Trivia Question: What does Dec. 25th and Jan. 6th have in common?
look under the Snowman below for the answer

Christmas Miscellaneous

Bible Codes -

Mysterious phenomena appearing only in the Bible. What does Bible codes have to do with Christmas? The story we have of the birth of Christ is dependent on Matthew and Luke’s account of it, are the fact or fiction? We know Jesus lived from other sources [see introduction] and we can easily see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, but is this proof enough? The Bible is the only literary work known to man so far that exhibit what’s known as Bible Codes (made popular by the recent movie The Omega Code). The Bible claims itself to be the word of God, wouldn’t it be natural to expect the word of God to have some supernatural divine characteristics? The Bible Codes seem to be exactly that. Many a skeptic has become a believer while trying to disprove these codes. Bible codes are hard to describe in a paragraph [see codes ] for a much fuller explanation, pictures and links.

‘A Christmas Carol’ - A story telling of how Ebenezer Scrooge gets the "Christmas Spirit" and with Tiny Tim’s famous "God bless us one and all". Charles Dickens started a weekly periodical ‘Master Humphey’s Clock’ in 1840, which became popular. In 1843 he started publishing Christmas stories annually with ‘A Christmas Carol’ being the first of many.

Christmas Music - During the Byzantine period, this was the only time musical instruments were allowed in church, "only wind and percussion instruments though".

Drummer Boy - Probably one of the best known Christmas songs around the world, who can't name that tune of Pa rum pum pum pum.
It seems that Harry Simeone created the little story of the poor little shepherd boy presumingly traveling with the Wise Men and others. As everyone preceded to give their gifts to the Christ Child, the little drummer boy was sad because he had nothing to give, but to play a song. This song got a smile from the Babe in the manger. Harry put this story to song with Katherine Davis and Henry Onorati and published it with Mills Music, Inc. in 1958. Click Here to here and sing along.

Years later, along comes Romeo Muller who gets a phone call from Arthur Rankin one morning informing him he had told NBC that Romeo had a story for them that afternoon. Romeo within one hour creates the story and dictates it over the phone to Mr. Rankin's secretary. Who then rushes it over and sells it to NBC that evening. The Rankin/Bass co. then creates the 23 minutes claymation show, with voices of Jose Ferrer, Greer Garson, Paul Frees (Boris - Rocky and Bullwinkle) and June Forey (Rocky), which has now become the Christmas classic.
Mr. Muller lengthens the Simone story with a tale very unhappy orphan boy named Aaron, whose parents get killed a group of desert thieves. Aaron gets kidnapped Ben Hartned the Desert showman and Ollie. Aaron manages to escape and while hunting for his camel, he finds him in stable with none other then the Infant Jesus, who heals his lambs leg.
Of all the stories by Muller, Rankin/Bass productions, this was his favorite. Which says a lot considering among their claymation creations were; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Raindeer - 1964 with Burl Ives, Frosty the Snowman - 1969 with Jimmy Dulante, Santa Claus is Coming to Town - 1970 with Fred Astaire, and many others which have become classics today.
The Little Drummer was followed up in 1976 by the Rankin/Bass Little Drummer Boy Book 2. Which takes off where the other story ends. The boy becomes friends with Wise Man Melchior and meets his friend and bell maker Simeon, who is having problems paying taxes. The Roman Tax Collector (Zero Mostel) confiscates Simeons bells that he was making to pronounce to everyone birth of the Son of God. Aaron and Melchior then helps Simeon get his silver bells back.

The Nativity figurine maker Fontanini; puts names to his figurines and gave Jareth to the drummer boy, Eli to pan/flute, Daniel on horn, Michal on flute and Joshua on mandolin. Other names he's given are; Thaddeus the Innkeeper, Flavious the Census taker, John, Aaron, Ezra, Jeremiah as shepherds, Esau the stable hand, Alexander the Centurion, Andrew the potter, Maya, Eve, Mariel as angels, plus many more. I can't find any basis for any of these names, but some have caught on.

Joseph’s Staff - Joseph of Arimathea, the rich, devout member of the Sanhedrin, noted for not consenting to death of Jesus and asking Pilate's permission to bury Jesus' body (Matt. 27:57-60, Mark 15:43, Luke 23:50,51, John 19:38-42), became quite popular to apocalyptic writers. Legends connect Joseph processing the "Holy Grail - the cup from the last supper". It’s said that his staff supposedly somehow got to Glastonbury, England where it took root and became a thorn tree that flowers every Christmas Eve.

‘The Messiah’ - An Oratorio written in 1742 for a Christmas performance in Dublin, Ireland, by George Frideric Handel. It was one among many religious themed Oratorios written by Handel. It's been said that ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ has been performed more than 10 million times, you know it "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Halle- lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-jah".

‘The Nutcracker Suite’ - After returning to Russia from a concert tour in the United States, Peter Tchaikousky, inspired by E.T.A. Hoffman’s story ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’ completed the ‘Nutcracker Suite’ in 1891. The Nutcracker is believed to the most frequently staged ballet in history, usually performed near Christmas time. The ‘Nutcracker’ was the first to use a new instrument, the Keyboard Glockenspiel.

Wenceslas, the Good King – known from a carol written by J.M. Neale, but having little to do with the real Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia. Born in AD907 was devoted Christian and worked very closely with the clergy and tried to improve the educational and religious level of his people. Due to his support of the Christian German King Henry the Fowler as successor to Charlemagne, he was murdered by his own brother Boleslav’s followers. His relics were taken to the church of St. Vitus in Prague, which became a cult center and a place of pilgrimage. Within 20 years Wenceslas became Bohemia’s patron saint and his image started appearing on coinage.

Y2K - (the year 2000AD) Denoting the turning of the new millennium and 2000 years after the birth of Christ. According to Biblical history momentous things happened in and around every 1000 years.

Recorded in the Spurious book of the Epistle of Barnabus that time started with Adam, 2000 years later comes Abraham, 2000 years later comes Christ, then 2000 years of the Christian era, after which comes the 1000 year millennium spoke of in Revelation chapter 20. Which gives a total of 7000 years of man or 7 days to God note: 2 Peter 3:8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. According to the received chronology of AD1650; Adam was created in 4004BC, Abraham 1996BC, Solomon's Temple 1012BC. If you notice these aren't exact 1000 year divisions, but close. The actual date of 2000 years anniversary of the birth of Christ should have been around 1993-1996AD [see birthdate of Christ for more].

My guesses of what will happen as the clock ticks to the year 2000; just a bunch of people celebrating and very little if any problems from the computor bug. I guess there will be more problems from people rushing the grocery stores and banks, but probably they'll be ready for them. This would also be the ideal time for some wacko or extremest group to try to make the headlines by doing something stupid. Also I guess that they'll be those whose talents lay in computors, trying to cause trouble by hanking into business and government sites and or spreading viruses.