Thank you to eveyone for joining is with our X for Xmas Challenge.
Lacey's back with the winner and "top 3" from the last challenge...
Oh my, there were so many wonderful entries! It really was too hard to choose a Top 3.
Therefore, I chose a Top 5 instead - and even that was hard.
But first, the random winner of the Wild Rose Studio prize is:
Congratulations,
Cabio!!
Please email at the email above to claim your prize.
Now the Top 5 cards chosen are:
On to our new challenge...
This week it was my turn (Lols) to choose the theme and I chose
Y FOR YULETIDE
Please use 1 or all of the following things to create your card or project
Holly & Berries
or
Red & Green
or
Candles
We are sponsored by our lovely teamie Lacey from
Wags 'n Whiskers and she will be giving one lucky entrant this fab prize!!
4 of our most popular Christmas digital stamps!!
DT Annie researched Yuletide for us and wrote this brilliant explanation :-) Thanks Annie xx
Yule Tide, the darkest time of the year when we wait for the old solar year to pass in order to celebrate the birth of a new sun. It takes about 3 days after the Winter Solstice, the longest darkest night of the year, before the days gradually start to lengthen again and the celebrations can begin in earnest – and can carry on for almost a month! There are many folk traditions from earlier times that are now incorporated into the more modern Christmas and New Year celebrations, but in villages across Northern Europe and Scandinavia many of the old traditions survive as we wish you all a “God Jul!”
The tradition of decking the halls with boughs of holly is reminiscent of the pre-Christian times when the evergreens in the depths of winter represented life and the red berries the seeds of life to come. Candles were associated with the Roman festival of Saturnalia when Ops, the wife of Saturn, was remembered with the giving of gifts as a token of love and respect on her sacred day of 20th December. All over Northern Europe and Scandinavia candles are lit, especially on the night of the Winter Solstice, in celebration of old customs and beliefs that still linger.
So, as the old solar year passes and we start anew, we remember our ancient past and celebrate the Yule Tide with the giving of gifts, lighting of candles and decorating our homes with greenery. We celebrate with family and friends, giving thanks for the feast at our table that was raised and grown in and from the earth nurtured by the rain and the sun. We toast to a new year and a new growing season and hope that the new sun will shine, the rains be gentle, the winds soft and the earth rich and abundant once again. Wassail!
The DT are looking forward to popping by to see your creations, all we ask is that you make sure Word Verification is turned off if you would like us to leave you a comment :-) thanks for your co-operation with this, it makes alot easier for us :-)
