SILVER TINSEL

 

It was in Germany that tinsel was first invented, and it was made from real silver.

A crude machine was used to shred the silver into thin strips which were then twisted onto a central wire.

This was indeed a luxury product although and obviously only available to the privileged classes.

However, the silver tinsel did not last forever as Silver would tarnish and lose its shine in time.

Despite its lack of longevity however it remained in use by those who could afford it until a cheaper artificial alternative was invented.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A CHRISTMAS VISITOR (2002)

A remarkable Christmas story of loss and renewal in which the Boyajian’s have not celebrated Christmas in 11 years not since they lost their son to the Persian Gulf War and their faith was lost with him.

But that all changed when a stranger joined them, who was around the same age their son would have been.

George (William Devane) struggles with the past and his wife Carol (Meredith Baxter) searches for answers and his daughter Jean (Reagan Pasternak) fights for the future.

They wonder if the stranger, Matthew (Dean McDermott), is a con artist or if he is perhaps the miracle their family has been waiting for.

Slowly his influence reawakens their faith and appreciation of Christmas in a way that will change them forever.

It’s a lovely endearing tale of small-town America and learning to appreciate what you have through what you’ve lost.

CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT

 

Since the advent of Cable and Satellite Every Christmas is the same. It used to be bad enough in the old days when there were only three channels to fill but now, we allegedly have more choice the terrestrial channels don’t even try to offer anything that we might consider to be acceptable.

Take this Christmas just gone, it doesn’t have to be the latest everyone is the same now, but we will stick with this latest offering as they are freshest in the memory. 

They really pulled the stops out and so packed was the schedule that they couldn’t even squeeze in the Great Escape.

Unfortunately, all five channels were packed with a mixture of repeats and things which should never be seen again.

Tom Browns schooldays gave the impression it might brighten an otherwise dull selection only to disappoint.

However, the choice plum of the holiday season has to be Uncle Adolph, what were they thinking, at one-point good old incestuous Uncle Adolph was sat knocking out a tune on the piano to impress his niece when I thought he was going to burst into a chorus of “Springtime for Hitler” the play couldn’t have been anymore ludicrous if he had.

Thankfully the smug and inanely grinning Miss Marple has been returned to the asylum from whence she came (hopefully never to be released again) and the writers have returned to writing daytime soaps for the Outer Mongolia broadcasting corporation.

Still, it won’t be long before we’re doing it all again so better get the sprouts on.

IRISH SUPERSTITION

 

A Christmas superstition In Ireland holds that the gates of Heaven open at midnight on Christmas Eve and all those who die on Christmas Day will go straight to Heaven.

THE HANGING OF GREENS - GARLANDS

 

The hanging of greens, such as Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe is a British winter tradition with origins far before the Christian era.

Greenery was used to lift people’s spirits during the long winter and remind them that spring was not far away.

The original Garlands were made by intertwining Holly and Ivy into thick vines of greenery and used in the ancient custom to decorate doorways.

The Holly and Ivy represented the unity between the dual halves of divinity the Holly was the Goddess and was feminine while the Ivy was the eternal consort to the goddess and therefore was masculine in nature.

The modern Garlands are very colorful but they are artificial and have no other purpose than to look nice.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – GIFT OF THE MAGI (2010)

 

Mark Webber and Marla Sokoloff star in this modern take on the classic tale the Gift of the Magi.

Newlyweds Jim and Della Young move into their new apartment, that they can barely afford and despite having to make do with secondhand furnishings they are happy.

However, after Della’s car is stolen, they have to use up all their saving to buy another one.

As a result, they agree not to buy Christmas presents that year.

Secretly however they both decide to do so anyway.

GOOD KING WENCESLAS

 

According to the legend the first of the Premysl was a plowman who married a Bohemian princess named Libussa during the 8th century and it was their descendants who in time united the warring tribes of Bohemia into one duchy.

Duke Borivoy I married a Slav princess named Ludmila and they both became Christians, and they tried their hardest to convert all of Bohemia to

Christianity, but were unable to do so.

Upon the death of Borivoy his sons, Ratislav and Spythinev succeeded him it was Ratislav who was the father of Wenceslas.

Wenceslas was born around 907 in a castle near Prague and when he was only thirteen years old his father died Wenceslas succeeded him as duke.

Because of his age he was too young to rule so his mother, Drahomira, became the regent she was vehemently opposed to Christianity and used her newfound power to persecute Christians.

She also refused to let Wenceslas see his grandmother Ludmila because she was afraid that they would plot to overthrow her, but it wasn’t long before Drahomira had her murdered.

After Ludmila’s death she was revered by Christians as a saint.

At the age of 18 Wenceslas overthrew his mother's regency and he began to rule for himself.

He was a stern but fair monarch, he stopped the persecution of Christians and he managed to tame the rebellious nobility.

He was known across bohemia for his kindness to the poor and he was especially charitable to children.

However, Many of the Bohemian nobles resented Wenceslas's attempts to spread Christianity and when he swore allegiance to the king of Germany, Henry I they were greatly displeased.

But in the end his greatest enemy proved to be his own brother, Boleslav, who joined the nobles to plot his brother's assassination.

Boleslav invited Wenceslas to a religious festival and then attacked and killed him on his way to mass.

"Good King" Wenceslas died on September 20, 929. He was still in his early twenties and had ruled Bohemia for only five years.

Today he is remembered as the patron saint of the Czech Republic.