It has been more than 70 years since I remember my very first extremely special Christmas. I was eight and my brother was seven. We lived in Dover Delaware. Christmas always arrived on Lockerman Avenue, the five-block long main downtown street, a little before Thanksgiving. A canopy of green garland stretched across the street punctuated […]
The End of Turkey Day
It’s been a very good day… spending it with friends and family, celebrating the Holiday season in New York, and attending a Thanksgiving Day tradition with the Dallas Cowboys. With all that… and now snow falling outside my window and the fireplace in my office roaring & crackling behind me as I type… I’m definitely in the Christmas Spirit.
124 Other Names for Santa Claus and Old Saint Nick from Around the World
Santa is someone who remains in children’s hearts forever. He’s the imaginary make-believe man who magically brings gifts and toys to kids at Christmas. To the “grown-ups”, Santa Claus is the wonderful idea of selfless giving and goodwill. Santa also has some other names too. Among them are Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, St. Nick, Pelznickel. […]
Boxing Day: a brief history
Last December, as I was planning where to eat lunch, an old acquaintance came to me with a puzzled look on her face. She showed me a flyer from a local English-themed pub advertising their celebrations for Boxing Day. There’s a community of English and Canadians in Oklahoma City, but it seemed December 26, Boxing […]
Mistletoe and Santa Claus
One of Santa’s favorite traditions around Christmas time—and surely a favorite tradition of men everywhere during Christmas —is that of mistletoe. When a man catches his wife or special someone under the mistletoe, he gets to plant a kiss on her. Of course, with all other Christmas traditions, this wonderful habit is almost as old […]