23 minute read
GINGERBREAD From the Kitchen to Competition
from FF December 2021
by Forsyth Mags
From the Kitchen to Competition
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BY LINDSAY DEIBLER PHOTO BY KEITH BARRACLOUGH
December is here and all the feels, smells of the holidays have arrived. As the “Ginger Gingerbread Lady,” I love to create show-stopping gingerbread creations to enter in different competitions—one being The National Gingerbread Competition held at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. I started my gingerbread journey by donating two houses to Brenner Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Trees years ago. It took me a few years before deciding to enter a gingerbread competition for the first time. Once I did, I was hooked! The magic of the holidays and the fun of seeing “gingerfriends” at annual competitions keeps bringing me back. It is so fun to dream of what to create next!
Competitions are not just for adults; many involve children, teens, and highly encourage their involvement. Competitions usually are created around charitable events, which by means of the public’s attending to view gingerbread artists’ talents, provide an opportunity for organizations to give back to their communities. Their hard work can be enjoyed by many. Either family or friends usually come along to every competition I enter. Most larger-scale competitions have receptions, events, and meals as well, so it’s not just a make-something-and-leave situation. You can participate as much or as little as you want; but it is fun to meet other gingerbread artists. I remember meeting a little girl who was so excited to share about her polar bear entry one year. She told me how she had made him and beamed with delight. To my amazement, at the awards ceremony, she was awarded 1st place in her age division! Again, it is not just about competing, but about the joy it brings to everyone involved. Entries are displayed for people to enjoy throughout the holiday season.
I encourage you or your children to enter and have fun! You don’t have to be a gingerbread master; it takes time and practice. As with anything else, you just need to start. Make something, take it, and learn from others. If you want your children to enter, let them to play with fondant; it is very much like using clay to make shapes. Check Pinterest for ideas on things you can use to decorate. Competition entries do not have to be houses; actually, though, I find those more challenging because things have to align perfectly.
A couple of tips—competition pieces are to be built with edible only materials:
• Check the rules of each competition. Typically, the use of nonedible materials will result in disqualification. Judges will drill into pieces if in question (I have seen them do it).
• If your walls always seem to fall, place a rice cereal treat in the corner of your walls and secure with stiff royal icing.
• Corn Syrup can be used to attach small fondant pieces (lightly apply).
• 12” Cinnamon sticks can be used just like wood dowel rods.
• Edible paints exist and may be easier for younger kids to use rather than coloring and piping royal icing for details.
• Adults only—isomalt is a great glue, but due to high heat, don’t let children use it (simi-cakes-and-confections.square.site is an excellent resource).
• Impression mats are great for adding extra detail to gingerbread or fondant.
• Baking gingerbread directly on top of bowls/pans creates great shapes.
Take this as your encouragement to try something new and have fun. I have been playing with gingerbread for a few years and have learned much through LOTS of trial and error. Remember, every “expert” started somewhere.
Visit my website (www.gingergingerbreadlady.com) for recipes, competitions, and/or send me questions. Happy to help a “Gingerfriend.”
Recently competed on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship: Gingerbread Showdown that aired on Nov. 22nd.
The Magic of My Childhood Christmas
BY MEGAN TAYLOR
As an adult, you view growing up, holidays and other special moments somewhat differently than you did as a child. Throughout your childhood and teenage years, you may not see the value of traditions and taking the extra time to make these memorable. You don’t realize the big picture and reasons why certain things are done. But, when you get older and things change, you have those realizations. You see the love your family put into making those days and events extraordinary. As we go through the holiday season, I can’t help but think about this notion and reflect upon my childhood Christmases. Yes, the holiday is celebrated somewhat differently, but looking back, I can now see the magic my mom’s efforts added to the celebrations.
Christmas started early in our house. The weekend after Thanksgiving was always our time to decorate. Christmas trees were put up throughout, the halls were decked with garlands and lights filled the rooms. For the most part, our decorations were traditional and remained the same year after year. We made sure to put the stuffed dolls and animals from the Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer Christmas special in the bay window on top of snow and set the precious manger scene out on the living room coffee table. My sister and I each had our own small Christmas trees, personalized with our own ornaments. Gifting ornaments and writing the year on their backs was an annual habit in our family.
Once the house was decorated, the customary activities started. Our calendars got filled with readings of Christmas tales, shopping, wrapping gifts and watching our favorite movies. However, there were also events we made time for each year. It wasn’t Christmas until we went to Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights, usually on the night of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t Christmas until we baked and decorated dozens of gingerbread and sugar cookies. It wasn’t Christmas until we crafted our gingerbread houses, and if we were feeling energetic, gingerbread village. And lastly, it wasn’t Christmas until I hosted my family party for my mom, grandmother and sister with our dog sometimes attending. Of course, I had help with planning this occasion. Together, these experiences made Christmas complete. December was a month of commemorations and ended with beloved festivities on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
For Christmas Eve, my family also celebrated with an early dinner with great aunts, uncles and cousins. Then, it was off to our Moravian Lovefeast service. For the next hour or so, we welcomed the birth of Jesus Christ through food, singing and lighting the morning star. Once home, it was time to open presents. Hot chocolate was made, and the presents were sorted. All of my family gathered by the Christmas tree and fireplace in the living room and took turns opening our gifts. Christmas Day was spent with extended family and the usual celebrations. After all the jubilee of the holiday was complete and the decorations put away after the new year, it was time to count down until the next time.
As I go through the Christmas season as an adult, some of the previous merriment has changed as schedules have gotten busier and people moved further away. I find myself recalling my wonderful childhood Christmases and the driving force behind all of these memories: my mom. Looking back, I remember these years with a magical aspect to them. Christmas became a time when nothing could go wrong. There was a sense of stability and comfort, because of my mom. After working all day and week, she spent time with my sister and I taking part in these festivities, working to create fantastic memories with us. The house was decorated just right to build a festive atmosphere. The presents were wrapped to the nines not just in wrapping paper and a small bow, but with ornaments, elaborate ribbons and more. There was laughter, smiles and maybe a few disagreements over how a cowboy boot cookie cutter wasn’t right for Christmas. Fun fact: this did become a cookie cutter for Christmas, and we now can’t picture the holiday without it. Simply put, there is now magic to these memories. All of these things, from the activities to the decorations and the way our gifts were wrapped were just an example of my mother’s love to make sure the holidays were important for us.
Every holiday was honored in its own special way, but Christmas was something unique. I plan on recreating my childhood Christmas traditions with my own kids someday, while still creating new ones. That is the funny thing – you may never realize the impact of someone’s love and hard work until years later. Not every child is able to grow up with the Christmases I had. I was given the memories and now the love to do the same for others. Let’s all make it a goal to add more magic to the holiday season not just for our loved ones, but to everyone we meet as well. Thank you, Mom, for providing the adult me a chance to realize the magic of Christmas.
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Ten Christmas Symbols and What They Mean
BY DEBBIE BARR
Homes adorned with holly and wreaths...windows aglow with candlelight...poinsettias, candy canes, stars...red and green everywhere you go—all of this can mean only one thing: Christmas is coming!
We love to decorate our homes, yards, churches, businesses, and even cars with the familiar symbols of Christmas. For many, these symbols evoke happy childhood memories and trigger a sense of wonder and anticipation. When we pause to reflect upon the deeper meaning of the symbols, however, the holiday becomes even more meaningful. So, give yourself an early Christmas present: step aside from the hustle and bustle and take a moment to ponder the real meaning of some popular Christmas symbols.
BOWS AND RIBBONS Bows and ribbons are symbols of unity. As a bow is tied together and a ribbon is wrapped around a gift, people should be tied together in the bonds of brotherhood and surround each other with love, following the example of Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.
ANGELS An angel ornament is placed atop many Christmas trees as the final crowning touch. That’s because angels looked down from heaven that first Christmas night and celebrated the birth of Jesus. The shepherds tending their flocks that night heard an angel say, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).
CHRISTMAS TREE Perhaps the most iconic symbol of Christmas is the tree that adorns so many homes during the Yuletide season. The triangular shape of the evergreen tree points our gaze toward heaven and, because its needles stay green all year long, the evergreen tree symbolizes the eternal life that is found in Christ.
STARS We hang a star—and if you live in Winston-Salem, maybe it’s a Moravian star—on the front porch, or scatter little ones among the branches of our Christmas tree. We do this because the Magi (the “wise men”) followed a star that “went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy “(Matthew 2:9).
BELLS Bells ring out the joyful news of the Savior’s birth. Many Christmas song lyrics include the word “bells.” A search for “Christmas bells” on the lyrics. com website returns 3,641 lyrics and 60 recording artists! Just to mention a few favorites... “Jingle Bells,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Silver Bells,” “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Ring Christmas Bells.” (For a real treat, check out the Pentatonix version of “Carol of the Bells” on YouTube!)
CANDY CANE A candy cane looks like a shepherd’s staff. The white stripes symbolize the purity of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and the red stripes symbolize the blood He shed on the cross for the salvation of the world.
WREATHS Chances are, no matter where you graze or gather this holiday season, you will see beautiful Christmas wreaths. With no beginning and no end, the circular shape of a wreath symbolizes eternal life and God’s never-ending love for mankind. HOLLY The bright red berries and deep green leaves of holly remind us of the reason Christ was born. The thorny leaves remind us of the crown of thorns that mockers placed on his head. The berries represent the blood He shed to give us eternal life, represented by the evergreen leaves (“... everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
GIFTS We give gifts at Christmas because the Magi gave gifts to the Christ child: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In ancient times, gold was scarce and valuable, a gift “fit for a king.” Gold symbolizes that Jesus was indeed a king, “the king of the Jews.” Frankincense, when burned as incense, was associated with worship. The Magi, perhaps comprehending the deity of the Christ child, “fell down and worshipped Him” (Matthew 2:11). Myrrh is a fragrant spice that was included in the mixture used to prepare bodies for burial, as the body of Jesus was prepared after his crucifixion.
LIGHTS Light always dispels darkness. Christmas lights shining on our porches, in our windows, and on our Christmas trees proclaim that Jesus is the Light of the World who came to rescue us from darkness. He came “to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).
This holiday season, whenever you wrap a gift, hang a wreath, light a candle, or enjoy a candy cane, let the deeper meaning of the symbols of Christmas remind you of the reason for the season.
Nourish Young Minds with Living Books
BY KIM WATKINS
I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, spending many an early morning or a late night wrapped in a cozy blanket with a warm beverage and a good book. As I have grown as a reader, I have learned to find books that are life-giving, ones with beautiful language, ones that open doors to places I have never been and lives I have never lived, as well as ones that help me understand myself and my surroundings.
The value of snuggling up with a good book, fiction or nonfiction, cannot be overestimated. These days, little feet often pitter-patter downstairs to join me. Sometimes they request a read-aloud; other times they bring their own books and join me for a while. Whether you are reading aloud or simply sharing a couch, enjoying books together helps children fall in love with reading and with the beautiful world around them.
At Redeemer School, we seek to nourish students’ minds with a steady diet of what 19th Century British Educational Philosopher Charlotte Mason called living books. Mason described living books as works that “possess certain literary qualities able to bring that sensible delight to the reader which belongs to a literary word fitly spoken.” They are works of high literary quality that deal directly with the subject at hand in an interdisciplinary way, and may be fiction, biography, a primary source or other expository text.
Living books feed young minds on ideas from the directly articulated experiences and ideas of predecessors and contemporaries. As a child’s imagination is captured by living books, they are exposed to correct grammar, spelling and other mechanics of written language, as well as the precision and range of a complex vocabulary.
“The children must enjoy the book. The ideas it holds must each make that sudden, delightful impact upon their minds, must cause that intellectual stir, which mark the inception of an idea,” wrote Charlotte Mason in School Education.
No matter the age of your child, living books shine when read aloud by parents to children or by children to one another. They can, of course, also be absolutely wonderful when read silently by children or adults.
Many living books are available as audio recordings as well, which can be a great alternative to screens during holiday travel, or as a backdrop for craft time or Legobuilding sessions. My family uses the library’s (free!) Libby app, along with the paid service Audible, to download audiobooks. You can also find living books on CD to check out from your local library branch.
Are the stories you choose for your children alive? Here’s how to tell if your selection is a living book: • Does the story catch and hold the interest of the reader?
• Is the story timeless, in the sense that regardless of when it was written, it can still be enjoyed and related to today? • Do the characters speak and behave the way people in a particular place and time of the story would be likely to speak and act? Are the story’s settings, culture and factual background depicted with depth and accuracy? • Are the emotions and reactions of the characters true to the reality of human experience? •Are the characters well rounded and do they develop as the story goes on, changing in response to events, insights they have gained, etc.? • Is the overall language use, vocabulary and writing style excellent? • Are the values, truths or lessons which might be drawn from the story an integral, natural part of the whole? Does the reader simply see and infer them on his own without tracking on sermons or heavyhanded moralism?
A few living book recommendations from Redeemer School teachers to jump-start your holiday reading:
EARLY ELEMENTARY (K-2nd):
Christina’s Carol by Tomie dePaola Grandma’s Gift by Eric Velasquez Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Ed Martinez The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares The Night Tree by Eve Bunting On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Christmas Coat by Clyde Robert Bulla The Christmas Mouse by Elisabeth Wenning Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry The Christmas Flower by Gwen Ellis Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden & Barbara Cooney I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant
UPPER ELEMENTARY (3rd-5th):
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th):
The Hawk that Dare not Hunt by Day by Scott O’Dell Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson The Call of the Wild or White Fang by Jack London Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse War Horse by Michael Morpurgo combined with
Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by John Hendrix
Favorite Audiobook Recordings:
The Velveteen Rabbit (Rabbit Ears Entertainment) A Christmas Carol (Focus on the Family
Radio Theatre) The Long Winter (HarperAudio) James Herriot’s Treasury for Children (MacMillan Audio)
For more living book recommendations, we suggest the following resources:
Honey For A Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt Books Children Love by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson The Read-aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease Eyeopeners! by Beverly Kobrin Learn more about Redeemer School and the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason, discover what it means to be part of a covenant school and tour our facilities at one of our Open House events. Join us Saturday, January 22, 2022 or Thursday, February 17, 2022 from 9:30-11:00am. Please RSVP online at redeemerschool.org/admissions or by phone at 336.724.9460.
Applications are now being accepted for TK-8th grade for the 2022-2023 school year. Apply online: redeemerschool.org/admissions. Priority consideration is given to applications received by January 31, 2022.
THE NUTCRACKER
Welcoming the Holiday Spirit
The lush score, vivid staging and extraordinary performances that have made our UNCSA production a beloved holiday tradition have returned to the Stevens Center stage bringing with it the magic and energy of live performance.
Nothing beats the thrill of live performance — for the artists and the audience,” said Chancellor Brian Cole. “Last year, amid COVID-19 restrictions, UNCSA came together to create an innovative, all-new Nutcracker’ fi lm which reached audiences near and far online. This year, we’re excited to o er both live and recorded performances, so that everyone can share in the delight of our stunning stage production.”
To celebrate the return of “The Nutcracker” to the Stevens Center, the UNCSA School of Dance presents “The Nutcracker” Social Media Dance Challenge for a chance for a chance to win free tickets. Participants are invited to post a video on TikTok of themselves doing one of two short dances choreographed and performed by students in the School of Dance. Entries will also be accepted on Instagram Reels. One winner will be announced each Monday for the remainder of November, and each week’s winner will be awarded their choice of two individual tickets to either the Dec. 15 or 16 evening performance or one household ticket to the “Nutcracker On-Demand Experience.” Entries will be evaluated on execution, originality and creativity, character/personality and style. Throughout the pandemic, social media and virtual platforms allowed dancers and audiences to stay connected through the art form,” said Dean of Dance Endalyn Taylor. “The Tik Tok and Instagram Challenge is a fun way to launch our return to live performance and celebrate the dance artists that lives in each one of us.”
Entrants should use hashtags #UNCSAnutracker and #Nutz. Additional information about The Nutcracker” Social Media Challenge is available at
www.uncsa.edu/nutcracker/
social-media-challenge.
Tickets are on sale now for The Nutcracker” with 11 live performances at the historic Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem, Dec. 10-19, and the “Nutcracker On-Demand Experience” available beginning Dec. 20.
In addition to evening performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 15-17, UNCSA will o er a family-friendly Thursday morning performance at 10 a.m. on Dec. 16 and Saturday matinees at noon and 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 18, and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees on Dec. 12 and 19.
Tickets available at uncsa.edu/nutcracker and by calling the Stevens Center Box O ce at 336-721-1945.
Selecting the Perfect Christmas Tree
BY LISA S.T. DOSS
Breathe deeply! The scent of evergreen comes around only once a year! Taking the family to select a live Christmas tree is a memorable tradition. Use the following tips to choose the healthiest symbol of the season for your family.
Pre-Cut Trees
Parking lots, grocery and home-improvement stores may string white lights to illuminate hundreds of available evergreens. While this accommodates the shopper’s needs, tens of thousands of trees are pre-cut a month in advance and shipped rather than purchased from a local tree farm; therefore, it’s essential to first assess the tree for freshness. • Can you smell the fir fragrance? • Are the trees exposed to wind and placed in the full sun? If so, the tree will most likely lose its needles quickly. • Squeeze the needles on a branch. Do they appear brittle or snap immediately?
• Run your hand over the needles. The desired result—flex and bounce!
• Elevate the tree by a few inches and drop it to the ground.
This test will determine its freshness!
• Look at the color of the needles. Always choose a tree that is bright green. Grey needles indicate water deprivation and dying. • Turn the tree around 360 degrees to assess it has a straight trunk and equal distribution of branches. TIP: If possible, talk to the owner and ask if the trees are local or out of state. Knowing the location will help you decide to stay or shop elsewhere.
Cut Your Own
Tradition encourages the annual event of traveling to a local tree farm. Farm shoppers will find a broader selection of tree species and colors ranging from dark green to blue. In North Carolina, options include the blue and Norway spruce, the Arizona Cypress, the Carolina Sapphire, and the blue ice. But of course, the most popular is the Fraser Fir, desired for its two-tone needles. Sometimes, you’ll find an unrecognizable evergreen, such as the Korean Fir, and claim it as the new favorite. Begin by assessing its trunk. Look for deep cuts and injuries near the base. Brittle needles may signal a dying tree.
TIP: Don’t expect the tree farm to assist you when you secure your tree to the roof of your car. Be prepared with adequate lengths of rope.
Will It Fit?
Optics are deceiving. The evergreen growing in the great outdoors is most likely too big for your living room. Take time to measure the ceiling height and the width of its intended space, and jot those numbers down! Measure the height of your tree stand and tree topper. Lastly, record the diameter of the tree stand, ensuring the trunk will fit with room to maintain water levels. After collecting the figures, determine the maximum height and width of your new arrival. You’ll want to leave a minimum of six inches between the tree topper and the ceiling. Without this effort, an overlarge tree may result in cutting branches, reducing the tree’s beauty, and perhaps eliminating furniture from the room, as well.
EXTRA SUPPLIES • Don’t forget to take a tape measure with you! • Some branches will scratch the skin; therefore, pack at least two pairs of gloves—one for the person holding the tree and the other for the individual using the saw. • As tree farms often correlate height with price, bring clippers to cut the top, ensuring the cost matches your needs.
Prepare for the Homecoming
While family members will want to start decorating immediately, the evergreen needs preparation. Always cut two inches from the base with a manual saw to expose a fresh layer, allowing water absorption; then, directly place the tree in a five-gallon bucket of hot water for at least two hours.
Eager decorators must wait a little longer. Allow the tree to relax its limbs in the warmth of the house; afterward, the decorating can commence!
Check Water Levels
Caring for the Christmas tree is an honorable job. Consider assigning the task to a responsible child. Model the expectation of placing one finger into the water reservoir to define an adequate level; then, have a quarterfilled, long-spouted watering can on hand. The perfect tool for few to no messes!
With proper care, the evergreen will remain fresh for up to six weeks.
