December 20, 2019 Issue, Page 21 of 22

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HOMETOWN TIDINGS, Friday, December 20, 2019 PG11 Quick and Eas} a Christmas Cookies Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” INGREDIENTS Moore denied authoring the famous poem for 15 years © 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour after it was published anonymously, feeling the poem * 1 teaspoon baking soda he holiday season has arrived, and millions was beneath his talents. ¢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder © Santa has his own official postal code. It’s HO HO HO. * 1 cup butter, softened of people across the globe will be celebrat- * 11/2 cups white sugar ing Christmas with their families and friends. © The song “Jingle Bells” was originally written for © legg The following are some interesting tidbits to Thanksgiving and not Christmas. People loved it so * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract share with your loved ones this holiday season. much that the lyrics were changed to fit Christmas. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small Each year, more than three billion Christmas cards * Christmas trees typically grow for 15 years before bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set are sent in the United States alone. they’re cut and sold. This means the trees sold today aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar un- In 350 AD, Pope Julius |, bishop of Rome, proclaimed were likely planted in 2002. til smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry December 25 the official celebration date for the birth © Christmas was not declared an official holiday in ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and of Jesus Christ. Many historians and theologians have the United States until June 26, 1870. place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in * Before turkey, the traditional Christmas meal served the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie surmised that Christ really wasn’t born this time of sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. year, thanks to imagery and information from the Bible. in England was a pig’s head and mustard. * Christmas carols began as an English custom called Male reindeer tend to shed their antlers in the win- “wassailing.” Individuals toasted neighbors to a long ter. This means Santa’s reindeer are likely female. toe” means in the ancient Germanic language. It liter- and healthy life. * Christ may have been born in a cave rather than a ally means “dung on a twig,” for the bird who eats the * Despite the common tale that three wise men paid manger. According to the gospel of Luke, the shepherds berries and then leaves seeds in droppings to propa- homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never specifically calls that helped find shelter for Mary to give birth kept their gate new plants. out a number. Similarly, there’s no specific indication flock in a cave. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem * Each holiday season, PNC Wealth Management cal- that they visited the infant Jesus. Their visit may have is built over a cave called the Grotto of the Nativity, culates the costs of the gifts in the song, “The 12 Days occurred when Jesus was older. where Jesus is believed to have been born. of Christmas.” The price index for the gifts went from Santa Claus’ modern look was inspired by writings * Many people may be less inclined to stand under $12,673 in 1984 to more than $24,000 in 2011. The from The Knickerbockers of New York and imagery from mistletoe waiting for a kiss if they knew what “mistle- most expensive gift is the swimming swans.