Poinsettia Sprang From Humble Beginnings

 
Pepita, a poor girl, was sad because she had no gift to take and lay at the nativity scene for Christmas Eve. As Pepita walked slowly toward the little chapel where the nativity scene was housed she voiced her sadness to her cousin Pedro. Pepita’s heart was heavy.

Pedro said, “Dear Pepita, I am sure that even the most humble gift, if it is given in love, will be accepted in the nature it is given.”

So Pepita knelt down by the little road and gathered a handful of common weeds, then took a few moments to fashion them into a little bouquet. Pepita was very sad and embarrassed about her little handful of weeds and a tear rolled down her cheek as she entered the church.

She gently laid the flowers down in front of the nativity and when she did, the bouquet of homely weeds suddenly burst into blooms of brilliant red. From that night on the flowers bloomed each year at Christmas and they came to be known as poinsettias or flores de noches buena (flower of the Holy Night).

–  Adapted from the Paul Ecke Ranch website

Hanukkah Celebrates a Miracle

Hanukkah, a Jewish festival also known as the Feast of Lights, begins on Kislev 25 (by Gregorian calendars sometime in December). The festival is celebrated for eight days. The holiday affirms Judaism and celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem through the lighting of the candles on the menorah.

In the books of the Maccabees, it is told that the celebration of Hanukkah was begun by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. This was to celebrate the victory over an invasion of Judea by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. After the battle and following a three-year period of struggle, the temple was ordered cleansed and restored. A proclamation was made that a celebration would take place each year and would last for eight days.

The Talmud says that when Judas Maccabeus went into the temple, he was only able to find a small jar of oil that had not been ruined. The little jar had only enough oil to burn one day, but miraculously it burnt for eight days until new consecrated oil could be found. That is why the festival now lasts eight days.  The menorah, with its eight candles, symbolizes the miracle and is lit during Hanukkah.

Currently, Hanukkah is a national holiday in Israel and is celebrated by singing songs, presenting plays and having parties. Runners bear torches through the streets and menorahs are displayed all around. In one torch display, runners continue until they reach the Western Wall, which is the last bit of the temple that has survived. The chief rabbi then lights a giant menorah there.

– Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica