It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I don't normally put any Christmas decorations up this early, but with the gloomy November that we've had, I just wanted to bring a little light and colour back into our lives...

"The History of Christmas says that the tradition of lighting the darkness goes back to the Yule, a midwinter festival celebrated by Norsemen. The festival boasted nights of feasting, drinking Yule, the Norse god Odin’s sacrificial beer and watching the fire leap around the Yule log burning in the home hearth.

The lighting of the Yule log spread throughout Europe. Many believed the log’s flame summoned the sun’s return and drove away evil spirits. Over time Christianity adopted this Norse tradition and the light from the Yule log came to represent Jesus as Light in the darkness.

In time people set candles in their windows on long winter nights to welcome weary travelers. For Christians it became a symbol to welcome Mary and Joseph after their long trek to Bethlehem." www.washingtontimes.com