Candy Canes

Candy canes are one of my favorite candy and now just look at this -- they're good for you, too!.

New studies on peppermint, the key flavoring in traditional candy canes, reveal the herb may do everything from kill germs to treat digestive troubles. Some researchers now advise consumers to eat a tablespoon or more of fresh peppermint, and other green herbs, daily.

Peppermint oil, found in most candy canes, also appears to have health benefits. A recent British Medical Journal study, led by McMaster University researcher Alex Ford, concludes that peppermint oil should be the first line of defense against irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by abdominal pain and irregular bowels that affects between 5 to 20 percent of the population.



Peppermint oil, and other potent essential oils, may even one day be wafted in their vapor form over food to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Belated Merry Christmas

I was half tempted to cancel Christmas this year, but lo and behold, I did get into the spirit of the season when I finally put up my little Christmas tree.

This was my first Christmas without my Mother. Losing her this summer was one of the most devastating events in my life. She suffered for six months with several illnesses, but none of that mattered when the time came. We were not prepared. We wanted the suffering to stop, but we were not ready to let her go.

My Mother was a wonderful woman who enjoyed Christmas more than anyone and we were truly blessed to have her and the traditions that she passed on. I hope that she knows how much we love her and miss her. Life has not been the same with her gone, but it does go on and we are still trying to cope. From now on, every time I listen to Silent Night I will shed a few tears.

I must say that I did have a beautiful Christmas. My son went with me to mass on Christmas morning and that was a gift in itself. He left in the early afternoon to pick up his daughter and open gifts at his house and I took “the boys” with me to the cemetery to deliver the wreaths to my Mother and Father. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the air was crisp - so, after visiting the cemetery, we took a nice walk along the river for some fresh air. The boys enjoyed the walk and it gave me some time to clear my head.

A truly weird thing happened when we returned home. I’ve had the cold that won’t go away for well over a week – so smelling anything has been non-existent, and as I opened the front door, I could smell my mother’s perfume – even the dogs stopped to sniff the air. It just lingered for a few moments and then it was gone – but, I knew that I was meant to enjoy Christmas and she was with us in spirit – or else, I’m losing my mind.

My son and granddaughter returned around 3:30 p.m. and we opened our gifts. They spoiled me. I am now the proud owner of a collection of Jim Shore lighthouses that will replace the Jim Shore Santa’s that now grace my mantle, in addition to a host of other gifts. I was speechless.

Kylie was thrilled with her Wii Fit and told me that she received everything that she asked for for Christmas - how special is that??

After a nice leisurely dinner, where we cooked the potatoes out on the grill,

we played with Kylie’s Electronic Banking Monopoly

and I have never had so much fun nor laughed so hard playing Monopoly. Even the dogs had a chance to be "The Banker".

As the evening wore on, I had two tired pups, a house that resembles "Dog Toys R Us" and the joy of spending Christmas with my family, which isn't something that you can wrap up with pretty paper and sparkling bows.

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas, too.