Christmas Holiday Stories and Recipes | The Christmas Chimney

Christmas Ghost in the Cathedral

Santa Fan — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:38:24 +0000

In my family we always have and always will go to church on Christmas Eve. Now we go to church every week, but for the Christmas mass we go to a Cathedral in the city.

Where my family always sits there is a very fancy wood piece carved into the wall about 150 feet from us. I have never liked the church. It is so old, and don’t get me wrong, it really is beautiful, but I have always gotten a bad feeling by it.

When I was really little I thought I was seeing someone walking behind it. But all I could see was a shadow. I never pointed it out to my mom…

Will’s Christmas Visitor

Santa Fan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:40:31 +0000

This story was told to me by one of my customers. This gentleman is a very serious, quiet natured, older man, who never jokes around about anything, a very “salt of the earth” person, so, I take the story he shared with me to be a true tale…

One Christmas time, several years ago, “Will” went by to check on “Janie”. Janie was now a widow, she had been since earlier in the year when her husband “David” had passed away rather suddenly of a heart attack at a relatively young age, he was only in his 40s. Will was a little bit older than Janie and David and as they were all from the…

Paranormal December

Santa Fan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:01:59 +0000

My parents and I had lived in this small one bedroom house; it used to be a guest home for a much bigger house. When we first moved there in 1997 I would always have nightmares. We eventually moved to much bigger house but during the time we lived there, I would always see and hear things.

When I turned six I started sleeping on the couch. In December of 2003, when I was eight, I had the worst “nightmare” of my life! I was lying in the couch, trying to fall asleep, but I couldn’t. The lights from the Christmas tree kept me awake. I stared at the star on top of the tree…

The Origins of Santa Claus

Santa Fan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:12:45 +0000

HO HO HO

The battle cry of Christmas. Just where did Santa Claus come from? Why do most accounts have him living at the North Pole? Is there any truth to the stories of kind and generous souls who left gifts for children on Christmas Eve? Where did the reindeer come in, and why does he wear a red suit?

St. Nicholas, who was a Greek Orthodox bishop in the 4th century of what is now Turkey is one of the earliest ideas of what we now know as Santa Claus. He was a kind and generous soul who gave gifts and dowries to poor children. There is also the German god Odin, who led…

Christmas Traditions From Around The World

Santa Fan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:40:05 +0000

December 25 is the day Christians celebrate as the birth of Jesus Christ… however, it is unknown when the birth actually happened, and the chances of it being in December are slim. December 25 was originally a pagan holiday in Babylonian times to herald the Son of the Goddess of Nature (Isis). It was celebrated with a huge feast and much merriment.

The standard Christmas traditions of the United States came from Great Britain. There is an interesting tale of the tradition of hanging stockings…. when Father Christmas came down the chimney, gold coins fell out of his pocket. A stocking that had been hung over the hearth to dry caught the coins… hence hanging…

The Christmas Tree Ghost

Santa Fan — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:18:16 +0000

This story happens every Christmas Season roughly around December 1st to the 20th.

The first incident or encounter happened on December 7, 2004. It was 3 am in the morning, when out of the blue, I woke up thirsty and of course got up and went to get a glass of water. After doing so, I noticed someone or some thing was standing just on the left side of the Christmas Tree and it was staring at my cousin’s room with it’s two red eyes and I couldn’t make out a face. I tried talking to it by asking who it was or what it was doing in our house at that time but I…

Christmas Traditions In Germany

Santa Fan — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:18:11 +0000

In Germany, the preparations for the Christmas celebration usually begins in November. The people in Germany set aside special evenings so that they can bake delicious deserts and make Christmas decorations and gifts.

December 6 is Nikolaustag, St. Claus day. On the eve of December 5, shoes or boots are set beside the fireplace. While all the children are asleep, St. Nicholas goes from house to house with his book of sins, which lists all the misdeeds of the children.

If he checks his book and finds out that the child has been good, he will fill the boot with holiday candies and treats. But, if the child has been naughty, he would awake to…

Pre-Christian Roots Of Christmas

Santa Fan — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:31:19 +0000

Many of the traditions and customs that are part of our current Christmas festivities have been with us since long before the birth of Christ. Christmas, as we know it today, evolved from year end and new year holy days that were celebrated in the Near East, Rome and Northern Europe.

Before Rome “converted” to Christianity there were three major holy days that were celebrated.

Saturnalia
Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for eight days. This festival was in honor of Saturn who was a prehistoric king and god that was believed to have taught their ancestors agriculture, civilization and peace. The celebration started with the sacrifice of a pig which was attended by…

Childhood Christmas Memories

Santa Fan — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:35:50 +0000

My earliest Christmas memory is from 1966, I was only two years old but I still have a clear picture of that Christmas Tree with the presents and in particular a toy train, unwrapped and resting on a circular set of train tracks. I talked to my mother about this memory when I was about ten years old. She was amazed that I had such a clear memory and she told me how young I was and where we had lived at the time. I asked her if it was an upstairs apartment in a big white house, yes it was, she said. Why did my mind choose to remember going up those steps and…

Christmas Peppermint Bark

Santa Fan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:42:21 +0000

With these semisweet chocolate overtop that give it a two tone zebra color treats you are sure to want these in your stockings or gift baskets. They are sure to please kids of all ages.

Ingredients:

10 regular size candy canes
2 pounds (1 kg) white chocolate

Cooking Instructions:

Take wax paper or parchment paper and line your cookie sheet with this.

Let your kid(s) help you unwrap the candy canes then place them in a zip lock bag and then take a hammer or rolling pin and crush the candy canes into chunks of less than 1/4 of an inch then set aside.

To melt your white chocolate place in a boiler or…