Words to Make You Think
Christmas lasts as long as the love for others in your heart.
Origins of the Christmas Tree
The use of greenery and lights at Christmas goes back to the celebration of the Kalends of January in ancient Rome. Kalends was a celebration of the Roman New Year when people gave each other gifts of green boughs, honey treats, lamps for light and warmth, and silver and gold objects (The latter probably being the most popular.) They also trimmed trees with trinkets and toys during Saturnalia, and put candles on them to indicate the sun’s return to earth. The Druids honoured Odin by tying golden apples and other offerings to tree branches, and set lighted candles on…
Share this:
Disturbances by Bill Hunt.
There is no holiday quite like Christmas. It is almost everyone’s favorite time of year. The snow, the presents, the lights, the food, the fun, the family – it is all so wonderful! Don’t you wish it would never end? Be careful what you wish for. Chaos and confusion erupt when not one, but two, careless wishes disrupt the lives of our favorite miniature dragons and their human Guardians. The evil Dr. David Simpson may be safely behind bars, but all is far from well, in Disturbances: the third book in the Garson series by author Bill Hunt. Ho-ho-hold on!…
Share this:
Words to Make You Think
Christmas only lasts one day, but let the love and good wishes it brings stay with you always.
Share this:
Christmas Origins!
So, it is almost Christmas again, and time for the mad panic that it always causes as we rush around for cards and presents. That means it’s also time for my first Christmas blog, all about the origins of the special day. The word ‘Christmas’ comes from the Old English term ‘Cristes Mæsse’, meaning the ‘Mass of Christ’. The story of Christmas, as we all know, begins with the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. Many believe that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. December could well have been chosen so the Catholic Church…
Share this:
Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on varied dates of the year in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modelled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people. The Pilgrims travelled from Europe to the New World, a continent they had never known before, in hopes of creating a community free to worship God away from the strict rules of their old government. For many hard months they journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean enduring vicious…
Share this:
Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night is celebrated on 5th Nov. The date of the famous Gunpowder Plot coincides with the end of the English harvest season, traditionally marked with festivals. However you enjoy Bonfire Night, make sure all animals are safe and unafraid! #CrimsonCloakPublishing #BonfireNight #GuyFawkes #fireworks
Share this:
A light-hearted history of Bonfire Night.
The historic origins of Bonfire Night date to the conflict between virtually outlawed Catholics and the Protestant establishment of the 16th and early 17th century. On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes (the real one, not the stuffed variety) and a group of Catholic conspirators who felt badly treated by the King put 36 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar underneath the Houses of Parliament. (Not a bad idea, do I hear you say?) Some of those involved in the plot however, realised that innocent people would be killed in the explosion. One plotter wrote a letter warning his friend to…
Share this:
Halloween
It will soon be Halloween everyone. I’m sure my character ‘Gertie’ from ‘Caution: Witch in Progress’ will enjoy this important day in all witches calendars! Though we celebrate Halloween on 31st October each year, do you know why? Well, here is a brief explanation! Halloween seems to have its roots in the Celtic celebration of Samhain, the last day of the Celtic calendar. Samhain was a Pagan harvest festival celebrated by huge sacred bonfires in honour of the dead, marking the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one. Fire often symbolised the…
Share this:
Guest Blog by Beverly Mann Lessard
“Are You Emotionally Ready To Retire” At some point, everyone is going to retire whether at age forty-two or ninety-two. Author Beverly Lessard, compiling conversations from over two hundred interviews, discusses how people best prepared for that special day, revealing the road map taken for enjoying the golden years. But even if retirement is years away, it’s never too early to start your journey on the right foot. Buy on Amazon here Buy on Barnes and Noble here “Parenting and Grandparenting” This book is a collection of true life stories by author Beverly Lessard which will tickle the heart of every…
