Merry Christmas!! And Happy Last Day of The 12 Days of Blogmas 2021! I have now written more blog posts in the month of December than I did for the entire rest of 2021...maybe I can keep a bit of this momentum going into the new year. I wrote both last year and also earlier... Continue Reading →
Here Comes Santa Claus! – The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 11
Santa Claus comes tonight! But before we let this stranger into our homes, maybe we should know who he even is first. People have some pretty strong opinions about what Santa looks like. News anchor Megyn Kelly once made the ridiculous proclamation on national airwaves that “By the way, for all you kids watching at... Continue Reading →
Mr. Rogers’ Hallmark Christmas Tree- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 10
In the early 1970’s, Hallmark asked several celebrities to style displays for their flagship store in Manhattan. Fred Rogers, whose show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS was becoming a success, was one of the celebrities who was asked to contribute a display. In true Mr. Rogers fashion, he took the opportunity to spread a positive... Continue Reading →
Christmas Storytelling Traditions-The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 9
My husband and I recently re-watched the Game of Thrones finale, and I was struck by this line from Tyrion Lannister: “What unites people? Armies? Gold? Flags? Stories. There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story. Nothing can stop it. No enemy can defeat it.”Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones He said this... Continue Reading →
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Christmas Poem “Christmas Bells”- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 8
Happy Day 8 of the 12 Days of Blogmas! Today we are looking at the history behind another classic Christmas carol. In 1863, the American Civil War was raging and in Massachusetts, a young son named Charles defied his father’s wishes and left to join the Union Army. He sent his father a letter after... Continue Reading →
JFK’s 1963 Christmas Cards and Dealing with Grief during the Holidays- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 7
Happy 12 Days of Blogmas Day 7! Today’s holiday topic is not one filled with the cheer and merriment that most of us wish to focus on this time of year, but it’s none the less a part of the holidays. Dealing with grief during the holiday season. Grief, which can feel overwhelming any time... Continue Reading →
The Christmas Truce of 1914- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 6
Happy 12 Days of Blogmas Day 6! Today’s story is one you are likely familiar with. It’s a well-documented and oft repeated historical event and I have read various accounts about it over the years. But I think the reason it’s a story that is repeated so frequently is because it is so remarkable. If... Continue Reading →
Henry David Thoreau’s Christmas Day Poetry- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 5
Happy 12 Days of Blogmas Day 5! Sometimes in the midst of a busy holiday season, we need to slow down and take some time to breathe and reflect on the whys behind our crazy rushing around. Henry David Thoreau, best known for his work, Walden, and reflections on nature and being an advocate for... Continue Reading →
Martin Luther King Jr’s Christmas Sermon on Peace- 12 Days of Blogmas Day 4
On Christmas Eve 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a Christmas sermon at his home congregation of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. King had been asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Company to deliver a series of five lectures for their Massey Lecture Series and the sermon was broadcast as the... Continue Reading →
The Drag Racing History Behind “Jingle Bells”- The 12 Days of Blogmas Day 3
In December 1965, NASA Mission Control experienced a few tense moments when Gemini astronauts Wally Schirra Jr and Tom Stafford called in a report of an unidentified flying object: “We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, up in a polar orbit. He’s in a very low trajectory traveling from... Continue Reading →