We are getting ready to open our online art contest for our 2009 Charity Calendar.
December 24 and 25
December 26, 2008Merry Christmas, Happy Winter Holidays, Happy Hanukah and Happy Kwanzaa (tomorrow). We hope you will have a peaceful time.
December 23 window – A traditional numbered Danish Christmas Calendar Candle
December 23, 2008I am so behind on the blog and I will try to catch today. The American Charity Calendar is almost over for 2008 and it has been an extraordinary experience for me and my family. I am already thinking of next years TACC project and thinking of ways to make it better than the first year.
Today we have the picture of the traditional Danish Christmas Calendar count-down candle that is burnt down to no. 23. We have a few of those at our house too. In today’s Holiday TV episode we have Vienna create the traditional Danish woven paper heart that was invented by the great Danish fairy-tale writer and paper-cutter specialist, Hans Christian Andersen. I believe that you can still see the first one in the H.C. Andersen museum in Denmark. So take a look at the video and let me know if that does not make sense. Enjoy.
December 22 window – A Menorah for first night of Hanukah
December 23, 2008Happy Hanukah !!! Tonight the first candle is lit on the Menorah to celebrate the beginning of Hanukah. On Holiday TV we went to visit a local Menorah lighting here in Santa Barbara. Read more information about the meaning of the Menorah below the video.
One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple. The kohanim lit the menorah in the Sanctuary every evening and cleaned it out every morning, replacing the wicks and putting fresh olive oil into the cups. The illustration at left is based on instructions for construction of the menorah found in Exodus 25:31-40.
It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel and our mission to be “a light unto the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6). The sages emphasize that light is not a violent force; Israel is to accomplish its mission by setting an example, not by using force. This idea is highlighted in the vision in Zechariah 4:1-6. Zechariah sees a menorah, and G-d explains: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit.”
The lamp stand in today’s synagogues, called the ner tamid (lit. the continual lamp; usually translated as the eternal flame), symbolizes the menorah.
The nine-branched menorah used on Chanukah is commonly patterned after this menorah, because Chanukah commemorates the miracle that a day’s worth of oil for this menorah lasted eight days.
The menorah in the First and Second Temples had seven branches. After the Temples were destroyed, a tradition developed not to duplicate anything from the Temple and therefore menorah’s no longer had seven branches. The use of six-branched menoras became popular, but, in modern times, some rabbis have gone back to the seven-branched menoras, arguing that they are not the same as those used in the Temple because today’s are electrified.
December 21 window – A Shooting Star
December 23, 2008A shooting Star was today’s picture – and a beautiful event that we can see in the winter night sky if we just look carefully. In our Holiday TV episode we have a wonderful guest, Rey Villalobos from the Coral Sea.
December 20 window – Candy Canes
December 23, 2008The candy canes in today’s window represents a huge part of American Christmas tradition. You can read some more about the history of candy canes:
A candy cane is a hard cane-shaped candy stick. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint, grape, or cinnamon (also known respectively as a peppermint stick or cinnamon stick); however, it is also made in a variety of other flavors and may be decorated with stripes of different colors and thicknesses. The candy cane is a traditional candy surrounding the Christmas holiday in North America, although it is possible to find them throughout the year.
The candy cane was originally a straight, hard, and all-white candy stick invented by French priests in the early 1400s. The cane shape is traditionally credited to a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in Germany, who, legend has it, in 1670 bent straight candy sticks into canes to represent a shepherd’s staff, and gave them to children at church services. Another theory is that, as people decorated their Yule trees with food, the bent candy cane was invented as a functional solution. Candy with red stripes first appeared in the early 1900s.Postcards before 1900s show only white colored candy canes.
December 19 window – Kids Sledding
December 23, 2008Today is the picture of kids sleadding and while it is cold inside, we have visited Boris Cake Bakery again and he is making a traditional Mexican Christmas Cake called:
December 18 window – A Christmas tree ornament
December 21, 2008Jose Fuentes, Owner of Boris Cake Bakery makes Tamales
Part 1
Part 2
December 17 window – Draidle/Holiday TV guest: Artist and Teacher, Barry Spacks
December 17, 2008Draidle is a game played every year on Hanukah. Young and old gather around in a circle spinning a four sided top, hoping it will land on the side baring the Hebrew letter Gimel. The draidle has an inspirational story where a beautiful lesson can be learned.
During the Greek era the Jews were persecuted and the learning of Torah was forbidden. The Jews were penalized by death if this decree was broken. But that wouldn’t stop the Jews from doing what they loved. So they devised a plan in which the Jews would trick the Greeks into thinking they were playing draidle, but in reality they were actually learning Torah. The draidle was an important key which helped conserve the Torah for later generations to come.
Hanukah, an inspirational holiday with miracles and magical stories is often overlooked as an insignificant one. Many people don’t realize that Hanukah is enriched with powerful messages, like the draidle. The draidle, as well as other things were tools in which the Jews used to keep serving God. This is what helped the Torah survive such a difficult era. We should learn and see the importance of Torah from this, and just like the draidle, help preserve Torah for the next generations to come no matter what the situation is.
We were honored to have Barry Spacks on Holiday TV as a guest and sharing some of his favorite Holiday Moments. Here is some more information about Barry Spacks:
Barry Spacks is the first Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, Californa.
Nine poetry collections (most extensive: SPACKS STREET: NEW & SELECTED POEMS, from Johns Hopkins, 1982, winner of The Commonwealth Club of California’s Poetry Medal; most recent: REGARDING WOMEN, WordTech Communications, winner of the Cherry Grove Collections Prize, and THE HOPE OF THE AIR, Michigan State University Press, both 2004).
N.E.A librettist grantee; many poetry readings; poems in 18 anthologies and a multitude of journals, print and cyber; two novels, stories, essays, reviews.
For poems and novels: St. Botolph’s Arts Award, Boston.
Singer-songwriter, actor; Literature professor, M.I.T. (1960-1981); persistently Visiting Professor, U.C. Santa Barbara (Distinguished Professor in Humanities & Fine Arts, 1991). Senior Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) student of H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche.
Two CDs , A Private Reading, from WC Studios, contains 42 poems (plus chat) from 50 years of work and Selected Poems from Regarding Women.
Here are some poems from Barry Spacks:
http://barryspacks.blogspot.com/
New art work from Barry Spacks:
http://www.barryspacks.net
December 16 window – Gingerbread People
December 17, 2008Solvang Bakery Inc – www.solvangbakery.com
460 Alisal Rd
Solvang, CA 93463
805.688.4939
