Blessing the bread consumed during Christmas dinner is a tradition for some families, but Christmas Fruit Bread has a double meaning because it is tied to a specific saint, St Thomas the Apostle. His feast day was Dec. 21 in the old Roman calendar, a date coinciding with the time families amped up Christmas preparations in many European traditions and the day on which many gave alms to the poor. In Austria they honored the saint with Kletzenbrot, a fruit bread that gets its name from the word for dried pears, Kletzen, and was able to be preserved for an extensive time, making it the ideal food to give as a gift in advance of Christmas celebrations.
Thanksgiving reminds us the gratitude is, first and foremost, an act of faith. As Catholics, we give thanks not only for God’s many blessings in our lives, but for God Himself. Giving thanks is also an essential part of our American history. From the earliest celebration at the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving to President George Washington’s proclamation of “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer” to the 21st century, Americans have taken time to celebrate and give thanks. Here are a few ways to remember the real reason behind the feast: