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Christmas Gifts

"A long-standing date..."

 

Christmas Day engenders a strong nostalgic feeling for most of us, but did you know that December 25th has been a very special date on the calendar since early in the third century AD? The Romans took the opportunity to brighten the dull days of winter when there was little agricultural work to be done by celebrating their "Birthday of the Undefeated Sun" on this date. Ceremonies in honour of various sun gods were accompanied by feasting and festivities which carried people through the potentially dreary darkness, reinforcing the idea that the sun would return. In Pagan Scandinavia, "Jul" – the modern English "Yule" - was symbolised by burning a huge log in honour of Thor, god of thunder and bearer of light, in order to see out the winter blues and bring prosperity for the year to come.      

 

 

By the Middle Ages, Christmas had started to gain ground as a highly popular holy day in Britain. Chroniclers noted that King Richard II splashed out on 28 oxen and 300 sheep at a Christmas feast for his nearest and dearest! Churches would be filled with the spicy scent of incense blending natural herbs such as Frankincense and Myrrh, which have long been associated with natural cleansing, healing and wellbeing. It was during this period of time that the tradition of decorating the home with evergreens such as holly and ivy began, and the popularity of wreaths to welcome guests to the home is as strong now as ever. Gift-giving in the Middle Ages was generally a matter of keeping those to whom one had to doff one's cap happy; people were more likely to offer a little something to their landlord than their wife!

The gift of nature

Whilst a feast on the scale of King Richard's would certainly not be on our Yuletide "to do" list nowadays, gift giving is very much at the forefront of our minds at this time of year. However, if the very notion of trudging the packed-out high street stores for unimaginative presents fills you with a wintry chill, why not curl up with a hot choccy at home and order them online? You’ll find that Celtic Herbal's beautiful selection of natural toiletries will see the recipient through the party season and help them to unwind and detox for the New Year, and the good news is that this needn't cost a fortune – the credit crunch can't stop Christmas!

Ask most mums what they would truly love to find in their stocking on Christmas morning, and you can bet that that a bit of quiet time with the opportunity to pamper themselves would come close to the top of the list. Why not play Santa and pop one of our scrummy Christmas soaps into the stocking along with a couple of "IOU" notes which offer to do chores or take the kids out so that Mum can make the most of some "Me Time" and laze in the bath?

Celtic Herbal’s heavenly quartet of seasonal soaps will transform even the most worn-out Santa's Little Helpers into serenely smiling angels! Choose from Christmas Jewel Soap with its pretty, gem-like colours, Christmas Spice Soap which offers a creamy combination of spices including cinnamon, Angel Soap for the romance of roses delivered in a perfect pink package, or regal Frankincense Soap which offers a touch of luxury. If you simply can’t pick one favourite, plump for the Christmas Selection.

Little luxuries for less

Civilisations which now only exist in the history books were the first to discover the soothing and healing properties of the natural herbs and spices which we work into our products nowadays, and we like to think that we’ve perfected the art of helping people to feel great. There is much to be said for the benefits of the seasonal ingredients which play a key role in our Christmas range – cinnamon has been found to aid the memory, whilst frankincense was regarded as a gift fit for the infant Jesus due to its antiseptic and mood-lifting qualities. The fact that it can also reduce the onset of unwelcome wrinkles has to be a major bonus! The scent of oranges is another classic Yuletide favourite, and it’s very easy to add a sensational citrus note to your home with an orange pomander. Originally used in the late Middle Ages to ward off pests and sweeten foul-smelling air, pomanders are a pleasant way to freshen up musty drawers or provide an attractive Christmas decoration. Simply tie some decorative ribbon around an orange to divide it into quarters, insert some whole aromatic cloves into the flesh and allow the orange to dry out and harden.

If you don’t have the time or the inclination to make your own sweet-smelling goodies, Celtic Herbal’s seasonal gifts should be right up your street. Our prettily presented Love Christmas package combines spicy Christmas Soap with a cute festive flannel, ideal for those who like to stay young at heart, or check out our Orange Spice Box if you’d like to give that special someone the complete Christmas spice experience! 

Christmas should be a pleasure, not a chore, and Celtic Herbal can help you give the gift of natural beauty to your loved ones this year. Why not add your favourite product to your own Christmas wish list and see what Santa brings?

 

 

All text copyright © The Celtic Herbal Company Ltd.