Planning a Christmas party? In need of a treat to bring to the office party? Have hungry mouths to feed after the energy-depleting present opening? Here are just a few appetizer recipes, easy and elaborate, to choose from. Sweet & Savory Cranberry Pinwheels 8 oz package cream cheese, softened at...
Mulled Wine 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine 1 orange, sliced 1/4 cup brandy (optional) 1/4 cup honey or sugar 8 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let...
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness. ~William Shakespeare For each new morning with its light, For rest...
Last Friday I posted a blog with assorted trivia about Thanksgiving. That post can be read here: Did you know THIS about Thanksgiving? Now for a random selection of additional statistics and factoids about this special American holiday. The traditional cornucopia is a curved goat’s horn filled to brim...
Are you planning a Thanksgiving party or family gathering? If so, it may help pass the hours while waiting for the turkey to bake if there are plenty of fun activities and games. Here are a few suggestions, some from the present and others from the past. High Energy Games...
Want to impress your guests on Thanksgiving? Or, maybe a brain twisting trivia game to pass the hours while the bird cooks is on the planned entertainment agenda. Here are random bits of holiday-related minutia to help ya out. Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879), who tirelessly worked to establish Thanksgiving as...
As many of you undoubtedly know, for the 2010 holiday season my publisher, Sourcebooks, released an anthology of Pride and Prejudice focused novellas titled A Darcy Christmas. Included in the anthology were short stories by Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhart, and me! Fortunately for Darcy fans everywhere, A Darcy Christmas remains...
For my final post on Halloween I am going to lighten up a bit. As noted in the previous blog posts, Halloween origins are a jumbled collage, so in most cases pinning a particular ritual to where it came from is a shot in the dark. Holidays don’t show up fully formed,...
Following up on the previous posts on this bizarre holiday taking place, the next question is: How did Halloween become so popular? One note I must make is that despite serious study that contradicts the direct, complete link to the Celts and Samhain celebrations, most commentaries maintain this as the...
The origins of “Halloween” are steeped in mystery, vague references, superstitions, and suppositions. Personally I am not a fan of Halloween due to the death, terror, and general nastiness are at the center of the day. Enmeshing myself into that sort of stuff is not high on my list! Despite...
In the early years when the Roman Empire persecuted Christians, many martyrs died for their faith. Christians have been honoring these martyrs since at least the second century AD. The Martyrdom of Polycarp, probably written near the middle of the second century, attests to this reality: Accordingly, we afterwards took up...
Now let the heavens be joyful, Let earth her song begin: Let the round world keep triumph, And all that is therein; Invisible and visible, Their notes let all things blend, For Christ the Lord is risen Our joy that hath no end. Q: How do bunnies stay healthy?...
Today is Good Friday and a traditional favorite in England is Hot Cross Buns. These are a spicy currant or raisin studded yeast bun, topped with a “Cross” of lemon flavored icing. While Christians have adopted the cake and the symbolism of the cross, it wasn’t always so. To Pagans...
Today is Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday or Great Thursday. The term “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum which means “command” and refers to the command Jesus issued on the last Thursday of His life, which was to “love one another as I have loved...
EASTER is the top-selling confectionery holiday in the west, second only to Halloween. Each year witnesses the making of nearly 90 million chocolate bunnies. Statistically, 76% of people bite off the chocolate bunny ears first, while 5% bite the feet first and 4% eat the tail first. I wonder who...
