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f 12 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, December 23. 1987 Deck the halls... Section Three Fragrant wreaths, universal symbols of eternity, provide decorative accents through the holidays One of ihe most perennial symbols of the Christmas season is the wreath--a continuous circle of greenery which possesses possesses neither beginning nor end. As such, it is a particularly apt metaphor metaphor for the doctrine of eternal life which Jesus Christ represents, and toward which His birth, celebrated as Christ mas. is such a crucial step. It's no wonder, then, that wreaths arc among the most popular of Christmas decorations, combining as they do. symbolism symbolism with beauty. And it's no wonder cither that they, as time-honored symbols of the Christmas season, make their appearance appearance in lore and legends associated rH 1 ^ 1 - 9day good fun and good tidings Be your speciality of the season, four friendship means a Cot. BOWMANVILLE RESTAURANT & TAVERN 231 KING ST. EAST BOWMANVILLE 623-3223 with the holiday. Swedish tradition Wreaths appear in the form of crowns during the St. Lucia's Day festivities which take place throughout Sweden. In these, young girls, dressed as the Saint, wear crowns of evergreens which arc adorned with lighted candles. Honored for saving Sweden from famine. famine. St. l.ucia (whose name is Latin for '"light**) xvas a young girl at the time of her martyrdom. Thus, it's both logical and proper that a young girl in each family (usually the eldest daughter) should represent her. rising rising early on December I3th. St. Lucia's Day. to don her costume and bring food to her family, their hired workers and any animals the family might own. The complete opposite of St. Lucia is Sylvester, a character out of Austrian legend. legend. A grotesque old man. Sylvester is traditionally traditionally impersonated on New Year's Eve. at which time he appears, crowned with a mistletoe wreath. His mission is to kiss any maiden who is unlucky enough to pass beneath a hunch of evergreens (usually suspended from the ceiling) in his presence. However. Sylvester is free to behave in this way only until midnight, at which time he and the old year arc simultaneously simultaneously banished, at least until New Year's Eve comes round again. Wreaths are used throughout the holiday holiday season, beginning with the Advent wreath. Constructed of evergreens and studded with four candles, it is the central central symbol of a ritual performed on each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas. One candle is lit each week, until, on the final Sunday before Christmas, all four are lit. SMCETO Christmas is the time for old friends to get together. Why not stop in and visit us? We wish you and your family the happiest happiest holidays ever. It's been great getting to know you over the past year. Meet Your Friends at Mr. G's. | 922 Simcoe N. I Oshawa } 433-1405 j gJEVE'S ! I 922 Simcoe N. ! Oshawa ] 579-2369 ! D ELEGANT (EL STAVROS) 557 King E. at Wilson Oshawa 576-6999 Open New Year's Day - 4 p.m. to closing This tradition, originating with the Lutherans, is a concrete image for the light that Christ brings into the world with His birth. A more w idespread custom is of decorating decorating doors with festive wreaths during Yulctidc, as universal symbols of welcome. welcome. Boughs of holly or evergreens, sometimes sometimes supple grape vines, arc fashioned into circles, the former adorned with bows, the latter, perhaps, with fragrant dried (lowers or herbs. Adorn doorways everywhere Large or small, plain or fancy, these wreaths are as likely to be found on door after door in cities and towns, as they arc in the very depths of the country, adorning adorning the enlranccways of isolated cottages and farmhouses. They arc. in fact, descendants of the ancient Germanic/Druidic custom of festooning festooning the house with evergreens as protection against spirits and the hazards of winter weather. Whether they possessed the power to protect or not, this greenery attracted superstitious superstitious early peoples for a far more basic reason: Evergreens, as plants that did not die or lose their leaves during the months of winter's barrenness, were visible visible symbols of ongoing life in the face of emptiness and death. Holy holly On a slightly different note, the wreath of holly dates back to the days of the Early Christians, to whom it was a metaphor metaphor for the crown of thorns which Christ wore, with the holly's crimson berries representing drops of blood. Originally, in fact, holly was spelled "holy," so significant a place did tills plant hold as a Christian symbol. Wreaths were popular Yule decorations decorations in Colonial America. Particularly favored were simple wreaths of boxwood or pine. Alternately, colorful fruit-studded wreaths--natural "della Robbias'--were also popular. "Fruitful" decoration Fragrant and colorful, these wreaths were adorned with the long-lasting citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and limes, which the colonists were able to procure from the Mother Country's other colonics in the West Indies. Today, we arc likely to draw from many traditions when choosing or creating creating wreaths. Those of us with the lime and the aptitude aptitude may make our own. expressing our sense of warmth and hospitality, our reverence reverence for the season, in our own-style. There is a myriad of choices when it comes to wreath-making materials. On a basic wire or straw lame can he wired (with flexible florist's wire) traditional evergreens, such as holly, pine, yew or juniper: dried flowers: pincconcs: dried seed pods: fresh fruits and vegetables: and dried herbs (all of which have specific specific meanings). Simply keep adding greens and adornments adornments till the wreath is full, making sure boughs run in the same direction, and hiding the fastenings as you go along. Let your own preferences guide you. However, if you like, add bunches of the following herbs not only for their fragrance fragrance and their beauty, but for their meaning, as well: Horchound (a variety of mint), for gotid health; lavender, for purity: pennyroyal (another kind mint), traditionally believed In bloom on Christmas Eve: rosemary, as Ophelia reminds reminds us, for remembrance: rue. for virtue: virtue: sage, for immortality: and thyme. Ibr courage. Wreaths to eat Alternately, if your talents are culinary. culinary. try making wreath-shaped desserts such as the following, to serve at your holiday festivities, or to give as gifts. Christmas Wreath Cheesecake is an nil- traditional selection, front Good Housekeeping Housekeeping Aincrkwi Family Clirixtma\ (Allen I). Bragdon/Hcarst Books). Front Kathy Cutler's Vie lliilitlay Dessert Dessert Bonk (Macmillan) are two more delectable options: Griseltiltigringel-- Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Ring--and Berlineikmnser--Norwegian "Berlin" Wreaths. CHRISTMAS WREATH CHEESECAKE 6 tablespoons butler or margarine, softened All-purpose flour Sugar 3 8-oimec packages cream cheese, softened 3 eggs Vi cup milk I tablespoon grated lemon perl Vi teaspoon salt Chocolate leaves fir garnish Ollier garnishes: I slice candied pineapple, alunit 6 dried U|tricot halves, 4 candied green dterries, and 12 cranltcrrics 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In small bowl with mixer at low speed, heat butter or margarine. M cup Ilnur, and 2 tablespoons tablespoons sugar until well mixed. Press mixture mixture into bottom of 10" by 3" springl'orm pan. Bake If) minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. 2. Turn oven control to .123° F. In large howl with mixer at low speed, heal créant cheese just until smooth. Add eggs. milk, lemon peel. salt. 14cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons Hour; beat 3 minutes longer, occasionally scraping howl with rubber spatula. 3. Pour cream-cheese mixture into pan. Bake 43 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until well chilled. 4. Meanwhile, prepare Chocolate Leaves. 3. To serve, remove cake front pan. With small star-shaped canapé culler, cut stars from candied pineapple and dried apricot halves: cut each candied green cherry in half. Arrange garnishes on cheesecake to resemble a wreath. Makes 12 servings. Chocolate I .caves In double boiler over hot. not boiling, witter (or in heavy 1-quart saucepan, over low heal), heat otte-liiilf 6-otmee /xiektige seinisweei-elioeolair pin es VA cup) and 2 leas/mons shortening until chocolate is •melted and Smooth, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. With small metal spatula, spread a layer of chocolate mixture mixture on underside of 10 metlhtm lemon limes. (If other kinds of leaves are used, make sure that they are also nontoxie.) Placed coated leaves, clmcolale-sidc up. "on cookie sheet or plate: refrigerate at least 2(1 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Carefully peel off lemon leaves from chocolate. Refrigerate Chocolate Leaves until ready to use. GRISCHDAGR1NGEL Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas King Yields I cake Vi cup chopped dates Vi cup clmppcd walnuts '/: cup all purpose flour Vs cup light Imiiv n sugar, firmly packed Vi teaspoon baking pou dec 2 eggs separated I teaspoon vanilla extract Vi cup sweet sherry !, teaspoon salt Topping 1 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Candied citron Candied orange peel Maraschino cherries 8-inch ring pan 1. In a small bowl, combine dates, walnuts, and I tablespoon of the Ilnur. Toss. 2. In a mixing howl, combine remaining remaining flour, brown sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, vanilla, sherry and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add datc-and-nut mixture. Mix. 3. Beal egg whites until stiff peaks stand up. Fold egg whites into mixture. 3. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven 30 minutes. minutes. or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan. Remove cake from mold and place on a serving plate. 5. Whip cream until stiff. Fold in sugar. Stir in vanilla. Spread on top of ring. On whipped cream, make a wreath with citron cherry berries and orange peel leaves and li ies. (Use your imagination!) li' aV > ' Wishing you have pUthe joyous - necessities for a Merry Christmas and a wonderful time... health, happiness, love, and peace. HAWLEY'S COLOUR YOUR WORLD 237 King St. E., Bowmanville 623-9750 il,. U. H< OWEVER you spENd youR fiolidAy, we're SENdiNq you our bEST wishes! jflerrp CJiüttnasi Helen's Tailor Shop 168 Church Street Bowmanville Telephone 623-2741 BERM NER K RANSER Norwegian "Berlin" Wreaths Melds 4-5 dozen 2 sticks butter Vi cup granulated sugar ■A tablespoon grated orange peel 2 eggs 2 tablespoons brandy 3'/i cups all-purpose flour 2 egg whiles for glaze Vs cup cube sugar for sprinkling on top Baking shed 1. In a mixing howl, cream butler, sugar and orange peel until light and fluffy. Add eggs I at a lime, beating after each addition. 2. Add brandy and gradually the flour. Refrigerate dough overnight. 3. Roll small pieces of dough into strips 6 inches long and 14 inch thick. Form each into a circle, passing one end over and through to make a single knot. Ends should stick out M inch On each side. 4. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Beat egg whites lightly. Brush on top of cookies. In a small bowl, coarsely crush cube sugar. Sprinkle on top of each cookie. 5. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. NOTE: Slorc in an airtight container. % '(A-' t â mA • o itlay your Christmas be filled with lasting memories to keep forever! Television Service Co. 185 Church St, Bowmanville 623-3883 May the Child King born in Bethlehem that starry night shower His love and blessings on you this Christmas season. May peace reign in your hearts! Compliments of St. Marys Cement Company Bowmanville ? Wishing you happy times, good friends and plenty of laughter and good cheer to all! S BRENDA'S 8 ARTISTIC INTERIORS X 129 King Street East Bowmanville £ Telephone 623-3033 Oshawa 436 : Y -1593 X