What do you approve of, what do you like, and don't like, and what you are neutral on?

Sets my teeth on edge for no apparent reason. Too cutesy I guess.

That's new to me, what is it?

This is the picture that changed the world's Christmas celebrations. It's an engraving of Queen Victoria with her husband, Prince Albert, and their kids. It appeared in a magazine or newspaper in 1848, probably in black and white. In those days, people world wide worshiped royalty like they do movie stars today. What the queen or king or some duke or dutchess did was what every one did, including in the US.
Up to this time, Christmas trees were pretty much limited to German homes. People would do some decorating, but trees were very scarce. Then the queen appeared with their tree and suddenly the whole civilized world just HAD to have a tree. It's gone on from there.

As a side note, this same guy, Prince Albert, almost single handedly killed the entire North American fur trading industry. At that time, men's hats were made of beaver felt and everyone who was anyone wore one. Then Albert saw a silk hat in a hat store in London and like it. He bought it and almost instantly, no one wore beaver any more. They all demanded silk. Bales of beaver rotted on docks in the US because they weren't worth what it cost to ship them to England. By coincidence, this happened at exactly the same time as American streams were being trapped out. Albert might have saved the beaver from extinction.

No "L", Noel.

No L.

Ah ha, just a lazy way?

Be prepared !

FROM THE ARTICLE -

The English palace at that time would have been a "German" home. Queen Vicki and Prince Al were both of German lineage, so their Christmas tree would have been a custom of their German culture.

L.W.

I love the lights and decorations. I still watch the Christmas specials like Frosty The Snowman and Rudolph and The Grinch like I did when I was a kid! I especially love going to church and singing the songs celebrating the birth of Our Savior!
Other than a few Christmas Carols that are annoying, the only thing that bothers me is Wifey’s constant worrying over every little detail. If she’d learn to relax and not sweat the little things, the season would be wonderful.
7mm

I like bells, and the carols that celebrate the birth of Christ.

I've seen no bell ringers yet this year. I wonder why?

This sounds like me. I would add that I like gifts, giving (and yes, receiving) - I even enjoy shopping for them and wrapping them. I love Christmas trees. I like having more people than normal who are willing to smile and return a greeting. I like snow. I love having the kids and grandkids around. I appreciate and hold dear the true meaning of Christmas, but I get sick and tired of people who decry the fun of secular Christmas.

Edited to add: I just do not see a cross as a symbol of Christmas. Easter, yes, but not Christmas; I don't see people putting up a star at Easter. To everything, there is a season.

You mean Salvation Army? They’ve been out just about everywhere here since the day after Thanksgiving. I hardly ever go by one without dropping a buck or two in the kettle.
I was in Johnstown the morning after the flood in 1977. The water was still waist deep, but the Salvation Army was already there in several places giving out soup, sandwiches and coffee. The Red Cross showed up two days later.
Rock Chuck, I never knew that Prince Albert was the guy who started the silk hat craze. Very interesting.
7mm

Maybe I did not get the stores where they were?

Silver bells. A good song too.

I saw an unmanned, kettleless stand the other day that had a sign on it telling how to donate electronically.

I was pleased to put a couple of bucks into the red pot at Sam's in El Paso on Monday. They are out there, look for them.

Here in Clarksville Tn, someone has been dropping a gold Krugerrand into one of the pots for the last several years.

Wonder if that happens in Billings...

I love the smell of the Christmas Tree. I don't think I could bring myself to have a fake one, it's just not the same. Every time I walk into the house, I smell that tree. Even if I get out there with a chain saw in the summer time and trim some branches off of a pine tree, the smell reminds me of Christmas.

Don't them things catch on 'far?

Anyone else "Bah-Humbug" ? I can't wait till January.

Interesting, itt happens in Cedar Rapids, as well.

[quote=StoneCutter]I love the smell of the Christmas Tree. I don't think I could bring myself to have a fake one, it's just not the same. Every time I walk into the house, I smell that tree. Even if I get out there with a chain saw in the summer time and trim some branches off of a pine tree, the smell reminds me of Christmas.[/quote}

A few years ago, I had occasion to open a box that had been in my folks' attic. It contained Christmas items, but had not been opened in years. There were a few needles in it from those many years ago that still gave off a scent when the box was opened. I was instantly swept back over the years to Christmases past.

Only if ya F^ck up and lite it.

Most pictures of Jesus show him as a handsome, blue eyed, long haired Caucasian. Most likely he looked something like this drawing: dark skin, black hair, brown eyes, short hair, and homely. We do know he was homely, the Bible says so. He was revered for who he was, not what he looked like.

I believe that the image that most of us have in our heads is Sallman's "Head of Christ". (It's too bad that the KJV did not include an actual photograph.)

The star on top of a Christmas tree? I'm fine with it.

Yep all good reasons not to create for ourselves images that could be said to be... well, graven?

As per the Westminster Shorter Catechism question 51:

Q: What is forbidden in the second commandment?
A: The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images,1 or any other way not appointed in his word.2


Deuteronomy 4:15-19. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Acts 17:29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Deuteronomy 12:30-32. Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

If Jesus had the chance to grow old, he may have resembled this dude from Fiddler on the Roof..

https://images.app.goo.gl/J4xefbktKK55meW3A




Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Vicky married Prince William of Prussia...they had a son...Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany.

Queen Victoria herself had married Prince Albert of Bavaria.(her first cousin)

Jesus looks Mighty good to me, I've yet to see his face, I feel His love.

Some folks are still outraged that the Nazis celebrated Christmas..

All that cousin marrying just propagated the hemophilia that was rampant in Europe's royalty. Victoria was a carrier. She had 9 children. 2 of her daughters were carriers like her. Her oldest son, Leopold, had it and died of it at 30 when he fell and bled to death.

Hemophilia was a small price to pay for keeping all the power in the family? .

Queen Eliz. II is related to her husband Phillip, and even the latest generation of royal heirs to the throne;
William and Kate, are also related.

Kate Middletons mother is of the Goldsmith family,..some say Williams mother Diana,
was the love child of tycoon James Goldsmith. ..Diana was also close friends with Jemima Goldsmith, some
suggesting Diana and Jemima have the same father. (they could pass as sisters when you see them together).

I think that means William and Kate could have the same grandfather, Sir James Goldsmith.