Let’s start in the beginning. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth…” One the sixth day God created people, pronounced it better than good, declaring it was very good. On the seventh day, God rested. It was the first Sabbath, when man and woman could be in communion with God. In the beginning we were holy and able to be in the presence of God. From the…
I have already told you about Nicklaus, but there is another very interesting aspect that concerns the Netherlands in particular.
In the 4th century after his death, the veneration of St. Nicholas spread rapidly to southern Italy, the Mediterranean region and then to the port cities on the Atlantic and North Sea coasts.
Gablestone in Amsterdam's Sint-Nicolaassteeg (x)
In the 12th and 13th centuries, 23 Saint Nicholas churches were built in Holland, many of which are still standing today. Amsterdam made Nicholas its patron saint, and Rome declared 6 December, Nicholas' death anniversary, an official holiday. The great importance that Nicholas had for the Netherlands is probably due to the fact that Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and merchants. Traditionally, therefore, of the professions that have long underpinned the importance of the Netherlands worldwide. and so Saint Nicholas became the most important figure of the Christmas season - after the actual occasion of this festival, of course, the birth of Christ. In the Netherlands, Sint Nicolaas (Sinterklaas for short) is more important than Father Christmas (Kerstman). Experts are not yet in agreement as to whether St. Nicholas and Father Christmas are one and the same figure, or at least whether one is derived from the other.
Every year, Sinterklaas, accompanied by his helpers, the Zwarten Pieten (Black Peters), sails by ship from Spain - where, according to legend, he lives throughout the year - to the Dutch coast. On the last Saturday in November, he finally reaches the Dutch port cities by ship. Traditionally, he is greeted by those waiting with a song (a translation from Dutch):
The ship where does it come from?
The ship, where does it come from? from Spain!
On board is St. Nich'laus. We are waiting very much.
He sits high on horseback, the holy man.
The flags are waving, the ship is docking.
He rides ashore, he waves to us with dignity,
The children in the Nuh gather around him.
His coat is bright red, his beard is white,
And the way he looks at us, I feel cold and hot.
But Pieter, his black companion, is laughing.
He has brought a huge sack with him.
What do you think is in it? Presents? Of course!
The rod for the one who has been naughty?
On this ship he brings the presents for the Dutch children. Equipped, of course, with the red book in which the good and bad deeds of the children are recorded - in the best St. Nicholas tradition.
Oh, and by the way, after the crossing in America, the Dutch put up a statue of the Sinterklass in Nieuw Amsterdam (New York today), to be more precise, to thank him for a safe passage. So no Christmas without seafaring. No seafaring without Christmas?
December 4th #legostarwars #adventcalendar2023 #lego #starwars #legobuild #shorts 12/04/2023
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Everyone. Today is December fourth and it's time to find out what is the fourth build of the 2023 Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar. 12/04/2023
Niennandil-verse advent calender day 4 (Arwen and children)
Eldarion and his little sisters, Maedhrill and Glorlin, watched as the batter swirled together in a creamy blend under the care of their Naneth. All three of them could not wait to taste the rich lembas. Naneth made it for them on special occasions and the upcoming Yule was certainly one of those.
“Can we make the lembas red because it’s Yule and my favorite color?” Maedhrill asked Naneth. It would be far improved that way. The waybread was delicious enough but Yule lembas would be even better!
“Of course not! That will ruin it!” Eldarion scolded. He had been told of the ancient tradition and to change it seemed disrespectful to him. Maedhrill crossed her arms and huffed at this response. Glorlin gave her twin sister a sympathetic glance. Eldarion was very rude.
Naneth abruptly stopped her stirring and set the bowl down. Such an idea required one’s full attention to consider after all, “Well…it would be unconventional but red is the color of the brave Fëanorians and Yule as you said.”
“So we can make it?” Maedhrill asked, clasping her hands together.
“Yes, I believe we can. As for you Eldarion, if your sister has an idea, be kind even if you don’t agree,” Naneth said.
“Sorry about that Maedhrill,” Eldarion mumbled.
“It’s fine,” Maedhrill said with a smirk. She had won.
“Could we put some berries in to turn it red?” Glorlin suggested.
“Yes, cranberries would be splendid,” Naneth nodded. Glorlin rushed away and as quick as she left she returned with a basket of the glistening berries ripe with a sharp tart bite to them that Glorlin loved. Maedhrill grabbed a masher and shoved it on the berries, the skins of them broke away letting the crimson juice flow. Finally once the berries had turned into a soup and Maedhrill was flopped down on the table in exhaustion, Naneth scooped up the basket and added the cranberries to her batter. Glorlin was scribbling down everything Naneth did in her lavender journal with sloppy handwriting that would prove unreadable the very next day.
Then it was time to cook the lembas which none of the children could aid in, all they could do was wait. When the lembas was finally done they let out a cheer. The vibrant scarlet of the batter had faded into a light tinge. It was no longer festive enough for Maedhrill, so she suggested; “We should add red sprinkles to the cakes, icing too!”
Naneth forced a smile and shook her head, “Well if you insist.”
“We do,” Maedhrill said. Glorlin agreed. Eldarion just looked frustrated but Maedhrill and Glorlin cared little about him now. Icing and sprinkles were too important.
The twins smeared layers upon layers of shimmering white frosting on their cakes and tossed sweet stars of red and even green on the tops. Then piled even more frosting once they had finished with the sprinkles.
At last, the world’s sweetest lembas was finished. It was overflowing with gooiness and sugar and color that no one would be able to look at them and not tell that it was meant to be eaten on Yule.
Though the days before Yule were still occasions for such treats, so Maedhrill, Glorlin, Eldarion all enjoyed a piece of lembas. Naneth and Father tried theirs later, though with slight frowns instead of smiles after eating a particularly large bite of icing. It was no issue though, as Glorlin recorded that they liked it very much upon being asked.
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I have just overlooked a bunch of the canon info about lembas. But the idea of Arwen teaching her kids (all of them, if Eldarion wants to be involved in making it she’s happy) lembas is so sweet. I can’t imagine that she wouldn’t do that. It’s much nicer than in canon where lembas is just forgotten. Yavanna would be very proud to see Yuletide lembas and eat it with a smile. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are elflings who grow up to be Yavannildi who have made Yule lembas before.
Time flies. It’s the 4th day of our advent challenge. And this time the task is to name somebody i should forget.
And i chose - George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley (Wham). Don't get me wrong. Surely George is a great singer and composer who wrote a lot of great songs.
But all the endless airplay of "Last Christmas" tru the past decades - folks, give me a break... 🙏
But to keep all you fans out there happy - here's is a nice cover for you. 😉
This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent. In the previous post, after hearing the announcement from the angle Mary asks a question reminiscent of Zechariah’s query, “How can this be?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
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