May all here have a very very Merry Christmas and may the New Year be good to us all.

Thank you, DK!

And the same to you and to your family.

I'd like to echo DK in wishing all the TVNL family Happy Holidays and a Happy, Happy New Year.

May 2007 bring peace and prosperity to us all.





Catherine

Yes, may 2007 bring peace and prosperity to the world!

This was just sent to me, I hope you enjoy!

http://www.andiesisle.com/thefirstchristmasgift.html

the same goes for me to all here at the site and to thier families.

hope that 07 is better year for all mankind than what has transpired in 06.
at least we have the real prospect of hope when the dems are sworn in come january.

god bless all a merry christmas and a happy new year.

Another Christmas gift. This explains so much. The song still drives me up a wall.

Christmas History Lesson

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Well just read on:

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for the young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning, the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

1. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

2. Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

3. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

4. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

5. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books.

6. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creating.

7. Seven swans a swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.

8. The eight maids a milking were the eight beatitudes.

9. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

10. The ten lords a leaping were the ten commandments.

11. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples..

12. The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.

So there is your history for today. I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.......

Wow, thank you so much for sharing that. I am going to print that out.

Yes, now the song makes sense, doesn't it DK!

I also like the 'Deck of Cards' piece that explains how a deck of cards relates to Christianity. Was popular way back when...

I have that song both in the old version and the newer Vietnam version. Everytime I hear that song I think of our service men away from home during this special time of year.

My brother in law and sister were here for the weekend and he is also retired from the military and we were remembering being away from home. I was gone almost 7 years before I was able to spend a Christmas with my mom and dad and he was gone almost 9 years.

My dad passed away shortly after Christmas in 1997 and for some reason I had a feeling that would be his last Christmas so I made this huge party for my mom and dad, It was great my sisters came with their kids and we had a very nice time.

Again thank you for sharing that with us.

That is so neat dori! I am Catholic and never knew that... I will pass that along to Dad ...guess you really can learn something new everyday... thanks !

And Merry Christmas everyone... all the beautiful icons you all have posted, they are simply lovely!


And a Joyful and Peaceful New Year!

Yes, first time I had ever heard of this, and I think it was the first time my friend had heard it too. He is a very devout Catholic and not much gets by him.

I was thinking, it is supposed to be a secret, and it certainly was to so many of us today. I can see why it became so popular with the people of it's time.

And yes, Merry Christmas to all, and hopefully a more sane year in 2007.

Thanks DK and all. Same to everyone here. And yes, may the new year bring peace to everyone on earth.