Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth with various customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. Traditions include the display of Nativity scenes, Holly and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Popular Christmas themes include the promotion of goodwill, compassion, love, acceptance, kindness, generosity, excitement and peace.

Who Is Santa Claus????

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Santa Claus started with a real person, Saint Nicholas, a minor saint from the fourth century:

According to tradition, he was born in the ancient Lycian seaport city of Patara, and, when young, he traveled to Palestine and Egypt. He became bishop of Myra soon after returning to Lycia. He was imprisoned during the Roman emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians but was released under the rule of Emperor Constantine the Great and attended the first Council (325) of Nicaea. After his death he was buried in his church at Myra, and by the sixth century his shrine there had become well known. In 1087, Italian sailors or merchants stole his alleged remains from Myra and took them to Bari, Italy; this removal greatly increased the saint's popularity in Europe, and Bari became one of the most crowded of all pilgrimage centres. Nicholas' relics remain enshrined in the 11th-century basilica of San Nicola, Bari.

Nicholas' reputation for generosity and kindness gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy. He was reputed to have given marriage dowries of gold to three girls whom poverty would otherwise have forced into lives of prostitution, and he restored to life three children who had been chopped up by a butcher and put in a brine tub. In the Middle Ages, devotion to Nicholas extended to all parts of Europe. He became the patron saint of Russia and Greece; of charitable fraternities and guilds; of children, sailors, unmarried girls, merchants, and pawnbrokers; and of such cities as Fribourg, Switz., and Moscow. Thousands of European churches were dedicated to him, one as early as the sixth century, built by the Roman emperor Justinian I, at Constantinople (now Istanbul). Nicholas' miracles were a favourite subject for medieval artists and liturgical plays, and his traditional feast day was the occasion for the ceremonies of the Boy Bishop, a widespread European custom in which a boy was elected bishop and reigned until Holy Innocents' Day (December 28).

After the Reformation, Nicholas' cult disappeared in all the Protestant countries of Europe except Holland, where his legend persisted as Sinterklaas (a Dutch variant of the name Saint Nicholas). Dutch colonists took this tradition with them to New Amsterdam (now New York City) in the American colonies in the 17th century. Sinterklaas was adopted by the country's English-speaking majority under the name Santa Claus, and his legend of a kindly old man was united with old Nordic folktales of a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good children with presents.

("Nicholas, SAINT", Britannica CD. Version 97. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1997.)

Where Was Jesus Born?

Christian tradition states that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea (now Palestine). This is about six miles, ten kilometers, south of Jerusalem "on the east side of the 'Patriarch's Highway' that ran along the ridge between Shechem and Hebron:" 1 The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was built by Constantine the Great, circa 330 CE. It is believed by many Christians and Muslims to have been built over the location of Jesus' birth. The exact spot of Jesus' birth is identified by a hole in a 14 point star in a underground cave beneath the church.

However, the location of Christ's birth is not certain.
bullet Matthew 2:1-6 quotes Micah 5:2 as one proof that Jesus was the anticipated Messiah. Micah predicted that out of Bethlehem would "come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel." The picture drawn by Matthew is of an engaged couple who were living in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth.
bullet Luke 2:1-7 describes Joseph and Mary as residents of Nazareth in the Galilee. They had to travel the approximately 90 miles (140 km) south from Nazareth in the Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea in order to take part in the Roman census and taxation. Jesus was born while they were in Bethlehem. This version of the Christmas story seems a little strange, for many reasons:
bullet The status of a woman in 1st century Palestine was only slightly above that of a slave. Only Joseph would be required to register with the authorities, because only men paid taxes. The presence of his fiancée or wife would be redundant. Mary would hardly have made the 100 mile trip while 9 months pregnant unless it was absolutely necessary. Joseph would have traveled alone.
bullet Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), has said: "Basic medical knowledge tells you that a heavily pregnant woman could not ride a donkey that kind of distance without losing her baby." 6
bullet There is no record of a worldwide census having been made in the last decade BCE. If one had been conducted, it would have been so disruptive that it certainly would have been recorded at the time in Roman documents. A census was taken by Quirinius during 6 CE, but that would have been when Jesus was about ten years of age. Also, it was held in Judea, but not the Galilee where Joseph lived. 8
bullet It makes absolutely no sense to require Jews and other inhabitants of the Roman Empire to return to their ancestral town for registration. The economy of the Empire would be devastated if everyone had to make such a visit. The transportation facilities would be hopelessly overloaded. Censuses are always taken where people live -- in ancient times and now.
bullet Mark 6:1 contradicts Matthew by identifying Nazareth as Jesus' birthplace as his "hometown." John 7:41-43 also contradicts Matthew. It has people in a crowd rejecting Jesus as the Messiah because the Messiah was expected to come from Bethlehem in Judea, whereas Jesus was known to come from Galilee. But both are compatible with Luke's account, assuming that Joseph and Mary returned quickly from Bethlehem in Judea to Nazareth.
bullet There are numerous references in New Testament that identify Jesus as coming from Nazareth. The early Christians were called "Nazarenes." Jesus was called "Jesus of Nazareth" or "Jesus the Nazarene" or "Jesus the Nazorean" - and never "Jesus of Bethlehem." 8

When Is Not Christmas???

1. It is not Christmas when you want to choke the Santa in the store instead of placing your child on his lap. Do you really have to explain to him why you cannot afford half of what your child is about to ask him for?

2. It is not Christmas when you start singing Jinglehells instead of Jinglebells while Christmas caroling and it is not a mistake.

3. It is not Christmas when you make grinch Christmas cookies.

4. It is not Christmas when you place a Santa in your front yard with his pockets turned inside out.

5. It is not Christmas when you send one Christmas card out by email to be forwarded to everyone.

6. It is not Christmas when your Christmas gift to everyone is a copy of your ebook that you just cannot seem to sell.

7. It is not Christmas when instead of a live Christmas tree you have an E tree showing on your computer screen.

8. It is not Christmas when you wear a shirt proclaiming that Tickle Me Elmo doll greed killed Christmas spirit.

9. It is not Christmas when you give your dogs' new litter of puppies away as Christmas gifts.

10. It is not Christmas when you send a note out with your Christmas cards saying instead of gifts please make a donation to my astounding credit card debt.

By Bridgitte Williams

Top 40 'Things Said On Christmas Day' - EVERY Year!
by: Martyn Brown


Top 20 Statements, Comments & Questions At Christmas time

1 This single cream seems to be thicker than the double cream
2 Who's gonna pull this cracker with me?
3 Put your Christmas party hat on, you miserable git.
4 Where did you buy your crackers?, they're really good.
5 Do you want stuffing, Grandma?
6 Calm down you kids, you're all over excited!
7 That was you, you filthy pig!
8 What's your joke, Brian, what did you get in your cracker?
9 It's a shame to throw the paper away, isn't it?
10 The Queen's on in a minute, Mum!
11 I would give it a few minutes before you go in there - phew!
12 You won't eat all that, put a small amount on…you can always come back for more.
13 Chocolate anyone?
14 Does your mum still take sugar?
15 The turkey's lovely, isn't it?
16 Can someone pass the sprouts?
17 Don't you like Christmas pudding? - how strange.
18 You don't like mince pies? - how strange.
19 Who's gonna eat the sixpence from the Christmas pud? - ha ha ha
20 Where did we go last year, love?.

20 Comments, Statements & Questions At Christmas time -
From Children

1 Daddy, can you build this for me.
2 Mummy, can YOU build this for me.
3 Daddy, have you got a screwdriver
4 Daddy, have you got any of this size battery
5 Mummy, Jenny's just done a poo and she didn't wash her hands.
6 Mummy, I want some more
7 Daddy, Jenny's just hit me
8 I DID hit her back, look, she's on the floor.
9 This is the best Christmas I've ever had
10 Can I open another present?
11 What time is Aunty Wilma coming up?
12 Have I got any more presents to open?
13 I didn't WANT clothes
14 Mummy, I've just kicked your drink over - again.
15 I spy with my little eye - um - I don't want to play anymore.
16 Can I have another drink?
17 Mummy, Jenny's just tipped a bowl of custard over the cat.
18 Mummy, Daddy's just swear'd.
19 Daddy, this just broke off
20 Mummy - I feel sick!

Every family has different traditions during the holiday season. For some families, one holiday tradition may include an uncle getting dressed up as Santa Claus. In another family, Christmas Eve dinner may top the tradition list. Some traditions are passed on from generation to generation, while others are created as families grow and change. While there is no way to create a comprehensive list of traditions, the following list highlights ten traditions that are representative of American families celebrating Christmas.

Number 10: Caroling. This tradition may not be as popular today as it once was. Perhaps it’s because too many people live in the suburbs, where houses are far away and neighborhoods are not as close knit as they used to be. But singing among family members and classmates still tops the hearts of many folks. Many of us can remember caroling around the nursing home with our friends or bundling up to hit the streets on a cold winter’s evening.

Number 9: Greeting Cards. What American holiday would be complete without greetings cards? The first Christmas card appeared in London in 1843 and became popular in America around 1875. Today many families send Christmas cards to their friends and family across the United States and even around the world. Some busy families include personalized letters reviewing the past year for their loved ones, while other families prefer to send cards featuring a recent family photo.

Number 8: Shopping. Christmas shopping season officially begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues until Christmas day. To some folks, it’s the most enjoyable part of the season. To others, shopping is one big necessary headache. Internet shopping has recently changed the face of holiday shopping forever, and men across world have been cheering! But no matter how popular internet shopping has become, nothing can compare to an old fashioned holiday shopping trip to see the lights, hear the bells, and smell the holiday excitement.

Number 7: Movies. For many families, the month of December becomes one long trip through Christmas movie nostalgia. Not only do the TV channels rebroadcast all of the old favorite Christmas movies, but the true movie-fan family also has DVDs and tapes of all their own favorites. Whether you fancy Rudolph or George Bailey, movies help families gear up their Christmas spirit in the days leading up to the festive day.

Number 6: Party. Christmas parties have become an essential part of the American holiday season, and the office Christmas party is a notoriously good time. The Christmas party can be one of two things. One, the party can be the chance to see old friends and colleagues, and make new ones under the mistletoe. Or the Christmas party can be a chance to create stories for the rest of the office to share over the New Year.

Number 5: Eggnog. This holiday treat is often linked to Number 6, and perhaps is a lot of the problem with Number 6.

Number 4: Cookies. For children and grownups alike, this may be the best Christmas tradition of all. Every holiday season, children of all ages bake up an assortment of their Christmas cookie specialties, while the rest of the family anxiously waits to taste their wonderful creations.

Number 3: Stockings. Each Christmas season, stockings can be found throughout American homes. Stockings may include gag gifts, like coal, or little gifts, like candy, CD’s, and socks. Either way, hanging a stocking from the fireplace mantle is as much of a part of Christmas as Santa Claus and Rudolph.

Number 2: Christmas lights. Speaking of Santa and Rudolph, how else can they find your house on Christmas Eve without a little help from decorations all over your abode? The brilliant colors and cheer of Christmas decorations on a home is enough to warm the heart of even the biggest Grinch. Just be careful not to pull a “Clark Griswold”!

Number 1: Christmas Tree. Besides the manger scene, there is not a better known symbol of Christmas than the Christmas tree. Trees around the United States are fully decked out in lights, ornaments, and a star on top, waiting for Santa to come and fill the underneath with presents for the entire family.

Whether your favorite Christmas tradition made our list or not, the most important thing to remember this holiday season is to make cherished memories with your loved ones. Celebrate deep-rooted traditions and continue to create new holiday traditions to share with your family and friends.

1. GET YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS EARLY

It is worth getting your Christmas cards around October/November time so you have plenty of time to write and send them out to your family and friends. It is a good idea to produce a list of all the people you will be sending Christmas cards to along with their contact details, this will allow you to work out how many Christmas cards you need to get as well as helping you to keep track of who you've sent Christmas cards to. If you don't have time to go shopping for Christmas cards on the high street, why not shop online. I prefer to buy charity Christmas cards each year and get mine from the site in my resouce box below.

2. BUDGET FOR CHRISTMAS

Work out how much you can afford to spend at Christmas. There is a lot to take into consideration Christmas cards, presents, food and drink and all the other little things you need for Christmas. Work out a budget that you are prepared to spend and perhaps work out how much of your spare cash you could save in the run up to Christmas.

3. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

The last thing you want at Christmas is to be walking round a packed high street, desperately searching for the perfect Christmas gift. Get out there early and start looking/buying Christmas presents over a long period of time. If you hate the high street then get on the internet and get all those gifts delivered straight to your door, just make sure you place your orders before the last Christmas post.

4. CHRISTMAS DINNER

Whatever you are planning to cook for Christmas it can one of the most stressful times of the Christmas holiday. Once again preparation is the key. Prepare as much of the food as possible on Christmas Eve so you have it all ready for the big day. Find out from your dinner guests if they have any special requirements (Vegetarian, Allergies) so you don't have any nasty surprises. There is also the option of avoiding cooking all together and eating out. If you're planning on doing this make sure you book a few months in advance to avoid disappointment.

5. RELATIONSHIPS

At Christmas you can often find yourself stuck at a dinner table with family members that seem to love to argue and complain. The best thing for this is to try and avoid those topics that can trigger difficult conversations. It is always best to try and stay calm and you can always remove yourself from these situations. If you find that something like alcohol fuels these situations then it maybe best to either limit the alcohol available or just avoid it all together.

1.) Use the 12 days of Christmas theme and give out inexpensive gifts to your kids for each of the twelve days of Christmas.

2.) Put together a family photo Christmas book for each Christmas.

3.) Have a special Christmas movie night with Christmas food.

4.) Put together Christmas goody bags for your family and friends. Include candy, stickers, and a small craft for each child in the family.

5.) Make a gingerbread house together. Let each person pick out a pack of their favorite candy to decorate the gingerbread house with.

6.) Make your own holiday greeting cards.

7.) Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood at a family member’s home.

8.) Volunteer, sponsor a soldier overseas, or donate good used toys and clothes to less fortunate families.

9.) Make at least one new ornament per person in the family each year to place on the Christmas tree.

10.) Let your child pick out and purchase an inexpensive gift for a child in need.

11.) Make your own garland out of nuts, fruit, greeting cards, popcorn, or candy and hang them on your tree.

12.) Make a favorite Christmas recipe together. Splurge on ingredients for the recipe. Choose something extra tasty even if it is expensive or full of fat.

Plan Now To Save Money And Time This Christmas
by: Sue Barnard


It is still only September, but now is the perfect time to make some preparations for Christmas and save your time and money.

Firstly I’ll give you some tips on how to save money in a variety of ways and generate some extra spending power for your Christmas treats.

Next I’ll give you some time-saving tips to make all that extra spending as convenient as possible and by the end of October you’ll be ready and prepared and looking forward to a relaxing Christmas time with your family and friends.

So first to money and how you can boost your budget for Christmas preparations and presents. The best way to save money is to cut back on your spending and the easiest way to do that is to focus on the money you spend on things that you wish you didn’t! Things like credit cards bills, insurance, loans, household bills, car expenses etc. All those things that are seen as essentials, but they drain your cash at an alarming rate. What if you were able to cut those expenses by just 10%? I don’t doubt that just that small saving will provide a significant increase to your Christmas budget.

Let’s look at interest payments – a big drain on your resources if you have some debts. Mortgages and loans are a common feature of many household budgets. When was the last time you looked at your mortgage arrangements? If it was more than two years ago, then now could be an ideal time to review your mortgage deal and look around for a new one if appropriate. You could have a new arrangement in place by the end of October if you start now – and you could be saving a few hundred pounds every month if you on a particularly poor deal at the moment – just think, that could add almost a thousand pounds to your Christmas budget over the next 3 months.

Next, credit cards – if you have any debt at all on your credit cards and are being charged interest, then look around now for an interest-free balance transfer deal. As long as you don’t spend any new money on that card, you will cut those interest payments to zero for the next few months – even more cash in your pocket. There is another important side effect of this strategy too – if you need to use your credit card for some Christmas essential spending, then if you have found a deal that offers a zero or low rate on new spending too, you'll be saving even more money.

Insurance next. I’ve noticed that household insurance has been creeping up in price over the last few years. It was always seen as a low cost item and renewed without much thought, but I’m spending over £700 per year on this expense and I’ve only ever claimed once in the last 20 years – surely there must be a cheaper way? You’ll be pleased to know that there is! The home insurance marketplace is extremely competitive, with all companies trying very hard to attract new customers. Get on the internet and fill out a few quote requests – you may get a pleasant surprise and save yourself another couple of hundred pounds.

Next let’s look at time. We’ve often left our Christmas preparations too late and ended up rushing around the shops at the last minute, struggling through the crowds and finding that all the best items have sold out. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had all your plans in place and could spend those final few days enjoying the Christmas atmosphere without the stresses of last-minute shopping spoiling the fun? Well with a little planning now, that could be you. I’ve just come back from a shopping trip to London and throuroughly enjoyed my day out Christmas shopping in September! I’ve just taken a half day off work during the week and visited all the big department stores in comfort and peace. Harrods, Hamleys, Harvey Nichols – all in relaxed surroundings and no crowds. I had a reasonable list of people and ideas and went looking for items and more ideas, plis I was intent on enjoying myself. The stores were almost empty, the staff very helpful and the cafés had plenty of space for my frequent breaks. I came back with a bunch of great presents and a heap of further ideas for other presents. I now intend to purchase the remainder of my Christmas list using the internet from the comfort of my own home. I’ll save some more money and if I do that now, I won’t have to worry about Christmas delivery schedules.

Plan ahead, plan well and plan to have a peaceful and relaxing time this Christmas.

I wonder if you have heard of an experiment that was done with a little fish in a fish tank. The little fish was used to swimming all over the fish tank all day long. One day, someone placed a glass in a vertical position in the middle of the fish tank to divide it in two. Every time the fish tried to get to the other side of the tank, it would swim into the glass, so it had to turn around, over and over again. A few days later, the glass was removed. But what is interesting is that even after the glass had been removed, the fish continued to swim only on half of the tank. It had gotten used to its limited space. In its mind it could not go any further. It did not even bother to try again.

We encounter barriers sometimes that keep us from enjoy all that life has to offer. We sure have the desire to enjoy life to its fullest; it is a natural thing. However after running into some obstacles a few times; we give up. We settle for what we have, and how we live. But just as it happened to this little fish, one day those obstacles that were on your way will be removed; and you will be free to go wherever you want to go. Maybe those obstacles are things you have to learn, or people you have to meet, or choices you have to make. Whatever it is, keep trying!

There is always room for improvement. Someone in my family had a job where he was making over $100,000 a year. For most people, that is the kind of income that you just do not walk away from. But he quit that job because in his mind he knew he could do more. He could have settled there, and keep doing the same thing day after day; but his recurrent creative thoughts and his desire to better himself and help others even more caused him to be unsatisfied in this position. So he followed his heart, he found something else. Nowadays he can make in a month what he used to make in a year; and most importantly, he LOVES what he does not only because he's making more money, but because he's also changing lives for the better.

So what is the first step to take? Open your mind to new things. Educate yourself! I am not talking about going back to college for four years, and graduating with big debt just to realize that: first, you might not find a job in your field of studies, and second, with the salary they will offer you it will take you many years to pay off your loan. I am not against education. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Translation and a Master's Degree in Education. But it was after getting my Master's that I realized that formal education is not always the answer to a higher income. So when I say "educate yourself", I am talking about self development. I am talking about taking advantage of all the free resources out there. All the free seminars, courses, workshops, etc. Take the internet for example. The internet is the most underestimated tool of our time. Let me tell you that if you are using the internet just for music downloads, e-mail and chat rooms, you're still swimming in half a tank! Next time you look at your computer, think of the endless possibilities it has to offer you.

The man mentioned above, who is now able to live a fulfilled life, is Dwayne Golden. He will be in Tampa on November 3, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. hosting a free training. He will show you how to increase your income just by using the Internet, so you do not have to wait for Santa Claus to bring presents to your loved ones only on Christmas. You can make the act of giving a joyful and continuous habit, because you will be able to afford it! Talking about giving, during this event we will be giving away gift cards and more. Remember, one of the keys to success is to take immediate and massive action towards whatever it is you want to accomplish; and let me tell you that this event is something you don't want to miss!

No one really knows. What is known is that Christian leaders in 336 C.E. set the date to December 25 in an attempt to eclipse a popular pagan holiday in Rome (Saturnalia) that celebrated Natalis Solis Invincti, or "Birthday of the Invincible Sun God," on the winter solstice. One mid-fourth century church theologian later wrote "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it" [ref].

Originally, the celebration of Christmas involved a simple mass, but over time Christmas has replaced a number of other holidays in many other countries, and a large number of traditions have been absorbed into the celebration in the process (as we will see in later sections).

Hot Christmas Gifts For Your Child
by: Adam Peters


Buying children's Christmas gifts does not have to be stressful. By planning ahead and shopping online, you will be on your way to having your Christmas shopping done!

Is it already Christmas again? It seems to sneak up on me every single year. The leaves start falling and soon the Christmas aisles are full and you hear Christmas carols piped through all of the stores. Christmas time is one of my favorite holidays, simply becaue it is a time for my family to gather together. Eating all of those wonderful sweets and foods just raises my spirit. One thing that does not thrill my soul, however, is Christmas gifts shopping. What new things will my children want this year? My children are alreay checking out all of the commercials on television and making their lists.

What Christmas gifts have your children been dreaming about? Have you checked out the hottest new toys? How do you choose which gift your child will really like when they are constantly changing their minds and their lists? This is one of those difficult questions that parents face. If you can determine what your child will enjoy before the Christmas rush, however, you will find that your Christmas gifts shopping will become much less stressful. The new, hot toys are most likely going to sell out before Christmas even gets here so that is why you need to know what your child likes so that you can buy it as soon as it comes out. Children usually get their hearts set on one or two specific toys and being aware of what they want in advance will allow you to buy early. This also helps to cut down on disappoinment. October is a great time to start that shopping because most people are concerned with Halloween at this point and have not even started thinking about Christmas.

If, however, you still are unsure of what toys should should buy for your children's Christmas gifts, you can look online. Searching on Google.com for a specific toy is the simplest and easiest way to find that Christmas gift that you are looking for. Your search results will most likely include Amazon.com. They usually have anything and everything that you want and need. All you do is click and pay. How easy is that? Christmas gifts without the stress of the mall! Merry Christmas!

Are you an extravert? Is your Auntie bonkers? Is your Granny Christmas mad? We have the perfect Christmas gift idea, which will definitely get them noticed.

Presenting The Fairy Lights and Bells Umbrella so named because it is an umbrella with some unusual Santa's grotto features. Fairy lights, Christmas baubles and some tinkling bells to ensure the user of the brolly jingles all the way.

To make this Christmas brolly you will need...

An umbrella, felt fabric, Christmas baubles, small cable ties, some bells (the larger the bell the more 'Sleigh bell' they sound, whilst tiny bells sound like fairies and pixie dust). You will also need a packet of battery operated multi-colour lights.

Open the umbrella and sit it upside down on the table. You will notice that along each spoke of the metal part of the brolly, the umbrella fabric is stitched to the frame. At this point sew a couple of stitches on top of one another to finish off.

In a similar way, sew a Christmas bauble to the end of each spoke where the umbrella fabric is sewn to the tip of the spoke.

To attach the lights to the umbrella frame, you need to make a little 'pocket' to hold the light’s battery compartment.

Cut out a piece of felt that is half a centimetre bigger than the battery compartment all the way around. Cut out a second piece, but this time as well as the half a centimetre all around, also make an increase in the length of the rectangle by 3cm, this will give the pocket a 'tab' at the top.

Put the two pieces of felt together as sewn along the two side edges and the bottom. You will be left with a pocket with a tab.

Fold the tab over one of the spokes of the open umbrella, be careful to avoid any joints because this will prevent you from closing the brolly later.

Sew the tab to the back of the pocket to hold the pocket in position. Do not sew the pocket closed. Insert the battery compartment into the pocket.

Use the cable ties to attach the fairy lights to the other spokes of the umbrella in a circular fashion, again avoiding any joints in the umbrella's framework. Pull the cable ties firmly and trim off any surplus.

Now switch on the lights. As an optional extra plastic mistletoe can be hung from the spokes at the centre part of the umbrella. Bonkers Christmas brolly or what?

by: S. Roberts

Do you know that Christmas was celebrated before Christ?
by: Ebenezer Heng Chee Leng


Christmas might be oldest holiday that are celebrated by many cultures. And, interestingly, although it is traditionally celebrated during the winter season, there are places that celebrate it during their summer (Australia where December is actually their summer!)

Before Christmas was celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, people were already celebrating it! The celebration was held for the Winter Solstice, celebrated on December 21 in the northern hemisphere. This is because it was after the Winter Solstice that the worst part of the year was behind them, the days began to get longer, giving the people more time to spend outside on their crops and tending to their animals.

Now, let’s focus on the ancient: - in ancient pagan Rome, the Saturnalia is a celebration of the Winter Solstice. This was celebrated in honor of the god of agriculture, who was named Saturn. During this celebration, the entire Roman Empire is in a state of social disarray, i.e. Servants and peasants spend time with and celebrate the holiday with people of higher classes, which would not happen during “normal days”. The Saturnalia festival in itself can last an entire week and during that time, people rejoiced all over the country of Rome. The phrase 'eat, drink, and be merry' was played out to its fullest. Shops and businesses are closed during the Festival of Saturnalia. Following the first week of Saturnalia, the festival itself usually ends, but the Saturnalia period itself does not end.

I mean, I am sure there are other ancients that celebrated “Christmas” although not in the strictest sense, the way as we celebrate in present time. Just one more nuggets before I conclude this article: the Chinese also held a celebration during this time, loosely translated; it is known as the rice ball festival. This marks the last of the lunar calendar month, and delicious rice balls are made and eaten to celebrate a good year and for reunion.

When it comes to Christmas trees, there are many different schools of thought on which is better, real or artificial? There are many advantages to both and both are certainly beautiful. But which one is right for you? Below are some key points to keep in mind while deciding on a real or artificial Christmas tree.

One of the benefits that artificial trees have over real trees is that they are very low maintenance and you won't have to spend a lot of time cleaning up after it. Artificial trees don't require watering and they also won't drop needles. They may drop a few needles that have become loose over the years of use but the number of needles dropped will be far less than that of a real tree. Dropped pine needles aren't only an inconvenience; they can also be dangerous to pets that try to eat them.

Another hassle with a real tree is that they are much harder to find and bring home than an artificial tree is. A real tree requires going out to find the tree, whether it be from a local seller or actually going out to cut your own. The tree must then be attached to the vehicle somehow to get it home and that can require different cords and attachments. It can be a real pain just to get it on the car. With an artificial tree, it's much easier to pick out the nicest from the store, pack it into the car in its box and bring it home.

Once the tree is home however, the artificial tree will need to be assembled and set up. This is not true with real trees, which already come complete. Some artificial trees are very easy to set up with branches just being inserted to a pool that has the outline of a tree. Others though can be quite difficult and have certain places that certain branches have to go or they will not fit. This can sometimes be very frustrating.

Storage is also an issue with artificial trees. They will need to be packed back in their boxes and stored in a closet or garage, taking up valuable space. It can also be quite bothersome to find that tree that was put away the year before after an entire year's worth of storage has been placed in with the tree, perhaps burying it. Real trees however can simply be thrown out once the holiday is over.

Cost is always a factor when deciding on any purchase. Artificial trees are definitely more inexpensive, even if there is a larger initial payment required. Even with the high cost of the artificial tree, this cost is a one-time fee and does not need to be paid every year. With a real tree, a tree must be bought every year and over the years, this can become quite costly.

One benefit that a real tree has over an artificial tree is the beautiful natural smell that they produce. This is the sole reason why many people opt for real trees. And it is a reason that cannot be argued. Real trees smell beautiful and there's no comparison. It's possible to buy a pine fragrance that is made especially to be sprayed on artificial trees but it is not the same as the scent a real tree produces.

By Sam Bellows

Countries all across the world celebrate the winter solstice holiday season in their own unique ways. Some such as Christmas and Hanukah are religious celebrations, while others are non-religious celebrations of nature, people and the coming spring solstice. The reasoning behind the various holiday celebrations can sometimes differ greatly, but there are a surprising number of commonalities among the celebratory traditions. Over the thousands of years that man has celebrated the season, each group influenced others with their traditions.

Today each country and faith celebrates the holiday in their own unique ways, but more often than not you can detect common themes shared between countries. In this article we will take a closer look at how Christmas is celebrated in Germany, during which you will see that their traditions are not unlike those shared by England and America.

The youth in many countries celebrate a beloved mystical figure such as Santa Claus and Germany is no different; the German equivalent of America's Santa and England's Father Christmas is none other than the kindly Kris Kringle. Unlike Santa, Kris Kringle is not responsible for passing out gifts to excited children - that duty is reserved by another holiday figure: Christkind.

In Germany children will write letters to Christkind (translated as the Christ Child), much like American children send letters to Santa in the North Pole. The German children place their letters into an envelope heavily adorned with glue and sugar. These envelopes are placed on windowsills where they can glitter in the gentle light of the moon.

And as if the German youth didn't already celebrate enough kindly eternal figures there is yet one more: Saint Nicholas! Traditionally children will stuff their shoes with hay, straw or carrots every Christmas Eve and leave them on their doorsteps. When Saint Nicholas rides by later that evening on his proud white stallion he stops momentarily by each door so that his stallion can feed on the treats left behind. To thank the generous children, Saint Nicholas will replace the eaten hay and/or carrots with delicious candies.

Few things capture the holiday spirits of people better than the age-old Christmas tree. While millions of people set up their Christmas tree each and every year, a good portion of them don't even realize that the tradition originated from Germany. Germans love their Christmas trees just as much as Americans and Englishmen… in fact it's not uncommon to see more than one tree in a German household!

There are conflicting myths about how the Christmas tree first came to be, but one of the most common stories tells the tale of an old woodcutter that stumbled across a young hungry child in the woods. He stopped chopping trees for a bit to befriend and feed the child. Once their meal was finished the two went on their separate ways.

Early during the next morning the child appeared in front of the woodcutter and his wife in the form of a spirit. He identified himself as Christkind and thanked the surprised woodcutter for his act of kindness on the previous day. To repay the woodcutter's good will, Christkind gave him the sprig of an evergreen tree and told him the tree from which the sprig came would bear fruit year round. In response to this miraculous incident, each year Germans started felling evergreen trees each winter and decorating them with ornaments, candies, candles and more.

Once Thanksgiving arrives in America you can be sure of one thing: virtually every mall and shopping outlet will be adorned with many festive Christmas decorations. Germans know how to kick the holiday shopping system into high gear too… in fact they have a name for this tradition: Kriskringlemart. During this time vendors and merchants will line the various town streets and offer special sales for Christmas. The festive decorations, scents and sounds of the holiday create a true feast for the senses.

What Christmas would be complete without a seemingly endless assortment of tasty foods and drinks? If you were to celebrate Christmas while in Germany you would have your fill of indulgent treats such as spiced cakes, cookies, handmade candies and cocoa. Although all the above are enough to satisfy the palate there are two specialties Germans are renowned for: gingerbread and gluwein (which is a spiced red wine). Bakers also produce a special type of dough called Christbaumgeback, which is molded into various shapes and hung on Christmas trees as adornments.

Each country has their own festive traditions that take place during the winter holiday season, but few are quite as memorable as Christmas in Germany. Those lucky enough to vacation in this wonderful country during the holiday season will leave with memories that will last them a lifetime.

Copyright © Jared Winston, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Christmas Secrets - 7 Tips to Revitalize the Real Spirit of Christmas this Season!
by: Bernadette Dimitrov


Revitalize yourself as you rediscover the real spirit of Christmas. It can magically transform your life!

1. Celebrate -­ Christmas is time to celebrate YOU! Uplift yourself with memories of the joys you discovered and successes you achieved over the year. Spend moments in gratitude for these wonderful memories. This is how you celebrate you!

2. Wish Creation­ - Make wishes on the eve of Christmas. This is a special time as it is the night when the Star of Bethlehem magically appeared. Look for the first star as night falls before you make your wishes. Then blow a magic energy kiss with each wish for its manifestation in the coming year!

3. Start Afresh -­ Decide today to let go of the past. In every single situation no matter how challenging is an opportunity to make lemonade out of a lemon. Choose to find the gift in the message that the situation or person brings. If you feel stuck look at the quality being presented. This is the learning for you ­ to work on this quality in your own life! Now let the situation go by not giving more focus and energy to it and be grateful for the opportunity to evolve through this learning.

4. Forgiveness -­ This is how we connect deeper with each other. Make it a ritual before the festive meal to spend a moment one by one going around the table asking for forgiveness for something you did or didn't do during the year. It will connect you all at a heart level! Don't miss this opportunity to build bridges and set yourself free. Forgiveness truly revives the ‘real' spirit of Christmas.

5. Discovery ­- Spend time discovering a new element of who you are. A great way to do this is to put your-self in new situations. Go volunteer, join a new club, try a new activity!

6. Support - Who's your best support at Christmas ­ Santa Claus or you may know him as Saint Nicholas. Think about his qualities ­ kind, generous, loving, forgiving. He is solution orientated and always looking for and finding the best in all he meets. Support yourself by focusing on ways to develop these qualities in you.

7. Gift Giving -­ You are the gift! Learn to give of yourself. This is how we reinforce the presence of love in our lives. Where ever you go you leave your energy, your mark. Leave the spirit of Christmas this holiday with your positive inspiration and uplifting energy.

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! German: Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

The very charisma of Christmas decorations is built up with these colorful Christmas ornaments. Can you imagine a Christmas tree without beautiful little Christmas ornaments hung on it? No one can. Actually, the tradition of using Christmas ornaments while decorating surroundings for the occasion started not with the origin of Christmas itself. After European started Christmas decorations in the sixteenth century, German came up with Christmas ornaments to be hung around to create a heavenly atmosphere on the festival.

Even today, best of Christmas ornaments are manufactured by Germany. Most popularly used Christmas ornaments are the traditional ones. Traditional Christmas ornaments consist of Christian stories on Luke, Joseph and Matthew. Among other traditional Christmas ornaments are Santa dolls, stick, ball drops, metal stockings, illuminated pine cones, belle dancer models etc.

Another famous type of Christmas ornaments are the glass ones. They are also known by the name of vintage Christmas ornaments. After World War-2, vintage Christmas ornaments were extremely fashionable. Because of their high reflection of light, they spread a prism when come in the path of light rays thereby making the aura all the more dazzling.

Not just buying expensive Christmas ornaments will make your setup look enticing, but if you hang some memorable gifts and your favorite things on the Christmas tree or on the walls of your home, they will look stunning as well. Using petty things like dried popcorn, cranberries, light plastic fruits etc are some cheap Christmas ornaments. Handmade Christmas ornaments such as tin icicles, little stuffed toys etc fall under the category of personalized Christmas ornaments. More information on every single category of Christmas ornaments and a lot more can be read on christmas decoration hub.com

By Rajan Kumar

Christmas Season is here. The Christmas season is in full effect, and what better way to delve deep into the holiday spirit than by playing good old Christmas game. Christmas season is coming fast, full of traditions, fun, nice and beautiful but the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Christmas season is a time when everyone buys something. I know we are only in October but the Christmas season is only two months away. The Christmas season is a busy time of the year. Yet even knowing the true meaning of the Christmas season is not enough to convince some people of its importance. The true holiday spirit is about love and kindness, not materialism and shopping.

The Elves have helped Santa find a few sites featuring great information about how different countries and cultures celebrate the Christmas season. This mutated in some areas of the world into a name for Santa Claus. The story of Santa is mystic and gives children a lot to look forward to during the Christmas season. Is There Really a Santa Claus. It's hard to spot Santa and his reindeer, because they travel fast and far. Santa's helper spreads cheer at Christmas season. The appearance of Santa Claus during the Christmas season is a tradition that we are very familiar with.

Get great recipes, craft projects and ideas for your holiday celebrations. Now is the time to begin your plan to have a peaceful holiday season this year. In the early days food was also central to the holiday decorations. The countryside is aglow with millions and millions of festive holiday lights, and woven among them is the spirit and joy of the Christmas season. Christmas holiday music and traditional Christmas carols are a huge part of the Christmas season. Christmas was for me the most wonderful holiday of the year when I was a boy.

Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th. Epiphany on January 6, also called "Three Kings Day," is the climax of the Christmas season for Protestants. Epiphany is the climax of the entire Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are counted from December 25th until January 5th. Epiphany, January 6, marks the coming of the Magi and the end of the Christmas season. The Epiphany of our Lord is the wonderful liturgical festival observed on January 6th. Christmas has a short season of two Sundays associated with it, running right up to the season of Epiphany.

Christmas Season is upon us and is greeted with a low roar. For many people the Christmas season is one of the happiest times of year.

By M Zuraimy

Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year. Snow is falling, everyone is decorating their houses, family and friends are getting together to celebrate. Then there is the gifts...gifts at Christmas time is our way of expressing how we feel about other people. Especially for your family, kids and we can't forget that special someone in your life.

No matter who you are buying for there is always huge selections to choose from. And there is always that question what do I get them? Well lets face it kids aren't as difficult to buy for as adults are. You buy them some toys and they're thrilled. Teenagers always want the latest in technology, mp3 player, video games etc.. They never seem to have a problem telling you what they want either. But for husbands, wives, mom and dad's...its not as easy to choose that perfect gift. So here are some things to think about when you're purchasing gifts.

Men are really like grown up kids...they want' toys to play with. So when you're shopping for men, think about what they enjoy doing. What's their hobbies? Do they like golf, football, baseball, etc..?? Think about what it is that they have an interest in and buy something that relates to that. For example, if they like football, buy them something that has their favourite team on it. You can never go wrong when it comes to sports and there is always that ticket to one of the season games! Listen to what they tell you. If they start to drop hints, pick up on what it is. If you decided to go out and buy whatever you want verses what they want chances are they probably won't use it.

Picking gifts for women really depend on their personality. Women always love things that relax them. Whether it's a day at the spa, or something for the home. Candles, scented oils, foot massagers, things that will help take away the stress of the day. Women love shopping so if you want to buy her some clothes and are not sure what she would like, you could always go with a gift certificate to her favourite store.

The idea is the same for women as it is for men. Get her something that she would enjoy. Christmas is when people are giving up the stresses of the day. You want your shopping to be the same. And if you don't like the crowds of Christmas shopping start early and bring you stress levels down. Enjoy your shopping don't dread it!

By Rebecca Garnett

The Holiday Season is fast approaching and now is a great time to start shopping. Soon all the roads and local stores are going to be jammed packed with people scrambling to find a Christmas present. This year it is possible to avoid all those hassles by shopping on line in the comfort of home.

Let's get right into what women really want as a Christmas gift. She would love for someone to make her feel special, appreciated and like she is one in a million. It is hard to do that with just a card, or a sweater, although those are thoughtful gift ideas.

There are literally thousand of unique Christmas gifts for women out there that are often forgotten, or never even thought of. Here is a simple list to get people in the gift giving mood.

Women's Jewelry- One just cannot, repeat, cannot go wrong with this idea. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, watches all go straight to a woman's heart like a bow and arrow going through butter. There is so much to choose from like white gold, yellow gold, diamonds, sterling silver- women love it all! She just wants to feel and look her best and jewelry does this for her.

Designer Fragrances- This is another one of those "cannot lose with" Christmas gift ideas. All girls love to smell great and the perfect perfume like Christian Dior, Liz Claiborne, or Chanel have a great impact on the way she feels. Knowing that most people enjoy designer fragrances it is an easy choice to make when you stay with the top name brands. This is something a woman will use everyday, so do not get a tester bottle.

Purses- Most women have a wardrobe that can fill a football size closet and of course what must chang with every outfit? That is correct the purse. A woman's purse collection must have many different colors, patterns, and sizes. A few leather, a few suede and so on. Great Christmas gift idea for usually not a lot of money.

Scented Candles- This goes back to the fragrances. Scented candles are an inexpensive and less personal gift than jewelry, or perfume, yet very effective. Girls just love things that smell good. Really makes a great present for the Holiday. If you can figure out her favorite scent, guaranteed happiness.

By M Johnson

It is the festive season and we all are in a mood to enjoy the occasion of Christmas in a very special way. Every festival has it's own charm that encourages us to celebrate it in the most rocking way. To enjoy the season of winter celebrate the festival by following the traditions of this occasion. Welcome this festival of winters with open arms and get sanctified with the blessings of Jesus.

Christmas vacations will give you ample time to celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm. Set yourself in the perfect mood to celebrate and make it a memorable one. Celebrations start much before the Christmas day. Attending parties, going to the church, singing carols and songs are some the most common activities that are followed by people during this festival.

Decorations are an integral part of the celebrations that highlight the festival of Christmas. Decorations all over the place give a perfect feel that the festival of Christmas is around the corner. The tinkle of bells, the fragrance of wreaths and flowers, the pious holy leaves etc. are a perfect symbol that add a divine touch to the celebrations. All over the globe you can come across the celebrations. Every country follows it's own traditions and customs to celebrate this festival and make it a mesmerizing affair. The passion to celebrate Christmas can be seen in every individual. The celebrations of this festival make a tremendous impact and leave the traces in the hearts of people.

Christmas celebrations are all about greeting your near and dear ones and wishing them Merry Christmas. Get bestowed with the blessings of Jesus on this festival and keep your mind and soul in peace. You can even engross yourself in making handmade centerpieces that will surely give a perfect look to your home décor. Decorate your home and lawn with lightning to highlight the boundaries of your house. Utilize your vacations in the best way by doing creative things.

The festival of Christmas is incomplete without delicious puddings. Xmas Eve is the time when you can raise toasts and drinks to celebrate this festival. So learn to cook delicious cuisines and make this day an occasion to cherish forever.

By Vishal Bansal

What's Christmas without Candy?
by: Christopher Pratt


With the holiday season quickly approaching we start to see candy canes popping up in store windows, on people's clothing, and even on wrapping paper. But how exactly did the tradition of the candy cane get started?

The old urban legend says a candy maker in Indiana wanted to symbolize the birth of Christ with the use of a piece of candy, so he took a hard candy stick which was pure white then shaped it into a letter "J" for Jesus and added some red stripes to represent God's love and the trinity. This legend has been disputed, unfortunately; although one could believe what one wants regarding the Christmas delicacy.

The actual history of the candy cane goes more like this. At Cologne Cathedral back in 1670, the choirmaster was nervous that the children who were attending the pageant of living nativities would become a little too antsy and disruptive, so he gave them a white candy stick bent into the shape of a shepherd's crook. This kept the little tikes appeased and became a tradition throughout Europe.

The candy canes became popular in America by the 1800's and were used to help decorate Christmas trees. The little canes were still pure white at this time and were even depicted on Christmas cards as such.

In the early 20th century, the canes gained the beautiful red striping they bear today. Bob McCormick of Albany, GA, is the confectioner responsible for reinventing the candy cane into the model we buy today.

Now, what all can one do with a Candy Cane? Well, it is possibly one of the most recognized symbols of Christmas today. But, it is not just a yummy treat: Not at all! We have become an inventive lot at the holidays, and folks find many diverse uses for their candy. Try some of these:

Make a minty candy stirring stick for hot chocolate, tea, or any hot drink.

Make creative decorations with them: Attach brown pipe cleaners to the crook of the candy cane and make antlers for a candy cane reindeer.

Decorate frosted cakes or cupcakes with crushed candy canes.

Make a garland for the fireplace using the candy canes and evergreens boughs.

Use the tiny candy canes to make a Christmas wreath for the door. Leave in wrappers of course.

Stick a candy cane in the glasses or mugs on your holiday table with name tags attached for each guest.

Make your own holiday cards using a candy cane on the front.

Make a peppermint cream pie using the broken pieces of your candy canes.

Leave them in their cellophane wrappers and put them on the Christmas tree.

Dip the candy canes in chocolate for a new twist on an old favorite.

Or, if you just can't think of anything better to do with a candy cane; try just sitting down and eating one. Whatever you do with them and whatever you think they represent; the fact is they are a delicious Christmas treat known all over the world: So enjoy!

Christmas Candle Tips

Luminaries

Save your energy and your money. You don't need to line your entire sidewalk with luminaries. Get a similar effect with four large candles in clear glass containers near your front door. These glowing candles will welcome your guests without all the work of gathering bags, buying votive candles that just burn up fast, and shoveling all that sand.

Window Candles

Many cultural holiday traditions include placing a lighted candle in front windows to be seen from the outside. Pamper yourself. Place a candle in any dark window at night. Rather than peering into a dark void, you'll focus on the cheerful flame and feel comforted and uplifted.

Gift Yourself

Create a nightly quiet ritual for yourself in a quiet place away from distractions and the hustle of the holidays. Place candles around your bathtub and unwind, or by your favorite reading chair and instead of reading sit in the quiet and reflect upon the brightness of a single candlelight. Listen to quiet music or simply enjoy the peace and stillness. Ponder the joys in your life and express gratitude. This quiet time may be your most treasured gift to yourself.

Candlelight Carol-Sing

Recycle last year's greeting cards by cutting each into a disk or rounding the edges, punch a hole in the center, and slide a taper candle half-way through the hole. Gather your friends and family around the piano or hearth and sing familiar Christmas carols as each person holds their own candlelight. Pause to reflect upon the fact that each individual brings their own special light to the world and recognize the common spiritual light in each of us.

Candle Night-Night

When it's time to settle the children down to bed on Christmas Eve, calm them with a soothing candlelight ritual. My daughter’s children walk to bed, each carefully carrying a lighted candle through a dark hallway, singing "Silent Night."

Happy Holidays!

Christmas carols are already in the air and the anticipation for the holidays has begun. Time to think of gifts before the mob crowds the malls. Come Christmas, let kind thoughts flow like rivers from Cross fountain pens.

Each Man to His Song

The visions of chestnuts roasting in the fire and families gathering at the hearth to sing along to Christmas songs - each man to his favorite Christmas song - are beloved memories especially with the kids grown and have flown the coop.

These are the victuals of personal journals written with Cross fountain pens. Each story flows like streams, gentle and poignant at times. Sometimes with a feeling of regret and loss and lonely yearnings echoed in these lines sung by Bing Crosby:

You're all I want for Christmas
All I want my whole life through
Each day is just like Christmas
Anytime that I'm with you

As generations change, the thoughts change too. Note this Christmas song of Kenny Chesney:

All I want for Christmas is a real good tan
Take me to the Islands put my feet in the sand
Rockin' to and fro to the rhythm of the ocean
Singing Silent Night with the palm trees blowin'. . .

The Classical Christmas Music

Jingle Bells or One Horse Open Sleigh, was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893) and gained instant popularity. Other classic songs are the First Noel, Adeste Fideles, Deck the Walls with Boughs of Holly, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, and All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth - are some samples of the best loved Christmas songs.

New Christmas songs will come out of the woodwork but the classics will endure - like the all time favorite Christmas gifts of Cross fountain pens, money clips, dolls, wallets, and toy trains.

Adding a Special Touch to your Gifts

Why not attach a letter to your engraved grandfather clock (for your wife) money clips or Cross fountain pens for your boss and friends in the workplace? It will make your recipients feel extra special. This gesture will earn you their appreciation.

Children aged 7 and up can already appreciate short notes attached to their gifts from uncles and aunties and gift giving becomes personal not automated.

Write Those Christmas Thoughts

One meaningful Christmas ritual is writing your Christmas journal. If you have the patience for this, you'll be amazed at the transitions of your Christmases through the years - the anecdotes, the fun, frenzied cooking, filling up those stockings hung by the fireplace, and the opening of Santa's gifts - all written with your collection of Cross fountain pens.

You can even invite your grown-up kids to read those Christmas journals and reminisce those holidays when they were still creating snowmen with the help of Dad or having ridiculous snowball fights with other kids on the block.

This Christmas, make the season truly special for family and friends. Write them lovely letters give them lasting gifts that will always remind them of Christmases with you. Let your words flow and sparkle, and make more memories with your Cross fountain pens.

By Bradlley Mckoy Platinum Quality Author

During the festive season of Christmas, the aroma of mouth watering Christmas cookies is filled in the kitchen area of every household. The warmth of the oven is transferred to the hearts of our loved ones as we offer them a delicious treat. It is a must to be included in the activities of holiday tradition. Moms making cookies during vacation time is a perfect traditional picture to think of.

But, with changing times everything has got into a new mold. Christmas cookies too have forked into many varieties. There are drop cookies, cutout cookies, fried cookies, no bake cookies, filled cookies and others. While the cutout cookies are dried ones, filled cookies are comparatively softer. For Christmas gifts too cookies make an excellent option. You can look for fancy cookies, colorful bars decorated in the most unusual manner look awesome.

Decorating Christmas cookies is not a very tedious task either. With the help of a cookie cutter, you can give desired shapes and designs to your Christmas cookies. Star shaped, crest moon shaped or in the butterfly mold tempt kids all the more. You can also top them up with colorful icing and freeze so that they are firm. Only then store them in containers. Sugar balls sprinkled over freshly iced Christmas cookies make exquisite designs too.

Not just they satiate our appetite during those untimely arising hunger, but they form a vital Christmas ornament. Plastic Christmas cookies hung on Christmas trees and walls of your kid's room lend that perfect celebratory look. To learn easy Christmas cookies recipes or to know about their different forms see christmas cookie hub.com

By Rajan Kumar

Choosing Personalized Christmas Gifts
by: Adam Peters


By personalizing your gifts to each person, you are sure to find gifts that will delight. Use their interests and hobbies to find a perfect Christmas gift

Christmas gifts season is just around the corner and most of us are looking for that way to show our friends and relatives that we care. A personalized Christmas gift is a great idea for almost anyone and there are many different ways that you can create your own personalized Christmas gifts.

Your computer offers you many different personalized Christmas gifts possiblities. By using digital pictures and graphics you can create all different kinds of gifts, including mugs, Christmas cards, or even emailed Christmas greetings. Each of these ideas would be a great personalized Christmas gifts idea.

Learning more about your friend or relative is essential to choosing the right gift for them. What kinds of hobbies or activities do they enjoy. Are they a fisherman, golfer, or hunter? Do they enjoy music or books? Do they love opera or ballet? You can see what Christmas gifts that you can come up with simply by using their interests.

You want to choose Christmas gifts that show feeling and interest in the person that you are purchasing a gift for. Buy them something that helps them enjoy their life or activities more. Don't just choose a commercial, meaningless gift.

For example, a golfer would enjoy a selection of golf markers, golf balls, or a great book describing golf courses or tips. A book lover may enjoy an embossed leather journal to write their own stories or a book on how to write their own book.

A fisherman or hunter will love tools and gadgets that they can use while hunting or fishing. Search your imagination and see what you can come up with to allow them to enjoy this pasttime even more.

An opera or ballet lover would love tickets to a performance. A book celebrating the history of ballet or opera or even a DVD of one of their favorite performances would be a great choice as well. Themed Christmas ornaments also make another great Christmas gifts idea.

No matter who you are buying for they are sure to have interests. Think about what they enjoy doing and then determine what would make them feel loved and appreciated. Just by putting yourself in their shoes, you will be able to find perfect Christmas gifts for every person on your list.

Buying Christmas Gifts For Teacher


With Christmas fast approaching, one of the people that should be in your gift list is your teacher, especially your favorite teacher. Although it may be considered tacky to give gifts to your professors as some may see it as a form of bribery; you can still give gifts as long as they are not too expensive.

It is one way of showing teachers that you appreciate the efforts that they are making in teaching you what you need to learn. Below are some gift ideas for teachers that they will surely appreciate.

1. Cake and pastries

Who doesn’t want to be given cake and pastries? This is a wonderful holiday gift especially if you are going to have it designed in festive colors and figures. Of course, before you bake the cake or before you buy one, do some research and ask around for your teacher’s favorite flavor. Does she love chocolate cake or is more partial to mocha or mango? Does she like cakes or does she prefer cookies or tarts? It is often good to do some digging. It shows that you care enough to spend time in research.

2. Fruits

Apples have long been associated with gifts for teachers. Well, you can do better than that by giving them a basket of fruits that they can take to the faculty room or to their homes. Include fruits that are not so usual to lend it a more unique feel. Make sure that the fruits are fresh and ripe.

3. Turkey, Ham and other Holiday feast

Another great gift that you can give your teachers are turkey, ham or any food that they can serve in their dinner table come Holiday. You can either roast them yourself or buy one from the corner store.

4. Greeting Cards

Even as simple as a Christmas greeting card is enough to make your teacher smile. There are cheap cards available in bookstores that you can use. If you don’t have the money to spend for ready made Holiday cards, you can always make your own greetings cards.

In fact, they will better appreciate a handmade card because they know that it is something that you spent time and effort on. Besides, it is a great way to exercise your creativity and artistry plus of course some vocabulary!

5. Chocolates

Chocolates work their magic every time. One great time to buy lots of chocolates at really low prices is after Halloween when stores organize sale of leftover candies and chocolates from Halloween Trick or Treating.
by: Low Jeremy

Women work too hard at the holidays.

In a Santa Claus world they would work around the clock with as many little helpers as they could find, to many the dreams of everyone they know and love come true.

Women want to make their holiday seasons so perfect by having the perfectly decorated house, giving the perfect gifts, having the perfect dinner, the perfect jingle...and all of those other "perfects".

This creates tremendous stress and can put one on the road to the "Big Belly Club". Stress creates high cortisol levels in the body that put extra weight in the mid-section of the body where the "ho-ho-ho" jiggles the belly.

I wonder if that is Santa's problem? or is his big belly just from too many cookies and milk on December 24th?

Here are some tips on how to beat holiday stress and keep those cortisol levels down:

--Let go of expectations for the outcome of anything connected to the holiday and just enjoy the process as you go along each and every day

--Decide every day to do one thing good for yourself to feel better such as going to the gym even if you don't have time, taking that lavender bath, talking to your best friend on the phone, getting take out at your favorite restaurant

--Reflect on holiday's past and think of the wonderful times that stand out in your memories - you will most likely find that those wonderful memories weren't always about how perfect things looked, but more how good you felt inside

--Give where it's not expected of you - a local charity or a women's shelter

A Pickle of a Tradition - Christmas

As legend has it, in Germany parents decorate their Tannenbaums on Christmas Eve. The last ornament hung is die Weinachtsgurke-a delicate glass ornament in the shape of a pickle. This is a significant ornament, for the next morning the children will rush in to open their gifts from St. Nicholas. But the festivities can not begin until one of the children locates the elusive gherkin. The one who finds it gets to open the first gift, and may even receive an extra treat for his or her effort. So the story is told here in America. Glass Christmas Pickles are a popular ornament, and usually come with the curious legend tucked or printed on the box.

The oddest part about this legend is that it is virtually unknown in Germany. Nobody knows where it came from, or who started it. Well known is the fact that the decorating of Christmas Trees with lights, ornaments, and tinsel originated in Germany, but unless the Pickle Tradition was practiced in a remote region of the fatherland, it is likely that the legend was created at least in part by Americans, perhaps of German descent. There are several stories floating around about how the tradition may have started.

One rumor tells of a Bavarian-born Union soldier fighting in the Civil War named John Lower (or perhaps Hans Lauer) who was captured and sent to prison in Georgia. In poor health and starving, the prisoner begged for just one pickle before he died. A merciful guard took pity and found him a pickle. Miraculously, John lived, and after he returned home he began the tradition of the Christmas Pickle, promising good fortune to the one who found the special ornament on Christmas Day.

If this story seems a bit stretched, there is a second story being perpetuated in Berrien Springs, Michigan, where 24% of the population report German ancestry. Residents claim that hundreds of years ago two young Spanish boys, when traveling home from boarding school one Christmas Eve, sought refuge for the night at an inn. Here they encountered a cantankerous inn-keeper who trapped them in a pickle barrel. When St. Nicholas stopped at the inn that evening he sensed their distress and tapped the barrel with his staff, magically freeing them. Whether this story is true or not, Berrien Springs calls itself The Christmas Pickle Capital of the World.

The first ornaments used by Germans to decorate Christmas Trees were fruits, particularly apples, and nuts. These, along with the evergreen tree itself, represented the certainty that life would return in the spring. In the mid-eighteen hundreds, a few enterprising individuals living in the village of Lauscha (in the present-day state of Thuringen) began selling glass ornaments. Using fruit and nut molds at first, they eventually branched out, adding thousands of molds to their repertoire: angels, bells, saints, hearts, stars, and so on. Still, there is no evidence of their having made a pickle, or of the pickle tradition ever being practiced in Lauscha or any other German village.

Wherever the legend came from, the Christmas Pickle Tradition is here to stay. Several German glass ornament makers have capitalized on the story and offer a variety of gherkins, dills and cucumbers (some even donning cheery Santa caps!), perpetuating the myth even as their German neighbors vehemently deny having ever heard of it. Whatever the origin, the tradition is sure to bring a hearty dose of Christmas cheer. And isn't that the point?
by: Emma Snow

This year instead of a predictable Christmas gift for your father, come up with something unique; after all, he is unique, isn't he? Dad will be sure to appreciate the extra special effort you put into finding him the perfect gift.

Presents for Baseball Lovers - Here's a real unique gift for a baseball loving Father. A Ballpark Pen made of the wooden seats from his favorite ballpark-or those of his youth. He may remember when the Brooklyn Dodgers, for example, were still playing at Ebbets Field. They are laser engraved with the stadiums name and years of existence. If a pen isn't right on target for your Dad, you can find a Ballpark Bottle opener or Ballpark Corkscrew made of wooden seats from Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, or Dodger Stadium and many others.

Photo Stamps - This Christmas' most popular gift. - He may not want to use it for his business mail, but you can be sure he'll be proud to show off his family on USPS Photo Stamps. By uploading photos from your computer (or his) you can create personalized stamps (real US Postage at the new, higher rate too) and make all his mail unique. Even the mail carrier will see how much he adores his family.

Own a Piece of America - Give Dad (or your husband if he's a Dad) a legal Deed to the United States...ownership of one square inch of land in all 50 states of the USA. The individually numbered deed will be inscribed with his name and it can be framed or mounted on a plaque. How great and how unique? He'll actually own land in all 50 states in the USA. He'll be sure to hang it in his office or den.

One Share of Stock - Here's a gift so unique and so unusual, Dad for sure will love it. After all, who wouldn't want to own a big American company. OK, OK, it's not really owning an entire company, just a tiny bit of one. One share to be exact. And you can buy one share in many different companies. He'll get a fancy legal stock certificate to hang on his wall with his name on it. It'll be framed beautifully. Perfect for his den or office.

Gift of the Month Clubs - 21 Different Monthly Offers - You're guaranteed to find something just perfect for your Dad and reward him month after month at one of the Amazing Gifts of the Month Club. There are 21 clubs to choose from including beer, chocolate, lobster, salsa, ice cream, even a dinner and a movie club that includes a pasta/sauce dinner, gourmet popcorn and a Blockbuster gift card.

Dad is a Star - So why not Name a Star after him? His star name will be officially registered in the Universal Star Catalogs Database featuring hundreds of thousands of stars numerically designated by the world renowned Smithsonian Astrophysical Institute. Each star is copyrighted with its precise stellar coordinates allowing Dad, friends, family or anyone including future generations to identify the star name and locate the star in the sky using a telescope.

What happened on the day your Dad was born? Do you know? Does he know? It'd be a great gift for him if he received an Authentic Historic Newspapers published on the day he was actually born. The paper comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. He's bound to love it!

A Trip Back in Time - If you say to Dad, "Who's on first?" and he smiles...or you say "Who knows?" and he says "The Shadow knows" you'll know for sure that this special collection of old time radio programs is perfect for him. Give him the opportunity to enjoy his favorite shows again with 30 one hour discs of classic radio recordings from the 30's and 40's. The Old Time Radio Shows include everything from the comedies to mysteries to variety shows that made families of the era tune in each evening. Join him when he sits down to listen to these favorites; you'll enjoy them as much as he.

Cheers to Dad with Mr. Beer - Choose for Dad a beer-making opportunity from Mr. Beer's collection of beer making kits, supplies, and merchandise. Dad will actually be able to brew and bottle his own beer in just days. Mr. Beer is the most advanced and widely acclaimed home brewing product on the market today. Bottoms Up!

Time-Life Music and Video Collections - If your Dad likes TV, music, or enjoys learning about history, geography or travel, these Time-Life CDs, DVD's and books are sure to please him for a long time to come. As seen on TV, these collections from Time-Life, cover the gamut from The Best of Saturday Night Live, the History of Rock and Roll" 3 DVD set, the DVD's entitled Introducing Country Legends, to almost anything you can think of. You must just go and check all these out. You definitely will find something perfect for Dad...including nostalgic TV, historic & events, and comedy & music.

By Scott Moger Platinum Quality Author

1. Write your Christmas letter with a friend, your spouse, or your sister. It’s more fun when you share memories and laugh and cry about the year that’s gone by. Drink cocoa and have some Christmas cookies while you work.

2. Use a word processor to make corrections and revisions easy. Use of a spell checker makes sure your Christmas letter will be perfect. However, if you don’t use a computer, a hand-written letter is always wonderful to receive. Be sure someone proofreads it before sending.

3. Use special holiday paper that can be purchased at an office supply store. Or use colored paper and add pictures and borders. Use a pretty font and dress the Christmas letter up with some bold type or Christmas stickers.

4. Start your Christmas letter with holiday wishes and questions about your friends’ and relatives’ well-being. Tell everyone you miss them.

5. Next, describe your year. Don’t brag! Both happy and sad events should be included. Tell a cute story or two. Keep the Christmas letter under two pages.

6. Then, send more wishes for wonderful holidays and a happy new year.

7. Sign your Christmas letter by hand.

8. Use a decorated or colored envelope and add a Christmas stamp and Christmas seals.

9. Include family pictures in your Christmas letter.

10. Mail your Christmas letter early.

10 Man Christmas Gift Ideas

Finding the right gift for my dad, fathers-in-law, brothers and brothers-in-law is always a little challenging for me. These guys don't ask for much. As a group, they are pretty content. They work hard and if they get an idea for something they want, they figure out a way to get it. When I finally think I've got their styles down, they change their whole look. I'm serious! And if I even dared to venture into the world of gadgets, I am sure to pick out the ones they'll never use.

Well here are ten man holiday gift ideas I have found that almost any guy would like. Quite a few are humorous, maybe because my favorite thing to do for all these hard working men, is lighten them up.

1. T-shirt With a Funny Saying - Look online for a company that specializes in unique shirts or create your own with fabric paints or markers. You can put a joke with the first line on the front of the t-shirt and the punch line on the back OR you can find humorous quotes from one of this man's favorite authors, politicians or celebrities. One idea is to take a solid colored t-shirt and put a big gold star on it that says, "TV Sheriff" with the words "REMOTE CONTROL" on the pocket. Whatever saying you choose, make him extra happy by getting the right size t-shirt. My husband is a smaller guy who really appreciates a shirt that fits him properly, after receiving many that could fit two of him! Don't forget that 100% cotton will shrink some the first time it is washed.

2. Rare Indoor Plant - Where I see caring for plants as a chore, many guys I know look at it as an art form. My brother-in-law collects bonsai trees, carefully working them into the shape he plans. He shows us pictures of miniature oaks and maples with the button sized leaves turning gold and red in the fall. My husband enjoys miniature cactus and has kept one growing in a tiny cup of sand since we got married almost ten years ago. Read up on plants that would match with your guy's lifestyle, decor or interests. Consider a plant from his favorite country or one mentioned in a book or movie he likes.

3. Memory Film - Collect slides, photos or video footage of him as a child on one video or DVD. Put it together yourself using a home editing program, order a package deal from a reputable editing company or hire someone you know to do it for you. Add his favorite music as the background sound.

4. Cure for Memory Loss - If there is an item he is always losing, get him one for every room of the house...and the car, if need be! For instance, guitar picks (that would be for my husband), pairs of scissors, nail clippers, slippers, tools, vitamins, ...you get the idea.

6. Night of Laughs - Order him a new or used DVD of his favorite comedian doing a stand up routine. Give him tickets to a local comedy club. Download hilarious clips from the internet, creating your own collection. Whatever you do, make him laugh.

7. Survival Bag - Put together a kit for whatever hobby or activity he likes best. One lady I heard of did this very creatively for all the hunters in her family. She took cotton camouflage fabric and sewed very simple small bags, using jute twine to make a drawstring. At a discount store she found items to fill the bags with such as: utensils, matches, canned meat or jerky, snacks, tooth brush, comb, soap, washcloth, tissues, first aid supplies. Since she bought these items in bulk, the cost was very reasonable per bag. I would add a different sheet of jokes for every guy, printed off the internet, to give them entertainment for the long hours of sitting. She painted each hunter's name on his bag so they could tell them apart. The guys loved them!

8. Relaxation at Its Best - There isn't a guy I know who wouldn't want a really comfortable recliner. You can find sales on new ones all the time or if you really need to save, check out the classified ads in your newspaper or some good local used furniture stores. The ones I like to visit regularly have nice recliners at very discounted prices. Whatever you do, sit in the chair before you buy it. Some are more comfortable than others.

9. Special Delivery - Find a toy truck he would like - dumptruck, low rider, antique pickup - at a toy store or antique store. Fill the bed of the truck with all his favorite goodies such as candy bars, homemade cookies, caramels, etc. If you really want to surprise him, hide a gift certificate underneath all the treats.

10. One Man's Treasure - What does this guy collect and treasure? Make him a display or collage to put up in his office, garage or room. You may need a shelf to hold things, a board to pin items to, a scrapbook, or a closed cabinet to protect his collection. If you can't think of anything he collects, it may be that he is like my dad, who treasures his friends more than any of his "stuff". He would enjoy a framed collage with photos of his hundreds of friends.
by: Melanie Farkas