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The Legend of the Christmas Candle (from back of card)
The Irish initiated the tradition of putting a one-week candle called coinneal mór na Nollaig, or "great Christmas candle" in the windows of their homes. According to tradition, the candle served as a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph who sought shelter on that first Christmas Eve.
 Conception Abbey: Conception, MissouriConception Abbey is a Roman Catholic monastery of the Swiss-American Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation. The monastery was founded by the Swiss Engelberg Abbey in 1873 in northwest Missouri. At present the community is home to over sixty monks who celebrate the Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours daily and are involved in a variety of ministries and industries. The monks provide pastoral care in parishes, hospitals, religious houses and schools. As administrators and members of the faculty of Conception Seminary College, they provide training to young men considering a priestly vocation. And through the Abbey Guest Center, they welcome guests to the abbey and offer a wide array of retreats, tours and youth programs. The monks tend the abbey grounds, care for farmland and orchards, and run the Printery House, which includes an inventory of more than 1,000 products, including greeting cards, icons, statues and other religious articles.  1908 postcard of Conception Abbey
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