Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Senior Member
Username: rliebing
Post Number: 1109
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 09, 2009 - 07:01 am: |    |
091209
HOLIDAYS
by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Cincinnati, OH
We send sincere greetings of the season to one and all, and wish better fortune in the year ahead. We express our deepest respect for the long tradition of Hanukah and its celebrants, and to others as they observe their holidays. But forgive us for a little insight into the Christmas holiday and it nuances:
• Christmas caroling began as an old English custom called Wassailing--wishing neighbors a long and healthy life;
• The first United States President to decorate the White House Christmas tree was Franklin Pierce;
• Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895;
• Charles Dickens' famous work, "A Christmas Carol" was written in just six weeks;
• "Rudolph" was created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930's for a holiday promotion;
• Even though many believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year, the Friday and Saturday before Christmas are actually the two busiest shopping days of the year;
• Coca-Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa Clause for a winter promotion
• If you received all of the gifts listed in "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song, you would receive 364 presents, costing a total of $87,403, this year;
• Christmas became a national U.S. holiday in 1870;
• Christmas trees are edible. The needles on pines, spruces and firs are actually a good source of Vitamin C and the pine cones are a good source of nutrition. So forget about the orange juice and go munch on your Christmas tree. [Seems just right for gnarly spec writers who ”bite nails” all year long-- a nice, prickly munch on some pine stuff! Well, the raspy result would also be a very good excuse to “hit the ‘nog” to soothe the throat-- much as many do throughout the year-- eh, what?].
One always hopes about good holidays, but they can be dicey at times [weather, disappointment, pique, missing folks, etc.]. But then something like this--Told by my daughter that she was going to call Santa and tell him what a bad girl she was, my 2-1/2 year old granddaughter said, “No, Mommy, I’ll call him!” She got her phone, called the North Pole and told Santa she was bad and not to bring a doll stroller, baby doll, purple watch, etc., rattling off her entire list. Then hung up with, “I’ll call back if I get good!”
Speaking of gifts, we unload our bagful with--
The best of health, wealth, cheer, safety and good fortune to you and all your family, now and in 2010-- with jobs, joy of children, a viable savings account, and bright future. [What is now will also pass!]
Enlightenment to our leaders, country and world at large, leading to peace, mutual respect, overall betterment and tolerance. Let’s “live” and quite tinkering, sniping and jockeying politically-- do only good!
New revelations in many that specs have great value, are important, contribute positively and need expert execution.
The granting of your every good desire and wish [and renewed strength to keep putting up with me!]
H A P P Y H O L I D A Y S ! |
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