Is Santa Claus a veteran? – Daily Advocate & Early Bird News

I first asked this question because this Friday is Veterans Day, which is a national holiday in the United States, and this Friday, Santa Claus is coming to town. I first speculated that Santa Claus had an affiliation with the United States Air Force, but soon realized there was no air flight until 1903 by Wilbur and Orville Wright. Therefore, I assumed that Santa Claus simply wanted to offer his gratitude to the male and female veterans of the Versailles Vets Club. He wouldn’t be Santa Claus if he took for granted the very things that deserve his (and ours) gratitude.

Everyone knows Santa and Santa knows everyone and what we owe our veterans. But even if we don’t know veterans by name or face, we need to make our presence and gratitude known because we owe them so much. Maybe Santa Claus will indulge in a bowl of bean soup, with cornbread, etc., but even if he’s begging for carbs, you can and should participate. Veterans have the spirit of giving throughout the year and bean soup is a gift of love for the Versailles community.

I think Santa Claus was, at a minimum, an honorary religious Navy veteran. Here’s what I discovered while following the story.

Although Santa Claus cannot be searched with ancestory.com, the library, or any other form of legal documentation, we do know that his baptismal name was Nicholas and that he was a bishop in the fourth century. Nicholas was buried in a sarcophagus in a church in Maya, Greece. Maya was a maritime city in (ancient Greece or) Asia Minor. In 1087, a group of Greek Orthodox merchant sailors took part of the skeletal remains of Bishop Nicholas from his resting place and fled to protect the bones from Muslim sacrilege during the Seljuq dynasty. The remains were later enshrined in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, in Bari, Italy.

Some of the smaller bones remained in the sarcophagus of the Church of Maya, Greece, but during the First Crusade Venetian sailors took the remaining fragments to Venice where they built a Church of Saint Nicholas in Venice at their return. Scientific research on the bones of Bari and Venice revealed that they belonged to the same skeleton, which is how the two Italian cities can claim the relics of Saint Nicholas.

Saint Nicholas is primarily considered the patron saint of sailors. Sailors around the world wish each other good luck saying, “May St. Nicholas take the helm. Saint Nicholas is also considered the saint of children and of both Amsterdam and Moscow.

We know that our current Santa goes by many names (Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, Saint Nick) but is derived from the legendary character of Saint Nicholas and celebrated around the world.

Now that we can assume that Santa Claus is a veteran of the high seas, that may be one of the reasons Santa Claus arrives so early. I mean, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. While it’s true that Santa usually only appeared in December or at least until Thanksgiving was over, life has changed a lot. Like everything else, things change. Nowadays, personal decorations and gifts were not elaborate, overpriced or unnecessary. When we were kids, Christmas was about the only time we got presents, it was when we got the bike, the wagon, the baseball glove, the roller skates or a doll. As a result, we really looked forward to Christmas. I bet it doesn’t take much for you to rekindle your childhood excitement thinking about those Christmases. Isn’t that great!

Christmas can be the birth of Jesus Christ made man, born in poverty and deigned to be crucified by those he wanted to save. But in the 21st century, both parents are working, earning higher salaries, and often living beyond their means or in eternal debt. It is natural that each generation wants the best for its children. But define better, is it a little or an extreme measure?

It’s the consumer who drives the market and that’s why you see the Christmas season earlier and longer each year. Consider this, if you had a hall or party room to rent, would you turn away someone who wants to have their Christmas party in October or November? As the saying goes, the customer is always right. And as a former business owner, I can tell you that our employee Christmas party was in January, after the hectic days of Christmas decorating and shopping were over.

Finally, during my quest to find out if Santa was a veteran, I found myself pondering another question. That is, “How come Santa’s reindeer powered a sleigh that could fly, but the Wright brothers didn’t achieve such genius until 1903?” I discovered that Santa Claus was first reported in 1823 when the poem “The Night Before Christmas” was printed in the Sentinel newspaper in Troy, New York. Since I don’t understand invisible science like electric waves, radio waves and magnetic polarization, I can tell you but I can’t explain it. So there you have it, Santa Claus can use the magnetic field of the North Pole against the South Pole to take flight and propel the sleigh forward. Obviously, when the magnetic field of the sleigh is high, Santa Claus and the sleigh can fly higher and faster. And when the magnetic field strength of the sled decreases, the sled flies lower and slows down. (Full disclosure: I still don’t get it, but maybe you do.)

“America without its soldiers would be freedom without the power or the right to act, speak or think as one wishes without hindrance.” ~ C. Edwards

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what’s in front of him, but because he loves what’s behind him.” —GK Chesterton

“Alas! How sad the world would be if there were no Santa Claus! Then there would be no childlike faith, no poetry, no romance to make this existence bearable. ~ Francis P.

EVENTS TO COME

On Friday, November 11, from 4-7 p.m., the Versailles Vets Club is hosting its Bean Soup Dinner in honor of Veterans Day. Veterans like to cook a meal and serve the public. They will accept freewill offerings. Veterans Day is the time when Americans honor all living veterans. So come thank our local veterans.

Friday, November 11, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., is the Christmas party of the birthplace of Versailles. The shops in the city center will be open for your shopping convenience, there will be vendors of food, hot chocolate, biscuits, entertainment by school groups, with a light ceremony at 7 p.m. on the Place de la Fontaine. Santa Claus arrives soon after with carriage rides through the city center.

On Saturday, November 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be Breakfast with Father Christmas at Les Aigles de Versailles. Donation only for an “all you can eat” meal of breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs, silver pancakes, applesauce, chocolate milk, orange juice and coffee.

Also on Saturday, November 12, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., St. Teresa’s Catholic Church in Covington (located at 6925 W. US Route 36) hosts its annual Christmas Bazaar. With lots of pastries. As well as the Darke County Singles Dance from 8-11 p.m., sponsored and held at Greenville VFW (219 N. Ohio Street). Music from “Hearts of Fire”. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a $7 admission fee.

Sunday, November 13, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., karaoke at the Ansonia American Legion. The kitchen will be open during karaoke.

Sunday, November 13, fried chicken dinner from 4 p.m. by the Auxiliaries of the American Legion of Versailles at the Versailles Vets Club. Dine in, take out or drive. Phone orders can be placed as early as 3 p.m. by calling 937-526-5959.

Monday, November 14, 1-3:30 p.m., Memory Lane Dance at Greenville VFW. Music by Tom Everhart. Open to the public Admission $5 at the door.

Tuesday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (widows/widowers) Breakfast with a wooden spoon.

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 4-8 p.m. Deep Fried Chicken at Creekside Drive N Go. Call ahead at (937) 526-4038. Dine in or take away.

Friday, Nov. 18, 5-7 p.m., Jen’s Burritos at the Ansonia American Legion. Perform available.

Happy birthday to Marcy Roll, Suzie Keihl, Robin Meinerding, Judith York, Missy Voisard, Tricia Monnin Carson, Sundra Bey, Jefferis H. Livingston, Lynn Langston, Corrie Jennings, Karen Kelch, Tammy O’Reilly, Levi Francis, Becky Chrisman, Hala Knapke, Debra Pohl, Jim McCutcheon, Shila Magoto, Monica Knapke, Benjamin Bey, Treva Siegel, Nina Barga, Matt Heitkamp, ​​Joe Herandez, Marcia Davidson, Katrina Hoening, Denise Ruhenkamp, ​​Etha Gehret, Sheree Kremer, Barb Marshal, Angie Francis, Toni Schafer, Lois Wollenhaupt, Margie Heitkamp, ​​Carroll Bertke, Scott Monnin, Jon Werling, Wanda Laughman, Maleah Bulcher, Nancy (Tom) Subler, Joan Ruschau, Rose Lucas, Steve Winner, Kevin Bohman, Janet Anderson, Kim Condon, Keith Hartzell, Candy Stump, Henry Uhlenhake, Diane Elsas, P. Jim Simons, Dee Stahl, Lauren Meinke, Shorty Keller, Carmen Kingrey, Gene Epperly, Dusty Francis and Uncle John Magoto as their birthdays approach as well as birthday wishes to Caitlin and Tom McNeilan (10), Lori and Jason Hemmelgarn (10), Kelly and Kevin Luthman, Donna and Allen Francis (25), Lisa and Joe Rush (25), Holly and Nick Keizer (28), Missy and Brad Francis (32), Shirley and D. Johns (??), Sue Ann and Joe Knapke (41), Kim and Randy Condon (44), Dee and Brian Monnin (44), Sheila and Jerry Barhorst (50), Mary Jo and Ken Voisard (55) , Mary Jean and Paul Meyer (57), and all those couples celebrating their anniversary this week.

Please keep in your prayers all those who have passed away, including those whose death anniversary is approaching. Please give your prayers of comfort and healing for the sick and suffering, for those struggling, caregivers and those mourning the loss of loved ones.

As a sign of kindness, thank the companies of Versailles for the City’s Christmas Party and for their dedication to the city. Without them, we really would be a ghost town. And thank the veterans who behaved with duty and honor for our country. Let them be an example of how to live your life, respect the beliefs and freedom of all of us.

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