Thursday Thirteen #8

THIRTEEN NOTABLE
DECEMBER 25TH HISTORICAL EVENTS

1. 1066 - Coronation of William the Conqueror as king of England, at Westminster Abbey, London.

2. 1223 - St. Francis of Assisi assembles the first Nativity scene.

3. 1643 - Christmas Island founded and named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary.

4. 1818 - The first performance of "Silent Night" takes place in the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.

5. 1868 - U.S. President Andrew Johnson grants unconditional pardon to all Civil War Confederate soldiers.

6. 1917 - Why Marry?, first dramatic play to win a Pulitzer Prize, opens at the Astor Theatre in New York City.

7. 1950 - The Stone of Scone, traditional coronation stone of British monarchs, is taken from Westminster Abbey by Scottish nationalist students.

8. 1968 - Apollo program: Apollo 8 performs the very first successful Trans Earth Injection (TEI) maneuver, sending the crew and spacecraft on a trajectory back to Earth from Lunar orbit.

9. 1971 - In the longest game in NFL history (82m 40s of game time), the Miami Dolphins defeat the Kansas City Chiefs at Kansas City Municipal Stadium 27-24.

December 25 Births of Note:

10. 1642 (O.S.) - Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician (d. 1727)

11. 1918 - Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, Nobel laureate (d. 1981)

12. 1924 - Rod Serling, American television writer (d. 1975)

13. 1971/1973 - Justin Trudeau, and his brother Alexandre Trudeau, sons of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau

* * *

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Gingerbread cookies require a bit of work, but make a great near-Christmas activity for kids, look wonderfully old-fashioned on a tree, and also make beautiful gifts for family and friends. Not to mention that they're mmm-mmm good!

*GINGERBREAD COOKIES*

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. dark molasses
1/4 c. water
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 to 1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

Beat sugar, shortening, molasses and water in a large bowl on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Roll out with a rolling pin until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with gingerbread man cutter. (Other cookie cutters work well, also.)

Lift cookies carefully with a large spatula onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate cookies with raisins, if desired. Bake until set, approx. 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool 3 minutes, then carefully remove from cookie sheet with a spatula.

Cool and decorate with frosting if you like. Makes about 1 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookie cutter. Yum!

Country Living's Holiday Fudge

This recipe came from a back issue of Country Living Magazine (which has some beautiful Christmas ideas!). It makes approx. 36 pieces, depending on how you cut it. It's a sweet way to greet your guests and makes a wonderful gift when placed in a festive tin or basket. It's easy to make, and for me, has been never fail.

*Holiday Fudge*

3 6-oz packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14-oz can of sweetened, condensed milk
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups broken walnuts (you can use pecans, cashews, etc)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup each cut up red and green candied cherries (optional)

Line an 8x8" baking pan with waxed paper or foil. In a heavy saucepan, combine chocolate chips, condensed milk and salt. Cook over very low heat until chips melt. Remove from heat. Stur in nuts, vanilla and cherries (if deisred). Spread mixture evenly in pan and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm. Cut into squares.