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You can of course start decorating your home at any time but especially during your Christmas holiday, you will find everybody exceptionally involved in decorating their homes and on the lookout for unique ideas for the same. As Christmas season is an yearly event, everybody tends to outsmart themselves, going all out to fill their homes with decorations and festive ornaments.
Finding suitable and imaginative Christmas presents for those we love can be extremely difficult. What do you get for the man (or woman) who has everything they want? For those pondering the annual ‘what to get for Christmas’ dilemma, there are still imaginative and thoughtful gifts out there. Many people, women in particular, are very difficult to buy presents for. On Christmas Eve, towns and cities across the country are descended upon by shoppers desperate to buy something, anything to wrap to present to their loved one on Christmas day. Too often, these gifts are ill-considered and are more likely to be unwanted. This is a complete waste of your time, effort and money. It is not hard to go wrong when purchasing jewellery as a Christmas present but after years of marriage, there are only so many sparkly things a man can buy for his wife before he becomes predictable and boring. This gift idea is not restricted to those wondering what to buy their spouse. What I have in mind can be purchased by a well-meaning friend, a sibling or even a loving parent. The gift idea I have in mind is the gift of confidence. Too often, people who have led stressful family lives do not recognise the people they have become. This is not just limited to women; men also lose confidence in their appearance after years of sleepless nights with babies and then the early mornings with lively toddlers. We then must ask the question, how do we get this confidence back? Diet and exercise can help regain a slim figure, however, it cannot address years of stress or neglect. Treatments such as Botox can smooth out the appearance of wrinkles but there are several other non-surgical treatments that could make an impact on your loved ones. Have you considered semi-permanent make up for the woman always on the go? If thread veins or varicose veins leave a female relative unwilling to wear shorts even in the hottest summers, you could purchase sclerotherapy treatment which involves injecting a solution into the offending vein. The vein will then collapse and fade away. Obviously, the earlier this treatment is completed, the better the results will be. However, please be aware that you should be sure that the beneficiaries of your thoughtful gift will be happy to receive the treatment you purchase -unless you want to baste your Christmas turkey with tears…
Katie Rose Phillips once sang that she saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, but when I was a little girl I saw him cradling Auntie Cathy’s brand new baby. The Christmas that falls on a child’s fifth year is special and mine was no exception, old enough to appreciate the rituals, young enough to be utterly suspended in its magic. This particular season was set to be perfect, my whole family gathered, a little brother to show the ropes to and a bigger one to learn them from. Plus a thick layer of crunchy, snowman-ready snow. My mother had dressed the house with festive abundance, holly branches draped over all the pictures and a large wreath with pinecones suspended from the front door by a luxurious red ribbon. Everywhere a knick-knack with a story, my brother’s wobbly pottery angel holding miniature candles in her hands, a bauble brought one Wintry day from at tiny shop in London. Not forgetting the most enormous Christmas tree, that towered above me to the ceiling. It took my father the best part of a morning and (he was quick to add) an afternoon to recover from the exertion of getting it into the hose and ready for decorating. Even my tall Mother had to use a ladder to place the fairy on top. I handed her the decorations with the care of the keeper of the Crown jewels and with just as much pride. The ceremonial turning on of the lights when the sun had gone down lit me from within too. I was ready for the games to begin. And so they did. A friends-filled week of mulled wine and mince pies, tobogganing, carol singing and a memorable performance of Jack and the Beanstalk, when the giant pointed to Auntie Cathy’s large tummy in the front row and joked about her not having the baby until the end of the show. Which I couldn’t understand, knowing full well the baby wouldn’t be so silly: we wanted to enjoy Christmas first! The shaking of the presents occupied every spare minute, whispering and guessing the contents with my brothers. As the ringleader, I was chosen for the task of colouring in my father’s Christmas Day Lunch menu, a tradition that was to continue for many years to come. I hardly thought we would have room for turkey (with all the trimmings) and a flaming Christmas pudding after consuming all the nuts, Turkish delight and Christmas cake Mum had lain in little dishes on the table next to the log fire, ready for Christmas Day. But what really intrigued me, the bit I coloured in with extra care in gold pencil, was the ‘Special Guest Appearance’ at the bottom of the menu. I hoped against hope it would be Father Christmas but my parents were giving nothing away; I would have to wait and see. Luckily, Christmas Eve was so packed I hardly had to time to dwell on I it, with a morning walk in the crystal white fields near our house and a lovely Church service in the afternoon, completed by a tiny nativity scene and a noisy donkey. Exhausted that night and overcome with the promise of the next day’s excitement I could barely stop my eyes from closing as my brothers and I left the reindeers their peanut snacks under the tree and Father Christmas his glass of sherry. Of course, I could not unwrap my presents quick enough in the morning, racing downstairs to open the assorted goodies in my hand-sewn stocking before the fun of the day unraveled, all leading up to the moment I had imagined a dozen times already: the arrival of the special guest. I saw him arrive at the door with his fluffy beard and sack of gifts, bellowing a deep ‘ho ho ho’, bending down to cuddle me in his bright red outfit. He was every bit as impressive as I had hoped, my only disappointment being that Uncle Bill had taken a Christmas gift to our old neighbours next door and was going to miss him! But just as he was asking if we had been good girls and boys my Aunty Cathy let out a huge moan and there was a flurry of confusion. Suddenly the adults started rushing around and all the children were ushered away to watch ‘A Christmas Carol’ on the T.V. A commotion filtered through from next door, while in our room my big cousins wanted to know if their Mum was going to be O.K. Eventually, a short silence fell followed by the first cries of a newborn baby. My mother came to the T.V. room and told us we should come to meet somebody. And there was Father Christmas holding the newest addition to our large family. ‘Is it the baby Jesus?’ I asked, incredulous. ‘No,’ laughed my father. ‘But it is the special guest.’ Christmas is a wonderful time to remember the special people in all our lives; friends and family, near and far. Sending an Ecard is an excellent way to avoid the postal rush, not to mention the seeking out and writing of all those addresses! At www.katiescards.com I have created a collection of Christmas ecards that are quick to preview and just as easy to send. It’s as straightforward as choosing your favourite E card, personalizing and emailing it, with a low-cost membership to the site that allows you to send Ecards on other occasions also, from birthday ecards to Easter ecards and every special day in-between. The selection of 20 Christmas ecards includes the telling of the traditional nativity story as well as capturing the season’s mythical charms, with the elves or a magical snow scene, every e-card designed to be a heart-warming greeting to let a loved one know you remember them as they look forward to the New Year. So why not extend some festive cheer and choose an uplifting Ecard to send to your nearest and dearest this Christmas season?
The celebration of Christmas varies in different parts of India. The Christian Communityin India celebrate Christmas beginning on Christmas Eve on 24th of December and continue until New Year’s Day. Christians across the country mark the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebration of Christmas is marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of a Christmas Tree. In the North East Christmas the tribal Christians of the Bhil tribe go out night after night for a week during Christmas to sing their special carols the whole night through and tell the story of Christmas to everybody. In South India, Christians light clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses, the same way that Hindus decorate their homes during the Diwali Festival. People also prepare mouthwatering recipes such as cakes, puddings etc. Christians in the plains decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves. In several states of India a popular custom is to decorate banana or mango trees instead of the traditional pine tree. Another interesting Christmas tradition in India is decorating the Churches with poinsettia flower. Churches are decorated with poinsettas and lit with candles for the Christmas Eve Service. However, for the urban regions the ingredients of the festivities are the familiar Christmas trees (mostly potted) decorated with stars and tinsels, toys, plastic fruits, and colourful streamers and illuminated well and placed in front of the Christian houses, shops and restaurants. In several parts of India, especially in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, the Christmas Festival has assumed secular overtones and is joyfully celebrated by people of all religions and communities. In Mumbai, which has one of the largest Roman Catholic communities in India, there is a tradition to depict nativity scenes and decorate homes with big stars. Christmas Day called ‘Bada Din’ (Big Day) in Hindi, is a national holiday in India and people from all religions join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations. In Christian households, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and indulge in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look. Ladies start preparations for the traditional Christmas cake which is anxiously awaited not just by the entire family but also by the neighbours. Hectic shopping activity takes place as everyone buys new clothes for the festival Christmas gifts are also bought for friends, relatives and kids in the family. The biggest festival for Christians, Christmas is also the time for family reunions. People staying in different cities for job or higher studies rush back to their homes to celebrate Christmas with their near and dear ones. Indian Christians do not believe in short services. Most exhilarating celebration of Christmas can be seen in the vivacious state of Goa. A large number of domestic and international tourists flock to the beaches of Goa during the Christmas festival to watch Goa at its cultural best. One can enjoy the best of Goan music and dance during Christmas festivities. Catholics in Goa participate in the traditional midnight mass services locally called Missa de Galo or Cock Crow as they go on well into early hours of the morning. The Carnival, preceding Lent, is the most important event at Goa. This is similar to Mardis Gras in New Orleans.
The over emphasis about who is going to heaven and who is not (as though anyone knew) is about as much a waste of time and arrogance as are the “ideas about heaven”. Of coruse on the otehr side of the coin driving people to heaven is the fear of hell. What ever happened to the love of God concept and living in the NOW? What about heaven and hell on earth (as it is in heaven)? Unfortunately it has been the tradition of th church for thousands of years to make up a list of “qualifiers” that get one into heaven. It’s been akin to getting presents and gifts from Santa Claus. Santa (aka as God) is checking His list, and checking it twice, trying to make sure who has been naughty and who has been nice. We brain-wash our church-trained children in Sunday School by teaching them that God loves little boys and girls who are GOOD! So, the first time a child does something on the “naughty list”, that child feels that God no longer loves them. And if they do enough bad things of coruse God has given up on them and to they give up on God as well. What about teaching unconditonal love, mercy, and forgiveness? Maybe even teach them that there’s going to one day be a NEW EARTH and maybe ALL (like in everyone) will one day be cleaned up and go to heaven. Follow the theory that heaven’s guardian gate is hell and we’ll ALL pass through on our way back to the Source of all life, and you don’t even have to worry about who is IN and who is OUT! Why can’t we just leave the “punishment” stuff to the parents? The answer is because parnets have left training and disciplining to the church. And the church has been all to glad to step in and try to conform everyone to whatever “lists” of good and bad things ther are in life while skipping over the really good stuff. Oh yes and skipping over the embarrassing stuff like Matthew 21. Have you been there recently? Have you explained (maybe to yourself) what the author of Matthew meant when he said tax collectors (really bad people), and prostitutes (doubly bad people) will get to go to heaven before the religious leaders. So, who wants to be a pastor, minister, rabbi, or priest? Why don’t we not waste time about who is and who isn’t going to heaven. Let’s just LOVE everyone, and judge NO ONE! Sounds to me like something Jesus did.
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Christmas comes around but once a year and is one of the nation’s best loved holidays, so it’s no wonder that people want to mark the special occasion with celebrations and gifts. However, finding the ideal Christmas present for family, friends and close ones isn’t always easy. With so many options on offer it can be hard to narrow down the selection to find the gifts that people will truly treasure. Why not think outside the box this year and try and choose presents that will change the life of the recipient for the better? When you’re struggling to find clothes, jewellery for books for the people on your Christmas gift list it may seem like an easy option to buy them a voucher instead, so that you know they will be able to choose an item they will definitely like. But if you’re thinking of vouchers, why not make them vouchers for something a little more exciting? Many holiday companies offer vouchers towards the price of a short trip or break and theatres and cinemas offer vouchers for performances and concessions. Gifts like these provide great memories, making them an excellent choice for anyone hoping to give something special this Christmas. And the memories of presents such as these are sure to last a lifetime. There are also a number of companies that offer unusual experiences as gifts. You can choose a package to suit the person you are buying the gift for – for example, a ride in a hot air balloon or trip to a race track – and sit back safe in the knowledge that your gift will be talked about for years to come. If you know an animal lover then buying them a pet or sponsoring an animal for them this Noel is a gift idea sure to please. Pets will provide happiness and comfort for months and years after Christmas and are certain to be treasured as gifts that hold a special place in the recipient’s heart. If you want to give a gift that is truly life changing however, you’ll find there are plenty of options out there. Gifts such as teeth whitening or correction procedures are sure to put a smile on the face of anyone conscious about their teeth while laser eye surgery could be the best present you could ever give someone who relies on glasses or contact lenses. Laser eye surgery frees people from the need to wear glasses, meaning they can wake up with clear vision every day. What better to give this Christmas than a gift that keeps giving, day after day?
How many times have you been in a conversation about religious matters and referred to God as, “the man upstairs”? Maybe you’ve not had that description in your tote bag; however, many do and they subconsciously fall into the description with behavioral nuances that aren’t good. In this “man upstairs” paradigm we labor under the FEAR that we can be kicked out of the rental (can you say garden?) at any time we violate some aspect of the lease. And there’s the additional FEAR that our lease won’t be renewed when the term of the agreement expires. Fear, fear, fear! Without consciously being aware of it we fall into a VICTIM mentality. God’s up there looking down over us, his eyes (see the anthropomorphic usage?) running to a fro, every checking on us. And we wonder where we got the Santa Claus concept of being naughty and nice? If we’re good Santa will be good to us, but if we’ve been bad it stones and sticks: nothing is coming from modern day bricks-n-clicks if you get my drift. As Steve Bhaerman writes, “Many in the Western world worship a conditional God who bestows or withdraws love and approval based on whether we follow certain man-made religious dictates.” Ouch! We need to move away from heaven being a DESTINATION PLACE and into the concept of heaven being a PRACTICE here and NOW. We need to ditch the “Cosmic Landlord” thinking and embrace the, I AM that is WITHIN, and that we truly ARE. We can’t be kicked out of the garden and there is no lease because we are JOINT HEIRS with the Owner (God). How cool is that?
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