I’m sure that many people do not know what is orthodoxy. In fact probably now hear for the first time that word. Orthodoxy is definitely the best part of Christianity. Even though this name is also found in the Jewish faith, he certainly belongs to Christianity.

The purpose of this blog is to make known the Orthodox faith and people who have had the opportunity to make contact with her.

Orthodoxy has no Inquisition, no Pope, no characters like Borgia, not opulence that has made many people in today’s to reject christian values because of a wrong image made by the excesses done in the Middle Ages in Western Europe.

There is no austerity and spiritual poverty that is found in the new Christian churches that stud Western Europe and especially the United States.

Do not promises a heaven full of womens made for men, which Osama bin Laden probably reminds his disciples that this promised Mohamed.

Do not ask people to stay in hands to achieve Nirvana … LOL

Orthodoxy is something else.

“Orthodoxy has always been royal way of the Gospel. Kept clean and genuine spirit of Christianity in front of dark mysticism of the heresies from the East, the catholic centralization and rationalist subjectivity of Protestantism from the West. He always kept the measure and harmony, has done nothing wrong.

Orthodoxy is not only theology, is also the true and authentic humanism psychology and sociology. It is a diamond that reflects the all sides of truth” said Father Efrem from Athos mountain.

Come and discover together the church founded by the apostles of Jesus, not by Martin Luther or another pastor, bishop or pope.
You will find 2000 years of history, faith, miracles and destiny saved and 300 million people who would like to have as a brother.

Let’s Get Acquainted…

…with Jesus Christ.Not a myth invented, not a man, not a supernatural man. Not a guru who learned in India (as some fools claim).

Jesus Christ is the Son of God that took human nature. God and man in the same time, in a way that we can not understand. Can not believe it. There is no problem. But investigate first … It might change your mind

…with Mount Athos from Greece, site of most monasteries in the world, with thousands of monks living as apostles lived 2,000 years ago.

…with the great saints that show what God’s grace can make human nature.

with the icons that make miracles even today, icons who are found in Orthodox churches and monasteries.

….with the Virgin Mary that never left a person who asked for help.

…with St. Nicholas, defender of Jesus in front of heretic Arius

…with St. Basil the Great, who first explained the links between Father, Son and Holy Spirit and their equality

with St. Panteleon the Martyr Doctor

…with St Nectarios that cures cancer

…With tens of thousands of martyrs of the communist prisons.

My Dear Reader

I apologize if this blog will take you from your precious time, but you never know how a small word you meet somewhere, somehow, can change your life for ever

A bit late with this it should have come on the 25th but it’s such a fun shoot I thought I would post it anyway…lol

Photography By:  Ellen von Unwerth

IMG|SOURCE: FGR

Merry Christmas to you all, my friends.

Unfortunately, in our culture we had reversed the meaning of the holiday. In the secular sphere, we went from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus, from an example of a humble, Christian servant to a big old man in a red suit who meets our needs. Even more sadly, we had experienced the same conversion in churches: we went astray from the Lord Jesus, the Suffering Servant, the Redeemer, the ultimate demonstration of love; instead we invented a Jesus who is nothing more than a convenient vending machine, always ready to meet our desires.

This poem by Greg Stier calls to return to the original St. Nick and original Christ. Let it make you think as you exchange your gifts and celebrate the season of Christmas. Enjoy!:

Can you hear St. Nick crying?
His tears fall softly on the ground.
They’re hard to hear beyond the hustle
Of holiday cheer and Christmas sounds.

Before we transformed him into Santa
He was a real man of flesh and blood.
Only one thing about him was different,
It was a heart that beat strong for God.

When he was young he lost his parents.
They left him all their worldly wealth.
But young St. Nick had no concern
About his own financial health.

He used his money to feed the poor
To help those in real need.
He chose a life of selfless service,
Instead of worldly greed.

He took care of impoverished children
By giving them coins of gold.
He slipped the gifts under doors at night
And from this act his legend grows.

It has grown as wide as Santa .
And deep as North Pole snow.
From flying reindeer to little elves
Or so the story of goes.

The modern Santa loves children too.
He gives them gifts at night.
He drops the presents and flies away,
Before we catch a sight.

But behind the fable lies the truth
Of an amazing boy called “Nick,”
Who gave up his earthly riches
To help the poor and sick.

The real St. Nick should be the hero,
He gave it all to follow God.
He helped others in secret,
And not for man’s applause.

A persecution against Christians
Spread throughout the land.
Although tortured and imprisoned,
For Christ he took his stand.

He refused to bow his knee to idols.
Though tortured, he would not give in.
He would rather lose his own life
Than disown the One who died for Him.

And now from heaven St. Nick cries
He sees our selfish greed,
How we’ve forsaken our Christmas calling
Of serving those in desperate need.

He cries because he sees us bow
To the naughty, not the nice,
For we serve the god of wrapping paper
Instead of the true Lord, Jesus Christ.

The One who gave up untold riches,
The One who lived to die for sins,
The One in whom we put our trust in,
The One in whom new life begins.

Can you hear St. Nick crying?
Do you have his broken heart?
Are you ready for something deeper?
Do you want a brand new start?

If you’re sick of yuletide fables,
If you’re tired of Christmas greed,
Then put your faith in Jesus,
And reach out to those in need.

With each present that you open up,
And each present that you give,
May you remember the One who died,
So that you and I could live.

The spirit of St. Nicholas
Is alive and well today
It began 2,000 years ago
In a manger filled with hay.

Is it this guy’s big night?

or this guy’s big day?

Nawwww, this will never work.

Can we get them to share the stage?

This is the most important advice you may ever get from a blog site!

Check out the Story of the real Santa Claus.

“You’d hardly expect to find old St. Nick in jail. But St. Nicholas is more than a children’s Christmas legend. He was flesh and blood, a prisoner for Christ, bishop of the Mediterranean city of Myra.”

To Read Full Story:

http://www.joyfulheart.com/christmas/st-nick.htm

Most people know that Santa Claus is derived from St. Nicholas, an early Christian saint beloved for his kindness and generosity. What hardly anyone knows is that Nicholas acquired sainthood not by giving alms, but by performing a miracle that more or less amounted to breaking out of solitary confinment.

George Pappas Sr., writing in Ohio’s Zanesville Times Recorder, tells the full story:

[St. Nicholas ] was a 4th-century Greek Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor who is mostly associated with the legends of his tireless work to help the poor families during the great famine (342 AD) which plagued this part of Turkey. The Jolly Old Bishop was known for his nightly and anonymous distribution of gold coins to aid starving families who were no longer able to afford to feed their children….

A lesser known legend is more serious and very relevant to the issues facing our American way of life in 2009.

It turns out that St. Nicholas had some serious theological differences with Arius, the Bishop of Alexandria, over the exact nature of the divinity of Jesus Christ. (Arias believed he was not made of the same stuff as God.) They argued over it at the First Council of Nicaea, in 325 A.D. According to Pappas:

The debate proceeded with “required decorum” until St. Nicholas became so enraged that he walked across the room and slapped Arian to the floor.

It was a sin in Canon Law to strike another bishop. St. Nicholas was excommunicated, stripped of his vestment (ornate individually handcrafted bishop robes) and locked in solitary confinement under guard.

The council could now proceed without this very troublesome and now excommunicated bishop. It appeared certain that Arian would have a majority of the 299 remaining bishops support his Arian philosophy.

The next morning, as the session of the council was beginning, it was interrupted. A guard had come from the prison where St. Nicholas was jailed and reported that he had gone to check on the prisoner and found the door of St. Nicholas’ cell open, his chains removed and he was kneeling in prayer fully clothed in his bishop’s vestments. The immediate response of the council was to find who had committed this act of defiance against the will of the council. Investigation yielded no one who could have done this and the vestments stripped from St. Nicholas were exactly where they had been placed. St. Nicholas wore the exact same ornate vestments. It would have take months to fabricate new vestments.

Pappas finds a moral in this story that might well apply to advocates who work for the often unpopular cause of prison reform.

St. Nicholas believed so much and cared so much that he was willing to risk all to challenge the “politically correct notion” of decorum to defend and expound true and honest beliefs. He was ahead of his time and teaches us a timeless lesson about integrity and passion for the truth.

Our Seemingly endless Holiday Season

Dec 6th- St Nikolas Day

Dec 11th thru 18th- Hannukah

Dec 16th- Las Posadas

Dec 21st- Winter Solstice, and Humbug Day

Dec 23rd- Roots Day

Dec 24th- Christmas Eve

Dec 25th- Christmas

Dec 25th thru Jan 5th- 12 Days of Christmas

Dec 26th- Boxer Day

Dec 26th thru Jan 1st- Kwanzaa

Dec 31st- New Years Eve

Jan 1st- New Years

Jan 6th- Epiphany

Jan 7th- Orthodox Christmas(and theoretically 12 more days…..!)

What a month, huh? rollin’ straight thru to the 7th, which is the National College Football Championship too. Add the the next 12 days for an Orthadox 12 Days of Christmas(do they do that?) and we can roll this Merriment right on thru to Mardi Gras, Feb 16th!!!!

Christmas is one holiday that is celebrated worldwide that has many traditions and reasons for the celebration.

Many countries like Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Poland, Russia, and even China have a name for Father Christmas or Old Man Christmas.

Belgium has two names for Santa, First is St. Nicholas visits those who speak Waloon. St. Nicholas visits twice in the month of December, 4^th and the 6^th. The 4^th is to see if the children have been naughty or nice. Then he returns on the 6^th to deliver gifts to the good and twigs to the bad. Then Pere Noel and his friend Pere Fouettard visit the French speaking children and had out the same gifts candy and toys to the good and sticks to the bad.

Brazil Papai Noel is the gift bringer. The biggest celebration is to create a Presepio, which is that nativity scene. Many countries focal point is the nativity scene and the gift bringer.

In Denmark they have a twist on the gift bringer; they have a mischievous elf called Nisse. Nisse plays jokes and lives in farm house lofts. Families leave rice pudding or porridge on Christmas Eve to please Nisse and to keep his jokes within limits. The parents decorate the tree and children are not allowed to see the tree until Christmas Eve.

India does not really celebrate Christmas, but this time of year is the gift giving and tipping time or Baksheesh, which is a charitable hand to the poor.

The biggest tradition that is celebrated around the world is eating and feasting!

In Chile the traditional Christmas meal is Azuela de ava, which is chicken soup filled with potatoes, onions, and corn on the cob. The dessert is pan de pasque which is bread filled with candies.

Australia’s Christmas is in their summer season. Many people in Sydney make a picnic and take it to Bondi Beach.

There are so many traditions and ways each country celebrate Christmas. This is a wonderful time of year and a fantastic time to be with loved ones. How do you celebrate this time of year?

“The History of Christmas Christ, Claus and the evolution of our most popular holiday.” Web. 24 Dec. 2009. <http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/>.

by Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Asserting yourself while respecting others is a good way to win respect yourself. ~ Janice La Rouche

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

by Clement Clarke Moore

Track Santa via Norad:

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html#utm_campaign=en_US&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=en_US-ha-na-us-sk-gm&utm_term=twas%20the%20night%20before%20christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Last night, after I attempted to rush up Broadway after running some errands in the crazy Christmas crowd, as I was plowing through the snow-laden sidewalk on Great Jones, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this magnificent guy! I almost kept going, but I didn’t like my chances of getting to come back and photograph him, so I put my bags down, fished out my camera and fired of several rounds until I was quite sure I’d gotten him.

I just love how the snow is mounded up beneath his boots, so that it appears that he is actually standing there. I’d like to think that it just happened that way…

Merry Merriness! Happy whateverthehellitisyoucelebrate! Instead of taking the joy out of it by being so tiresomely PC,  how about just enjoying yourself responsibly with your loved ones.

(Photos by Christopher Stribley. East Village, NY.  December 22, 2009.)

So, who is he, this mysterious man in red? And why does he do what he does? At any other time of the year these days, a fat jolly bearded stranger (with several known aliases) landing on your roof and sliding down your chimney would result in a slap on the wrist from the Civil Aviation Authority, and a breaking and entering charge for the bearded one at the very least (if not an ASBO).

And, with cries of ‘animal cruelty’ ringing in his furry ears, poor Rudolph would probably be sent packing to a reindeer sanctuary somewhere in Scotland, and the sleigh would end up clamped and impounded by over-zealous traffic wardens. But before the nightmare of this horribly politically correct eventuality really does come to pass (and because I wouldn’t want any of you to wake up on Friday morning to an empty stocking), let’s find out exactly what’s going on here…

Santa Claus as we know him today is actually an amalgam of a number of different figures and archetypes, some real, some legendary. The first of these is probably the most important of all in the development of the Santa myth…

The 4th century saint

The first of the origins of the Santa legend can be found in a rather unexpected place. Not in the ancient nomadic tribes of Lapland or the North Pole, as we might expect, but in 4th century Turkey with the part-real/part-mythic St Nicholas. Like an increasing number of people during this early period in the development of the Christian church, Nicholas was a deeply religious man. In fact, the real Nicholas was a bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church. He was bishop of Myra, which is now in Turkey but was then part of Byzantine Anatolia, a position which meant he had a certain amount of power and influence.

He was also a very wealthy man – his parents had died in his youth and he had inherited a substantial sum of money from them. However, instead of living it up on this new-found wealth, Nicholas had become a member of the clergy, and had methodically begun to give this fortune away to the deserving poor and needy.

Soon, there were many stories of his charity in circulation, and miracles later began to be associated with him too. The tale of how he saved three poverty-stricken sisters from having to resort to prostitution by dropping his last three bags of gold down their chimney to land in the stockings hanging by the fire to dry is particularly famous (and is also where the practice of hanging stockings out on Christmas Eve originates).

The upshot of all this was that Nicholas was canonised after his death and rapidly became the patron saint of an enormous number of groups, many of whose lives the saint had directly touched; others just that bit more random.

Quite bizarrely, St Nicholas has ended up being the patron saint of sailors, children, the poor, bakers, unmarried girls (and brides), prostitutes, scholars, pawnbrokers, archers, bankers, jurors, perfumers, robbers, coopers, brewers and travellers, to name but a few!

He is also the patron saint of a number of places, including Russia, Greece, Naples and Sicily. The year of his death is a matter of academic debate but it is considered certain that he died on 6th December, which has since become his feast day – and in some parts of the world, it is on 6th December that Father Christmas visits children to deliver their presents.

The Norse gods

The next set of influences on Santa take us all the way back to ancient Norse mythology. In the dark days of a Viking midwinter, it was believed that evil forces and malevolent spirits were abroad, and were out to cause mankind ill. Staying at home in the light and warmth was a much better bet – you didn’t want to meet the baleful eye of the god Odin, who, it was said, would lead a Yule-tide wild hunt through the sky, riding his flying horse Sleipnir.

Some sources state that children would fill their boots with straw or food for Sleipnir and place them by the fire for the god and his magical horse to find as they flew through. Odin would then leave small gifts in the boots for the child as thanks.

Odin was also seen in some sources as the entity who brings winter to the world, with the help of a demonic creature known as the Dark Helper. It was this assistant who, like Santa and his helpers, decided who had been naughty and who nice – although the Dark Helper had the power to actually punish any wrong-doers he encountered. This idea proved to have legs, as we shall see.

The other Norse god associated with the Santa myth is Thor, the god of thunder, who also flew through the sky. Instead of a magical flying horse, Thor rode in an iron chariot pulled by the giant goats Tanngrisnir (Gnasher) and Tanngnjostr (Cracker). The similarities with Santa’s mode of transport are immediate and obvious (as are the influence on his reindeer as named by Clement Clarke Moore in his poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas).

The personification of the season

Next, we have another influence which has its roots in pre-Christian midwinter traditions. There seems to be some evidence that pagan peoples worshipped some kind of seasonal elemental spirit known as Old Man Winter, who later mutated into a personification of the season.

By the 16th century in Britain, this personification was known as ‘Sir Christemas’ and later he became (in combination with the figure of St Nicholas and the Norse gods) known as ‘Father Christmas’.

As a result of the Medieval love of balance in all things (heaven and hell, rich and poor etc), Father Christmas was seen as being in a position where he had to figure out the good and the bad within each community and reward or punish accordingly.

Of course, he needed some help with this, so the idea of the Dark Helper re-emerged from Norse myth – only this time, the church depicted him in a Christianised form as a demon enslaved by St Nicholas. Often known as ‘Black Peter’, the Medieval Dark Helper was basically an antithesis of Father Christmas and thus the darker side of a character we only associate with goodness and happiness today.

But Father Christmas was a different character in other ways during the late Medieval and Early Modern period. Rather than the gift-giver of today, this Father Christmas was the leader and overseer of Christmas celebrations in the community.

And he was depicted in a myriad of different ways – tall, short, fat, thin, appearing as an elf or troll, in pagan forms as a druid or the Green Man, as a drunken man pulled in his sleigh by turkeys (!), and as the jolly ‘Lord Christmas’ (much of which reminds me of the Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol).

The 19th century Santa

By the 19th century, all these influences were coming together to create the Santa Claus we know today. He is really an American invention, via Holland. The Dutch character Sinterklaas, another variation on St Nicholas, had crossed the Atlantic with Dutch settlers by the early 19th century and was rapidly merged with the British Father Christmas, eventually emerging as Santa Claus.

A lot of the imagery now associated with Santa was introduced into Anglo-American culture by the still-popular Christmas poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which was written by the Episcopalian minister Clement Clarke Moore for his own children and published in the early 1820’s.

Forty years later, the American magazine Harper’s Weekly published a picture of a bearded, fat, jolly Santa by the artists Thomas Nast, one of the earliest of such now-familiar depictions. This view of everyone’s favourite gift-giver has gone from strength to strength, and Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it…

Originally posted at my old blog in December 2008, as part of the Advent Calendar series. Reproduced here with a few minor tweaks and edits.

St. Nicholas is a consumer advocate.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my imaginary love got for me ten pair of John Morrison’s sunglasses, nine TNA Winged Warrior T-shirts, eight Taz Beat-Down T-shirts, seven Official TNA 2010 Wrestling Programs, six Undertaker Deadman Skull Caps, five pair of Degeneration X slippers, four Rey Mysterio Camo Replica Masks, three Abyss Masks, two Sting Teddy Bears and one Sting Mask “Wall Art” in a pear tree. My imaginary love certainly knows my penchant for losing sunglasses, even the perfect pair from Disney World that fit my fat head. It’s a nice stocking stuffer of a gift but I do wonder how well you can see out of the Rhinestone crosses. The dark tint of the lenses helps to offset both the gold frame and the white/clear Rhinestones. They’re decent but the Rhinestones really make them douche-tastic.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my imaginary love got for me, eleven John Cena Floor Mats, ten pair of John Morrison’s sunglasses, nine TNA Winged Warrior T-shirts, eight Taz Beat-Down T-shirts, seven Official TNA 2010 Wrestling Programs, six Undertaker Deadman Skull Caps, five pair of Degeneration X slippers, four Rey Mysterio Camo Replica Masks, three Abyss Masks, two Sting Teddy Bears and one Sting Mask “Wall Art” in a pear tree. They’ll be perfect for the bad weather to wipe my shoes and my dogs paws on. I do wonder why they used a bulldog considering none of his other merchandise uses a dog. Dogs are loyal, but you’re not likely to see much hustle out of an English bulldog. If it could chew through a chain link fence, I would respect the fact that the dog will probably kill me when it’s loose. The picture does look kind of nice even after my jokes. It’s on clearance for half price so I’m glad my imaginary love is being thrifty during the slow economy. It’s not terrible, but who’s going to buy a floor mat at an event? Or even think to order one online?

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my imaginary love got for me twelve Divas Snow Globes, eleven John Cena Floor Mats, ten pair of John Morrison’s sunglasses, nine TNA Winged Warrior T-shirts, eight Taz Beat-Down T-shirts, seven Official TNA 2010 Wrestling Programs, six Undertaker Deadman Skull Caps, five pair of Degeneration X slippers, four Rey Mysterio Camo Replica Masks, three Abyss Masks, two Sting Teddy Bears and one Sting Mask “Wall Art” in a pear tree. I can’t believe how thoughtful she is! I’m sure glad the Divas got their own ring apron which is quite boring. The ring posts with ropes around the globe crack me up. At least they’re being detailed. There’s nothing more attractive than having some amorphous Diva blobs inside. They are having a pillow fight so there’s a legitimate reason for the “snow” on the inside. The pillow cases and bed sheets are both pink so at least they’re trying to make it a little girly.

I had to end on an epic fail. Too bad those WWE scumbags already took down the DX snuggle because that was going to be my twelfth day gift. Merry Christmas Grandkids! - Kevin

Santa Claus is real in a sense. It is a corruption of the Dutch Sinterklaas, who also goes by Sint-Nicolaas. He did not live in the North Pole or have a sleigh with reindeer. He was not fat, wore a red suit, and did not go into chimneys. The real Santa Claus lived in what is now present day Turkey and his real name is St. Nicholas of Myra. That is far from the North Pole. He was the patron saint of children, sailors, Amsterdam, New York, and Moscow. He lived in 3rd and 4th century AD. He was known for leaving gifts for children.

Snow.
Snow, what? So,

snow.

Snow. Snow, snow. Snow!

Snowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnow.

Unless you were living under a rock, or hiding under your bed covers, you have probably heard by now that the normally temperate middle Atlantic region got snowballed over the weekend. It snowed so hard and so quickly, in fact, that it felt like we were living in a snow globe for about 48 hours. Snow much snow.

Snow many beers, snow little time.

Such blizzard-like conditions are truly an amazing and mesmerizing sight. The kind of thing that coaxes the kid out of all of us. In fact, all of us at the offices of Scribbleskiff took turns staring out the window to watch the white stuff at play — swirling, drifting, rising and falling, piling up, blanketing everything: sidewalks, shrubbery, sleds, soccer balls left in the yard, etc. Then, all of a sudden, it would slow, thin out, settle down.

Then, just as suddenly, the big hand in the sky would give us a shake, and it would start all over again.

I know a snowstorm of this caliber is no big deal for many people, especially those living in points north of the Mason-Dixon. But it’s a big deal around here, a truly wondrous and rare event, and something we hope for every year and never tire of, not matter how long it lasts (and, alas, it never lasts long).

I recognize that not everything about this whiteness is wonderful. There’s the clean-up, for instance. Although the Inuit reportedly do not have 100’s of words for snow, I can tell you that, after shoveling as much slush as I did in the course of two days, I have accumulated my fair share of words for the stuff, most of which should not be uttered above my steaming breath.

But I really shouldn’t complain — I got to go sledding on my birthday! And besides, all of this snow, dropping down on us like it did this mid-December, got me think of two of my favorite things: a hearty meal and a warming beer.

Not long before the Nor’easter struck, I had begun investigating this year’s “seasonal” arrivals — Christmas ales, traditional “winter warmers,” etc. — to see how they stacked up. Part of that effort involved partaking in a private tasting of some Belgian imports that, like the Blizzard of ‘09, blew me away. Even more revealing, though, was simply strolling the aisles of The Wine Source, my favorite holiday beer hub (despite all the hubbub). I was overwhelmed by the number of winter beers on the shelf — truly more than are dreamt of in your sugar-plummy visions, Horatio. Every brewery, it seems, has something unique to offer. I would wager that you could consume a mix-pack a day for the 25 days of Advent (not that I advise you to do so) and you would still have leftovers.

So, once it appeared that the big storm was a sure thing, we decided to stock up on the necessities — including the fixings for some homemade comfort food, and more than a few bottles of malt-based bubbly — to finish my “research.” Here, then, are the byproducts of my inquiries: a sampling of the 2009 seasonals, organized pretty much in order of encounter. Cheers!

Delirium Noel, Brasserie Huyghe. The most distinguishing feature of this alluring, crimson traditional Belgian strong dark ale is its inherent fruitiness. The complex bready, raisiny, dried-currant aroma is unmistakable from the moment you pop the cork — like a pleasing waft of fresh Christmas stollen (which I consumed by the loaf as a child). There’s plenty of rich malty sweetness, nice spice, and racy carbonation to inspire a little holiday giddiness, too.

Kerstmutske, Brouwerij Slaapmutske. If you like rum, you’ll love this ruddy, creamy, very warming Belgian strong ale (by a boutique brewery whose name means “nightcap”). The base malt is molasses, which imparts a slight, tempering bitterness to the overall sweetness, along with a little burn, reminiscent of the West Indian potable. Luckily, the rich assortment of other malts and aromatic hops, along with the noticeable hints of plum, toffee, and other flavors, combine to create the perfect capper for a wintry night.

Santa’s Private Reserve, Rogue Brewery. Despite its ruddy glow, this red ale is not what I think of when it comes to a Christmas beer, not in the traditional sense. Maybe that’s intentional (though there’s a picture of Santa on the label). Nonetheless, this was a very unreserved, hoppy, resiny ale, like an Imperial IPA, with plenty of body and moderate malty sweetness. It was certainly Scrooge-like in terms of the expected spiciness, though, which should please anyone who doesn’t wish to receive the gift of fragrances that some seasonals bring.

Christmas Ale, Abita Brewing Co. As the final beer brewed each year, the recipe for this annual offering reportedly changes with every incarnation. Another reddish amber ale, its spiciness is present but subdued and, as a result, pairs well with traditional holiday fare, such as gingerbread (cookies or house) or spiced cakes. Try it also with a rich, creamy cheese, such as Camembert, which draws out a sweet, nutty aftertaste.

Snow Cap Ale, Pyramid Brewing Co. Styled after a British winter ale, this full-bodied beer pours out mahogany in color with a rich, malty aroma. Although the initial taste is dry with a slight hops bitterness, the chocolate and caramel flavors peak right away, finishing with a touch of spice. Heavier than a pale ale but not quite a porter, it’s quite jolly with dark chocolate.

Winter Ale, Stoudt’s Brewing Co. Here’s another brewery that changes things up for its annual winter release, and it’s always surprising. In 2008, I popped the top to find a porter. This time around, it’s a red ale (I’m sensing a theme). One thing’s for sure, their beers are consistently good. I enjoyed this smooth, hoppy cracker a lot, mainly because it floats nicely between a super-spicy Christmas and a souped-up malty “warmer.” Can’t wait to be surprised again in 2010.

Doppelbock, Fordham Brewing Co. I had the good fortune to taste this old-school Bavarian seasonal when it was released in early December at The Rams Head in Savage Mill (thanks, Jeani). Very stouty, yet smooth and sweet as it is dark. It’s also quite bold and strong (8.4% alcohol), with a hint of smokiness that’s tamped down by a subtle, syrupy almost-molasses quality. Double up with a slice of German chocolate cake.

Winter Ale, Smuttynose Brewing Co. A perennial favorite, this tasty, toasty, full-bodied amber ale features a Trappist ale yeast, creating a Belgian dubbel-like warmth with pleasing fruity aromas and a caramelesque flavor. It’s dry but plenty sweet, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg spice. There is just enough hops to make it the perfect match to homemade carrot cake.

Winter Warmer, Lancaster Brewing Co. As the name implies, this very dark, very strong (9% alcohol), malty-sweet beer will certainly take the edge off a chilly night. What’s less direct is the complexity of flavor, which after a sip or two reveals chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and even some cherry notes. It’s a great with rich and spicy foods, like the salsa and corn chowder that Amy made on Saturday.

Shiner Holiday Cheer, Spoetzel Brewery. Apparently, it’s not just the stars that shine big and bright in Texas. You could even say the beer glows, at least during the holidays. This new-to-me brew, an old world dunkelweizen (or dark wheat ale), is nutty as a fruitcake — literally. With bright peach and pecan flavors, a yeasty aroma, and crisp taste, it’s a unique, refreshing, and cheerful alternative to the usual Christmas beers.

Yule Tide, Clipper City. Like its Heavy Seas siblings, this Belgian triple ale packs a wallop. At 10% alcohol by volume, it is one of the stormiest seasonals I’ve tried. Yet, above decks, it shows a nice balance between malty rich and lightly sweet. It was so surprisingly drinkable, in fact, I nearly forgot it’s intended as a seasonal sipper — though it made a super supper companion to savory homemade chicken pot pie.

Special Ale, Anchor Brewing Co. Every year since 1975, Anchor has brewed a Christmas ale that is both unique and equally as enjoyable as its flagship Steam Beer — and well worth the wait. It’s the closest thing to the traditional winter warmer I have tasted: dark and treacly, pungent, full of old-world aromas, such as balsam, allspice, ginger and peppercorn. It’s also my favorite.

So, there you have it, 12 reasons why winter really is the most wonderful time of the year. At least for beer-drinkers. After all, St. Nicholas himself is the patron saint of brewers and coopers, among others, and reportedly loved nothing more than a mugful of good beer. It’s no wonder, then, his eyes twinkled and his nose was red as a cherry.

As always, tell us what you think. Have you tasted any of these beers? Or are there other seasonals that you prefer? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

And be sure to visit (and join) the Scribbleskiff page on Facebook (find it here), where you can partake in wall-to-wall conversations, find additional information and suggestions from readers, and more.

St. Nicholas and the Schmutzli making their way to Girdwood, Alaska

December 6th was a rough day because this year I have been bad.

During the summer I accepted the use of a large black Dodge truck that sported a George W. Bush sticker. I didn’t even use the truck for its utilitarian value of hauling sheep or large flat screen tv’s. Amy and I drove the truck to Hope, Alaska to simply wander around for an hour. Usually I enjoy being a smidgen evil because I can always seek forgiveness in Christ and offset my carbon footprint through credit. These fun-loving, not-holding-myself-accountable ways changed when I met our Swiss guests.

They have been scaring me with stories about an individual who doesn’t listen to sob apologies. His name is the Schmutzli. Every 6th of December, he and Saint Nicholas visit families in Switzerland and hostels in Girdwood, Alaska. Saint Nicholas gives out fruit and nuts to good people while the Schmutzli kidnaps people who have been bad. The misbehaving people awake in a secret location somewhere in the Black Forest of Europe. Saint Nicholas has a very hungry donkey who loves carrots, and the bad people are forced to peel carrots until their fingers bleed. The Schmutzli adheres to the notion that bad people must be tortured into being good.

Click here to learn more about the Schmutzli

I tell the Swiss I don’t believe in St. Nicholas aka Santa Clause. The Swiss then giggle, “Really, you don’t believe in Santa and the Schmutzli? For the last 8 years, who has been giving out gifts of freedom? Yes, Santa Bush, and who is his helper? The CIA Schmutzli. And where did Santa’s helper take the bad people? To the land of rendition probably somewhere in the Black Forest. Check out the 2009/11/05 New York Times, Italy Convicts 23 Americans for C.I.A. Renditions.”

I prefer the December 25th holiday where I turn my thoughts toward the birth of Christ in a stable and the infanticide of the all the males in Bethlehem under the age of two. These images are much more joyous than dealing with the anxiety of being abducted by the Schmutzli.

Luckily, 2009 has been a great year for everyone at the hostel.

Here are some photos of making and eating Swiss bread babies on Dec 6. Special thanks to Salome and Avi, THE SWISS.

The Swiss

A bread baby can represent one's alter ego

bread baby action

Bread babies are fun to make and fun to play with and when the fun's gone you can eat them

At GABI guests and the community can feel safe being themselves, i.e. playing with dolls