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?

Visiting a Christmas tree farm and buying a live tree grown in New Jersey can be a memorable holiday experience for the entire family? The process can be any where from an hour to a good part of the day, depending on what you and your family wants to gain from the experience.
The choices for selecting a New Jersey grown live tree are many. You can choose to cut your own tree, or pick a live tree and have it cut for you, or buy a live tree already cut, or buy a living tree you can plant.
To extend the experience to a family fun event, you can venture off to a Christmas tree farm that offers sleigh rides, hay rides and related winter events and fun.
A fresh-cut Christmas tree not only will bring warmth, beauty and the rich scents of the season to your home, but also will last throughout the holidays if given proper care.
Christmas trees are a renewable resource. They are grown as a crop; planted, sheared, and cultivated to be harvested for your enjoyment! Where each tree is cut, a new seedling will be planted. Christmas tree farms not only provide beautiful greenbelts throughout New Jersey, they also are environmentally sound. They consume huge amounts of carbon dioxide and reintroduce large quantities of oxygen into the atmosphere, thus cleansing the air that we breathe. One acre of Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people.
The selection of a live Christmas tree.
When choosing a tree, select one that best suits your needs. Determine where will it be located in the home, and what type of ornaments you have – are they heavy or light? These considerations will help you select the species, the height, shape and density. Amongst the variety of species of Christmas trees grown in New Jersey, the best choices for needle retention are all the pines; Austrian, Scotch, White and Mexican Border. The Douglas-fir, Concolor, and Fraser Fir are also excellent. The Colorado Blue Spruce is very good, and the Norway and White Spruces are fair.
It is difficult to gauge the height of trees in the field. Check with the Christmas tree farm, they usually have measuring sticks available. Even though you cannot cut your tree exactly even with the ground and you will need to cut an additional bit off the bottom of your tree when you get home, your stand will add about four inches and your top piece another four inches to the final height of your tree. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose a tree that is somewhat shorter than the height of your ceiling.
The Care of the live Christmas tree
With a few simple steps, you can enjoy your tree throughout the holiday season!
A fresh cut tree, brought home in advance of bringing it indoors for decorating, should be placed in a container of water, in a cool shaded area, sheltered from the wind. If kept outside, make sure the water supply does not freeze. Before bringing it indoors, cut off an inch from the butt end. This fresh cut will enable the tree to soak up water. Put the tree in a stand, which can hold one to two gallons of water. Since fresh cut trees absorb a pint to a quart of water each day, check water level at least once daily and always keep water level above the cut end. Always keep the butt of the tree in water. If it has been out of water for more than a few hours, the sap will seal the cut trunk and it will no longer absorb water. Keeping a tree stand filled with water will prevent needle drop and prolong the tree’s freshness and color.
Select a location inside your home that is not too close to a fireplace, heat duct or radiator. Place tree in tree stand with plastic netting on. This makes it easier to move and straighten tree. Netting can be removed once the tree is set up.
The tree will take a couple of hours to return to its natural shape once the netting is removed. Fill the stand with water. On the initial fill, warm or hot water is beneficial.
The care and planting of a balled & burlapped tree.
If you have selected a balled & burlapped (dug) Christmas tree, several days prior to being brought indoors, it needs to be placed in an unheated, protected enclosure (utility building, garage, carport, basement) or on the northeast side of the house. This conditioning process adjusts the tree to the effects of rapid temperature and humidity changes that occur indoors. Before bringing the tree indoors, place it in a washtub or similar waterproof container. To help stabilize it, sand or gravel may be filled in around the root ball. Keep root ball moist; approximately a pint to a quart of water, daily, will sustain a 5 to 6 ft. tree. Ideally, it’s best to keep a dug tree in a 65 to 68 degree indoor environment and for no longer than seven days.
After tree is dismantled, do not bring it directly outdoors. If possible, gradually introduce it to the colder temperature by first placing it in a sheltered area, for several days. The hole, where the tree is to be planted, should be dug to an approximate depth of 18 inches, prior to the ground freezing and the soil from within placed where it cannot freeze. Fill the hole with leaves and cover it with plastic. Do not remove the burlap and strapping, before planting. After tree has been positioned (top of root ball should be even with original soil grade), fill hole halfway – with saved soil, cut strapping, roll down burlap and complete filling hole. A plastic covered root ball is handled in the same manner, except that before planting, slits should be cut in the plastic’s bottom half – this facilitates water drainage and root penetration. Water thoroughly and mulch.
Disposal and recycling your Christmas tree.
The disposal and recycling of Christmas trees can be coordinated with your local Municipal Government, who usually offer recycling programs. The trees are chipped into mulch and made available free of charge to homeowners. These trees may also be placed in your yard, where birds can make use of them either as a winter shelter or as a feeding station, if food is hung from the branches.
A Christmas tree is biodegradable, it’s branches may be removed and used as mulch in the garden. For proper Christmas tree disposal, check with your local municipality.
Listing of New Jersey Christmas tree farms
Provided below is a listing of popular Christmas tree farms in New Jersey. While this listing is reasonably up to date as of this writing, last minute weather and business conditions at a tree farm may change and it is strongly recommended that you call the farm in advance to confirm their supply, their hours of operation, and whether they are continuing to allow choose-and-cut or just precut trees. Do not drive out there if you can’t reach them by phone!
Augusta
Holiday Tree Farm, Augusta
973-948-7488… 44 Augusta Hill Rd…Route 80 West to Exit 34B. Rte. 15 North to intersection with Rte. 206 at Ross’ Corner/Skyland Park. Straight on Rte. 206N to first left onto Augusta Hill Road. Farm is ½ mi. on left.
Species…2,500 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Canaan Fir
Belvidere
Wyckoff’s Tree Farm, Belvidere
908-475-4508…249 County Route 519…I-80, exit 12 to Rte 521S to 519S (10 miles from Rte 80), I-78, exit 17 to Rte 31N to Rte 46W to Rte 519S (mile marker 39).Species…600 trees; Douglas-fir
Open…8:30-4 (daily), Nov. 24 – To be determined
Blairstown
Glenview Farm, Blairstown
908-362-6904…2 Glenview Lane…I-80 Exit 12 N. – Rte. 521 – 4 mi. to Blairstown, left on Rte. 94 – 1 mi. to Mohican Rd.; From Newton – Rte. 94 S. 12 mi. to Mohican Rd. 4 mi. – rt. on Gaisler Rd. – farm 1 mi.
Species…500 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir Open…9-5 (daily), Nov. 24 – Dec. 17
Jolly Holly Christmas Tree Farm, Blairstown
908-362-6327… 56 Maple Lane…Exit 12 on Rte. 80 W to Blairstown. At traffic light, take Millbrook Rd up hill to Maple Lane. Left on Maple Lane. Farm is on left.
Species…200 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir
Open…12-4 (Sat & Sun), Nov. 25 – Dec. 17
Califon
Alger Tree Farm, Califon
908-832-2298… 7 Beacon Light Rd…From Rte. 78 exit 24 (Oldwick) 7 mi. N or Rte. 517. Turn left on Beacon Light Rd. to first house on left.
Species…400 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir
Open…8:30-5 (Sat & Sun), Dec. 2 – 24
Chesterfield (near Bordentown)
Spruce Goose Christmas Tree Farm, Chesterfield
609-298-2498…194 Bordentown-Georgetown Rd.(Rte. 545 S)…NJ Tpk. Exit 7 or I-295N Exit 57A, take Rte. 206 N. or Rte. 130 N towards Bordentown, 1st right onto Rte. 545 S. Proceed 4 mi. Farm on right. Or from intersection of Rtes. 537 & 545, take Rte. 545 N 3.5 mi. Farm on left. From McGuire AFB, take Rte. 680 W.
Species…1,000 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas-fir, Canaan Fir, Serbian Spruce, all Fraser Fir are pre-cut.
Open…9-5 (daily), Nov. 24 – Dec. 24
Cranbury
Barclay’s Tree Farm
35 Orchardside Drive, Cranbury, NJ 08512
609-799-1855; Hours: Weekends 9am-5pm, Nov 27 – Dec 19
Directions: NJTpke Exit 8A, Rt 32 W to Rt 130, So on Rt 130 for 1.5 mi to light at Dey Rd. Right on Dey Rd. 1.5 mi to 1st right – Orchardside Dr. From Rt 1 , East on Scudders Mill Rd 2 mi to left at 5th light onto Dey Rd. 2.3 mi to left onto Orchardside Dr.
Choose & Harvest: Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir, Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce
Features: One low price. Saws, netting, rope and assistance provided free.
Simonson Farms
Dey Road and George Davison Road, Cranbury, 609-799-0140
Hours: M-F 12-7, Sat & Sun 9-6.
Directions: From NJ Tpk to Exit 8A. Bear right out of the tolls toward Rte. 535. At traffic light, turn left onto Rte. 535 S. Follow to third traffic light, and turn right onto Rte. 614 ( Dey Rd.) west. Straight on 614W 1.9 mi. to U-cut field or 3 miles to retail lot.
Species: 3,000 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, White Pine, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir
They currently have harvestable Douglas-fir, blue spruce, Norway spruce, white pine, Concolor fir, and Canaan fir. We have two farms where you can cut your own tree. One is located on George Davison road in Cranbury and the other on Dey Road in Cranbury. Trees in these fields are U-cut… that means you have the pleasure of cutting down your own tree. Saws are available if needed. They supply twine and trees can be wrapped for ease of transport.
Cream Ridge
Bullock Farms, Cream Ridge
609-758-8726… 83 Emleys Hill Rd…From I-195, Exit 16, take Rte. 537 W past Great Adventure. Make 2nd right onto Emleys Hill Rd. Approx. 1 ½ mi., farm on right.
Species…250 trees; Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas-fir
Open…9-5 (Wed – Sun), Nov. 24 – Dec. 23
East Brunswick
Giamarese Farms, East Brunswick
732-821-9494… 155 Fresh Pond Rd…From the New Brunswick Area – take Rte. 1 S to 2nd Milltown exit, which will be Main St. Exit will loop over Rte. 1. Once on Main St., Milltown, count 3 traffic lights from Rte. 1. Make right onto Khulthau Ave, which is 3rd light. Go ¼ mi to split in road. Bear rt. onto Fresh Pond Rd. Go about 2 mi. Farm on right on top of hill at #155. Large sign in front.
Species…300 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir
Open…10-5:00 (Tue – Sun), Nov. 24 – Dec. 24 (closed Mondays
Farmingdale
Meadowview Farm, Farmingdale
732-938-7181… 60 Birdsall Rd…½ mi. south of Farmingdale on Rte. 524. Left on Birdsall Road. First farm on left.
Species…200 trees; Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas-fir
Open…9-4:00 (Sat & Sun), Nov. 25 – Dec. 24
Flemington
Cherryville Farms
14 Joe Ent Road , Flemington, NJ 08822 , 908-806-4580
Hours: Open 9:00 AM until dark, Saturdays & Sundays – starting Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Directions: Located one mile east of Quakertown on Route 616 ( Quakertown Road) Franklin Township, Hunterdon County.
Species: Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Douglas Fir, Blue Spruce & Norway Spruce
Features: Tagging, saws & treewheelers available. Wreaths, Crafts & Refreshments Cut your own, or they’ll cut it for you. —–Tagging, saws & treewheelers available Wreaths, Crafts & Refreshments.
Hillsdale
Demarest Farms
244 Werimus Road , Hillsdale 201-666-0472
Christmas trees, wreaths, all Christmas related items, featuring Santa’s Enchanted Woods as featured on Good Day New York
Lebanon
The Evergreen Farm, Lebanon
908-236-9550… 4 Bass Lane…Rte. 78 W to Exit 20A ( Lebanon). Turn right at first light onto Rte. 22 W. Turn left (jughandle) at first light ( Round Valley). Go 3.3 mi. on Rte. 629 to Bass Lane OR Rte. 31 N from Flemington to Molasses Hill Rd. Take to end. Turn right onto Rte. 629 to Bass Lane.
Species…500 trees; Blue Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir
Open…10-5 (Fri, Sat, Sun), Nov. 18 – Dec. 17. Closed Thanksgiving, but open for tagging by appt. Nov 1
Manalapan
Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm, Manalapan Twp.
732-786-9277… 114 Daum Rd. Manalapan…Garden State Pkwy Exit 123, Rte. 9 S. to Gordon Corner Rd. exit. Right on Tennent (5.4 mi.) to Daum Rd. NJ Tpk Exit 8, Rte. 33 E (7.9 mi.) left on Woodward Rd. (.4 mi.). First left onto Daum Rd.
Species…3,000 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas-fir, Fraser Fir. Open…9-8 (daily), Nov. 20 – Dec. 23
Robbinsville
McLaughlin Tree Farm, Robbinsville
609-259-8122… 1312 Old York Road…Located on Rte. 539, 2.1 mi. north of Route I-195 (Exit 8). Across from Herbert Road. 3.5 mi north of Allentown and 4 mi. south of Hightstown. Easily accessible from Rtes. 195, 130 & NJ Turnpike via Exit 8.
Species…1,000 trees; Douglas-fir, Canaan Fir, Scotch Pine
Open…8-5 (Sat & Sun & by appt.) Nov. 25 – Dec. 24
Rosemont
Rosemont Tree Farm, Rosemont
609-397-1809…Route 519…From Flemington – Rte. 12 W to Rte. 523 right onto Rte. 604 to Rte. 519. Turn right onto Rte. 519. Farm 300 yards. From Trenton – Rte. 29N thru Lambertville and Stockton. Right onto Rte. 519 1.5 mi. to farm.
Species…1,000 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Pine, Canaan Fir, Scotch Pine Open…9-4:30 (Thu – Sun), Nov. 24 – Dec. 23
Sussex
Shale Hills Farm
98 Pond School Road, Sussex , 973-875-4231
Directions: At intersection of Rtes. 23 or 94 N.-take Rte. 23 N. – 1 1/2 mi. to Double S Diner on left – turn behind Diner on Pond School Rd. – 1.2 mi. to farm – sign.
Species: 700 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Scotch Pine, Douglas-fir
Hours: Open Weekends after Thanksgiving from 9:30 am until dark.
Trenton
Willard Christmas Tree Farms, Trenton
609-587-1776… 300 Basin Rd…Rte. 1 to Bakers Basin Rd. (.5 mi. South of I-295 overpass), 1 mi. to Basin Rd. on right. Farm 1 mi. on left.
Species…1,000 trees; Blue Spruce, Douglas-fir, Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir
Open…12-5 (Mon – Fri), 8-6 (Sat & Sun) Nov. 24 – Dec. 23 Enjoy a Hay wagon ride as you select your tree from our fields and cut it down yourself. We have available pre-cut trees that have been freshly cut from our fields. Christmas Trees we have available are Scotch Pine, White Pine, Douglas Fir, Norway, Colorado Blue and White Spruce. Also available are fresh dug balled and burlapped trees from our fields. You can enjoy indoors during the Holiday season and then plant outdoors to enjoy for a lifetime. All farms carry roping, wreaths and greens for all your Holiday Decorating needs.
Whitehouse Station
Holly Bough Plantation, Whitehouse Station
908-534-2622… 88 Cole Rd…I-78 or Rte. 22 to Rte. 523, two miles south to Rte. 620 (Dreahook Rd.), ¼ mi. to Holland Brook Rd. – Turn right, continue 1.5 mi. to split in road, turn right onto Cole Rd.
Species…200 trees; Blue Spruce, Canaan Fir, Black Hills Spruce
Open…9:30-5 (Sat & Sun), Nov. 24 – Dec. 23.
Wrightstown
Edwards Christmas Tree Farm, Wrightstown
609-758-7729… 338 Jacobstown-Cookstown Rd…From Mt. Holly, take Rte. 537 E. to right at light at Jacobstown-Cookstown Rd. Farm is one mile on right. From Freehold, take Rte. 537 W. to left at light at Jacobstown-Cookstown Rd. Farm is one mile on right. Species…200 trees; White Pine, Douglas-fir, Scotch Pine
Open…9-4:30 (daily), Dec. 1 – Dec. 24

Christmas customs are not homogenous all over the world, but among the most popular ones we can surely find exchanging of gifts, kissing under the mistletoe, decorating the Christmas tree and other indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations and Christmas ornaments. But while preparing your house for the holiday season you should not forget to pay attention to the basic idea of Christmas: spending quality time with your families and friends and thinking about the baby Jesus’ birth. Your soul must be prepared too for holidays!

All your Christmas decorations must have a magical spirit and must reflect your warm and tender feelings about this holy time of the year. You should search for new ideas every year so your Christmas ornaments will get the maximum appreciation, as many of your relatives and friends will visit you during this white season.

In order to create an intimate and warm atmosphere in your house, you can place colourful ribbons or bows on your curtains, chairs or door handles. You can add a touch of joy by using different colours instead of the usual green, red and white. But you can also choose a theme for your Christmas decorations, using only a colour or two. For a better effect, the tableware can follow the same pattern. The holiday garlands, the window candles and the lights on the front windows can also contribute to the charm of the decoration. You may be sure that your children will feel very enthusiastic about creating Christmas ornaments from coloured paper or other materials and this will stimulate their creativity.

The Christmas tree is perhaps the most important of all Christmas decorations. It can be real or made of plastic; it can be in miniature or tall. All that matters is what it stands for: a celebration of God and Jesus, a manifestation of joy and appreciation, a period when everyone tries to be a better person. The way one chooses Christmas ornaments is rather important for everyone because they can show the large variety of feelings related to this magic time. Children are the ones that dream most about the candy canes, stars, bells, toys, socks, little snowmen, Santa Clause hats hung in the Christmas tree. They dream more than adults and they probably even feel more during this period. So pay special attention to the star or the fairy on the top of the tree: it will be noticed (by everyone, not just your children) for sure! And do not forget to buy electric flashing lights, white or coloured, to make your tree look more animated!

Your children and the carol singers will love some suitable for eating Christmas ornaments. Chocolate coins or homemade cookies with a coloured, silver or gold wrapping will look delicious while sparkling in the tree and will tempt the guests of all ages! The same effect will be produced by other important Christmas ornaments – of the table – : the Christmas cakes, which you can cook and even decorate according to your imagination.

You should also think about some interesting and elegant Christmas decorations for your living room table: white glittery pinecones, little snowmen, white doves, white or coloured berries and flowers, silver bells, angels and anything that makes you feel happy. Everything can be sprayed with snow, giving only a little light dusting or making it look like a heavy snowfall, upon your personal taste.

Speaking about outdoor Christmas decorations, you might even enjoy a banner to tell everybody how happy you are about the holiday season, to wish them ‘Merry Christmas!’ or to make sure that Santa will not pass by your house. For many families it is very important to decorate their homes with strings of lights, which can have many shapes and sizes and seem to be the most popular outdoor Christmas ornaments. There are also dangling lights which resemble Santa Claus, snowmen, angels or icicles. There’s no limit to how you can show your joy regarding the Christmas time.

In the past, all that people used was a wreath of holly on the door, but now we can see Santa climbing up the roofs, fake snow on all the windows or even a pre-made figure or statue with lighting capabilities. (This can take the shape of Santa, a cartoon character, a religious figure or can even represent a biblical scene.) Many people manufacture their own decorations instead of buying them or look for exclusive products to make their house the most admired in the neighbourhood. For them as well as for us, the spirit of Christmas has to light everyone’s hearts and they do the best they can to bring a smile on their neighbour’s faces.

CHRISTMAS
Traditionally observed on December 25, Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Although some churches observe it on different dates, the fact is that the precise chronology of Jesus’ birth and death is yet to be determined. Christmas has many sides to it, some religious and some secular, including the exchange of gifts, the Santa Claus myth, decoration and display of the Christmas tree, and religious ceremonies. History
We can trace the origin of Christmas to several pagan holidays. It was since AD 354 that the christians in the West started celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ on December 25, replacing an earlier date of January 6. By that time, the christians had appropriated several pagan festivals and traditions of the season that were practiced in many parts of the Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out. Among those festivals were Saturnalia of the Romans, the birth celebrations of sun – God Attis in Phrygia (December 25) and Persian sun – God Mithras (December 17-24). The Nativity
The Nativity refers to the birth of Jesus Christ. The christians celebrate Christmas by remembering or re-creating the Nativity. While the Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, the Western Church mostly prefers celebrating Advent. Children often enact the events of the Nativity, or sing some of the numerous Christmas carols that reference the event. Some christians display a small re-creation of the Nativity in their homes, using small figurines to portray the key characters. Santa Claus
In Western culture, a main feature of Christmas is the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of them being attributed to Santa Claus. Santa Claus is also known by other names, such as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Saint Basil and Father Frost. Santa Claus is based on the tale about Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, who gave gifts on the eve of his feast day of December 6. He became associated with Christmas in 19th century America and was renamed Santa Claus or Saint Nick. In Britain and France too, Father Christmas and Pere Noel respectively were made to adopt the Santa image.Christmas tree
The Christmas tree owes its origin to the ancient pagan idea, later appropriated by the christians, that the evergreen tree represents a celebration of the renewal of life. Christmas trees first became popular in Germany in the late 18th century. Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments. The poinsettia then became associated with Christmas, while other popular holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus. In some parts of the world, it is traditional to decorate the outside of houses with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures. Town authorities also hang Christmas banners from street lights and place Christmas trees in the town square.Feasts and cards
A special meal of Christmas dishes is usually served on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. Another extremely popular tradition is to send Christmas cards to friends and family members. Cards can also be produced with messages such as “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays”, to include senders and recipients who may not celebrate Christmas.

As the holiday season draws near, you’re sure to be busy making your list and checking it twice.  Between balancing your budget with your children’s wish lists, battling the shopping malls for the best bargains, planning family gatherings, decking the halls, preparing holiday meals, gift wrapping, and more, it’s easy to see how Christmas can come and go without the time to slow down, take a breath, and enjoy the holiday season with your family.  

If you’re looking for ways to stop and smell the gingerbread this year while creating some precious memories that can last a lifetime, here are a few simple and fun holiday activities that will ensure your entire family has a holly jolly Christmas!

“Remember that Carol” is a simple game that both kids and adults will enjoy as they go from person to person each taking turns announcing a Christmas carol that they remember and singing a verse from it.  A great game to entertain your children at home or to pass time on the road while traveling for the holidays, it will have your family making beautiful music together in no time! 

Christmas Charades is fun for the whole family!  Just have everyone write out 2 or 3 common holiday-themed items, characters, or decorations, etc. on small pieces of paper.  Fold them all up and place them in a bowl, and then take turns drawing out one at a time and acting them out for all to guess.

Holiday bedtime stories.  Dedicate 5 minutes each night throughout the month of December to read your child a bedtime Christmas story book.  Let your little ones take turns picking out which book you will read each night.  You can let your children choose one or two new Christmas books each year to add to their collection. 

Christmas Gift Hunt.  If you like to open a gift early on Christmas Eve, or hunt for presents on Christmas day, you can create a memorable fun way for your children to receive their gifts by making a simple Christmas holiday hunt.  You’ll need to prepare ahead and hide a trail of simple holiday clues that when solved will lead your child from one clue to the next until they ultimately reach and uncover where their “treasured” Christmas gift has been stashed away.  If you don’t have time to make your own clues, inexpensive pre-made print ‘n’ play Christmas hunts are available online for both children and adults at Treasure-Adventure.com.  Simply download, print, and play instantly! 

Deck the halls!  Make holiday decorating a group effort.  Take time to work with your children to make a few simple personalized holiday projects that can be displayed in your home or be given as memorable and unique gifts to friends and family such as painting ceramic angels or holiday candles, making ornaments or homemade candy canes, coloring and cutting out Christmas designs and applying them to windows, stockings, sleds, and other traditional holiday decor, or making a wreath together with everyone contributing.  There is an endless array of Christmas craft kits you might take advantage of or just grab your construction paper, glue, scissors, glitter, garland, and crayons, and make your own holiday decorations. Your kids will love this family craft time and beam with pride as they get to show off their special creations to holiday visitors.

Finally, make Christmas eve all about family time.  Turn off the TV and video games, turn on the Christmas tree lights, and play an old-fashioned family game or just come together as a family to talk and enjoy each other’s company. 

It takes only a little time and creativity to bring your loved ones together around a few special holiday activities and make your own Christmas traditions and lasting family memories of the joyous holiday season together.

One of my favourite Christmas songs is the one with the line that describes Christmas as being ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. While everyone looks forward to the giving and receiving of Christmas gifts there are many more activities that make Christmas wonderful and memorable. In this article I’ll share some of my favourite Christmas activities; maybe you can adopt some of them for your own family.Choosing a Christmas TreeThe Christmas Tree is a focal point in our home at Christmas and is the most visible display during the festive season. For many families the search for a Christmas Tree begins with a family trip to a tree farm on the day after Thanksgiving. In our house the memories start with us hauling the huge box containing our artificial tree out of the attic and trying to remember how it all fits together!Once the tree is assembled the real fun starts; decorating it with gorgeous Christmas ornaments. Our entire family takes part in decorating the tree; put some Christmas tunes on the stereo and have a sing-a-long while you decorate. Of course many of our ornaments are bought from the store but we also love to make our own homemade Christmas decorations. A lot of love goes into each ornament and as we unpack them each year they bring back a lot of happy memories about Christmases past. While decorations may change from year to year the homemade ones always have a special place on our tree.Baking cookies and other goodiesAnother one of our memorable activities is cookie baking. We make gingerbread cookies and use Christmas-shaped cookie cutters to give them a festive feel. Baking cookies is an activity the whole family can enjoy. Older children can help with the baking while the younger ones can have fun sprinkling sugar on the finished cookies, or decorating them with icing. Just be sure to have the camera ready for some great fun-filled Christmas shots.Making goodie basketsIf you set aside a whole day for baking you’ll be surprised at the amount of Christmas cookies and other baked goods you can turn out. These make great gifts for friends and family; even the kid’s teachers. Simply add the cookies and some fruit and other treat to a small basket and finish it off with a bow. Goodie baskets make wonderful gifts as they are home-made and this makes them more treasured than a Christmas gift bought at the store.Send a Christmas card or letter to loved onesWe must not forget that Christmas is the season of goodwill and good cheer and it is very important to reach out to friends and family during the holiday season. While you may be too busy to stay in touch during the year Christmas is a great time to catch up and share your family news. We spend time making our own greetings cards for close friends and family. For out-of-town relatives we write up a Christmas letter, packed full of news from the year gone by. The little ones can help by decorating the letters, perhaps including drawings and photos. These letters are a great way to share the important things that have happened in your life.Finding our what Santa broughtOf course the activity that everyone looks forward to most is the presents on Christmas morning. The little ones sneak down on Christmas morning to see what Santa left for them during the night. Magically hiding the gifts the night before is as much a memorable activities for the adults as seeing their little one’s faces light up as they tear open the gifts on Christmas morning.

Christmas quickly approaches and vacation time for children as well. We therefore wonder how we are going to entertain our children during the end of year holidays. Holiday season is the best moment to share activities between adults and children. The first of these activities is to get back into the mood for the magic and the festive spirit of this holiday by visiting shopping malls organizing beautifully decorated windows; which are an eternally renewed delight for the children and their parents. Some shopping malls are also organizing areas consisting of a path to the lighting, decorations, displayed scenes from Christmas movies, train sets and toys simulating real situations; static or interactive decorations as a fire truck and fire fighters helping the victims of a fire or the express of the King’s Cross railway station platform 9-3/4 bringing Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts. A little further on, after seeing Rudolph surrounded by elves and goblins relaxing on a fairy forest, we enter in the fantastic house of Barbie; which contains 35 rooms decorated for the December 24th Eve. Do not disturb her, she is hosting a Christmas party. Another three steps and we will enter in the victorian area of this Christmas dream: hundreds of beautiful teddy bears are playing in a green grass area. Ten meters after them, we are approaching a bedroom where luxurious old fashioned porcelain dolls are sleeping in their cradle. At the end of this path, we meet Santa Claus, sitting on a golden seat and waiting for our children to communicate their wish list to him. A picture of Santa Claus holding our child on his laps closes this magical journey that reminds us the taste and the atmosphere of our own childhood. This fairy journey will also become our first Christmas memory of the year. The second activity will be the decoration of our house and the Christmas tree. Is there a better holiday activity than this one; which our children will remember when they will grow up and become parents? It will certainly give them the desire to perpetuate these traditions. I remember the first time I decorated the tree with my mother and she told me to not to touch the flocking which simulated the snow because she thought that it would cut my fingers. I did not believe her… When my son helped me to decorate the Christmas tree for the first time, I told him not to touch the flocking and within one second, the taste and the atmosphere of my own childhood end of year holidays came back to my memory. When the tree and the house are decorated, we will install the crib that represents the Nativity scene. Children have not lost their primary instincts and the scene will usually be more secure than beautiful, as if they wanted to protect the baby Jesus twenty centuries after his birth. Let them install the Christmas crib while we supervise their work. The scene of the nativity is also the opportunity to educate children about the birth of Jesus and the meaning of Christmas; and it is a fun way to learn history. Another end of year holiday activity to share with our family is to walk on the streets to discover the gardens decorated with Santa Claus on his sleigh or climbing along the front of the houses, the lights on the municipal Christmas tree as well as participate in end of year Events organized by the municipality. After a long and tiring day, we will enjoy a warm evening by watching a Christmas movie with our children, drink hot chocolate and eat waffles or cookies. These are some basic activities that will create, for us and our children, holiday season memories that will last for a lifetime.

Someone has rightly said, “Christmas is the blessed season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love by giving and receiving.”25th December is one of the much awaited days of the year. For, this is the time when the people around the world celebrate the birth of their beloved Christ. It is the time when people exchange gifts to commemorate the legend of the three wise men who showered the baby Jesus Christ with rich gifts. Today, people especially the kids associate Christmas with Santa Claus who comes on a reindeer drawn sleigh and bring the much desired gifts. But one doesn’t necessarily have to be a child to secretly wish for special gifts on Christmas. There are many gift ideas that can bring cheer to all those wishing for great Christmas gifts. A Christmas gift basket can manifest all that Christmas stands for. It can hold exquisite homemade chocolates with fresh flowers for that perfect Christmas gift. Alternately, you may also send cookies, cakes or soft toys as a combo Christmas gift. A combination of fruits is also a great idea for celebrating Christmas-eve or Christmas party. It adds variety to the Christmas menu!It can also have Christmas tree decors – jingle bells, twinkling lights, splendid ribbons, candles and angel tree-toppers. Christmas ornaments can be wonderful gifts that go into the basket. Christmas figurines, collectibles and nativity sets are perfect mementoes for the festive season.An array of fine wine is another special way of saying Merry Christmas. You can also send a Christmas tree to double the joy of a Christmas party. Christmas is the time to share happiness, spread love and enjoy from within. The Christmas Gifts that you present should reflect your feeling which can never be expressed with words. If you want to send/give unique Christmas gifts then gifting utility gifts such as books, portable electronic goods, kitchen and home appliances make amazing options. Send your loved ones a Christmas gift certificate this year to their favorite lifestyle store or food joint and rest assured, it will leave a long lasting impression on their minds.But where would you buy the perfect Christmas gifts? With life as busy as ever, and many of you shuddering at the very idea of battling the thousands of people at the local shopping centre, online marts can be the best option. Today, online marts has become very popular for Christmas shopping and with so many suppliers and such a competitive market, goods are available in many cases right up to Christmas. Check on online retail shopping marts that offer free shipping and hassle free delivery options. There are many websites offering same day delivery options for perishable gifts like cakes, flower bouquets, fruits etc.

Christmas time, family, Santa, Christmas lights, the smell of the real Xmas trees, the traditional Christmas dinner, children that can’t sleep and the opening of presents, all these things remind us of Christmas. For seasons like Halloween it is pumpkin, spider webs and ghostly images, or Easter we have the mythical Easter bunny and chocolate eggs while for Thanksgiving it is the turkey. Not all countries will celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving but you will find that almost all countries in the world are celebrating Christmas in one way or another. Most of us will have fond memories of Christmas, of the Christmas trees in every ones houses, special events with artificial or real Christmas trees in the shopping malls. Perhaps not every year we had the real Xmas tree but we certainly will recall the feel and the smell of a house that had a real tree. Many parents these days find it a chore to have a real Xmas tree but there is something special about them and they do bring up long ago memories of fun and family togetherness. There is a lot of information on where the tradition of the Christmas tree started but there does not appear to be a clear and simple answer and the more you research the more differing opinions you will find as to where the idea of the Christmas tree began. It is also thought that traditional Christmas tree ornaments generally consisted of dried fruits, popcorn and candies and in that respect not much has changed. You will find many edible decorations available today for Christmas trees. Long before the days of artificial trees the only real alternative was the living Christmas tree and while there are various other replacement products on the market none of these really stand up against the real Xmas tree. There is a completely different feel, smell and atmosphere at Christmas in a house that has a living Christmas tree. While it can be argued that the artificial trees are almost no maintenance, when you consider that Christmas is once a year and a holiday to celebrate with family and friends then the minimal effort of having a living Christmas tree is worth it. With the accessibility options such as online and order services for the purchase of real Xmas trees you will often find that some corporate businesses will also make the effort to use real Christmas trees in their office reception areas. There should perhaps be studies made to address whether the emotional response of a real Christmas tree at your work place improves sales to customers or service from employees. For me at least there is a definite uplifting emotional response to a real Xmas trees. Businesses are all aware of the emotional responses and family entertainment value that Christmas can bring and every year they come up with new and entertaining ornaments and decorative ideas for Christmas trees to suit all manner of families. Perhaps this year you may opt for a themed Christmas celebration, perhaps not limited to the tree decorations alone. With these new and exciting decorations available there are also always new and fun Christmas lights with which to adorn your trees. Christmas comes around only once a year and it is a special and magical time for all children with that enthusiasm rubbing off on the older generation making the experience fun for all so perhaps it is time to take a look at what new goodies there are out there to adorn your Christmas tree. This year when you are making your Christmas tree plans, recall your memories of past Christmas’ and the fun and excitement of all those concerned in the actual selection of the real Xmas tree, and/or the decoration as a family. Those memories will come back to you and they are memories that are very hard to improve on. With the variety of decorations and displays for the tree, mostly at economical prices, a fun family Christmas is available on almost any budget.

For many of us, Christmas is the most celebrated and cherished time of the year. We dream about it months before the 25th of December and we try to anticipate the way we’ll spend this magic period. In order to make the most of it, we have to choose the best Christmas decorations (the most glamorous and eye catching Christmas ornaments), the most attractive Christmas tree and to be surrounded by our family and friends.

We all seem to be perfectionists when it comes to Christmas decorations. It’s understandable, since we wait for an entire year to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to enjoy the reunion of our family. But the best herald of this holy time of the year remains the Christmas tree. It’s around it where we share stories and laugh and open Santa’s presents.

The origins of the Christmas tree are not known for sure, but they date since ancient times and are connected to religious rituals. The practice of adorning it seems to have started during the 1500s, when an evergreen was associated with the Mother of Jesus and was decorated with roses as Christmas ornaments. A period when the Christmas decorations were represented only by nuts, pretzels, raisins and cookies followed. Then the glass balls appeared and gradually they were replaced by today’s plastic tree ornaments, like bells, toys, stars, candy canes, socks, Santa Claus hats and little snowmen.

The first thing to have in mind when searching for a Christmas tree is whether you prefer a real or a fake one. There are some advantages and disadvantages: the real one is very beautiful and smells like winter and forest, but it can make a mess of needles on your floor if it isn’t a special type of fir (evergreen) or if it wasn’t treated with special chemicals; the fake one will look realistic enough when we arrange its branches, but it will not fool anyone.

The finishing note for the tree is represented by the Christmas ornaments. No matter what you choose, how you decide to adorn it, your tree should say something about you and your family. You may choose a religious theme or a modern one. You may choose only white, red, silver, gold or other fancy colourful Christmas decorations. You don’t even have to spend a lot of money to have beautiful and unique Christmas ornaments for the Christmas tree. You can make a lot of them together with your family, in order to give your celebration a personal touch. Children especially are very enthusiastic about manufacturing all kinds of Christmas ornaments by themselves, using materials like white or coloured paper. Snowflakes are one of the simplest Christmas decorations to be made. This will develop their imagination and their skills and you will have less work to do by yourself.

The Christmas ornaments in chief position may be represented by the stars or the fairies on the top of the tree. We have many options for that too, since the specialised stores provide us with endless ideas. Other Christmas decorations that should not be forgotten are the lights. Originally people used candles for this purpose, but they’ve proven to be dangerous (a source for unwanted accidets), so now everybody buys electric lights which flash and even play Christmas carols. We certainly don’t want any Christmas ornaments to fall down from the tree, so it would be recommended to fasten them carefully.

No matter which Christmas story pleases us, about Jesus or about Santa, about angels or about reindeers, we should not forget to tell it to our children during Christmas Eve. This will create a magic atmosphere and, together with the Christmas decorations so carefully chosen, will make us all feel the peace of Christmas in our souls.