Tis the season so be jolly, and, since it’s the holiday season, there will be no real estate talk this month.
This is not to say real estate isn’t jolly. We have had a good year, even with the slow time heading up to the election. We are still in a seller’s market, with supply at 73.8 and demand at 108 (based on the Cromford Report Index). Mesa’s median sales price for October was $240,000, which is up 11.6 percent from October last year. Guess I just can’t not talk a little about real estate after all.
KOR Properties has started a new tradition this year, Santa’s Helpers Stocking Project, and we are teaming up with our clients, family members and friends to provide 150 stockings for Save the Family. We have had such a great response already. I am sure we are going to far exceed the 150 stockings and will be sharing any extras with other charity organizations. A big thank you to everyone for helping to make this possible and making this Christmas a little more special for these children. And on that note, what better topic for this month’s article?
The Origin of the Christmas Stocking
In many countries around the world, including Germany, Great Britain, Canada and the United States, children hang stockings from the mantelpiece on Christmas Eve to be filled overnight with small gifts from Santa Claus. The precise origins of the tradition of Christmas stockings are not known, but there are a number of clues and theories. The practice of hanging stockings at Christmas, in the United States, dates from the early 19th century at least, and may have its origins in the time of Saint Nicholas, the fourth century Common Era.
Christmas stockings are mentioned in the 1823 poem A Visit From St. Nicholas, which famously begins ‘Twas the night before Christmas, so they already were a common tradition in America by this time.
According to one legend, Christmas stockings honor a charitable gift of the historical Saint Nicholas, a third and fourth century bishop in modern-day Turkey known for his anonymous gifts. The story tells of a poor widower with three daughters who had no chance of marriage, since they could not afford a dowry. Saint Nicholas left gold coins in the girls’ stockings as they hung over the chimney at night to dry. Saint Nicholas inherited significant wealth from his parents, and is believed to have made many anonymous gifts to the poor throughout his career as a bishop. He was later transformed by legend into the gift-giving Santa Claus, and Christmas stockings may pay homage to the gift giving of the real Saint Nicholas.
Why Put Oranges in Stocking?
Another take on this tale says it was not gold coins Saint Nicholas dropped down the widower’s chimney, falling into the girls’ stockings. Instead, it actually was gold balls. These gold balls were equally valuable, of course, and still provided a hefty dowry for the daughters. This gives us the reason why today we often put oranges into stockings. The oranges represent the gold balls.
RECIPE
Here is a recipe I make at Christmas and throughout the year. It’s such an easy way to bake a variety of vegetables and I love the presentation.
Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary:
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch pieces (I usually leave the potatoes out, as I make them on the side)
- 1 pound celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into
1-inch pieces - 1 pound rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), cut into
1-inch-thick rounds - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- I also add brussel sprouts
Position one rack in bottom third of oven and one rack in center of oven. Preheat to 400 degrees. Spray two heavy large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Combine all ingredients except garlic in very large bowl. Toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Divide vegetable mixture between prepared sheets. Place one sheet on each oven rack. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reverse positions of baking sheets. Add five garlic cloves to each baking sheet.
Continue to roast until all vegetables are tender and brown in spots, stirring and turning vegetables occasionally, about 45 minutes longer. (Can be prepared four hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. Reheat in 450 degree oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.)
Bon appétit.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads my articles and to all my wonderful clients.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Lorraine Ryall has been a Multi-Million Dollar producer for the past seven years. You can reach Lorraine at (602) 571-6799. You also can send her an email at Lorraine@Homes2SellAZ.com, or visit her website at Homes2SellAZ.com.