Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 5

The Third Day of Christmas

Date: 27 December 2014

Original Gift: Three French Hens

South African Gift: A bottle of French campaign. That was the original idea, but I decided a nice Wildekrans from Hermanus was a good South African spin on the French drink.

Price: Not too sure, as I found it in the fridge. But I reckon somewhere in the region of R100.

Food: Turducken a l’Orange (that’s three birds in a French sauce)

Saint: John

Scripture: Corinthians 13 (you can get a free copy of the English Standard Version Bible on Kindle)

Activity: Take a road trip and have the campaign upon arrival in celebration of the people you’re with and for safe travels.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three French hens.

By this time most people have mourned the passing of Christmas and are starting to look ahead to hopefully more holiday before New Year’s celebrations. It’s also the time when most people who have spent Christmas and the holidays with loved ones start to get a little annoyed, as the best of families do. Thoughtless little comments or actions are taken way too personally, small children are getting bored and boisterous and you feel that the next wayward opinion might finally make you say something you’ll regret.

Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 4

 The Second Day of Christmas

Date: 26 December 2014

Original Gift: Two Turtle Doves

South African Gift: A turtle magnet from Mauritius. Turtle because it’s a turtle. And the doves - the two lovebirds that went to Mauritius for their honeymoon.
Price: An odd R17000 – a trip to Mauritius.

Food: Chicken Pie. Dove… chicken… close enough.

Saint: Stephen

Scripture: Acts 7:51-60 (you can get a free copy of the English Standard Version Bible on Kindle)

Activity: Hand out leftovers

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a Two Turtle Doves.

Boxing Day. The day after the 25^th of December wasn't lucky enough to share in the charm and magic of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when it came to naming. I used to greatly dislike the name (it must have made me think of a boxing match and I suspect it got mixed up with Guy Fawkes Day somewhere in the wonderland which is a child’s mind), but I recently realised why it is called that and I must say, the day has greatly redeemed itself in my eyes. I’d like to share some of that Christmas Spirit…

Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 3

The First Day of Christmas

Date: 25 December 2014

Original Gift: A Partridge in a Pear Tree.

South African Gift: My true love and I both really like Pride of India, so that’s what I got

Price: R40. Pride of India happened to be on special, but an actual young pear tree: R300

Food: Snappy Pear Salad

Saint: Jesus Christ

Scripture: Matthew 1 (you can get a free copy of the English Standard Version Bible on Kindle)

Activity: Church Service

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Festivities everywhere, time with family, specially selected gifts and delicious food. Unfortunately the excitement leading up to Christmas, mostly created by the retail industry, is often met by disappointed when it abruptly ends on empty pockets and overfull stomachs. For those who feel that something is amiss, it’s good to remember that this holiday which does not discriminate between sex, race, age, status, or even religion, has a little more to it, and lasts a little longer. 

Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 1

Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas

Grinch Alert: This post and the ones to follow is all about Christmas. Proceed with caution!

Most humans love to fill their lives with traditions and stories - whether they’re passed on from ancestors, great grandparents, or new creations. Stories about how things came to be the way they are or about significant events and how we remember them. Consider any dinner party and you’ll find it stays alive through an exchange of stories – picking up an element from one and adding your own story containing said element. The conversation often lands up in a complete different place to where it started without someone having drastically altered the direction.

One particular story filled to the brim with traditions, and growing variants every time it comes around, is the story of how Christmas came to be. From the pagan solstice festivals, Yule logs and gifts, to the birth of Jesus, Midnight Mass and turkeys; Christmas has become a jolly old mix of religions and cultures, as well as the cause for much controversy, cheer and charity.

It’s the cheer and charity of it I'll be focusing on in Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales from now until the 5^th of January, also known as the Twelfth Day of Christmas.

French Women Don’t Get Fat – Mireille Guiliano

Book: French Women Don't Get Fat

Author: Mireille Guiliano

Year: 2007

Kindle Price: $12,79

Pages: 304

Two matters left me just a tad embarrassed every time I told someone I was reading “French Women Don’t Get Fat”.

Harry Danced Divinely – Marian D. Schwartz

Book: Harry Danced Divinely
Author: Marian D. Schwartz
Year: 2014
Kindle Price: $3.99
Pages: 247

I’ve Started a Book Club: Part Two

Harry Danced Divinely… and he ate and he drank wine

Not quite, but almost a month ago, I hosted a book club at my house in the hope that it would inspire a group of interesting ladies to read and also give them a real excuse to get to together for a fattening meal.

“I’ve started a book club”

Say that at any worthy social gathering and you’re sure to get at least one envious response, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to be part of a book club.”

The trouble usually is there aren’t enough interesting people who are interested.