McHenry County News FRE
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Volume 5 Issue 51
December 17, 2015
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A Renaissance of Christmas Spirit By Anne Eickstadt Correspondent
The 16th Annual Boar’s Head Festival in Marengo comes to pass on Saturday and Sunday, December 5 & 6. Over 150 members of Zion Lutheran Church and the community work together to share the good news of Christ’s birth through singing, dancing and music. “For many people, the Boars Head Festival is the start to their holiday season,” Drama Director Barb Warmbold tells me. “For a small town, it’s [the Boar’s Head Festival] a surprisingly beautiful and professional depiction of God’s greatest gift to man.” “The colorful Boar’s Head ceremony became part of the Christmas celebration in the great manor houses of the Middle Ages but had its roots in pagan times when the boar was the first dish served at a Roman feast. The church endowed the custom with symbolic Christian meaning and elevated it to the service of God, enriching the lives of all it touched. Sponsored by the Lord of the Manor, the ceremony became a Service of Praise to Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe and Redeemer
of the World. In Medieval England the ferocious boar was sovereign of the forest, a menace to man and symbol of evil. The presentation of the boar’s head at Christmas signifies triumph of the Christ Child over sin. No one knows who planned the first Boar’s Procession, but it was in use at Queen’s College, Oxford, England, shortly after that University was founded in 1340 and continues to be presented there today. The ceremonies attending the presentation of the boar’s head grew and became more elaborate over the centuries. The Yule Log lighted at Christmas with embers burning all year symbolizing Christ as the “Light of the World”, the wise men and shepherds, good King Wenceslas and his page, and the Beefeaters - English ceremonial guards - were all added over the years. The Festival was first observed in America in colo- The shepherds visit Baby Jesus in the manger. nial New England and became well established through Epis- mas Festival spread from to Marengo, adding our voiccopal churches and schools early beginnings to be cel- es, music and drama with the by the late 19th century, par- ebrated in many Christian set- prayer that it be an offering ticularly at the Hoosac School tings throughout the United of praise to the One who birth in Hoosick, New York. States. Zion Lutheran Church we celebrate and a witness to The Boar’s Head Christ- brings this ancient tradition the joy we share in His Sal-
Photo by Anne Eikstadt
vation. We offer the Christmas message told through the Boar’s Head Festival as our gift through Christ to Maren-
See BOAR’S HEAD, Page 11
Winter Festival at the Dole Mansion By Anne Eickstadt Correspondent
The ice sculptures in front of the Dole Mansion are gently melting in the fall sunshine on Saturday morning, December 6. The s’mores table is ready and campfires to toast the treats are being lit. The sound of hoofbeats fades and grows louder as the Percheron horse drawn carriage adds enjoyment to the guests’ visit. www. g y p s y ro ad s carri ag e. com Parents are snapping photos of their kids posing with the ice sculptures and at the petting zoo. The trackless train ride is enjoying a lot of attention from visitors also. When I walk through the front door of the Dole Mansion, I have to choose to go downstairs to visit Santa or 227263
Photo by Anne Eickstad
Princess Elsa from “Frozen: poses with 4 year old Anthi Tsinlimigras of Cary.
check out all the exhibits, displays and activities. The laughter from the activities draws me upstairs. Just inside that door, Mellie’s Chocolate & Co. from 2 North Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake is displaying luscious confections that are very tempting. “Take a step back into the past with everything made fresh and homemade. Our candies are made here on premises, guaranteed to make your taste buds soar!!” Mellie’s can be found on Facebook at Mellie’s Chocolate & Co. Next to that booth is The Cookie Garden with owner Jeannie Valera. “I started working for the company 18 years ago. A year and a half ago it became my company,” Jeannie says. “We’re very
popular on the east coast and the west coast but in Illinois no one knows us.” Based in Wood Dale, The Cookie Garden creates unique gourmet cookie bouquets for all occasions. Their gourmet cookies are ¼ lb. each, made with the finest ingredients and are baked fresh daily. www. CookieGarden.com On the opposite side of the hall, volunteer elves and reindeer are handing out cookies, icing, sprinkles and whatever else is needed for cookie decorating fun. Other tables are filled with children creating ornaments. Princess Elsa from the movie “Frozen” is chatting and posing for pictures with the kids. Other vendors around the
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