Christmas Wouldn’t be the Same
Without Christmas Carols
Wilmington De. Stake
Relief Society Newsletter
December 2009
Dear Sisters,
The following statement is about families
and traditions and makes me reflect on
Christmas’ past and present . . .
“It’s that time of year again! A time to
think about the holidays of the past. We
cherish memories of traditions associated
with these holidays and pass them from
one generation to another. They help to
make us who we are and who we will
become. Traditions are the glue which
bonds us to our past and our future.” (Joyce
Byers)
We would like to wish you and your family
a most wonderful and enjoyable Christmas
Season. Since we have been called to our
new callings we have been able to visit with
many of you. It has been a joy to meet you.
We appreciate all you do for the sisters
and families in your branch or ward. We
support you in your endeavors and pray for
you. Merry Christmas!
Your Stake Relief Society Presidency,
Lisa Nixdorf
Michelle Jordan
Sherry Crawford
Charlotte Baldwin
Christmas just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without
singing a few carols either at church, on the doorstep of
surprised friends and family members or even in the car
when your favorite carol comes on the radio. We know
these songs by heart and they bring back wonderful
holiday memories each time they’re heard and sung.
The carol, as a religious song for a particular season,
dates back to the 13th century but didn’t gain wide
spread popularity until the following century. Over the
next hundred years, the carol developed musically and as
a literary form in its own right. The Reformation in
England replaced the carol with the metrical Psalm, but
carols had a resurgence in the 18th center which has
helped them to become the sine qua non of the Christmas
season.
Top 10 Traditional Christmas Carols
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Hymn written in
1739 by Charles Wesley while listening to church
bells one Christmas day.
The First Noel – First published in 1833.
O Holy Night – On Christmas Eve 1906, Canadian
inventor Regionald Fessenden played the popular
carol on an AM radio station, making it the first
piece of music broadcast on radio.
What Child Is This? – Written in 1865 by William
Chatterton Dix while he was on bed rest, recovering
from a serious illness.
Silent Night – Has been translated into over 300
languages and dialects.
O Come, All Ye Faithful – Written by John Francis
Wade, a Roman Catholic who fled France during the
Jacobean rebellion and worked as a music teacher
in England.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Sung for centuries
before being published in Britain in 1833. The story
goes that the carol was sung to the gentry by town
watchmen who earned additional money during the
Christmas season.
Angels We Have Heard On High – Originally a
traditional French carol known as “Les Anges dans
nos Compagnes,” which translates literally to “The
Angels in our Countryside.”
Away in a Manager – First printed anonymously in
the Lutheran book, Little Children’s Book for
Schools and Families in 1885.
O Little Town of Bethlehem – Written by Rev Philips
Brooks a Philadelphian vicar, after a horseback ride
from Jerusalem to Bethlehem where he helped at
Midnight Mass, in 1867. www.byerschoice.com
Meaning Behind The Song . . . Christmas Red & Green
No-Bean Chili
The Twelve Days of Christmas 4 pounds ground beef chuck
The origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas Song is believed (preferably large grind)
to date back to Medieval French troubadours. The twelve 1/4 cup chili powder or to
days begin on December 25th and end on January 6th (The taste
Epiphany). This period represents the cycle of birth of 2 tablespoons minced garlic
baptism. The lyrics to the song that we sing today were first 3 banana peppers, seeded
published in England by J.O. Helliwell in 1842. and sliced, optional
It is thought the gifts in the song were symbols used to help 2 large onions, chopped
children learn the tenets of their faith. Here is one 1 can (28 ozs.) diced
interpretation that we have heard: tomatoes with green chilies,
undrained
The Partridge in a Pear Tree: Jesus Christ
1 can (14 ½ oz.) beef broth
Two Turtledoves: The Old and New 2 cans (4 ozs. each) diced
Testaments green chilies, drained
Three French Hens: Faith, Hope and Love 2 tablespoons ground cumin
Four Calling Birds: The Four Gospels 2 tablespoons ground hot
paprika
Five Gold Rings: First Five Books of
2 tablespoons malt or cider
the Old Testament
vinegar
Six Geese a-Laying: The Six Days of 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Creation leaves
Seven Swans a-Swimming: Seven Gifts of the Hot pepper sauce to taste
Holy Spirit Diced avocado and red onions
Eight Maids a-Milking: The Eight Beatitudes for garnish.
Brown beef in large Dutch
Nine Ladies Dancing: Nine Fruits of the Holy
oven over medium heat.
Spirit
Drain excess fat. Add chili
Ten Lords a-Leaping: Ten Commandments powder, garlic, sliced
Eleven Pipers Piping: Eleven Faithful Apostles peppers and chopped onions.
Twelve Drummers Drumming: The Twelve Points of Reduce heat to medium-low
Doctrine in the Apostles and cook and stir 30 minutes.
Creed Add tomatoes, beef broth,
green chilies, cumin, paprika,
The “true love” in the song refers to God Himself. And the
vinegar, oregano and hot
“me” receiving the gifts is every Christian.
pepper sauce. Cook 30
The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most minutes, stirring occasionally.
misunderstood part of the church year. Contrary to popular Garnish with diced avocado
belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in and red onion.
most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Makes 8 servings.
Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany.
www.byerschoice.com
Outsmart The Winter Blues
Breakfast By A Window
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is
thought to be related to chemical
imbalance in the brain, brought on
by lack of light during winter’s
shorter days. Catching 10 minutes
of sun in the morning, when your
eyes are more sensitive to its effects,
balances brain chemicals to reduce
SAD symptoms.
Duplicate The Sun
People with SAD reported relief
after spending 20 to 45 minutes a
day in front of a light box, a bank of
fluorescent lights on a metal
reflector that mimics natural light.
Since people have different clock
phases (early, neutral and late
types), use the questionnaire at
CET.org to find the best treatment
time for you.
Regulate Hormones With
Candlelight The yoga technique of
gazing steadily at a candle flame can
help regulate the pineal gland, which
is responsible for releasing
melatonin and other hormones,
disruptions of which are linked to
the winter blues.
Use Vacation Days Now
Just three or four days in a warmer,
sunnier climate may pull you out of
the doldrums, especially if your SAD
symptoms are mild.
Boost Your B’s, Boost Your Mood
Reach for a daily multivitamin
containing ample amounts of the
B’s, such as Vitamin B6, thiamin and
folic acid – nutrients shown to
enhance mood.
Is It SAD?
You may have SAD if you experience
a drop in mood and energy in the
winter, alternating with an uplift in
mood and energy during spring and
summer. Other signs of SAD can
include an increase in . . .
 Stress
 Feelings of hopelessness
 Cravings for sweets
 Weight
 Desire or need to oversleep
 Difficulty concentrating or
being motivated to work or
socialize. (Woman’s World Mag.)
ho! ho! ho!
Do you begin every December with the same sense of excitement
you had as a kid? But as the big day approaches, do you get
bogged down by nagging questions: How am I going to get it all
done? Are my decorations tacky? Do I have to get her a present?
These tips might help you find your inner Santa.
the clock is ticking . . .
 Hire help when you need it. It can be worth the money just to
get a few chores off your list. Pay a teenage neighbor to serve
food at your holiday party or babysit while you shop.
 Say no. Cut back on events that aren’t meaningful or take too
much time. Save some get-togethers for January, when things
calm down.
 Send holiday messages online. You save time stuffing
envelopes and money on stamps.
 Don’t feel you have to cook every part of the meal yourself.
Make a main dish and buy ready-made side dishes from the
deli or salad bar. No one is likely to call you on it. Or assign
other family members or friends to bring the side dishes or
desserts.
forget about it . . .
 Perfectionism. Don’t worry about buying the perfect gift or
throwing the perfect party. Reality almost never matches up
to impossibly high expectations.
 Outdated family traditions. Maybe it’s time for some new
ones. If hosting a huge holiday meal or giving gifts to
everyone you know leaves you exhausted every year, make a
change. Chances are family and friends will adapt just fine
and won’t miss the stress of an unwanted tradition.
 Doing a whole-house cleanup. Just spiff up the rooms where
you entertain and leave the rest for after the holidays.
jobs to delegate . . .
 Decorating the house. Trimming the tree and the rest of the
house always takes longer than you think. So does packing
and unpacking the decorations. Share the job with family
members and it won’t seem as overwhelming.
 Grocery shopping. Give your husband or older children a
detailed list and let them make the trip to the store.
 Setting the table and cleaning up afterward. No special talents
are needed for these tasks. Anyone can put plates on the table
or load and unload the dishwasher.
The best way to pick out a healthy tree: Gently grasp a
branch between your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward you. If
the tree is fresh, only a few needles should come off in your hand.
Then bounce the tree lightly on its trunk. If lots of needles fall off,
choose another tree.
 RIGHTEOUS TRADITIONS:
Wise and Worthwhile Words of Wisdom
Righteous traditions have a unique power. They become the glue to bind families together.
Traditions help establish a firm foundation for our children, which in turn creates stronger families.
Ultimately, stronger families create a stronger church and nation. Righteous traditions are vital
in our Latter-Day Saint homes today to battle the forces of evil.

President Thomas S. Monson reported on a worldwide survey of nearly 100,000 boys and girls.
He came up with the following list of do’s and don’ts that every mother and father should memorize.
1. Treat all your children with equal affection.
2. Keep close to them.
3. Make their friends welcome in your home.
4. Don’t quarrel in front of the children.
5. Be thoughtful to each other.
6. Never lie to your children.
7. Always answer their questions.
8. Don’t punish them in the presence of others.
9. Be constant in affections and moods.
10. Concentrate on good points – not failings.

Specific righteous traditions for families from President Joseph F. Smith.

 Try today, and tomorrow, to make a change in your home by praying twice a day with your family.
 Call on your children and your wife to pray with you.
 Ask a blessing upon every meal you eat.
 Spend ten minutes in reading a chapter from the words of the Lord in the Bible, the Book of
Mormon, or the Doctrine and Covenants, before you retire or before you go to your daily toil.
 Feed your spiritual selves at home, as well as in public places.
 Left love, peace, the Spirit of the Lord, kindness, charity, and sacrifice for others abound in your
families.
 Banish harsh words, envying, hatred, evil speaking, obscene language, innuendos and blasphemy.
Let the Spirit of God take possession of your hearts…
 Not one child in a hundred would go astray if the home environment, example and training are in
harmony with the truth of the Gospel of Christ, as revealed and taught to the Latter-day Saints.

A recent survey of more than two thousand adolescents revealed some surprising things about today’s kids.
A majority of the kids believe in God and feel that more religion is needed in family life. The youngsters also
expressed the wish that families could spend more time together as a family. The kids also said they wanted to
communicate better with their parents.

Tips For Happier Holidays

Be willing to create new family traditions. Can’t get the clan together for Christmas? What about instituting a Groundhog Day
Weekend, complete with rituals that you invent together?

Respect the boundaries of other people. They have a right to make the choices that are best for them, even if they’re not what
you’d prefer.

Set aside a few hours during the holidays to volunteer for service work. Joy and harmony flow from the realization that we
have much to be grateful for. www.prevention.com
 How To Write An
Engaging Holiday Letter
Keep it short and upbeat. One page max. Hit
the highlights, and hit them quick. Remember,
just like you, the recipients are getting lots of
mail at this time of year to go along with all the
extra duties the season demands. No matter
how interesting or exciting your life has been
in the past 12 months, no one wants to read
more than one page.
Capture the holiday spirit. Even if you have
sad news, a holiday letter shouldn’t be a litany
of woes. At least start and end on a joyous
note. Example of how NOT to start a letter:
“I’m writing to tell you Marge and I are getting
a divorce, and the kids are in psychiatric care.”
Know your audience. Consider one letter for
close family and friends and another for more
distant relatives or co-workers.
Be you. Write in a manner that allows the
reader to hear and feel your voice.
Identify each person by name and position in
the family. When you write, for example, that
“Tim loves swimming now,” you don’t want the
reader wondering, “Who’s Tim? Is that the
oldest boy or the husband?”
Share good news, but be brief, be breezy; not
boastful.
Break up the text with a photo, artwork
(perhaps from one of your children or grand-
children), a meaningful quote, or even a clever
cartoon.
Don’t rush it. A rushed letter will read like
one. Take your time; even write it over several
days. Themorningcallnewspaper
Learn To Embrace Change . . .
Whether it’s moving to a new city or losing a job,
change often seems scary at first. It takes time to
adapt, but most people want to snap their fingers
and feel comfortable. To make the transition a bit
easier:
Stick to a routine. Create a sense of normalcy by
waking up at the same time every day (even if you
don’t have a particular place to be) or going to the
same neighborhood bagel shop each morning.
Organize something. It can be small (your sock
drawer) or large (your closet). Tackling a project
can help you feel more in control.
Do one fun thing for yourself every day. Any
break from the pressure—give yourself a manicure,
buy a brightly colored daisy—is a chance to
mentally reboot.
5 Tricks to Happy Houseguests
1-Test Drive the Guest Room. Sleep in the bed
yourself for a night. (You’ll be surprised.)
Now, make the room more comfortable. Fix
the drafty windows, get an alarm clock that
actually works, and replace the weird blanket.
2-Create Space. This is the part people
forget: Guests need ample shelf and closet
space in the bedroom, bathroom and front hall-
way for their suitcases and stuff.
3-Jazz Things Up. Add some books or
magazines you think particular guests would
like, and if you can, your guests’ favorite
toiletries.
4-Take Inventory. Check that you have enough
serving dishes, glasses, unstained sheets,
towels, washcloths and air mattresses for the
incoming crew. There’s no reason to buy what
you don’t have---borrow from a friend.
5-Lay Out Entertainment. What sort of
vegging out do these guests enjoy? The more
you offer, the less entertaining you’ll have to
do. Place multiple options in plain sight: a TV
remote, board games, ingredients for a baking
project, movies, etc.
Sometimes Nontraditional Gifts Are Best 3 Things You
Some of the great—but different—gift ideas other “Makes Shouldn’t Spend A
Christmas Matter” groups are suggesting would include such
things as:
Dime On . . .
1. Wrapping Paper.
 Buying a new school uniform for an orphaned, foster
Save incoming wrap-
child or disadvantaged child.
ping paper, and have
 Providing tools and materials to help a small
entrepreneur to begin a business and package products kids make drawings
properly and attractively. on plain paper to
 Acquiring soft toys for an abused or neglected child, use. Family will love
foster children or other disadvantaged children. it.
 Contributing money to the general scholarship fund of 2. Present Mailing.
your school’s scholarship program, also in the name of With your early
your family member or friend.
shopping schedule in
 Acquiring a week’s worth of food for a family where the
action, you’ll have
breadwinner has been laid off.
 Offering to pay for food for an animal or animals for plenty of time to
your local zoo, which is now experiencing basic animal hand out gifts as
care funding cutbacks with the slowing economics you see friends and
worldwide. family. Out-of-
All of the gift ideas just suggested were done so each should towner gifts should
make a big difference working toward making the lives at least a be purchased online
bit more comfortable for the people—or animals—all of which are if possible, with
more in need now than they were only six to eight months ago. free shipping and no
sales tax.
If you still lean toward a more traditional Christmas gift, you can 3. Cell Phone Over-
still be imaginative by buying such gifts as: charges. Face it, at
 Tickets to a concert, play, sports game and the like for holiday time we all
those cultural and athletic activities that your gift feel a need to
recipient likes. connect with
 Planning and providing a long weekend of fun, friends and family,
accommodation and interests in an especially liked bed-
so you may well go
and-breakfast.
over your minutes
 Planning and providing an evening of dinner, fun and
friendship at a bit more upscale restaurant than you or this month. If you
your gift recipient would normally frequent. don’t already have
an unlimited plan,
“Christmas should be about more than just a turkey dinner buy a phone card
and a pile of presents under the tree. It should also be now at any
about spending time with loved ones and giving, in their convenience store.
names, the true sense of the word.” --Carol Tappenden
Chocolate Chip Cheeseball
1 package (8 ozs.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Graham Crackers or Vanilla Wafers
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter
and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars;
beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate
chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of
plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for
at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans.
Serve with graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
Yield: 1 cheese ball (about 2 cups).
Quick appetizers to have on hand:
Blue Cheese-Pecan Apples
Arrange 1 thinly sliced Gala apple and 1 thinly
sliced Granny Smith apple in over-lapping rows
on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Pinch
1 (5 oz.) soft blue cheese wedge, rind removed,
into small pieces; arrange on apples. Bake at
425 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes or just until
cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped
toasted pecans and salt and pepper to taste.
Cream Cheese and Olive Pecan Bites
Stir together 3-oz. softened cream cheese, ½
cup finely chopped pimiento-stuffed Spanish
olives, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, and
¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread onto 40 large
toasted pecan halves; top with 40 large toasted
pecan halves, forming “sandwiches”.
Pecan Honey Butter
Stir together ½ cup butter, softened; ½ cup
finely chopped toasted pecans; and 2
tablespoon honey. Store in refrigerator up to 1
week or freeze up to 1 month. Be sure to cool
pecans completely after toasting.
Goat Cheese-Pecan Finger Sandwiches
Stir together 4 oz. softened goat cheese, 3 oz.
softened cream cheese, ½ cup finely chopped
toasted pecans, and 2 tablespoons chopped
fresh parsley. Spread on 7 bread slices.
Spread 7 more bread slices with 1/3 cup red
pepper jelly; top with cheese-covered bread
slices. Remove crusts; cut into desired shapes.
German Chocolate Cookies
To make these cookies more healthful use dark
baking chocolate. For a classic German
chocolate flavor, use sweet baking chocolate.
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
3 oz. dark or sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Chopped pecans, optional
Flaked coconut, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing
bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on
medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add
brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat until
well combined, scraping sides of bowl
occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until
combined. Beat in flour. Stir in rolled oats,
flax seed meal, and cocoa powder. Stir in
chopped chocolate, coconut, and pecans (dough
will be thick).
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches
apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. If
desired, sprinkle tops with additional chopped
pecans and flaked coconut. Bake for 8 to 10
minutes or until edges are just firm and tops
are set. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 1
minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 35 cookies. Storage: Store cookies for 2
days at room temperature or freeze for up to 3 months.
 Leftover Makeover
Transform yesterday’s meal into something
appetizing while saving money.
“Leftovers again?!?” It’s the phrase that no
cost-conscious cook wants to hear. If you are a
parent, this exclamation is usually followed by
melodramatic sighs and at least one roll of the
eyes.
But take some sage advice from a few frugal
gourmets out there: A dash of rosemary, thyme
and imagination goes a long way. Rotisserie
chicken from the deli tonight is tomorrow’s
chicken and dumplings (and stir-fry on the
third day).
1 Keep it kid-friendly. Cook the simplest
things that you know kids won’t turn up
their noses at. For instance, spaghetti on
Monday is the base for chili on Tuesday
and sloppy joes on Wednesday. The
leftover chili is perfect for brown-bagging
parents.
2 Budget with the basics. With a few
basic ingredients, you can spend about
$20 and feed a family of four for about
three or four days. The key is always
knowing what you like to eat again,
whether it’s chicken or beef.
3 Shop strategically. Making a list “is an
absolute necessity” for keeping to a
budget. Sort through coupons as you plan
and adapt recipes accordingly. If your
budget doesn’t allow you to buy
everything in bulk, build up your
foodstuffs gradually. Novices might want
to bring a calculator along to figure out
the unit price on those in-store specials,
but be realistic about what you really ned
so food doesn’t spoil before you can use it.
(For more information about figuring out
unit cost and shopping, take advantage of
the resources at www.nutrition.gov.
4 Grow your own. Home grown vegetables
and herbs help stretch the food budget.
The kids tend to eat more of what they
grow and comfort foods such as salsa are
essentially free and taste a lot better. If it
takes three weeks to build a habit, you
may have to get used to the idea of
creating meal plans in advance and
improvising upon old favorites. Buy meat
first since that’s your most expensive item
and build recipes around that. (Got a little
bit of leftover meat? Why not make a
breakfast burritos?) Start with a web site
such as www.LeftOverChef.com and try
out mixes and other spice blends to turn
rice or frozen vegetables into a zesty side
dish to save time.
At first, your grocery bill may seem
higher, until you tally up the final result: If
it’s all eaten and nothing is wasted, then
you saved money, noting that last-minute
trips to the store and unexpected fast-food
splurges add up. Convenience foods are a
big cost waster.
5 Pantry Staples
In addition to spices and seasonings, use
these ingredients to transform leftovers
into a new meal within minutes:
--Baking mix (for pancakes, breads and
biscuits, pot pies, etc.)
--Rice
--Potatoes
--Cornbread mix for breading, crumbs and
of course, cornbread.
--“Cream of” soups such as chicken, mush-
room and broccoli for sauces and
casserole fillers.
www.LeftOverChef.com
Have you ever thought that . . .
THREE WISE WOMEN WOULD HAVE . . .
asked for directions,
arrived on time,
helped deliver the baby,
cleaned the stable.
made a casserole,
brought practical gifts . . .
and there would be
PEACE ON EARTH.
www.acornonline.com
Merry Christmas !