-The following is an excerpt from The Big eSLASHculture Book of Christmas Lore.

Chapter 23:  The First Noel

    Many people wonder about the origins of the popular Christmas saying "Noel."  It has been commonly supposed that Noel is a generic Old English phrase for Christmas.  However, recent research indicates that Noel draws its origins from an actual historic personage.

    Ancient records reveal that at the time of Jesus' birth there was a young man of Bethlehem named Noel Nascri.  According to Bethlehem folklore Noel was a boy of only twelve years of age during the events of the Nativity.  The youngest son of an impoverished local farmer, he worked at the Bethlehem Inn as a bell hop the fateful night that Joseph and Mary arrived in the village.  When the manager of the inn turned them away, Noel met them outside and lead them to his family's humble farm.  Though they had no spare beds in the crowded Nascri home, Noel arranged for these two strangers in need to stay in the family stables. 

    In a display of hospitality, Noel brought in their bags, tidied up the stalls, turned down the hay before bedtime, and left a chocolate mint on the manger.  In the ensuing hours as Jesus was born, the small rustic farm became a hotbed of activity.  As the Magi arrived, Noel greeted them and escorted them into see the new born King of Israel.  He then had their camels fed, watered, cleaned, and detailed.  When Balthazar expressed concern that his regal robes were wrinkled and dirty from the long journey, Noel quickly took them to be dry cleaned, pressed, and deodorized and returned in time for the first Hallelujah.

    Aside from the gold and silver and many other wondrous gifts, Melchior had brought a shawl collar sweater of pure cashmere sewn with threads of gold for the Baby Jesus.  Unfortunately, it was the wrong size.  Noel stepped forward and humbly took the royal gift and exchanged it at the Bethlehem Saks Fifth Avenue for a size 1T that fit beautifully.

    As the modest celebration grew, Noel arranged for a tapas bar and a cold buffet to be prepared in the feed stall for all the guests.  When a young shepherd's son came to play his drum for the Christ child, Noel called in a few favors and two cellists, a violinist, and a viola  player came from the village to accompany him.

    It is no surprise that most accounts of the Nativity fail to mention this generous and thoughtful young man as his kindness and good taste were only surpassed by his discretion and selflessness.  Yet, he always seemed to be around when needed whether helping to settle the Three Kings into a suite at the Bethlehem Four Seasons, arranging an elaborate catered in meal from fashionable Chez Henri (at the time a four diamond restaurant according to the One B.C. edition of the Michelin Guide), or getting a block of seats for the matinee show of "Cats" for the entire Holy Family and their guests.

    When the time finally came for these most special guests to be on their way, it was with joy mixed with sadness that Noel comped all their meals and minibar tab, arranged for a gourmet basket lunch of cumin rubbed veal medallions with a leek vinaigrette to go, and had their donkey pulled around.

    As Mary and the Baby Jesus prepared to depart, Joseph pulled Noel aside, expressed his gratitude, and offered him a generous gratuity of fifty gold shekels.  The young man politely declined the tip, bowed low, and wished Joseph and his family, "Peace on Earth, goodwill towards man."  As they rode down the road away from Bethlehem, local folklore reports  that Joseph and Mary waved goodbye and called out "Noel."  From that moment on, the saying caught on and men of goodwill for centuries afterwards continue to wish each other "Noel" as a Christmas greeting.

    As for the young man himself, Noel Nascri grew to full manhood and went on to open and manage the Jerusalem Ritz-Carlton and invented the concept of valet parking.  He was canonized in the year 237 A.D., and to this day Saint Noel remains the patron saint of concierges, bell boys, and baggage handlers the world over.

P.S.  Merry Christmas from eSLASHculture!