jacob, moved to Wisconsin with a guaranteed job making minimum wage. They regretted the move – she was jailed for beating the crap out of Jacob when he blocked her ability to access all banking and credit card accounts as a result of a heated exchange of words that were incited by her sister-in-law, whose call to 911 placed Linda in police custody. Jacob surrendered the baby to foster care because he wasn’t able to hold on to the job.
Things worsened when they moved back to Florida. Still with no job, Jacob was forced sell his prescribed painkillers just to make ends meet. Still not enough for the two of them to get by on, he’s now faced with three to five years in prison for drug trafficking with a fraudulent prescription. Linda now works in an out-of-the-way strip club. Just to accumulate enough cash to post bail, I assure you.
Chances are none of these events would have taken place if construction work hadn’t bottomed out as a result of the recession. Jacob had been earning nearly $20/hour as a roofer. Even though Jacob hadn’t fathered any of the boys, the family of five had been very happy. They called him “daddy”.
Thinking of the situations Lisa and Jacob endured, I suggested that even a mild hurricane season could put thousands, of construction laborers back to work. The 15.1% unemployment rate in Hernando County would decrease, if only temporarily.
Linda agreed. Neither of us liked the idea but…
[Note: The events are factual. The names are fictional.]
AccuWeather meteorologist Joe Bastardi forecasts 16-18 tropical storms, 15 of which will hit the Atlantic coastline or the Gulf of Mexico. Of seven landfalls, five will be hurricanes and two or three will be major threats to the U.S.
As Bastardi had predicted, the 2009 hurricane season brought 11 tropical depressions and only nine developed into tropical storms, the lowest number since 1997.
Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University, who has made seasonal hurricane predictions since 1984, foresees a 64% chance of landfall along the Atlantic coastline, and a 40% likelihood that Florida will be affected. Respectively, historical averages are 52%, 31% and 30%.
The forecast release this past December concludes there will be 11-16 named tropical storms, 6-8 hurricanes and 3-5 major hurricanes, all of which are considerably higher than statistical data would indicate. Updates will be issued April 8, June 2 and August 4.
During a discussion with a new acquaintance, Linda and I touched upon the affects that a major hurricane would have on the Florida economy. I made reference to the $4.5 billion in assets in the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, which, by its own analysis, will be seriously short of covering potential claims that could exceed $28 billion in a severe season. Since she’s not a homeowner, I discounted the importance of mentioning to Linda the additional ‘assessments’ that would be placed on insurance policies. She had other thoughts on her mind.
To go back a couple of steps, the conversation actually began with Linda relating events in her life that began shortly after graduating from high school, where she had been an academically excellent student, an accomplished athlete and socially popular.
Linda had intentions to attend the University of Florida but an unplanned pregnancy left her an unwed mother and kept her from joining her friends on the path to higher education. She vacated her home when she realized the live-in boyfriend/father was smoking crack. This was the first of three homes her well-to-do father would buy for her over the next ten years.
As Linda explained other circumstances in her life, I had to agree with her self-appraisal that she’s a smart person who doesn’t make smart decisions. Her second relationship began with a hopeful marriage but her bipolar condition contributed to her filing for divorce from a husband who had become a successful businessman. She had full custody of the two boys and a third son who was fathered by a second husband – another bad choice with drugs again the cause for divorce.
Nearly 30 years old now, her three boys are 4, 9 and 11 years old. She no longer has custody of any. The oldest lives with Lisa’s mother. The middle child lives with the successful ex-husband. The youngest one is in a foster home in Wisconsin.
After first being under-employed then eventually unemployed for the past three years, Linda and her current husband, Jacob, moved to Wisconsin with a guaranteed job making minimum wage. They regretted the move – she was jailed for beating the crap out of Jacob when he blocked her ability to access all banking and credit card accounts as a result of a heated exchange of words that were incited by her sister-in-law, whose call to 911 placed Linda in police custody. Jacob surrendered the baby to foster care because he wasn’t able to hold on to the job.
Things worsened when they moved back to Florida. Still with no job, Jacob was forced sell his prescribed painkillers just to make ends meet. Still not enough for the two of them to get by on, he’s now faced with three to five years in prison for drug trafficking with a fraudulent prescription. Linda now works in an out-of-the-way strip club. Just to accumulate enough cash to post bail, I assure you.
Chances are none of these events would have taken place if construction work hadn’t bottomed out as a result of the recession. Jacob had been earning nearly $20/hour as a roofer. Even though Jacob hadn’t fathered any of the boys, the family of five had been very happy. They called him “daddy”.
Thinking of the situations Lisa and Jacob endured, I suggested that even a mild hurricane season could put thousands, of construction laborers back to work. The 15.1% unemployment rate in Hernando County would decrease, if only temporarily.
Linda agreed. Neither of us liked the idea but…
[Note: The events are factual. The names are fictional.]
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
"Have A Happy Year!"
"Happy New Year!”
What might be the definitive definition of this proclamation? A day that marks the passage of one year and the beginning of the next with a simple directive from one person to another that the coming year brings good fortune and prosperity, health and happiness, peace and good will?
Although the greeting may be more heartfelt toward close friends, relatives and co-workers, extending good will to frequented businesses and an occasional store clerk are all a part of the tradition.
Personally, extending a bit of gratitude to the gentleman whose dedication delivers the newspaper every morning is a tradition in itself, albeit the token appreciation may have to wait until mid January. (Holiday expenses, property taxes and home insurance renewal fees are steadfast greeters at year end.)
Of course, there are those who give bah-humbug tidings of a 'sappy' or 'crappy' New Year and would just as soon the folklore had never been begotten. So, when did the idea of celebrating the coming of the new year begin?
Around 2000 BC, when the calendar consisted of ten months from March to December, ancient Babylon began celebrating the New Year on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. And lasted eleven days!
Egyptians, Phoenicians and Persians began the New Year with the fall equinox; Greeks on the winter solstice.
Around 153 BC, Roman emperor Numa Pompilius added January and February as the eleventh and twelfth months of the year while maintaining March 1 as the beginning of the new year. It wasn’t until 135 BC that January 1 was declared the beginning of the new year to coincide with the seasons of the solar cycle.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar established the Julian Calendar and proclaimed the first day of January as New Year’s Day. Caesar felt that Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates and had two faces, one looking forward and one back, was an appropriate symbol of new beginnings.
Caesar celebrated the first January 1 New Year in 45 BC by ordering the massacre of revolutionary Jewish forces in the Galilee. In later years, Roman pagans observed the New Year by engaging in drunken orgies – a ritual they believed constituted a personal re-enactment of the chaotic universe until the gods brought order to the cosmos. In modern times the ‘happy’ part of the New Year continues to bring in the seasonal ‘cheer’ of inebriation.
During the Middle Ages, after the Roman Empire was dissolved, Christians proclaimed the New Year began on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Christ. Other religions reverted back to March 1, or March 25 during the Feast of the Annunciation or Easter.
It wasn’t until 1522 that Venice was the first to establish what would become the universal standard of January 1 as the beginning of the new year. The rest of Italy adopted the new tradition at various times since then, but it wasn’t until 1752 that the British Empire became the last country to follow suit. Spanish, Portugal and French territories had made the change nearly two hundred years earlier.
In Christianity, New Year’s Day, the eighth day of Christmas, is represented by the Eight Beatitudes (Eight Maids a-Milking) with the blessing of the poor in spirit, the meek, they who mourn, they that hunger and thirst after justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake.
The eighth day is also referenced by the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord, when the child born in Bethlehem was given his name, Jesus, our Savior.
Of course, religion has very little to do with modern day New Year celebrations. Instead, our expectations are radio, television and newspaper commentaries reviewing milestones of the year gone by of natural disasters, social and political events and memorials to notable people who had passed away.
We are also given a congregation of opinions addressing the challenges facing society during the coming year. Absolutions and hopeful solutions are bountiful. Of immediate importance are public service narratives that announce new laws that will become effective during the coming year.
Of personal commitment, people tend to make New Year’s resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier foods, redress a variety of excesses, thus improving the quality of life – out with the old, in with the new as they say.
But, is that all there is? Just a few hours or, at most, a few days of reflecting on the past and speculating on the future? Alas, once the day is over, the newness of the year fades away all too soon.
Therefore, may I extend to you my wishes that you Have A Happy Year!
What might be the definitive definition of this proclamation? A day that marks the passage of one year and the beginning of the next with a simple directive from one person to another that the coming year brings good fortune and prosperity, health and happiness, peace and good will?
Although the greeting may be more heartfelt toward close friends, relatives and co-workers, extending good will to frequented businesses and an occasional store clerk are all a part of the tradition.
Personally, extending a bit of gratitude to the gentleman whose dedication delivers the newspaper every morning is a tradition in itself, albeit the token appreciation may have to wait until mid January. (Holiday expenses, property taxes and home insurance renewal fees are steadfast greeters at year end.)
Of course, there are those who give bah-humbug tidings of a 'sappy' or 'crappy' New Year and would just as soon the folklore had never been begotten. So, when did the idea of celebrating the coming of the new year begin?
Around 2000 BC, when the calendar consisted of ten months from March to December, ancient Babylon began celebrating the New Year on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. And lasted eleven days!
Egyptians, Phoenicians and Persians began the New Year with the fall equinox; Greeks on the winter solstice.
Around 153 BC, Roman emperor Numa Pompilius added January and February as the eleventh and twelfth months of the year while maintaining March 1 as the beginning of the new year. It wasn’t until 135 BC that January 1 was declared the beginning of the new year to coincide with the seasons of the solar cycle.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar established the Julian Calendar and proclaimed the first day of January as New Year’s Day. Caesar felt that Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates and had two faces, one looking forward and one back, was an appropriate symbol of new beginnings.
Caesar celebrated the first January 1 New Year in 45 BC by ordering the massacre of revolutionary Jewish forces in the Galilee. In later years, Roman pagans observed the New Year by engaging in drunken orgies – a ritual they believed constituted a personal re-enactment of the chaotic universe until the gods brought order to the cosmos. In modern times the ‘happy’ part of the New Year continues to bring in the seasonal ‘cheer’ of inebriation.
During the Middle Ages, after the Roman Empire was dissolved, Christians proclaimed the New Year began on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Christ. Other religions reverted back to March 1, or March 25 during the Feast of the Annunciation or Easter.
It wasn’t until 1522 that Venice was the first to establish what would become the universal standard of January 1 as the beginning of the new year. The rest of Italy adopted the new tradition at various times since then, but it wasn’t until 1752 that the British Empire became the last country to follow suit. Spanish, Portugal and French territories had made the change nearly two hundred years earlier.
In Christianity, New Year’s Day, the eighth day of Christmas, is represented by the Eight Beatitudes (Eight Maids a-Milking) with the blessing of the poor in spirit, the meek, they who mourn, they that hunger and thirst after justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake.
The eighth day is also referenced by the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord, when the child born in Bethlehem was given his name, Jesus, our Savior.
Of course, religion has very little to do with modern day New Year celebrations. Instead, our expectations are radio, television and newspaper commentaries reviewing milestones of the year gone by of natural disasters, social and political events and memorials to notable people who had passed away.
We are also given a congregation of opinions addressing the challenges facing society during the coming year. Absolutions and hopeful solutions are bountiful. Of immediate importance are public service narratives that announce new laws that will become effective during the coming year.
Of personal commitment, people tend to make New Year’s resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier foods, redress a variety of excesses, thus improving the quality of life – out with the old, in with the new as they say.
But, is that all there is? Just a few hours or, at most, a few days of reflecting on the past and speculating on the future? Alas, once the day is over, the newness of the year fades away all too soon.
Therefore, may I extend to you my wishes that you Have A Happy Year!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Going, Going, Gong
Looks like my column The Rae Way in the Hernando Times has been given the boot. The two blogs on Christmas, recently posted here on My Space, were not printed.
Those S.O.B.s! How many, and how often, do you see/read something positive in news commentaries? Especially holiday-specific topics.
It appears that when Editor Chris Wessell is on vacation my columns are totally discounted.
Well, the time I spend obtaining data from Google, the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times, The St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune, not to mention various magazines, are time consuming and wasteful if not printed. I'll continue to write and post entries on the four blogspot.com blogs I have neglected to maintain because they were submitted for print. Never mind the fact that no one reads them, it's still an exercise at developing my writing [skills?].
Discontinuing the column is disheartening but that's the way it goes when you have no formal education in journalism.
I am not worthy of the honor to express my opinions.
Sincerely, my Best Wishes to Hernando Today and its Op-Ed pages. The diversity is like no other local newspapers I have read during my lifetime.
I just hope that whoever replaces my space in the newspaper gets paid for it.
It appears it may be Reverend James L. Snyder, a pastor of the Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. That's all we need in the South - another conservative awash with religious messages. But that's what ya get in a Bible-thumping state.
The reverend and his church should reap a fortune from his column through the church website. I suppose the reverend's revenue for the church will be a major benefit.
Thankfully, the paper still prints Ted Rall's 'Liberal Point of View' column.
I'm a happy and typically positive person. I'm not easily disheartened. Having a personal, intimate, faithful relationship with plenty of love making is about all I need to be fully happy. At this point, it will have to wait until I'm settled in Nashville, Tennessee.
Please, join me in a hopeful and sincere HAPPY NEW YEAR for All!!
Those S.O.B.s! How many, and how often, do you see/read something positive in news commentaries? Especially holiday-specific topics.
It appears that when Editor Chris Wessell is on vacation my columns are totally discounted.
Well, the time I spend obtaining data from Google, the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times, The St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune, not to mention various magazines, are time consuming and wasteful if not printed. I'll continue to write and post entries on the four blogspot.com blogs I have neglected to maintain because they were submitted for print. Never mind the fact that no one reads them, it's still an exercise at developing my writing [skills?].
Discontinuing the column is disheartening but that's the way it goes when you have no formal education in journalism.
I am not worthy of the honor to express my opinions.
Sincerely, my Best Wishes to Hernando Today and its Op-Ed pages. The diversity is like no other local newspapers I have read during my lifetime.
I just hope that whoever replaces my space in the newspaper gets paid for it.
It appears it may be Reverend James L. Snyder, a pastor of the Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. That's all we need in the South - another conservative awash with religious messages. But that's what ya get in a Bible-thumping state.
The reverend and his church should reap a fortune from his column through the church website. I suppose the reverend's revenue for the church will be a major benefit.
Thankfully, the paper still prints Ted Rall's 'Liberal Point of View' column.
I'm a happy and typically positive person. I'm not easily disheartened. Having a personal, intimate, faithful relationship with plenty of love making is about all I need to be fully happy. At this point, it will have to wait until I'm settled in Nashville, Tennessee.
Please, join me in a hopeful and sincere HAPPY NEW YEAR for All!!
Friday, December 25, 2009
O Christmas Tree!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Much pleasure thou can’st to me.”
Among all the traditions of the holiday season, the single most enjoyable is the decorating of the Christmas tree. It’s much more than just a motif for the giving and receiving of gifts. It’s a remembrance of Christmases past, good will toward all and the blessings of the year gone by.
The putting up of a Christmas tree is a personal involvement in the spirit of the season. From the moment the tree finds its place in the home to the crowning of the tree, there’s a sense of achievement that will be shared with friends and family, neighbors and new acquaintances.
Whether freshly cut or a manmade reproduction, the occasion to place ornaments on the bows of the tree might be accompanied with the singing Christmas carols. Perhaps it’s a rehearsal for a night of caroling in the neighborhood. Regardless of singing off key or forgetting the lyrics, the occasion to spread cheer and joy is the central theme. ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!
It’s the Christmas tree that sparks the excitement of the holiday season. It’s no wonder that for many the time to decorate comes shortly after Thanksgiving.
The placement of ornaments with special meaning, such as those that are homemade or given as a gift, are deserving of prominence among other baubles. The participation of kids and their excitement become remembrances in the years to come.
As a child, we would head off to a Christmas tree farm where we kids went from tree to tree on a quest to pick out the perfect tree while mom and dad chatted with friends. We would negotiate what was the best of the best but Mom would make the final decision, considerate of our choices.
Dad would load the tree on the top of the car, head back home, guide us on which branches to trim, then place the tree in the water-filled base with a little sugar added to keep the tree fresh. Although there was a lot of guidance when we were young, as we grew older we were let loose to decorate the tree at will with the very slightest of instruction from Mom.
The worst part of the tradition was the tinsel. We would get whiny and tend to bicker when it came to making the final touches to the tree, the most contentious of which would be placing tinsel on the tree. Cries that it was “glopped” together in spots and “skimpy” in others would end up with Mom demanding that we quit the arguing. The best tactic was to wait until later, after the decorating was finished, then do a little rearranging to suit our individual fancies. Most everyone did it – it never went unnoticed.
Once the tree was all dressed up, that’s when the true realization that Christmas Day was only a few weeks away, the excitement of what presents will be placed under the tree were foremost in our thoughts. But we also looked forward to spending Christmas Day dinner with relatives. The anticipation of the variety of made-from-scratch rolls, including the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever baked, was an excitement in itself. Aunt Ethelyn had been a homec teacher.
As a family, we seldom had the opportunity to visit other people’s homes. With five kids it just made sense to have the get-togethers at our house – there was plenty of room, a big yard where we could play in the snow, go to our rooms to check out each other’s toys and occupy part of the day wandering through the barns.
Even as a youth, I loved to gaze upon the lights and decorations that graced the branches of Christmas trees. Each and every tree was a creation in itself, as unique as the snowflakes that blanketed the ground. Since hosts are very conversant of the history and meaning of their special decorations, the intimacy warms my heart and makes me grin and smile for moments unending.
To this day, I remain disconcerted that there is no ornament made that justifies the importance of adorning the top of the Christmas tree. As I was preparing my thoughts for this column, I realized there will never be light as bright as the Star of Bethlehem, the sight of which heralded the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Nonetheless, my Christmas tree will remain lit for many days to come as I proclaim, “O Christmas Tree. O Christmas Tree. Much pleasure thou can’st to me.”
Among all the traditions of the holiday season, the single most enjoyable is the decorating of the Christmas tree. It’s much more than just a motif for the giving and receiving of gifts. It’s a remembrance of Christmases past, good will toward all and the blessings of the year gone by.
The putting up of a Christmas tree is a personal involvement in the spirit of the season. From the moment the tree finds its place in the home to the crowning of the tree, there’s a sense of achievement that will be shared with friends and family, neighbors and new acquaintances.
Whether freshly cut or a manmade reproduction, the occasion to place ornaments on the bows of the tree might be accompanied with the singing Christmas carols. Perhaps it’s a rehearsal for a night of caroling in the neighborhood. Regardless of singing off key or forgetting the lyrics, the occasion to spread cheer and joy is the central theme. ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!
It’s the Christmas tree that sparks the excitement of the holiday season. It’s no wonder that for many the time to decorate comes shortly after Thanksgiving.
The placement of ornaments with special meaning, such as those that are homemade or given as a gift, are deserving of prominence among other baubles. The participation of kids and their excitement become remembrances in the years to come.
As a child, we would head off to a Christmas tree farm where we kids went from tree to tree on a quest to pick out the perfect tree while mom and dad chatted with friends. We would negotiate what was the best of the best but Mom would make the final decision, considerate of our choices.
Dad would load the tree on the top of the car, head back home, guide us on which branches to trim, then place the tree in the water-filled base with a little sugar added to keep the tree fresh. Although there was a lot of guidance when we were young, as we grew older we were let loose to decorate the tree at will with the very slightest of instruction from Mom.
The worst part of the tradition was the tinsel. We would get whiny and tend to bicker when it came to making the final touches to the tree, the most contentious of which would be placing tinsel on the tree. Cries that it was “glopped” together in spots and “skimpy” in others would end up with Mom demanding that we quit the arguing. The best tactic was to wait until later, after the decorating was finished, then do a little rearranging to suit our individual fancies. Most everyone did it – it never went unnoticed.
Once the tree was all dressed up, that’s when the true realization that Christmas Day was only a few weeks away, the excitement of what presents will be placed under the tree were foremost in our thoughts. But we also looked forward to spending Christmas Day dinner with relatives. The anticipation of the variety of made-from-scratch rolls, including the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever baked, was an excitement in itself. Aunt Ethelyn had been a homec teacher.
As a family, we seldom had the opportunity to visit other people’s homes. With five kids it just made sense to have the get-togethers at our house – there was plenty of room, a big yard where we could play in the snow, go to our rooms to check out each other’s toys and occupy part of the day wandering through the barns.
Even as a youth, I loved to gaze upon the lights and decorations that graced the branches of Christmas trees. Each and every tree was a creation in itself, as unique as the snowflakes that blanketed the ground. Since hosts are very conversant of the history and meaning of their special decorations, the intimacy warms my heart and makes me grin and smile for moments unending.
To this day, I remain disconcerted that there is no ornament made that justifies the importance of adorning the top of the Christmas tree. As I was preparing my thoughts for this column, I realized there will never be light as bright as the Star of Bethlehem, the sight of which heralded the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Nonetheless, my Christmas tree will remain lit for many days to come as I proclaim, “O Christmas Tree. O Christmas Tree. Much pleasure thou can’st to me.”
Christmas
In celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, many Christmas traditions are symbolic of the life and teachings of Our Savior, the Son of God. The giving of presents represents the bearing of gifts by the Three Wise Men. Of course, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is the biggest gift-giver of all.
Green symbolizes the potential for eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifices, as with the evergreen Christmas tree. Red is for the blood that Jesus spilled to redeem us for our sins.
Holly branches represent the Crown of Thorns that Christ wore on the cross; the red berries, the blood he shed. The circular shape of the Christmas wreath symbolizes everlasting life. An angel is significant as a divine guidance of love, peace and protection.
Chiming bells allows the Good Shepherd to find lost sheep and guide them back to His flock. The flame from a candle, Christmas lights and the star on the top of the tree remind us of the guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem and that Jesus is “the Light of the world.”
The symbolisms of the candy cane were conceived by candy maker, John Sonneman, in the 19th century. The peppermint flavor is similar to that of ‘hyssop’, an herb that was referenced in the Bible as a healing agent. The hardness stands for the solid base of the Church. The white stripes represent the Virgin Birth and the purity of Jesus; red stripes symbolize the blood of Christ that was shed at the Crucifixion.
Also, the cane is in the shape of a shepherd’s staff; turned upside down it become the letter “J” to represent the name of Jesus.
Even icicles have a special meaning. As the Christ child took shelter under a pine tree, when the tree realized who was lying beneath its bows, tears of happiness fell from its branches and froze into icicles. Bows and ribbons represent that we are tied together through the Brotherhood of Man.
Of Christmas songs, the Twelve Days of Christmas are references to passages in the Bible and the many gifts that the Lord has bestowed on mankind.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree – referring to Jesus.
Second day… 2 turtle doves - The Old and New Testaments
Third day… 3 French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
Fourth day… 4 Colly Birds - The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Written in the 18th century, ‘colly birds’ referred to blackbirds, a common and plentiful food. “Calling birds” is said to be a misinterpretation.)
Fifth day… 5 Golden Rings – The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch man’s fall from grace
Sixth day… 6 Geese a-laying - the six days of Creation
Seventh day… 7 Swans a-swimming - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy
Eighth day… 8 Maids a-milking - the Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are… the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
Ninth day… 9 Ladies Dancing - the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Tenth day… 10 Lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
Eleventh day… 11 Pipers Piping - the eleven faithful apostles: Bartholomew, James the Elder, Andrew, Peter, Jude, Thomas, James the Younger, Major, Philip, Matthew, and Simon the Zealot
Twelfth day… 12 Drummers Drumming - the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Of course, all of us kids know that Santa Claus, aka Jolly Old St. Nicholas, travels through the night on Christmas Eve to deliver presents out of the generosity of his heart and his caring for the less fortunate.
The greatest gift of all is God’s promise of eternal life through the grace of the King of Kings. Rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and have a Merry Christmas.
Green symbolizes the potential for eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifices, as with the evergreen Christmas tree. Red is for the blood that Jesus spilled to redeem us for our sins.
Holly branches represent the Crown of Thorns that Christ wore on the cross; the red berries, the blood he shed. The circular shape of the Christmas wreath symbolizes everlasting life. An angel is significant as a divine guidance of love, peace and protection.
Chiming bells allows the Good Shepherd to find lost sheep and guide them back to His flock. The flame from a candle, Christmas lights and the star on the top of the tree remind us of the guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem and that Jesus is “the Light of the world.”
The symbolisms of the candy cane were conceived by candy maker, John Sonneman, in the 19th century. The peppermint flavor is similar to that of ‘hyssop’, an herb that was referenced in the Bible as a healing agent. The hardness stands for the solid base of the Church. The white stripes represent the Virgin Birth and the purity of Jesus; red stripes symbolize the blood of Christ that was shed at the Crucifixion.
Also, the cane is in the shape of a shepherd’s staff; turned upside down it become the letter “J” to represent the name of Jesus.
Even icicles have a special meaning. As the Christ child took shelter under a pine tree, when the tree realized who was lying beneath its bows, tears of happiness fell from its branches and froze into icicles. Bows and ribbons represent that we are tied together through the Brotherhood of Man.
Of Christmas songs, the Twelve Days of Christmas are references to passages in the Bible and the many gifts that the Lord has bestowed on mankind.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree – referring to Jesus.
Second day… 2 turtle doves - The Old and New Testaments
Third day… 3 French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
Fourth day… 4 Colly Birds - The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Written in the 18th century, ‘colly birds’ referred to blackbirds, a common and plentiful food. “Calling birds” is said to be a misinterpretation.)
Fifth day… 5 Golden Rings – The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch man’s fall from grace
Sixth day… 6 Geese a-laying - the six days of Creation
Seventh day… 7 Swans a-swimming - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy
Eighth day… 8 Maids a-milking - the Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are… the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
Ninth day… 9 Ladies Dancing - the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Tenth day… 10 Lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
Eleventh day… 11 Pipers Piping - the eleven faithful apostles: Bartholomew, James the Elder, Andrew, Peter, Jude, Thomas, James the Younger, Major, Philip, Matthew, and Simon the Zealot
Twelfth day… 12 Drummers Drumming - the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Of course, all of us kids know that Santa Claus, aka Jolly Old St. Nicholas, travels through the night on Christmas Eve to deliver presents out of the generosity of his heart and his caring for the less fortunate.
The greatest gift of all is God’s promise of eternal life through the grace of the King of Kings. Rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and have a Merry Christmas.
Monday, October 12, 2009
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