The Reasons for the Seasons

Every family has their own special Christmas traditions, and many times we even have the same commonly shared ones. But have you ever wondered why? We have grown up with family traditions and general traditions, but we never questioned them or thought about where they came from. Have you ever considered why we haul a tree into our homes every year and place it in our living room? Or maybe why we leave milk and cookies out for Santa by the fireplace?

Rumor has it that milk and cookies are left out for Santa Claus to eat because in Medieval times, in Western Germany, it was customary for the Christmas trees to be decorated with apples, wafers, and cookies. As Christmas time approached, “Santa” would often times snack on the decorations that were placed on the tree. The children started noticing the absence of their treats and began leaving them out on plates by the fire, and close to “Santa’s” entrance, partially to keep the mice away.

Christmas trees are traditionally brought into the home and decorated with lights, ornaments, garland, tinsel, and candy canes around Christmas. The Christmas tree was originally the Evergreen tree, which is the only living plant when all is dormant and dead. It is said to symbolize life in the dark, snowy time in the North. Around 1441-1442, the townspeople of Estonia would hold a celebration for the Christmas Season. On that night, the tree would be taken to Towns Hall Square where they would dance around it in merriment. In 1584, Balthasar Russow wrote of an established tradition of setting up a decorated spruce at the market square where the young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame”.

The tradition of decorating an Evergreen tree at Christmas is claimed to have started in Livonia and in Germany in the 16th century. As for the lights, several cultures that were weary of deep darkness and cold would light candles, fires, and bonfires to help light triumph over the darkness. They decided to hang light around their Christmas tree to help keep the darkness at bay. Fire was such a big part in the holiday season that even in Britain it was traditional for some to burn their Christmas letters on the fire so that they would be magically transported by the wind to the North Pole.

Of course who could forget the big guy? The modern figure of Santa came from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas which, in turn, may have part of its basis in the tales concerning the historical figure and gift giver Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a 4th century Greek Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia. He was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three penniless daughters with dowries so that they would be able to have a better life.

Saint Nicholas would place the coins inside the stockings that were hanging over the fireplace to dry, and leave them to be found by the women of the house. This would explain why today we place stockings over the fireplace to be filled with bright candies and tiny trinkets. Although, when Nicholas was not able to sneak into their homes, he would toss the coins through their windows, or drop the coins down a chimney when he finds the windows locked.  Thus, the myth of Santa coming down the chimney was born.

Today, Santa is portrayed in a big red suit with white trim, black boots, and a red Santa’s hat. I am sure some of you have heard this silly answer to why,

“Santa's sleigh has two runners, two tons of toys and eight reindeer
Two plus two plus eight makes twelve.
There are twelve inches in a foot.
Rulers are a foot long.
Queen Elizabeth II is a ruler and is also the name of the largest ship that sails the seven seas.
Seas have fish and fish have fins.
The Finns fought the Russians and the Russians are red.
Santa is always Russian (rushin') and that is why he is dressed in red!”

Obviously this is not the logically correct answer to why Santa wears red, but the reason also surprisingly did not come from candy canes, or Rudolph’s nose, but simply from an advertisement. Santa wears red because Coca Cola created an advertisement of him in red and white so that he was Coca Cola colors. The popularity of the image spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was invented by The Coca-Cola Company or that Santa wears red and white because they are the colors used to promote the Coca-Cola brand.

Whether Christmas is a big part in your life or not, I am sure you have heard many strange myths on the infamous Santa Claus. There are countless stories and versions about who Santa is or where he comes from, but no matter the roots or origins of Christmas, it’s not the facts that make the holiday, but the reason for the season.

             

Forbidden

My class was given the assignment to write an alternate ending to the famous Shakespeare play "Romeo and Juliet."

“Juliet is dead” one of my servants told me. My hearts stopped cold and my breath stopped. “What?” I asked, still not comprehending completely. “They don’t know why but she was found dead in her room this morning.” He finally said, he had brown hair about down to his chin and his eyes held sadness. What? Juliet’s dead? I didn’t take any time to talk, to say my thanks, I just started running, to nothing, seeing nothing. I didn’t know where I was going until I saw my dark brown horse. Without breaking stride, I jumped on my horse and headed in the direction my beloved Juliet lay, dead, in a stone cold tomb. I rode my horse on a dirt road and pushed him as hard as I could. Faster, faster! I thought, as if somehow she would be alive if I got there fast enough. As I rode, my mind spun. She can’t be dead, she just can’t! How would she have died anyways? Did she just break under the stress of me being gone? Is her death on my hands then? Is it my fault she lays in a tomb now? I couldn’t stand the thought of me killing my dear Juliet, even if not on purpose. A small town came into view. Was I there already? I had thought this through if she really was dead, I wasn’t going to live without her. 

I stopped on the road where a merchant had set up all sorts of bottles. I dismounted my horse and called “anyone here?” A small man popped his head out from a curtain and said “yes may I help you?” I looked over the man for only a short time, he was very old and stood with a hunch, he had a gray beard growing from his chin, and no hair on his head. “Yes” I replied “I need a poison” I said really calmly. The merchant pointed to a bottle on the table and I quickly took it. “That will be one hundred sir” he said. I ripped the money out of my pocket and handed it to him. I mounted my horse once again and rode off without a word.  I didn’t take any time or need to stop anywhere else, I rode straight to the graveyard. There it was, a huge tomb with statues and candles everywhere. I can’t believe it. It’s true. She is dead. I walked towards the tomb, my knees were shaking, but my love kept me going. 

When I reached the huge door that led to the tomb, it was locked. I wasn’t about to let a locked door come between us. I looked around and found a huge rock and threw it at the door with all my strength. The large wooded door crumpled under the force of the rock. I ran inside, the tomb was very light because there were so many candles. I waited for the dust to settle and took a good look around, I felt my heart being ripped to shreds when my eyes rested on my Juliet, lying in the middle of the room, completely still.  

I ran to her side, tears streaming down my cheeks, breathing in gasps. I touched the bottle that was tucked away carefully in my pocket. How could this have happened? Just yesterday I was the happiest person alive, now I’m about to take my life away. For Juliet. I thought. For Juliet. I reached up and touched the tip of my fingers against her soft lips. “Goodbye Juliet” I whispered. “I'll see you soon.” I took the bottle out of my pocket and took off the cap. For Juliet. I thought. This was the only way I would ever go through with it. I shut my eyes tight and lifted the bottle to my lips. For Juliet. For Juliet. For Juliet. For Juliet. “Romeo?” I heard a voice I recognized. I’m imagining it. I thought and squeezed my eyes shut tighter. For Juliet. I chanted one last time. “Romeo!” I hear another scream. I was amazed how clear my imagination was, how it sounded like Juliet was actually in the tomb with me, her tomb. I tipped the bottle the slightest bit, and before and liquid hit my waiting tongue, a soft, warm hand took mine and the bottle disappeared from my hand. 

I opened my eyes, and there she was, standing in front of me, with wet eyes and cheeks to match, her dress was green and hair was flowing over her shoulders, and she was holding the small bottle that was , just a second ago, my way to be with her. Now, she was with me, without the cost of my life “Juliet?” I whispered in confusion. She nodded her head. Joy overtook me, I picked her up and kissed her with more passion I thought was possible. No words were needed. So we ran to the horse and ran so we could life our lives together. Forever.

Discovering your Loss.

My Greatest Fear. September 22, 2011

Discovering your Loss

Imagine yourself in sixty years, when your hair is grey and thinning and your skin resembles wrinkled leather. Sure you may not catch the eyes of people on the streets, or get told you are the pinnacle of beauty, but at least you lived a wonderful life. You were adventurous, talented, beautiful, smart, funny, and dare I say, happy. Yes, you were happy, you are happy. You have your memories.

 You know for a fact that your favorite smells in the world are peaches and the musky, thick smell of burning leaves. You love the sweet, tartness of your mothers refreshing Orange Julius mixed with the salty, buttery taste of your dads’ famous popcorn. You can remember your sister and yourself building forts in the living room out of soft couch cushions, or fending off the monstrous dogs outside who seemed to run at the speed of a bullet.

You lived a life of kings although you did not have gold or servants, but you had riches of a different kind. You had friends and family to take care of you and love you throughout your lifetime. You made countless memories with them and laughed until you cried. Now that you have that picture, I want you to imagine something else, something darker. Forgetting.

Imagine what it would be like to go to bed one night, recalling your loved ones and all of the adventures you embarked in together, and you woke up the next morning, empty. You have no memories of any previous days or anyone you have ever come in contact with. You forget names and faces of ones who are close to you. You are suddenly unable to remember the smell of your mothers’ homemade jam, or the sound of your childrens’ melodic laughter.

Your Doctor will end up diagnosing your condition as Alzheimer’s disease, and you may not regain those missing treasures. It reminds you of a computer that has been rebooted, as if a mysterious being sifted through your brain, deleting your memories like useless files. Suddenly you’ve lost everything that means something to you, sure you would still have your possessions, but those are replaceable, you cannot replace lost memories.

Of course you’ll try your best to jog your thoughts, but it will have the same effect as trying to capture air with a net. Soon enough you’ll start mistaking your family members with salespeople or strangers on the street. You will have no control over the matter, like trying to stop the sun from setting each night.

My greatest fear is forgetting my life. It scares me to think that I could live my life to the fullest, and then forget who I am. It’s like writing a novel and finishing it years later, just to have someone come up behind you and burn your only copy. I do not want to feel I have wasted my time during the only life I get.

 At the end of your life, all you have are those memories you created, which you hold close to your heart. To me, life is all about making memories and telling stories. Memories help me push through my fears and any obstacles I may encounter. When I think I am too scared to do something, I ask myself if it will make a good memory someday, and if the answer is yes then I will do it.  It doesn’t matter what judgmental people think, as long as you can put a smile on your children and grandchildren’s’ faces when its story time. 

Combating Winter Blues

For many people, winter is a joyous time filled with Christmas Carols, falling snow, freezing weather, sweet pies, family feasts, and the endless rows of houses decorated from top to bottom in lights and garland. Of course, with every story, there is another side to it. Other people see this time of year as less than enjoyable. Some see it as gloomy or stressful as they gaze upon the shorts they will soon pack away or their long list of to-dos. Cooking, cleaning, entertaining, fighting crazy shoppers, and of course finding the perfect presents.

But do not be too troubled, I have a surprising revelation for you; it doesn’t have to be so hard. There are many ways you can make the wintertime something you look forward to, and not something you dread to call inevitable.

If the cold weather is the deciding factor for you, always be near warmth and hot drinks. Hot cocoa and coffee is essential when the cold winter months approach. Be sure to stock up on Hershey’s Cocoa powder and those big bags of mini-marshmallows. The perfect combination to a hot beverage is of course a good movie, pick a few of your favorite movies and sit down on the couch with your hot cocoa and an oversized blanket. This is also the time to sit by the fire and catch up on that book you’ve always wanted to read, or the scrapbook you are procrastinating.  You can finally have the time to do any forgotten hobbies you have neglected.

Another sweet remedy to get you in a better mood is to surround yourself with happy people. Go out with a friend that always knows how to put a smile on your face, and do something together that you both enjoy. Bake your favorite desserts or cook your favorite meals, and if that is even too much, go out to eat, it’s always nice to have a night away.   

If you are a more athletic person who loves their summer sports and getting their blood pumping, do not be distraught, there are many wintertime activities for you to participate in. If you are one of these athletic people, who live somewhere where snow is common, my advice to you is to participate in winter sports such as snowboarding, skiing, ice skating, and even sledding. For those who do not live in a commonly snowy area, you may want to consider finding an indoor pool to keep yourself active and healthy. Indoor swimming is a great way to build stamina and stay lean through winter.

Eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. If you maintain a health-focused mindset, your workout routine will feel more necessary. Most importantly, however, is to ensure you're getting your vitamin D. Because we're getting less sunshine than normal—which is our main source of vitamin D—it's important to make sure we get it from other sources.

If all else fails, plan for the summer. Planning for something you are looking forward to is great way to get through any tough times. If you fill your mind with thoughts of beaches and sunny days, the cold ones will soon be forgotten.

So to all of you stressful shoppers, pie eaters, and despisers of the wintertime, raise your steaming mug of cocoa and cheer an upcoming winter filled with sweet treats, overly stuffed blankets, and warm fires. Discard that to-do list, pack away your summer clothes, and just enjoy the long winter ahead.

Juggling Friends, School, Family, and Drama

Life can become overwhelming when you have a million and one things to do, especially while still trying to include your loved ones. The stress of it all can cause you to become angry and short with others. Often times, this can cause unnecessary arguments between you and some very undeserving victims. But do not worry, there are ways you can prevent this.

The first thing you can do is make a schedule, this will allow you to see all of your priorities and when exactly you need to worry about them. This allows you to be able to concentrate on one thing at a time and to put your full effort into it. Before you go to bed, figure out the plan for the next day. Write down everything you’d ideally like to accomplish or enjoy in the next month, which includes hobbies and downtime. You don’t normally pencil those in because they seem optional, but they’re actually crucial to having a balanced life. Look at your schedule and figure out what is due and where you need to be when. This helps you prioritize and be prepared when other tasks pop up at the last minute.                                                                           Be sure to make time for family, they are the ones that will stay with you forever so make sure to include them in your everyday life. This could simply mean telling them about your day or asking for their advice, you never know, they may have some good ideas. You could also make a family movie or game night; this will allow you to enjoy family time while having fun. Your family will always be there when you need them, so try to get to know them.

            Also make room in your busy schedule for friends. Your friends are the people who help you get through your crazy school life. Be sure to spend time with them and do something you all want to do. You will have to work extra hard to maintain your social life and previous friendships. But, the important friendships are worth it to maintain even if you only have an hour of free time every week. This may be going out to eat, going to the movie, getting ice cream, or simply just hanging out together. It will give you a chance to relax and have fun, which can later help you to think more clearly.

As for Drama, I say avoid it all together. You would be surprised at how much easier your life becomes when you do not have to worry about who said what about someone else or yourself. Drama really is a pointless time waster, and it causes you to lose friends you need. You may thing Drama is not avoidable, but a few tips will help you become drama free. Firstly, Know who your friends are, don’t tell random people your thoughts on someone else. It will always result in disaster. True friends will not go around and gossip about you. Stick with your true friends and be a friend back.

If your friend tells you something confidential, you must keep their secret between the two of you. If you tell, not only will you ruin the trusting relationship you had with the person who told you. Someone trusts you with something, so you should show them how trustworthy you are. In doing this, you will better avoid conflicts and arguments which lead to unneeded drama.

Lastly, don't get involved in anyone else's drama. Just stay out of it, if it's not your problem, don't try to fix things. When two of your best friends are arguing, be there to listen to both sides of the stories, but stay neutral. Taking a side will add drama to the whole situation, and suddenly, you're in the middle of it

Juggling life can be tough but only if you make it that way. It is amazing how simple organization skills can help an overstressed schedule. It helps if you learn to rank importance on activities, choosing between partying and studying can be a very vital decision that can greatly affect you. Just remember, don’t sweat the small stuff, save your energy for the bigger fight.