Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve is almost upon us, and so I thought I would give a little bit of information on the celebration, and its evolution. Some scholars believe the celebration can be traced to the Roman observance of the Winter Solstice, or "Saturnalia". The holiday was know for the letting go of discipline and rules of behavior, a free-for-all basically, under the night time sky! Think Woodstock, think Stonehenge Celtic new-agers.

By the 18th Century, revelers in cities in Philadelphia and New York often ended up in street demonstrations, bar room brawls, violence and vandalism. Groups of people would shoot off guns, scream, set off firecrackers, break down barricades, break windows. So what else is new?! We always think our times are the worst.

Of course, Auld Lang Syne was sang in more sedate gatherings, which goes back to 18th Century Britian when guests ended a party standing in a circle, singing the well-known song. By the way, the lyrics are by Robert Burns, written in 1788.

)Well, however you choose to celebrate it, the New Year, 2013, is on its way. When George Orwell wrote "1984", (written in 1949), 1984 must have seemed life-times away, a future no one could possibly comprehend. And, here we are now at 2013. There are technological advances that we thought were impossible, like even HAL in the movie "2001". We practically have Hal in our homes today, in fact with the Ipod phone and "Siri", we do have a Hal of sorts, (maybe a Halle, or Halley!

It has been a pleasure for me to research and bring tid bits of the 18th Century to you this year. I hope to be inspired again to not only bring 18th Century information, but perhaps some surprises, too. Stay tuned!

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

The Lesson of Boxing Day!

Today is Boxing Day! And what is that? Well, it is celebrated in England the day after Christmas, which is St. Stephen's Day. The name "Boxing Day" is derived from the custom of giving a "Christmas Box" to someone in need, either money or something helpful. The box was originally a receptacle into which the money or item was placed. It could be wood or clay, if clay sometimes shaped into a sphere, with a slit at the top (piggy bank?!). The gift was for the poor, or a gratuity of sorts to someone that provided a service, not a gift from equals.

The tradition goes way back, but by the 18th Century, people were complaining about the amounts that were considered the appropriate. There's always a Scrooge in our midst!

Another interesting take on the Christmas box, was that on the tallships, a box was provided by a priest while the ship was in port, it became a kind of good luck charm, where sailors hoping to ensure their returning home, would occasionally put money in the box. The box was stored safely shipboard, and if the ship returned successfully, then the money was given to the priest in exchange for a mass of thanksgiving, and the priest then distributed the monies to the poor.

Of course the lyrics of "Good King Wenceslas" sum it all up. It tells the story of the King and his Page on the Feast of Stephen. The King spots a poor man gathering fire wood, and heading home. The King drags the Page along through the snow to the man's humble home, bringing an offering. Their cold and arduous journey bring a blessing not only for the man, but for themselves:


Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing!

How true! So, remember to do an unexpected kindness this day, and count yourselves blessed!

Where Christmas Can Be Found!

Ever since the Holy Star pointed to the location of the Christ Child's manger, the tradition of celebrating Christmas and bearing gifts to those we love has filled the Winter season. Throughout December, Christmas is celebrated with the joy and excess of the groaning side-board, the enormous, glittering Christmas tree, singing of carols, outdoor lighting that has reached outrageous proportions. It is fun, and exciting, and racous, and delightful none-the-less.

But Christmas can also be found in quiet places of reflection. The further back you go in history, Christmas looked very different, definitely a religious feast day, and with very little gifting save something needed, or prized, like oranges! It was a real treat to receive a beautiful piece of the golden citrus, from some far-away exotic land!

And where were these exotic lands? If it were not for exploration and sailors finding Land, Ho! we would still think we could fall off the horizon line.

Sailors were at sea for months or even years at a time, making landfall to pick up supplies, or make repairs, and then they were on their way again. Once such sailor, that sailed for over 43 years, was British-born George Hodge. He worked shipboard from 1790 to 1833. He was self-educated and began a journal to document his journeys. He stepped aboard at age 13, and worked below decks. He not only wrote about the life, but drew as well. His diary was discovered not too long ago in the United States.

One of his entries regards Christmas: On Christmas Day in 1806 he writes: "Employ'd in wartering ship and seting up the riger ... fish for dinner." 
That's the long and short of it! But he did make note of the date.

I often remember the passage from Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" that describes the people at sea in a storm:

"Again the Ghost (of Christmas Present) sped on, above the black and heaving sea -- on, on -- until, being far away, as he told Scrooge, from any shore, they lighted on a ship. They stood beside the helmsman at the wheel, the look-out in the bow, the officers who had the watch; dark, ghostly figures in their several stations; but every man among them hummed a Christmas tune, or had a Christmas thought, or spoke below his breath to his companion of some bygone Christmas Day, with homeward hopes belonging to it. And every man on board, waking or sleeping, good or bad, had had a kinder word for another on that day than on any day in the year; and had shared to some extent in its festivities; and had remembered those he cared for at a distance, and had known that they delighted to remember him."

This year a great deal of the Christmas Season for me has been spent at the bedside of my Dad who is in a rehab/nursing facility suffering the ravaging effects of later-stage Pakinson's disease. It is heart-breaking to see a man so full of life reduced to the shell of the person I have known and counted on all my life.

But, still, Christmas is to be found even here. I have received many presents already, though they are different than expected. I have the gift of seeing the strength of my family, pulling together to be helpful at this time. I have the gift of friends who have called me to offer help, or prayers, or to relay a funny or happy story. They sustain me. The staff at the facility are compassionate and kind which is a gift. People always hear nightmare stories of nursing homes. It is not always true. I have the gift of being able to assist my Dad, even if only to wheel him down the hall of the facility to see the Christmas tree, or help him enjoy a couple spoonfuls of his favorite smoothie. I have the ears to hear his whispered voice, when he asks for something. I have the gift of him reaching for my hand, and telling me I am his pal.

We must remember that the Christ Child was born, not in the lap of luxury, but in a crude and cold barn. But, His Light brings warmth to all the world, a Light that fills even the darkest space. And here, then, is where Christmas is found.

Merry Christmas to all! God bless you, one and all!

An 18th Century Orthodox Saint

Each morning, I start the day with a good cup of coffee, and the daily scriptural readings provided by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website http://www.goarch.org/. Along with those epistle and gospel readings are information of the various saints that are honored on the calendar for that day. For us Orthodox Christians, our patron saint and being named for them, is very important. It gives us a special saint to pray to, to intercede for us with God, and a role model for our lives. Generally, we keep an icon of our patron saint in our homes to venerate, or honor.

Today, on the calendar is Saint Herman of Alaska, who was born near Moscow in 156. He is an 18th Century Saint, who became a monk at an early age, living in a hermitage near St. Petersburg, when he became very ill. He was healed by the holy Mother of God who appeared to him there. He later went into the wilderness to pray, and answered a call for missionaries to the Aleuts in the New World. He settled on Spruce Island, and even in the face of grave affliction, he helped spread God's Word to his new countrymen.

The icon of St. Herman at left is interesting, because it not only holds his image, but smaller ones of his life from its beginning, to his pilgrimage to Alaska (the Aleutian Islands). If you look closely you can see the Native peoples. Below is a chapel that was built
built in 1898 over the site where St. Herman was buried on Spruce Island in December 1836.

It's interesting to note that we think of the saints as living way back in the day, and not as real people. But they are! And, though we don't see many saints canonized these days, they do exist in more recent times, including St. Herman in the 18th Century, St. Nektarios who lived from 1846-1920, as well as the Imperial Russian Royal Family, who died at the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1917 (see their icon at right above).  They are considered martyrs for the Faith. I can thank a friend of mine for the information on the Romanovs! I did not know this.

Handel's Messiah: Halleluiah!

With Christmas coming, I always get out my holiday CDs to accompany me along my daily drives to work and play! One of my favorites is Handel's Messiah, which chronicals Christ's life from birth to death, and Resurrection. It is an Oratorio, or piece similar to opera with music and song advancing the story, but unlike opera which is musical theatre, an oratorio is a concert. So costumes or sets, but the orchestra and singers on stage.

Handel, who was German, found himself in the mid-1700's in England. He loved it there, and the English loved him and his work.
He composed the Messiah in 1741 with text compiled by Charles Jennen, from the King James Bible, along with Psalms from the Book of Common Prayer. It is written in three parts: the Coming of Christ, His Passion and Death, and the Resurrection. Some arias are for the soprano or alto voice, others for baritone and even bass. It is gorgeous, each one with its own special beauty. Some are very familiar to us, like the Halleluiah chorus, but there are some other gems, like "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd".

Handel first performed the Messiah in Dublin in 1742 at the Great Music Hall (at right). This arose out of an invitation from the Duke of Devonshire, who was the First Lieutenant of Ireland at the time. The Londoners were aghast, but he deferred to the Duke, who probably footed the bill for the concert as well. Money talks!

Anyway, It is well worth a listen, especially at this time of year. Apart from all the holiday hoopla selections, like "Jingle Bell Rock", "Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", "Gramma Got run over by a Reindeer", it is nice to hear something that actually contemplates the true meaning of the season; that it is Jesus' birthday, and in that, there is great hope!

What's it worth to you?!

Researching some Christmas traditions this day, I came across something unusual and fun.
George Washington was fond of exotic animals, and in 1787, he paid 18 shillings for a camel to live temporarily at Mount Vernon during the Christmas season! He felt it would be something with which to entertain his guests, and perhaps he had in mind the nativity scene and the Three Wise Men's arrival to see The King of Kings.

 As holidays in the 18th Century were rather low key, this must have caused quite a stir. Generally, people got together with family and friends to enjoy good food and drink, and sing carols, and chat. And, the camel would certainly have given them much to chat about.


By the way, during his time in office, George paid to see a lioness, a tiger, a cougar, sea leopard, an elephant and a "very smart" dog.

So, what's a shilling worth in the late 1700's? Well, I did some research on that as well. There are 20 shillings to the pound. So, George would have paid a little less than a pound to have the camel visit. Now, there were no US dollars until about 1790, but the pound was worth about $4.50. That was alot of money!

See this interesting fact below:

"A "forty shilling freeholder" in 1780 was a person with enough money that they had the right to vote. A survey done in NYC shortly after the Constitution was signed in 1787 found that about 20% of New York City residents had that much property. So having a net worth of 40 shillings then would put you in the upper 20% of net worths of people who lived in NYC" (taken from Amazon answers).

Money is all relative. One can always justify the purchase of something, if they want it badly enough. I guess George felt the camel was worth it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silent Night, Holy Night!

The idea of the Nativity Creche, or the display of figures representing Christ's Manger, is nothing new. In fact, one of the most impressive Creches is the one displayed each holiday season at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City!And, it is from the 18th Century!

Each year, in the museum's entry lobby, an enormous Christmas tree and the famed Neapolitan Baroque creche is there for viewing from mid-November to January of the New Year. The tree is real, a 20 foot blue spruce, and the collection of almost life-sized figures include angels and cherubs hovering over the Nativity scene. Christmas music is played and a daily lighting takes place. This tradition has been kept since the 1950's when Loretta Hines Howard's donation of the figures made this possible. She began collecting the wood carved figures in 1925. The tree top is also a carved piece, the Christmas Star!

I, too, keep the tradition going in my home. Of course, mine is a more reasonable size!
I bring it out each year, and set up the scene, sometimes with lights, sometimes with candles, sometimes with a snowy blanket. I haven't quite decided what I will do this year, but it's out of the box, and set in place. I am waiting for inspiration! Any ideas?

A Difficult Time, but a Time to be Hopeful and Grateful, too.

I have been away for awhile, and for good reason. My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease (PD) in 1990. He has lived with, and managed pretty well for 20 years, with the care of his doctors, and most importantly, the concern and nurturing of my Mother, his wife for over 60 years.

Unfortunately, and we all knew this day would come (though we had that fact tucked way, way back in our minds), he is now very ill, truly struck down with the advanced stages of the disease. It is a heart-break and as  a family, we feel helpless, but to be there for him as we can, pray for him and for guidance from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My Dad was admitted to a hospital last Monday for a particular episode, and then transferred to a rehab facility on Tuesday, where he remains to this day. Our family is all taking turns visiting him, but it is exhausting and we can only take one day at a time.

Interestingly enough, the disease has been recorded from ancient times, not as Parkinson's, but accounting particular symptoms that today we would acknowledge as PD. Even an Egyptian papyrus describes resembling symptoms!  Though there were treatises written in the 17th Century, it was not until 1817 that English doctor James Parkinson (at left) published his definitive essay on particular six cases. His "Essay on the Shaking Palsy" described the tremor, abnormal posture and gait, diminished muscle strength and the way the disease progresses over time. The disease was named in his honor.

Today, the campaign for information, awareness and a cure for Parkinson's has a TULIP symbol as a logo. Why?  In 1980, a Dutch horticulturalist, who had Parkinson’s, developed a new cultivar of tulip and named it after Dr. James Parkinson, the English doctor who originally described the condition.

I am greatly saddened by the events of the past week, but it is December, and it is a time, according to my Christian Orthodoxy, to be hopeful and grateful. I am hopeful that God will be merciful to my Dad and our family, and I am grateful to see how we, as a family have pulled together, risen to the occasion, kept our heads, looked to be proactive. I am also grateful to friends who have reached out to be supportive, to keep us in their prayers. If I am missing in action for awhile, now you will know why.