21 days… until Christmas Day

Today’s spice of the day is…. Ginger

A pinch of spice

Ginger is a zesty, warm, and robust spice with a refreshing kick. Gingerbread cookies, gingerbread houses and lebkuchen are iconic Christmas food fare. These Christmas treats are not simply delicious baked goods but are also works of art engaging the sense of sight as much as the senses of taste and smell. Ginger can be used fresh or as a spice in both sweet and savoury dishes at Christmas.

A pinch of the Christmas story

God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:26-28 (CEV)

A pinch of reflection

Everyone likes encouragement and praise. Being seen and acknowledged provides us with a sense of meaning. It warms us and helps us navigate our daily lives with purpose. When the angel tells Mary she is blessed and that the Lord is with her, we feel God’s warmth and security offered to her in a few simple words. These words also propel Mary into a lifelong journey of purpose. Can there be any greater encouragement than receiving God’s blessing? In our own journey of faith, we also receive the warmth of God’s blessing. This blessing doesn’t stop with us. Like the angels, we become part of a community in sharing this blessing with others. Hear and share these words today, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”

A pinch of prayer

Take a pinch of ginger.

Look at it. Feel it.

Bring it closer to your nose.

Smell your pinch of ginger.

Close your eyes.

Let an image or a word come to mind.

Focus on the image or word.

Turn your focus into a prayer.

A handful of spicy facts

·       Ginger comes from the plant Zingiber officinale. The plant is likely to be native to Southeast Asia, but the actual country of origin is unknown.

·       Ginger plants take about 8 months to grow to full height of between 30cm to 5m.

·       The part of the plant we know as ginger is the root or rhizome. Ground ginger is made by drying the fresh ginger roots and then grinding them into powder.

·       Early gingerbread recipes were made from breadcrumbs rather than flour.

·       Gingerbread houses started to be baked in Germany after the publication of the Grimm Brother’s story Hansel and Gretel in 1812. Today they are a feature of German Christmas markets and competitions around the globe for people of all ages.