Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

The Top 10 Christmas Gifts For Teens

Being a contemporary teenager going through an awkward stage of life is not easy. Not yet adults, but no longer children, they commonly feel misunderstood, isolated, and are frustrated most of the time. Pleasing them seems like an impossibility. Whether it's what's for dinner or what to watch on television or curfew times, there is likely going to be resistance from the teen. If you are buying for a young woman or a young man, we have a list of the top 10 Christmas gifts that will leave them happy - at least for a wee while.

Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Teens

Christmas Toys

Mp3 Player - While the iPod Touch is at the top of most teen wish lists, there are many other great Mp3 players available in all sorts of price ranges. If your teen listens to music, an Mp3 player is going to be a hit. Video Games - Whether it's a console - the Xbox 360 or the Nintendo Wii - or a video game for the Ps3, a video game is sure to make most teens happy. Clothes - While girls like new clothes for Christmas, boys do too, especially the ones who like to look their best. An extra special high priced brand name clothing item might be the exquisite gift for the teen in your life. Gift Card - Some would consider this tacky, but for many teens it is the exquisite gift that lets them get what they want. Whether it's a cafeteria gift card they can use with their friends or a gift card for a agency store, teens like to spend money. Tickets - If you know the teen's popular band, you can try to get them tickets to the next show in your area. Or, if they are a sports fan, a good pair of tickets might be the exquisite Christmas gift this year. Laptop / Netbook - This is a high priced item, but if the teen is your own and you want to help them in school, a laptop or netbook might be the gift they use all year long. New Phone - Most teens love their phone and getting a brand new one with lots of new features will likely make them leap in joy - on the inside anyway. Digital Camera - There are digital cameras in all price ranges these days. Most teens like to take pictures when they're out with their friends. If you have the money, a low-end Dslr camera would make most teens ecstatic. Music - In the past this would have meant Cds (and it still may depending on the teen), but it could also mean a gift card for Napster, iTunes, or someone else music store where they can download Mp3 music files. Puppy / Kitten / Hamster - Or some sort of pet. An animal isn't for every teen, but this unique gift is sure to be remembered. Just make sure the animal doesn't want a lot of work.

This list should give you a good idea of what Christmas gift is going to make the teens on your shopping list happy. Good luck and happy holiday shopping - the stepping back is over (spread the word that shopping online is back!)

The Top 10 Christmas Gifts For Teens

Favorite Christmas Songs for Kids

What do kids love most about Christmas? The gifts, of course! When Santa and the elves dream big, children explode with delight. But the holiday season is about more than gift giving, and kids celebrate Christmas in a variety of ways. Chief among them are Christmas carols. There's no better way for kids to spread a little Yuletide cheer than singing "Joy to the World" at the top of their lungs. Thankfully for those of us who see the magic of the Yuletide season most clearly through the eyes of children, there are plenty of great kids carols to go around. Here, we'd like to present you with the 10 kids Christmas songs we think are the best of the best, in no particular order:

Joy to the World - Okay, we have to start with this one because we've already made a fuss over it. This song reminds us what Christmas is all about.

Christmas Eve

Frosty the Snowman - What kid doesn't love to sing this song? There's no beating a white Christmas, and building a snowman with mom and dad is as fun as it gets.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Without question the most popular and endearing children's Christmas carol of all-time.

Jingle Bells - "Dashing through the snow ..." Can you finish the next line? Of course you can, all the way to the chorus! And your kids can, too. This song is as catchy as they come.

Here Comes Santa Claus - This song is filled with anticipation and promise. Kids go to bed on Christmas Eve with its words in their heads ... "'cause Santa Claus comes tonight!"

Here We Come A-Caroling - Festive and upbeat, this is indeed the quintessential caroling song. It even wishes a happy new year. What more could you want?

Up on the Housetop - Another song about Santa. Could the picture get any clearer? Santa's impending arrival is definitely worth singing about!

The 12 Days of Christmas - Thought we might forget this one, didn't you? Not a chance.

Winter Wonderland - Christmas is magical no matter the weather. But let's face it, waking up to a Winter Wonderland on the big day certainly helps set the mood!

O Christmas Tree - Across America, elementary schools often celebrate the season before the holiday break with caroling or choirs. This song is on the set list almost without fail. It pays homage to the very tree we meticulously decorate each December, the tree under which Santa leaves gifts for the kids who have been good. The Christmas Tree is an integral part of our tradition. How can we not sing about it?

So there you have it, the 10 best kids Christmas songs ever written. How'd we do? We're sure we left off a few, but there are just too many great songs not to.

Favorite Christmas Songs for Kids

4 Chicken Breast Recipes for Christmas Dinner

Chicken breast recipes are great for any family meal, but when it comes to family holidays, you can't beat the taste of these boneless and stuffed chicken breast recipes. Check our Christmas dinner recipes below, and you'll be begging for Christmas to come every day of the year.

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Christmas Eve

6 boneless, skinless breast halves
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 package (6 ounces) whole-wheat or regular chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1 cup chopped, peeled apple
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup apple jelly
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Slice each chicken breast horizontally through the middle, almost to the end, leaving one end together to create an area to stuff. Slightly tap each piece to flatten just a bit, and brush olive oil on the outside of each piece. Set aside.

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Add apple, celery, walnuts, raisins, and lemon peel to already-prepared stuffing.

Evenly divide stuffing mixture into 6 servings, and stuff each breast with the stuffing mix. Placed stuffed meat in a prepared 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

In a saucepan, mix apple jelly, lemon juice, and cinnamon; bringing to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Brush about half of the jelly glaze on the top side of each poultry piece.

Bake chicken, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes; then pour remaining apple jelly glaze over each breast and bake for about 20 minutes more (a total of 1 hour bake time)

Pineapple Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 boneless, skinless breasts
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped
2/3/ cup hot water
1 package (6 ounces) whole wheat or regular chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 (8-1/4 ounce size) can crushed pineapple (drained, but keep liquid for glaze)

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid. Set aside.

Slice chicken pieces horizontally through the middle, leaving attached at one end to form a pocket. Flatten slightly by tapping down.

Melt butter over medium heat. Add red and green peppers and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in 2/3 cup hot water, then add dry stuffing mix and pineapple. Mix and let set for 4 to 5 minutes.

Stuff middle of poultry pieces with pineapple stuffing mix, and place in greased or sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix reserved juice from pineapple, brown sugar, white vinegar, and ginger. Drizzle evenly over pieces.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Creamy Chicken Breasts

6 boneless, skinless breasts
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
16 ounces sour cream
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Spray crock pot, and place breasts in the slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.

Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Cranberry Chicken Breasts

NOTE: The is best started the night before!

6 boneless, skinless breasts
1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
1 (8 ounce) bottle Russian salad dressing
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Spray crock pot, and place chicken in the slow cooker. Combine cranberry sauce, dressing, and soup mix, and pour over chicken.

Cover and chill in refrigerator 2 to 8 hours or overnight.

After marinating in refrigerator, cook, covered, in slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Slow cooker chicken breast recipes are especially great for Christmas Eve dinner when you're busy wrapping presents and putting Christmas bikes and beds together! However, whether you're planning an intimate Christmas Eve dinner or an elaborate Christmas Day dinner celebration, you should find just the right Christmas chicken recipe for your family holiday this year!

4 Chicken Breast Recipes for Christmas Dinner

Christmas Menu Ideas for a Traditional Christmas Celebration

Christmas has always been a time for family and wonderful food. You will find there are many traditions regarding the typical Christmas menu. If you're preparing your family's Christmas dinner, here are a couple of ideas:

Many Christmas culinary traditions are dependent on location. For instance in the South United States many families tend to have either ham or turkey for their main dish. Other families save the turkey for Thanksgiving and the ham for Easter, while eating a delicious prime rib for Christmas. Whatever you choose for your main course, potatoes, corn, beets, dinner rolls, and fruit usually accompany the meal.

Christmas Day

A traditional recipe for mashed potatoes at Christmas time includes potatoes, milk, butter, salt, pepper, and sour cream. Normally for five potatoes you use ¼ cup milk, 1-tablespoon butter, salt and pepper to taste, and 1-tablespoon sour cream. The easiest way to mash the potatoes is using a mixer - quick, very creamy and always lump free, definitely a good thing if you're making a large quantity. Another great recipe for Christmas is green bean casserole. For green bean casserole you need one can of sliced green beans, one can of cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions. You mix the soup and green beans together, place the fried onions on the top, and then bake the dish for twenty minutes depending on your oven.

Christmas is a time for us to share family with friends and exchange gifts. It is also a time where we tend to eat some of the most delicious home cooked meals because we take the time out of our day to relax and cook. Whatever you choose to serve on Christmas day, don't forget though that relaxing and spending time with loved ones should be your first priority.

Christmas Menu Ideas for a Traditional Christmas Celebration

Meaning and Origin of Christmas Gifts

Although Christmas Day is popular around the world, the pass of the time and commercial activities associated to this particular date has been diluting the meaning of the day, which was the origin of Christmas gifts as well.

Christmas is a festivity that celebrates the birth of Jesus 2006 years ago in the town of Bethlehem, about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. Although the place where Jesus was born has been subject of discussion, it is know that 3 Kings of Orient traveled to visit the newborn.

Christmas Gift

If the World's Finest Chocolates would have been available at this time, these three wise men would give them to Jesus as a gift but the tradition was just about to be written. Instead of Hershey chocolate or Willy Wonka Candy, the Kings honored Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh

As the centuries passed by, gold, frankincense and myrrh became traditional symbols to remember those early Christmas Gift to Jesus. The Three Kings of Orient, became also a symbol of kindness known by different names in different cultures and nations.

Whether you call them Kings of Orient, Three Wise Men, Kings from the East, Reyes Magos or Magi, some Christmas gifts contain some of the World's Finest Chocolates shaped with figures resembling the way they might have looked.

Hershey chocolate has special promotion during Christmas, including all sorts of chocolates wrapped in translucent lustrous paper, or other chocolates with seasonal decorations, and even small toys.

Ghirardelli chocolate also offers special boxes ideas for Christmas gifts, and many children like to collect the seasonal wrappers of some the brands for sales during the Christmas season.

The history is unclear about the name of the Wise Men, but during the 8th century, it was declared that their official names were Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. They were formerly Zoroastrian astrologers from Ancient Persia who traveled from the east of Jerusalem to honor the King of the Jews guided by the Star of Bethlehem.

It is believed that they carried with them numerous presents. Even though, no Hershey chocolate or Ghirardelli chocolate, but three of those gifts are associated to our modern Christmas gifts.

Why were those three gifts the most meaningful? Although there are many versions of the origin and meaning of such presents, the popular theory explains that those were the common presents that a king should receive.

However, it is also believed that such gifts are associated with the prophecy of the Star of Bethlehem, which says that gold symbolized kingship on earth, frankincense was the symbol of divine authority, and myrrh symbolizing death.

What the World's Finest Chocolates means today as Christmas Gift, is a delicious experience that anyone should deserve in this season of the year.

Meaning and Origin of Christmas Gifts

Non-Traditional Christmas Dinner Ideas For a Change This Year!

Are you one of those families who like to switch it up a notch and try out new and inventive ideas for the holidays? No stinkin' turkey and mashed potatoes for you? No problem! There is no rule book for the holidays. True, traditions are widely practiced, especially during the holidays, but these are unwritten rules and there is no reason why you need to follow these rules during the holiday season. Spice it up a little and make a meal that you know will please your guests, even if it is not the traditional holiday menu that people are used to. In fact, you can make a new tradition and have a different international flair each holiday. Bring in a menu from every corner of the world during the holidays. These Christmas dinner ideas will most definitely be a conversation piece that will keep your guests talking and wondering what nationality they will be celebrating this season!

Spice up your Christmas Eve dinner with a Mexican fiesta! There are so many different items you can make to create a really delicious holiday meal using Mexican recipes and many of these dishes you can prepare ahead of time which will leave you more time to sit and visit with your guests and will allow you to enjoy the holidays more! Make a couple of batches of enchiladas prepared different ways, perhaps cheese enchiladas with a red sauce and chicken enchiladas with a creamy sauce. Don't forget to add the delicious side dishes such as Spanish rice, refried beans, nacho chips, guacamole and salsa. For dessert, prepare a tasty flan to complete your Mexican holiday fiesta feast! The following year, instead of a Mexican feed, why not go for Italian route and prepare some delicious pasta dishes. A large bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a baking dish of lasagna or cannelloni can be prepared for a large gathering of people. Add some fresh garlic bread a and a Caesar salad and you have a quick, easy and delicious Italian menu that will be delicious to feast on at Christmas.

Christmas Eve

You don't have to use traditional Christmas dinner ideas to make your menu and gathering warm and inviting. All you need is family and good friends, lots of laughter and a delicious meal to make any holiday gathering memorable.

Non-Traditional Christmas Dinner Ideas For a Change This Year!

Popular Christmas Traditions and Christmas Decorations in Spain

Throughout the world, Christmas is one of the most well known holidays. In Spain, as well as in many other countries, this holiday focuses on the celebration of Christ's birth. It is a time for families to gather together to celebrate and share the joy of the season with song, dancing and family meals. Christmas trees and handmade decorations, as well as the Nativity scene are familiar sights. Although these traditions are common in many countries, there are some aspects of the Christmas holiday which are unique to Spain.

Leading up to the Christmas holiday, the Spanish celebrate a tradition called "Hogueras" (bonfires). This is a celebration of the winter solstice which is the shortest day of the year. At this time, people jump over a bonfire, symbolizing a protection against illness. Also during the winter solstice, swing sets are constructed to be used by the people in the belief that by swinging high they will cause the sun to move higher in the sky.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, tiny lamps are lit in the windows throughout the villages, representing the stars in the Christmas Eve sky. At midnight, bells are rung in each of the villages, calling everyone to "La Misa Del Gallo", the Mass of the Rooster. It is called this because the rooster was known as the first of the animals to announce Christ's birth.

After the midnight Mass, Christmas dinner is served. The traditional holiday meal includes "Pavo Trufado de Navidad", which is Christmas turkey with truffles. Roast lamb, suckling pig, duck, and seafood such as lobster, shrimp, trout and salmon may also be served, depending on which part of the country one is in. Traditional desserts may include marzipan, made of honey, almonds and eggs, and polvorones, which is a sweetbread. Nuts, dried fruits, and caramel custard are among other desserts served. No meal is complete without a drink. Cava is the Spanish champagne, and it often accompanies the Christmas meal.

In many countries a visit by Santa Claus is an important part of a Christmas celebration. However, in Spain, this is not the case. The children do receive small gifts from "Papa Noel" on Christmas, but this is not a big part of the festivities. Instead, they celebrate January 6, which is the Three King's Day, a day commemorating the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus. On January 5, the children take part in a parade to see the Three Kings when they come to their village or town. When given the chance, they ask the Three Kings for the presents they are hoping for. On the eve of this special day, the children leave their shoes out where they are easily found. They are filled with straw and carrots for the camels on which the Wise Men travel. On the next morning, the straw and carrots are gone, replaced by presents. On this day, a special dessert is served, the "Roscon de los Reyes" which is a large circular cake. It is decorated with candied fruits, which represent the jewels which were on the Three Kings' robes. There is a surprise baked into the cake, and whoever finds it becomes the king or queen of the house.

Spain's celebration of Christmas is similar to the manner in which other countries celebrate it with Christmas trees and Christmas wreaths.. But by also having its own unique traditions, a visitor can gain insight into the people of Spain and their lives. Knowing the traditions of various countries such as Spain can give one a new appreciation of the Christmas holiday around the world.

Popular Christmas Traditions and Christmas Decorations in Spain

Preschool Christmas Songs

Christmas is all about being with the ones that you love, and sharing moments that will last a lifetime. For preschoolers, it is a dinky bit different. They do like being with their family, but even more than that, they like waiting for Santa Claus. They love sitting on his lap, setting out cookies, and waking up the next morning with presents all around. That is why most preschool Christmas songs are about Santa. But maybe we are sending the wrong message to our children. Christmas is about Jesus, not Santa.

If you are teaching your students Christmas songs consider combining a doing with announcements about preschool fundraising programs. Po

Christmas Toys

What Message Do Your Christmas Songs Send?

More kids are customary with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer than Away in a Manger. Kids get more excited about Santa than Jesus. Year after year we show our children that Christmas is about presents rather than the birth of Jesus.

Most of the Christmas songs we sing are about Santa and the North Pole, rather than Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Preschool Christmas songs are mostly about being good for Santa, rather than being good for Jesus. They teach you about elves, stockings, chimneys, snow, and candy canes. Shouldn't Christmas songs sing about Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the three kings, the manger, and angels? We have come to be a society that is focused on how much "stuff" we have, rather than how much heart we have. Don't you want your child to grow up and come to be a Christian that lives a Christian life, and believes in Christian things? We are teaching our children that focusing on things other than Christ is Ok. There is nothing wrong with singing songs about Santa or reindeers. But shouldn't most of the songs that the kids learn be about Jesus? After all, it is his birthday, and not Santa's.

Preschool Christmas songs are a great way to get kids excited about Christmas. Christmas used to be about giving and loving, and now it is all about receiving and taking. Maybe we need to help with the homeless and food banks, rather than go to the mall and buy a new pair of jeans. Let's focus on what is leading during Christmas: The birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is not bad to sing about Santa, candy, and dinky elves. But this Christmas, let's make sure that Santa is not our focus, but Jesus is. Teach your child preschool Christmas songs like Away in a Manger, or Holy Night. Isn't that what Jesus would do?

Preschool Christmas Songs

Webkinz Holiday Recipes

Do you plan on doing something special for your Webkinz this holiday season? I did. I got my kids to sit around the computer with me one morning and told them that their Webkinz were going to have a big Christmas Eve Party.

Next I got a Christmas tree and gathered all of their Webkinz together into one room with plans of making them some holiday food. But to my surprise there really aren't any Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Webkinz Recipes. I was surprised because on Halloween, I treated my Webkinz to Halloweenog. I think for Christmas, I'm going to have to improvise.

Christmas Eve

Maybe I could start with something like Hot Cocoa. That's a festive holiday drink. But since I was set on making Webkinz Recipes maybe there was a Cocoa like recipe that I could try. I took a quick look at a list of recipes that I've been meaning to try and saw Hot Marshmallow. It's made with Marshmallows, Milk and a Chocolate Bar in the blender. Sounds like fancy hot cocoa to me. We went to the W. Shop and bought 5 Marshmallows, 5 Milks and 5 Chocolate Bars so we could make Hot Marshmallow for each Webkinz.

After my daughter clicked the blend button we saw that Hot Marshmallow looked more like a big meatloaf than a festive holiday drink. But everyone was happy when we fed it to the Webkinz and they said it was Mmmmm to to max!

Dead set on serving hot chocolaty drink, I tried again. Ah-ha, I found a recipe for Trippple Hot Chocolate. With three P's it's got to be good. So we loaded the blender with Chocolate Milk, Hot Cocoa and a Chocolate Bar. Yes, Trippple Hot Chocolate was perfect.

Now that the Webkinz had a hot drink, it was time for a hot meal. Zazzeloop Soup is pretty festive looking with it's little Christmas trees on top so we ran out to the W. Shop again to buy some Pizza, Lollipops and Tomato Soup. Zazzeloop Soup is a stove/grill/cauldron recipe but we decided to use the stove.

Voila, Zazzeloop Soup! Now we were on a roll. Most of the Webkinz' Hunger Meters were way up in the 90s. I think I even saw a few of them loosen their belts. Well, not really but I told the kids that anyway.

After watching a little Chef Gazpacho on the flat screen we decided the party was over. We had a real holiday get together with the kids' Grandma in a few hours so it was time to start getting ready. We walked each of the Webkinz back to their rooms and put them to bed. Our little holiday party made the Webkinz Happy, Healthy and maxed out their Hunger Meters. And I think that if my kids had Happy Meters, they would have been maxed out too.

Webkinz Holiday Recipes

Christmas Symbols and Their Meanings

Christmas symbols, such as candles, bells, evergreens and mistletoe, are an integral part of our celebration of the holidays. However, many people don't know the significance of these symbols or how they evolved.

The first known use of bells at Christmas was in the Fourth Century AD. It is said that Bishop Paulinus of Nola, in Campania, Italy, first rang the bells to celebrate Christmas. The Latin word for bell, Campanula, comes from these words.

Christmas Eve

Candles are used in many countries at Christmas to symbolize faith. Burning candles in the windows on Christmas Eve to welcome the Christ Child is an old Irish custom. In Norway, burning candles were said to radiate blessings.

The use of evergreens has its roots in Pagan festivals. The Romans thought bringing in green branches would bring good luck in the New Year. The Church finally came to accept them, since there is a passage in isaiah which mentions the use of the fir tree and pine tree to beautify God's sanctuary.

The custom of decorating a Christmas tree comes from Germany, where legend has it that Martin Luther cut a fir tree and brought it inside his house. Then he decorated it with lighted candles, to represent the stars.

The poinsettia has only been used as a Christmas symbol since 1836, when Joel Poinsett, Minister to Mexico, brought one to his South Carolina home. Mistletoe is used as a decoration, and of course a person standing under it can expect to be kissed. This custom may have grown from an old legend that if a girl doesn't receive a kiss under the mistletoe, she won't marry in the next year. The holly that decorates our homes was first used in early France and England. A sprig hanging above the door indicated a house in which Christ abided.

The custom of giving gifts comes from the gifts given to the Christ Child by the Three Kings. The gifts they gave to the Baby Jesus were symbolic in themselves. Gold represented kingship, frankincence the high priesthood and myrrh the great physician.

Of course, the use of angels, stars and nativity scenes comes directly from the Christmas story recounted in the Bible.

Hanging stockings can be traced to Saint Nicholas, a bishop in Asia Minor in the Fourth Century. In a legend, he tossed gold down the chimney of a house where the three daughters were about to be sold into slavery because their poor father could not afford a dowry for them. The gold fell into their stockings, which were hung by the fire to dry.

Now when you observe these Christmas customs, think about their meanings and how they originated.

Christmas Symbols and Their Meanings

How Did Red and Green Become the Colors of Christmas?

The main colors of Christmas are red and green. Did you ever wonder why this is? The association of red and green with Christmas is worldwide. One can speculate and come up with lots of ideas about when and why these colors were first associated with Christmas.

Green comes from evergreens which have been used since ancient times to celebrate the winter solstice. In the early days of the Roman Catholic Church when the pagan rituals of the winter solstice were merged into the celebration of Christ's birth evergreens continued to be used. In winter solstice celebrations evergreens symbolized life that survived through the long, dark winters. The Christians thought of green as symbolizing the hope for eternal life that Jesus offers.

Christmas Eve

A commonly accepted explanation for the use of red and green is based on a historical fact. Back in the 1300's Adam and Eve's day was celebrated on Christmas Eve. Churches in those days presented a lot of plays because most people were illiterate. The plays were focused on religious stories of importance to the church and were called miracle plays. On Adam and Eve's day the play was called the paradise play and portrayed what happened in the garden of eden. There wasn't an apple tree available in the winter so they made one by tying apples to a pine tree and it served as the tree that bore the forbidden fruit. This pine tree with the red apples eventually became a tradition in all churches and was used in their Christmas celebrations every year.

The tree became known as the Paradise Tree and soon people began erecting pine trees in their own homes during the holiday season decorated with red apples. This began the tradition of Christmas trees and the most popular explanation for the use of the colors of red and green for the holidays.

Another explanation is that green symbolizes the hope Jesus gave us through his sacrifice and is the color of evergreens which stay alive all year. Red is said to symbolize the blood of Christ in this explanation. The blood was shed by Jesus so that people could be saved and when combined with green it expresses the hope of our redemption through Christ sacrifice.

Holly is a popular Christmas decoration because it combines the color of green in its leaves with the red of its berries. Traditional Christmas wreaths have always been decorated with red bows and red berries. Santa Claus has always had a red costume and Rudolph the Reindeer has always had a red nose. These colors are here to stay and will always represent the holidays in most peoples minds.

How Did Red and Green Become the Colors of Christmas?

Photo Christmas Cards - 7 Unique Ideas For This Year's Holiday Card

Your friends, relatives and neighbors are eagerly looking forward to your annual Christmas photo cards. But how do you make this year's holiday card really fresh and original? Here are seven ideas to help you make your new photo Christmas cards stand out.

1. Go black and white photo for a dramatic look. Many digital cameras have a setting that will enable you to take your photo in black and white. Or you can change a color snapshot to grayscale in your photo editing software. If you don't know how to do it yourself, most photo card companies can do it for you at no extra charge.

Christmas Card

2. The more, the merrier. This year, include more than just the kids in your photo Christmas cards. Get in the picture with them! One year my uncle remarked that while he enjoyed receiving a photo of the kids every year, he would like to see a picture of us, too. So, gather the entire family, even the pets. And if you have an opportunity during the year to attend a large family get together with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins, you might consider using a large group family photo.

3. Pack the Santa hat on vacation. Whether you're going to the beach, sightseeing in the city or pumpkin picking in the fall, bring along a holiday prop or two, such as a Christmas stocking or ornament. When you're taking photos of your family excursion, include a few with everyone holding or wearing the Christmas props for refreshingly different holiday photo.

4. Think personality. While you might enjoy a posed photo of your children all cleaned up, in nice clothes, with not even a hair out of place, it doesn't show off their real personalities. For more interesting photo Christmas cards, try taking some candid photos of your kids doing things they enjoy. Or pose them with props that reflect their interests or accomplishments.

5. Scrapbook a page. If you're creative, you can put together several cropped photos and your greeting on holiday background paper, then photograph or scan it to be used as your photo Christmas card. Since most photo card companies use 4 x 6 inch photos to produce your cards, trim a standard 12 x 12 inch scrapbooking page to 12 inches wide by 8 inches high as your background for your layout.

6. Embellish it. Even if you have already ordered standard photo Christmas cards, you might still be able to jazz them up a bit. Check out the scrapbooking aisles in your local craft store for tiny embellishments, such as bows, ribbons, and other holiday dimensional items. These are practically flat, since they are meant for a scrapbook page, so they will still fit into your envelope after you glue them on your cards.

7. Shop around. There are so many photo Christmas card companies on the internet that are offering unique, original, personalized designs. Some designs can even contain multiple photos, so you don't have to worry about getting that one perfect snapshot. Or they will put your photo into the shape of an ornament, tree, or other holiday symbol. Many companies will let you write your own message, so you have more choices and options. They come in all price ranges, so it pays to do some browsing.

So, don't be afraid to try something a little different with your photo Christmas cards this year. With a little imagination, your holiday photo cards will be truly special.

Photo Christmas Cards - 7 Unique Ideas For This Year's Holiday Card

Tips And Ideas For Office Christmas Decorations

Office Christmas decorations are a great way to have some office fun and add some holiday cheer to your office staff and co-workers. Office Christmas decoration will improve the overall mood and make work more fun for you and your colleagues. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you choose your office Christmas decorations for the holidays.

First make sure that you are allowed to decorate your work area or the whole office. Remember that your co-workers may not have the same attitude towards the holidays make sure that you don't do it in a way that might be considered offensive for others who don't celebrate Christmas I advise you to discuss plans for Christmas decorations with the entire office staff. Make it simple because you are all busy and don't have much spare time. Install a Christmas themed screen saver and wallpaper on your computer. Use Christmas lights to decorate your workspace or cubicle. It's better to stay away from blinking lights because they may distract you and your co-workers. Hang a wreath on your desk or door. Make it small and simple as possible. Place Christmas plants with present bows tied around them on your desk and others on the floor. Place a small artificial Christmas tree in your office lobby or on your desk. Get some Christmas themed office supplies. Play Christmas music from your computer. Hang stockings for everyone in the office. and encourage every body to personalize his/her stocking by adding his/her name.

Christmas Day

Tips And Ideas For Office Christmas Decorations

Christmas Games For Adults That Are Silly, Quiet, Fun and More

Who said Christmas games are only for children? Christmas games are for adults, too, and they don't have to be serious. After all, adults like to get their game on to relive a few silly childhood moments. Get the holiday fun started with these fun-loving adult Christmas games.

Silly Adult Christmas Games

Christmas Eve

Does your group look for any excuse to be silly? Why not choose a Christmas game that is based on being silly? Give each team a pair of pantyhose and eight balloons. When the game starts, the team blows up the balloons to stuff into the legs of the hose. To ensure the game is totally fair, the pantyhose should be queen size and the teams of equal number.

The game is finished when someone gets all the balloons in the legs of the pantyhose, puts on the stuffed "antlers" and sings the first verse of the holiday favorite, "Jingle Bells". When everyone finishes the game, take photos of all your friends wearing funny antlers made of balloons and pantyhose.

Adult Relay Christmas Games

Do your friends enjoy relay games? Why not make your own Santa beard? Put out two oversize bowls filled with cotton balls and a jar of petroleum jelly. Dab petroleum jelly on each team member's chin. The 2 teams should each have around 5 people. The first player in each line runs to one of the bowls to grab cotton balls and stick them to their greasy chins. When they get as many cotton balls as possible stuck on their chins, the players run to the next player to give them a turn.

When the entire team is wearing a Santa Beard, they are the winners. This is another holiday game that really begs you to take pictures so you can show them off for years to come. Keep water and towels handy to remove the petroleum jelly when the game and photo session is over.

Quiet Christmas Games For Small Groups

Are your friends a small, quiet group who prefer less demonstrative games? Why not pack up a bag for Santa? The game starts when you say, "I packed a bag for Santa Claus and put in some socks." The next player goes on to say, "I packed a bag for Santa Claus and put in some socks and books." As each player continues they includes all the listed items and add their own item. When you miss an item on the list, you are out of the game.

Child-Inspired Christmas Games For Adults

Do your friends love to relive their childhoods during Christmas? Why not give your guests a chance to do it at your Christmas party with a fun game that reminds them of a childhood favorite? Make your own Christmas scavenger hunt with search teams of 4 or so. Create lists of items for the teams to return with.

You can keep the search local at your house or within the neighborhood area. Include holiday items in the scavenger hunt such as a red stocking, a sprig of holly and a small wreath. If you decide to extend the scavenger hunt through town, it gets even more exciting. Have your guests purchase a box of holiday themed cereal or take a picture to prove they visited the local Christmas tree. Be creative and make the hunt action-packed. Everyone loves this Christmas game because it reminds them of childhood. It's a great way to socialize because as everyone works together they get to know each other better.

Adult Kiss Christmas Games

Who doesn't love chocolate and kisses? Is that why Hershey's Kisses are such as hit at Christmas? Break your group into two teams with two bowls of Hershey's Kisses on either side of the room. Give each team a set of really big gloves or mittens. The first person in line runs to the bowls and must unwrap and eat the a Kiss wearing bulky gloves. Once done, the player runs back to tag the next person and give them the gloves. When all team members are the first to enjoy their own Kiss, the group wins.

Christmas Games For Adults That Are Silly, Quiet, Fun and More

Best Christmas Gift Ideas for a Wife Or Girlfriend for 2010

Most men that I know loathe shopping and Christmas shopping can be an annoyance. They may love their wives or girlfriend but simply find Christmas gift shopping and shopping in general to be very taxing on them. It does not help that they have no idea what to get their wife or girlfriend for Christmas which makes this article on the best Christmas gift ideas for wife or girlfriend for 2010 helpful for many men to come up with the best Christmas gift ideas for their wife or girlfriend for 2010.

The problem with shopping or the best Christmas gifts for wives and girlfriends is that most men do not have experience buying gifts because whatever birthday, engagement, housewarming, etc parties that the men go to during the year with their wife or girlfriend, she usually assumes the role and task of finding the best gift for whatever occasion. This means that these men will have no idea how to get the best holiday gifts for the woman in their life.

Christmas Gift

Sometimes knowing what to get your wife or girlfriend as a Christmas present will involve simply being a good listener. Paying attention to what she says about what she covets and would like to have during normal conversations, will help you come up with great Christmas gift ideas for the best Christmas gifts for her. If you have poor listening skills or need information on the best Christmas gift ideas for 2010, here are a few suggestions of best Christmas gift ideas for wife or girlfriend for 2010.

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for Women

Firstly, diamonds are a girl's best friend and timeless gifts such as diamond tennis bracelets or diamond stud earrings always make some of the best Christmas presents for a wife or girlfriend to show that you do not take her for granted. Before purchasing diamonds, be sure that you buy from a reputable jeweler and consider the four 'C's involved with diamonds - cut, color, carat and clarity.

If you are not in a position to make a significant Christmas present purchase, cheaper Christmas presents that will be appreciated include items such as a spa gift certificate. You can always score a homerun with a gift certificate to a spa. Women thoroughly enjoy any gifts that allow them to relax and get pampered with any combination or facials, mani/pedi, massage, etc. Gift certificates to spas are some of the best Christmas gifts ideas for wife or girlfriend.

Another one of the best Christmas present ideas 2010 for the woman in your life are girlfriend's getaways that are becoming more and more popular and allow women to connect with their girlfriends while on vacation lazing on the beach, shopping, getting pampered. Many resorts offer various girlfriend's getaway packages and this will be a much appreciated Christmas present if you get this for her and a few of her girlfriends.

While coming up with the best Xmas gift ideas for wife or girlfriend, it is also important to consider your wife or girlfriend's interests and hobbies. Based on what she enjoys doing, you can tailor Christmas gifts that you give to her to be in line with her interests and hobbies. If she is an avid reader, get her the latest model Kindle or an iPad. If she is into running or other fitness, get her the latest generation iPod or MP3 player. Thoughtful gifts are some of the best Christmas gifts by far.

Another great Holiday gift idea for her is to get your wife a gift certificate for maid service. If she is a stay at home mom or an extremely busy career woman who does the majority of the housework, giving her the gift of maid service shows how much you care and appreciate her. If you are extremely budget conscious, you can come up with a homemade book of coupons for such things as doing the laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, etc so that she can cash in her coupons every now and then for a day or night off from these chores while you do them.

Best Christmas Gift Ideas for a Wife Or Girlfriend for 2010

Christmas Quiz and Christmas Trivia Questions

A Christmas quiz has always been popular and is a great way to attract seasonal customers into your pub, bar or social club. In fact, hospitals and convalescent homes also run Christmas quizzes because there is something about them appeals to people.

Perhaps it's the time of year, and the feeling of familiarity that people seem to have with this holiday period, but whatever it is people will gladly try to answer some Christmas trivia questions who would run a mile from a general knowledge trivia quiz. This is in spite of the fact that many questions in Christmas quizzes are general knowledge, with only a fleeting association with the real message of this time of year.

Christmas Day

A question such as "In what modern country is Noah's Ark believed to have finally grounded after the great flood receded?" The answer is Turkey, and has an association with Turkey only in that people eat them at Christmas (turkeys, not Turks).

A similar example of Christmas trivia is the question "On what date in 1223 did St. Francis of Assisi assemble the first Nativity scene?" Most would never have clue about the answer to this, but it is a Christmas Quiz, so why not take an educated guess at December 25th? And you would be correct.

So the very fact that we are dealing with Christmas trivia questions should enable us to take a guess at the answer with a good chance of getting them right. Not all answers will be December 25th, but knowing the topic narrows the choices down considerably, and that is one reason why more people will enter your Christmas quiz than just any old pub quiz.

Families also like to hold quiz evenings at this time of year. Generally, however, the questions are a bit too difficult for those not used to regular quizzes. Nevertheless, it is usually possible to pick the easier questions from a bought quiz, and then add some of your own to compensate.

The problem with quizzes is that there is a divide between those that quiz regularly and those that do not, and the regular quizzer will not be worried by questions that others would find difficult - particularly at Christmas when many will read up as much Christmas trivia as they can find before their local pub's Christmas quiz.

If you are considering hosting a Christmas quiz, you will need to keep the questions close to the capabilities of your customers. This is not easy to do, and most amateurs tend to pitch the questions either far too difficult or too easy. They take the view that if they can answer the questions themselves, and then it must be at the right level. Anybody can spot the false logic in that, and it is both easier and potentially more lucrative to pay for your Christmas trivia questions - or even for an entire Christmas quiz.

That is because if you set a bad quiz that is either too easy or too hard for the entrants you will have blown it for any future quizzes. There's nothing wrong with purchasing quizzes, and then slipping a few rounds of your own into them and seeing how they are accepted. Who knows - your may be a quiz setting Laureate, but you have to test the water first before taking the chance of compromising future quiz attendances.

There is no knack to setting Christmas quizzes, but there is setting them neither too easy nor too hard. I once attended a quiz that was doing fine until the last question which was to name the entire English rugby team that beat France in the Six Nations that week. That could result in a swing of 15-20 points (including subs) on one question, and is how not to set a quiz.

A Christmas quiz should not be too sports-oriented. Most people like music and movies with a seasonal theme, and you should have one round on the real Christmas message. Otherwise get started and the best of luck with your Christmas trivia questions.

Christmas Quiz and Christmas Trivia Questions

What Does Christmas Mean To You?

The season is upon us when many people view the day we call
Christmas as a special time to celebrate the last holiday of the
current year.

Weeks leading up to this day, you will find that shoppers are
busy strolling the malls for that perfect gift for their love
ones and acquaintances. Even though they sometimes have to shove
their way through the crowds, you will still find that levels of
happiness remains high.

Christmas Day

Families decorate their surroundings with the smell of pine,
cinnamon and a host of shining lights. Plans are being made to
travel at a distance to engage in the family celebration.

Even the usually grumpy people, now show a glimpse of unusual
kindness during this season. The normal stone face with gloomy
eyes now can be seen with a faint smile and eyes that reflect a
tiny sparkle.

Children are especially happy as they wait in anticipation and
expectation of the many surprises they will soon get to unwrap.

It's even a tradition for many to prepare a more abundant and
extraordinary meal for this day called Christmas.

But what does Christmas really mean to you? What is the
celebration really about? Is it more about an outer celebration
or an inner one?

I'm certain that each individual will have a different aspect to
the questions asked. And there are no right or wrong answers
because it all depends on where in life one is as to how they
will respond.

For me, I see Christmas far different today than I did ten years
ago, even five years ago. I admit I went the traditional route
for a long time in order to give my kids and family the special
day that was expected.

Now, years later, after my kids are grown and have left home. I
now attune to a more deeper and inner celebration. Not just on
this day but everyday is special to me.

Still, somehow Christmas remains a bit more special because it
marks the birth date of my Lord and Savior. I will continue to
look at this day as spirit filled and to be exceedingly grateful
that Christ was born. Yet, I choose to consider everyday as
spirit filled because of who created each day as well as being
the creator of you and me and all of this beautiful Universe.

This day called Christmas has taught me how much more to be
grateful and to feel gratitude for all things and all people.

Behold I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall
be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

Wishing you all the very best of the holidays. May
it be filled with great love peace and happiness.

What Does Christmas Mean To You?

Crazy Christmas Day - Free Online Hidden Object Game For Your Enjoyment

Crazy Christmas Day is one of the few online hidden object games you can enjoy for free. While most of the other free online hidden object games are simply demo versions of the full downloadable games, Crazy Christmas Day is a stand-alone hidden objects game, which has been done specifically for the web.

Hidden object games (also known as Seek and Find games) are puzzle games, where you search different items on the screen. This genre is incredibly popular and addictive, and Crazy Christmas Day is a great way to be introduced to the games of this genre.

Christmas Day

In Crazy Christmas Day, you advance through a simple story of a Christmas day. Each scene requires you to find objects from the list (such as - find the presents, clean the kitchen etc.) in order to advance. The time is limited, but this hidden objects game is very easy and most people should not have any problems to finish each level. The list of objects to find is given as either text description of each object, or as a list of shapes. You simply have to click on the object when you see it, and it will disappear. Once all objects have been figured out, the level finishes. Each invalid click penalizes you by 10 seconds of search time, so be careful and don't just carelessly click on every object you see.

A couple of Crazy Christmas Day scenes involve solving image puzzles. They're also quite easy, but might confuse a bit at first. In the first image puzzle you have to swap image pieces to restore the image. Each image piece which is in its final position is shown in colors, while all the other pieces are shown in black and white. If you can't figure out which pieces fit together, you can simply try to put each piece into all possible positions (there are just 16 pieces anyway) and see where it becomes colored.

The other image puzzle is even easier - you should just rotate the image pieces in place, and again - when in the correct rotation, the image piece becomes colored. So the only challenge is to do this in time, and there is plenty of time to do this!

All in all, Crazy Christmas Day is a great free hidden object game, which you can play online in your browser. The background voice commentary is quite funny, the game is quite simple so that almost everybody can finish it in a few minutes, and you're guaranteed a few minutes of enjoyment. So why not play it? You have nothing to lose other than your time!

Crazy Christmas Day - Free Online Hidden Object Game For Your Enjoyment

New Year's Eve Decorating Ideas

Make decorating your home for New Year's Eve party a pleasure instead of a stressful nightmare. Organization and planning helps you keep on top of your New Year's Eve party.

Create a gorgeous party planning notebook with an inexpensive plastic three-ring binder that has a space to insert an inspirational picture. Keep cutouts from magazines of ideas you love about decorating, themes, menus, and recipes. Keep notes about your party afterwards so you remember what worked well and what to do differently next year. Your personal party journal will be an invaluable assistant to help you avoid holiday stress.

Christmas Eve

New Year's Eve Decorating

Enjoy your home decorating for New Year's Eve. Don't try to do too much. Keep in mind that people love to come to homes decked out in festive array but that it doesn't take a lot of cluttering ornamentation to create a joy filled room. Just a few large decorations can add the desired impact without taking a lot of time to set out. Plus, too many little decorations get lost when you have many people standing around.

Where to decorate for impact:

1. Your front walkway: Greet guests at the entrance with lights surrounding your front door and two large floral arrangements or evergreen trees.

2. Your front door: A large swag of evergreen decorated with nuts, apples, raffia, and ribbon spiced up with cinnamon sticks and cloves makes a different statement than the usual wreath.

3. Your dining table: If you plan a sit-down dinner, avoid tall centerpieces that interfere with guests seeing across the table. White table cloths reflect the light, add a feeling of elegance, and don't interfere with colored china. Bold colors add drama. Have fun with your table decorations.

4. Look up: Because table decorations get in the way, add decorations above archways and doors.

5. Your powder room: Because guests use this room privately, they take the time to look around and notice decorations.

If your TV looks like a black hole in your room when it's off, play an old black and white classic movie with the sound turned off.

Enjoy your New Year's Eve decorating this year. Try some new ideas and keep a party planner for next year. You'll be ready for new holiday decorating ideas!

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

New Year's Eve Decorating Ideas

Use Free Christmas Clip Art In Your Holiday Craft Projects!

It's hard to believe, but Christmas is right around the corner, now is the time to start your Christmas and holiday craft projects. You can use free
Christmas clip art found on the internet to spice up your web site or holiday greeting cards. With a simple Google image search for Christmas clip art, you can find hundreds of free images for download which you can use in all of your holiday projects. Not only will you find lots of great free Christmas images to download, but you can also find Christmas craft projects for the entire family with a quick search.

Some of the cool holiday and Christmas images that you will find are Santa images, Christmas tree images, wreath and holly clip art images, and snowmen and other holiday characters. If you have access to a photo program like Photoshop or something similar, you can download the images directly to your computer and then edit them in your photo program.

Christmas Card

Scale them to different sizes, change colors and create your own Christmas creation. Many of the holiday clip art images you will find are outlined with no fill colors. This means you can download and print these images, which make perfect coloring projects for the kids.

It can be a lot of fun to create your own holiday greeting cards by using a text or image program, combined with free Christmas clip art that you download from the internet. You can select which images you want to use in your greeting cards and customize them to be completely original. If you have your own blog or website, you can also upload the clip art images to decorate your pages for the holiday season. So if you're starting your holiday craft projects, do a quick google search or you can visit this link for tons of free Christmas clip art images.

Use Free Christmas Clip Art In Your Holiday Craft Projects!

New Years Eve Party Menu Ideas For A Fantastic New Years Eve Party

Hosting a New Year's Eve Party can be great fun. It's a way to reminisce with friends, and to look forward to what the new year will bring. Here are some ideas for food and drinks to start you off:

New Year's Eve offers plenty of parties with friends and family to celebrate another year. You will find there are many menu options for New Year's Eve. Most of these options include a lot of champagne, wine or beer depending on your preferences. You will also want to include plenty of items to eat. If you are having an informal party you may just get cold cut platters, cheese platters, vegetable platters, and many chips and dips to share. Or you could have a full scale meal with a potluck dinner for you and your friends. Here are a few other ideas:

Christmas Eve

A typical dip you may find at a New Year's Eve party will be ranch. You can make the ranch from scratch or you may just buy a jar of pre-made ranch dip. My favorite ranch dip is created with sour cream. You can find the powered ingredient you need for ranch at any store. I prefer Hidden Valley combined with a little sour cream to make a sturdy yet tasty dip.

A great recipe for hors d'oeuvres includes Little Smokies in a beer sauce with a cheese dip. First you need a package of Little Smokies and a bottle of beer. Any beer will do. You heat the sausages in the beer while you create a cheese sauce. Typically a cheese sauce will include a little milk, flour, and your favorite cheese. It can be cheddar, Monterey jack, or even Colby. The idea is to have something that works well with the beer flavor, but also not over power the beer flavor.

Catering for your New Year's Eve party need not be difficult. Try to prepare as much of the food ahead of time as you can; microwave-friendly food will make your party MUCH easier. Above all, however, enjoy spending time with your guests and ushering in the New Year in style.

New Years Eve Party Menu Ideas For A Fantastic New Years Eve Party

Christmas - Christmas Play Ideas

One of the biggest things about Christmas in the church is putting on a Christmas play for the congregation. The play is usually put on by the children of the Sunday School class. The problem churches have, especially with a stable congregation that doesn't change much, is that with putting on these plays year after year, they can become rather stale if you're putting on the same play all the time. To help with this problem, what you'll find in this article are several ideas for Christmas plays that your church can do that just might keep things interesting, at least for a while anyway.

An easy play to put on if you have about ten or so children is a reenactment of the birth of Jesus. The best way to do this is to have a narrator tell the story of the birth and while he does this, have the children go through the motions. This way they don't have to learn any lines. All they need to be shown is where they have to walk and where their spots are. The play can be broken up at certain parts with Christmas hymns. For example, during the part where the three kings bring their gifts to Jesus, the congregation can sing "We Three Kings". There are about five or six hymns that will fit in nicely during this play. The whole production should take about 30 minutes and is very easy to pull off.

Christmas Day

Another idea, if you don't have a large Sunday School, is to have some adults put on a play. A very good one is to teach the children the real meaning of Christmas. One such scenario might include a family rushing to and fro, doing their Christmas shopping. While this is going on, the ghosts of Mary and Joseph appear and notice how commercialized Christmas has become. They're saddened by this fact and think back to a better time, a time when the real meaning of Christmas wasn't lost. We then switch to a scene of a family going to church and participating in a traditional Christmas service. Afterwards, they come home and have a dinner where they give thanks to God and read from the bible. When we return back to the present we miraculously see all the families who were lost in the commercialism of Christmas suddenly realizing the real meaning of the holiday.

Another idea would be to have musicians come into the church, have a narrator tell the story of Christmas and after each reading of a particular part, have the musicians play various Christmas hymns. While they are playing, you can have some children act out certain parts relating to the music being played.

These are just a few of the many things that you can do at your church when it comes time to put on a Christmas service. With a little imagination and a few volunteers, which always helps, there is no reason that you can't put on a Christmas play that your congregation will remember for a long time to come.

Christmas - Christmas Play Ideas

Christmas Gift Ideas for 2011

Are you getting ready for this coming Christmas season? Then you should check out the hottest Christmas gift ideas of this year.

Giving gifts is one of the oldest traditions in Christmas. For many years, countless gifts have been given between family and friends during Christmas season. The tradition of giving gifts started with the 3 wise men who came to visit our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, I know that you are expecting to give gifts to your family and friends.

Christmas Gift

Christmas Ideas for 2011

The year 2011 is going to witness another merry Christmas celebration. Ensure that Christmas become memorable for your love ones. Check out these 2011 Christmas tips. These gift ideas will assist you to acquire appealing gifts for your loved ones.

1. Jewelries - This is a good gift if the recipient is a woman. An attractive pendant with a chic look can make a good Christmas gift. Those who are plenty of cash can pick for diamond-studded earrings and rings.

2. Watches - This is a good gift for men and women. A branded watch from Longines or Tag Heuer can be amazing Christmas gifts.

4. Perfumes - Perfumes are usually trusted to enhance attraction and appeal. Let your love one smell good with a classy fragrance from Dior, Chanel or any reliable brand.

4. Pens - A good present for professionals and elderly folks. A Parker pen can do wonders for every age bracket. If your recipient is 55 above, then a traditional Parker fountain pen can be a good option.

5. Video Games - If your recipient is a kid, then video games are a perfect choice. There are many available games on the internet that have reasonable prices. Call of Duty or Crysis games can work better for teenagers. Not comfortable of giving violent games? Then opt for arcade or racing games instead.

6. Home Appliances - Home appliances can be good gifts for a family. If you are giving your gift to the family members, home equipment can be good. A coffee maker, a dish washer, or a water heater can ba a good option.

7. Accessories - You already know about watches. On the other hand, you can opt for other accessories like shoes, wallets, handbags or belts. A good leather shoes is the ideal thing for professionals. Women love to be accessorized with a Chloe, Vuitton or Fendi handbag.

8. Gadgets - This is my favorite part. Electronic gadgets are very good Christmas gifts. iPads, laptops, notebooks, digital cameras and mp3 players are awesome gifts. Opt for the iPad, which is the hottest trend.

Make use of these Christmas gift ideas in this 2011 Christmas holiday. Make your loved one feel special on this Christmas season.

Christmas Gift Ideas for 2011

Christmas Screensavers - Countdown to the Holidays

As the holidays approach and excitement builds, the countdown to Christmas Day begins. There are several ways to keep track of how many days remain until Christmas. For some, it is a simple matter of marking bold "X's" on a calendar, but many others look for something more interactive and entertaining.

Some folks enjoy Advent or Christmas calendars with little windows to open and tiny chocolate treasures inside. Then there are those who look forward to the local radio stations adding Christmas songs to their daily programming. Yet others religiously watch their favorite Christmas movies as the TV stations provide their version of the Christmas countdown.

Christmas Day

What many people may not realize is that there are also free Christmas screensavers designed to help build excitement as the holiday season draws near. Christmas Countdown and Santa's Workshop 3D are two such screensavers. These free downloads add fun Christmas scenes to your screen and keep you engaged during the thrilling build up to Christmas Day.

Christmas Countdown Screensaver begins with a tinsel laced evergreen tucked into a snowy mountain scene. Prior to December, beautiful and calming piano music plays while a gentle snow falls. An occasional animated animal will visit the scene and add their voice to the mix while shooting stars brighten the darkening sky. On Dec. 1, a transformation begins as the screensaver becomes a countdown calendar. Each day, a calendar "door" will open to reveal a new addition to the pristine setting. The lovely evergreen becomes even more enchanting as Christmas decorations are applied and new wildlife comes to visit. A snowman, cozy cottage, and other surprises add a bit of winter wonder to the mountainous landscape. When Christmas Day finally arrives, your screen is filled with a full holiday scene.

Christmas Countdown progresses daily towards a festive backdrop, but Santa's Workshop 3D Screensaver is a snapshot from the North Pole right from the beginning. As the "Nutcracker Suite" plays in the background and snow floats lazily to the ground outside, a roaring fire keeps Santa's helpers warm and toasty while they busily prepare for Christmas Day. Above the hearth, a calendar reminds you and the elves how many days are left until Christmas.

With so many ways to get into the Christmas spirit, let the countdown begin! Mark "X's" on your calendar, set your radio to the station that plays the best Christmas songs, watch your all-time favorite Christmas movies on TV, and don't forget to download a fun and free Christmas screensaver for the holidays.

Christmas Screensavers - Countdown to the Holidays

The Top 10 Funniest Holiday Photo Card Ideas Revealed

The holidays can represent a wide range of beliefs, traditions, and gift-giving opportunities. While the holidays are traditionally a time of religious and spiritual contemplation and rejoicing, everyone can use some humor in their life. This is especially true in today's tight economy where many families are discovering that they will be unable to travel to see family and friends this holiday season. This realization is making the use of Christmas cards and holiday photo cards, once again, a great way to reconnect with loved ones without breaking the family bank account.

Everyone needs a good laugh now and then. You can use your Christmas cards as a way to spread some holiday cheer by using humorous family photographs to design custom made holiday cards. Nearly everyone has a photograph or two that can bring on a smile even on the worst of days. If you do not have one that will work, there are plenty of opportunities to create a humorous holiday photo card with a digital camera and very little effort.

Christmas Card

1. Bathtub Bubbles - Bubble bath photos nearly always bring a smile, especially when the tub is also filled with pets and/or children dressed in Santa hats or reindeer antlers. The bubbles end up being props of their own and the delighted faces of your children will shine through on these holiday photo cards.

2. Crazy Crashes - We don't actually want to see anyone get hurt, but sometimes the camera is right where it needs to be to catch a moment that says it all. Feet in the air, skyrocketing eyebrows, and mouths in a perfect "O" can bring make us laugh out loud in spite of ourselves.

3. Doing It Old School - Grab the family and get decked out in something hysterically historical. Add a sepia-time filter and you have everything you need for some comical Christmas cards.

4. Dressing Up - Most children love the chance to dress up in Mommy and Daddy's clothes. Grab an armful of shoes, jackets, dresses, and hats and let the fun begin. Your kids will parade and prance for as long as your camera batteries will last, creating funny family photographs perfect for your holiday photo cards.

5. Driveway Deliberations - Take a broom to the driveway and break out a big box of brightly colored chalk and urge family members to add their holiday message to the driveway. Once all of your "artists" have completed their works, have a neighbor snap a shot of the family declaring their holiday driveway message.

6. Exquisitely Embarrassing - Everyone has photographs that make the subject cringe and groan out loud as family and friends laugh riotously and tease affectionately. These humorous Christmas photo cards are sure to be a favorite, as everyone else recalls embarrassing moments of their own.

7. Food Foibles - Whether the photograph is of a toddler wearing their birthday cake or a bowlful of spaghetti, kids involuntarily feeding the family dog, or the new wife's smoke-filled kitchen, these photographs are sure to provide the comic relief everyone needs this holiday season.

8. Hysterical Holidays - Thanksgiving turkeys that ended up on the floor, silly Halloween costumes, family vacation adventures, birthday party disasters, and cake-mashing wedding photographs can all be used to generate humor as well as let others know what your family has been up to during the year.

9. Intriguing Insights - Candid photographs often show far more than was intended. Children stuck in buckets, dogs sneaking up on unsuspecting diners, and the kids' attempt at bathing the family dog can all provide plenty of good choices for your holiday photo cards.

10. Pampered Pets - Pets make great subjects for humorous Christmas cards. Most dogs and even some cats will tolerate being dressed, decorated, and posed in countless humorous photo card options. Santa hats, antlers, and human clothing can all be used to create something silly that everyone will enjoy.

We should always be looking for ways of thinking outside the box. There may be a humorous photo waiting to happen, and through more creative or non-conventional situations, you may easily capture that next holiday Christmas memory. This is also a simple, easy way to have a whole lot of fun!

The Top 10 Funniest Holiday Photo Card Ideas Revealed

A Christmas Poem

The time is Christmas eve,

and all around the town

Christmas Eve

children are impatient

for it to be sun down

cuz that's when Santa starts

his journey round the world

bringing lots of presents

to every boy and girl

that's when the magic happens

at the start of his flight

for there must be magic

to stop in one night

at every single home

when a child waits there.

adults might always question

how can one sled bare

all the presents needed.

I will tell you, if I must

there is special magic

in Santa's elfin dust.

Every child knows this

adults tend to forget

Santa's just for children

our minds refuse to let

us believe in magic

how can it be so

adults might not remember

but we all use to know

he doesn't come down chimneys

that would take too long

instead he passes over head

dropping presents where they belong

and the toys all come alive

on this special night

with santa's magic elfin dust

that guides his worldly flight

they know exactly where to go

and float down on elfin wings

to a child patiently waiting

to see what Santa brings

and it must be magic

for there to be such joy

on all the little faces

of every girl and boy

when they awaken Christmas morning

and rush over to the tree

to finally get the presents

they waited for anxiously

I know magic can happen

just believe it is true

so I send this special thought

to every one of you

remember the magic of Christmas

no matter what you do

then the joy of the season

will stay the whole year through.

Happy Holidays

athena_louise

A Christmas Poem

Top Christmas Gifts for Mom and Best Christmas Gifts for Dad

-- Cheap and Creative Christmas Ideas for Your Parents

Christmas 2010 is less than 50 days away and now millions of Americans are getting an early start on their shopping for Christmas gifts. Lots of retailers are running early sales specials to attract shoppers before the huge holiday rush.

Christmas Toys

Traditionally, we stay in a long line to select and buy our holiday items. But today, are you seeing for a way to avoid the holiday crowd this Christmas? Right, getting an early start on your Christmas shopping may be a good solution, however, it cannot do great than shop Christmas presents via the internet. Right now it's also a great time to save on Xmas gifts as many retailers have some breathtaking deals online.

Therefore, if you're seeing for good Christmas present ideas for 2010 for mom and dad, we have a few gift suggestions that your parents may like. Remember, the best gifts have personal meaning and require a itsybitsy bit of thought. Here are a collection of Christmas ideas that may interest you.

When selecting gifts for dad, it is should be fairly easy. Get him an all-in-one tool such as a Leatherman and he will have a gift that he will carry colse to for years to come. On the other hand, when picking gifts for mom, there is a bit more difficulty to shop for. One idea that your mum may like is a personalized jewelry. Personalized items make great gifts and right now it is the time to order if you want to ensure that you get it before Christmas Day.

In a word, Christmas is the exquisite time to show your love and thoughts to your dear mom and dad, especially, there is itsybitsy time to business with them in busy daily schedule. So during Christmas season, express your sincere affection by sending the best Christmas gifts.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Top Christmas Gifts for Mom and Best Christmas Gifts for Dad

Top Homemade Christmas Gifts For Dad

With things going up all the time homemade gifts are becoming more and more popular every day and especially for Christmas. One of the hardest people to buy for is dad and a homemade gift is something that people are starting to turn to more often than ever before. Below we have gathered a collection of some great homemade gifts that will thrill any man on Christmas day.

Memories are something that lasts a lifetime and no better way to keep those them with a personalized picture frame that is handmade. You can get a cheap picture frame at any dollar store and decorate it in many different ways. Some of those methods can be with cutouts of his favorite sports or even his favorite people. Seashells are another great and creative way to decorate a picture frame. Get the family together in Christmas outfits and take a picture of course minus him and you have a great Christmas treasure that is one of a kind. This memory will last forever with him.

Christmas Day

One of the simplest and most effective homemade gifts is making something out of wood. There are many homemade projects that can be started with wood with little knowledge being needed. Some of those are a magazine rack or a letter rack. Searching online you can find step to step plans on how to build one with minimal cost. Add some paint and design and you have a gift that was crafted by your very own hands.

Something that comes from one of dad's own children's hands mean a lot to him come Christmas time. Food is one of those items that have stood the test of time as far as great Christmas gifts. Cookies, cakes, and brownies are among of some of the favorites among today's dads. Don't underestimate how much he will enjoy something that you cook yourself.

If you have a golfer for a dad then this idea could be right up your alley. Painted golf tees with his name on them also make a great gift and plenty of talk between his golfing buddies. Another alternative to this idea is take a white towel and some fabric paint and design it in a golf theme with his name on it. Of course you could design it for any sport your dad follows or plays. Plants are another option that many men love to get. They will take them to their office and it will be there to always remind them of you.

You probably have noticed there are many gifts that you can make your dad for Christmas. These are just some of the ides that are available. You're really only limited by your imagination and how much time you're willing to spend on it. Dads love homemade gifts many times more than one you actually spend money on. The key as always is taking your time and put your heart into it. You will be surprised how well your project comes out when you give it your all. Have fun making these homemade Christmas gifts and you should have no problem bringing a smile to his face on Christmas day.

Top Homemade Christmas Gifts For Dad

Christmas Presents For 5 Year Old Girls - Gift Ideas For That extra puny Girl In Your Life

Are you on the hunt for Christmas gifts already? What, it's too early to get your gifts...think again. It pays to shop now to take the stress out of the Christmas period. It also means things could be economy and easier to get. Christmas is a time notorious for running out of hot toys and consequently prices get inflated out of proportion for the must have toy or toys of the year. If you are finding for Christmas presents for 5 year old girls or girls colse to that age here are a few ideas to get you going.

Calico critters have been a popular toy for girls colse to 5 years of age for a few years now. You might have heard of them as Sylvanian families. Well they have been re-branded as Calico Critters. Don't ask me why this has been done but they still look as cute as ever and tend to melt the hearts of minute girls.

Christmas Toys

Calico Critters are 6 inch toy figurines of a whole range of woodland animals. They approximately look like Beatrix Potter type characters - you know - Rabbits, Badgers, Door mice and discrete creatures like that.

They all have families, so there will be a father and mother Rabbit and discrete sibling bunnies of discrete ages. Girls love this house aspect of the toy because it gives them an outlet to express their nurturing side. And the toys are ever so cute.

You can also get all sorts of accessories to make the critters even more adorable. The townhouse or townhome (as they like to call it in Cloverleaf Corners) is staggering to be a popular distributor this year. It is a perfect home for one or more Calico critters families. And the details of the house are exquisite.

The V Reader bright E book system is a toy that girls learning to read will of course cherish. The V Reader is made by Vtech that specialize in educational toys. It makes reading and spelling and learning new words more bright and fun.

Basically you put in a cartridge and the story starts. A narrator tells the story and the bright screen changes as the story goes along. Under the animation, the words that are being used are displayed and each word is highlighted when it is spoken by the narrator.

Children can stop and have the word repeated. They can even highlight the word to get more information, like a definition on the word. There are also discrete word and spelling games that can be played with the V Reader. Girls love to read and this will be a constant companion as they make the skills to start reading allowable books.

Christmas Presents For 5 Year Old Girls - Gift Ideas For That extra puny Girl In Your Life

Christmas Gifts For 8 Year Old Girls

Are you on the look out for that exquisite Christmas gift for your Daughter? No doubt she will drop some subtle hints if you broach the field but if you want to keep her Christmas present a perfect surprise then here are a few ideas. The article will focus on Christmas gifts for 8 year old girls or girls around about that age. Hopefully it will help you get informed on the type of toys that are available for girls around this age.

If your girls are into dolls then a recent new released series is the Monster High dolls. These dolls are way cooler than Barbie and much more interesting. They are of juvenile kids that go to the school called Monster High. All the dolls are separate characters and they are based on supreme monsters from myths, history or nightmare movies.

Christmas Toys

In fact they are the children of these supreme monsters. Presumably all the monsters came to Hollywood to play roles in movies as themselves and kind of located down and had kids. The kids had to go to school and thus we find them at Monster High.

The two most beloved dolls are Cleo DeNile and Deuce Gorgon. Cleo is the offspring from the Mummy and has all sorts of antique Egyptian accessories. Deuce is the doting son of Medusa from Greek mythology. She was recently spotted in the action adventure blockbuster Clash of the Titans.

Another toy that is fun to play but also very clever is the Hogwarts Lego board game. Eight year old girls are no doubt fans of the Harry Potter series of movies or maybe have even read the books. Well, the Lego board game is a fun way to get even more out of the Harry Potter story.

Up to 4 habitancy can play and they have to get discrete pieces of homework to the tasteless room (or center of the board). Players can block other players off by casting spells that seal walls to halt and opponents progress. It's good fun for girls devoted to the Harry Potter story and keen to be a part of the venerable old Hogwarts school.

Another toy that is fun for the whole house but actually some that young girls would like to play with is the Kinect sensor for Xbox 360. Of procedure you need an Xbox 360 for the Kinect sensor to work but after that you are good to go.

You can get games, like Kinectimals which allows you to have a virtual pet. A gorgeous tiger cub is demonstrated. As the sensor responds to all your movements you can play with your pet animals - tickle his chin or stroke his head. He will purr or jump up and try to lick you.

It looks like great fun and sure to be a beloved game with girls around 8 years of age and even older or younger.

Christmas Gifts For 8 Year Old Girls

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

The more holiday cheer we can spread, the better, especially in our own neighborhoods.

Here are some ideas for simple, sweet, inexpensive gifts that are just right.

Christmas Gift

1. Holiday Cookies. Carve out a day to spend with your favorite ladies, and bake away. Pool your recipes and divvy up the goodies into gift bags or decorative plastic gift trays at the end of the day.

2. Have a stack of classic chocolates on hand. My kids' school has a fundraiser in September so we can buy just such incidental gifts, along with gift wrap. If you don't have such a fundraiser in your neighborhood, you might think about starting one. (Innisbrook.com handles ours.) If you are just looking for some yummy chocolates to stock up on, Ferrero Rocher is a big favorite, and these chocolates can be purchased inexpensively in beautiful holiday arrangements at most discount stores. It's nice to have a stack of extra gifts like these in the cabinet during the holidays, when you never know when you'll need an extra gift.

3. A bottle of your favorite (and relatively inexpensive) wine.

4. A journal and a nice pen. It's nice to have a special place to record their favorite personal thoughts of family memories.

5. Homemade crafts. If you're a scrapbooker, make a mini holiday album. If you love to sew, fashion some new placemats or potholders. And if you are not craft inclined, shop for neighborhood gifts at your local holiday craft fair. These are great for finding inexpensive holiday gifts that are often just sentimental enough.

6. Favorite fixin's. Combine the dry ingredients of your favorite sugar cookie recipe in a plastic bag and slide it into an inexpensive Christmas stocking. Print the baking ingredients on a festive tag, and use a pretty ribbon to tie it to the stocking, along with a holiday cookie cutter.

7. Fresh flowers. A simple bouquet of flowers, artfully arranged, is always welcome, especially when it arrives with a heartfelt note. Potted plants are wonderful, too.

8. Wreaths or poinsettias. There's always room for more holiday greenery.

9. Gift certificates for your local favorite coffee house, café, or soup restaurant.

10. Movie tickets (and if the family has young children, throw in an offer to babysit, too.)

11. An assortment of candles in festive shades and aromas, or an aromatherapy diffuser and essential oils. Scents of peppermint and cinnamon are especially lovely this time of year.

12. A personalized ornament for the neighbor's holiday tree.

13. Simple photo albums or photo frames that match your neighbor's décor.

14. An inspiring book of quotes or meditations.

15. A simple note telling each neighbor what they bring to your life and how much you value their friendship.

Happy holidays from our neighborhood to yours!

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts For 2011 For Men On Your Christmas List

If you need help seeing the top holiday gifts that will be cherished by the man or men in your life, here are some suggestions on the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for the men on your Christmas list. These gift ideas are favorable for any budget.

Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts For 2011

Christmas Toys

1. Golf Club Drink Dispenser

One of the best Christmas gifts for 2011 for men who enjoy golfing is this drink dispenser that looks just like a golf club and can serve both cold and hot drinks. It is a marvelous gift for him that will also be a great item of conversation.

2. Pro-Chip Pool Island Golf Game

Another of the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for the man who enjoys golfing is this Pro-Chip Pool Island Golf Game that will enable him to practice his shots and become better at his golf game. It can be used both in a pool and on dry land and is de facto a gift he will enjoy having.

3. Invicta Men's 0777 Subaqua collection Gmt small Edition Watch

Men love their watches and this one from Invicta will make the exquisite gift in expanding to being very reasonably priced.

4. Ipod Touch 4rd Generation 32 Gb (newest model)

This most recent version comes in both black and white and will be a great gift to get for him for Christmas. This large round unidirectional stainless steel bezel watch from Invicta has many marvelous features that are sure to satisfaction him making this one of the top Christmas gifts for 2011 for him. This watch is a must have for his watch collection.

5. Men's Air Force A-2 Flight Leather Bomber Jacket

Leather jackets are all the time a must have at Christmas and this particular one features the softest nappa leather. The construction of this leather jacket strictly adheres to the same standards followed for the authentic A-2 troops version which makes this one of the best Christmas gifts for 2011 for him.

6. Roku Hd Streaming Player

This Roku streaming player will de facto stream all programming ready over the internet directly to his Tv from a multitude of sources which makes this one of the top holiday gifts for 2011 for him.

7. Koolatron Retro 10-Can-Capacity Vending Fridge

Another of the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for men is this retro vending Fridge which surrounded by its many features can conveniently hold ten soda cans and will be exquisite for an office or "mancave".

8. Garmin Forerunner 305 Gps Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

For the man who is into fitness or would like to start a fitness program, this heart rate monitor will be exquisite for him to ensure that his efforts are not only productive but also safe which makes this one of the top Christmas gifts for 2011 for him.

9. Pac Man Arcade Machine

For the man who is young at heart and loves his toys, this Pac Man arcade machine will take him back to his younger days.

10. Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones

Although there are many pretenders on the market, the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are the former and the best for ensuring first-rate sound ability which makes them one of the best Christmas gifts for 2011.

Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts For 2011 For Men On Your Christmas List

Recipe for Traditional Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor

In any traditional Swedish home, the smell of these home baked cookies will be found wafting throughout the home at Christmas time. The Swedes really love cooking for the holiday season and the Christmas Eve celebration is the highlight of the year.

Don't be worried by the literal translation of Pepparkakor, which means pepper cookies, it may have been that in olden times there was a little pepper in the recipe, but now there's just a tasty mix of spices.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Spice Cookies or Pepparkakor

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1/4 cup orange juice 2 teaspoons orange zest 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in egg, corn syrup, orange juice, and orange zest.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into the creamed butter until combined.

4. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven. Cool cookies on wire racks.

These are a wonderful cookie recipe for children to make and taste even better when cut out with all manner of shape of cookie cutters!

Enjoy making and eating this traditional Swedish cookie recipe.

Recipe for Traditional Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor