Buy Handmade from Makers

The word carol means dance for joy or sing a song of praise. That is why they were primarily sung on the shortest day of the year, or Winter Solstice, as it is known. Participants danced around stone circles and sang the words of pagan songs. Of course, carols were written and sung during other seasons, but only the Christmas tradition has survived the years. Once the Christians began incorporating pagan rituals into their celebrations, the songs were changed to reflect songs that Christians felt comfortable singing. This change spurred many a church leader to become singer/songwriters of some of...

There is a sweet story that has circulated for a number of years regarding the candy cane and how it came to be a part of the Christmas tradition, but that story is simply, well, a story. In an effort to make the candy cane more symbolic of the season, rumors say that the hook in the cane is a shepherd’s crook (or a J for Jesus, if you turn it upside down), that the stripes are for purity and the blood of Christ, and that the flavor is a nod to the hyssop plant for purification. These symbolic goodies...

Come shop handmade from artists all over the world in our annual Countdown to Christmas 2019 Week 1 showcase.

Mother's Day celebrations in Japan are not a lot different than in the United States. Read about their customs and shop handmade here.

An InLinkz Link-up