New Year

on December 31, 2023

This New Year, Instead of giving something up, consider making a new healthy habit.  Try the gym Working out is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves. The real challenge is being consistent. Even if you work out for 10 minutes, if you’re doing it five days a week it counts as a healthy habit. The options are countless, its as easy as joining a gym, taking a class, or downloading a […]

New Year Celebrations

on December 27, 2023

There are hundreds of good luck rituals woven among New Year celebrations, all practiced in the name of exercising a little control over fate. The Dutch, for whom the circle is a symbol of success, eat donuts. (Powdered Sugar has not been confirmed). Greeks bake special Vassilopitta cake with a coin inside, promising good luck in the coming year on whoever finds it in his or her slice. Fireworks Fireworks on New Year’s Eve started […]

Christmas Stockings

on December 17, 2023

The tradition of Christmas stockings originated in the generous deeds of a nobleman named Nicholas who was born in 280 A.D. in Asia Minor. Nicholas dedicated his life to following the principles of Jesus Christ, using his wealth to help impoverished and suffering people. He became the Bishop of Myra in his young years, and was immensely popular for his kind, generous heart. Living a lifetime of celibacy, Nicholas never married or had children, but […]

Christmas Tree

on December 10, 2023

Christmas Tree Lore is an established part of modern life. In 16th-century Germany, fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religious play depicted the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Religious Roots A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden — the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the […]

Candy Canes

on December 2, 2023

Candy Canes are a long cherished holiday tradition. The first recorded ‘candy stick’ came from 1837 at a candy exhibition in Massachusetts in the USA. They started as straight white sugar sticks and a few years later the red stripes were added. The first time they are documented as being called ‘candy canes’ comes in 1866; and their first connection to Christmas comes from 1874. Early recipes had them as simply ‘sugar’ flavored. But we’re […]