Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Did you know that mince pies have been traditional English Christmas fare since the Middle Ages, when meat was a key ingredient?  The addition of spices, suet and alcohol to meat came about because it was an alternative to salting and smoking in order to preserve the food. Mince pies used to be a different...

How did No Vac Novak become No Match Novak? 35 years ago ITV wanted a detective story set within 50 miles of the Midlands to rival BBC’s Agatha Christie stories. What did they choose? Which rock star who died in January and would do anything for love, but not that? What unexpected occurrence at the...

Did you know that it is a family in Wiltshire, the Parkers, who claim to own the world’s oldest artificial Christmas tree?  It was bought in 1886, and is still put up every year.

No Vac Novak became No Match Novak because Novak Djokovic was due to play at the Australian Open but prevented because he had declined a covid vaccination. 35 years ago ITV wanted a detective story set within 50 miles of the Midlands to rival BBC’s Agatha Christie stories. They choose to the Morse stories. Meatloaf...

Did you know that the word ‘mistletoe’ means dung on a tree?  The Anglo-Saxons thought that mistletoe grew in trees where birds had left their droppings.  Mistel means dung, and tan means twig.

No one is really sure, but a story is told of St Nicholas, a bishop who lived in the 4th century, who may have started the custom by accident.  St Nicholas was of a wealthy family, and of a generous heart.  As Christmas approached one year, he wanted to help a poor family whom he...

“A cold coming they had of it at this time of the year, just the worst time of the year to take a journey, and specially a long journey, in.  The way’s deep, the weather sharp, the days short, the sun farthest off, in solstitio brumali, the very dead of winter.” It was 1622, and...

Ever wonder where many of our Christmas traditions come from?   A surprising amount of our modern Christmas celebrations can be traced back to the well-loved story of ‘A Christmas Carol’, by Charles Dickens. When you read ‘A Christmas Carol’, you discover almost a template of the ‘ideal Christmas’ which we still hold dear today.  Dickens...

Mary’s Christmas From the Vicar Who is the Baby? Christian Basics – No 12:  The Return of Jesus The story behind the hymn: Good King Wenceslas Reflecting faith – To the Glory of God  ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers the mother of Jesus Mary’s Christmas As Jesus’ mother, Mary plays a crucial part in...

Church leaders in Ukraine continue to protest against Russia Russia’s suspension of Black Sea grain deal a “body blow” to world’s poorest, Christian Aid says New £15 million fund to help churches with energy bills Youthscape charity to work with parishes on reaching young people First sermon in British Sign Language at St Paul’s Cathedral...

It is to St Luke’s wonderful gospel that many Christians turn as the year draws to a close and Christmas approaches, for it is to St Luke that we owe the fullest account of the nativity. Luke alone tells us the story of Mary and the angel’s visit to her, and has thus given the...

All in the month of DECEMBER The man who gave us safe milk and saved the silk industry Lord Reith – running the BBC 100 years ago 90 years of broadcasting the Royal Christmas Messages The mysterious ways of mistletoe Protect our birds Other ways to engage with your community this Christmas ** Editor:  We...