December is the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian calendar and the first month of winter. It derives it’s name from the Latin word decem, meaning ten, as December was the tenth month of the oldest Roman calendar. The Latin name is derived from Decima, the middle Goddess of the Three Fates who personifies the present.

The French are known for many a great recipe. Their food inspires travel to France for a taste of the authentic. Bouillabaisse is on the list of must-have cuisine. Originating in the port city of Marseille, Bouillabaisse is a fish stew. Traditionally it is made using the bony rockfish, saffron, fennel seed and orange zest.

It is usually from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple or black maple trees that maple syrup is made from although it not limited to those maple species.
These trees, in cold climates, store starch in their trunks and in their roots. In the spring, the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap. The maple trees are then tapped by boring holes into their trunks and the released sap is collected. After the sap is collected, it is processed by heating to evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup.

On December 20th:

• 1812 “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” or “Children’s and Household Tales” by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm is first published;
• 1907 Explosion at Yolande Alabama, coal mine kills 91;
• 1950 “Harvey” starring James Stewart premieres in New York;
• 2012 Apple is denied a patent for mobile pinch-to-zoom gestures by the US patent authorities.

When the stresses of the holiday season have piled up, many of us start to feel a bit like Scrooge. This day was created to allow us an opportunity to express our frustrations. Humbug Day is observed annually on December 21.

Let go of the idea of perfection. …
Embrace saying “no.” …
Don’t try to go on a diet. …
Enlist some help. …
Do as much as you can, as early as you can. …
Carve out time for yourself. …
Remember what the season is about. …
Wishing you a joyful, stress free holiday season!

Historical evidence suggests that Jesus, the person, was born in the springtime — but that Christian missionaries adopted Yule celebrations in order to appease and convert pagans who were deeply, spiritually attached to their own holidays. Early Christians were also fascinated by the rural, rustic pagan traditions.

The two most notable pagan winter holidays were Germanic Yule and Roman Saturnalia. Christian missionaries gave these holidays a makeover and they are now known to us as Christmas.

In 1844, a recipe for a straight peppermint candy stick, which was white with colored stripes, was published. However, some stories tell of all white candy sticks in much earlier times. There are folklore tales of the origin of the candy cane, yet there is no documented proof of its real beginning. It has been mentioned in literature since 1866 and was first known to be mentioned in association with Christmas in 1874. As early as 1882, candy canes have been hung on Christmas trees.

Made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts and spices and sometimes soaked in “spirits,” fruitcake has been a holiday gift-giving tradition for many years. Rome is believed to be the creator of fruitcake, and one of the earliest recipes known comes from ancient Rome listing pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins that were mixed into barley mash. Records indicate that in the Middle Ages, honey, spices, and preserved fruits were added. Recipes for fruitcake vary from country to country depending on available ingredients and tradition.

In the 9th century, the Chinese began developing games using money and other paper objects. These early playing cards bear no resemblance to the sturdier European playing cards that developed a few centuries later. Card games spread around the world in a variety of shapes and styles. From the elaborate Mamluk designs of Egypt to the appearance of the first playing cards during the Early Renaissance in Europe, the decks were divided into four suits of coins, cups, swords and sticks or batons.

Everything is better with bacon. Someone said that once. Within our research, we have found very little to dispute this assertion.

New Year’s Eve has been celebrated for millennia. Honoring the end of one year goes hand in hand with celebrating new beginnings in the new one.