Nativities, Christingles and Mulled Wine

The preparations for Christmas in the Green household really started in earnest this week. First off it was Son's Nativity, next week it's Daughter's Nativity and yesterday we hit the shops (and the plastic) hard to get most of our Christmas shopping done. Oh, and the kids met Santa Claus.

This morning we're off to a Christingle service and then this afternoon we're going round to a neighbour's to enjoy some mulled wine and mince pies. But what are the origins of Nativity plays, Christingles and mulled wine?

One man is credited with creating the Christmas crib more than any other, and that is the 13th century Saint Francis of Assissi. In 1220, Francis made the pilgrimage to Bethlehem. While there, he saw how Christmas was celebrated in the town of Jesus' birth and was so impressed that he asked the Pope if he might recreate something like it in his own Italian home of Greccio.

And of course during the Medieval period, mystery plays - with mummers acting out stories from the Bible - were one of the most popular forms of Christmas entertainment. Both survive to this day, but it is normally children who act out the Nativity story itself and not the adults anymore.

The physical form of the Christingle is an orange, tied with a red ribbon and stuck with a candle and cocktail sticks bearing fruit and nuts. It is a symbolic object particularly used in Christian Advent services, hence the name given to a particular type of religious service. The word Christingle actually means 'Christ Light'. Both the Christingles that are made and the Christingle services that take place in church, celebrate Jesus coming into the world, in his aspect as the Light of the World.

The first Christingle service was held in a castle in Germany, on Christmas Eve 1747, by a bishop of the Moravian Church known as Pastor John. He wanted to find some simple way of teaching people about the true meaning of Christmas. His solution was to prepare a simple symbol which would make the Christmas message seem fresh and alive to them. During the informal service, Pastor John gave each child present a lighted candle wrapped in a red ribbon. He then intoned a prayer.

You can find out more about the origins of the Nativity play and the Christingle in What is Myrrh Anyway? Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas, published by Icon Books.

And if you think the idea of warm mince pies and mulled wine on a cold December day sounds like a good one, follow this link to a piece I posted last year that includes a recipe for the utterly delicious Bishop's wine.

Jesus-shaped soap-on-a-rope doesn't wash with Catholic couple

The BHS store in Reading has removed a gift called Jesus Soap-on-a-Rope from it shelves after a Catholic couple said it was ‘deeply offensive’. The novelty bathroom gift depicts Christ with the Sacred Heart.

The item was removed from sale following a complaint from Bryan and Elizabeth Dent. ‘The writing on it, “Wash away your sins” and “Try for Heaven with good clean living”, wasn’t funny, not for a Catholic,’ said Mr Dent, 74, of Tilehurst, Berkshire.

Now, if BHS had thought to sell a Pope Soap-on-a-Rope, they might have had a product with mass appeal on their hands.

Midnight now means 10pm

The Pope is to break with tradition this year and celebrate Midnight Mass at 10pm, instead of midnight. The decision was apparently taken two months ago to "ease the Pope's fatigue at a time when there are many ceremonies and commitments" during Christmas holidays, said Vatican spokesman the Rev Frederico Lombardi. Read more about this story here.

JG talks turkey on BBC Radio WM

I took part in the Ed Doolan lunchtime show on BBC Radio WM today, and it's already up on iPlayer if you didn't hear it yourself and would like to. I appear at about 1hr 12mins in and remain on the rest of the show.

Victorian Farm Christmas

In case you hadn't seen this one it's the first part of a Victorian Farm Christmas on BBC 2 this evening at 9.00pm, or you'll be able to catch it again later on BBC iPlayer I'm sure.

What did Santa bring you this year?

Make your own White Christmas

With Christmas only two weeks away, you might want to start thinking about what you're going to feed all your guests this year. Well, why not make all their Christmases white with this simple recipe for a delicious festive treat from down under?

White Christmas

250g vegetable shortening
1 cup rice crispies
1 cup shredded coconut
¾ cup icing sugar
1 cup powdered milk
¾ cup toasted almond kernels
30g mixed peel
30g preserved ginger
30g glace apricots
30g glace pineapple
30g sultanas
50g glace cherries

Place the coconut, icing sugar, powered milk, mixed fruit, nuts, cherries (all chopped coarsely), and the rice crispies into a bowl and mix well.

Warm the vegetable shortening gently until melted and then pour over the ingredients. Mix well and place in a airtight container and set in the fridge.

Serve sliced into fingers.

Enjoy!