December 2012:
History of the Red Kettle Campaign
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was troubled because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major difficulty to overcome -- funding the project. As he contemplated the issue, he recollected his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor. The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, "Keep the Pot Boiling." He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.
Jesus was actually born in 6, 7 or 8 BCE (Before Common Era) based on census statistics taken every 14 years., most likely during the end of summer.
First Christmas celebration was mentioned in the year 380, and came from Roman events.
The Dutch who settled in New Amsterdam, now New York brought their tradition of Sinter Klaus which has become our Santa Claus.
In the middle ages, Santa Claus was a magician who would know if you were naughty or nice and reward with candy or punish with bad gifts.
The Nativity Creche continues to add more characters. In the Philippines elephants are pictured in the Nativity scene. There are no elephants in Judea.
Mistletoe was symbol of peace and goodwill during Roman times.
Holly branches replaced mistletoe with the sharp leaves to represent thorny branches on the head of Christ and the red berries representing his blood.
Queen Victoria kept a Christmas tree for each child in the family every Christmas and placed small gifts and candy under the tree.
An Indiana candy maker in 1880 used one white candy stick with three red stripes representing purity and the Trinity to be a Christmas cane. The Candy stick included a turned end to represent the staff of a Shepard, and turned upside down is a letter "J" for Jesus.
A German company made round spheres of glass and silver. In 1880 F.W. Woolworth and Co. decided to import these glass spheres and displayed them on a Christmas Tree as a new ornament. Candles used to be used, fruit and garland.
Tinsel was actual silver put around the base of a decorated Christmas Tree.
Jesus was not born in a barn, born in a house. It was unthinkable in the day to turn away a pregnant woman.
Xmas” is an Attempt to Take “Christ” out of “Christmas”. Every year people send around angry letters, petitions, emails, articles, blogs, and candy-grams about how angry they are at where The Christmas Season is going. People decry anger at those who are “taking ‘Christ’ out of ‘Christmas’” and attempting to completely do away with the religious aspects of Christmas Day. People accuse others of “X-ing out” Christ from His own holiday. In actuality, using an “X” in the term “Xmas” is not a new thing being used by non-Christians as a means to disrespect the religious holiday. The truth is that the term “Xmas” dates back as far as Christianity. The “X” comes from the Roman alphabet symbol for the Greek letter “Chi”, which was used, of course, in the word “Christ”. In fact, for centuries, people have written “Xian” when referring to Christians, Xmas is used neither out of disrespect nor to take any religious aspects of Christmas out of the word or holiday. The word is usually used simply as an abbreviation. With text messaging more popular ever, it’s a word that’s likely to stick around for a bit, just like Christmas itself.
