“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukkah’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.  People passing each other on the street would say ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukkah!’  or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!'”

 

 – Dave Barry

 

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Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

 

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

 

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

 

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

 

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

 

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

 

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

 

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

 

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

 

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

 

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

 

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

 

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1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
2. Christmas Story (1983)
3. Miracle of 34th Street (1947)
4. Die Hard (1988)
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

 

Runners up: Home Alone, Scrooged

 

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Visit, check it out, make yourself a friend of E-Verse!

 

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Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

 

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Franklin Pierce was the first United States president to decorate an official White House Christmas tree.

 

“Hot cockles” was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. “Hot cockles” was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.

 

According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.

 

An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight cards return in their place.

 

Hallmark introduced its first Christmas cards in 1915, five years after the founding of the company.

 

In an effort to solicit cash to pay for a charity Christmas dinner in 1891, a large crab pot was set down on a San Francisco street, becoming the first Salvation Army collection kettle.

 

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1 quart reduced-fat dairy eggnog or 1 can (1 quart) eggnog
1 can (12 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
1 can (12 ounces) ginger ale (chilled)

Booze of your choice

 

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A Charlie Brown Scrubs Christmas:

 

 

iFilm top 100 viral videos for 2006 and will show a snippet of one of them.

 

 

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“You forgot Stephen Millhauser’s great book on the department store, his novel, Martin Dressler. I have never read a book that describes both the inner workings of what makes a great dream emporium as well as what makes a person want to build a dream emporium. His descriptions of his buildings (while in many ways also a history of the rise of mercantilism in NYC as well as of the luxury life style) is also a very religious book on how the rise and fall of Martin Dressler, tied to the American Dream as Millhauser fashions it, was also the rise and fall in the belief in that kind of life. He took capitalism’s own myths about itself and created a fantasy novel that slices open the glitz and shows the horror beneath it. I do think it was one of the most remarkable books of recent years and yet it seems to have fallen to the wayside for no good reason. Thanks for the shopping show, it was loads of fun, and I liked the tie.”

 

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1. It’s the only Jewish holiday that commemorates a military victory, the defeat of the Syrianized Greeks led by King Antiochus IV in 165 B.C.E. by the Hebrews, though technically it celebrates a miracle: that the sacred oil used to keep the temple in Jerusalem’s eternal flame lit lasted for 8 days instead of just one day.

2. It’s one of the most recently established Jewish holidays, so recent that some communities don’t celebrate it because it appears they left on the Diaspora before it was introduced.

 

3. It’s one of the most minor Jewish holidays, in no way equivalent in importance for Jews to Christmas for Christians.

 

4. “Chanukah” means “dedication,” as the Temple in Jerusalem, defiled with a statue of Zeus by Antiochus’ men, was rededicated after the defeat, with an 8 day celebration

 

5. The Hebrews were led by Judah Maccabee and his six brothers. For centuries, bones purportedly to be the remains of the Maccabees have lain in the church San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) in Rome in a sarcophagus divided into seven sections, one for each Maccabee. More recent scientific examination has shown the remains to be dog bones. But they’re still there and you can visit them. This church is also where Michelangelo’s Moses is, which is the statue that started to make people think Jews had horns.

 

Bonus: Chanukah begins the night of Friday, December 15th, and continues for 8 days until sunset on December 23rd.

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2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups lightly salted peanuts 

Makes 45 pieces
Total time: 1 hour

 

Step 1: Grease and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil.

Step 2: In a large, heavy saucepan over moderate heat, cook the sugar, butter, and water, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes a golden-brown syrup, about 25 minutes. Remove to a cool surface.

Step 3: Stir in the peanuts and pour mixture into the pan, spreading the nuts evenly.

Step 4: Let peanut brittle set and cool before breaking into bite-size pieces. It can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.

 

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Bethlehem, PA

 

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A Modern yet Traditional Mulled Wine Recipe:
 
2 lemons
2 oranges
1 – 750 ml bottle of medium, to full, bodied red wine  Nutmeg (to taste)
Cloves (to taste)
1 oz brandy or Cognac (or to taste)
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar (optional)
Herbal or citrus influenced tea (optional but excellent)
Water (optional softener instead of tea)
4 large cinnamon sticks
4 candy canes

 

Instructions for making four large portions
Cut lemons and oranges into slices.
Pour the red wine into saucepan and gradually heat.
Add fruit slices, nutmeg, cloves and brandy.
Keep an eye on the mixture and wait until it becomes hot to the touch.
At this point you could blend in sugar or water (if desired).
Pour into glasses/mugs and add tea (to taste).
Garnish with cinnamon stick and candy cane.

 

Serve liberally to friends and loved ones, and sing along with the corniest holiday songs you can find

 

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 E-Verse Radio’s collective noun of the week:

 

A Sleigh of Santas

 

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