MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY DEAR FRIEND & ALL YOU HOLD DEAR
I pray and wish that you and all you hold dear, a very merry, happy,
peaceful, wonderful Christmas to fill your home and stay with you every day of the
New Year and always. I pray and wish for peace all through the world always.
FORGIVE & ALWAYS BE MENTALLY HEALTHY
Forgive and be tolerant of ourselves, everyone and everything. To forgive is
the highest, most beautiful form of love. Forgiveness is healing. If others
have mistreated you, they have acted out of ignorance. Can you not forgive
ignorance? Mary Baker Eddy said, "An intelligent person will never insult me
and no other can." Maturity is the ability to bear an injustice without wanting
to get even. Hate and revenge on someone, will cause you to be mentally ill.
You will never be happy unless you have your mind free of hate. Martin
Luther King, Jr., wrote,
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external violence but also internal
violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate
him." The victim who will not forgive, will often live in psychological bondage
to the victimizer, leading to a kind of paralysis. To forgive is to set a
prisoner free and the prisoner is you. A proverb says that when you seek
revenge on someone you had better dig two graves. One grave is for the person upon
you seek revenge and one grave is for yourself. Learn to love, forgive and
help your enemies.
ORIGIN & HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTMAS
In Anglo-Saxon times, Christmas was referred to as geol, from which the
current English word 'Yule' is derived. The word "Christmas" is a contraction
meaning "Christ's mass." It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and
Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. The words for
the holiday in Spanish (navidad), Portuguese (natal), and French (noël) refer
more explicitly to the Nativity. In contrast, the German name Weihnachten
means simply "hallowed night."
Christmas is sometimes shortened to Xmas, an abbreviation that has a long
history.In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter (chi), is the
first letter of Christ. Since the mid-sixteenth century Χ, or the similar
Roman letter X, was used as an abbreviation for Christ.
REGIONAL CUSTOMS & CELEBRATIONS OF CHRISTMAS
Many nations distribute stamps each year to commemorate Christmas. Christmas
worldwide
Christmas celebrations include a great number and variety of customs with
either secular, religious, or national aspects which vary from country to
country:
In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas occurs during the summer. This clashes
with the traditional winter iconography, resulting in images such as a
fur-coated Santa Claus surfing in for a turkey barbecue on Australia's Bondi
Beach. New Zealanders also commonly celebrate Christmas at the beach, coinciding
with the vibrant red flowering of the coastal Pohutukawa or "New Zealand
Christmas Tree".
Japan has adopted Santa Claus for its secular Christmas celebration, but New
Year's Day is a far more important holiday. In South Korea Christmas is
celebrated as an official holiday, and in India it is often called bada din ("the
big day"). Celebrations revolve around Santa Claus and shopping.
In Poland, Santa Claus gives gifts on two occasions: on the night of
December 5 (so that children find them on the morning of December 6), and on
Christmas Eve (so that children find gifts that same day). In addition to the major
observances of Christmas, German children also put shoes out at their doors
on the night of December 5, and find them filled with candy and small gifts
the next morning. Santa Claus or Father Winter also visits Hungary on December
6, bringing small gifts, and is often accompanied by a black creature; while
on Christmas Eve, Holy Night , Jesus delivers the presents.
In Spain, gifts are brought by the Magi on Epiphany (January 6), and in
Scotland, presents were traditionally given on New Year's Eve. In recent times,
both countries have also adopted gift-giving on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.
In England and Wales, children traditionally hang up a stocking on Christmas
eve (December 24), into which Father Christmas places gifts which are
discovered and opened on December 25.
The Declaration of Christmas Peace has been a tradition in Finland from the
Middle Ages every year, except in 1939 (due to World War II). The declaration
takes place in the Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas
City and former capital. It is broadcast on Finnish radio and television.
Sauna bathing has an important role in Finnish Christmas, often on Christmas Eve.
Saint Nicholas' Day remains the principal day for gift giving in the
Netherlands while Christmas Day is a more religious holiday.
In Russia, Grandfather Frost brings presents on New Year's Eve, and these
are opened on the same night. However, after the Russian Revolution, Christmas
celebration was banned in that country from 1917 until 1992. Even today,
throughout the U.S. and Europe, several Christian denominations, notably the
Jehovah's Witnesses, Puritans, and some fundamentalists, view Christmas as a
pagan holiday not sanctioned by the Bible.
You are beautiful. I love you.
Dr. Bernarr, D.C., D.D. God Healing, Inc. Natural Hygiene Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 1523 Santa Monica California 90406 USA Telephone: 310-396-2914
Web Site: http://www.healself.org E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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