6 December 25

Merry Christmas to us, and Happy St. Nicholas Day! In September we decided to give ourselves tickets to a concert by Andrea Bocelli and the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, tonight at (giant) Rupp Arena. My tie celebrates Santa on skis!

>

6 December 24

 Happy St. Nicholas Day!

13 December 23

Santa on skis! My granddaughter looked carefully at this image and wondered why the reindeer were covering Santa's eyes! I said it looks like they are hanging on while Santa is going very fast.  She was also a little upset that the gifts and ornaments were sailing through the air -- she said she didn't want the ornaments to get broken. I said they might land in the snow and be OK.

6 December 22

Today is St. Nicholas Day! So here comes Santa on skis, surprising some reindeer covered with Christmas ornaments. 

27 June 21

 Happy Half-Christmas! 

16 July 20

Yesterday (15 July) marked the birthday of Clement Moore (1779-1863), author of "A Visit from St. Nicholas." That poem, published in 1823, is the original source for numbering eight reindeer for Santa's sleigh and naming them (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen). On my tie, two of them are riding on Santa's shoulders as he skis downhill somewhere.

6 December 18

Here's another Santa tie, this time showing him schussing (on skis). Today is the Feast of St. Nicholas, honoring Bishop Nicholas of Myra (270-343 CE). The current Episcopal bishops of Kentucky and Western Louisiana have issued official statements granting permission for +Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, to visit throughout their dioceses during Advent and Christmas (until Epiphany). (But he will probably not need skis in either state.)

7 December 17

Following up on yesterday's celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas . . . this time the iconic figure is skiing while his reindeer react to his speed and to the Christmas gifts falling from the sky. Another noteworthy feature of this tie is its backside label, reporting its brand as "Yule TIE Greetings."

15 July 15

No, I'm not celebrating Christmas in July. Today marks the 236th birthday of Clement Moore, writer of "A Visit from St. Nicholas," a poem better known by its first line, "'Twas the night before Christmas . . ." His description of Santa as a "chubby and plump jolly old elf" who drove a sleigh with eight flying reindeer has been the basis for all sorts of funny images.

18 July 13

Monday (15 July) was the birthday of Clement Moore (1779-1863), writer of "A Visit From St. Nicholas," which is also known popularly by its opening line, "'Twas the night before Christmas . . . " Clement Moore died 150 years ago this month (10 July). His poem contains the first known historical reference to the eight reindeer that pull the present-laden sleigh through the lower atmosphere. The mechanical principles by which the sleigh flies have never been explained.

6 December 12

Happy St. Nicholas Day! He was the bishop of Myra, in present-day Turkey. He died on this date in 343 CE. Tales of his generosity and care for children eventually became the main source for the character called "Santa Claus."

07 December 10

Santa on skis . . . we are expecting a little snow today . . .

15 July 10

This is the day to celebrate Christmas-in-July, because it's the birthday (in 1779) of Clement Moore, who wrote "A Visit From St. Nicholas," and because the midpoint of July is so obviously Yule.

08 December 08

Another Santa-on-skis tie!

15 July 08

If you wanted to celebrate "Christmas in July," there's a good reason to select July 15, marking the birthday in 1779 of Clement Moore, the author of "A Visit from St. Nicholas," more commonly called "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."