An Epiphany

Dear Reader,

Many of you are new subscribers, and I welcome you with warm hugs, excited to get to know you in the coming year! Thank you for joining me on my writing journey. I share my thoughts, happenings, and book news in the occasional newsletter or whenever I might have an epiphany!

Last month I chose “reconnect” for my 2020 Word. At the end of November, 2018, I underwent open-heart surgery. This past November, I told my daughter that I hadn’t picked a 2019 word–but if I had, it would have been “recuperate” because that was my task for the year. And I did it well! Reconnect applies to so many levels of my life. Office routines and disciplines. Cooking and healthy eating. My writing and my walking. My friendships and family. Reading and meditating. Scripture. And then I read an email this morning from Martha Rogers, who sends out a Verse of the Week on behalf of the American Christian Fiction Writers organization. She had chosen the word “rejoice” for 2020, but after listening to her pastor’s Sunday sermon on courage–the courage to assess our lives and discard the things that take away our time and cause stress–she felt led to that word. It’s a wonderful word, and one we could all claim, and perhaps not only for 2020, but for this new decade as well.

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

With Christmas 2019 a warm, happy memory and the resolutions made on New Year’s Day still unbroken, tonight I will take down our Christmas tree and put away the shiny ornaments for another year. Today is the twelfth day of Christmas, or Epiphany, celebrated by many Christians as the day the three kings arrived in Bethlehem bearing their gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense.

Many of the early colonists in America brought with them customs from merry Old England and December 25th marked the first day of Christmastide. After attending church, they might decorate their homes with a yule log, green boughs, and wreaths of holly. Singing Christmas carols, eating plum pudding, and playing games were activities enjoyed throughout the next twelve days.

The twelfth day of Christmas crescendoed into a celebration of the day the three kings presented their gifts to the baby Jesus. The colonists feasted on mince pies and Twelfth Cake, washed down with spiced ale while they exchanged gifts of clove-studded oranges, spiced nuts, gold coins–or perhaps a special book or piece of jewelry.

I love those traditions and so I honor them with my own tradition of taking down our sparkly tree while I enjoy the last ginger cookie of the season on this day. It’s the day I put the sweet memories of last year behind, and look toward new treasured moments and all the possibilities a new year–and decade–bring. Today is also a time for me to reflect on the joy of giving, realizing the gift of a smile, time, or understanding are as precious as gold, as beautiful as silver.

I wish you much love, joy, and blessings in 2020!

Love, Rebecca

“Have I not commanded you: Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV

A Christmas Cake Recipe For You

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups currants                                                         1 1/2 cups golden raisins-sultanas

1 1/2 cups dark raisins                                                    3/4 cup mixed candied peel, finely chopped

1 cup glace cherries, halved                                           3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt                                                              1/2 level teaspoon mixed ginger and cloves

1/2 level teaspoon ground cinnamon                          1/2 level teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/4 cups softened butter                                              1 1/3 cups brown sugar

1/2 lemon, zested                                                             6 large eggs. lightly beaten

3 tablespoons brandy plus extra

Directions:

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. The temperature is low, as the cake needs a long, slow bake. It is packed with sugars, fruits, and brandy, and if the temperature is any higher, the outside of the cake will burn and the inside will be under cooked.

Line a 9-inch cake tin with 2 thicknesses of parchment or grease-proof paper. Tie a double band of brown or newspaper paper around the outside. This acts as an insulator and to prevent the cake from burning.

In a large roomy baking bowl mix the currants, sultanas, raisins, peel, and cherries with the flour, salt, and spices.

In another large bowl cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the beaten egg to the butter mixture a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition – do not try to rush this process as the mixture could curdle. If it does curdle simply add a tablespoon of flour and mix again, this should bring the mixture back together.

Carefully fold in half the flour and fruit into the egg and butter mixture, once incorporated repeat with the remaining flour and fruit. Finally, add the brandy.

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin making sure there are no air pockets. Once filled smooth the surface with the back of s spoon and make a slight dip in the center.

Stand the tin on a double layer of newspaper in the lower part of the oven. Bake for 4 1/2 hours. If the cake is browning too rapidly, cover the tin with a double layer of grease-proof or parchment paper after 2 1/2 hours. During the cooking time avoid opening the oven door too often as this may cause the cake to collapse.

Insert a skewer or fine knife into the center of the cake. If there is sticky dough on the skewer when you pull it out it needs cooking longer, if it is clean, the cake is done. Remove from the oven.

Cool in the tin on a wire rack for an hour. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely. Once cooled prick the surface of the cake with a wooden pick and slowly pour over 2 to 3 tablespoons brandy. This feeding should be repeated every two weeks up until Christmas.

The cake should be stored wrapped in grease-proof or parchment paper in an airtight tin, until ready to serve. Pure yum! Decorate with a white sugar frosting and sprigs of holly, if desired.

You should bake this traditional English Christmas cake at least 2 months before Christmas.

English Christmas Cake

Slip back in time with historical romance author REBECCA DE MARINO. She is the author of The Southold Chronicles (Revell/Baker Publishing Group), a series based on the lives of her ninth great-grandparents, who sailed from England in the 1600s and were one of thirteen founding families of Southold, Long Island. The series includes A Place in His Heart (2014), To Capture Her Heart (2015), and To Follow Her Heart (2016).

Comments 7

  1. Hope you are recouping from your surgery. I’ve had 5 open heart surgeries. If you ever need to talk you may contact me. I just recently found out about the true 12 days of Christmas, reading your post was very helpful. Take care ❤

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  2. Thank you for your inspirational words. It is important to continue the traditions of our families from years ago. I treasure the memories of the past and present season and will surely enjoy taking the tree down and looking forward to reconnect in many areas in this new year.

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