The Okie Legacy

Vol. 1, No. 36 11 December 1999, Saturday
"Peace On Earth" | OAKIE'Ss H&H MESSAGEBOARD

Greatest Gift Of All
(Who Was St. Nicholas?)

Who was he? Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name 'Santa Claus' which comes from the Dutch 'Sinterklaas'. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings. -- http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm

I've been recuperating from a head cold all this week. It has giving me the opportunity to browse and think about Christmas, Gifts and find out "WHAT IS the Greatest Gift of All." For me, it is NOT something bought in the stores or on the internet. To me it is something homegrown from the heart. Something that could be given each day for the rest of your life. Something that can be spelled with four letters.... such as "L...O...V...E!"

I remember as a little girl when christmas day would come around and the anticipation of what Santa would bring me (bikes, toys and things like that). As I grew older and got more into the giving part, I would found out that the simplest things made up the greatest gifts of all. The only cost involved is the time it takes to share a little love, friendship and ((hugs)).

Times weren't easier for anyone back in the 1940s and 1950s when we were growing up, but it always seemed like mom and dad would find away to have a special christmas for us all. Back then we lived in a two-story framed house my grandmother owned on the corner of 7th & Church Street. It was catty-corner from the Presbyterian Church and only a block south of Washington Elementary School.

After we would open our eyes Christmas morning and come down the stairs to eat breakfast, we would be greeted by the lights of the christmas tree just through the archway of the living room and something special under the tree with our name on it. After Christmas at home we would pile into the old car and go down to Grandma & Grandpa's in Hopeton (Oklahoma) to exchange gifts with our cousins and stuff ourselves on my Grandmother's (Mary Barbara Hurt Paris) Bohemian cooking of pastries, noodles, etc...

As we grew up, it wasn't so much the presents under the tree, but what the mysterious elf-like creatures would stick in our stockings near the tree. Playing Pitch with my mother's family was something else that generated a lot of laughter and great memories on these family holiday get togethers. There was always the smell of the Special Christmas breakfast of fresh, fried quail, homemade biscuits and gravy that gathered everyone around for the holiday festivities. We didn't have computers and the highest technology was probably the black/white television console with radio/phonograph that played 78rpm records. We've come along way since then!

BUT... Still! The greatest Gift of all is still the simplest things, such as ((hugs)), love and friendship that need NOT be stored up until Christmas to be shown or given out to everyone. It is something that can be given each and everyday.

I guess Christmas comes alive in the recognition of symbols and rituals which are the life-blood of the soul. With symbols, people point to and understand concepts too deep for words to express. Rituals allow us to slow down time and create a sacred space in which we can experience many different traditions and celebrate holidays.

The Slovaks & Christmas Traditions - "24th December (Christmas Eve). The Slovak words for Christmas Eve are literally "bountiful eve" and the bounty of this sacred evening lies in the wide range of festive dishes, of which there had to be twelve different kinds. Even today many Slovak families must have on the Christmas table garlic (to ward off demons), honey, wafers, nuts, cooked peas or French beans, dried fruit, and the main dish, cabbage soup with mushrooms and "opekance" - small pieces of dough - with poppy seed and honey. At the beginning of this century, fish has become the traditional meat served during Christmas Eve (their scales are said to bring wealth into the house) in the Catholic portion of the population while the Lutherans would add smoked meats and sausage to their cabbage soup. Christmas holidays are also very rich in Slovak pastries and baked goods that are prepared over many evenings during the month of December."

As the song says, "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day", (by Celine Dion on her Christmas CD Album, "These Are Special Times").
"...So don't save it all for Christmas Day | Find a way -- To give a little love everyday -- Don't save it all for Christmas day -- Find your way -- 'Cause holidays have come and gone -- But love lives on -- If you give on Love... -- How could you wait another minute -- A hug is warmer when you're in it -- And Baby that's a fact -- And saying "I love you's" always better -- Seasons, reasons, they don't matter -- So don't hold back -- How many people in this world -- So needful in this world -- So how many people are praying for love..."

I still enjoying reading the letter that the "NY Sun Times" wrote in 1897 in answer to a little girl named Virginia whom was asking if there really was a Santa Claus. "Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus" says a lot of what Christmas is all about for me. How about you?

OKLAHOMA TIDBITS

A friend sent this 1884 Historical Map of Indian Territory that she found at "The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin, Perry Castaneda Library Map Collection, Library Online. A great big map of Oklahoma & Indian Territory

Here is another great map that the same viewer sent that shows the Indian & Unorganized Territories 1820-1854 -

OAKIE'S LINKS & MAILBAG

A Search For the Meaning of Christmas. "Christmas is celebrated by Christians the world over. Why Christmas is special to you depends on the customs and traditions that were handed down in your family from generation to generation. While Christmas is viewed as too commercial by most, those who keep their traditions alive renew the Joy that is associated with the birth of Christ each year."

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The real Christmas story is found in the Christian Bible. It is told in two different books: Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. If you have no Bible, you can read these chapters online. Christmas Story by Matthew in easy English. Christmas Story by Luke in easy English.

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We all know how the people of the United States celebrate Christmas. Do you know how people of the world celebrate this festivity?

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Bohemia, Cechy region, Ceska' Republika - Thesaurus of Geographic Names

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I received this in a Trivia email that I receive and thought you might like to know, "How did 'I'm from Missouri' come to mean 'Show me, I'm skeptical?'" -- "To those not well versed in American idioms, this must seem like a great non-sequitor, about the equal of "I'm from Pennsylvania, therefore you owe me a dinner at an expensive restaurant." But there is a reason why Missouri is the "Show Me State." And speaking of restaurants and Pennsylvania, it all came about because of what someone said at a Philadelphia banquet in 1899. William Vandiver, (a Missouri congressman who, but for a bit of phrase-making, would be long forgotten), was addressing a Navy audience. Perhaps he knew history was listening. What he said was: "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." (Bet you don't know about cockleburs. You do? Describe them. I'm from Missouri.)" (Source: DICTIONARY OF WORD AND PHRASE ORIGINS by W. & M. Morris)

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"Another jam-packed issue of OHH. It will take me a week to check out all the sites you sent along. Have you mentioned in OHH the website that contains Randall Murrow's photographs. Some of them are truly outstanding. Thanks again for this week's OHH."

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This is my Grandmother's DAR Certificate, admitted January 31, 1925 and dated 1 April 1925, certifying that Constance Warwick McGill was approved for National DAR membership in theOklahoma Cherokee Outlet Chapter as a descent of Captain David Gwin, whom served in the Revoluntionary War. Constance's DAR National No. 207348.

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I've also added a new picture of my Grandmother Constance Estella Warwick McGill on the front page of "My Grandma's Legacy" section of "OkieLegacy".

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Here's some great photography taken by a NW Oklahoman's, Randall Murrow, Photography Gallery.

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"Wowthing.com, your home for better sound. WOW Thing products are hardware and software, that let you connect with your music like never before. Have fun, and don't leave without taking something (even a software download) with you." [I just downloaded and installed the FREE Plugin that is suppose to enrich your sound system. It is Great!].

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For fastest, most powerful search utilities for finding web pages on the Net check out WebFerretPRO. It queries web-based search engines and quickly brings them all together in one spot for you to click and go through.

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Do you need a network shield that detects and deters intrusions from those who are not authorize to use your system? "BlackICE Defender" detects unauthorized intrusions on any Windows 95, 98, or NT system connected to the Internet via DSL, ISDN, cable, or standard modem. Check out Other "BlackICE Defender" Features over at NetworkICE.

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Immigration and Naturalization Service

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WORD OF THE WEEK -- pusillanimous (pyoo-si-LAN-muhs) adjective Lacking courage; cowardly. [Middle English pusillanimus, from Late Latin pusillanimis : Latin pusillus, weak, diminutive of pullus, young of an animal + animus, reason, mind.]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- "Most desires are simple and wonderful. Acknowledge their true essence, and you're well on your way toward their fulfillment." -- Ralph Marston

"If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." - Benjamin Franklin

See You All Next Weekend!

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