When the Wrapping Makes the Gift! the Tradition
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When the wrapping makes the gift! Supper’s ready t sits there, huge and beautifully wrapped, taking up all the space under the tree. hristmas dinner is the ideal occa - Canada, along with certain regions of Italy, Decorated with ribbons and bows, it is nothing short of irresistible. Everyone silently sion to satisfy our taste buds and generally wait until Christmas Day to have hopes that his or her name is on the tag. We have all heard the proverb, “You can’t share a delicious meal with family this special meal. judge a book by its cover,” but that doesn’t stop us from being tempted by a beauti - and friends. And since the pleasure fully wrapped gift. of enjoying food knows no bound - Regardless of when it is celebrated, the aries, everyone can appreciate the tradition Christmas meal is a wonderful time to For many people, gift-wrapping is not just a covering used to of Christmas dinner. enjoy delicious food made with great love hide what is inside; it is an integral part of the pleasure created and care. A lot of work goes into preparing when we offer gifts. It can attract the eye, excite the Although the celebration of Christmas din - the Christmas feast and some people start senses, and pique our curiosity. ner is virtually international, its customs preparing the meal days or even weeks in vary from one region to another, particular - advance. Thankfully, for those who take gift-wrap - ly when it comes to when it is enjoyed. In ping seriously, there are many various France and Austria, the options available for decorating gifts. The meal begins upon the fam - beauty and originality of wrapping paper ily’s return from midnight sold in stores these days is nothing short of mass on the 24th of remarkable. Some are covered with designs December. In Denmark of poinsettias in green and red, others have and Sweden, families sit cartoon snowmen, and still others have down to feast a bit earlier images of beautiful winter landscapes. Add to on Christmas Eve, around this a wide selection of conservative wrapping four in the afternoon. In paper in gold and silver, and you’ll have no Poland, families wait until problem finding the perfect wrapping paper for the first star appears in the the people on your holiday gift list this year. sky on Christmas Eve to enjoy their Christmas din - But let’s not forget about all those beautiful bows, ribbons and ner. Families in other decorations. A plain box can be turned into a feast for the eyes thanks to ribbons countries such as England, The Christmas meal is a wonderful time to enjoy delicious food made of paper, silk or straw. Shells, holly leaves, pearls, satin bows and dried flowers also Germany, the U.S. and made with great love and care. make great finishing touches that are sure to elicit a few exclamations of wonder. But remember, appearances can sometimes be deceiving! If you are asked to randomly pick a present from under the tree, maybe a “Secret Santa” decided to play a joke on every - one by wrapping a small gag gift in a huge, gorgeously wrapped box. Not all that glitters The tradition of the nativity scene is gold! he baby Jesus lies sleeping under even chocolate, it adapts to all artistic the Christmas tree. Without won - styles from the most simple to the most dering why, you placed him there, elaborate. And that’s not including the liv - in his manger, surrounded by his ing scenes recreated in many towns and parents, an angel descended from communities each year. The history of Santa Claus the heavens to announce his arrival, a few shepherds, and the three Wise Men who While the word “manger” usually refers to or centuries, children have celebration for children. Tradition has traveled from afar to celebrate his birth. a trough used to feed animals, it takes on a dreamed of him on Christmas it that on this date, children All are placed under a modest roof. much greater meaning at Christmas. It sig - Eve. Without him, Christmas approached Saint Nicholas and asked nifies the stable in Bethlehem and the just wouldn’t be the same. him to fill their stockings and shoes, So your nativity scene sits there, surround - extraordinary events surrounding Jesus’ Known around the world as which were left in plain view in their ed by gifts, as a reminder of the most sig - birth. A symbol of simplicity and divine the white-bearded man dressed in red, homes, with gifts. According to the nificant night of all time. But where did miracle, the manger under your Christmas Santa Claus has a long, fascinating children’s parents, St. Nicholas this tradition come from? Who first tree represents God’s will to be close to his history. But his origins are just as entered their homes by sliding down thought to reproduce the nativity scene in children, and to be close to their hearts and mysterious as his popularity is the chimney and left each child a spe - their home? homes. Regardless of the type of nativity immense. Like many legendary fig - cial gift. Over time and across the scene you choose, or where you decide to ures, we know of him, but we don’t regions, Saint Nicholas evolved into The first nativity scene was created in place it, remember that it always carries really know him. names such as Santa Claus, 1223 by Saint Francis of Assisi. St. Francis the same message: the miracle of Sinterklass or Sin Nicolaas. decided to represent it in a concrete way Christmas. There are many different stories and for the celebration opinions regarding Santa’s origins, Others claim that Santa’s origins are of the Christmas but most share a common trait: Santa even older. They say that Santa is mass in order to seems to be the descendant of gener - the descendent of the Welsh God, help his flock bet - ous souls who distributed gifts to Gargan. Legend has it that Gargan ter commemorate good children. For example, there dressed in a hooded cloak and the events of were German saints who performed distributed gifts to those who Jesus’ birth. This such good deeds centuries ago. But deserved it. idea caught on and the most widely held belief is that eventually became Santa is the descendent of Saint Regardless of his origins, Santa Claus an important cus - Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop of returns each year to keep the magic of tom. Today, the Myra. Even today, Saint Nicholas’ Christmas alive. His yearly visit nativity scene is birthday is celebrated in many coun - thrills both young and old, so let’s used in 75 coun - tries each year on December 6, which keep one of the world’s most beauti - tries. Made of is considered to be the main annual ful legends alive and well! sculpted or mold - ed figurines, made of paper, straw, or PAGE 64, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2002, TOOLBOX PLEASE NOTE: PHOTOGRAPHS FOUND IN THIS SUPPLEMENT ARE AVAILABLE IN SUPERIOR QUALITY ON YOUR CD-ROM.