The Christmas Spirit is real and lives with joyous omnipotence during the holiday season. Music, beauty, sharing, love, creative giving from the heart – isn’t that what Christ was all about?
The Spirit of Christmas
Giving Thanks
GIVING THANKS
After months at sea in a small ship, a group of weary travelers, upon reaching the shores of North America, fell to their knees to give thanks. The Pilgrims at Cape Cod or Plymouth Rock in 1620? No, Englishmen at the Berkeley Plantation, Virginia on December 4, 1619. Their orders included the giving of thanks upon arrival and on the anniversary every year from henceforth.
My ancestor, William Tracy, a governor of the Berkeley Colony, was so convinced of the potential of the early ventures into the colonies, that he invested heavily in them. Unfortunately, he died before he witnessed the amazing rise of “America.” And though some of the celebrants of the first “Thanksgiving” in Virginia were killed in the Indian Massacre in 1622, the Pilgrims in Massachusetts carried on the tradition of giving thanks. Times were hard; so many pilgrims died that first winter that they buried the dead at night so the Native Americans wouldn’t know how few of them were left. Only 53 survived that first brutal year. The struggles of the Puritans, the conflicts with and help given by the Native Americans, and the culmination of efforts led to the brotherhood of that shared feast in the autumn of 1621.
Many historians agree that the first American Thanksgiving was inspired by ancient Israel’s Feast of the Tabernacles, the celebration and gratitude for the harvest. Gratitude is a divine principle and is defined as: A feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received; warm appreciative response to kindness.
The power of gratitude can be life-changing. Studies on the health benefits of gratitude have shown an increase in energy in participants, improved sleep and other positive outcomes according to Robert Emmons of the University of California Davis, Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami and Alexander Wood of the University of Manchester.
Hospitality binds individuals, families and communities in cheering and loving ways. Each of us has the potential to increase the positive energy in our community, world and the universe. As you gather your loved ones and give thanks for the good things in your lives, here are a few ideas to enhance your celebrations.
Blessings Centerpiece
Place branches with autumn leaves in mercury jars or vases surrounded by votive candles, acorn and pumpkins. Have guests write on paper tags things they are thankful for; tie onto branches. Or write on collected leaves with a thin permanent marker and scatter on the table.
Autumn Quilt
Cut 56 thirteen inch squares of autumn-color fabrics and sew together in eight rows of seven for a generous queen-size quilt. Add a thin batting, muslin for the backing, and add a simple border. Collect several varieties of leaves; trace on brown paper to make templates; lay the leaves on the quilt and outline in chalk. Stitch with embroidery floss in a contrasting color using a simple running stitch. Quilt around each block. This quilt can be used for a tablecloth or displayed from September through November.
A Coordinated Kitchen
As you plan your holiday menu, make a list of the foods and serving dishes. Plan your cooking and baking days and which foods may be made ahead and frozen or chilled.
Family Bingo
Create a family bingo game with copies of photos of family members. This is a good way for the children to learn about their ancestors. You may use vintage scrapbook paper and cardstock. This game uses candy corn for markers. Have the family pitch in by bringing plenty of small gifts and toys for prizes.
Gingerbread Houses
Make or buy gingerbread houses and assemble a few days before Thanksgiving. Have at least one per family to take home. After the dishes are done, let the decorating begin! Be sure to have lots of frosting and candy (buy on sale after Halloween) to decorate with.
Thanksgiving on Wednesday
Although President Abraham Lincoln officially made Thanksgiving Day the fourth Thursday in November, personal schedules might suggest celebrating on a different day. Having Thanksgiving dinner the evening before gives you the day to take children to the mountains, beach or local historic sites the next day. Yummy leftovers make a great picnic.
Thanksgiving on the Beach
One year my clever mother and her friends packed up the feast, kids and grandparents and treated us to an authentic out-of-doors Thanksgiving on the beach at La Jolla in southern California. Yes it was cold and gray; but not as cold as the pilgrims experienced. It was an unforgettable holiday. With a little research you can find recipes and methods for a moveable feast.
Service Opportunities
One way to show gratitude is to share. During this time of year opportunities abound for helping the less fortunate. From serving dinner at homeless shelters, hospitals or retirement centers to gathering food for food banks and community kitchens; taking a pie to the fire department or police station or sending a treat box to military personnel and missionaries and other overseas volunteers. Look around your neighborhood to find people who would enjoy sharing a dinner with your family.
May you and your loved ones rejoice in the wondrous gifts you enjoy and thank the One who so generously bestows the blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Dad, Andrew, Elton, Simone and all.
Giving Thanks for Family Bingo
Grandma Roberts loved a good game of Bingo with her family.
She delighted in carefully choosing gifts for the winners. She loved having her family around the table, playing, teasing and enjoying one another’s company.
Grandma has “graduated” but we still like to honor her memory with a rousing game of Bingo. For Thanksgiving we use candy corn for markers, you can pick it up on sale after Halloween for cheap!
I haven’t made up the new cards yet, but I’m designing them in my mind. I’m going to gather photos of past family members and create
a family bingo, to help our little ones learn the faces of the dear departed. I’ll post them when they’re finished. Now’s a good time to pick up a few gifts while you are looking at Christmas stocking fillers. The dollar aisle at Michaels, Target and dollar stores are
good places to start. Also, ask relatives who are coming for Thanksgiving to bring prizes. My mom, uncles and aunts bring the best things!
Heritage Halloween and Welcome Family How!
My husband and I have Scottish ancestors;
the McMurtry and Holladay clans.
the McMurtry and Holladay clans.
Sometimes for fun, we celebrate with a heritage theme.
My family and friends know I have a red plaid addiction.
I can’t resist anything in a Stewart or Black Watch tartan
My family and friends know I have a red plaid addiction.
I can’t resist anything in a Stewart or Black Watch tartan
For Halloween, I’ll take a good black and orange plaid with no complaints.
This old-style, I mean really old-style party is
based on medieval celebrations from the Great Halls.
This old-style, I mean really old-style party is
based on medieval celebrations from the Great Halls.
I’d like to thank Family How for publishing my article:
http://familyhow.com/holidays/the-art-of-celebration-family-heritage-halloween?Itemid=631
and invite new readers to become friends and
followers by clicking the upper right tab.
On my website you’ll find recipes, fun ideas and inspiration.
After you sign up, send me your email address and
I‘ll email you a free downloadable set of
Halloween coloring pages:
pammcmurtry@gmail.com
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
The Spiritual Origins of the Harvest and Halloween
The history of harvest celebrations is filled with contrasts; from the brightest joy to darkest depravity. Did you know that some scholars believe the American Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving was based on Israel’s Sukkot or Feast of the Tabernacles? Because many American and European traditions are based on Judeo-Christian customs, I’d like to share with you information about the roots of some of our autumn celebrations.
Sukkot was a joyous harvest celebration, it started around 1300 to 1400 B.C., when the Israelites left Egypt to return to their promised land of Canaan. This was long before the Catholic Hallomas or pagan Samhain. In modern days, this holiday is celebrated between mid September and late October according to Sara Shendelman and Dr. Avram Davis: “Traditions: The Complete Book of Prayers, Rituals and Blessings For Every Jewish Home” ; Hyperion, N.Y., N.Y. 1998. Autumn also marked the beginning of Israel’s new year with Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Atonement. This national day of fasting culminated in the sacrifice of animals and a symbolic cleansing of the High Priest and Israel, teaching about the sacrifice of the Son of God for the cleansing of His people and reconciliation through Him, to God The Father.
God sent prophets to instruct and guide his children; Adam, Abraham, Moses and others. He covenanted with the Patriarch Abraham that through his family all the world would be blessed. God gives the rain, seasons, bountiful crops, music, laughter and happiness. He commanded Abraham’s descendants in Moses’ time to celebrate and have great joy. The Feast of the Tabernacles was instituted over three thousand years ago to give God’s children a festive fall holiday wherein they could enjoy the bounty of the harvest. “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days. “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees … and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” The Holy Bible, Old Testament; Leviticus 23:39–40.
Abraham’s family (Israel) was called to administer the priesthood – the power of God to bless the earth. Prophets counseled societies of God-fearing (respecting) men and women and gave commandments to live by: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, love thy neighbor as thyself, do not commit adultery or murder or worship idols. Do not steal or bear false witness. They were to care for the poor and live in peace and harmony. Faith, repentance and baptism were the initiation into Christ’s church. As Israel kept the commandments, they prospered. When they didn’t they fell into bondage and suffered.
During Israel’s forty years in the wilderness, The God Jehovah, commanded His prophet Moses to set up a tabernacle, a portable temple, in which the Spirit of God could dwell as Israel worshipped God and received revelations. This tabernacle was to be the House of the Lord until they were settled in the Promised Land and could build a permanent temple. The Feast of the Tabernacles was a remembrance of God’s protection of the children of Israel during their forty years in the wilderness after escaping centuries of bondage in Egypt. It also was a celebration of the freedom to worship their God. Sukkot also commemorated the harvest or in-gathering of the fruits of the year. This feast, considered the most joyful of all holidays, was celebrated for eight days.
The positive energy flowed; Israelites were under commandment to be grateful, happy, hospitable and set aside their worries. They set up, decorated and lived in booths or tents as a reminder of their time in the wilderness. They hung bough from trees adorned with fruits of the harvest that were a reminder of the kindly protection given by their God. The spirits of ancestors and patriarchs were invited to be present. Israel gave thanks, enjoyed worship, feasts, sporting events and other merry-making activities.
From that time until the present, Israel looks forward to a day when “the King, the Lord of hosts” will reign on the earth and all men will live in peace and brotherhood. It was at this momentous time that Moses addressed Israel, Solomon dedicated the temple at Jerusalem and Jesus Christ declared, “I am the Light of the World.” The biblical prophet Zechariah, in the Old Testament, foretold of a future day when the Feast of the Tabernacles would be celebrated by all men, or those that didn’t would be cursed.This may be a reference to the Millennial Era, a thousand years when God will reign personally on the earth and there will be peace and a united brotherhood.
In modern times, decorations of squash, dried corn and autumn bounty adorn Sukkot celebrations. As celebrants share and enjoy the final days of autumn in the beautiful outdoors, they are grateful for the bounteous blessings they enjoy.
People of faith who’ve studied the scriptures learned that in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. He created every living creature, including man. “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good… The Holy Bible, Old Testament; Genesis 1:31. How did evil come into the picture? Where do dark forces figure into our modern holiday of Halloween? The Bible teaches that there was a war in heaven. One of His sons wanted God’s honor and glory. Lucifer, “The Shining One,” or “Son of the Morning” gathered followers who challenged the Father and were cast out according to the Holy Bible, Old Testament; Isaiah 14:12. Jehovah, ” The Unchangeable One,” God’s eldest Son offered to teach and provide an atonement for God’s children to allow them to be brought back to His presence after their time of testing on earth.
Jehovah provided the opportunity to live forever with God in a state of happiness. He created the world to give God’s children the opportunity to gain a physical body, be taught, tried and tested for obedience, integrity, virtue and other Godly traits. The rebellious exiled spirits were allowed to inhabit the earth to provide the necessary opposition to good, giving mankind an alternative and test. These disembodied spirits were given power to tempt, but man was given the ability to choose and to triumph. If all good things came from God, all bad things came from Lucifer or another title, Satan, “He who lies in wait.” And thus, there is opposition in all things.
Physicists have identified opposing power or forces throughout the universe according to Physicist Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe; Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc., New York, 1999. Blessings, healing and peace come from God; the kindness of neighbors, the love of family. Anyone who had dealt with the crushing oppressions of child abuse, addictions, violence or betrayal has experienced the power of evil.
After God established order with peace and prosperity, Lucifer taught and tempted with his perverted doctrine. He started societies of pagans who broke God’s Ten Commandments and practiced rituals that were in direct opposition to eternal laws.
Jesus taught love and brotherhood; pagans learned war and destruction. Israel had Sukkot, pagans in the British Isles celebrated the harvest and new year on November 1 with the festival of Samhain. Their recorded history begins around 500 B.C. The Romans eventually occupied most of the British Isles, but they didn’t go into Ireland where local customs were left undisturbed and pagan civilization thrived. Pagan priests known as Druids were said to have ties to the “otherworld” and were second only to the king in prestige and power.
God instructed Israel to worship Him and follow His authority. He gave the priesthood and prophets to heal, bless and enable His children to do good in His behalf. Pagans worshipped nature, they believed they possessed powers of sorcery and divination as describred in Time Life Books: What Life Was Like Among Druids and High Kings; Time Life Books, Alexandria, VA 1998. Legends tell of an entity in Ireland known as Lugh, “The Shining One, ” who possessed many desirable attributes; he was handsome, brilliant and athletic, a warrior, musician and sorcerer.
Cities throughout Europe were named for Lugh; Leon, Spain, Leignitz, Poland and Lyon (Lugdunum), France. Caesar compared him to Mercury, the Roman God of war. He helped his associates prepare for battles in which innumerable hosts of enemies were slain. Legends say he gave power to change the weather, brew drinks of forgetfulness and create invisibility cloaks. They performed cruel torture, head-hunting and other inhumane practices accordig to Miranda J.Green’s The World of the Druids, Thames and Hudson Ltd., London, 1997. Whatever God gave as a commandment, Lugh taught the opposite. He taught idol and nature-worshipping practices, fertility rituals and human sacrifice, carnality, beastiality and seduction. The history of Ireland states Lugh became a co-ruler with kings until the Celts came to Ireland and drove him underground into the “otherworld.” His pseudo “priests” were called Druids.
On the eve of Samhain, October 31st, the pagans were taught that spirits of the dead returned from the otherworld to roam the earth. These dangerous entities were thought to be repelled by the heat and light of fire. Druids and people dressed in masks lit fires to ward off the unwelcome visitors; an interesting contrast to Israel’s welcoming of their ancestors.
Records from Ireland also tell of bonfires (bonefires) where Druids made perverted sacrifices to appease nature. Animals and humans, many political enemies, were encapsulated in great woven effigies and burned alive. Witches and Druids were spiritual and political consultants, the powers of evil reigned. Ritual sacrifice victims have been unearthed in peat bogs. The bodies of men have been found bound, choked, throats slashed with remnants of grain and mistletoe pollen in their stomachs. Women were found bound and “pinned” alive in the bogs to drown. It was taught that human blood sacrifice was necessary to replenish the earth. There were also groves for ritual sacrifice and mating rituals. Couples would cohabit for a year, with or without marriage following. A cave in France contained the bones of women and horses, ritually dismembered with human skulls made into goblets. Evidence points to the fact that many of the pagans were no more than serial killers.
When the Romans conquered the British Isles, they ended the pagan practices. The Romans brought in their own celebration of Pomona, their Goddess of Harvest, which featured fortune telling, apples and nuts. The activity we know as bobbing for apples may have had its origin in the Roman festivals. The cruel Roman soldiers were disgusted by the bloody pagan rituals. And things did not end well for the pagans. Lugdunum in France was abandoned after multiple natural disasters. as described by Louis Musset in The Germanic Invasions, The Making of Europe 400 – 600 A.D., Presses Universitaires de France 1965. (Lyon, France’s name comes from the old Lugdunum which means “Hill of Light,” or “Hill of Lugh.”) Other places were also sites of disproportionate disasters.
Madeleine Pellner Cosman describes in her delightful book Medieval Holidays and Festivals; Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, NY 1981; medieval European celebrations held in the fall that were similar to the festivities of Christmas and other major holidays. In great halls, bonfires, games and feasts were the highlights of the events. The story of St. George and the dragon was reenacted, banquets were enjoyed and stories shared. Centerpieces featuring faces carved into hollowed turnips or squash were lit with candles and placed on tables.
An indoor bonfire was recreated in the form of a candelabra ablaze with candlelight, reminiscent of the Feast of the Tabernacles. Because it was thought that the spirits were most powerful in the autumn, fortune telling was emphasized as people played games using nuts and apple peels to try to predict the future, a practice borrowed from the Romans. Selected partygoers would “go souling, ” begging for shortbread cookies and fruit from specified hosts in extortion for not playing tricks on them. Bobbing for apples, with each apple assigned the name of a potential sweetheart, was then enjoyed. The party ended with a candlelight procession three times around the hall. At the end, the candles stayed lit to cheer the party-goers and scare away evil spirits.
Halloween was not widely observed in England or the other predominantly Protestant areas of western Europe, nor was it celebrated much in Colonial America. Apparently there were some commemorations in the south and in the Catholic colony of Maryland. The English fall celebration was “Guy Fawkes Night” on November 5. Fawkes, a Catholic, weary of years of persecution of his and other non-Anglicans, lived in England in 1605. He and twelve other men created a plot to end government religious interference by blowing up the Houses of Parliament and King James as the leaders sat in session. The plot was discovered and Fawkes was executed. On the anniversary of his death, citizens of England had parades, bonfires and fireworks to commemorate his capture. The day was celebrated in the English colonies and some of the practices became part of Halloween in America. Soaping windows, removing gates from hinges and other minor acts of vandalism mimicked the actions of young English pranksters. Some of the inhabitants of the British Isles believed fairies, elves, leprechauns and witches came out at night on October 31st to create mischief. Folks dressed in scary masks and costumes to frighten away the unwelcome guests.
The people of rural Ireland brought their folk traditions and Halloween activities to America when they immigrated after the potato famine of the 1840’s. Either the Scots or the Irish introduced the first jack-o-lanterns; hollowed turnips with carved faces illuminated with candles. Carved pumpkins became the American jack-o-lanterns of legend. “Jack-of-the-lantern” was a trickster. When he died he could not enter heaven, but the devil didn’t want him either. He was doomed to walk the earth with a burning ember from hell placed in a turnip lantern to light his way.
In France, Halloween has not been celebrated until recently. In the autumn, the people celebrate “La Toussaint”, All Saints’ Day by honoring ancestors and heroes. They visit cemeteries, attend religious services and have get-togethers to enjoy harvest fruits and treats. In Mexico and Latin American countries celebrations center around “Dia De Los Muertos,” or “The Day of the Dead,” November 2nd. Family members take sugar skulls and treats to cemeteries to be placed on graves with lighted candles to welcome ancestors back to earth.
Religious people believe God created the earth and everything in it, and that in the beginning all was good. Later some creatures became associated with the forces of darkness. Perhaps because they were predators and hunted at night; black cats, bats and owls were considered omens of bad luck and were to be avoided. Spiders, toads and poisonous animals that have become traditional Halloween icons were also associated with witchcraft or evil. They were used as warnings to children to maintain cleanliness and behave.
Autumn festivals heralded a time of thanksgiving for the blessings of the harvest. After Christ and most of the apostles died, the protection of the priesthood was gone from the earth. A Catholic priest, Dominic, approached the Pope to request permission to start a monastic order. The pope showed him the treasures the church had amassed and told him that Peter could no longer say “silver and gold have I none.” To which Dominic replied, “Neither can He say, Rise and walk, “Christianity; The First Thousand Years, A & E.
People sought help and enlightenment by adopting man-made philosophies, charms and superstitions. They created activities and amulets they hoped would protect them from the forces of darkness and the mystery of the grave. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes Christ restored the priesthood with His church in 1830 through a young prophet, Joseph Smith. He delegated the authority for baptism for the living and dead, as the Apostle Paul stated “Else what shall they do which are baptizedfor the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for thedead?” The Holy Bible, New Testament; 1 Corinthians 15:9
A gentleman of my acquaintance told me that his dying wife’s final request was that she be baptized. As he considered how he might fulfill her desire, he remembered that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) performed proxy baptisms in behalf of the dead in their temples. The man asked the church to perform the baptism in behalf of his deceased wife.In folklore it’s said that spirits or ghosts can’t move on without the help of the living. Could baptism, be what is needed for the dead to progress, or “move on?” Family history consultants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can help people find their own kindred dead and submit their names for proxy baptism in Mormon temples if they wish.
After my younger brother died, I knew in my heart that we would not be separated forever. I have on special occasions felt the presence of beloved deceased family members and believe we have deep and poignant feelings about the eternal nature and welfare of our families and our souls. I also believe that through the sealing power of the Priesthood of God, that families may be united through eternity.
Soul Cakes – The Original Trick-or-Treat Treat
These tasty shortbread cookies were the original trick-or-treat treat. Long ago, Catholics believed that more prayers would hasten a soul’s ascent to heaven. Poor people went from house to house offering to pray for the deceased, in return for Soul Cakes, in a practiced called “going souling.”
SOUL CAKES or McMURTRY SHORTBREAD
They need no adornment but you may wish to frost them or use for cookie decorating for a party or carnival activity for children. Cut out with leaf, Halloween or round cookie cutters.
Preheat oven to 325°, cream together until fluffy:
1/2 C butter, room temperature
1/3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Set aside. Sift together:
1 C all-purpose flour
2 TBSP cornstarch
18 tsp salt
1/2 C chopped pecans (optional)
Work the flour mixture into the creamed mixture just until crumbly. Place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll to 1/2 ” thickness. Cut with cookie cutters, transfer to baking pan, sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake at 325°for 10-12 min. until edges are almost golden.
If you don’t have time to bake, Walker’s brand shortbread cookies are amazing!
Last-Minute Costumes!
Ideas for last-minute, economical or unique costumes – or all 3!
Would your man like to be Superman in disguise?
How about a party with a room full of superheroes in their alternate identity disguises?
Or would your children like to go as their
favorite historical or literary figure?
favorite historical or literary figure?
Halloween Family Tree
Create a Halloween Family Tree!
1. Fill an urn, bucket or other container with dry florist foam or crumpled newspaper.
2. Push in dry branches and add a few leaves.
3. Copy Halloween photos, glue them onto scrapbook paper. Add brads and ribbon.
4. Hang photos on tree, add paper Halloween ornaments.
Andrew’s Pumpkin Pie Cake
Andrew’s Pumpkin Pie Cake
Andrew votes this rich dessert better than pumpkin pie!
Preheat oven to 350°. From a box of yellow cake mix, remove
one cup of dry mix and set aside for topping. Combine remaining
cake mix with
1 egg
1/2 C butter, melted
Pat into bottom of a 9’ x 13″ baking pan. Mix together:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 large can pumpkin
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 – 12 oz cans evaporated milk
Pour over crust. Set aside. Mix together until the texture of
cornmeal, sprinkle over pumpkin filling
reserved 1 cup of cake mix
1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C chopped pecans (optional)
Bake at 350° approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until
pumpkin is set. Serve warm