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O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Can you imagine Christmas without a brightly and colourfully decorated pine tree? The one with an angel or a star at the top, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity story? From early childhood, an evergreen coniferous tree is associated with the most magical season of the year. But how did it all get started? Long before the advent of Christianity, however, plants and trees that remained green all year round had special meaning for people in winter. In many countries, it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. The notion of celebrating Christmas on December 25 originated in the fourth century. The Catholic Church wanted to eclipse the festivities of a rival pagan religion that threatened Christianity's existence. The Romans celebrated the birthday of their sun god, Mithras, during this time of the year. Church leaders decided that in order to compete with the pagan celebration, they would themselves order a festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the actual season of Jesus' birth is thought to be in the spring, the date of December 25 was chosen as the official birthday celebration as Christ's Mass so that it would compete head on with the rival pagan celebration.
Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition, as we now know it, in the 16th century, when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. There are various legends regarding the origin of the Christmas tree, often relating to Saint Boniface. Thus, in one version, Boniface disrupted a pagan child sacrifice at an oak tree, flattening the oak with a blow of his fist. A small fir sprang up in place of the oak, which Boniface told the pagans represented Christ. Another legend says that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.
In 1510, the first written record of a decorated Christmas tree comes from Riga, Latvia. Men of the local merchants’ guild decorated a tree with artificial roses, danced around it in the marketplace and then set fire to it. The rose was used for many years and is considered to be a symbol for the Virgin Mary. By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not yet spread to rural areas. In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. Princess Henrietta introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in 1816, and the custom spread across Austria in the following years. In France, the first Christmas tree was introduced in 1840 by the duchesse d’Orleans.
Memories of Christmas by Antonio Garcia y Mencia (Date unknown)
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert celebrating Christmas at Windsor Castle, published in the Illustrated London News, 1848, and republished in Godey's Lady's Book, Philadelphia, December 1850
In Britain, the Christmas tree was erected in the time of George III but the custom did not spread much beyond the royal family. Queen Victoria, as a child, was familiar with the custom. In her journal for Christmas Eve 1832, the delighted 13year-old princess wrote, "After dinner...we then went into the drawing-room near the dining-room...There were two large round tables on which were placed two trees hung with lights and sugar ornaments. All the presents being placed round the trees..." Christmas trees were still a rarity in most Canadian homes, at least those with British roots. The Christmas tree was a German tradition and would not become popular in the English-speaking world until the late 1840s, when the London press published a lithograph of Queen Victoria’s family gathered around their tree. After an image of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert celebrating Christmas with their Christmas tree was widely publicized, the tradition spread quickly in England, Canada, and even the United States – and remains popular to this day. Electricity brought about Christmas lights, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. With this, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares and having a Christmas tree in the home became a North American tradition. The end Merry Christmas!
References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html http://www.morning-glow.com/holidays/xmas/xmastree.html http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html
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LESSONS from THE PAST After I told her about the box she was as curious as me, then, the big question arose – should we open it without asking permission first? “Go and tell mom.” “No way, you do it.” “Or…” “Better not. She is not feeling well and has a terrible headache.” “You’re right. Better not to bother her. I still think it’s not right to proceed.” “We have to decide what to do.” “True.” Following a two-minute deliberation, the novelty stronger than our reluctance, we headed to the living room already feeling that the box was somehow special. I lifted the extra light carton from the floor. The papier-mâché, glittering scarlet in front of our eyes, a prelude to revealing a little secret from my mother. “Open it,” urged my sister. “Okay, okay. Wait a second.” I removed the lid, and I have to confess, my initial disappointment. Inside the box there was just a small piece of paper with my mother’s handwriting. Patricia, a classic female, told me that she wanted to know the content of the short note immediately. Obliged, I read it aloud. “This small package contains a magnificent present for the three of us.” We looked at each other in astonishment; inside, there was nothing else but a note that we could not understand. “I don’t get it.” “Me neither.” “What now?” “Mom?” “We have no other option.” Timingly, my mother was entering the room. She examined us for a brief moment, came closer and told us to kneel in front of the tiny tree. She spoke softly: “I know you are wondering about the message; I want to explain my words to you.” Taking the box, she put her right hand inside and asked us to do the same. Next, she told as to put our hands in her palm and not to move.
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“You are going to feel warmth, not only from our hands, but also our emotional response of love and tenderness toward each other. Close your eyes. Imagine three hearts beating rhythmically in this miniscule area. Feel our wholeness covering this small space. Are you aware of the sensation?” “Yes mom,” we barely answered as we were about to cry “That is our love today and forever. The most fantastic present we can ever share” We remained, embracing each other, until there were no more tears to shed.
LESSONS from THE PAST After I told her about the box she was as curious as me, then, the big question arose – should we open it without asking permission first? “Go and tell mom.” “No way, you do it.” “Or…” “Better not. She is not feeling well and has a terrible headache.” “You’re right. Better not to bother her. I still think it’s not right to proceed.” “We have to decide what to do.” “True.” Following a two-minute deliberation, the novelty stronger than our reluctance, we headed to the living room already feeling that the box was somehow special. I lifted the extra light carton from the floor. The papier-mâché, glittering scarlet in front of our eyes, a prelude to revealing a little secret from my mother. “Open it,” urged my sister. “Okay, okay. Wait a second.” I removed the lid, and I have to confess, my initial disappointment. Inside the box there was just a small piece of paper with my mother’s handwriting. Patricia, a classic female, told me that she wanted to know the content of the short note immediately. Obliged, I read it aloud. “This small package contains a magnificent present for the three of us.” We looked at each other in astonishment; inside, there was nothing else but a note that we could not understand. “I don’t get it.” “Me neither.” “What now?” “Mom?” “We have no other option.” Timingly, my mother was entering the room. She examined us for a brief moment, came closer and told us to kneel in front of the tiny tree. She spoke softly: “I know you are wondering about the message; I want to explain my words to you.” Taking the box, she put her right hand inside and asked us to do the same. Next, she told as to put our hands in her palm and not to move.
“You are going to feel warmth, not only from our hands, but also our emotional response of love and tenderness toward each other. Close your eyes. Imagine three hearts beating rhythmically in this miniscule area. Feel our wholeness covering this small space. Are you aware of the sensation?” “Yes mom,” we barely answered as we were about to cry “That is our love today and forever. The most fantastic present we can ever share” We remained, embracing each other, until there were no more tears to shed.
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Carlos Perdomo Licensed Paralegal
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If you want to buy a home, you obviously need a mortgage and a down payment, unless you have the total amount cash-ready. The question is “Do you have enough money for a down payment”? And the most often the answer is “No, I don’t”. If it is the case, don’t despair. With some creative strategies, you can probably come up with more cash than you think. Let’s begin from the beginning. Save money for a down payment to get a good mortgage. More likely, it’s the first thing that you think about. If you start saving a little bit of money every month, in a year you would be surprised … HOW LITTLE you’ve accumulated!. Have not expected such a non-traditional ending of the famous phrase? However, it’s true. The advice to put aside 5% of your budget every month is the most non-workable idea from the list of non-workable ideas. Just calculate how much it would be. Does the sum make you enthusiastic? Moreover, for that year the housing prices got higher, so the down payment did. Will you ever catch up with the rising costs?! It’s just a rhetorical question.
HOW
to find money for a DOWN
PAYMENT
What to do then? Save much more! It’s a paradox but it’s a fact. How to do it? Maybe work harder for a year or two: find part-time job or improve your qualifications and get better paid position? You can quit later. Or maybe… Cut off your non-essential spending to accumulate more money. Your friends and relatives will understand if for a certain period of time you cut off your dining out. Your family members will understand too. Make saving for a house fun. Chart your progress on paper and post it on the wall to remind yourself of your goal. Ask for help from your parents, relatives, friends, your church, synagogue or other nonprofit organization. If they can't give or loan any money, perhaps they'll agree to co-sign the mortgage. Use RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans). It is a good way to guarantee your financial future and enjoy tax benefits today. You can use RRSPs to buy your dream home. The prevailing plan for Home Buyers in Canada allows them to withdraw up to $20,000 from RRSP for paying against purchasing a home. This amount will be considered as a loan and you must have to pay it off within 15 years from the year of withdrawal. Use a Tax-Free Saving Account (TFSA). The Tax-Free Savings Account is an account that provides tax benefits for saving. Contributions to a TFSA are not deductible for income tax purposes. Investment income, including capital gains and dividends, earned in a TFSA is not taxed, even when withdrawn. Cash in your life-insurance policy. If you have “permanent”, "universal" or "whole life" life insurance policy (not "term" insurance plan) that grow in value as you pay into them. Talk to your insurance broker to learn about your options. Ask your employer for help with your down payment. To keep valued employees in their jobs and closer to work, some companies have special programs to provide employees with down-payment assistance. Check with your boss or with your human-resources department. Offer your services, products or expertise to the seller in lieu of a down payment. It could be auto services if you're a mechanic, artwork if you're an artist, legal work if you're a lawyer, dental work if you're a dentist… Be creative! More ideas?
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Mortgage Life Insurance Do you still have OLD MORTGAGE Insurance? If you do, please be aware that: • you are NOT the policy-owner of your mortgage insurance • beneficiary is NOT your family • you can be DENIED your benefits • your insurance can be CANCELLED without your knowledge It is important to realize that mortgage insurance from your bank is not for you, it is for them. They want to be sure that they get their money back in case if for any reason you are not able to make your mortgage payments. Before you say yes to mortgage insurance with your bank, research some private institutions for better terms and lesser premiums costs.
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By Carlos Perdomo
The brightest light on a little Christmas tree
I In the middle of September, after the last fight between my father and my mother, I knew that we were heading for a sad end to the year. Despite the constant efforts of my mom to keep the marriage going, Patricia and I were sure that it was a sacrifice without any potential reward. Often, people live together and then go their separate ways; I strongly believe that most of the time it is much better for everyone involved, that a relationship without any fundamentals, should be stopped at the first signs of misunderstanding and lack of communication. The problem is, as I learned throughout my family, there is always one who believes that somehow everything can be fixed, creating a mirage of the possibility of starting anew. For what I have seen and experienced, I am still waiting for the first successful attempt from a couple to, with a blink of an eye, go back to the basics and forget about the succession of mistakes made along the journey. Just a few years prior, no one was even thinking about leaving, much less, getting divorced. But different ideas developed, new laws were enacted, and because of these changes I was part of a break up experience. I did not understand why my father just left without any concerns about the three of us. He was a well-off individual, and it was so easy for him to grant a decent monthly alimony to cover our necessities. His excuse was very simple: my mother was a cheater; therefore he was not sure if we really were his children. “I won’t support any one who does not carry my blood,” he said. My mother was a good teacher (a profession she gave up to marry my father), and a responsible woman. When Peter left, I constantly saw her in state of despair and desolation. Obviously, all the bills were behind, and the bank was ready to repossess the property. All of this was happening in December, the month of love and closeness between families, a period of time in which most kids wait anxiously for Christmas day. The situation got to the point in which we were not sure, if for the next day, we would have any food on our table. The sole idea to ask for help was rather improbable. My mother’s motto, “Whatever you get in life, you have to work for it. Never accept anything for free or anything handed to you out of pity,” was in full force.
The situation got to the point in which we were not sure, if for the next day, we would have any food on our table. The sole idea to ask for help was rather improbable. My mother’s motto, “Whatever you get in life, you have to work for it. Never accept anything for free or anything handed to you out of pity,” was in full force. On top of everything the festivities were at its best. As a child I enjoyed every second of them. I loved the protocol: the wishing, the expectations, and most of all, the sound of the clock’s chime at noon, “authorizing” us to open the presents. In 1986, my sister and I did not have any hope of a merry Christmas. At school, my teacher very often emphasized to think and not to forget about the needy, or the less privileged. Because, knocking on wood, as she normally did when touching a delicate and negative subject, “life is not a straight line and maybe any one of us could at any time be facing that tribulation.” I completely agreed that it was relevant to talk about this kind of difficulty, without knowing that I was going to be part of this group. II The morning of the 25th, I awoke about nine o’clock. I decided to turn on the television and watch the holiday’s international celebrations. Glued to the screen, captivated deeply by the fireworks display, the astonishing decorations of the trees, and the songs of praise performed in a joyous manner, I did not pay too much attention to the small tree sitting – almost unnoticed – in the right corner of the room. After a while, I became aware of the isolated twinkling light at the top of the pine which created a surrealistic impression in the narrow space. I also began to notice that in the middle, at the bottom of the tree, a small golden box with a red heart-shaped bow was waiting to be opened. Evidently, I did not dare to take action. Instead, I ran to awaken my sister. “What are you doing?” “Get up! You have to see it.” “See what?” “Vamoose!” “You are a terrible pain!” With not much enthusiasm, she started getting ready, and in between, gave me the speech of her life. As we were leaving the room, I automatically held her hand, a gesture of protection learned in my early years from my mom.
LESSONS from THE PAST After I told her about the box she was as curious as me, then, the big question arose – should we open it without asking permission first? “Go and tell mom.” “No way, you do it.” “Or…” “Better not. She is not feeling well and has a terrible headache.” “You’re right. Better not to bother her. I still think it’s not right to proceed.” “We have to decide what to do.” “True.” Following a two-minute deliberation, the novelty stronger than our reluctance, we headed to the living room already feeling that the box was somehow special. I lifted the extra light carton from the floor. The papier-mâché, glittering scarlet in front of our eyes, a prelude to revealing a little secret from my mother. “Open it,” urged my sister. “Okay, okay. Wait a second.” I removed the lid, and I have to confess, my initial disappointment. Inside the box there was just a small piece of paper with my mother’s handwriting. Patricia, a classic female, told me that she wanted to know the content of the short note immediately. Obliged, I read it aloud. “This small package contains a magnificent present for the three of us.” We looked at each other in astonishment; inside, there was nothing else but a note that we could not understand. “I don’t get it.” “Me neither.” “What now?” “Mom?” “We have no other option.” Timingly, my mother was entering the room. She examined us for a brief moment, came closer and told us to kneel in front of the tiny tree. She spoke softly: “I know you are wondering about the message; I want to explain my words to you.” Taking the box, she put her right hand inside and asked us to do the same. Next, she told as to put our hands in her palm and not to move.
“You are going to feel warmth, not only from our hands, but also our emotional response of love and tenderness toward each other. Close your eyes. Imagine three hearts beating rhythmically in this miniscule area. Feel our wholeness covering this small space. Are you aware of the sensation?” “Yes mom,” we barely answered as we were about to cry “That is our love today and forever. The most fantastic present we can ever share” We remained, embracing each other, until there were no more tears to shed.
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