A Brief History of How Nutcracker Dolls Became A Christmas Symbol for the Ages

A Brief History of How Nutcracker Dolls Became A Christmas Symbol for the Ages

12 | 14 | 2020   

Around the start of December, it’s not unusual to see decorative nutcrackers on store shelves, arranged on mantelpieces, hanging from Christmas trees, and even decorating holiday sweaters. For some, their colorful outfits, hand-painted faces, and tufts of white hair are the very definition of Christmas cheer. But have you ever wondered how these nutcrackers got to be so popular, and why people usually only bring them out at Christmastime? The answer involves German literature, a Russian ballet, and lots of generous American G.I.s.

From Basic to Beautiful

Humans have been using tools to crack nuts for thousands of years.

The earliest designs were merely two pieces of wood joined by leather or a metal hinge, but as the centuries progressed, artisans started to create figurative designs for nutcrackers, such as brass crocodiles in India and cast-iron squirrels in England.

Wood remained a popular material, and by the 18th century, carvers in Switzerland, Austria, and northern Italy were making fanciful wooden nutcrackers that looked like human and animal heads, sometimes with moving lower jaws.

The nutcrackers best known in America today come from Germany. In fact, they often come from a particular region in Germany, the Erzgebirge — a mountain range near the border with the Czech Republic. Erzgebirge is German for “ore mountains,” and for many years the region was home to rich deposits of silver, tin, uranium, and more. Starting around the early 1700s, as some of the deposits ran out, miners began crafting nutcrackers, toys, and glass ornaments as a way of supplementing dwindling mining income.

By around 1800, the earliest versions of the toy nutcracker dolls so familiar to us today started to appear in Erzgebirge workshops. It’s said that the woodcarvers chose figures of authority for these dolls — soldiers, policeman, politicians — because the common people enjoyed putting toy versions of their overseers  “to work” by having them crack the “hard nuts of life.”

Originally, these nutcrackers had no specific association with Christmas, and it’s not clear exactly when such a link began. But the seasonal significance makes some sense when you consider they were created in workshops alongside toys and games that were often given as gifts. Some have also suggested that a link arose because nuts are an important component of German holiday baking.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.triviagenius.com/a-brief-history-of-nutcrackers/X9egyuv_UAAGBswc

White Hat Auxiliaries Briefing #198

2023- Politics BLeW, CRYPTO Grew as THE GLOBAL SETTLEMENTS Aim For a Coup

White Hat Auxiliaries   Briefing #198          Dec 23

We come to the end of another year, our 11th with you. I once again invoke dominus privilegium and address you directly, except where indicated otherwise. This will be the last briefing of the year.

What a year! Thank you all for your incredible contributions to the discussion section. The amount of information shared was tremendous, spread across a diverse subject matter too varied to note here. Having the freedom to share whatever one wishes (within the bounds of common decency) has created fertile soil for interchange of ideas, the revealing of historical expurgations, and sharing of valuable information which many might find beneficial in their daily lives.

Some important items to review and discuss as we approach the beginning of 2024:

Global Settlements

Most of our readers know that the GS is now proceeding along a BRICS pathway. Key to this, the South Korean president recently paid a visit to London.

A recent communiqué from our London GS trustee on this visit:

The South Korean President and his wife have spent a highly successful week in London, plus full State entourage on an official State visit, where the British have honoured him with full Royal ceremonial horse driven carriages, troop guards of honour, bands, and major family turnouts at Buckingham Palace, presented at Court and attended various top level British Global Institute initiatives.

He has met the English shadow guard above the State. Shows like this are accorded to very few. Always Britain has an agenda. No more US NY bait and switch scams which derailed the last GS attempt in NY. This time the Zio snout was out! Intense dialogue has made real progress. But, it's a geo political global cauldron of issues. Especially Defense! All issues to factor in. Off grunt's pay grade. Only alluded to via WHA, close to seismic potential changes.

BRICS, Bitcoin, Blockchains and Cryptos change everything. Bond market volatility, bank loss planning and the pending collapse of Ukraine will lead to roller coaster rides next year. Risk management is key. Real world issues factored in.

Why were they all in London? A prep dry run! Huge security and secrecy issues. Global game changes are coming. Is what is happening off all public radar, potential end of empires? This is so sensitive nothing is leaking. It's above most politicos' pay grades. What power orchestrates that vast ceremonial show and vast police blocking vehicles for autocades able to stop London?

South Koreans, the last real bastions of vast Gold holdings, are not only well aware of the US Cut and Run practices in Vietnam, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, they now question the point of costly protectorate treaties with a visibly ailing and failing hegemony parasite nation who will cut and run as China and India take ever more of the Far East and Asia.  

Why keep being Greenmailed with a dying Dollar from a nation with no control of its own Jew-controlled central bank and being bled dry by the Zionists? The impact of BRICS to America will be seismic, as was the collapse of Rome. Asia is awakening and leaving.

America now owns nothing, and with no central bank of its own, faces economic oblivion, if, as expected, BRICS takes c60% of the global economy. Britain is its own Jekyll Island in a sea of flotsam out there. Survivors.  67% of all Global Foreign Exchange trading is processed via London. Unlike the fake Fed, real bankers to the world. Culture, the Commonwealth and opportunity. That far outweighs the failing US.

The founders of democracy, instigators of the Industrial Revolution, Saviors of Europe post WWII, with pending vast economic changes tracking ahead, as two big dogs cannot live from a meal for one, are we seeing US imperialism soon to be dead?

Gold is King. Who are the King-makers now? How long will the parasites sucking the life blood out of America remain unchallenged? Gaza has wrong footed the lot. Also exposed the reality It now travels. Will 60% plus nations lead with their feet and walk?

Lose the Dollar - lose the plot. Lose the Dollar - lose the lot! The biggest vulture is culture. America has no concept. How long before America is BRIC-king it? Reality for the blind, at what price? Britain went Brexit. The UK is going Global. The US goes where? 

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://whitehatauxiliaries.com/2023/12/23/briefing-198/

Santa Claus Images History

Santa Claus Images History

Lorraine Boissoneault   December 19, 2018

A Civil War Cartoonist Created the Modern Image of Santa Claus as Union Propaganda

Thomas Nast is legendary for his political cartoons, but he’s also responsible for the jolly St. Nick we know today

You could call it the face that launched a thousand Christmas letters. Appearing on January 3, 1863, in the illustrated magazine Harper’s Weekly, two images cemented the nation’s obsession with a jolly old elf. The first drawing shows Santa distributing presents in a Union Army camp.

Lest any reader question Santa’s allegiance in the Civil War, he wears a jacket patterned with stars and pants colored in stripes. In his hands, he holds a puppet toy with a rope around its neck, its features like those of Confederate president Jefferson Davis.

A second illustration features Santa in his sleigh, then going down a chimney, all in the periphery. At the center, divided into separate circles, are a woman praying on her knees and a soldier leaning against a tree. “

In these two drawings, Christmas became a Union holiday and Santa a Union local deity,” writes Adam Gopnik in a 1997 issue of the New Yorker. “It gave Christmas to the North—gave to the Union cause an aura of domestic sentiment, and even sentimentality.”

The artist responsible for this coup? A Bavarian immigrant named Thomas Nast, political cartoonist extraordinaire and the person who “did as much as any one man to preserve the Union and bring the war to an end,” according to General Ulysses Grant. But like so many inventors, Nast benefitted from the work of his fellow visionaries in creating the rotund, resplendent figure of Santa Claus. He was a man with the right talents in the right place at the perfect time.

Prior to the early 1800s, Christmas was a religious holiday, plain and simple. Several forces in conjunction transformed it into the commercial fête that we celebrate today. The wealth generated by the Industrial Revolution created a middle class that could afford to buy presents, and factories meant mass-produced goods.

Examples of the holiday began to appear in popular literature, from Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (more commonly known by its first verse, “Twas the night before Christmas”) to Charles Dickens’ book A Christmas Carol, published in 1843. By the mid-1800s, Christmas began to look much more as it does today.  

 To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/civil-war-cartoonist-created-modern-image-santa-claus-union-propaganda-180971074/

At a Gas Station on a Cold Christmas Eve............

A NEW CHRISTMAS STORY . . .This story is better than any greeting card.

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been
anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to
him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate.

He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last
hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless
man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his
customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank
you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy,
I'll just go."

"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger.
"It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're
done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me,
be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy.
Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you
help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with
child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block
looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.

"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George
as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old
truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the
garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was
waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever
looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into
the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the
truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George
thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos
was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he
got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It
cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the
truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do.
Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't
cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can
fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the
snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't
going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a
police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left
shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had
received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention.
"Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been
there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct
tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said,
trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for
his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the
policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there
talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone
into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the
officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the
area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the
Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check
for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya.
Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your
gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.

"None for me," said the officer.

"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no
donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun.
"Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was
shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this
before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon
away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now
give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to
the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you
need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that
pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man,
reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released
his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good
at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he
went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last
week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now
and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we
can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from
the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup
of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in
here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort
this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot
you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an
ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn.
"Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the
other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just
dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.

"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man
leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks
for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve
some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a
ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha
would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw.
"I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories.
That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared
next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's
something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old
man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that
too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in
the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you
come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say
you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother
was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin'
cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and
besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the
holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold
and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great
doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by
terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and
not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it
as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know
all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when
your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have
to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the
stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill
the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!

What Does It Take To Be A "Professional Santa"? Turns Out, A Lot

What Does It Take To Be A "Professional Santa"? Turns Out, A Lot

The highly competitive process to become a holiday pro

By Bronwyn Petry  Dec. 15, 2023

Like Mariah Carey and awkward family dinners, shopping mall Santas are a staple of the holiday season. But what tends to be glossed over about these festive figureheads is that being a mall Santa is not just a fun hobby or a public service — it’s a job.

Becoming a working Santa over the holidays means jockeying into a competitive industry and knowing how to sell yourself.  Have you ever wondered about what it takes to become a professional Santa? About what’s involved in the process, and how much it costs?

We looked into the steps required to transform into “the man in the red suit.” Here’s what we found out.

Where did he come from?

We have a soft drink to thank for our collective, cultural image of Jolly Old Saint Nick.

Before the 1800s, Santa Claus was often depicted as an austere religious figure.

But, in 1931, Coca Cola commissioned an ad designer, Haddon Sundblom, to draw an ad featuring a friendly, wholesome looking Santa drinking a bottle of Coke. This became the hallmark of the company’s holiday advertising for the next several decades.

And when this version of Santa collided with the 20th century shopping mall, it meant profits galore.

People generally agree that the first person to dress as Santa in order to drum up holiday business did so in 1890.

There are two other main influences on the tradition of hosting Santa at the mall: In 1924, at its first-ever Thanksgiving Day parade, Macy’s closed the festivities with Santa Claus, which is an appointment he’s kept ever since. Finally, the release of the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street” permanently added the department store Santa Claus to pop culture.

Santa’s sack (of cash)

Mid 2010s estimates suggest that one mall alone could bring in about $1 million in revenue during the holiday season, which isn’t counting the revenue brought in by people who come in to see the Santa display, then do the rest of their shopping. It is estimated that in a busy week in December, Santa Claus could see as many as 60 kids in one hour.

But if you think you can just pick up regalia at a costume store and get hired, be warned: There is some training involved.

According to ZipRecruiter, in December 2023, the average national hourly wage for a mall Santa is just over $23.50 — although that’s dependent on your experience and skill level.

To get those skills, a lot of wannabe Santa Clauses enroll in school.

Putting On The Red Suit

There are several Santa schools in the U.S.

Very Very Interesting - To continue reading, please go to the original article here: LINK

"The Story of Rudolph" posted by Mot at TNT

Mot:  Story of Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears.

Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob. Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember.

From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook! Bob created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.

Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. What was the name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn’t end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of ‘White Christmas.’

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different may be a blessing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44bL90HP0Ys

Getting The Gift Giving Right - Old Soul Etiquette 12-20-23

Getting The Gift Giving Right Old Soul Etiquette 12-20-23

Is It Good Manners To Ask Someone What They Want For Christmas

By   Patricia Shannon Updated on November 6, 2023

Do you freeze when someone asks you what you want for Christmas? Let us walk you through the best way to answer. Gift giving is a tricky business. Whether you’re the giver or the receiver, there’s a whole list of dos and don’ts that can be applied to nearly every situation. Thankfully, any awkwardness can quickly be thwarted if armed with the etiquette know-how to see you through.

That even applies to the question that strikes more fa-la-la-la fear in the hearts of holiday revelers than running out of spiked eggnog on Christmas Eve: “What do you want for Christmas?” It’s a loaded question, no matter which way you look at it.

Getting The Gift Giving Right

“It’s the holiday season, and most everyone wants to do their best when it comes to gift giving,” says etiquette expert Erika Preval of Charm Etiquette. “Even Santa requests a list to be certain he gets it right.” Preval says graciousness and appreciation is the most important factor when receiving a gift, even if it’s one that you pointed the giver toward in the first place.

Regardless of the path that leads to the gift you are given, thought and care went into the process and the proper thanks should be given—which we all know requires a thank-you note, even if you passed along plenty of thank yous in person. 

So what if you’re the one who is presently perplexed on the best gift to give those on your holiday shopping list? Mariah Grumet, Old Soul Etiquette founder and instructor, says it’s perfectly acceptable to ask as long as you do it correctly.

“It ensures you are spending your money on something your friend or family member will truly enjoy or utilize,” she says. “It also shows them that you care enough to get them something they want, rather than getting them anything just to check a name off of a list.” 

For those who prefer to sleuth out the perfect gift themselves, Grumet assures that’s acceptable too. “In the end, the gesture and message that you thought of them this holiday season are what truly matters.” 

 How Should You Respond if Someone Asks What You Want for Christmas?

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

LINK

"WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND" Posted by Mot at TNT

Mot: ...... WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road but, even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she looked worried.

No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm?

By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.' Well, all she had was a flat tire but, for an old lady, that was bad enough.

Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two.. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need and, God knows, there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

 He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed and, Bryan added, 'And think of me.' He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

 A few miles down the road, the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to get a bite to eat and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy-looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole \scene was unfamiliar to her.

The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that, even being on her feet for the whole day, couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.

The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred-dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred-dollar bill but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back.

The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something was written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.'

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'

There is an old saying... 'What goes around comes around.' sometimes people are put in our lives for a reason.

Today is Giving Tuesday, Celebrated in 90 Countries!

Today is Giving Tuesday, Celebrated in 90 Countries!

The Dinar Recaps Team believes in giving back to the helpers who make our world a better place, one community at a time. Nongovernmental (NGO) and nonprofit (NPO) organizations work on the front lines every day to make a difference for those in need and to celebrate arts, culture, healthy living, and education for all.

While we wait, let’s think about all the ways we can help…

What is Giving Tuesday?

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world.

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past nine years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity around the globe.

GivingTuesday’s global network collaborates year-round to inspire generosity around the world, with a common mission to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life.

What is radical generosity?

While many call on philanthropists, policymakers and grantmakers to repair broken systems, GivingTuesday recognizes that we each can drive an enormous amount of positive change by rooting our everyday actions, decisions and behavior in radical generosity—the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering. Radical generosity invites people in to give what they can to create systemic change.

When is Giving Tuesday?

Every day, although the annual celebration event will take place this year on November 28, 2023!

Who organizes GivingTuesday?

GivingTuesday is an independent nonprofit organization that is dedicated to unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. The movement is organized in partnership with GivingTuesday’s global network of leaders, partners, communities and generous individuals.

Giving Tuesday’s ultimate goal is to create a more just and generous world, one where generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity around the globe.

What is a GivingTuesday COUNTRY movement?

GivingTuesday is hosted in 90 countries by leaders who are passionate about growing radical generosity. They rally nonprofits, businesses, and individuals throughout their countries. To get involved in GivingTuesday in your country, press the Join button in the menu.

What is a GivingTuesday COMMUNITY movement?

GivingTuesday Communities come together around a common geography (eg. city or state) or issue area to collaborate, innovate, transform, and inspire their communities to make a difference. These Community campaigns find creative ways to mobilize their networks, host volunteer events, raise funds for their local nonprofits, spark waves of kindness, and much more. Click here to find and connect with a local GivingTuesday community group where you live.

Who can participate?

Everyone! GivingTuesday has been built by a broad coalition of partners, including individuals, families, nonprofits, schools, religious organizations, small businesses and corporations. There are people and organizations participating in GivingTuesday in every country in the world.

Participating in GivingTuesday is about joining a movement for generosity, and there are so many ways to do that. Whether you give your voice, goods, your time, or your money, being generous is a way to fight for the causes you care about and help people in need.

What do you do on GivingTuesday?

On GivingTuesday, millions of people all around the world, use their power of radical generosity to change the world. They volunteer at homeless shelters, organize food drives, fill their community fridges, donate to mutual aid funds, spread messages of solidarity and hope.

Here are some ideas you might consider:

·      Share kindness with your neighbors.

·      Volunteer virtually or share your talents

·      Give your voice to a cause that matters to you

·      Discover a local fundraiser, community drive or coordinated event to join others in your area or with your same interests in giving back — they need your help. Search for opportunities here

·      Give to your favorite cause or a fundraiser to help those in need.

·      Talk about giving and generosity using the hashtag #GivingTuesday

So, how will you spread radical generosity in your community? Tell us in the comments below!

Happy Thanksgiving from Dinar Recaps

All of us at Dinar Recaps wishes all our readers a Happy Thanksgiving. Stay safe and healthy.

Note: we will not be doing a 10pm ET email Newsletter on Thursday.

Our 6pm Newsletter will likely be sent around 7pm (ET).

Please check our BLOG PAGE throughout the day for any new posts.

4 Common Thanksgiving Myths And The Real Facts Behind Them

VERIFY: 4 Common Thanksgiving Myths And The Real Facts Behind Them

Author: VERIFY, Terry Spry Jr.

The VERIFY team separated fact from fiction on 4 popular Thanksgiving myths including who started the turkey pardoning tradition and how Black Friday got its name.

Thanksgiving is almost here and with the annual festivities also comes years upon years of myths that have developed around one of the biggest holidays of the year for Americans. The myths, misconceptions and legends around Thanksgiving predate the internet, yet have persisted in the digital world all the same. Here are four common Thanksgiving myths, all of which are false, and the truth behind the holiday weekend’s various stories.

MYTH: Thanksgiving has been celebrated every year since the nation’s founding

According to the National Archives, George Washington issued a proclamation that named Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin".

At that point, however, Thanksgiving wasn’t codified into law as an annual holiday. It was up to the sitting president to declare a day of “Thanksgiving and Prayer” and set the day and month for the holiday. And there were some years where no such day was declared.

For example, Thomas Jefferson opted against it while president. Monticello says Jefferson was against it because of his beliefs in separating religion from the government. Back then, Thanksgiving days were more religious-focused holidays.

Thanksgiving was established as one of the first four federal holidays in 1870, when Congress passed the Holiday Act. That law established Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Independence Day as holidays, but Thanksgiving was the only one where the president had the discretion to set the date each year.

By that time, Thanksgiving already had an informal date. Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation set Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November and subsequent presidents had followed that precedent.

However, Thanksgiving would have fallen on the last day of the month in 1939, so Franklin Roosevelt moved it to the month’s second-to-last Thursday because he worried a shortened Christmas season would dampen the nation’s recovery from the Great Depression. Some states defied the president’s move and made it state law that Thanksgiving was the last Thursday and so Congress sought to set a fixed date for the holiday to combat the confusion. A law was passed in 1941 that set Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November.

MYTH: Presidential turkey pardoning began with Abraham Lincoln or Harry Truman

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/verify-tackling-common-thanksgiving-myths/507-e580ed91-8abc-47e0-8ffa-2b93a357bbeb