{Second Week of Advent 2014}

Time is slipping through our fingers during December... or is it just us?!

Wishing all readers from whatever country, a very warm and meaningful 2nd Advent Week!

Fragrant star candle and French Point A La Ligne candle.

Ribbon fabric is French and has roses on it...

China is Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse

Angel clinging onto a candle with bobèche in a Royal Selangor candle holder.

Related link: Christie's Mandalay by Masons

Anyone having problems with Word Verification showing up; change your Settings for Comments to: Embedded instead of Popup Window...

{Of Sint and Santa}

As promised in my previous post, some more info Of Sint and Santa...
December 6, is the birthday of Saint Nicholas.

From our traveling days as International Consultants, I did save this very informative story from the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' in-flight magazine.
It is in English, so if you like to, you are able to read it.
~
Of Sint and Santa
Whatever you call him - Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Sinterklaas - St. Nicholas presides over the season of giving. Ghislaine Kruit and Terri J. Kester look into the long history of the man in red and the Dutch tradition that bears his name.

Facing page and above: Dutch children turn out in their thousands to welcome Sinterklaas in mid-November
Sinterklaas is treated with the reverence owing to a bishop
Right: gangs of Zwarte Piets accompany their master. They distribute small treats among the crowd.

Left: Image from The Book of Hours (ca 1500) illustrating St Nicholas' revival of three drowned boys.
St Nicholas' Day was once observed all over Europe as a special day for children.
Below: German and French Christmas cards from the early 1900s show St Nicholas presenting gifts.

Above: Season's greetings from France (1920-12).
Right: Thomas Nast's incarnation of St. Nicholas as Santa (Harper's Illustrated Weekly, 1870)

Father Christmas made this appearance in Punch in 1880
In this Swedish illustration (1917) Santa knocks at the door
Santa-shaped balloon floating over New York City (1949)
~
Indeed, the ending is so true: Whichever way you look at it, St Nicholas plays a starring role in the longest party in history.

Related links:

{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats} | previous post by me
{SAINT NICHOLAS - SINTERKLAAS 2013} | previous post by me

The Origin of Santa Claus Video about history, listen till the end to hear how Sinterklaas morphed into Santa Claus...

{Saint Nicholas | Sinterklaas} | previous post by me about my newspaper publication

{Humble Gifts of the 1950s} | previous post by me about my early childhood treats for December

{Chocolate & Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Chocolate Letter LOVE} | previous post by me

{Chocolate and Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Since 1896 Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS - Have YOU Tried Them?} | previous post by me

{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats}

Just have to share this great find with you around the very popular Dutch Saint Nicholas or 'SINTERKLAAS' celebration.
On December 5th, for the adults and December 6th, for the little children the Dutch celebrate their gift giving.

How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats by Peter G. Rose. 
She did an excellent job!

How many of you did know about this historical fact?

Now you can read Peter G. Rose's excellent book: Delicious December: How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats: A Holiday Cookbook ←click it to have some page insight at Barnes & Noble.

Also available at Amazon.com where I got mine...

Treats for the Saint Nicholas season, as shown here in a 1995 Dutch Nouveau magazine.

You can read about and even find RECIPES for making your own Saint Nicholas or SINTERKLAAS treats! Many of which are already very popular here in the USA!
Shown above is Black Pete, Saint Nicholas' helper and there has been a tremendous outpour against the 'few' that wanted to do away with him.
Dutch court rules in favor of 'Black Pete' ←click link.
It is obvious that this AGE OLD tradition has to STAY!

To the left is shown a Dutch book about the festive finale, the way December is being celebrated in my birth country The Netherlands.

It was a special gift from dear Dutch friends and is an exclusive edition by De Bijenkorf.nl, 1981.

Writer Peter G. Rose did a fabulous job in listing all the Treats, just like being found in this Dutch version.

My Sewing Creation napkin with gold DMC thread done on my serger.

I've also quilted (by machine) placemats to go with them.

Shown is a scented French candle from Point A La Ligne and the Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse tea cup & saucer with cigarette holder in which I keep demitasse spoons.
If you still need to find out for the coming Christmas Season about: {Difference Between Coffee & Tea Cups} you can read my MOST popular all time post.
Next post will also be about 'Of Sint and Santa'...
Such an important historic tradition!

Related link:
{TIP New Purpose for Cigarette Holder} | previous post by me

{Merry Christmas 2014} | later post by me showing my sewing creation