The Letter T
The word is Tangerine
The Christmas Orange
Did you ALWAYS have an orange in the toe of your Christmas stocking - chances are it was a TANGERINE,
Or were you naughty and received instead a lump of coal, which I understand was de riguer for children who didn't believe that Santa kept a Record Book of Behaviour and so made no effort to be good little boys and girls.
(I saw this Book of Record, once, long ago, when I was very small and
was present when Santa visited the Woodward's store in Edmonton and brought it with him!!! - very impressive.......)
The Tangerine, the Mandarin and the Clementine are all cousins and equally welcome at the Christmas table. The Clementine is seedless, and the Tangerine is a little more delicate than the Mandarin, but you know it makes no difference when you peel away the nubbly orange skin, divide the sweet sections, pop them into your mouth, and feel once again that thankfulness that Christmas has come, complete with Tangerines and Christmas jellies and hard candies in the Christmas sock, and look! - no coal!
One of our Advent activities used to involve the preparation for the drying of Tangerines by making patterns with cloves, and covering the whole surface with the spice, rolling it in cinnamon and leaving it to dry, all the while emanating a lovely spicey scent throughout the house.
(What else were you going to do with six excited Christmas innoculated children before the time of that modern elf who I understand now comes and sits on shelves and oversees what's going on in the younger set).
Early for Christmas greetings but enjoy the run-up to the Christmas season, remembering that Advent is a time of preparation, both physically and spiritually.
And delight in the Tangerine!
For more Ts visit here with thanks to Roger and Denise who make this meme viable, and to all their Terrific Helpers.