Hello once again people! I couldn’t find much for today. Maybe it’s gearing up for Christmas. After all that’s the BIG day to celebrate this month.
But, I did find a few reasons to celebrate the day.
So, do you open your presents on Christmas Day? Or Christmas Eve? My family always opened them Christmas Eve night, after supper. When we were really small it was Christmas morning after Santa came the night before. My parents would also hang Christmas stockings at the end of our beds, so that’s the first thing we saw when we woke up. Later, as we grew older things changed and we opened our gifts on Christmas eve.
We never got a lot, but we were happy with what we did receive. When I was young, my siblings and I would each get one toy, the rest would be clothes or shoes, or most times it was a new winter coat with mittens. We weren’t rich by any means and so the coats were much appreciated. I think that our toys were much more appreciated because we got so few of them.
Ah, why is it that Christmas time is always a time of reflection? That can be good or bad, depending on your thoughts and memories. Hope they are all good for you!
Now to today’s celebrations!
National Date-Nut Bread Day ~~ Today is the day for Date-Nut Bread. Enjoy a tasty bread for the holidays. It’s the perfect bread for the season. It contains nuts and sugar, but is not heavy on the sugar. Date nut bread is quite popular. You can make it yourself, or buy some at the bakery. It’s really good toasted with butter, or if you want more of a sweet treat, you can drizzle it with frosting or chocolate and eat it that way. Either way it’s a nice way to celebrate the day!
Don’t be a Scrooge Day ~~ My findings were some celebrated this day on the 21st, and some on the 22. I choose it for today because I didn’t have much for this day! I’m writing this post so I can do that. Ha-ha! Today is the day you put on that smile that you are so famous for and celebrate the season! Here are a few ways that can help in that if you’re feeling it’s a bit much to do.
Relive Childhood traditions,
Remember what the holidays are really about,
Make some new traditions, after all they have to start somewhere, so why not with you!
Since today was a bit lean on celebrations, I thought I would bring you some more unusual facts that are pertinent for the month of December. ~~
The first president to decorate the white house Christmas tree in the United States was Franklin Pierce.
Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and dyed green.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.
Rudolph” was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930’s for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.
Jingle Bells” was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
Clearing up a common misconception, in Greek, X means Christ. That is where the word “Xmas” comes from. Not because someone took the “Christ” out of Christmas.
More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.
In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.
So that does it for today. I’ll be here tomorrow with more celebrations! Until then go and give someone you don’t even know a present, smile at them!
The Last Chapter 
Hi Jackie I do so enjoy reading the incidentals about this time of year. The red underwear on New Years might be a go, nothing else has worked…lol
I like the notion of reflecting at Christmas. My Christmas’ as a kid were like yours, one toy and clothes which as you say were never as exciting as whatever toy your received. But it was what we were given and we were always grateful. I will have a Christmas post on Christmas Eve, well Christmas Eve in Australia at any rate, the time zones do my head in at times. That will be my reflection on Christmas. Have a good one Jackie.
LikeLike
I love finding out odd facts for stuff. I’m a nerd that way. We had little when I was young, so being grateful for one toy was a good thing. I will look for your post on Christmas Eve. Oh, and you never know about meeting someone, red underwear is as good as any? 🙂
LikeLike
My fingers shall be crossed.
LikeLike
I like the idea of “Don’t Be a Scrooge Day” and I’m not the least bit surprised about the diamonds stat– it blows my mind how many jewelry commercials are on the TV right now! Every single time I’m at my boyfriends house I feel like he’s watching a diamond informercial.
LikeLike
Well if the commercials aren’t geared towards the kids, it’s geared toward diamonds it seems. Kinda scary.
LikeLike
We always went to the Christmas Eve service, then went home and opened our gifts. On Christmas Day, we’d go to my grandparents’ farm. But my husband’s family opened their gifts on Christmas Day, so we now open whatever’s in our stocking on Christmas Eve and then all the other gifts (way too many these days) on Christmas Day. No matter when we open them, they’re a blessing. I remember, though, that after the Christmas Eve service, all the children would get a brown paper bag filled with hard candy, nuts in the shell, an apple and an orange and we thought that was great.
janet
LikeLike
Those are nice memories Janet. We always got an apple, an orange, some candy and little gifts in our stockings. It was great! We rarely got oranges when we were kids, too expensive. So getting them on Christmas was extra nice and they seemed so sweet back then.
LikeLike
Lovely post again Jackie! We have always opened presents on Christmas Eve after an early dinner. That is a tradition in the Nordic countries and we kept it for all our Christmases regardless where on earth we celebrated them. The big day itself becomes then more of an opportunity for reflection – a little quieter, but still with lots of food 🙂
LikeLike
I think we mostly opened our presents early because we were too impatient to wait. haha! Or it was my German grandparents that started it. Hard to say, I’m old now I don’t remember so well. 😉
LikeLike
I am so tired of the jewelry commercials, in fact there is one from Ben Bridge on the TV right now LOL. The holidays for me are so difficult. I am ready for December 26th !! Wishing you a blessed New Year!! Merry Christmas my friend.
LikeLike
The holidays used to be hard for me, and in some ways still are. I understand and I give you big holiday hugs to help. Have a great and peaceful Merry Christmas Becki. May light and love be yours.
LikeLike
Thank you dear.
LikeLike
You still managed a nice collection. Those Germans are always coming up with something. I’m half German But feathers dyed green??? Loved the cartoon by the way. I’ll be heading out next week to get 3 pair of red underwear for each member of my family. All 3 of are single but would rather not be. Well, maybe I’m enjoying it after the long hard haul of 2 bad marriages. I just want a movie and dinner date once in a while.:) Merry Christ.mas
LikeLike
I do get nostalgic around this time of year. I usually get depressed. I had a moment a few weeks ago but I’m good this year. You gathered some good tid bits. Mummm. . .red underwear. 🙂
LikeLike
Hey red is sexy! Try it you never know. 😉 I think we all get a bit down this time of the year, the key is to not stay there. Big hugs and have a Great Christmas!
LikeLike
Have yourself a Merry Christmas..
LikeLike