It's Christmas Time in the City

Clock Tower December 1, 2011

My dad and mom used to bundle all five of us into the car every December for a drive around the city to look at Christmas lights. We would ooh and ahh at the extravagent displays on big houses in rich neighourhoods. The energy crisis of the early 1980's dimmed many Christmas lights as utility rates soared. But people gradually started decorating outdoors again and our city parks and downtown areas now have lovely light displays at this time of year. The clock tower from our old city hall was moved to the park when the building was demolished in the 1970's. (It is unfortunate that such a fine old building was replaced with a shopping concourse which is now half empty.)

Kitchener City Hall Circa 1964

This old picture from the 1960's was taken by the man who was responsible for putting up the lights at city hall each year. His daughter shared it with me last year. The clock tower sat in its original location on top of the building.

We still enjoy driving around town looking at lights or walking in our neighbourhood at night to see decorations. Some homes are decorated more tastefully than others, but to each his own at this festive time of year!

Who cares about the hydro bill!

Children at Christkindl Market

Our city hosts Christkindl Market every December. It opens with carol singing in the park followed by a candle light procession to city hall led by Mary and Joseph and their miniature donkeys. It is one of the nicest Christmas events I enjoy every year. The market has many traditional gifts and crafts, plenty of good food, ice skating, choirs, dancers, and a live nativity all weekend long.

(Here is a link to a short video of the Philharmonic Choir singing during the opening.)

Children wait to follow Mary and Joseph to City Hall

Klaus, the Organ Grinder shows a young boy how to play carols

Handmade toys

Lots of fun for young and old alike

Peace on Earth

One of my patients made several origami crane mobiles and gave them to the staff (instead of chocolates) when she was discharged recently. An old Japanese legend states that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish such as long life or recovery from illness.

A young Japanese girl named Sadako became ill with leukemia as a result of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. She started making origami cranes to pass the time in hospital with a goal of making 1000, but she died with only 644 completed. Sadako's classmates made the remaining cranes, and all 1000 were buried with her. (Sadako was a real person, but there are several versions of this story). The following quote is from Wikipedia.

"In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. At the foot of the statue is a plaque that reads:   

"This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth." 

There is also a statue of her in the Seattle Peace Park." 

Because of Sadako, folded cranes have also become a symbol of world peace. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr is written for elementary aged children. I smiled at some of the one star reviews on Amazon.com. Here is one by a young student entitled "The best book that I've ever read".

 "I would not recommend this book. It is an amazingly sad book. I would never read this book again. It's so sad because there is a lot of dying. But I will tell you about this book..."

The absence of peace makes us all amazingly sad. Christmas brings hope that peace on earth will be a reality for all mankind.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Today marks the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbour

Festive Foods

 

I usually get only one cold a year and it is invariably at Christmas time. My immunity is lowered by eating sweets, over-tiredness and stress. So I aim to make Christmas food this year that is festive yet healthy. Yes, we have done a little baking, but there is no freezer full of cookies and squares. I look forward to seasonal boxes of clementines and juicy, red pomegranates. And when I eat this salad for breakfast, I feel good all day long. 

And I am (almost) full when treats like this star cookie Christmas tree tempt me when I come home from work!

Saint Nicholas

St. Nicholas, Christkindl Market, Kitchener 2011

St. Nicholas visited Kitchener's Christkindl Market this past weekend. When I asked to take his picture, he quickly found his wife and they posed together. St. Nicholas day is December 6th and many children in Europe put their shoes outside the door in the days leading up to tonight in hopes of receiving a special treat. Naughty children could expect a lump of coal or a tree branch. (The St. Nicholas above has several branches in his hand.)

I looked at my footwear and decided there was nothing suitable for storing things I would later eat. Then I cleaned one Croc with a disinfectant wipe and checked to see what might fit in it. My size nine shoe held (with difficulty) one clementine, a small package of pistachios and one chocolate bar. No wonder St. Nicholas has such a small bag. The real St. Nicholas gained a reputation for gift-giving by putting coins in other people's shoes. Perhaps coins are a better idea than food or small toys.

I shared the picture of this card from Grandma's Christmas scrapbook a couple of years ago. In 1907 St. Nicholas was evolving into Santa Claus in North America with a more colourful costume and bigger presents. He certainly is very fit as he appears to be walking to deliver gifts rather than riding through the sky in a sleigh.

It is interesting to learn about Christmas traditions in other countries. St. Nicholas and related (caucasian) benevolent gift givers are not celebrated everywhere in the world. I like this quote from Dick Gregory, a black American comedian and social activist.

"I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew

no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark."

To those who believe...

HaPpY Saint Nicholas Day!

Advent Two

"Advent" means the coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important. People waited hundreds of years for the promised Messiah and when he arrived, few recognized him. We have a homemade felt Advent tree and when our children were young, we read through the Old Testament scriptures which told of Jesus' coming. The girls took turns putting a corresponding symbol on the tree each day. We still hang the banner every December. 

Advent is a time of anticipation, reflection and realization of what a world without Christ is like. Psalm 126 is one of today's Advent readings. May you experience the joy of salvation today.

 ...Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
      What joy!

  Restore our fortunes, Lord,
      as streams renew the desert.

  Those who plant in tears
      will harvest with shouts of joy.

  They weep as they go to plant their seed,
      but they sing as they return with the harvest.

A Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent

Almighty and most merciful Father, we come to the season of Advent with the brokenness of the world in our eyes, 

the cries of our fellow human beings in our ears and our own sinfulness in our hearts. 

We come to Bethlehem, as those who need a Savior. We come to the light because the darkness has almost overwhelmed us, 

but the darkness can never overcome You. 

We come to Bethlehem as invited guests; to see, to wonder and to be changed by the Child Messiah who is Jesus. 

For his sake, and by his grace, forgive our sins. 

Give us hope and eternal life. Help us to move through a worldly holiday of excess

to a worshipful Advent and Christmas. 

For Jesus’ sake, and through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Michael Spencer

Let There Be Light

Last Saturday The Becka and I arrived at the community centre where we help out three times a month preparing food for the needy. We are getting to know our team as we work together under Ed's direction. Ed can come up with delicious menus with any variety of donated groceries. Sometimes we have boxes of produce to cut up or pizzas left over from local outlets. There is always fresh soup and stew to go with sandwiches. Last month a school donated 21 uncooked apple pies left over from a fundraiser and I learned to use a convection oven, baking 6 pies at a time.

It isn't hard to see from these pictures that something was missing this week. The power was out and we worked with one emergency light and several candles. The Becka and I made a couple of  bread puddings with 15 cups of milk, a dozen eggs, and other measured ingredients in each one. What a challenge to use a measuring cup with minimal light! The gas ovens and grill were in working order though. After a while the power came back on and our job became much easier.

I expect our lights and appliances to work and often take Canada's well maintained utilities for granted. Many in our world do not have reliable power, appliances, safe water or enough food.

Light is essential for life. As the northern hemisphere heads toward its longest night, we decorate houses and trees with lights to hold back the darkness. And we are reminded of Christ, the Light of the World who came to illuminate the path for those who live in darkness and have lost their way.

The Best Gifts

His brain was injured in an accident at work and he spent weeks in intensive care. Now alert, he has big gaps in his memory. Impulsive and distractable as a three year old child, he struggles to regain his ability to eat and walk and make sense of the world around him. His wife has scarcely left his side since that day their lives changed three months ago.

Holiday advertisements flash on the television screen and she says to him,

“I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping.”

With a rare flash of insight he replies,

“We don’t need presents. We have each other.”

She looks at him with surprise, her eyes filled with tears.

The gift of life is priceless. The gift of love is eternal.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10