Christmas Ties

Not having much time to dedicate to the customary tradition of baking cookies, this year my "homemade" gift was flavored pretzels that could be added to the appetizer table at various holiday festivities. They are one of my favorites and I was pleased to learn that there is actually a "tie" to Christianity in this little snack, so I'm sharing this article which explains. The Pretzel–Tying knots.By Michael ProcopioPretzels are a snack food to which I havenever given much thought. They’re crunchy and salty, or soft and chewy. Greatwith beer, great with mustard. Plain, dipped in chocolate or yogurt, theysatisfy the basic urge to nosh mindlessly. Legend has it that the pretzel wasinvented by a monk experimenting with leftover bread dough in or around theyear 610 C.E.. He twisted the dough into the shape of a child’s arms foldedacross his (the child’s, not the monk’s) chest in prayer, a position not unlikethe one made when jumping off a very tall cliff into the sea. I think that boththe willingness to believe this tale and the act of cliff-jumping are alike intheir need for a certain amount of blind faith in order to be successful. Thepriest gave these bready pretiolae or “little prayers” as rewards tochildren who managed to learn their prayers well. These treats became ratherpopular, spreading throughout Europe over the centuries, most notably in theGerman-speaking countries, where they became known as pretzels.What is certain is that medieval monksused the inter-connected loops of the pretzel to help children grasp theconcept of the Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all rolled up intoone chewy treat. According to a number of sources, they became “an important symbol of Church life.”Pretzels soon came to symbolize good fortune,bringing prosperity and spiritual wholeness with every bite. Wedding couplesfell into the practice of breaking a pretzel, much like one might break awishbone on Thanksgiving– the person with the larger piece was assured domestichappiness. What the loser was left with, besides a smaller bit of pretzel, isunknown. The pretzel, over time, came to symbolize the tying of the marriageknot.So with a bit of trivia, may this little snack help bring you some Christmas Cheer!