Making Memories During Christmas and the Holidays

A favorite Christmas song has a line that describes Christmas as 'the most
wonderful time of the year.' While giving and receiving gifts is something that
is highly anticipated and remembered at Christmas time, there are also many more
activities that make Christmas memorable and wonderful.
One of these activities is decorating the Christmas tree. The Christmas
tree occupies a central spot and is the most visible display of Christmas in
most homes. Unlike in other countries, most American homes do not have a
representation of the Nativity scene, which is more likely to be located at
churches.
As soon as the Christmas season begins on the day after Thanksgiving,
families will begin their search for the perfect Christmas tree. This in itself
can become a memorable activity as children may accompany family members to
places like a Christmas tree farm to select a tree.
Once a real or artificial tree is selected, then it's an exciting activity
for the entire family to play a part in decorating the tree. Manufactured
decorations come in many shapes and forms. But a special memory is created when
family members make a special ornament for the Christmas tree, or contribute one
or more keepsake items to decorate the Christmas tree. It then becomes a ritual
each year for those particular items to be placed on the Christmas tree although
other decorations may change in coming years.
Another activity that can help to create special memories at Christmas is
baking cookies. Along with popular gingerbread cookies, using cookie cutters to
make special holiday-shaped cookies is also practiced a lot in households. Based
on the ages of children, they can help in the actual baking activity by
measuring and mixing some ingredients, or, younger children can sprinkle sugar
on the cookies or decorate them with icing when they are finished. Helping in
this activity can also be educational as parents can use the activity of
measuring and figuring out equivalent measures to teach fractions and other
mathematical elements.
An activity that is related to food which also helps to create memories
during the Christmas season is making fruit and goody baskets, which are filled
with candies, baked items and other treats for loved ones, their special
friends, neighbors, teachers or for charity. Items such as goody baskets make
especially wonderful Christmas gifts because they are home-made. That quality
often makes them more treasured than a Christmas present that is bought at the
store.
Because Christmas is the season of goodwill and good cheer, it is very
important to reach out to family, loved ones and friends during the season. The
busy lives that many people lead today often leaves them little or no time
during the year to be in frequent contact with family and friends who are
located far away, or even others who live within a reasonable distance in the
same or a neighboring state, for example.
It is therefore very common during Christmas to send a Christmas or holiday
greeting card to those individuals. Along with the pleasant memory of receiving
the card, there may be a short letter included that gives a brief account of any
significant event in the individual's life or with members of the family. That
makes sending and receiving Christmas greeting cards more memorable.
Then there's probably the most anticipated activity of Christmas - finding
out what Christmas gift Santa brought on Christmas Eve. While adults also look
forward with much anticipation to see what Christmas gifts they will get, it's
really the children who get the most delight from receiving presents at
Christmas. The carefully planned actions to hide Christmas presents from
children and then to magically place them under the Christmas tree to be found
on Christmas morning is one of the most wonderful ways to create unforgettable
memories for children at Christmas.

The Christmas Story

The idea of celebrating Jesus' birth was done to counteract pagan holidays
celebrated in Rome during the Winter Solstice. Church leaders thought Christmas
celebrations were more likely to be popular if they coincided with the
traditional festivals and merrymaking during the Winter Solstice.
Although some Christmas celebrations are secular, the religious aspect of
Christmas remains central to celebrations. This is evident in church services
such as Midnight Mass and primarily in the many forms of the Nativity, or
Christmas Story, presented wherever people celebrate Christmas.
That story started in Nazareth in Galilee about two thousand years ago.
Mary, a young woman, was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. An angel appeared
to her one day and told her she was with child. She couldn't understand how that
could happen because due to her circumspect nature, she had not laid in bed with
Joseph. The angel explained however, that the child would be special as he would
be the Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. Mary and Joseph then got married
soon after the angel's appearance.. But about the time when Mary was to have the
baby, the couple had to travel far away to Bethlehem, Joseph's birthplace, to
pay a special tax.
It was difficult for them to find a place to stay because many other
people were in Bethlehem to pay their taxes. After many rejections, one
innkeeper offered a room in his stable where they could spend the night. That's
where Jesus, the Holy Child and Son of God was born and then wrapped in bundles
of cloth and placed in a manger for a cradle.
In the same hours that Mary was giving birth, shepherds who were in a
field that overlooked Bethlehem saw an extremely bright star over the sky in
Bethlehem. They had never seen anything like it and had feelings of curiosity
and scariness. An angel appeared and told them the 'good news' that the Son of
God had been born in Bethlehem.
The shepherds left their flocks to go to Bethlehem to find the baby. When
they reached the stable, they were filled with immense joy at seeing Jesus. They
fell to their knees and worshipped Him. They also told Mary and Joseph about the
bright star and the angel appearing to say Jesus would be the Savior of the
world.
The bright star was also seen by Wise Men in the east. The Wise Men, who
studied the stars, learned that a new and great ruler would appear whenever an
extraordinarily bright star appeared in the sky. Three of them therefore set out
to find the new ruler. They first visited King Herod in Jerusalem because they
thought the child would be born in the palace. But when they asked to see the
child who would be the new ruler, King Herod was very worried as he thought he
would be removed from the throne. King Herod told the Wise Men that when they
found the baby, they should return and tell him so that he could also worship
the baby.
The Wise Men used the star as a guide to go to Bethlehem where they found Mary,
Joseph and Baby Jesus who they worshipped and offered gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men are celebrated in some Christmas
celebrations on Jan. 6, known as the Epiphany to mark the date when they found
Jesus. Later in the night the three Wise Men had a dream in which an angel told
them that King Herod wanted to kill Baby Jesus. They left Bethlehem to return to
the East but didn't return to Jerusalem to tell King Herod where they had found
the child. Joseph also had a dream soon after the Wise Men left in which an
angel appeared and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod had
ordered that Jesus be killed. In an effort to kill Jesus after the Wise Men did
not return to inform him of the baby's whereabouts, Herod later ordered that all
baby boys in Bethlehem should be killed. But by then Mary and Joseph had left
with Baby Jesus.

Have a Chic Christmas - All About Style and Fashion for the Holidays

In New York, a style capital of the world, black is always a chic and
fashionable selection. That's even more so in the Fall and Winter seasons when
dark colors are favored. But even the fashionistas who like somber colors add a
bit of sparkle and cheer to Christmas and holiday clothing with some color,
usually magnificent red.

Dominant colors at Christmas are red, black and white and a red scarf, or 
a white one, is a must-have accessory.

Holiday-themed apparel with snowflakes, candy canes, stars, Christmas
trees, are also popular during the season. Along with being colorful, they also
convey the message that the person is fully embracing the spirit of the season
and is in a festive mood. When individuals wear holiday-themed apparel, they are
therefore radiating a positive attitude and giving the signal that it is
pleasant to be around them. After all, nobody wants to be around the 'grumpy
bah-humbug' type of personalities during the Christmas season.

Holiday-themed jewelry also works well as accessories. These can add that
little sparkle to an outfit that makes it stand out in an admirable way.
Holiday-themed jewelry is also perfect for those individuals who simply want to
show a touch of the holiday spirit without having to actually wear holiday-
themed apparel because it maybe too different from the conservative style of
their wardrobe.
It is necessary to add some sparkle to apparel during the Christmas season
and current style trends of having jewel-engraved or embroidered tops play well
for the Christmas season. They will allow the wearer to look festive in a very
understated but elegant way.
Fall popular styles will also undoubtedly be a fashionable way to dress
for the holidays. Based on the Fall Fashion Shows in New York, there are five
basic outfits that stylists say should be in the wardrobe of all women. They
are: the Tunic, Winter Short - which is cut just above the knee - the Vest,
Pencil Skirt and the Super-wide pant.
The vest can be a dressy one with embroidery or other adornments, or it
can be more minimal based on the overall outfit. The Winter Short and Pencil
Skirt can easily convert from working outfit to party wear with the right
accessory, making them perfect to wear to an early evening Christmas or holiday
party. A variation from the Pencil Skirt is the Pencil dress. This too is likely
to be popular for Christmas as it can be easily accessorized with a broad belt,
which is one of the accessories that top fashion advisers say is a 'must-have'
accessory for the Fall.

The Tunic and Super-wide pant are also liked for Christmas and the Holiday
season because they are very flexible in how they can be paired with other
garments.

Another fall fashion staple are Knit Sweaters - oversized and as tunics. They
will also work well with black tights and leggings, which has made a comeback in
leg wear. Leggings can be worn under skirts or dresses. Very slim leggings can
also be worn simply in place of pants, worn with a jacket or again, with an
oversized knit sweater. Using the basic colors of red, white and black that are
popular during Christmas and the holidays, colored leggings will definitely add
a nice touch of style to outfits and make them seem perfect for the Christmas
and holiday season.

It is also good that dresses are once more welcomed among the fashionable.
And the red dress for Fall fits well into Christmas and the holiday season.
The latest in jeans, which is a mainstay in everyone's wardrobe and suitable to
wear at all times including during Christmas and the holidays, is that a skinny
fit is in. And if ultra-skinny is not very complimentary to your body shape, you
can still get one of the newer types of jeans that are said to have a lot more
stretch, giving a 360-degree or all-around wrap to the body for a perfect or
near perfect fit.

And since Christmas is the season to be happy and cheery, the truly jolly
can always top off their Christmas outfit with a cone-shaped, red and white
Santa hat.

Fancy Christmas Tales

A lot of what is widely regarded as true about Christmas or held as a
tradition cannot or has not been verified, or, has changed through the years.
Even Christmas Day itself, Dec. 25, has been questioned about whether that is
the exact day on which Jesus was born. Skeptics have asked why would shepherds
be out in the cold watching their flocks by night during the winter. Those
skeptics have put forward the thought that Jesus may really have been born in
the spring instead. It is therefore little wonder that there are many fancy
stories and tales that are told about Christmas and the Christmas season.

The most common fancy tale that everyone tells, particularly to children,
is about Santa Claus, also called St. Nicholas. But even if it were accepted
that Santa Claus existed, where does he live and how is he able to get to all
the houses of good boys and girls on Christmas Eve?

In the United States, Santa Claus is said to have two homes. There is a
home in Torrington, Connecticut, which is used as a distribution point for Santa
and his many helpers, who are elves, to hand out gifts. And then, a second home
is said to be located in Wilmington, New York, and that is where Santa Claus and
his delivery reindeer crew are located.

But Santa can be visited in Cyberspace at anytime and what about the
widely held belief that Santa Claus really lives in a village at the North Pole?

The people of Finland also claim that their country is the official
residence of Santa Claus. That's because in Finland, you can actually visit a
village any time during the year and see Santa's workshop and observe Santa and
his elves hard at work as they prepare for their very important Christmas gift
delivery job on Christmas Eve. The only day when Santa's workshop is closed to
visitors is of course, on Christmas Eve.

Maybe a very smart visitor could visit Santa's workshop on the day before
Christmas Eve to see if there are any clues to how Santa and his reindeers plan
to make their trip the next day. That's because as the tale goes, in Finland
Santa Claus and his reindeers do not reach their destinations around the globe
by flying.

Finland welcomes visitors to Santa's workshop but there is nothing said
about whether visitors actually have any chance of having a word with the man
himself. While the chances of doing so are believed to be non-existent, among
the questions that inquiring minds could ask Santa is whether Rudolph is the son
of Donner (and to confirm the spelling - Donner or Donder) or whether Santa
spotted him in a different reindeer village one foggy Christmas Eve when he had
already started on his Christmas toy-delivery mission.

If mere mortals got a chance to question Santa, then he also would likely have
some questions for us humans. He may want to know whose idea was it to have
Christmas trees and for the gifts to be placed under them.

The tradition of Christmas tree as it exists today comes from Germany by
way of immigrants. But it isn't clear how the tradition really gained a foothold
in Germany. One story is that Christians in Germany during the 16th century
started to bring trees that were decorated into their homes. Some of those
Christians would build pyramids for Christmas. The pyramids were made of wood
and would be decorated with evergreens and candles if wood was in short supply.

It is however Martin Luther, a Protestant reformer, who is said to have
been the first to add lighted candles as decoration to a tree based on his
inspiration from the brilliant light of twinkling stars that shone through
evergreen trees as he walked home one winter evening.

As the legend goes, Martin Luther placed a tree in a primary room of his
house and placed wires with small, lighted candles around the branches of the
tree. And that is how, as the tale goes, the Christmas tree as known today, was
started.

Eating Heartily but Consciously During Christmas Season

During the Christmas season, summer and its body-conscious state of mind
are distant memories. Hearty indulgence in the many foods shared at Christmas
therefore doesn't produce the same feelings of guilt. Nevertheless, its not a
pleasant thought to start the New Year carrying any extra pounds. So why then
eat yourself into a resolution to 'take off a few extra pounds' if you can
smartly avoid it?


Whether it's sharing cookies and candies at work, or having an evening out 
at a party or dinner, you can have Christmas food and enjoy it. While you seem
to be eating heartily with a smile, the key is to have a secret strategy of
moderation. It involves sticking to a plan that can be called 'Eating on a
Budget.'


'Eating on a Budget' is not about the cost of what is eaten, but about the 
quantity of what is eaten. It is important that a 'budget' or eating in
moderation plan is developed because it is almost impossible to avoid exposure
to a lot of cookies, candies and other sweets at Christmas. At work, you may
risk appearing like the Grinch who stole Christmas if your response will always
be something like, 'Uh..no..bah humbug' all the time that some Christmas goodies
are offered. It will seem as if you aren't in the spirit of the holidays
especially since at that time of year everyone is usually in a festive and more
relaxed mood, and the pace at work is usually slower.


A practical way to partake in Christmas goodies, for example, is to 
substitute some holiday cookies for say the bagel that you usually have with
breakfast or for a mid-morning snack. And instead of just taking one cookie,
from the platter, which is noticeable and likely will encourage a colleague to
tell you to have more, take three instead. That's where the plan can come into
play. You can then enjoy the cookies over two or more hours, because nobody will
be watching how you really eat. You can always have a few candies, one cookie or
a cookie and a half by your desk and that way it will seem as if you are
heartily enjoying the holiday treats.
Another strategy is to bring - bake or buy - low calorie Christmas cookies
and candies to work to counteract others that are being offered. Since eating
healthy is highly encouraged, health-conscious cookies will not be looked down
upon so long as they taste great. A box of sugar-free Christmas chocolate
candies for example will look just as delightful as regular chocolate candies.
It's interesting to note that in a poll sponsored by the National Confectioners
Association in 2004, chocolate was the favorite food gift that Americans said
they preferred to receive for the holidays. The lowly and much maligned fruit
cake was last on the list. The second favorite holiday food gift was a fruit
basket and a plate of cookies was third on the list, according to the
Association.


For an occasion such as a Christmas party or a dinner, including Christmas 
Dinner, where larger quantities and selection of food is available, the 'Eating
on a Budget' plan means that serving portions and the choice of food selected
should be carefully watched.


At a party where more desserts and sweets are likely to be available, a few of 
the selections can be sampled. If the urge to try everything can't be resisted,
then do so, but then second helpings have to be severely limited. The same is
somewhat true for Christmas Dinners. One big difference is that the food served
during Christmas Dinner will be heavier, so by selecting portions wisely, one
can always say truthfully that the stomach is full.


And indeed, after a sumptuous Holiday Dinner, your body is likely to be full 
from food and your soul full of joy from sharing another memorable holiday
tradition with family, friends and loved ones.

American Christmas Tree Story

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was
brought to the shores of America by German immigrants who continued a practice
that was popular in their former homeland. Today, a Christmas tree, even a
miniature one, is present in just about every home at Christmas. It is therefore
interesting to note some little-know facts about the Christmas Tree and other
traditions related to Christmas.
The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas Trees for some
Americans. These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many local stores
and other places of business in just about every town and city across the
country around Christmas time. But according to the National Christmas Tree
Association, Americans buy about 330,000 Christmas trees that are real through
e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them shipped by mail-order.
The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason they are so popular. But as they
stand silently in their decorative wonder, they also are providing another
benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says the amount of oxygen produced on a
daily basis by one acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough oxygen for
18 people. And during the first week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to
one quart of water each day to help retain its longevity for the many days of
Christmas.
Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity in America, the Christmas Tree
has always been a big tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmas
trees were not always green. It was very popular during those times to have
artificial trees with other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal in
having these colored Christmas trees may have been due to the fact that they
looked shiny and bright and appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage.
An important ceremony related to the Christmas tree that gains national
attention during the Christmas season is the lighting of the National Christmas
Tree at the White House. This tradition can be credited to President Calvin
Coolidge who lit the first decorated Christmas tree outside at the White House
in 1923.
The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also been used to convey some
symbolic meaning not related to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in
1963 because of a national mourning period of 30 days for the assassination of
President Kennedy. And while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an order that
banned the Christmas tree from the White House, not for the assassination of
President McKinley in 1901, which caused him to become president, but for
reasons related to the environment.
Also of note is that when the National Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in
1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an unusually warm December.
Christmas has been celebrated in the United States since the 1600s although it
wasn't always very popular. It took more than two centuries into the mid-late
1860s for Christmas to become a popular holiday season all across America. So
maybe the rest of the country owes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of
Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state to declare Dec. 25 a legal
holiday.
It is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789 Congress was in session.
And to show how far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn't until June 26, 1870
that the federal government declared Christmas as a federal holiday.
Although Christmas is based on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups
celebrate the season. Among the Christian groups who do not celebrate Christmas
and related traditions such as sending greeting cards are Jehovah Witnesses.
Jehovah Witnesses and other non-participating Christian groups say Christmas
isn't specifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason to celebrate and
since they strictly adhere to the word of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate
Christmas.

Christmas Is Coming!

Its true, Christmas is coming very soon! 

 I am so excited that I am gonna blog my days up to the great season that is Christmas!

 Pop back to join in with my festivities!