A New Year of Old Traditions
Since we’re already well into the month of January, I thought I’d share some of my late New Year’s Day traditions that I never do on time.
An Epiphany for All
Today is the Epiphany, the last of the 12 Days of Christmas. To celebrate, here’s a brief history of the day’s meaning and a Galette de Roi cake recipe that is worthy of a king–or three!
The Merry Christmas Gentlemen
Did you know that the famous Christmas Carol “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen” once an an alternative meaning? Everything changed due to a simple grammatical mistake.
Waiting for the Darkest Day
Tonight the Winter Solstice begins, marking the longest night of the year. It’s a night that people, for centuries, have celebrated with hope in their hearts that spring will come sooner rather than later. And, to celebrate, we’re cleaning the house and making a simmer pot.
A Candy Cane for Christmas
Candy canes are not just sweet holiday treats. They have an old and interesting backstory that continues to this day.
An Ember to Light Your Days
Today begins the first of three Ember Days known as the Winter Embertide. It’s a time of waiting, reflecting, and giving thanks. It’s also a time of preparation for the joyous season ahead. And it comes with its own onion tart!
The Legend of the Evergreen Trees
A short tale about the legend of evergreen trees, and their kindness and generosity one Christmas Eve a long, long time ago.
Happy Saint Nicholas Day!
Today is the feast day of St. Nicholas, the man who would become Santa Claus. But before he was a compassionate gift giver, he was a bishop whose powerful right hook made him famous in 325 AD. And there’s also a cookie recipe in his honor!
Happy Halloween… and the Days of Saints and Souls
Happy Halloween! Also known as the first day in a three-day celebration that celebrates the light from the dark, and the living and the dead.
A Halloween Short Story: The Pit and the Pendulum
It’s time for another Halloween Short Story, and this one, written by Edgar Allan Poe, stars one of my favorite unreliable narrators of all time: the unnamed victim in The Pit and the Pendulum.
The Witch’s Broom
Recently, my great niece asked me why witches fly on brooms. Since I didn’t know the answer, I did my usual thing that included a deep dive into the folklore behind the witch’s broom. And this is what I found: Not much.
A Halloween of Dislodged Souls
Halloween is a “liminal time” when ghouls and ghosts roam the earth. But one of the scariest monsters appears in the sky, in the form of a murder of crows…also known as the Sluagh na marbh.