December 2010 Post 9 & 10

Merry Christmas everyone! This is our 10th edition of The Patterson Post Christmas Newsletter. We do this newsletter instead of sending out Christmas Cards. We believe this newsletter makes it more personal and catches everyone up on what is going on. This years is different. I never got 2009, Issue 9 out, So I combined last years and this years.

2010 has had some changes for me. One of these changes is, I now work for a security company as a Security Officer. I have my Tennessee State license as a Security Officer. I have been enjoying this job very much.

I am still trying to do my graphic design, doing it on the side when I can. I have a few sites that I plan to sign up on for freelance designers so I hope some work comes in that way. Plus, I have a bigger interest in photography too.

I am in the 7th grade this and I am doing my first school activity this year. I am on the Golf team for my middle school. I am very excited about playing golf this spring. I am finding the 7th grade kinda hard. This is a new school for me, it is not the best school, but it is nothing like my old elementary school was. I believe Christmas is not about the presents you get, but spend-ing time with friends and family.

Boxing Day is a day we see on our calendars every year and we all have wondered what exactly is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day is traditionally celebrated on 26 December, however, Boxing Day cannot be on a Sunday, that day being the officially recognized day of worship. A public holiday in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and countries in the Commonwealth of Nations. In South Africa this public holiday is now known as the Day of Goodwill.

The name derives from the English tradition giving seasonal gifts (in the form of a “Christmas box”) to less wealthy people. In the United Kingdom this was later

extended to various work people such as labourers, ser-vants, tradespeople and postal workers.

BALLBELLBLITZENCANDYCHIMNEYCOMETCUPIDDANCERDASHER

DEERDONNERELFFROSTYGIFTPRANCERPRESENTRUDOLPHSACK

SANTASLEDSNOWMANSTARTOYTREEVIXENWREATH

©2000 The Kids Domain, www.kidsdomain.com. Free for non-profit use.

S D S S C A N D Y Y D WA L L N O W D A S H E RC A E O M U O N A V E EK C D W E L N C N I R AW U T M T K N E T X D TW P R A N C E R A E E HQ I E N M H R U F N L VV D E V U I V D G I F TG R R C P M T O Y S B BP R E S E N T L R T I EB L I T Z E N P B A L LF R O S T Y V H I R W L

Patterson Post is now going Green. Patterson Post will only be available Online. Once it is completed, I will send you the link to view any future issues.

Lord, may we be like the Wise Men who were guided to you by a star. Give us the wisdom to seek you, light to guide us to you, courage to search until we find you, gracious-ness to worship you and generos-ity to lay our gifts before you, who are our King and our God for ever and e v e r .Amen.

As long as Christmas trees have been a part of the holi-day season, so, too, has been the debate over real or man-made trees. Each side has its supporters and detractors, and both have real and man-made Christmas trees have their pros and cons.

When deciding whether or not to go to the nearby tree farm or the department store for your holiday tree this season, consider the fol-lowing factors.What Will a Natural Tree Cost?

Natural trees can vary in price depending on where you go. Prices can range from less than $20 to more than $50. When making the decision, it’s important to keep in mind that a tree does not last very long, and therefore investing too much money might not be the best way to spend your money. However, there are options to purchase real trees with the root ball intact, which enables homeowners to plant the tree in their yard after the season.What Will an Artificial Tree Cost?

Artificial trees will initially have a higher price tag than their natural counterparts. However, they are also more cost-effective because they can be used for several years after their initial purchases. There is also no need to pur-chase accessories such as tree stands and watering devices with an artificial tree, which are typically necessary with a natural tree.How Easily Can a Natural Tree Be Moved?

The Christmas tree lot or farm does take steps to make it easier to lift and move the tree, but there’s still the chal-lenge of getting it home. Many, whether driving a car or SUV, choose to put the tree on the roof of their vehicle, but then worry about the tree blowing off on the high-way. Then’s there the issue of getting the tree through the doorway, an especially difficult task for homeowners with older homes, where doorways are often much smaller compared to newer homes. Bring the tree into the home can also leave trails of pine needles from the car to house. That’s a problem that can still be around throughout the year, as those pesky pine needles can be difficult to banish.

How Easily Can an Artificial Tree Be Moved?Clearly, artificial trees are more advantageous when

it comes to moving them. Because they’re often boxed, these trees are lightweight and easy to maneuver into the house. Whether a house is old or new really does not matter when it comes to an artificial tree thanks to the packaging.

What Does a Natural Tree Look Like?Where natural tree supporters often stake their big-

gest claim is the tree’s aesthetic appeal. Supporters feel a natural tree is much more aesthetically appealing. However, those buying late might be stuck with all that’s left, long after the more desirable trees have

found a living room in which to spend the season. What Does an Artificial Tree Look Like?

While some like the real look of a natural tree, others like their holiday tree to be perfect, with none

of the warts of a natural tree. Artificial trees, unless poorly produced, have no warts, as they’re man made. Also, an artificial tree guarantees its owners

the same look each and every holiday season. What Is the Environmental Impact of a

Natural Tree?Natural trees are actually much more

environmentally friendly than they initially appear. Christmas trees are planted for the express purpose of the holiday season, and large numbers of new trees are planted

each year to replenish the stock in an environmentally friendly way. In addi-tion, once the season has ended, many

trees are recycled and used as sand and soil ero-sion barriers.

What Is the Environmental Impact of Artificial Trees?Artificial trees often come with a host of safety warn-

ings. That’s because they are made from a variety of mate-rials, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and metals, which can put toxins into the air during production. That is why there are lead warning labels on some artifi-cial trees. Artificial tree buyers must be careful of erecting artificial trees in homes with small children or pets, as consumption can be toxic. Another thing to consider is that many artificial trees cannot be recycled, so there is no environmentally friendly way of disposing of them when homeowners decide it’s time to replace them.

Compliments of Metro Services

I hope to soon have all the past issues of Patterson Post up on the internet. It will include December 2001 (Post 1 all the way to this present issue live Online.) That way you can enjoy past issues of stories shared.

It is hard to believe that I have 10 years worth of news-letters. So that makes this issue the 10th Anniversary issue.

The Patterson Post was originally designed in Quark

Xmas you may have seen to shorten the word Christmas. I myself are like many and do not like to use that because you are taking Christ out of the picture. I made a post about this as well on Facebook and got some good responses on it.

A friend Irma shares I believe the Pagans brought this on. Both Rob and Cheri agree with me as I stated in the above paragraph. Valarie gives her opin-ion that she has heard it is a Greek abb., for Christ and is not meant for disrespect. It takes more than a abbrevia-tion to take Christ out of Christmas.

The word -mas is Latin Old English word for “mass”. The letter “X” comes from the Greek letter “Chi”. Chi is the first letter of the Greek word for “Christ.” The Greek letter “Chi” resembles an “X”. As you can see the Labarum, has an X in the graphic above and that is how it could have got its start. “Christ” was often written as “XP” or “Xt”; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as AD 1021.

As quoted by Wikipedia: In the United States, in 1977 New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson sent out a press release saying that he wanted journalists to keep the “Christ” in Christmas, and not call it Xmas—which he asserted was a pagan spelling of Christmas. Which is what Irma had stated above on my post in Facebook.

The Oxford Dictionary believes the abbreviation got is start around 1485.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas

THE LABARUM, OFTEN CALLED THE CHI-RHO,

IS A CHRISTIAN SYMBOL REPRESENTING CHRIST.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the houseNot 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 snowGave the lustre 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 roofThe 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.”

By Clement Clarke Moore

The poem on the next column, “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clark Moore is one of my favor-ite poems. I always enjoyed watching the cartoon as a kid with the little mice and the clock. — Steve

www.cardeologist.comCell/txt: (865) 898-6163

friendlyknoxguy@live.comfacebook.com/friendlyknoxguy

STEVE: I would like to learn who to use my digital SLR camera properly in manual mode. I am thinking of trying to take a couple of the non-credit classes at a local college this year.

AMBER: My new year resolution is to be back with dad in a house of our own. I miss my dad and missy, our old cat so much. I wish I was back with them.

12 Cinnamon Rollscream cheese frosting, included with rolls

toffee bitsmaraschino cherries

From Rhodes BreadsCinnamon Roll

Christmas Tree

Center one roll near the top of a large sprayed

baking sheet. Arrange rolls in three more

rows 1-inch apart, adding one additional roll

to each row, forming a tree. Add two rolls

to the bottom to form the trunk. If using

Any Time! rolls, bake according to package

instructions.

For traditional rolls, cover with sprayed plas-

tic wrap and let rise until double in size.

Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 15-20 min-

utes. When cool, decorate tree with frosting,

toffee bits and cherries as desired.

If you would like to know how you can start your own Christmas newsletter, feel free to contact me and I can tell you how you can go about starting your own newsletter so you can share with your family and friends.

Do you have a holiday story, recipe, tip or anything else you think I should add or share in a future issue of Patterson Post, feel free to contact me and share with me. You may see it in next issue of Patterson Post.

It never fails. Every December someone asks about the German Christmas pickle ornament that’s supposed to have a long tradition in Germany.

Here’s the pickle “legend” from one Web site: “A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was to hide a pickle [orna-ment] deep in the branches of the family Christmas Tree. The parents hung the pickle last after all the other ornaments were in place. In the morn-ing they knew the most observant child would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year.” This Christmas pickle story, with a few minor variations, can be found all over the Web and in print inside the ornament package. It says that Germans hang a pickle-shaped glass ornament on the Christmas tree hidden away so it’s difficult to find. The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special treat or an extra present.

Of course, anyone familiar with German Christmas customs can see the flaws in this “legend.” First of all, the German St. Nick doesn’t show up on Christmas Eve. He arrives on the 5th or 6th of December. Nor do German children open their presents on Christmas morning. That happens on Christmas Eve in Germany.

german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm

I hope one year to use my white tree that I have and use only orange and white/Vols decorations on it. I have got many ideas from my Facebook friends on making homemade ones. I also have orange lights from Hallow-een clearance from years ago. So I have a small start. If you have some you don’t want or want to make me some, feel free to contact me and I can make arrange-ments to pick that up.

I personally believe this tree will rock when I get everything I need for it. At this moment, I only have a few items for it. But, I hope to be able to get more. Plus wait for the clearance at the stores and get some Vols stuff. The problem is just plain orange bulbs are hard to find, so you will have to paint clear/white ones orange. I have a few already from years past.

Why and orange and white tree with Vols decorations and such on it? Well that is very simple. I am a huge Vols fan and I would love to show my support during Christ-mas for the Vols by having my tree done up in orange and white along with Vols decorations.