Twas The Night Before Christmas

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT

The Story of Saint Valentines Day

The holiday of St. Valentine's Day probably derives its origins from the ancient Roman

feast of Lupercalia. In the early days of Rome, fierce wolves roamed the woods nearby.

The Romans called upon one of their gods, Lupercus, to keep the wolves away. A

festival held in honor of Lupercus was celebrated February 15th. The festival was

celebrated as a spring festival. Their calendar was different at that time, with February

falling in early springtime.

One of the customs of the young people during that time was name-drawing. On the eve

(the night before) of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on

slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man drew a slip. The girl whose name

was chosen was to be his sweetheart for the year.

Legend has it that the holiday became Valentine's Day after a Catholic priest named

Valentine. Valentine was a priest in Rome at the time Catholicism began dominating the

area. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II, ordered the Roman soldiers not to marry,

become engaged, or choose a companion of the same sex as it would interrupt their

serving as soldiers.  So, Claudius II, believed that as married men, or men with

companions, his soldiers would want to stay home with their families or companions

rather than fight in his wars.  Valentine defied the Emperor's decree and secretly

married the young couples. He was eventually arrested, imprisoned, and put to death.  

Later, the priest became a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

Valentine was beheaded on February 14th, the eve of the Roman holiday Lupercalia.

After his death, Valentine was named a saint, and his day of celebration was on his day

of death as it was believed that due to his courage, he truly merited eternal rest. As

Rome became more Christian, the Catholic priests moved the spring holiday,

Lupercalia, from the 15th of February to the 14th of Febry, and renamed it St.

Valentine's Day.

         Now the holiday honors St. Valentine instead of Lupercus.  The holiday is celebrated        

         today in somewhat the same manner, but the philosophy of the day remains the same, to          

remember what love is.  Tokens of this love are called “valentines”, which are given to                      

another on that day as warrants of friendship or more.  The color of the day is red, standing

for loving someone enough to die for them.  Marketing now dominates the true meaning of the     

 holiday or holy day when we buy more than one type of valentine for another.

Easter History

What is the meaning of Easter and its symbols?

Easter History

Easter originated in the second century. It was originally a pagan festival.  It is a celebration of the coming of spring. Its date was set by the Council of Nicaea, as the first Sunday after the Vernal Equinox.

It is an internationally celebrated holiday. It is celebrated in Africa, Australia, Europe and Mexico.  It celebrates the resurrection of the lord, and therefore new beginnings of spring as well as all life.

It is where the three main religions of the world, Hebrew, Islam and Christian, unite as one. Easter owes its origin to Teutonic Mythology, who were of Germanic descent.

Easter Egg

            The Easter eggs are eggs that have been dyed and or decorated for Easter. They are usually dyed pink or blue or green or other spring colors as well as other springtime designs. They are traditionally hard boiled chicken eggs; however jellybeans and chocolate may be used as a substitute or in addition to the eggs.

           
 Decorating eggs is much older then Easter. Both the eggs and the rabbits are age old fertility symbols. The Passover Seder uses hard boiled eggs flavored with salt water as a symbol of new life as well as the temple service in Jerusalem. This tradition may have been borrowed from Roman Spring Feasts. Persians also painted eggs for their New Year celebration which fell on the Spring Equinox.  Greeks dye eggs red the color of blood, for the renewal of springtime, which later signified Christ’s blood.

Easter Bunny

            The Easter Bunny originates in Western European cultures. This is an example of folklore mythology, which children often grow out of. Bunnies symbolize spring fertility of the Earth at the Vernal Equinox.