christmas and new year

Île Christmas :Territoire de l'Australie

2007-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Le drapeau officiel est celui de l'Australie. Au début de 1986, le conseil local (Christmas Island Shire Council) a organisé un concours pour l'obtention d'un drapeau insulaire, mais celui-ci n'a jamais été officiellement reconnu comme le drapeau du territoire. Le jaune et le vert de ce drapeau non officiel correspondent aux couleurs nationales de l'Australie; les étoiles de la Croix du Sud, symbolisent l'association de l'île avec l'Australie. Le bleu représente l'océan Indien; le vert, la forêt tropicale et l'oiseau est un bosun doré, une espèce vivant uniquement sur l'île. Une représentation graphique de l'île figure sur le disque jaune au centre du drapeau.

L'île Christmas est un territoire australien de 135 km² situé dans l'océan Indien, à 360 km au sud-ouest de l'île de Java (Indonésie), à 2600 km de Perth (Australie) et à à 417 km à l'est des îles des Cocos. L'île Christmas possède une largeur de 14 km et une longueur de 19 km. La capitale de l'île est The Settlement («L'Établissement». Le nom officiel de l'île est «Territoire de l'île Christmas» (ou Territory of Christmas Island).

what is christmas?

2007-08-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

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

In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. It is preceded by Christmas Eve on December 24, and in some countries is followed by Boxing Day on December 26. The Armenian Apostolic Church observes Christmas on January 6, while certain old rite or old style Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, the date on the Gregorian calendar which corresponds to 25 December on the Julian Calendar. The date as a birthdate for Jesus is merely traditional, and is not widely considered to be his actual date of birth.

Santa Reveals His Goodie Bag

2006-12-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

Santa Reveals His Goodie Bag

Merry Cha-Ching-Mas!

2006-12-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Ha! I thought of a non-baby entry! Are you thrilled? Because I worked very hard to pull my head out of my uterus.

It's almost Thanksgiving! Which means that it is almost Christmas! I love Christmas with a mad passion, the type of passion reserved for someone who doesn't focus on the religious aspects at all (that sound you hear is my Catholic mother sobbing) and can concentrate all of her energies on gift-giving.

Yes, I am the person that sincerely religious people bemoan as missing the "real meaning" of Christmas.

It's totally true. I dumped the real meaning by the wayside to make room in my car for more gifts.

After years of holiday shopping, I have my own system down to a science. This system is not for the faint of heart, but because I love you, I am willing to share it with you.

You're a girl, aren't you? I'm convinced all my male readers left…well, probably three days ago.

Here are the rules to gift buying:

1. Decide how much you can spend on the entire holiday. You must do this first. Your Christmas gift to yourself is starting the new year without holiday debt.

2. Write down every person you need to buy a gift for, including the annoying grab bag gifts that you have to give at parties in exchange for gifts you will never use.

3. If you have kids on the list, include their ages. Otherwise, you will buy a Lamaze toy for a 10-year-old.

4. Start with the grab bags, since they usually have set spending limits. Fill out the amount you are supposed to spend on those gifts. Tally it up and deduct that from your total amount available to spend.

5. Divvy up the remaining amount between all the people on your list. If I run out of money, I usually knock off $5 or $10 from the amount I am going to spend on the grab bag gifts, because I know that I will get those gifts on sale. The original amount might match the total I was supposed to spend, even if I got it on sale.

6. Once you have individual amounts that don't exceed the total budget, start hunting for gifts that fit that price. The hardest thing is not going over budget. If you find something that is totally perfect for so-and-so but is over-budget, figure out who gets a smaller gift so you stay within your budget BEFORE you buy the perfect gift for so-and-so.

7. Carry the budget and your latest tally of gifts with you at all times. If you find something when you are least expecting it, you'll know if you can afford it. Remember, the most important gift is giving yourself a debt-free new year.

My dog agrees with this strategy and is willing to help wrap:

The fact of the penguin greeting E-card

2006-12-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hello,

6 monthes ago I saw a cute greeting E-card and I suggested it to my friends through a simple web page (snow.html) so I created and published it to my website.

1 week ago I noted that my webpage has a great popularity on the internet and I suggested to write some information about it.

After searching I get this result:

The penguin greeting E-card has created on December2002 by (optin.com.au) owners.

But I think the owners of the penguin E-card has forgot it, but it's still working until today.

-----------------------------------

NOTE:

To see the E-card make sure that your browser (Internet Explorer, firefox, Netscape, ...etc) support flash content (all files end with [.swf]),
if the answer is no:
go to:
http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer

and download Flash Player (it's free)

-----------------------------------

Happy Christmas

A Very Cisco Christmas

2006-09-30T07:43:00.000-07:00


Cisco CTO's 2004 video christmas card.

Christmas Lights

2006-09-30T07:39:00.000-07:00


There's not shortage of gaudy christmas lights displays to be found around the country, but this one is over the top cool.

happy christmas and new year 2006

2005-12-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

How Merry Christmas is said in different countries
Christmas in paris
christmas postcard
Holiday Smiles
Christmas Gifts from Friends
'Twas The Night Before Christmas
The Real Meaning of Christmas
Chrismas in france , paris
What is Christmas all about?
Christmas Around The World
new year 2006
New Year Celebrations
chinese christmas
christmas around the world
christmas not chrismas
Christmas in Switzerland,

Christmas in Scotland
Christmas in Syria
Christmas in Sweden
Christmas in Hong Kong
Christmas in Denmark
Christmas in Germany
Christmas in Bulgaria
Christmas in China
Christmas in Canada
Christmas in Belgium
Christmas in Bangladesh
Christmas in Australia
Christmas in Austria
Christmas in Argentina
Christmas in Alaska
Christmas in United States of America
Christmas in African America
Christmas in Africa
- Christmas in Greece
- Christmas in Germany
- Christmas in USA
- How is Christmas Celebrated Around the World?
- merry christmas
- Christmas Musical Chairs
- Christmas in Slovakia
- Five Little Christmas Trees
- Christmas in Russia
- Christmas in France
- Celebrating Christmas in Mexico - Posadas
- Christmas in Australia
-What is Christmas all about ?
- Download free chrisMaS clipart and icons, Victorian chrisMaS photos and vintage
- Christmas
- New Year 2006, New Year Cards, Happy New Year Cards, Calendar 2006, New Year
- Chrismas Not Christmas
- The New Year Cruise
- New Year 2006
- New Year's Resolution
- New Year Celebrations
- New Year Party Invitation
- New Year Cruise
- New Year Traditions and Customs
- christmas , New Year Recipes
- New Year Party Ideas
- New Year Party Games
- New Year Party
- New Year's Eve
- New Year Holidays
- New Year Lyrics
- New Year In Different Languages fficher
- christmas New Year History
- Chinese chrismas New Year
- christmas New Year's Eve 2006 , In New York City
- History of the date
- New year Gifts at the best rates!
- When year 2006 starts around the world
- The Introduction of Christmas into Christianity
- The Christmas Tree and Decorations
- The Legend of the Origin of the Christmas Tree
- Festival for the World - is this what Christmas will be proclaimed?
- Christmas Eve Pre-Christian Traditions
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- Christmas and New Year Gifts
- Should a "world festival" ever be proclaimed, then Christmas Day is a prime candidate to be the chosen date!
- The Introduction of Christmas into Christianity
from: http://www.santas.net

Christmas in Syria

2005-12-12T14:55:00.001-08:00

In Syria on December 6, a special Mass is held in churches in honor of Saint Nicholas Thaumaturgus, who legend has said was a kind and generous man not dissimilar to Saint Nicholas after who Santa Claus is modelled.
On Christmas Eve everyone in the family, carries a lit candle, to stand around an unlit bonfire outside their house. The youngest child usually the son of the family reads the Christmas story, after which the bonfire is lit. The way the flames spread shows the luck of the house in the coming year. When the fire burns, psalms are sung, and when it sinks, everyone leaps over the embers making wishes.
Early on Christmas morning everyone goes to Mass. At this Mass another bonfire is lit in the middle of the floor. While the wood is blazing, ancient hymns are sung and the celebrant carries a figure of the Christ Child around the building. After this the celebrant then touches the nearest person in a "touch of peace". This touch is passed from one to another until everyone has received it.
Christmas dinner is chicken, oranges, nuts and pastries. But it is on New Year's Day that children receive presents. They are brought their gifts by the youngest of the camels that carried the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. The children leave water and hay outside the house of the camel. In the morning the water and hay are gone, replaced by presents.

Christmas in Scotland

2005-12-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

The Scottish people have their big celebrations on New Year's Day, called Hogmanay. A long time ago there is a superstition that it is bad luck for the fire to go out on Christmas Eve, since it is at this time that the elves are abroad and only a raging fire will keep them from coming down the chimney.
On Christmas day, people sometimes make big bonfires and dance around them to the playing of bagpipes. Bannock cakes made of oatmeal are traditionally eaten at Christmas.
In Scotland, Christmas had traditionally been celebrated very quietly, because the Church of Scotland - the Presbyterian Church - has never placed any great emphasis on the Christmas festival, However, the Scots are members of the Church of England or other churches generally celebrate Christmas in the same way as the English people disapproved of Christmas for they believed that there was too much riotous festivity that went on. Nowadays these things are held at Hogmanay, but they do celebrate Christmas with some very interesting customs.

Christmas in Sweden

2005-12-12T14:54:00.001-08:00

Christmas begins in Sweden with the Saint Lucia ceremony. Before dawn on the morning of 13 December, the youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a red sash. She wears a crown of evergreens with tall-lighted candles attached to it. She wakes her parents, and serves them with coffee and Lucia buns. The other children accompany her. The boys dressed as star boys in long white shirts and pointed hats.
The custom goes back to Lucia, a Christian virgin martyred for her beliefs at Syracuse in the fourth century. The Saint Lucia ceremony is fairly recent, but it represents the traditional thanksgiving for the return of the sun. Often she is followed by star boys, who wear pointed hats, and carry star wands.
Candle-lit processions to Church feature Scandinavian Christmases, where, in the home, it is mother who always lights the candles on Christmas Eve.
Christmas trees are usually found in Swedish homes two days before Christmas. Decoration may include candles, apples, Swedish flags, small gnomes wearing red tasseled caps, straw ornaments. The houses may filled with red tulips and smell like pepparkakor, which is a heart-star, or goat-shaped gingerbread biscuit.
Swedish Julafton, or Christmas Eve dinner may be a smorgasbord, or buffet with julskinka, or Christmas ham, pickled pigs feet,lutfisk, or dried codfish, and many different kinds of sweets. Risgryngrot a special rice porridge, has hidden in it an almond which as tradition has it the person who finds the almond in his or her bowl will marry in the coming year.
Christmas trees are usually brought into Swedish homes one or two days before Christmas. Decorations include: candles, apples, Swedish flags, small gnomes and tasseled caps, and straw ornaments. The house may be filled with red tulips and the smell of pepparkakor - a heart-star, or goat-shaped gingerbread biscuits.
After Christmas Eve dinner, a friend or family member dresses up as tomte or Christmas gnome. The tomte, unlike Santa Claus is supposed to live under the floorboards of the house or barn and ride a straw goat. The make-believe tomte, wearing a white beard and dressed in red robes, distributes gifts from his sack. Many are given with funny rhyme that hints at the contents.
Swedes eat lye-treated codfish and welcome the Christmas elves and the julbok which is the Christmas goat, who is responsible for the distributing of the presents.
In Sweden Jultomten, a little brownie helps Santa Claus give gifts to the children who have been good.
On Christmas morning, churches are lit up entirely by candles for the Christmas service.
From Mia
The Julbock (Christmas Goat) has nothing to do with the Tomte (Santa Claus)... He doesn't ride it. When Sweden was changing from goat to Santa they came together but that was more than 20 years ago. So it use to but no longer. And it was originally to honor the goats that Tor (an old God) used to pull his carriage. Today basically no one knows why we have them. Sadly and the Tomte doesn't live under a barn anymore. Now it is like in America, he lives at the North Pole. In the old days the tomte took care of the farm and lived there but then he had nothing to do with Christmas (then it was the goat). He was mean and hard to work with but he made sure there would be food on the table and looked after all the animals, IF the people on the farm took care of him and behaved well. No Christmas.
Balls of Glass are in our trees as well as Tinsels now but most of all: You've forgotten about the most Christmassy in Sweden Donald duck at TV at 15.00 on Christmas Eve. Has been shown on TV since 1960-somethink.

Christmas in Hong Kong

2005-12-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

In Hong Kong Christians of most denominations celebrate Christmas with hundreds of church services in Chinese. There are also services held in English for the Europeans.
They send Christmas cards. Many of these cards are exquisitely decorated to show the artistic side of the people who might be gifted. These cards consist of the Holy Family in a Chinese setting. Poinsettias and Nativity scenes decorate homes, churches and other public places and ideographs show the Chinese alphabet on streamers and paper chains. Santa Claus also known as Lan Khoong or Dun Che Lao Ren with his reindeer, are a surprising addition to the Far Eastern Scene.

Christmas in Germany

2005-12-12T14:53:00.001-08:00

Christmas preparations often begin on the eve of December 6th. People often set aside special evenings for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys.
Children leave letters on their windowsills for Christkind, a winged figure dressed in white robes and a golden crown who distributes gifts. Sometimes the letters are decorated with glue and sprinkled with sugar to make them sparkle.
Germans make beautiful gingerbread houses and cookies. The German Christmas tree pastry, Christbaumgeback, is a white dough that can be molded into shapes and baked for tree decorations.
In parts of Germany, people believe that the Christ Child sends a messenger in Christmas Eve. He appears as an angel in a white robe and crown, bearing gifts. The angel is called Christkind. There is also a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, he looks like Santa Claus and also brings gifts.
Some homes in Germany have several Christmas trees, and in all towns across Germany, they can be seen glittering and glowing.
In Germany they hang up advent wreaths of Holly with four red candles in the center. They light one candle each Sunday and last on Christmas Eve. Children count the days until Christmas using an Advent calendar. They open one window each day and find a Christmas picture inside.
In Germany the traditional visitor is the Christkindl who is the Christ Child's messenger. She is a beautiful fair-haired girl with a shining crown of candles who visits each house with a basket of presents.
In some homes a room is locked up before Christmas. On Christmas Eve the children go to bed but are woken up at midnight by their parents and taken down to the locked room. The door is opened and they see the tree all lit up, with piles of parcels on little tables.
In Germany boys dress up as kings and carry a star round the village, singing carols.
Submitted by Claudia Happel
The German Christmas traditions are not quite like that.
1. Christmas preparations start before Dec. 1st, 2. December 6 is Nikolaustag, St. Claus day, you leave out a shoe or boot outside the door Dec.5 and the next morning you find presents (if you were a good kid) or a rod (if you were bad)3. The Adventskranz (advent wreath) is not hung up but placed on a table lying flat, how could you light the candles otherwise...4. catholic boys and girls dress up as kings for three kings day (jan. 6) they sing carols and collect money for donations to different projects
that"s just a couple of things...

Christmas in Denmark

2005-12-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Denmark is supposed to be when a mischievous elf called Nisse can have his fun. He is said to live in the lofts of old farmhouses and enjoys playing jokes. He wears gray woolen clothes, a red bonnet, red stockings and white clogs. Families leave him a bowl of rice pudding or porridge on Christmas Eve to keep his jokes within limits. Usually though he is kind and helpful helping out on the farms and being especially good to the children.
Christmas Eve dinner begins with rice pudding that holds a magic almond inside. Whoever finds the almond receives a prize. They then have goose, red cabbage and browned potatoes. After that lots of pastries and cakes.
The Danish tradition is the Christmas plate. This was a tradition in the early days where rich Danes gave plates biscuits and fruit as presents to their servants. These plates were the nicest and best kind and were not used for everyday use, this is the reason why they became so collectable.
They take much pride making their own decorations with bright paper, bits of wood and straw. The parents secretly decorate the tree, and children are not permitted to see the tree until dinner on Christmas Eve. The tree is then lit up and families gather around to sing carols and hymns.
Each Sunday in Advent, guests are invited to join in the lighting of the candles on the Advent crown. Adults drink a warming mixture of red wine, spices and raisins, and children drink a sweet fruit juice, like strawberry. Everybody eats small cakes of batter which have been cooked over the fire in a special pan, and dusted with icing sugar.
In Denmark Christmas Eve is a special time. It is at this time parents secretly decorate the Christmas tree with home made wood and straw baubles. The children are only able to see the tree before dinner when it is lit up and the family gathers to sing carols and hymns.
In Denmark Christmas Eve is called Juleaften and is the biggest occasion of the year. Parties go on all night, with traditional prune-stuffed roast goose, red cabbage, fried pastries, and cinnamon-laced rice pudding called Grod.
The Christmas elves called Julenisse are appeased with rice pudding, and dishes of seeds are placed outdoors for wild birds.

Christmas in China

2005-12-12T14:52:00.002-08:00

The Christian children of China decorate trees with colorful ornaments. These ornaments are made from paper in the shapes of flowers, chains and lanterns. They also hang muslin stockings hoping that Christmas Old Man will fill them with gifts and treats.
The Chinese Christmas trees are called "Trees of Light." Santa Claus is called Dun Che Lao Ren which means "Christmas Old Man.".
The non-Christian Chinese call this season the Spring Festival and celebrate with many festivities that include delicious meals and pay respects to their ancestors. The children are the main focus of these celebrations, they receive new clothes and toys, eat delectable food and watch firecrackers displays

Christmas in Canada

2005-12-12T14:52:00.001-08:00

Christmas celebrations are quite similar in the variety to America.
In some provinces, a big winter festival, called Sinck tuck, is celebrated by the Eskimos, with dancing and a present-giving party.
In Labrador, turnips are saved from the summer harvest and are given to children, with a lighted candle pushed into a hollowed out hole.
In Nova Scotia, a country settled by Scottish highlanders, songs and carols brought from Britain two centuries ago are sung each Christmas morning.
Also in Nova Scotia, during the twelve days of Christmas small groups of belsnicklers, or masked mummers, appear in neighborhoods, ringing bells, making noise, seeking candy or other treats. The hosts may try to guess who the mummers are and if they guess right the mummer removes his or her disguise and stops making rude noises and actions. Children may be quizzed by the mummers on their behavior if they say they have been good they are rewarded with candy.
In Quebec they display Crèches or nativity scenes in their homes as the Christmas decorations. After attending midnight mass, families may be served tourtiere or pork pie. Another favorite food is Boulettes or small meatballs. A Christmas banquet is called a reveillon.
In British Columbia Christmas turkey may be accompanied by either fresh or smoked salmon.
In Canada the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.

Christmas in Bulgaria

2005-12-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve is as important as Christmas day in Bulgaria. A special diner, consisting of at least twelve dishes is prepared. All of them are without meat and each of them represents a separate month of the year. The dishes consist of beans, different kinds of nuts, dried plums, cakes, and the traditional Banitza. On this day the whole family gathers, eat on straw and get off the table in the same time.
In the past Christmas was celebrated differently. There were boys and non-married young men who were visiting the houses, singing songs for wealth and health for the hosts. They were rewarded with money, food and so on. They were bringing long sticks to put kravai which are round breads with holes in them. They were called Rkoledaris. In the houses the families gathered sitting on the ground or on dry grass and eating meatless food. There were 7 or 12 meals: wine, Rakia , sarmy and so on. There always was a huge round bread where all the cattle, the house and things like that were carved.
Bulgarians make Christmas wishes around the fire and eat blood sausage.

Christmas in Belgium

2005-12-12T14:51:00.001-08:00

In Belgium there are two Santa Claus figures. There is St. Nicholas and Pere Noel.
St Nicholas visits those who speak the Waloon language, in fact he visits them twice. The first time is on the December 4th he does this so he can find out which children have been good and which children have been bad. If a child is good he returns on December 6th with the presents the good children deserve if they were bad they are left twigs. The good children usually received candy and toys. With the bad children he leaves the twigs inside their shoes or in small baskets that are left just inside the doorway.
Pere Noel visits those who speak French. He visits with his companion Pere Fouettard and asks about whether the children have been good or bad. If they have been good they receive chocolates and candies if they have been bad they are more likely to receive a handful of sticks.
Christmas for both gift-givers is on December 6th, the feast of St Nicholas, it is a religious occasion and is observed with services in churches and quiet family gatherings. Special cakes are baked and served during the holiday season and are a treat for children and adults.
The other part is called "Flanders" where they speak Dutch.
St-Nicholas doesn't have anything to do with Christmas. It's His Birthday on December 6th, and then he visits all children to bring them presents.
And then there is Christmas, December 25. The day Jesus Christ was born. The last years the American tradition around Christmas is coming over here. By movies and storybooks.
Now Children get gifts under the Christmas tree also. But this isn't the same everywhere. But it mostly depends on the parents. At some family, they buy gifts for each other and put them under the tree. There's no Santa to bring them. In others, mostly when there are still li'l children it's Santa who brings the gifts and puts them under the tree.
That can be on Christmas Eve, but sometimes in the weeks before Christmas. Gifts are opened on the evening before Christmas, after a Christmas dinner, or the midnight mass, or on Christmas morning.

Christmas in Bangladesh

2005-12-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

In Bangladesh formerly known as East Pakistan, the Christian village men would cut down scores of banana trees and replant them in pairs along the paths to churches and outside their homes. They would then bend over the huge leaves of the banana trees to form an arch, they would then make small holes in the bamboo poles, fill them with oil and tie them across the arches. When the oil is lit, the way to the church is lit up bright enough for all to see.

Christmas in Austria

2005-12-12T14:50:00.001-08:00

The feast of St Nicholas marks the beginning of Christmas in Austria. The saint accompanied by the devil asks children for a list of their good and bad deeds. Good children are given sweets, toys and nuts. Gifts that are placed under the tree are opened after dinner on Christmas Eve.
Brass instruments play chorale music room church steeples, and carol singers, carrying blazing torches and a manger from house to house, gather on the church steps.
Silent Night was first sung in 1818, in the village church of Oberndorf. There is a story told of how Christmas was almost spoiled for the villagers that year.
On Christmas Eve, the priest went into the church and found that the organ was not working. The leather bellows that are used to pump the air through the pipes were full of holes. Christmas without music would not do so the priest showed the organist Franz Bauer a new Christmas hymn he had written. Franz quickly composed a tune for it that could be played on a guitar. So Oberndorf had music after all.
In Austria baked carp is served for the traditional Christmas dinner.
December 6 in Austria is when Heiliger Nikolaus or St. Nicholas, rewards good children with sweets, nuts and apples.
On December 24, the Christ Child brings presents and the Christmas tree for the children. The children wait until they hear a bell tinkling. Then they enter a special room where the Christmas tree is waiting all decorated with candles, ornaments and candies. The whole family sings Christmas carols and wishes each other:
- FROLICHE WEIHNACHTEN!- FROHE WEIHNACHTEN!

Christmas in Australia

2005-12-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows s/he will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies.
Some Australians and particularly tourists often have their Christmas dinner at midday on a local beach, Bondi Beach in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs attracts thousands of people on Christmas Day. Other families enjoy their day by having a picnic. If they are at home, the day is punctuated by swimming in a pool, playing Cricket out the backyard, and other outdoor activities.
The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which commenced in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Sydney and the other capital cities also enjoy Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant which has little red flowered leaves.
Christmas shopping is often done in shorts and t-shirts. At many beaches Santa Claus arrives on a surfboard, or even on a surf lifesaving boat.
Australia's worst Christmas was in 1974, when Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in the Northern Territory. More than 60 people were killed.

Christmas in Argentina

2005-12-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

People go to the church with family, then come back to a family gathering. At midnight after eating they toast, then the adults' dance while younger people go out to see the fireworks. After this they go to sleep, but before opening the presents under the Christmas tree. That day is very special for because they are Christian and celebrate Jesus' birth on the 24th of December.

The dinner food is pork, turkey, and a great variety of meals. Then the table is covered with sweet things, cider, beer, and juice for consuming while waiting for the time of the toast. After the toast all the family chat, others play.

Houses are decorated with red and white garlands; on the door Father Christmas's Boots are placed. The Christmas tree is decorated with colored lights, ornaments and Father Christmas placed on top of it. Mothers make different kinds of meals such as roasted turkey, roasted pork, stuffed tomatoes, mince pies, Christmas's bread and puddings. The toast: drink prepared with different kinds of fruit which is cut into pieces, then it is mixed with juice and cider.

Christmas in United States of America

2005-12-12T14:48:00.001-08:00

Santa Claus was born in US in the 1860's he was named this as he had a white beard and a belly, so he was named Santa Claus as this was the Dutch word for St Nicholas, Sintaklaas. Although the Dutch had bought him with them in the 17th century, he did not become an important person at Christmas until the Novelist Washington Irving put him in a novel that he wrote in 1809. This first Santa Claus was still known as St. Nicholas, he did smoke a pipe, and fly around in a wagon without any reindeer, but he did not have his red suit or live at the North Pole, he did however bring presents to children every year.

In 1863 He was given the name Santa Claus and bore the red suit, pipe, and his reindeer and sleigh.

Now Christmas celebrations vary greatly between regions of the United States, because of the variety of nationalities which have settled in it.

In Pennsylvania, the Moravians build a landscape, called a putz - under the Christmas tree, while in the same state the Germans are given gifts by Belsnickle, who taps them with his switch if they have misbehaved.

Early European settlers brought many traditions to the United States. Many settled in the early days in the South, these settlers would send Christmas greetings to their distant neighbors by shooting firearms and letting off fireworks. In Hawaii this practice is still in use as under the sunny skies, Santa Claus arrives by boat and Christmas dinner is eaten outdoors.

In Alaska, a star on a pole is taken from door to door, followed by Herod's Men, who try to capture the star. Colonial doorways are often decorated with pineapple, a symbol of hospitality.

In Alaska, boys and girls with lanterns on poles carry a large figure of a star from door to door. They sing carols and are invited in for supper.

In Washington D.C., a huge, spectacular tree is lit ceremoniously when the President presses a button and turns on the tree's lights.

In Boston, carol singing festivities are famous. The singers are accompanied by hand bells.

In New Orleans, a huge ox is paraded around the streets decorated with holly and with ribbons tied to its horns.

In Arizona, the Mexican ritual called Las Posadas is kept up. This is a ritual procession and play representing the search of Mary and Joseph for a room at the inn. Families play the parts and visit each other's houses enacting and re-enacting the drama and, at the same time, having a look at each family's crib.

In Hawaii, Christmas starts with the coming of the Christmas Tree Ship, which is a ship bringing a great load of Christmas fare. Santa Claus also arrives by boat.

In California, Santa Claus sweeps in on a surf board.

In America the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.

The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas with the exchange of gifts and greetings and with family visits. For many, the day begins on Christmas Eve with the Midnight Mass. At Christmas it snows in many states, so dinner is usually eaten indoors. Dinner usually is roast turkey, goose, duck or ham served with cranberry sauce, then plum pudding or pumpkin pie followed by nuts and fruit.

American homes are decorated with holly, mistletoe and branches of trees, most have a Christmas tree hung with electric lights, tinsel, baubles, and strings of popcorn and candy canes.

In Colorado, an enormous star is placed on the mountain, it can be seen for many kilometers around, while in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a star is lit in early December.

Polish Americans on Christmas Eve spread hay on their kitchen floor and under the tablecloth to remind them of a stable and a manger. When they make up the table for dinner two extra places are set up for Mary and the Christ Child in case they should knock at the door to ask for shelter.

In Philadelphia, a procession called a mummers parade runs for a whole day with bands, dancers and people in fancy dress.

There are two homes for Santa Claus in the United States one is in Torrington, Connecticut, where Santa and his helpers give out presents. The other home is in Wilmington, New York, where a village for Santa and his reindeer is located.

In Arizona they follow the Mexican traditions called Las Posadas. Families play out the parts of Mary and Joseph searching for somewhere to stay. They form a procession and visit their friends' and neighbors' homes where they admire each family's Nativity crib. In parts of New Mexico, people place lighted candles in paper bags filled with sand on streets and rooftops to light the way for the Christ Child.

Christmas in Alaska

2005-12-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

Most Alaskan Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th, just as people do in the continent of the US. Santa Claus may arrive for a pre-Christmas visit, but, food, gift giving, and decorations are like what you might see in Texas or Wisconsin.
The songs sang at each home include Aleut words Gristuusaaq suu'uq, or Christ is born. Everyone joins in the closing words, Mnogaya leta, or god grant you many years. At the end of the carols the host provides carolers with maple-frosted doughnuts, cookies, candy, piruk, or fish pie, and sometimes smoked salmon.

In Alaska children wander from house to house carrying a colored star on a long pole, and singing carols.

Christmas in African America

2005-12-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

On December 26th African Americans celebrate with Kwanzaa, a holiday that originated at the time of the civil rights movement in the 1960's and is in commemoration of African heritage. Created as a ritual for harvest time and using the language Swahili, Kwanzaa lasts a week during which participants gather with family and friends to exchange gifts and to light a series of black, red and green candles which symbolize the seven basic values of the African Americans family life that is unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

The days leading up to Kwanzaa are spent decorating the house with black, red and green paper decorations. They might also hang handmade ornaments on an evergreen Kwanzaa Bush. Part of this holiday is spent teaching children about their heritage and they might also display their artwork or find other ways to pay tribute to their past as well as their present. They put up photographs of the current generation of the family. A ceremonial table is set up, which has been set up with an ear of corn symbolizing each of the children, a carved and decorated unity cup, which is used for the toasts made each evening.

Then for the next seven nights the family gathers to light the seven holed candleholder or Kinara. The first night of the children is asked to light the central candle the black one (this is symbolizing unity) after which they are told the meaning of the word. The next night someone lights the red one (symbolizing self-determination) and so on for the next seven nights. Each night they also drink from the unity cup which is filled with libation.

December 31st is the night for the giving of gifts to the children these gifts might consist of a book as well as a heritage symbol such as an African artifact. The seven day celebration ends with a feast which has African American foods, and plenty of music. Once everyone has finished eating, they all rise, recommit themselves to the seven principles of Kwanzaa and bid everyone happy times ahead. The host of the party is suppose to wish that at the end of this year may we all come together in larger numbers, with greater achievement, and a higher level of human life.

How Merry Christmas is said in different countries

2005-12-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

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

Christmas in Africa

2005-12-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

Preparation for Christmas in the Congo begins when some group is designated to prepare the annual Christmas pageant.
Christmas day begins with groups of carolers walking to and fro through the village, along the roadway, by the houses of the missionaries, singing the lovely carols known the world around. Often people may be awakened by a group of carolers beginning to converge on the house of worship. They return home to make final preparation as to the clothes one must wear and also as to his offering for the Christmas service.
The most important part of their Christmas worship service is the love offering, this is the gift in honor of Jesus. Then at about 8 or 9 o'clock everyone makes their way to the celebration of the birthday of Jesus.
Everyone who attends the service goes forward to lay down their gift upon the raised platform near the Communion table. Not one person will attend the service without giving a gift.
Now people have Christmas dinners after the service, preparing tables out in front of their home and inviting many of their intimate friends to share.
Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday. In December, the southern summer brings glorious days of sunshine that carry an irresistible invitation to the beaches, the rivers, and the shaded mountain slopes. Then the South African holiday season reaches its height. Schools are closed, and camping is the order of the day. In South Africa there is no snow, but it has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of cultivated and wild flowers being in their full pride.
In the cities and towns carolers make their rounds on Christmas Eve. Church services are held on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve celebrations in larger centers include "Carols by Candlelight" and special screen and floor shows.
Homes are decorated with pine branches, and all have the decorated Christmas fir in a corner, with presents for the children around. At bedtime on Christmas Eve, children may also hang up their stockings for presents from Father Christmas.
Many South Africans have a Christmas dinner in the open-air lunch. For many more, it is the traditional dinner of either turkey, roast beef, mince pies, or suckling pig, yellow rice with raisins, vegetables, and plum pudding, crackers, paper hats, and all. In the afternoon, families go out into the country and usually there are games or bathing in the warm sunshine, and then home in the cool of the evening. Boxing Day is also a proclaimed public holiday usually spent in the open air. It falls on December 26 and is a day of real relaxation.
In Ghana, on Africa's west coast, most churches herald the coming of Christmas by decorating the church and homes beginning with the first week in Advent, four weeks before Christmas. This season happens to coincide with the cocoa harvest, so it is a time of wealth. Everyone returns home from wherever they might be such as farms or mines.
On the eve of Christmas, children march up and down the streets singing Christmas Carols and shouting "Christ is coming, Christ is coming! He is near!" in their language. In the evening, people flock to churches which have been decorated with Christmas evergreens or palm trees massed with candles. Hymns are sung and Nativity plays are presented.
On Christmas Day, children and older people, representing the angels in the fields outside Bethlehem, go from house to house singing. Another church service is held where they dress in their native attire or Western costumes. Later on there is a feast of rice and yam paste called fufu with stew or okra soup, porridge and meats. Families eat together or with close neighbors, and presents are given.
On the west coast of Africa, in Liberia, most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree, which is decorated with bells. On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap, sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged. Also in the morning a church service is held in which the Christmas scene is enacted and hymns and carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting in a circle to share the meal of rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the afternoon, and at night fireworks light up the sky.

christmas in paris

2005-12-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas truly comes alive in Paris with a dazzling array of fir trees.

Paris in Christmas is truly spectacular. Paris is always a very picturesque city but it is at Christmas that Paris really comes into its own for visitors and residents alike.

Christmas In Paris
Christmas in Paris is superb for several reasons, not least the shopping but it Christmas trees which really set Paris apart in the winter months. Every year, a seeming forest of Christmas trees is planted across Paris making for a truly authentic Christmas.

Paris and Christmas Trees
Christmas trees are planted along the main highways in Paris, sit outside its official buildings and take pride of place throughout the many districts which Paris consists of. Around 1,000 fir trees are planted in Paris in total.

Spot a Christmas tree in Paris
If you decide to spend Christmas in Paris, you will only have to walk a few steps to spot a Christmas tree. Fir trees are sprinkled with artificial snow and lit up with strings of Christmas lights. Over 250 Christmas trees are planted at the Champs-Elysees roundabout but even areas like Montmartre benefit from hundreds of fir trees. The City of Paris also decorates barges along the River Seine with Christmas trees.

If you are spending Christmas in Paris then you will definitely spot Christmas tree displays from 2nd December - 5th January.

christmas postcard

2005-12-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

You've got a Card!
MERRY CHRISTMAS

JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

YOU HAVE ALL SHOWN LOVE,FRIENDSHIP,COMPASSION,YOU PULL TOGETHER WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH SOMEONE..OR TO CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY, OR JUST PARTY FOR NO REASON AT ALL..LOL..
I GUESS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THANK YOU..I LOVE YOU ALL..
GOD BLESS YOU..

HUGS N LOVE, PAT
PAT

I wish you love at Christmas
Sleigh rides in the snow
Family who will care for you
Friendships that will grow
Peace and love I send you
This great time of the year
With all the love just bursting
Filling us with cheer
So may your Christmas be filled
With so much peace and care
May all those that you love
Be forever near~

~ Merry Christmas ~

Holiday Smiles

2005-12-05T09:58:00.000-08:00

Sherlock's favorite Christmas song:
"I'll be Holmes for Christmas"

Dear Diary
I know it must seem strange for a grown man to be writing in a diary, but this is going to be such a wonderful experience.

We are moving back to Minnesota from Florida. We both have missed the four seasons, especially the winter with it's beautiful snow. I remember my Grandpa helping me build a snowman and am anxiously waiting to do the same for Andy and Sally.

Dec. 6 - We arrived yesterday! Just 60 miles south of the Candian line. We have little log cabin near the edge of town. The trees are bare and the Cardinals and Blue Jays are settling down in their nests in the fir trees.

Dec 18 - It finally started to snow. Katy and I sat in front of the picture window with our hot chocolate watching as the soft flakes of snow drift down, clinging to the trees and covering the ground. It was beautiful.

Dec. 19 - We awoke to a big, beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Just like a fairyland. Every tree and shrub covered by a beautiful mantle of snow. What a fantastic sight! I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it. I did both the driveway and sidewalks. Later a snow plow came through and accidentally covered up our driveway and the sidewalk with compacted snow from the street. But that is alright, I love shoveling the snow. What great exercise.

Dec 20 - We will definately have a white Christmas. It snowed an additional 14 inches last night and the temperature has dropped to around 11 degrees. Several limbs and scrubs have snapped due to the weight of the snow. I shoveled our driveway again. Shortly afterward, the man in the snowplow came by and did his trick again.

Dec 21 - It warmed enough during the day to create some slush which soon became ice as the temperature dropped again. I fell and hurt my back in the driveway, spent $145.00 at a chiropractor's office but nothing was broken.

Dec 25 - Son, John, with his wife, Barbara, and the kids, Andy and Sally, will be here today, so I guess I will have to just watch them build the snowman. Maybe I can get John to go over the sidewalks again. We had 6 more inches of snow last nite.

Dec. 26 - It was a marvelous Christmas. Sally made such wonderful snow angels. Andy said he would wait for the snowman till I was feeling better. The temperature dropped to 20 below zero during the night.

Dec 29 - Still cold. I sold the wife's car and bought a 4x4 in order to get her to and from work.

Jan. 10 - It has warmed up now. It is only 2 degrees outside. More snow. There's not a tree or scrub on our property that hasn't been damaged. Power was off most of the night. We tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and a kerosene heater, which tipped over and nearly burned the house down. I managed to put the flames out, but suffered 2nd degree burns on both hands and lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows. Car slid on ice, on the way to the emergency room, and was totaled.

Jan 14 - More snow, more shoveling, and again the snowplow came after I had finished. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish.

Jan 23 - Guess who got 29 plus more inches last night? I think I am going snow blind, all I see is snow, snow and more snow!

Jan. 26 - That white stuff keeps coming down. We have to put on all the clothes we own just to go to the mailbox. If I catch that smart-aleck driving the snowplow, I'll chew open his chest and rip open his heart. Power is off again. The toilet froze and part of the roof has started to cave in.

Feb. 3 - Six more inches of sleet and ice and God knows what other kind of white stuff fell last night. It is sooo cold I can't move my toes. Haven't seen the sun for weeks. More snow predicted. Wind-chill -2 degrees.

Jan. 3 - Three more months of winter to go. I set fire to the house, now let's see that white stuff cling to the roof!! I'm moving back to Florida.

I made myself a snowball,
As perfect as could be,
I thought I'd keep it as a pet,
And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas,
And a pillow for its head,
Then last night it ran away,
But first - it wet the bed!

Christmas/Yule Gift Wrapping Hints for Cat Owners

1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.

2. Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door.

3. Open door and remove cat from closet.

4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

6. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc. . .

7. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.

8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.

9. Remove present from bag.

10. Remove cat from bag.

11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.

12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.

13. Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.

14. Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight.

15. Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper.

16. Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.

17. Place present on paper.

18. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.

19. Place object on paper, to hold in place while tearing transparent sticky tape.

20. Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.

21. Seal paper with sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.

22. Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.

23. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.

24. Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.

25. Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper.

26. Decide to skip steps 13-17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.

27. Put present in box, and tie down with string.

28. Remove sting, open box and remove cat.

29. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for locked room.

30. Once inside lockable room, lock door and start to relay out paper and materials.

31. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and relock.

32. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cat from outside door)

33. Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best)

34. Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with this last year as well.

35. Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to >make torn sheet of paper look presentable.

36. Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.

37. Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job.

38. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.

39. Spend 15 minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion.

40. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

41. Go to store and buy a gift bag.

42. KILL CAT!!!

Billy Gates writes to Santa
Dear Santa,

How are you doing? I hope you've had a successful year and have come up with a lot of interesting toys. It's really neat how you're able to do that year after year. I guess that's how you stay number one in the Christmas presents business business.

Actually, I admire the way you run Christmas. You really have a handle on it. You find out what people want (with letters like this and having kids tell you in person), and then you make the presents and control how they are delivered. It's an impressive operation.

I also like how you've got it to where when somebody says "Christmas presents," people automatically think Santa Claus. What a marketing advantage. Best of all, even though you're a huge success, people still don't know much about your private life. It's just rumors. That's so neat.

I think being at the North Pole helps. That was a good move. For example, when you're designing toys, only your elves know what you're doing, and you're way up there where nobody can spy on you and steal your ideas. And even if they do, you can always just let it out that you're making the same stuff to bring to people for free, so why would they buy the other guy's stuff?

Also, other people who make Christmas presents can't deliver them like you can. Yours is the only sleigh on the distribution highway. You must get some great discounts from them, because if they don't play ball you can just refuse to give out their presents. Very Sharp.

What I don't get is why you give away stuff. That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I admit, its why you're number one- who could compete with a deal like that? But it must make it hard to stay in business, especially when you have to visit every kid in the world. You have to keep growing or fail.

Here's an idea on how you can help finance your operation: Give everybody at least one present at Christmas, then you could make batteries and sell them the rest of the year. It would create a demand: You give people something and then sell them what they need to make it work.

Another thing, about you coming down the chimney. That's so slow and inefficient. And what about all the people who don't have chimneys? Santa. I have one word for you--windows. Everybody has windows.

That's about all I have to say. You're probably wondering if I was good or bad this year, but I don't really like to talk about my personal life, if that's O.K. (Just out of curiosity: When you were a boy, did any of the other kids call you a nerd?) Anyway, I don't really have anything to ask for. Mostly I think up something to play with and then build it myself. I guess I'm sort of like you--I make my own toys.

Best of luck,
Billy Gates

Didn't They Have it in Blue?

As I write this, it's the last week of November, and there are only 26 days to finish your Christmas shopping. And if you haven't even started your shopping, then you've wasted the other 100 days the retailers inflicted on us -- I mean granted us -- when they started playing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" over the store loudspeakers back in August.

If you're like me, and are just getting ready to start your Christmas shopping, there are a few tips you need to remember. And before you ask, no I'm not starting late. The fact that I'm starting before the end of November is a major accomplishment for me. So here they are, the Laughing Stalk Christmas Shopping Tips.

1) Do your shopping in the middle of the week, during the day. Everyone but you is at work. Even your boss is at work, so you don't run the risk of bumping into him or her while you make your purchases. Take a long lunch, tell your coworkers you have meetings all day, and then hit the mall.

Even better, do your shopping online, during working hours. No one knows that you've been spending all of your work time on your computer updating your Jennifer Aniston-Brad Pitt web page anyway, so they won't notice if you do a little online shopping.

2) Wear comfortable walking shoes. Yes, you will be walking a lot, especially if you have several people to shop for. But more importantly, if you're like most people, you've foolishly ignored Laughing Stalk Christmas Shopping Tip #1, and are spending your Saturday afternoon slowly circling the mall parking lot, trying desperately to find a parking space. You need your walking shoes to make the eight-mile trek from your car to the mall, because the only parking space you could find was in a pasture outside of town. Even then, you had to wait 20 minutes to get a space.

3) Buy off "The List." Trust me, it's much easier this way. You don't know what The List is? You must be single and living in a shack somewhere. Everyone has The List. It started out as that three page list of toys you wrote, in a peppermint stick-induced haze, to Santa every Christmas Eve. You were convinced that not only did Santa think you had been good all year, you truly believed that he really was going to deliver the "Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots," even though that was the first he had heard anything about it. Unfortunately, you didn't realize the awful truth about Santa: he had planned your Christmas inventory in August, and you weren't gettin' no stinkin' robots, Chester.

Now that you're older, wiser, and have other people to shop for, you're the one getting The List, not writing it. And you've made one very important realization: next to the Ten Commandments, there is nothing more sacred or morally binding than your spouse's List. Don't think of it so much as a set of guidelines. Instead, think of it as a blood pact between your spouse and your still-beating heart.

After years and years of getting The List from my wife, I finally learned to buy what's on there, rather than trying to surprise her with something I thought she would enjoy, like yet another Aboriginal fertility statue ("Collect all 27!") or a Create Your Own Where's Waldo Book kit. While people usually appreciate your imagination and creativity, they absolutely hate it when you use it for Christmas shopping. Just skip the "Three Tenors Sing Songs of Celebration" 5 CD box set, and get the stupid "Billy Bass Sings 'Take Me To The River' Every Time You Press That #&%@! Button" they've been asking for all year long.

4) Don't wait until the last minute. Everyone around the world wants the same thing, and if you wait too long, you won't find it. You'll be forced to buy the things on the bottom of the list, which are usually a result of late-night hair pulling and shrieking sessions of "what else what else what else what else?" Trust me, the last few things on the list are not what they really want, they're just filler. So even if you see "natural teak display shelf for Aboriginal fertility statues," don't bother.

The other problem with waiting until the last minute is that the store owners can smell desperation. They smell it the same way sharks smell blood in the water, or lawyers can sense a product litigation lawsuit. But I repeat myself. . .

Anyway, back to the store owners. When they see you racing into their store at 8:30 on Christmas Eve, they know they've got you. You're desperate, you'll take anything, and you're willing to pay top dollar. Well, almost willing. That's why you didn't get the $400 Waterford crystal vase for your wife, and instead gave her a socket wrench, a 14 pound bowling ball with the name "Big Earl" engraved on it, and a 3-volume set of "Wrestling's Greatest Hits, Smashes, and Bloopers." Remember, unless you affectionately refer to your wife as Big Earl, that bowling ball may end up somewhere other than a bowling alley, if you get my drift.

5) Keep your receipts. In Canada and England, December 26th is Boxing Day, but it's not the good kind of boxing where two guys beat the crap out of each other for an hour. In this case, Boxing Day means you put the stuff you don't want back into their boxes, and take it all back to the stores and exchange it. We don't celebrate Boxing Day here in the US, so instead we have "After Christmas Sales." During these sales, people take the stuff you got them, even if it was on The List, and they exchange it for other stuff they really wanted. And since you paid Super Top Dollar on December 24th for their gifts, your loved ones will be able to find a really great deal for the stuff they really wanted, like a new tape for the Billy Bass singing fish, since they smashed the old one 20 minutes after they got it.

Ah, Christmas. It's the most celebrated time of year. It's a time to celebrate the joy of giving and sharing, of guys named St. Nick and dreams of sugar plums, of Christmas decorations and showering loved ones with gifts. Oh yeah, I think there's something about some guy named Jesus in there too.

Erik Deckers is in sales and marketing by day, but at night he dons a cape and mask and. . . well, he doesn't fight crime so much as he just runs around his house making kung fu noises. He is shy, and doesn't want people to make fun of him. At other times, he writes a weekly humor column, which can be found at

Dave Barry 12 9 01
Friday, December 07, 2001

Nothing says festive like yard bags under the tree
This is the time of year when we think back to the very first Christmas, when the Three Wise Men -- Gaspar, Balthasar and Herb -- went to see the baby Jesus, and, according to the Book of Matthew, ``presented unto Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.''
These are simple words, but if we analyze them carefully, we discover an important, yet often-overlooked, theological fact: There is no mention of wrapping paper.

If there had been wrapping paper, Matthew would have said so:

``And lo, the gifts WERE inside 600 square cubits of paper.

``And the paper WAS festooned with pictures of Frosty the Snowman.

``And Joseph WAS going to throweth it away, but Mary saideth unto him, she saideth, `Holdeth it! That is nice paper! Saveth it for next year!'

``And Joseph DID rolleth his eyeballs.

``And the baby Jesus WAS more interested in the paper than, for example, the frankincense.''

But these words do not appear in the Bible, which means that the very first Christmas gifts were NOT wrapped. This is because the people giving those gifts had two important characteristics:

1. They were wise.

2. They were men.

Men are not big gift wrappers. Men do not understand the point of putting paper on a gift just so somebody else can tear it off. This is not just my opinion: This is a scientific fact based on a statistical survey of two guys I know. One is my son, Rob, who said the only time he ever wraps a gift is, quote, ``if it's such a poor gift that I don't want to be there when the person opens it.'' The other is my friend Gene Weingarten, who told me he does wrap gifts, but as a matter of principle never takes more than 15 seconds per gift.

``No one ever had to wonder which presents daddy wrapped at Christmas,'' Gene said. ``They were the ones that looked like enormous spitballs.''

I also wrap gifts, but because of some defect in my motor skills, I can never COMPLETELY wrap them. I can take a gift the size of a deck of cards and put it the exact center of a piece of wrapping paper the size of a regulation volleyball court, but when I am done folding and taping, you can still see a sector of the gift peeking out. (Sometimes I camouflage this sector with a marking pen.) If I had been an ancient Egyptian in the field of mummies, the lower half of the Pharaoh's body would be covered only by Scotch tape.

On the other hand, if you give my wife a 12-inch square of wrapping paper, she can wrap a C-130 cargo plane. My wife, like many women, actually LIKES wrapping things. If she gives you a gift that requires batteries, she wraps the batteries separately, which to me is very close to being a symptom of mental illness. If it were possible, my wife would wrap each individual volt.

My point is that gift-wrapping is one of those skills -- like having babies -- that come more naturally to women than to men. That is why today I am presenting:

GIFT-WRAPPING TIPS FOR MEN

a.. Whenever possible, buy gifts that are already wrapped. If, when the recipient opens the gift, neither one of you recognizes it, you can claim that it's myrrh.

a.. The editors of Woman's Day magazine recently ran an item on how to make your own wrapping paper by printing a design on it with an apple sliced in half horizontally and dipped in a mixture of food coloring and liquid starch. They must be smoking crack.

a.. If you're giving a hard-to-wrap gift, skip the wrapping paper! Just put it inside a bag and stick one of those little adhesive bows on it. This creates a festive visual effect that is sure to delight the lucky recipient on Christmas morning:
YOUR WIFE: Why is there a Hefty trash bag under the tree?

YOU: It's a gift! See? It has a bow!

YOUR WIFE (peering into the trash bag): It's a leaf blower.

YOU: Gas-powered! Five horsepower!

YOUR WIFE: I want a divorce.

YOU: I also got you some myrrh.

In conclusion, remember that the important thing is not what you give, or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt.

(Sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland")

Another "ping",
Are you listenin'?
The 'puter screen,
Is a glistenin'.
With icons so bright,
They light up the night,
Welcome to the e-mail wonderland!

Gone away,
Are the hall talks.
Here to stay,
Is the IN-BOX.
Flagged "urgent, please read!",
And "answer with speed!".
Welcome to the e-mail wonderland!

In the morning e-mails start to add up.
No lunch today cause messages abound.
Just click away and hope the server stays up.
You can't do your job if it goes down.

10 P.M.,
You're not tired.
The caffeine,
Has got you wired.
The day's not complete,
Till the last delete,
Welcome to the e-mail wonderland!

In the morning e-mails start to add up,
No lunch today cause messages abound.
Just click away and hope the server stays up.
You can't do your job if it goes down.

Until you,
Are retired,
The same old grind,
It is required.
You'll face unafraid,
That message parade.
Welcome to the e-mail wonderland!

DON'T SKIM FLAVOR FROM THE HOLIDAYS
By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it's the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds. You can't pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday eating do's and don'ts. Eliminate second helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say. Good grief. Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn't think so. Isn't mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph.

I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you'll be fat and happy. So what if you don't make it to New Year's? Your pants won't fit anymore, anyway.

1. About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an egg- nogaholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk.. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello? Remember college?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can't leave them behind. You're not going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards, mate.

10. And one final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips. Start over. But hurry! Cookieless January is just around the corner.

December 1

TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue. There will be lots of spiked eggnog and a small band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus to light the Christmas tree! Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director

December 2nd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that, Hanukkah is an important holiday that often coincides with Christmas (though unfortunately not this year). However,from now on we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols sung. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director

December 3rd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
Regarding the anonymous note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, I'm happy to accommodate this request, but, don't forget, if I put a sign on the table that reads, "AA Only," you won't be anonymous anymore. In addition, forget about
the gifts exchange-no gifts will be allowed since the union members feel that $10 is too much money.

Patty Lewis
Human Researchers Director

December 7th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I've arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women closest to the restrooms. Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with the gay men; each will have their table. Yes, there will be a flower arrangement for the gay men's table. Happy now?

Patty Lewis
Human Racehorses Director

December 9th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
People, people-nothing sinister was intended by wanting our CEO to play Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red suit."

Patty Lewis
Human Ratraces

December 10th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
Vegetarians-I've had it with you people!! We're going to hold this party at Luigi's Open Pit whether you like it or not, you can just sit at the table farthest from the grill of death," as you put it, and you'll get salad bar only, including hydroponic tomatoes. But, you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them right now...Ha! I hope you all have a rotten holiday! Drive drunk and die, you hear me?

The Bitch from Hell

December 14th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness. I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

Happy Holidays!
Terri Bishop
Acting Human Resources Director

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it's the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds.

You can't pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday do's and don'ts. Eliminate second helpings, high calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say. Good grief. Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn't think so.

Isn't mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph. I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you'll be fat and happy. So what if you don't make it to New Year's? Your pants don't fit anymore, anyway.

1. About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt Scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt Scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnogaholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with Gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why other? It's like buying a sports car with automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello? Remember college?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between Christmas and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can't leave them behind. You're not going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it all cost. I mean, have some standards, please!

10. And one final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.

Re-read tips. Start over. But hurry! Cookie-less January is just around the corner.

The Nativity 'Seen' By A Child

A 7-year old child was drawing a picture of the Nativity. The picture was very good, including Mary, Joseph and, of course, baby Jesus. However, there was a fat man standing in the corner of the stable, that just did not seem to fit in. When the child was asked about it, she replied, "Oh, That's Round John Virgin."

A Matter Of Morals Two sisters were given parts in a Christmas pageant at their Church. At dinner that night, they got into an argument as to who had the most important role. Finally the 14 year old said to her 8 year old younger sister, "Well, you just ask Mom. She'll tell you it's much harder to be a virgin than it is to be an angel."

Yes, Jesus Loves Me A four year old was at the pediatrician for a check up. As the doctor looked down her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find an elf in here?" The little girl stayed silent. Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find old Rudolph down there?" Again, the little girl was silent. Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest. As he listened to her heart beat, he asked, "Do you think I'll hear Santa in there?" "Oh, no!" the little girl replied. "Jesus is in my heart. Santa is on my underpants."

Good Will With Strategy A lady lost her handbag in the bustle of Christmas shopping. It was found by an honest little boy and returned to her. Looking in her purse, she commented, "Hmmm.... That's funny. When I lost my bag there was a $20 bill in it. Now there are twenty $1 bills." The boy quickly replied, "That's right, lady. The last time I found a lady's purse, she didn't have any change for a reward."

Lessons learned by Leroy Little Leroy went to his mother demanding a new bicycle.

His mother decided that he should take a look at himself and the way he acts. She said, "Well Leroy, it isn't Christmas yet and we don't have the money to just go out and buy you anything you want. So why don't you write a letter to Jesus and pray for one instead."

After his temper tantrum, his mother sent him to his room. He finally sat down to write a letter to Jesus.

Dear Jesus, I have been a good boy this year and would like to have a new bicycle. Your friend, Leroy.

Now Leroy knew that Jesus really knew what kind of boy he was. So he ripped up the letter and decided to give it another try.

Dear Jesus, I've been an OK boy this year and I want a new bicycle. Yours Truly Leroy.

Well, Leroy knew this wasn't totally honest so he tore it up and tried again.

Dear Jesus, I've thought about being a good boy this year and can I have a bicycle? Leroy.

Well, Leroy looked deep down in his heart, which by the way was what his mother really wanted. He knew he had been terrible and was deserving of almost nothing. He crumpled up the letter, threw it in the trash can and went running outside. He aimlessly wandered about depressed because of the way he treated his parents and really considering his actions. He finally found himself in front of a Catholic Church.

Leroy went inside and knelt down, looking around not knowing what he should really do. Leroy finally got up and began to walk out the door and was looking at the statue of Mary in the foyer. All of a sudden he grabbed it, ran out the door and straight home where he hid the statue under his bed. He then sat down to write this letter to Jesus.

Jesus, I got your mama. If you ever want to see her again, give me a bike. You know who

There once lived a communist named Rudolph.
One day the weather suddenly turned terrible.
"Goodness", exclaimed his wife, "snow."
"No," said Rudolph," it's rain!"
"I still say its snow," yelled the wife.
"Look," he insisted, "Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear."

Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
So he can ho-ho-ho.

Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
Because he had low elf esteem.

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite.

Hi Erma,

Just a little holiday note to let you know what I have been up to. Do you like the notepaper, I made it myself. I made the ink from some old left over grapes. You know, not all grapes are suitable for wine making, and we don't want to waste any, now do we.

Since it snowed last night, I got up early and made a sleigh with old barn wood and a glue gun. I stained it with what was left of the cranberries I have. Then to pull the sleigh, I made a white horse, from some DNA that I just had sitting around in my craft room.

By then, it was time to start making the place mats and napkins for my 20 breakfast guests. I'm serving the old standard Stewart twelve-course breakfast.

Before I moved the table into the dining room, I decided to add just a touch of the holidays. So I repainted the room in pinks and stenciled gold stars on the ceiling.

Then while the homemade bread was rising, I took antique candle molds and made the dishes (exactly the same shade of pink) to use for breakfast. These were made from Hungarian clay, which you can get in almost any Hungarian craft store.

Well I must run. I need to finish the buttonholes on the dress I'm wearing for breakfast. I'll get out the sled and drive this note to the post office as soon as the glue dries on the envelope I'll be making. Hope my breakfast guests don't stay too long - I have 40,000 cranberries to string before my speaking engagement at noon.

Love, Martha Stewart

Dear Martha,

I am writing this on the back of an old shopping sack, pay no attention to the coffee stains. I'm 20 minutes late getting my daughter up for school and can't find my tablet.

The pound called, seems old Ruff needs bailing out, again too. Guess I will stop there after the school stop

Burnt my arm on the curling iron when I was trying to make those cute curly fries, how DO they do that?

Still can't find the scissors to cut out some snowflakes, I tried using an old disposable razor...trashed the tablecloth. So now, I guess I will have to go get another.

I tried that cranberry thing, frozen cranberries were all mushed up after I defrosted them in the microwave.

Oh, don't use the Fruity Pebbles as a substitute in that Rice Krispie snowball recipe, unless you happen to like a disgusting shade that resembles puke!

The fudge is boiling over, and there is smoke coming from the oven. Oh Dear, there goes the smoke alarm again, talk to ya later.

Love, Erma

Julie Andrews Favorite Christmas Carol

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the pipes leak,
When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin,
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinin,
And we won't mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, when the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Martha Stewart Holiday Calendar

December 1
Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Spray paint gold, turn upside down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas Cards.

December 2
Have Mormon Tabernacle Choir record outgoing Christmas message for answering machine.

December 3
Using candlewick and handgilded miniature pine cones, fashion cat-o-nine-tails. Flog Gardener.

December 4
Repaint Sistine Chapel ceiling in ecru, with mocha trim.

December 5
Get new eyeglasses. Grind lenses myself.

December 6
Fax family Christmas newsletter to Pulitzer committee for consideration.

December 7
Debug Windows '95

December 8
Decorate homegrown Christmas tree with scented candles handmade with beeswax from my backyard bee colony.

December 9
Record own Christmas album complete with 4 part harmony and all instrument accompaniment performed by myself. Mail to all my friends and loved ones.

December 10
Align carpets to adjust for curvature of Earth.

December 11
Lay Faberge egg.

December 12
Erect ice skating rink in front yard using spring water I bottled myself. Open for neighborhood children's use. Create festive mood by hand making snow and playing my Christmas album.

December 13
Collect Dentures. They make excellent pastry cutters, particularly for decorative pie crusts.

December 14
Install plumbing in gingerbread house.

December 15
Replace air in mini-van tires with Glade "holiday scents" in case tires are shot out at mall.

December 17
Child proof the Christmas tree with garland of razor wire.

December 19
Adjust legs of chairs so each Christmas dinner guest will be same height when sitting at his or her assigned seat.

December 20
Dip sheep and cows in egg whites and roll in confectioner's sugar to add a festive sparkle to the pasture.

December 21
Drain city reservoir; refill with mulled cider, orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

December 22
Float votive candles in toilet tank.

December 23
Seed clouds for white Christmas.

December 24
Do my annual good deed. Go to several stores. Be seen engaged in last minute Christmas shopping, thus making many people feel less inadequate than they really are.

December 25
Bear son. Swaddle. Lay in color coordinated manger scented with homemade potpourri.

December 26
Organize spice racks by genus and phylum.

December 27
Build snowman in exact likeness of God.

December 28
Take Dog apart. Disinfect. Reassemble.

December 29
Hand sew 365 quilts, each using 365 material squares I weaved myself used to represent the 365 days of the year. Donate to local orphanages.

December 30
Release flock of white doves, each individually decorated with olive branches, to signify desire of world peace.

December 31
New Year's Eve! Give staff their resolutions. Call a friend in each time zone of the world as the clock strikes midnight in that country.

Are there men on your Christmas shopping list?

Buying gifts for men isn't nearly as complicated as it is for women. So don't worry. . . this timely list of rules will answer all your gift-giving questions for the men on your list. :-)

Rule #1
When in doubt, buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain.

As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why.

Rule #2
If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love saying those two words. "Hey, George, can I borrow your ratchet?" "Okay. By the way, are you through with my 3/8" socket yet?" Again, no one knows why.

Rule #3
If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car. A 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of de-icer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.

Rule #4
Do not buy men socks.
Do not buy men ties.
And never buy men bathrobes.
(I was told that if men were supposed to wear bathrobes, jockey shorts would not have been invented.)

Rule #5
You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money, buy the man on your list a big screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips and flips and flips. Forget the program, your entertainment will be watching him have fun!

Rule #6
Do not buy any man industrial-sized canisters of after shave or deodorant. I'm told they do not stink - they are earthy.

Rule #7
Buy men label makers. (Almost as good as a cordless drill.) Within a couple of weeks, there will be labels absolutely everywhere. "Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink." You get the idea. No one knows why.

Rule #8
Never buy a man anything and then tell him he should read the instructions because the box says "some assembly required". It will ruin his special day. He will always have parts left over.

Rule #9
Good places to shop for men include:
Northwest Iron Works
Parr Lumber
Home Depot
John Deere
Valley RV Center
Les Schwab Tire.
(NAPA auto parts and Sear's Clearance Centers are also excellent men's stores. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know what it is. "From NAPA Auto, eh? Must be something I need. Hey! Isn't this a starter for a '68 Ford Fairlane? Wow! Thanks.")

Rule #10
Men enjoy danger. That's why they never cook - but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100 pound propane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. "Oh the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?"

Rule #11
Tickets to a NY Giants game are a smart gift. However, he will not appreciate tickets to "A Retrospective of 19th Century Quilts." Everyone knows why.

Rule #12
Men love chain saws. Never, ever, buy a man you love a chain saw. If you don't know why, refer to Rule #7. (Remember what happens when he gets a label maker?)

Rule #13
It's hard to beat a really good wheelbarrow or an aluminum extension ladder. Never buy a real man a stepladder. It must be an extension ladder. No one knows why.

Rule #14
Rope.
Men love rope. It takes us back to our cowboy origins, or at least the Boy Scouts. Nothing says "I love you" like a hundred feet of 3/8" manila rope. No one knows why.

Where Angels Fear To Tread
by Dave Glardon

In the next few weeks, men across this great land will begin the annual trek into unfamiliar territory. In a ritualistic test of wit and stamina, we will try to conquer a world dominated by another species. Yes, it's time to start our holiday shopping.

This isn't like going into the jungle to hunt wild game. That's a picnic compared to the ordeal we face. In the wild, it's man against beast. In the shopping mall, it's man against woman. We don't stand a chance.

To begin with, most men hunt by a code of ethics. It's kind of an unwritten law that we try to respect our fellow hunters. Have you ever seen a mob of women swarming over a table of Beanie Babies? They score more tackles than a middle linebacker.

And among men, there's this whole thing about running off with someone else's kill. Not only is it extremely rude, but we already know the other guy is armed and capable of hitting a moving target.

But if a woman sets her trophy down for a moment, it's gone. I've seen women lift a coveted gift out of someone else's shopping cart while they weren't looking.

Every year, there's a hot new product that everyone wants and no one has enough of. We'd crawl through flaming manure to get them. Next year they're giving them away free with a new cellular phone contract.

Manufacturers promote the daylights out of them, then produce about a tenth of what they could sell. This keeps prices higher than Keith Richards.

You can sell anything to women if you tell them they can't have it. Just post a sign that reads, "Limit Two Per Customer - While They Last." It's like putting a disabled mouse in a room full of hungry cats.

Officially, the hunting season doesn't open till the day after Thanksgiving. The man who waits till then to get started is a fool, especially if he's married.

Once the final month begins, there's no time for us to shop. Our sole function in life, from that day forward, is to serve our queen in the role of chauffeur, pack mule, and bodyguard.

Early on the first day, we find ourselves standing in line outside a store that hasn't even opened yet to save five dollars on a video game we've never heard of. Of course, they're all gone by the time we get inside.

As we race from store to store, our wives bark instructions like navigators in a road rally. "We have to hurry! Take a shortcut! Run that light! The store is already open!" So why bother? They're sold out by now.

Save yourself the aggravation, and find a store that hasn't opened yet, preferably one that's still being built. You stand an equal chance of finding what you're looking for, and you don't have to fight the crowds.

As we navigate the shopping centers looking for a place to park, the true meaning of holiday spirit comes to light. Somehow I don't think extending the middle finger means "Merry Christmas."

At the completion of a full day of shopping, we glance at our watch to find that it's almost noon. Where did the time go? We slowly make our way home and fall into a recliner headfirst. At this point, we could sleep through a Janis Joplin concert.

We doze off smugly in the knowledge that we got all our shopping done in one day. Right! We'll do the same thing day after day until Christmas comes, the stores fall to the ground, or our credit cards self-destruct.

By the time we get to do our own shopping, there's nothing left but fruitcake. Do people really eat those things? Every time I get one, I save it till next year and give it back. My uncle and I have passed the same fruitcake back and forth since 1973.

I love Christmas, but I hate shopping. I'd rather get another vasectomy. But it's something we must do to prove our manhood, to show our dominion over the beasts. But most of all, we do it because our wives tell us to. For in the entire world, there is no beast more fearsome than an unhappy wife.

Dave Glardon is a product of the fifties who came of age in the seventies and is still trying to make sense of the nineties. You can visit his Website at

Who's Good - Who's Bad

In the interest of updating Santa's Workshop, we installed a computer with a "Good/Bad List Keeper". It really is neat. Santa can watch the children all year long and then just push a button each time he sees someone do something very good, or very bad. The"List Maker" automatically tallies the good children and bad children.

Then at the end of the year, Santa just pushes the "EXECUTE" button and the list is printed out.

However, someone forgot to fill the ink cartridge. Some of the checked boxes did not show up well enough to be included in the final tally, so now Santa must do a hand count.

The Good/Bad list keeper showed
The first result showed:
428,534,135 Good
428,534,120 Bad

While the hand count showed
428,534,155 Good
428,534,100 Bad

Knowing that, Santa can't in good faith, go out and deliver presents knowing he could have made a mistake.

Santa has enlisted the help Mrs. Claus and the elves to do another recount. We hope to have this finished up by 6 PM on December 24th but there is the possibility that it may take longer.

So if you wake up Christmas morning, and there are no presents under the tree, you can tell the kids:

"Isn't it great to be on the cutting edge of technology!".

Let's hope no lawyers get involved!

Dear Friends,

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for a low stress, environmentally conscious, socially responsible, gender neutral, non co-dependent, and non-addictive celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced in the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious or secular practices and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular practices at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2002, but not without all due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, not to imply that the Untied States is the only America in the Western Hemisphere, and without regard to the sex, race, color, creed, age, physical ability, aesthetic dynamics, religious faith, choice of internet service provider, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the aforementioned wishes for him/herself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish only, or the issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

Dear Santa,

I am writing this letter for my brother because his arm is in a sling, and the doctor said he shouldn't move his fingers too much. He sprained his wrist yesterday when he fell off the refrigerator, and we've all been pretty busy since then. My mother says it's amazing how putting one arm in a sling can keep three people jumping.

But my brother said he won't ask for anything else if I only write this letter to you to explain what he was doing on the refrigerator. He's afraid you'll forget about how good he's been for most of this year.

And, really, he has been pretty good. He's only had a few slip-ups. Like the time he painted Jerome. He and Jerome found the paints in a box in the garage, and I guess they figured they were watercolors and they'd wash right off. My brother was as surprised as anybody when Jerome's mother called to say that she could not get the green stars off Jerome's forehead. I don't think you should blame my brother for this because it was really just an accident, and the stars wore off in a couple of days.

My brother's really pretty good most of the time. He saved Mrs. Dougherty's cat when it got too high up in the tree. My mother said that she felt like fainting when she saw him climbing way out on that branch, but even she had to admit that he was trying to do a good deed.

My mother says his heart's in the right place, and he cares about other people. Once he gave a giant jar of olives to the school cafeteria. He won the olives at a carnival by guessing that there were 870 of them in the jar. He guessed it exactly. My father told him it was an amazing thing to do, but my brother said that he couldn't eat that many olives in a hundred years and could he give them to somebody that needed them. So my father brought them to the school and bought my brother and me ice cream sodas to celebrate.

You see, he's really pretty good, so I know you'll unerstand when I tell you about the refrigerator.

What started it was when my mother hid the Christmas cookies. She said she had to hide them because last year we only left some burned macaroons and she had to serve store-bought cookies on Christmas. So my brother and I decided to play detective. It was only a game. Really. I mean we weren't going to eat the cookies. We were just going to find them.

My brother was playing bloodhound and sniffing the air in the kitchen when, all of a sudden, he started barking and pointing at the cabinet over the refrigerator. He stood on the highchair and climbed up on the top of the refrigerator. When he opened the cabinet, the yelping got louder, and the next thing I knew he was on the floor, covered with chocolate chips and pecan sandies.

He wasn't worried about his hand so much as he was about getting the cookies back into the saltines boxes that my mother had hidden them in. So we picked them up real fast and didn't even eat one. We put them back in the boxes and cleaned up the crumbs, and that's when my mother came in and my brother's hand started to hurt.

So, you see, it was just a detective game that he was playing, and he wasn't trying to swipe the cookies. And it was pretty smart to guess that they were in the saltines boxes because he knew my mother knew that he doesn't like saltines any more than he likes olives.

So now that you know what happened, I know you'll decide to give my brother the things that he asked for and not hold it against him that he fell off the refrigerator in the middle of a game.

I hope that you do, Santa, 'cause he's really a pretty good brother most of the time. But, if I were you, I'd hold off on giving him the blowtorch for a while.

This is an article submitted to a 1999 Louisville Sentinel contest to find out who had the wildest Christmas dinner. This won first prize.

"Christmas with Louise"
As a joke, my brother use to hang a pair of panty hose over his fireplace before Christmas. He said all he wanted for Christmas was for Santa to fill them. What they say about Santa checking the list twice must be true because every Christmas morning, although Jay's kids' stockings were overflowed, his poor pantyhose hung sadly empty.

One year I decided to make his dream come true. I put on sunglasses and went in search of an inflatable love doll. They don't sell those things at Wal-Mart. I had to go to an adult bookstore downtown. If you've never been in an x-rated store, don't go. You'll only confuse yourself. I was there an hour saying things like, "What does this do?" "You're kidding me!" "Who would buy that?

Finally, I made it to the inflatable doll section. I wanted to buy a standard, uncomplicated doll that could also substitute as a passenger in my truck so I could use the car pool lane during rush hour. Finding what I wanted was difficult. Love dolls come in many different models. The top of the line, according to the side of the box, could do things I'd only seen in a book on animal husbandry. I settled for 'Lovable Louise." She was at the bottom of the price scale. To call Louise a "doll" took a huge leap of imagination.

On Christmas Eve, with the help of an old bicycle pump, Louise came to life. My sister-in-law was in on the plan and let me in during the wee morning hours, long after Santa had come and gone. I filled the dangling pantyhose with Louise's pliant legs and bottom. I also ate some cookies and drank what remained of a glass of milk on a nearby tray. I went home, and giggled for a couple of hours.

The next morning my brother called to say that Santa had been to his house and left a present that had made him VERY happy but had left the dog confused. She would bark, start to walk away, then come back and bark some more. We all agreed that Louise should remain in her panty hose so the rest of the family could admire her when they came over for the traditional Christmas dinner.

My grandmother noticed Louise the moment she walked in the door. "What the hell is that?" she asked. My brother quickly explained, "It's a doll." "Who would play with something like that?" Granny snapped. I had several candidates in mind, but kept my mouth shut. "Where are her clothes?" Granny continued. "Boy, that turkey sure smells nice, Gran," Jay said, trying to steer her into the dining room. But Granny was relentless. "Why doesn't she have any teeth?" Again, I could have answered, but why would I? It was Christmas and no one wanted to ride in the back of the ambulance saying, "Hang on Granny! Hang on!"

My grandfather, a delightful old man with poor eyesight, sidled up to me and said, " Hey, who's the naked gal by the fireplace?" I told him she was Jay's friend. A few minutes later I noticed Grandpa by the mantel, talking to Louise. Not just talking, but actually flirting. It was then that we realized this might be Grandpa's last Christmas at home.

The dinner went well. We made the usual small talk about who had died, who was dying, and who should be killed, when suddenly Louise made a noise that sounded a lot like my father in the bathroom in the morning. Then she lurched from the panty hose, flew around the room twice, and fell in a heap in front of the sofa.

The cat screamed. I passed cranberry sauce through my nose, and Grandpa ran across the room, fell to his knees, and began administering mouth to mouth resuscitation. My brother fell back over his chair and wet his pants and Granny threw down her napkin, stomped out of the room, and sat in the car.

It was indeed a Christmas to treasure and remember. Later in my brother's garage, we conducted a thorough examination to decide the cause of Louise's collapse. We discovered that Louise had suffered from a hot ember to the back of her right thigh. Fortunately, thanks to a wonder drug called duct tape, we restored her to perfect health. Louise went on to star in several bachelor party movies. I think Grandpa still calls her whenever he can get out of the house.

~~~~~I haven't lost my mind...it left of it's own accord.~~~~~

Gold, Common Sense and Fur

My husband and I had been happily (most of the time) married for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with his word as my guide.

God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, he blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter. My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four children, and the oldest was only four years old.

I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella."

I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint him.

I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks. I tried to be understanding when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.

When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess.

In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother - I didn't even come close - I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God.

I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to "wash up" Jesus, too.

Something was lost in the translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to give us his "last wife."

My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man.

This was their moment to shine.

My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes."

My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes."

A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing.

I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, "Mama-mama." Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived.

My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur."

The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation.

"I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one," Father Brian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."

"My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

By Linda C. Stafford

Christmas Gifts from Friends

2005-12-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

2005-12-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration . . . and throughout our place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus Musculus.
Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood-burning caloric apparatus pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St. Nicholas.
The pre-pubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose, were experiencing subconscious visual hallucinations of variegated fruit confections moving rhythmically through their cerebrums.

My conjugal partner and I, attired in our nocturnal head coverings, were about to take slumbrous advantage of the hibernal darkness, when upon the avenaceous exterior portion of the grounds there ascended such a cacophony of dissonance that I felt compelled to arise with alacrity from my place of repose for the purpose of ascertaining the precise source thereof.

Hastening to the casement, forthwith opened the barriers sealing this fenestration, noting thereupon that the lunar brilliance without, reflected as it was on the surface of a recent crystalline precipitation, might be said to rival that of the solar meridian itself, thus permitting my incredulous optical sensory organs to behold a miniature airborne runnered conveyance drawn by eight diminutive specimens of the genus Rangifer, piloted by a miniscule aged chauffeur as ebullient and nimble that it became instantly apparent to me that he was indeed our anticipated caller.

With his ungulate motive power travelling at what may have been more vertiginous velocity than patriotic predators, he vociferated loudly, expelled breath musically through contracted labia, and addressed each of the octet by his or her respective cognomen, "Now Dasher, now Dancer," et al., guiding them to the uppermost exterior level of our abode, through which structure I could readily distinguish the concatenations of each of the 32 cloven pedal extremities.

As I retracted my cranium from its erstwhile location, and was performing a 180-degree pivot, our distinguished visitant achieved, with utmost celerity and via a downward leap, entry by way of the smoke passage. He was clad entirely in animal pelts soiled by the ebon residue from oxidations of carboni-ferrous fuels which had accumulated on the walls thereof.

His resemblance to a street vendor I attributed largely to the plethora of assorted playthings which he bore dorsally in a commodious cloth receptacle. His orbs were scintillant with reflected luminosity, while his submaxillary dermal indentations gave every evidence of engaging amiability. The capillaries of his malar regions and nasal appurtenance were engorged with blood which suffused in subcutaneous layers, the latter that of the prunus avium, or sweet cherry. His amusing sub- and supra-labials resembled nothing so much as a common loop-knot, and their ambient hirstute facial adornment appeared like small tabular and columnar crystals of frozen water.

Clenched firmly between his incisors was a smoking piece whose gray fumes, forming a tenuous ellipse about his occiput, were suggestive of a decorative seasonal circlet of holly. His visage was wider than it was high, and when he waxed audibly mirthful, his corpulent abdominal region undulated in the manner of impectinated fruit syrup in a hemispherical container.

He was, in short, neither more nor less than an obese, jocund, multigenarian gnome, the optical perception of whom rendered me visibly frolicsome, despite every effort to refrain from so being. By rapidly lowering and then elevating one eyelid and rotating his head slightly to one side, he indicated that trepidation on my part was groundless.

Without utterance and with dispatch, he commenced filling the afore-mentioned hosiery with various of the articles of merchandise extracted from his afore-mentioned previously dorsally transported cloth receptacle. Upon completion of his task, he executed an abrupt about-face, placed a singular manual digit in lateral juxtaposition to his olfactory organ, inclined his cranium forward in a gesture of leave-taking, and forthwith effected his egress by renegotiating, in reverse, the smoke passage.

He then propelled himself in a short vector onto his conveyance, directed a musical expulsion of air through his contracted oral sphincter, to the antlered quadrupeds of burden, and proceeded to soar aloft in a movement hitherto observable chiefly among the seed-bearing portions of a common weed.

But I overheard his parting exclamation, audible immediately prior to his vehiculation beyond the limits of visibility, "Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to that self-same assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn."

The Real Meaning of Christmas

2005-12-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

Late one Christmas Eve I sank back, tired but content, into my easy chair. The kids were in bed, the gifts were wrapped, the milk and cookies waited by the fireplace for Santa. As I sat back admiring the tree with its decorations, I couldn't help feeling that something was missing. It wasn't long before the tiny twinkling tree lights lulled me to sleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but all of a sudden I knew that I wasn't alone. I opened my eyes, and you can imagine my surprise when I saw Santa Claus himself, standing next to my Christmas tree. He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot just as the poem described him. But he was not the "jolly old elf" of Christmas legend. The man who stood before me looked sad and disappointed. And there were tears in his eyes.
"Santa, what's wrong?" I asked. "Why are you crying?"

"It's the children," Santa replied sadly.

"But the children love you," I said.

"Oh, I know they love me and the gifts I bring them," Santa said. "But the children of today seem to have somehow missed out on the true spirit of Christmas. ...and it's not their fault! It's just that the adults, many of them not having been taught themselves, have forgotten to teach the children."

"Teach them what?" I asked.

Santa's kind old face became soft, more gentle. His eyes began to shine with something more than tears. He spoke softly. "Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas. Teach them that the part of Christmas we can see, hear, and touch is much more than meets the eye. Teach them the symbolism behind the customs and traditions of Christmas we now observe. Teach them what it is they truly represent."

Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a tiny Christmas tree and set it on my mantle. "Teach them about the Christmas tree. Green is the second color of Christmas. The stately evergreen with its unchanging color represents the hope of eternal life in Jesus. It's needles point heavenward as a reminder that man's thoughts should turn heavenward as well."

Santa reached into his bag again and pulled out a shiny star and placed it at the top of the small tree. "The star was the heavenly sign of promise. God promised a Savior for the world and the star was the sign of the fulfillment of that promise of the night that Jesus Christ was born. Teach the children that God always fulfills His promises and that wise men still seek Him."

"Red," said Santa, "is the first color of Christmas." He pulled forth a red ornament for the tiny tree. "Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the color of the life-giving blood that flows through our veins. It is the symbol of God's greatest gift. Teach the children that Christ gave His life and shed His blood for them that they might have eternal life. When they see the color red it should remind them of that most wonderful gift."

Santa found a bell in his pack and placed it on the tree. "Just as lost sheep are guided to safety by the sound of the bell, it continues to ring today for all to be guided to the fold. Teach the children to follow the true Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep."

Santa placed a candle on the mantle and lit it. The soft glow from its one tiny flame brightened the room. "The glow of the candle represents how man can show his thanks for the gift of God's son who was born that Christmas Eve long ago. Teach the children to follow in Christ's footsteps, to go about doing good. Teach them to let their lights shine before men that all may see it and glorify God. This is what is symbolized when the twinkly lights shine on the tree like hundreds of bright, shining candles, each of them representing one of God's precious children, their light shining for all to see."

Again, Santa reached into his bag and this time he brought forth a tiny red and white striped candy cane. As he hung it on the tree, he spoke softly, "The candy cane is a stick of hard, white candy. White to symbolize the virgin birth and sinless nature of Jesus and the shape 'J' to represent the precious name of Jesus who came to earth as our Savior. It also represents the crook the Good Shepherd uses to reach down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like sheep, have gone astray. The original candy cane had three small red stripes which are the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed, and a large red stripe that represents the shed blood of Jesus so that we can have eternal life. Teach these things to the children."

Santa brought out a beautiful wreath made of fresh, fragrant greenery and tied with a bright red bow. "The bow reminds us of the bond of perfection which is love. The wreath embodies all the good things about Christmas for those with eyes to see and hearts to understand. It contains the colors of red and green and the heaven-turned needles of the evergreen. The bow tells the story of good will towards all; and its color again reminds us of Christ's sacrifice. Even its very shape is symbolic, representing eternity and the eternal nature of Christ's love. It is a circle without beginning and without end. These are the things you must teach the children." "But where does that leave you Santa?" I asked.

The tears gone now from his eyes, a smile broke over Santa's face. "Why, bless you my dear," he laughed. "I'm only a symbol myself. I represent the spirit of family fun and the joy of giving and receiving. If the children are taught these other things, there is no danger that I'll ever be forgotten."

"I think I'm beginning to understand at last," I replied.

"That's why I came," said Santa. "You're an adult. If you don't teach the children these things......then who will?"

This story was in an email message that was sent to me by my sister-in-law. If anyone knows the author - please let me know so that he/she can be duly credited!!!

Chrismas in france , paris

2005-12-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas Activities

Christmas Concentration
Cut rectangular "cards" out of red construction paper, then cut slightly smaller rectangles from wrapping paper (two from each kind) and glue to construction paper. Laminate and play Memory/Concentration. You can also use
pairs of Christmas stickers. Santa Claus Scramble
Write the letters S-A-N-T-A C-L-A-U-S on individual index cards. Do this four times, making four sets, or forty cards. Place the cards in a brown paper bag. To play - have the players divide into two teams on opposite sides of the room. Pass the bag that contains the letters. The teams alternate in picking a letter. The first team to combine their letters to spell SANTA CLAUS wins!

Candy Relay
Divide the kids into teams and have them form lines. Give the first player in each line a pair of mittens. Give everyone a piece of wrapped candy. At a signal, the first player in each team puts on the mittens, unwraps the candy, and pops it into their mouth, the second player does the same, and so on, down the line. The team that finishes first wins.

Santa Snowball Toss
Cover the bottom and sides of a rectangular cardboard box with construction paper. On a piece of paper, draw a Santa face with a large mouth. Paint or color the face with markers. Glue it to the box and cut out the large mouth. Cover six large marshmallows (or use cotton balls) with plastic wrap. To play - Place Santa against a wall. Give each player six tries at throwing marshmallows into Santa's mouth. See who feeds Santa the most.

Dance Like Snowflakes
(sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques")
Dance like snowflakes,
Dance like snowflakes,
In the air.
In the air.
Whirling, twirling, snowflakes,
Whirling, twirling, snowflakes,
Here and there.
Here and there.

Here's a little Candle
(sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
Here's a little candle dressed in white,
Wearing a hat of yellow light.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be.
Here's a little candle straight and tall,
Shining it's light upon us all.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be.
Here's a little candle burning bright.
Keeping us safe all through the night.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be!

Where is Santa?
Sung to the tune: Are you sleeping?
Where is Santa? Where is Santa? (hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (arms out in front making a belly shape!)
Merry, Merry Christmas! Merry, Merry, Christmas! (keep arms up through the
rest of the song!)
Ho! Ho! Ho!, Ho! Ho! Ho!

Reindeer Pokey
(sung to the tune of "The Hokey Pokey")
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
You put your hooves in....
You put your red nose in....
You put your fluffy tail in...
You put your reindeer body in...

Reindeer Pokey
You put your antlers in, you put your antlers out.
You put your antlers in and shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.

Continue with:
You put your hooves in...
You put your red nose in...
You put your fluffly tail in...
You put your reindeer body in..

* Tune: We Wish You A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!
Let's all do a little clapping,
Let's all do a little clapping,
Let's all do a little clapping,
& spread Christmas cheer.

You can change the clapping to other activities.
2.Jumping
3.Twirling
4.Stretching
5.Bending
Ask the kids for other ideas.

Hide & Seek
The child hides 3 plastic snowmen in a bowl of beans/rice, puts on woolen gloves & a blind fold and tries to find the snowmen without looking.

A Shy Santa
Isn't it the strangest thing,
That Santa is so shy? (hide face with hands)
We can never, never catch him, (make fingers run)
No matter how we try.
It isn't any use to watch, (hold hand to eyes and look)
Because my parents said,
"Santa Claus will only come
When children are in bed!" (shake finger)

Santa Claus

Here is the chimney (make fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top (place palm on top of fist)
Open the lid (remove top hand)
and out Santa will pop. (pop up thumb)

Gingerbread Man

Stir a bowl of gingerbread (stir as in bowl)
Smooth and spicy brown

Roll it with a rolling pin
up and up and down (Pretend to roll)

With a cookie cutter, ( pretend to cut out)
make some little men.

Put them in the oven ( place in oven)
till half past ten!

This is Christmas sung to 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'

What is Christmas? We'll tell you.
It's putting love in all we do;
In our work, and in our play.
In our living every day.
It is showing love for others,
Father, Mother, Sisters, Brothers.

Old St. Nicholas had a tree (tune Old McDonald had a farm)
Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree he had some horns (blow horns)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot There a toot
Every where a toot toot

continue....
lights-------flash flash
candy canes-------yum-yum
drums-------boom-boom
bells---------ring ring
birds------peep peep
stars------twinkle twinkle
snowflakes-------flutter flutter

This is a good one to use on a flannel board

Gift Un-Wrapped
Place a candy cane for each kid inside a small cardboard box and gift wrap it. Put the wrapped box inside a larger box, wrap it, and then select another larger box until the package is as large as you can handle. To play - have
everyone sit in a circle. Play music and pass the package around. When the music stops the player holding the package starts to unwrap it. When the music stars, the package is passed again. When the candy canes are found,
share them with everyone.

Christmas Sense of smell game:
Smell game Pass jars under their noses & see if they can identify the smells; evergreen, ginger, candy canes, christmas cake, eggnog, candles, etc

What is Christmas all about? It's about the greatest gift mankind ever has or ever will receive

2005-12-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

Beyond the trees and poinsettia,
Beyond the bows and wrapping paper,
Beyond the sounds of carolers and smells of gingerbread,
Beyond the armloads of gifts and the grim reality of credit card bills,
Beyond red-suit clad Santas and tiny angels adorned with aluminum foil halos,
Ever wondered what Christmas was all about?

Far from the glamorous festivities that mark today's holiday celebrations, the first Christmas proved the humblest of events.

A couple engaged, but not yet married, traveled to a distant city to pay taxes. Adding to the rigors of the journey was the woman's very-pregnant condition. Despite her state, she claimed to be a virgin and said the child she carried was the Son of God, not the product of any human relationship.

How the tongues must have wagged in ancient Palestine! Probably they questioned her sanity. Certainly they challenged her morality. And they must have wondered about the intelligence of her husband-to-be. What sort of man would marry a woman about to have a child which was not his?

Whatever the community thought, Mary knew the truth. Joseph initially doubted his bride-to-be's fantastical story, but an angel appeared to him one night and told him that the child was indeed God's and that his fiancee was pure and honorable, a suitable wife. After that night, Joseph needed no more convincing. Together, the couple made plans for their new life as one flesh, and for the addition that was soon to grace their family. That meant obeying Caesar and paying taxes.

Yet when the twosome reached the city, they could find nowhere to stay. Every room in the city was taken. Mary's condition complicated matters. The child was ready to be born. And as any woman who has ever given birth knows, babies don't delay their arrivals because of inadequate facilities.

Finding no other shelter, Joseph and Mary settled for a stable--a common barn filled with animals and the accompanying smells. The baby came, but no soft receiving blankets graced his skin. No sterile crib awaited the squirming newborn. Mary did the best she could for her baby. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in the softest spot the barn offered--a trough filled with hay.

Glamorous? No.

Festive? Hardly.

But glorious? Yes. A thousand times yes.

You see, like any proud father, the infant's Father--God Himself--hastened to announce His Son's birth. Yet unlike any other father, He proclaimed the good news as only God could.

Without warning, the night sky over Bethlehem came alive. An angel split the night-sky, hovering over a pasture filled with shepherds. Fear gripped their hearts, but the heavenly visitor immediately spoke peace.

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Before they had time to regain their composure, similar creatures literally filled the sky. And angelic praise shattered the typical evening quiet.

The shepherds probably didn't think twice. Who would have under the circumstances? Abandoning their flocks, they headed back into Bethlehem. They didn't stop until they found the child about whom the angels sang. Then, there in the barn, they worshipped the newborn King.

For some, this is where the story ends. For others, even this is new. Yet Christmas, the first Christmas, can scarcely be reduced to the events of a few hours or even a few days.You see, the child Jesus was born for a purpose. And any telling of the Christmas story which fails to relate the infant's divine purpose is, at best, incomplete.

What was the infant's divine purpose? Death.

Ouch.

Not a subject about which we want to think, particularly at Christmas.

Nothing like the gentle strains of "Silent Night."
Nothing like the sweet images conjured up by "Away in a Manger."
Nothing like the cheerful proclamations of "Joy to the World."

Death. Though it lurks somewhere out there, waiting to claim each of us, it's not something we want to regard as our ultimate purpose. It's certainly not a purpose any parent would select for his or her own infant.

So, what was the Christmas's Father-God? A sadist? A monster?

Hardly!

You see, God didn't just look down the road to a cross. He looked back to a choice. He saw a point in history where man and woman, created in His own image and created for fellowship with Him, chose to rebel. He saw the fall of His creation. And in it, He saw the chasm between man and God, a chasm no man could ever bridge.

What did this chasm mean for mankind? Eternal separation from God. Punishment. Death. Man's only hope, in fact, was for another to suffer the consequences on his behalf. Yet all of mankind deserved the same fate. Thus, no man could justify another.

But there was a perfect One--God's Son Jesus Christ. And so, from the throne of heaven, He came down to a humble stable in Bethlehem. The very God of the Universe chose to become a infant. And He hardly demanded for Himself a perfect life.

Before he was two years old, he was a fugitive. A jealous king wanted him dead. Not knowing where the Christ-child was, the king sent soldiers with a command to murder every boy in Bethlehem under the age of two. But God warned Joseph in a dream, and the family fled to Egypt.

At last, the murderous king died. The family began to return to its homeland, but the king's successor was no better. So they settled in Nazareth, which was hardly an educational or cultural metropolis. There, the very Son of God labored with His hands, assisting Joseph in his carpentry trade.

Jesus grew to adulthood and began to minister throughout the territory. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He fed the hungry. And He taught the people. He taught in a way no one had ever taught before, as though He had all authority. The curious masses followed him in droves. They begged him for another miracle, and another, ... and another. They brought their sick to Him, or called Him to come to them when the sick were too ill to travel. They brought their grievances to Him. They brought their fears. They brought their requests. The shouted acclamations when He satisfied them. But did they love Him?

No.

When His teaching became a little TOO uncomfortable, when He called them to love God with ALL their heart, when He challenged them to love and serve their neighbor, when He commanded them to submit to civil government, they turned from Him. In fact, they demanded His death.

And they got it.

He was seized. He was falsely accused. He was taken before judge after judge. He was beaten beyond recognition. Finally, He was sentenced to crucifixion--the cruelest form of execution man has ever devised.

Soldiers stripped him of all clothing and nailed His battered body to a cross. They drove thorns deep into His skull. The masses spat on Him and mocked Him. Even one of those sentenced to die alongside of Him taunted Him. Worst of all, His Father, God Himself, turned His back on Him.

At last, He died.

Were this the end of the story, Christmas should stand as the most infamous day in history. Thankfully, there's another chapter.

Christ's broken form was removed from the cross. It was taken and placed in a borrowed tomb. Soldiers surrounded the grave to make sure the body was undisturbed. But soldiers are helpless to restrain God.

Three days after He was buried, Christ rose from the grave. The One who never sinned could not be held forever by the curse of sin, death.

That chasm created by man's sin? Well, through Christ's death and resurrection, He bridged it. Now a risen Savior stands just on Heaven's side of the chasm, waiting to receive any who will walk across that cross-shaped bridge.

So what is Christmas all about? Life. A life of direction. A life of purpose. A life of joy. A life of peace. A life that never ends. A life of fellowship with God Himself.

Yet just as the first man and woman chose to sin, each of us must choose life. Anyone may walk across the bridge, but no one is forced to.

How does one get on the bridge? Admitting that he or she is a sinner, that he or she has "sinned" or done wrong. Remember that "little white lie"? God calls it sin. Or cheating on that test in second grade? Sin again. What about the figures on that expense account that you fudged ever so slightly? Sin. Or the angry words you had with your neighbor? That time you hit your sister? The name you used to call the unpopular kid in the class? Sin. Simple as it may seem, the first step is to agree with God and say, "Yes, I am a sinner!"

Next, we have to recognize that we cannot save ourselves. Even if our sin list seems short alongside someone else's, sin is sin. Any is too much. Even one sin keeps us from being able to get to God on our own. Sound harsh? Unreasonable? What effect does one drop of poison have on a glass of water? How does a single cup of sugar in a gas tank affect a car? Sin's the same way. Before we can step onto the bridge Christ made, we have to acknowledge that the gap between us and God is too great for us to cross on our own.

Then, we have to believe that Christ's work is sufficient. We have to trust that the cross really will get us to God. Some people want to try multiple bridges. They try Buddha, just in case the Buddhists are right. They try Mohammed, just in case the Muslims are right. And they want to try Christ, just in case the Christians are right. But this is an impossibility. Try driving your car across three bridges simultaneously, or even two, for that matter. It can't be done. Neither can any person really place their faith in multiple gods.

Other people want to build their own bridge, just in case the cross isn't enough. They hope that their good works will make up the distance. Though there's nothing wrong with good works, they're no substitute for the cross. They aren't sufficient. They won't make a bridge all the way to God. And if we're somewhere along the edge of the chasm building our bridge of works, we're not on the bridge of the cross. Again, it's impossible to travel on two bridges at once.

Still others want to keep one foot on the bridge of family. Just in case the cross isn't sufficient, they remind God that their father was a pastor. Or that their great-grandfather was a deacon. Or that their aunt was a missionary. Or that their family has been Presbyterian or Baptist or Pentecostal or Roman Catholic or ... for the last five generations. Maybe they can even trace their lineage back to someone great like Jonathan Edwards or Daniel Webster. Doesn't matter. The bridge of family won't get you to God.

So what will restore fellowship between you and God? What will allow you to escape the eternal consequences of sin? Admit that you are a sinner. Acknowledge that you cannot save yourself. Believe that Christ and Christ alone can save you. And ask Him to save you. It's that simple.

What is Christmas all about? It's about the greatest gift mankind ever has or ever will receive. It's about a God who became a baby and came to earth so He could die for you and me that we might live forever with Him. It's a choice. Will you accept the Christmas child, or reject Him?

Christmas Around The World - Rochedale State School, Australia has some great Christmas pages. They contain activities, stories, jokes, clipart, links

2005-12-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Christmas Around the World from Rochedale State School. Throughout the world, Christmas is one celebration that is universally recognized in many countries. Depending on the climate and location of the country, how the inhabitants actually celebrate Christmas can differ greatly.

On these pages, we will bring you some information about how some of the different countries celebrate Christmas, as well as the Origins of Christmas and Christmas traditions, our own Christmas Game, "The Xmas Files" and some other neat games, Songs, Christmas Activities, Stories, Poems, Clip Art and Links to other Christmas Pages.

Santa also asked us to forward on any emails for him, so if you would like to send a request or just a message to Santa, we guarantee a reply. Click here to email Santa.

When the pages first opened in 1999, we held a Poetry competition for primary school children. You can still read all the great entries we received, on the Poem Competition pages. What shame everyone couldn't be the winner!! If you'd like to read the winning entries,

new year 2006

2005-12-03T03:43:00.000-08:00

New Year CruiseNew Year Cruises are the most sort after this year. With improvements and upgrades in cruise ships over the years, as well as the addition of many latest New Year cruise destinations; cruise vacations are now one of the easiest and most affordable ways to see the world.New Year Cruises have a lot to offer, opening new realms and destinations that are out of reach via land transportation. But the seemingly endless amounts of information on the net and the multifaceted list of choices for New Year destinations, ships, vacation packages and cruise lines can make planning your New Year cruise an overwhelming task.Here are a few tips to help you plan your next New Year cruise vacation and find the cruise that is just right for you.Who will go on the New Year cruise?The choice of your New Year cruise depends mainly on who is going with you. Is it a family trip with young children? Is it a romantic vacation with your beloved? Or it's a friend's New Year bash time.Each of these groups likely describe the perfect cruise differently, with kids needing lots of play and water activities to keep them busy, lovers preferring privacy and low-key surroundings, and friends usually wanting excitement, parties, and chances to socialize. Once you determine who's going on the New Year cruise with you, you can plan the next step.With your New Year cruise selection made, you next need to decide what kind of ship you prefer, where you want to leave from, where you want to go, and how long you want to be gone.Typically a New Year cruise duration starts at three nights and run anywhere from seven to 14 or more days. Pick what works best for you.Your choice of New Year cruise destinationWhen it comes to destinations, most people have an idea of the place they want to visit. Some have had their hearts set on a larger than life Alaskan cruise. Others prefer the spicy offerings of the Caribbean.If you have an clue of what part of the world you want to see, you can visit cruise lines on the net and find out more about those locations, who goes where, and what there is to see.Port of departureFor some people, the point of departure is not a negotiable option. Typically, the port of departure determines the general choice of destinations. If you are set in you choice of ports, start there and see what is available to you. Most New Year cruises leave from a port that is closest to the trip destination.But you can have some fun with this if you have a little extra time. You can decide to make your New Year vacation part road trip and explore along the way to your port of departure.You can even choose a city that you have always wanted to see and fly in a few days ahead of time to spend some time sightseeing. Perhaps your decision will be based on more practical matters, such as a relative who lives in that city. This way you'll also get a chance to meet your relatives separated by distance.The New Year Cruise shipThe features and facilities available on modern cruise ships are simply amazing. From spacious suites to five star restaurants and complete spa facilities, you can find all the comforts of home and often chose from more goodies than at a hotel or resort.Some people are particular about the type of ship or the cruise line they choose. If you have specific companies or ships in mind, that is the obvious place to start in narrowing down your research and planning.Some New Year cruise ships have a more elegant or romantic atmosphere. There is ballroom dancing, Jacuzzi tubs in the suites, and luxurious spas. Again, what you decide will likely be determined by who travels with you.Land ActivitiesOne other area of your New Year cruise planning that can be handled on line is the arrangement of off ship activities and tours. The sights and services available at a port of call are often some of the main reasons we pick a particular destination or cruise line.At many New Year cruise destinations, it isn't unusual for mopeds to be completely rented out or tours to be booked full on the days that ships come into port. Many of these arrangements can be made and reserved ahead of time, saving you time and hassle when you get on land.FinallyPart of what makes a New Year cruise so much fun is the amazing number of options available to vacation travelers. By considering a few important aspects of your vacation needs, you can get yourself a well-planned and worked out holiday and also arranging the cruise vacation of your dreamsNew Year 2006 Usher 2005 in a vibrant manner and welcome 2006 with fervor, buoyancy and merriment. New Year is a perfect occasion for wishing friends, sendinggreeting cards and having a great time in midnight parties amidst fun, frolic, food, andlots of gifts.Make some new resolutions, break New Year's ResolutionIn December or early January, almost everyone is minted up by the desire to plan a wonderful New Year! We plan vacations, and we imagine that any goal can be achieved. We eagerly make New Year's Resolutions and set our biggest goals ever! It's a perfect time to reflect on the changes we want to or need to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Resolutions if carried out successfully not only act as short-term goals to success but also help in improving life and overcoming those habits, which we ourselves do not like.The unfortunate reality, of course, is that for most people the year goes by with little or no change. We do our jobs and live our lives, but our dreams don't come true. Some things do change, but life doesn't seem all that different. Not really. Not like we hoped.The tradition of taking a resolution at New Year and fulfill it in the coming year, dates back to the early Babylonians. The Babylonians believed that what a person does on the first day of the New Year will affect him or her throughout the year. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. New Year's Resolutions offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves.The New Year is a good time to make resolutions but what is the point of resolutions if we can't keep them? Do you also want to have a resolution for the year 2006, lets us help you out:Tips for New Year ResolutionReview your last year's resolution. Have you succeeded, if not, why did you fail. Examine it and if necessary keep the same resolution this year too.Set Your GoalsMaintain a core focus. Be clear if you really want the change. Don't flow along with the trend.Don't let the cup spill overDo not create too many resolutions at a time. They may distract you. Go with one at a time.Let it be for a year not a dayNew year is the time to plan for the entire year. Let the resolution not be something for which you need just couple of days.Acknowledge the price, and decide to pay itAny worthwhile human achievement requires sacrifice, risk, effort and perseverance. Of course it does! This is how life works! And, you must pay the full price in advance! Be accountable to some one in case you don't follow your resolution seriously.RemindersSometimes its easy to forget the resolution after the New Year euphoria passes away, and one is tempted to postpone the resolution to the next year. Plan to remind yourself of it throughout the year. Make a mention of it in the diary, online reminders or if required inform people close to you about your resolution.Strengths, weakness, Opportunities ThreatsEnhance your strengths, act against your weakness, see what and how you can utilize the opportunities for the year and see if you have to prepare yourself against any threats.Pamper YourselfKeep a gift for yourself wrapped beautifully and gift it to yourself if you accomplish your resolution at the end of the year.Top five New Year resolutions:· I will take a good care of my health and will be fit the whole year.· I will enjoy my life more, be optimistic and happy. · I will be more helpful to others and spend some part of my earnings in charity. · I will be organized and disciplined. I will go early to bed and also wake up early. · I will spend more fruitful time with my family and good friends and will make every effort to make them happy.Some other New Year resolutions you will love to follow:· To trim down having fast or junk food and stick to food having good nutrients. · To mark at least one day a month as "Buy Nothing Day" · To be a regular blood donor remembering that you also may need it some day. · To keep my vehicles pollution free so that you do not be in those ruining the environment. · To quit smoking and drinking as by this you wreck your own bodysome old ones and enjoy in the fiesta called New Year 2006

New Year Celebrations

2005-12-03T03:41:00.000-08:00

New Year CelebrationsThe whole range of celebration of the New Year's Day basically stems from the various ways ancient societies used to greet the new harvest seasons. It was first marked in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon and the first day of spring.Symbolically, New Year signifies a renewal of life. The spirit of celebration is for regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. The customs and practices, though modified through the centuries, have still their distinctive strains in the ways we welcome each onrushing year.The Mid-night cacophony:The idea of making deafening noise is to drive away the evil spirits who flocked to the living at this climactic season with a great wailing of horns and shouts and beating of drums. This is why at the stroke of midnight we hear the deafening clamor of sirens, car horns, boat whistles, party horns, church bells, drums, pots and pans - anything that serves the purpose of producing a devil chasing din.Resolution:In order to have a 'clean slate' on which to start the New Year, people in times past have made certain that they had all their borrowings cleared. Those were the days before such complexities as credit buying. The New Year resolutions, which we are so fond of, represent other efforts to make the year brand new. In fact, we often say that in the New Year we are "turning over a new leaf".How the Church celebrated the New YearAlthough in the first centuries AD the Romans continued celebrating the New Year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations.During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.Good Luck TraditionsTraditionally, it was believed that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. That is why, about all of us love to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of our family and friends. New Year bashes often last for hours after the ringing in of a new year in the middle of the night. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the New Year by consuming black-eyed peas. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day. Japanese make rice cakes, Mochi to bring good luck in the coming year. The Spanish have had a traditional custom to celebrate New Year's Eve, 31st of December. At twelve p.m. everybody has to have twelve grapes to be eaten each time the clock chimes. By the time the clock has finished chiming, everybody has to finish their grapes and the New Year starts. New Year Party InvitationNothing brings people together like the New Year holiday! The countdown has begun and everyone has cocktails in hand ready to toast in the New Year! On this perfect occasion, let us help you choose the right invitation for the oldest and most celebrated holiday! Here are some New Year Party invitation verses that will surely help you to convey your thought this New Year. Happy New YearNew Year Party Invitation 1 Please join us at our Open House Sunday, December 31st, 2005 from 7:00 onwards. 32 Butler Road Clarkesville, Maryland Rose and David SmithNew Year Party Invitation 2 Let's welcome 2006 New Year. John and Janet Morgan cordially invite you for cocktails and dinner Saturday, the thirty-first of December at eight o'clock 32 High Road Forestville, MarylandNew Year Party Invitation 3 Set your sights on New Year lights and champagne 'round the tree. Please join us for a night of fun a Festive New Year Party! December 31st 7:30 p.m. at our house 45 Butler Road Clarkesville, Maryland Rose and David SmithNew Year Party Invitation 4 Celebrate the New Year season! We're planning a New Year party please say you'll be here. Let's welcome the New Year with good friends and good cheer! Saturday, December 31st at 7:30 p.m. 23 High Road Forestville, Maryland.New Year Party Invitation 5 Let's rock and roll to New Year 2006...Please be our guest for Dinner and Dancing on Saturday, the thirty-first of December at seven o'clock in the evening The Dew Drop Inn15 Avenue Road Silent Ville, Foreland. Janet and David SmithNew Year Party Invitation 6 Please join us for a New Year Party Saturday, December 31st 7:00 p.m. 4897 Rom Place Ragsdale, New York. Jenny and Matthew BeckerNew Year Party Invitation 7 Let's toast to the New Year! Mary and Peter Mathew request the pleasure of your company as they ring in the New Year on Saturday, December 31st from 8:00 p.m. onwards. The Country Club villa, Freeland.New Year Party Invitation 8 Please join us for a New Year's Bash Saturday, December 31st 7:00 p.m. 4357 Sullivan Place Scarsdale, New York Jenny and Matthew Becker.New Year CruiseNew Year Cruises are the most sort after this year. With improvements and upgrades in cruise ships over the years, as well as the addition of many latest New Year cruise destinations; cruise vacations are now one of the easiest and most affordable ways to see the world.New Year Cruises have a lot to offer, opening new realms and destinations that are out of reach via land transportation. But the seemingly endless amounts of information on the net and the multifaceted list of choices for New Year destinations, ships, vacation packages and cruise lines can make planning your New Year cruise an overwhelming task.Here are a few tips to help you plan your next New Year cruise vacation and find the cruise that is just right for you.Who will go on the New Year cruise?The choice of your New Year cruise depends mainly on who is going with you. Is it a family trip with young children? Is it a romantic vacation with your beloved? Or it's a friend's New Year bash time.Each of these groups likely describe the perfect cruise differently, with kids needing lots of play and water activities to keep them busy, lovers preferring privacy and low-key surroundings, and friends usually wanting excitement, parties, and chances to socialize. Once you determine who's going on the New Year cruise with you, you can plan the next step.With your New Year cruise selection made, you next need to decide what kind of ship you prefer, where you want to leave from, where you want to go, and how long you want to be gone.Typically a New Year cruise duration starts at three nights and run anywhere from seven to 14 or more days. Pick what works best for you.Your choice of New Year cruise destinationWhen it comes to destinations, most people have an idea of the place they want to visit. Some have had their hearts set on a larger than life Alaskan cruise. Others prefer the spicy offerings of the Caribbean.If you have an clue of what part of the world you want to see, you can visit cruise lines on the net and find out more about those locations, who goes where, and what there is to see.Port of departureFor some people, the point of departure is not a negotiable option. Typically, the port of departure determines the general choice of destinations. If you are set in you choice of ports, start there and see what is available to you. Most New Year cruises leave from a port that is closest to the trip destination.But you can have some fun with this if you have a little extra time. You can decide to make your New Year vacation part road trip and explore along the way to your port of departure.You can even choose a city that you have always wanted to see and fly in a few days ahead of time to spend some time sightseeing. Perhaps your decision will be based on more practical matters, such as a relative who lives in that city. This way you'll also get a chance to meet your relatives separated by distance.The New Year Cruise shipThe features and facilities available on modern cruise ships are simply amazing. From spacious suites to five star restaurants and complete spa facilities, you can find all the comforts of home and often chose from more goodies than at a hotel or resort.Some people are particular about the type of ship or the cruise line they choose. If you have specific companies or ships in mind, that is the obvious place to start in narrowing down your research and planning.Some New Year cruise ships have a more elegant or romantic atmosphere. There is ballroom dancing, Jacuzzi tubs in the suites, and luxurious spas. Again, what you decide will likely be determined by who travels with you.Land ActivitiesOne other area of your New Year cruise planning that can be handled on line is the arrangement of off ship activities and tours. The sights and services available at a port of call are often some of the main reasons we pick a particular destination or cruise line.At many New Year cruise destinations, it isn't unusual for mopeds to be completely rented out or tours to be booked full on the days that ships come into port. Many of these arrangements can be made and reserved ahead of time, saving you time and hassle when you get on land.FinallyPart of what makes a New Year cruise so much fun is the amazing number of options available to vacation travelers. By considering a few important aspects of your vacation needs, you can get yourself a well-planned and worked out holiday and also arranging the cruise vacation of your dreams.

chinese christmas

2005-12-03T03:39:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year,Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4704 begins on Jan. 29, 2006.Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.A Dog YearLegend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in dog years tend to be loyal, kind, and generous. They will work to right wrongs and are able to keep secrets. Bill Clinton, Shirley MacLain, Benjamin Franklin, and Jane Goodall were all born in the year of the dog.Fireworks and Family FeastsAt Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.The Lantern FestivalChinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.4:23 PM Chinese New Year, Chinese New YearChinese calendar Chinese calendar has been in continuous use for centuries, which predates the International Calendar (based on the Grigorian Calendar) we use at the present day which goes back only some 425 years. The calendar measures time, from short durations of minutes and hours, to intervals of time measured in months, years and centuries, entirely based on the astronomical observations of the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars. Read more about it.When is the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2006? January 29, 2006 is the first day of the new year.When is the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2005? February 9, 2005 is the first day of the new year. There are three ways to name a Chinese year:By an animal (like a mscot). The new year is known as the Year of the Rooster.There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12 years. More. By its Former Name. The new year is the year of Yiyou. By this system, the Name of the Year is repeated and re-cycled every 60 years.It is Year 4702 by Chinese calendar.When is the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2004? January 22,2004. This is the first day in the Year of the Monkey.It is Year 4701 by Chinese calendar.What's special about the Chinese New Year in 2004? It was a Leap Year! Unlike the western calendar, where one extra day is added in February, one whole leap month is added in a Chinese Leap Year. Just think. If you get paid by the month, instead of working an extra day for nothing, you would get an extra month's pay !!!This time around, the Leap Month comes after the regular 2-nd Month. The "Leap Second Month" begins on March 21, 2004. Read more about this here And here.When was the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2003? February 1, 2003. It was the first day in the Year of the Ram (sheep, goat).This is Year 4700 by Chinese calendar.When was the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2002? February 12, 2002. It was the first day in the Year of the Horse.It is Year 4699 by Chinese calendar. For those interested in astrology, it is the year of the Black Horse.When was the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2001? January 24, 2001. This was the first day in the Year of the Snake.This is Year 4698. [Some says this is Year 4638, which is also plausible. Others claim this year to be either 4699 or 4399, which are almost certainly wrong.]What's special about the Chinese New Year in 2001? It was a Leap Year! Unlike the western calendar, where one extra day is added in February, one whole leap month is added in a Chinese Leap Year. Just think. If you get paid by the month, instead of working an extra day for nothing, you would get an extra month's pay !!!This time around, the Leap Month comes after the regular 4-th Month. The "Leap 4-th Month" begins on May 23, 2001. More about this...When was the Chinese New Year's Day in Year 2000? February 5, 2000. It was the first day in the Year of the Dragon.That year ended on January 23,2001.When is the Chinese New Year's Day in some other year? There is a 160-year calendar which gives all the dates from 1900-2060 written by H. Liang. You can download it free from http://lunarcal.tripod.com/Download.html12 AnimalsEach year is also designated by one of the 12 Animals For instance, 2003 is the Year of the Ram and 2004 is the Year of the Monkey. 2005 is the Year of the Rooster.This system is extremely practical. A child does not have to learn a new answer to the question, "How old are you?". Old people often lose track of their age, because they are rarely asked about their current age. Every one just have to remember that he or she was born in the "Year of the Monkey" or whatever. More about this.New Year's decoration at the front of the houseColorful calligraphy called 'chun lian' (Spring couplet) are as popular as those for Halloween or Christmas.What's this logo at top right corner of this web page? The Chinese word for "Spring." The Chinese calls the New Year's Celebration the "Spring Festival." This particular calligraphy is a reproduction of the work by one of master calligrapher Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322) who wrote it more than 600 years ago. More on calligraphyAre there Chinese Graphics analogous to Christmas cards? There are colorful posters! Traditional. New Year's cardWhat is the Chinese word for 'luck'? Posters with the word 'luck' is often seen around the New Year's. Make one yourself.Solar/Lunar calendarFor monthly calendar of 2005 (designed by Mr. Meng Zhuo of CWR Univ.)2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec For monthly calendar (design by Professor Dawei Dong) 2004 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecWith a printer, you can print these out and make a 12-page desk calendar.(Be sure to set page orientation to 'landscape' on you printer for best result.)What is the story about the animal of the year? In Chinese calendar, one of the scheme for counting years is a 12-year cycle. One counts from Year 1,2,3,... up to 12. Then starts over from Year 1. (In modern mathematics, this is modulo 12.) Instead of inventing 12 special symbols for this purpose, 12 animals are used to represent these 12 years. Rabbit (hare), for example, is the 4-th year of the cycle.See more about this.Chinese dragons For more about Chinese dragons, go to the Dragon pageFireworks & skywriting For a bit of fun, look at this. [Chinese BIG5] [Chinese GB] [English]How is Chinese New Year's Day determined? In one sentence, the Chinese New Year is the second New Moon after the winter solstice. It is based strictly on astronomical observations, and has nothing to to with the Pope, emperors, animals or myths. Due to its scientific and mathematical nature, we can easily and precisely calculate backward or forward for thousands of years.One explanation by Rudy Chiang Allen Tsai's site has more details: about Year 2004 and here.4:22 PM Chinese New Year New Year's Eve 2006,In New York CityNew Year's Eve 2006In New York City The pyrotechnics explode and confetti rains down on Times Square as everyone waves the balloons, pompoms and other free handouts.If you are planning to come to this year's Times Square celebration, just remember to dress warm, bring your own food and drink (non-alcoholic) and get here early. The streets will begin closing at 43rd Street at about 6:00pm and move north as more people arrive.Disabled viewing is available on the northwest side of 43rd Street but get there early as it does fill up as well.If you want information about hotels in the Times Square area, .After all the celebrations, it's either on to party or on to bed. But you can be sure that it'll be the sanitation workers who will be up later than anyone!NYCtourist.com wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year!Here's a countdown of what you can expect when visiting Times Square this year:T minus 7 hours (5:00 p.m.)The ArrivalPeople begin arriving late in the afternoon on New Year's Eve. By approximately 6:00 p.m., the Bow Tie of Times Square (42nd to 47th Sts. Between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic. The NYPD directs you into the viewing sections beginning with the closest ones to 43rd Street. As each section fills up you're going to be further and further away.T minus 6 hours, 2 minutes (6:58 p.m.)Hourly Video Countdowns BeginAs the New Year draws near, giant video screens will display two minutes of sound effects and music culminating in a 30-second video countdown to mark the end of each hour. The music and sound effects are heard using a wireless surround sound system specially engineered for the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration.T minus 2 hours, 30 minutes (9:30 p.m.)Pom-Poms, Balloons and Confetti BagsThe Times Square Business Improvement District's (the group which makes Times Square the amazing place it now is all-year-round) deploys its sanitation crews clad in bright red uniforms to distribute thousands of fun handouts including American flags. glittering multi-color mylar pom-poms, single-use cameras, bright red and blue balloons, and "Official Times Square Confetti Bags" to all of you cheering in the New Year.T minus 2 hours (10:00 p.m.)Live Video of Times Square CelebrationYou may want to check your face because you might be seen by the world via the live video feed sent to broadcasters worldwide. If you haven't been here before, this is what you've seen all those years from home. Now it's your turn!T minus 1 hour, 30 minutes (10:30 p.m.)Sound & Music Fill the Air!You're now treated to continuous music via the sound system and are encouraged to sing along with everyone! Before you know it, it'll be 2006.T minus 1 minute (11:59 p.m.)All Eyes Are Focused on The Countdown StageThe Times Square 2002 Special Guest (name not available yet) will push the Waterford crystal button that signals the sixty-second Ball Lowering. The Countdown Stage is located at the center island on Broadway between 45th and 46th Streets.The Times Square New Year’s Eve BallThe lighted Ball descends 77 feet in sixty seconds. The Ball is a geodesic sphere, six feet in diameter, weighing approximately 1,070 pounds. The Ball is covered with 504 Waterford crystal triangles which this year have been engraved with the names of those lost in the World Trade Center attacks, 696 multicolored light bulbs, 96 high intensity strobe lights, and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors.T minus 0 minutes (midnight)2006 SignMarking the New Year at the stroke of Midnight, the light bulbs on the New Year’s Eve Ball are turned off as the numerals of the New Year "2006" burst to life shining high above Times Square.PyrotechnicsA two-minute pyrotechnic display will brilliantly illuminate the sky above One Times Square. Bursts of custom-mixed colors glitter in the night sky and are computer-controlled and synchronized with the other special effects.ConfettiThe world-famous New Year's Eve confetti is released from rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square as the revelers celebrate the New Year, creating a brilliant panorama of color 4:18 PM New Year's Eve 2006,In New York City
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New Year Traditions and Customs
New Year Traditions and CustomsTraditions to bring good luck for the New Year are as old as the celebrations and come from all corners of the world. They add to the New Year fervor, enjoyment and fun. Each of these customs holds significance and has a place in history.Let's have a look at some of these traditions. The traditions are as varied as the lands where they are from, but they all involve sharing with friends and family and wishes for happiness, health and prosperity in the New Year.· Mock combats are performed to represent the struggle between the seasons, Life and Death, and Old year and New. Plant and fruit trees are beaten with sticks; water is poured to cleanse the spirit, remove impurities, and invite grace.· There cannot be a New Year until the Old Year has gone. The Old Year is said to be evil and must be banished. A simulacrum of Death is paraded through the town or city and is buried, drowned, or burned. The effigy can be made of straw, twigs, or rags.· Nothing should be taken out of the house as one may remove the good luck along with it. It was said to be wise to make sure that lots of things are to be carried in.· Both one's pockets as well as one's stomach should be full. This was to make certain that in the ensuing year one would be prosperous and well fed. Empty pockets and un-stocked kitchen augured a year of poverty.· Bidding farewell of the old year was originally done out of fear that the evil spirits were let loose on the last day of the year. So people would make lots of noise and have lots of fun to drive the evil spirits away, so that they could start a New Year unharmed and unimpeded.· Another way people would drive the evil forces away was by setting of fireworks as it was believed that they were afraid of light and that they were also afraid of noise. So this was the reason why people would make lots and lots of noises at the stroke of midnight.· Church bells are told to drive evil spirits away at the end of the old year.· January is named for the Roman god, Janus. He is pictured with two faces one looking forward and one looking backward. This symbolizes the connection with both the ending of the old year and the beginning the new one. In America we use different symbols to represent the same things. An old man with a beard usually symbolizes the old year and a baby in diapers the new one.· George Washington began the custom of holding a party on New Year's Day where everyone was welcome. This became known as having an "open house" and is still done in many places today.· Many cultures believe a tall, dark and handsome man crossing the threshold as a sign of good luck, but if the first person to enter the house is a red headed woman, the year is sure to be stressful.· Holding a piece of silver or gold as the New Year begins is said to increase the chances of prosperity in the coming year. Some place a silver coin over the doorway or a penny on the windowsill.· Eating pork, all kinds of greens, cabbage, sauerkraut, the Southern U.S. tradition of black-eyed peas or anything that forms a circle - such as donuts or pretzels - make for good fortune in the coming year.· On New Year's Day, it is believed that hair shouldn't be washed as it would wash away good luck for the New Year. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. New Year RecipesSPINACH SALAD DIPIngredients· 5 slices bacon · 1 tablespoon olive oil · 2 cups sliced mushrooms · 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup) · 2 cloves garlic, minced · 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar · 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard · ¼ teaspoon pepper · 3 cups chopped spinach leaves · 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened · 1/2 cup dairy sour cream · 2 tablespoons milk · Bagel chips or pita crispsDirections1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble four of the bacon slices and set aside. Crumble the remaining slice of bacon; cover and chill for garnish.2. Remove drippings from pan. Add the olive oil to the pan. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are tender. Stir in vinegar, mustard, and pepper. Stir in spinach; cook and stir for 30 seconds or until spinach is wilted. Add cream cheese, stirring until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, the 2 tablespoons milk, and the four slices of crumbled bacon. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and chill for 4 to 36 hours.3. To serve, stir dip. If necessary, stir in additional milk until mixture is of dipping consistency. Top with chilled bacon. Serve with bagel chips or pita crisps. Makes 32 1-tablespoon servings.BLACK FOREST CHERRY CAKE ROLLIngredients· 1/4 cup sugar · 1 tablespoon cornstarch · 2 tablespoons water · 1 cup frozen, pitted tart red cherries · 1-1/2 teaspoons cherry liqueur or brandy · 1/3 cup all-purpose flour · 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder · 1/4 teaspoon baking soda · 4 egg yolks · 1/2 teaspoon vanilla · 1/3 cup granulated sugar · 4 egg whites · 1/2 cup granulated sugar · Sifted powdered sugar · 1/3 cup sugar · 2 tablespoons water · 2 slightly beaten egg yolks · 1-1/2 teaspoons cherry liqueur or cherry brandy (optional) · 1/2 teaspoon vanilla · 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened · 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled · Chocolate curls (optional)Preparation1. For cherry filling, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons water. Add cherries. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.New Year Party IdeasAs the count down to the holiday season begins, New Year's Eve and Day are great opportunities to gather with friends and family. Whether you want to host dinner, appetizers, brunch, or dessert, these party ideas will help you with the planning.Thus New Year Party is a matter of choice for both the host and the party hoppers. While the host should make sure that the party promises the most attractive features for the Mid-night bash, the party hoppers should be cautious in picking up the right one.D cor· Put up streamers, banners and balloons printed with "Happy New Year" messages.· Hang all the lovely greeting cards to frame a doorway, stairway or passages.· Hang colorful paper ribbons across the walls or the ceiling.· Use stickers. Fix them on to paper cups, place cards, balloons, or banners.· Make the room luminous and elegant by an ecstatic display of scented candles.· Add festive bows to everything--easy and economical.· Make sure your sound system has a sing-along facility. It will add more fun to your party. However if you don't have one you can always hire a sound system exclusively for the night.· If possible use timer to control the lighting of the party room and let the illumination move in sync with the clock hours.CenterpieceFlowers - Make sure the arrangements are high enough or low enough so that your guests can see across the table (there's no bigger mistake than this!!). If your ceilings are high, you will need height; if they are low, you can go with a lower arrangement. You may want to add something to the flowers like ribbons; ask your florist what is available.Baskets - Fill them with bread, desserts or flowers. Baskets are a nice touch and are not expensive. Decorate with ribbon and different colored linens for an added touch.The Menu1. Plan out a menu. Putting down on paper what you plan to serve eases the pain of constantly worrying about overlapping food types.2. Make sure you keep everyone's food taste/ specifications -- vegetarian and non-vegetarian -- in mind. You can't have a flurry of non-vegetarian starters, while a standalone guest chews desolately on carrot sticks!3. A general rule of thumb is to have a 4:2 ratio -- four vegetarian dishes to two non-vegetarian dishes.4. If you are lucky enough to have friends who offer to bring something, take them up on it. New Year's parties are hectic enough without having to man the kitchen single-handed.5. Once the menu is ready, it is easy to assign what friends should bring rather than leave it to them to decide. Ultimately, you are responsible for the party.6. Stock up on ice. And stock up on some more ice. This is one commodity you can never have enough of at parties. How to Be the Life of the PartyBe a natural trendsetter. Act comfortable in the social situation and gel in with the party spirit. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you out.Steps:1. Dress to kill. Wear something either very fashionable or very flashy (but tasteful), depending on your style Well-tailored clothes reflect class; bold outfits are hard to forget.2. Stand up straight and make direct eye contact. Self-assurance is very attractive. People will believe that there must be some underlying reason for your self-confidence.3. Smile and make eye contact with every person you speak with. But don't stare. Flirt a little. Don't end up alone in a room with someone, though. You'll miss the party and all the party fun also.4. Compliment each person you talk to and find out something interesting about them. People are most interested in themselves. Everyone has something intriguing about themselves - find it.6. Mingle! Don't get all wrapped up with the same people all evening. Break away within five minutes of meeting someone and move on. You can always come back. If someone drones on and on, excuse yourself immediately and walk away.7. Update yourself on current events and movies, and have a couple of tasteful, funny jokes on hand. You'll be able to start a conversation and then learn more about the topic from the people you talk to.8. Avoid discussing money, politics, religion or yourself.9. Introduce people you meet to each other. This gives you the appearance of being popular and helps you to remember names and faces.10. Avoid lonely or silent corners like, anyone lurking by the food or doors. They are not likely to be interested in conversationNew Year Party GamesParties are always fun. Yet in New Year time everyone wants to have a blast of time. And in these special moments to keep all the guests entertained is quite a challenge.So here are some great New Year party games that will keep the party rolling and guests laughing all night long.Guess the Month: Go through old magazines from the past year, or to your local library (this is fun research though) to search through old news articles. Find many events that took place in the past year. Make a list of these events, and have your guests guess which month the event took place in. For example- "During what month did Gwynneth Paltrow win her best actress award?" Whoever guesses the most right wins a prize.Guess Whose Resolution: Make each of your guests write down 5 resolutions, each on its own slip of paper. Pull one slip of paper out of a basket at a time and read it out loud. Everyone has to write down who they think made each resolution. At the end of the readings, the person who guessed the most correctly wins a prize. Read some of the wrong guesses out loud for fun!Find Your Prediction: Make up some phony generic predictions like, "In the New Year you will shave your head", and attach it to a corresponding item (a wig). Hide predictions with their corresponding items. Tell guests that predictions are hidden around the room with corresponding wrapped items, and that they each need to find one, read it aloud to the group, and open it.Who Wins a Prize? Every 10 minutes or so depending on how long the party is expected to last call out a question that relates to guests at the party, such as "Who's the youngest here?" "Who brought the best food?" "Who said the last word?" "Who laughs the loudest?" "Who's sitting next to the hostess?" and so on. Award a prize each time you call out a random question. Soon lots of people will have prizes- and they won't have to stay for the entire party, or worry about missing all of the games because they are party hopping.Newspaper Game: All you need for this game is a rolled up newspaper. Get everyone to sit in a large circle. One person is picked, and has to go into the middle.The person in the middle starts by saying their name and another person's. That person then has to say their name and another person's before the person in the middle hits them with the newspaper. If they get hit before they say the names, then they are it and have to go into the middle.Icebreaker: Every guest at the party is given a paper tag hanging from a string loop, which they wear around their neck. The game can be played throughout the party while people mingle.The object of the game is for people to ask other guests any question they want in order to try and get a no for an answer. If a player gets a no from another player, the player who answered no has to give the asker his or her tag.If you have lost your tag or tags you can still play and ask questions.At the end of the game period or the end of the evening the person with the most tags wins a prize.New Year PartyNew Year party is one of the most looked forward activities of New Year celebrations. Every party is different, jazzy and great fun. But every year the beat is different. So let's make this year just as memorable as the previous one. This New Year we'll go for a chilled out and laid back New Year.All it takes to have a great New Year's Eve is close friends, the right attitude and of course, a place to party. So to avoid waiting in long line ups the Eve of the New Year, spending tons of money, and in order to make sure you're spending the night with your close friends, take a look at these ways to throw a New Year's party at home.Considering New Year's is right around the corner, it's time to get the ball rolling in planning your house party.Inform all FriendsCheck out for your friends' availability for the New Year party. You don't want to have a whole night planned only to be spending it with your pet and annoying neighbor and of course 17 all-dressed pizzas. Just call those people that you truly want to spend the night with before making all the party arrangements.Sending New Year Party InvitationsIn order to spread the word, your best bet is to call people to tell them about the New Year bash. Not only is this the least expensive way, but also it's also the most reliable. If you prefer mailing invitations for the party, send e-mail -- do not rely on snail mail if you're mailing the invitations within 10 days of the New Year party. You never know what can happen.Whether you use e-mail or the phone, make sure to tell your guests if it's a "the more the merrier" party or if it's exclusive to your close friends.New Year Party MunchiesLight snacks, cocktails, or finger foods are the way to go on New Year's Eve, as compared to a sit-down formal dinner. This will give people the opportunity to mingle with others, without restricting them to a designated seat at the dinner table. Here are some food items to have on hand:· Nachos and salsa· Chips and fries· Nuts· Vegetable and dip· Chicken wings· Mini pizzas· An assortment of cheesesYou don't have to worry about cooking; most of these items can be store bought.Potluck New Year Party DinnerTo avoid worrying about food preparation, a great idea is to organize a potluck New Year dinner, where each guest brings something. This is an excellent way to get every guest involved in the preparation of the party. So just indicate on the invitation that it's a potluck New Year dinner, and try to have every person tell you beforehand what they plan on bringing to the party -- desserts and beer are great, but not when that's the only thing on the menu.Your best bet is to organize a buffet table, and arrange all the food, cutlery, plates, and cups on the table.Tip: Use paper cups, plates, and plastic cutlery to avoid things from breaking and to avoid having to do the dishes the morning-after -- or the month-after that is...New Year's EveNew Year's Eve is a celebration held the day before New Year's Day, on December 31.New Year's Eve is a separate celebration from the observation of New Year's Day. In 20th century Western practice, the celebration involves partying until the clock strikes midnight. Drinking champagne is also a major part of the festivities.In many cultures and countries the use of fireworks and other noise making is a major part of the celebration especially in cities such as Sydney, Paris and London.Many countries observe New Year's Eve as a holiday, indulging in fun and merriment all day long.New Year's Eve Celebrations around the WorldAustraliaSydney leads the world in one of the first major New Year's Eve celebrations each year A large number of fireworks are usually set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and various spots around Sydney Harbour on New Year's Eve.United Kingdom100,000 people gather for an organized street party in Edinburgh, with fireworks being set off from the castle and other major hills around the city on New Year's Eve. In London, a fireworks display is held around the London Eye. Bideford in North Devon is also famous for its New Year's celebrations.United StatesFor about four decades Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians would serenade the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City.In the United States New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. In the past 100 years the dropping of the 'ball' on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast worldwide, is a major component of the New Year's Eve celebration. The 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered starting at 11:59 PM and reaches the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight on January 1. It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.Now, many cities in America have their own local version of the New Year's Eve celebration, even while keeping an eye on New York, and the New York-centric aspect of the holiday is diminishing. Many cities, echoing the New York tradition of dropping a ball, also drop or lower an object (or an enlarged representation of an object), usually one of local significance. Some of these New Year's Eve objects include:· Atlanta, Georgia - a peach · Miami, Florida - an orange · Raleigh, North Carolina - an acorn · Flagstaff, Arizona - a pinecone · Key West, Florida - a conch shell, a pirate wench and a red high-heel shoe · Brasstown, North Carolina - a live opossum in a cage · Port Clinton, Ohio - a walleye fish · Cleona, Pennsylvania - a pretzel · Hummelstown, Pennsylvania - a lollipop · Liverpool, Pennsylvania - a canal boat · Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania - a wrenchFirst NightAs a family-friendly, non-alcoholic celebration of the coming New Year, many communities have started sponsoring "First Night" celebrations. Typical events might include musical entertainment, arcades, and carnival attractions. New Year HolidaysThroughout history all around the world New Year has been welcomed on different dates. Great Britain and its colonies in America adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, in which January 1st was selected as New Year's Day.The New Year Holiday enjoyments and celebrations are different for different customs and religions. For example people in Moslem societies, celebrate the New Year Holidays by wearing new clothes. Southeast Asians release birds and turtles to assure themselves good luck in the twelve months ahead. Mostly for them New Year holidays start from Christmas only. Jewish consider the New Year day holy, and hold a religious ceremony at a meal with special foods. According to their beliefs New Year day marks a fresh beginning. Hindus of India leave shrines next to their beds, so they can see beautiful objects at the start of the New Year. They also believe in enjoying New Year holidays with decorating the streets with lights and burning crackers.Whatever the custom, most of people feel the same sentiment. With a new year, we can expect a new life. We wish each other good luck and promise ourselves to do better in the following year.So each year people from all around the world welcome a brand new year with joy, hope and excitement. It's also a perfect time for families to plan their holidays. In western countries holiday mood advents from Christmas time only. It is in this time of the year people plan elaborate holidays and vacations. Markets are flooded with tour packages.New Year Holidays are even more popular than Christmas holidays. Taking a New Year holiday abroad is more popular than ever, not just to the holiday resorts of the Europe but also to the more exotic holiday destinations such as Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.A New Year holiday for two-week holidays and including Christmas is most popular. The day of the week on which the New Year holiday falls varies from year to year and as a result, prices for New Year holidays are difficult to compare on a year-to-year basis. The fact that New Year holidays are more popular than Christmas may also complicate both availability and pricing. Perhaps the greatest demand for New Year holidays is for two-week holidays that cover both the Christmas holiday and New Year holiday period.For many, a holiday over the New Year holiday period is the ideal way to take a break from the cold and rain of the winter months. New Year holidays are perhaps the best time of year to go somewhere hot and warm. New Year LyricsNew year is a time when music, songs and rhythms fill the air. It's party time and a lotta fun. So here are some evergreen foot tapping music to make the evening a grand spectacle.The songs listed below are some of the most famous new year songs. And to make your karaoke party rock we bring forward the lyrics of these songs especially for you.Happy New YearAbbaNo more champagneAnd the fireworks are throughHere we are, me and youFeeling lost and feeling blueIt's the end of the partyAnd the morning seems so greySo unlike yesterdayNow's the time for us to say...Happy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbour is a friendHappy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don't we might as well lay down and dieYou and iSometimes I seeHow the brave new world arrivesAnd I see how it thrivesIn the ashes of our livesOh yes, man is a foolAnd he thinks he'll be okayDragging on, feet of clayNever knowing he's astrayKeeps on going anyway...Happy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbour is a friendHappy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don't we might as well lay down and dieYou and iSeems to me nowThat the dreams we had beforeAre all dead, nothing moreThan confetti on the floorIt's the end of a decadeIn another ten years timeWho can say what we'll findWhat lies waiting down the lineIn the end of eighty-nine...Happy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbour is a friendHappy new yearHappy new yearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don't we might as well lay down and dieYou and iNew Year's DayU2All is quiet on new year's day,A world in white gets underway,And I want to be with you,Be with you night and day.Nothing changes on new year's day.I will be with you again.I will be with you again.Under a blood-red skyA crowd has gathered in black and white.Arms entwined, the chosen few,Newspapers say, it says it's true.And we can break through,Though torn in two we can be one.I will begin again, I will begin again.Oh and maybe the time is right,Oh maybe tonight.I will be with you again.I will be with you again.And so we are told this is the golden ageAnd gold is the reason for the wars we wage.Though I want to be with you,To be with you night and day.Nothing changes on new year's day.New Year In Different LanguagesHow New Year is said around the world1. Arabic: Kul 'aam u antum salimoun2. Chinese: Chu Shen Tan3. Czechoslavakia: Scastny Novy Rok4. Dutch: Gullukkig Niuw Jaar5. Finnish: Onnellista Uutta Vuotta6. French: Bonne Annee7. German: Prosit Neujahr8. Greek: Eftecheezmaenos o Kaenooryos hronos9. Hebrew: L'Shannah Tovah Tikatevu10. Hindi: Niya Saa Moobaarak11. Irish (Gaelic): Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit 12. Italian: Buon Capodanno13. Khmer: Sua Sdei tfnam tmei14. Laotian: Sabai dee pee mai15. Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku16. Portuguese: Feliz Ano Novo17. Russian: S Novim Godom18. Serbo-Croatian: Scecna nova godina19. Spanish: Feliz Ano Neuvo20. Prospero Ano Nuevo21. Turkish: Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun22. Vietnamese: Cung-Chuc Tan- Xuan New Year HistoryAround the WorldNew year is celebrated all around the world though not at a single time. This is because people in different parts of the world use different calendars. Some calendars are based on the movement of the moon, others are based on the position of the sun, while others are based on both the sun and the moon. All over the world, there are special beliefs about New Year.Ancient EgyptIn ancient Egypt, New Year was celebrated near the end of September when River Nile flooded. The flooding of the Nile was considered very important because without it, the people would not have been able to grow crops in the dry desert.At New Year, statues of the god, Amon and his wife and son were taken up the Nile by boat. Singing, dancing, and feasting was done for a month, and then the statues were taken back to the temple.BabyloniaBabylonia lay in what is now the country of Iraq. Their New Year was in the Spring season. . At this time they celebrate the arrival of the spring rains and the renewal of nature, as well as the renewal of the community.On day three the king is put through the ritual of humiliation. All of his powers are removed and a priest, who tells him he must go and pray for forgiveness of his sins, hits him in the face. Three days later he reappears and is absolved. His royal crest is restored, ceremonies are performed to ensure that nature will support him during the coming year and then he takes part in a procession. After the procession the next three days are full of chaotic activities of all sorts.On the very last day, that is the tenth day of the festival, a banquet was held to celebrate the restoration of order to the society or the community.The RomansFor many years the Romans celebrated New Year on the first of March. Then, in 46 BC, the Emperor Julius Caesar began a new calendar. It was the calendar that we still use today, and thus the New Year date was changed to the first day of January. January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was always shown as having two heads. He looked back to the last year and forward to the new one.The Roman New Year festival was called the Calends, and people decorated their homes and gave each other gifts. Slaves and their masters ate and drank together, and people could do what they wanted to for a few days.The CeltsThe Celts were the people who lived in Gaul, now called France, and parts of Britain before the Romans arrived there. Their New Year festival was called Samhain. It took place at the end of October, and Samhain means 'summer's end'.At Samhain, the Celts gathered mistletoe to keep ghosts away, because they believed this was the time when the ghosts of the dead returned to haunt the living.

christmas around the world

2005-12-03T03:37:00.000-08:00

History of the daten the fairly long history of humanity the celebration of New Year is found to have a pre-historic root.Since the era of the most ancient civilization a number of dates have been marked as the beginning of a new year by different people from different parts of the world. The diversity is due to the difference in their ethnic and cultural background.Today the New Year is celebrated all over the world on January 1. But this was not the case a few hundred years back. The wide spread acceptance of January 1 as the New Year is confined only within the past four hundred years.The changeover: It was the Romans who first used January 1 as the beginning of the year in 153 B.C. Prior to that March 25, the date of the vernal equinox, was celebrated as their New Year's Day. And this was considered to be the beginning of New Year by most Christian European countries during the early medieval era.The delayed acceptance of the changed date might be due to some of its inherent difficulties. The date was unusual. For, unlike the customs prevalent till then, no agricultural or seasonal significance was attached to it. Instead, it was just a civil date, the day after the elections when the consuls would assume their new positions in the Roman empire. But the bigger problem the changed date posed, was difficulties in the calculation of the year. As the Romans moved their New Year's Day backward almost three months to January 1, we have irregularities in our calendar. The months of September, October, November and December, originally mean, the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth month respectively. Later, many of the Roman emperors had given new names to these months. September received names as "Germanucus", "Antonius" and "Tacitus" under each of these emperors' regime. Thus November also earned the varying names of "Domitianus", "Faustinus" and "Romanus".The inconveniences led Julius Caesar to institute a new calendar. It was devised by the Greek astronomerSosigenes of Alexandria from the unrivaled Egyptiansolar calendar. Caesar wanted to change the date of the New Year from January 1 to a more logical date - to one of the solstices or equinoxes. However, it happened that January 1 of 45 B.C. was the date of a new moon.It would have been bad luck, or so regarded by the population, to change it. For his calendar reform, the Senate rewarded him by having the month of his birth, Quintilis, renamed "July" in his honor. Caesar's grandnephew, the Emperor Augustus, had a similar honor bestowed on him when he corrected a mistake which had crept into the calculation of the leap year. Till then it had been observed every three years, instead of every four. He abolished all leap years between 8 B.C. and A.D. 8. Thus he set the calendar straight and earned for himself the renaming of Sextilis as "August". This calendar did not witness significant reforms till 1582, when Pope Gregory XII incorporated our present method of calculation and dividing the year. It was the Pope who reinstituted the practice of observing New Year's Day on January 1, regardless of the pre-Christian associations with that date. The Gregorian reforms also canceled ten days from October; Thursday, October 4, 1582, was followed by Friday, October 15, 1582. the old discrepancy was provided for by making only those century dates leap years that were that were divisible by 400. Thus although the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, the 2000 is. The global adoption: Catholic countries adopted it soon. Yet it took some time for the Protestants to follow suit. Finally Germany did adopt it in 1700, Great Britain in 1752, and Sweden in 1753. It was then necessary to drop 11 days from the calendar because 1700 had been a leap year.The Oriental countries through the influence of religious groups such as the Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists and Moslems, considered the new Calendar as the Christian Calendar, but also adopted it as their official one. Japan welcomed it in 1873 and China in 1912.The Eastern Orthodox adopted it even later, in 19924 and 1927, Russia took it twice - first in 1918 and after trying out its own calendars, again 1n 1924.4:17 PM History of the date New year Gifts at the best rates!New year Gifts at the best rates!The whole range of celebration of the New Year's Day basically stems from the various ways ancient societies used to greet the new harvest seasons. In fact, it is the number of harvests, whether of fruit or grain, that determined how many New Years were observed. The origins of the customs that we think of as peculiarly associated with the celebration of the New Year, took roots in the ways the ancient peoples regarded the New Year. Likewise the other ancient societies in other parts of the world, the New Year festivities had been observed in our wild forests and plains by the native Indians. To the Creek Indians the ripening of the corn in July or August signified the termination of one year and the beginning of another. It was their customs to drape themselves with new clothes, replace the old interiors and households.The Iroquois, another native Indian tribe who inaugurated the new year in January, February or March with ceremonies emphasizing the expulsion of evil spirits. The customs of sporting disguise and masks, making noises and confessions were all practiced by them.Symbolically, New Year signifies a renewal of life. Hence, the spirit of celebration for the regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. The customs and practices, though modified through the centuries, have still their distinctive strains in the ways we welcome each onrushing year.It was the Dutch, in their New Amsterdam settlement at mid-17th century, who originated the modern American New Year celebration. The New Year's Day was the most important holiday for the Dutch who were noted in all the colonies for their love of beer and wine.Given here are some instances of New Year's Day revelry with their historical trails:The Mid-night cacophony:The idea of making deafening noise is to drive away the evil spirits who flocked to the living at this climactic season with a great wailing of horns and shouts and beating of drums. This is why at the stroke of midnight we hear the deafening cacophony of sirens, car horns, boat whistles, party horns, church bells, drums, pots and pans - anything that serves the purpose of producing a devil chasing din.The spectacular Parades:The popular Tournament of Roses Parade held on this day in Pasadena, CA, was started in 1886 by the Valley Hunt Club, whose members decorated their carriages with flowers, creating what was meant to be " an artistic celebration of the ripening of the oranges in California". In the afternoon athletic events were held. The city of Pasadena later relieved the club of sponsorship of the parade, and the city was in turn succeeded by the Tournament of Roses Association, which till date directs the activities.Gradually the flower-decked carriages gave way to floats that by parade rules can be covered only with fresh flowers.Yet another annual attraction, the Rose Bowl football game, became part of the festivities in 1902.The traditional and spectacular Mummers' Parade of Philadelphia owes its origin to the Christmas celebrations of the Swedes and the Englishmen who settled along the Delaware River.The masked revelers among the Swedes saw to it that the festivities of the Christmas season lasted until the New Year. The English brought with them their ancient practice of mumming. This, in America, took the form of groups of men presenting costumed plays, going from house to house reciting their parts in expectation of money or some of the Christmas fare. It was since then the parade has been divided into three main sections: the fancy-dress division, the clown division, and the string bands.The booze bash:Yet another familiar practice, though not quite encouraging. The unbridled drinking bash on the New Year's Eve, is also a secular leftover of a rite that was once religious in character. The original spirit has been a personal re-enacting of the chaotic world that existed before the ordered cosmos was created by God.Resolution:In order to have a 'clean slate' on which to start the New Year, people in times past have made certain that they had all their borrowings cleared. Those were the days before such complexities as credit buying. The New Year resolutions, which we are so fond of, represent other efforts to make the year brand new. In fact, we often say that in the New Year we are "turning over a new leaf."Early American observances:When they eventually lost control of New Amsterdam to the English for the last time in 1674, they had no trouble persuading the English to abandon their March 25 New Year and observe it on January 1.The principal customs of the day were visiting friends and exchanging gifts, to which the English added the turkey shoot. But in March 1773, the New York State legislature outlawed the firing of guns and explosions.The gatherings:The practice of visiting friends continued until the first years of this century. It was a gala time when everyone held open house and laid out enormous feasts for any one who should drop in, whether friend or stranger. To neglect this annual visit was a terrible sight, and the roads were thronged with carriages bearing the holiday-makers.Unfortunately in time the custom was abused; the distinction between privacy and sociability was ignored and troops of unwanted guests descended on the open houses, using them as eating and drinking stations. Politicians and those with an eye on the social ladder were said to have spread their blight over the purposes of the day. People began to send invitations to special guests for their own protection, and the old custom fell irretrievably into decline. Thus the whole range of ideas of purgation, purifications, the confessing of sins, driving off demons, expulsion of evil out of the village and so on transpired. The idea remained the same the abolition of the past.So is the case of masked processions - the masks representing the souls of the dead.The ceremonial reception of the dead, who are invited to feast and led back at the end of the feast to the borders of the territory, to the sea, or the river, or wherever else, is also in line with this concept. Add to these the interlude of Carnival, Saturnalia, reversal of normal order. Though all these constitute the much familiar New Year revelry, these are just part of the rites practiced by primitive man during the celebration of their own New Years. 4:16 PM New year Gifts at the best rates! When year 2006 starts around the worldWhen year 2006 starts around the worldBelow is a table of when year 2006 starts around the world, that is when the clocks turn to midnight and January 1st year 2006. The table is sorted so the first ones are at the top, and the last ones are at the bottom. Table descriptionUTC time: Click the links below "UTC-time" to see time around the world at the time displayed or click the "Countdown"-link to see how long it's left until year 2006 in those cities on that line. Count-downs: Click on the link "Count!" to see countdown to year 2006 for this city Change to this zone: Click on the link "Use this TZ!" to change the times of the table from UTC to the time zone of the cities in the current row. E.g. If you live in New York, you go down the table until you find "Eastern Time in Canada and USA..." and click on TZ! there to get the time displayed in your time zone. A countdown to year 2006 showing most of these cities is also available, in interactive, applet version or static version. UTC time Count-downs Changeto thiszone Where year 2006 starts at shown time in first column 31 Dec 2005 - 10:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Kiritimati on the Christmas Islands, in Kiribati enters year 2006 first Places: Kiritimati (Kiribati - Christmas Islands) 31 Dec 2005 - 10:15 Count! UsethisTZ! Chatham Island outside of New Zealand has a special time zone and seems to be the second place on earth to see the clocks go to year 2006 Places: Chatham Island (New Zealand) 31 Dec 2005 - 11:00 Count! UsethisTZ! New Zealand, Tonga and the South Pole base are among the next to go. Places: Wellington (New Zealand), Nukualofa (Tonga), Auckland (New Zealand), Christchurch (New Zealand), Rawaki (Kiribati - Phoenix Islands) 31 Dec 2005 - 12:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Parts of eastern Russia, Fiji and some Pacific islands Places: Suva (Fiji), Anadyr (Russia), Kamchatka (Russia), Majuro (Marshall Islands), Makwa (Nauru), Funafuti (Tuvalu), Tarawa (Kiribati) 31 Dec 2005 - 12:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Norfolk Island - Australia Places: Kingston (Australia - Norfolk Island) 31 Dec 2005 - 13:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Parts of eastern Australia and some pacific Islands Places: Sydney (Australia - New South Wales), Melbourne (Australia - Victoria), Canberra (Australia - Australian Capital Territory), Hobart (Australia - Tasmania), Vila (Vanuatu), Honiara (Solomon Islands), Palikir (Micronesia - Ponape), Noumea (France - New Caledonia), Lord Howe Island (Australia - Lord Howe Island) 31 Dec 2005 - 13:30 Count! UsethisTZ! South Australia Places: Adelaide (Australia - South Australia) 31 Dec 2005 - 14:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Queensland - Australia, a part of Russia and some islands far east in the Pacific Places: Brisbane (Australia - Queensland), Vladivostok (Russia), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), Guam (U.S.A. - Mariana Islands), Saipan (U.S.A. - Northern Mariana Islands) 31 Dec 2005 - 14:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Northern Territory - Australia Places: Darwin (Australia - Northern Territory) 31 Dec 2005 - 15:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Now Japan and Korea enters year 2006 Places: Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Dili (Timor-Leste), Jayapura (Indonesia - Papua), Koror (Palau), Osaka (Japan), Yokohama (Japan), Sapporo (Japan), Nagoya (Japan), Kobe (Japan), Kyoto (Japan), Pyongyang (North Korea), Taegu (South Korea), Pusan (South Korea), Kitakyushu (Japan), Kawasaki (Japan), Incheon (South Korea), Fukuoka (Japan), Hiroshima (Japan), Ternate (Indonesia - Halmahera), Ambon (Indonesia - Seram) and many more... 31 Dec 2005 - 16:00 Count! UsethisTZ! China, parts of South-East Asia and rest of Australia Places: Beijing (China), Taipei (Taiwan), Shanghai (China), Singapore (Singapore), Manila (Philippines), Hong Kong (China), Perth (Australia - Western Australia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Denpasar (Indonesia - Bali), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Manado (Indonesia - Sulawesi), Balikpapan (Indonesia - Kalimantan), Zibo (China), Zhengzhou (China), Wuhan (China), Tsingtao (China), Tianjin (China), Tangshan (China), Taiyuan (China), Sian (China) and many more... 31 Dec 2005 - 17:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Indonesia and rest of South-East Asia Places: Jakarta (Indonesia - Java), Hanoi (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand), Surabaya (Indonesia - Java), Bandung (Indonesia - Java), Krasnoyarsk (Russia), Vientiane (Laos), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Palembang (Indonesia - Sumatera), Medan (Indonesia - Sumatera), Malang (Indonesia - Java), Khon Kaen (Thailand), Surakarta (Indonesia - Java), Semarang (Indonesia - Java), Hovd (Mongolia), The Settlement (Australia - Christmas Island) 31 Dec 2005 - 17:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Myanmar with its half-hour time zone Places: Yangon (Myanmar) 31 Dec 2005 - 18:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of Russia Places: Dhaka (Bangladesh), Astana (Kazakstan), Thimphu (Bhutan), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Novosibirsk (Russia), Omsk (Russia), Almaty (Kazakstan), Chittagong (Bangladesh), Khulna (Bangladesh) 31 Dec 2005 - 18:15 Count! UsethisTZ! Nepal has its special time zone here Places: Kathmandu (Nepal) 31 Dec 2005 - 18:30 Count! UsethisTZ! All of India enters year 2006 Places: New Delhi (India), Kolkata (India), Mumbai (India), Delhi (India), Bangalore (India), Madurai (India), Agra (India), Varanasi (India), Vishakhapatnam (India), Ludhiana (India), Bhubaneshwar (India), Indore (India), Patna (India), Surat (India), Pune (India), N gpur (India), Chennai (India), Lucknow (India), K npur (India), Jaipur (India), Hyder b d (India) and many more... 31 Dec 2005 - 19:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Most of Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgystan and parts of Russia are next Places: Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Karachi (Pakistan), Lahore (Pakistan), Islamabad (Pakistan), Male (Maldives), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Chelyabinsk (Russia), Yekaterinburg (Russia), Perm (Russia), Ufa (Russia), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Aqtau (Kazakstan), Aqtobe (Kazakstan), Port-aux-Francais (France - Kerguelen) 31 Dec 2005 - 19:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Afghanistan Places: Kabul (Afghanistan) 31 Dec 2005 - 20:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Armenia, Azerbaijan, parts of Russia and Arabia, some islands in the Indian Ocean. Places: Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Victoria (Seychelles), Tbilisi (Georgia), Yerevan (Armenia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Samara (Russia), Saint-Denis (Reunion (French)), Port Louis (Mauritius), Muscat (Oman) 31 Dec 2005 - 20:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Iran Places: Tehran (Iran), Esfah n (Iran) 31 Dec 2005 - 21:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Most of western Asia and Arabia, parts of Russia, and eastern parts of Africa Places: Moscow (Russia), Baghdad (Iraq), Nairobi (Kenya), Khartoum (Sudan), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Aden (Yemen), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Antananarivo (Madagascar), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Doha (Qatar), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Asmera (Eritrea), Djibouti (Djibouti), Moroni (Comoros), Sana (Yemen), Kazan (Russia), Novgorod (Russia), Saint-Peterburg (Russia), Murmansk (Russia), Mogadishu (Somalia), Makkah (Saudi Arabia), Manama (Bahrain), Kampala (Uganda), Dodoma (Tanzania) and many more... 31 Dec 2005 - 22:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Eastern Europe and Turkey, parts of Africa - from North to South. Places: Cairo (Egypt), Bucharest (Romania), Athens (Greece), Sofia (Bulgaria), Ankara (Turkey), Johannesburg (South Africa), Harare (Zimbabwe), Cape Town (South Africa), Kyiv (Ukraine), Odesa (Ukraine), Beirut (Lebanon), Minsk (Belarus), Tallinn (Estonia), Jerusalem (Israel), Amman (Jordan), Istanbul (Turkey), Helsinki (Finland), Gaborone (Botswana), Nicosia (Cyprus), Tel Aviv (Israel), Vilnius (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia), Bujumbura (Burundi), Damascus (Syria), Pretoria (South Africa), Windhoek (Namibia), Tripoli (Libya), Kishinev (Moldova), Mbabane (Swaziland), Maseru (Lesotho), Maputo (Mozambique), Lusaka (Zambia), Lilongwe (Malawi), Kigali (Rwanda), Izmir (Turkey) and many more... 31 Dec 2005 - 23:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Western Europe, parts of Africa Places: Brussels (Belgium), Rome (Italy), Paris (France), Madrid (Spain), Geneva (Switzerland), Budapest (Hungary), Berlin (Germany - Berlin), Warsaw (Poland), Vienna (Austria), Stockholm (Sweden), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Algiers (Algeria), Lagos (Nigeria), Frankfurt (Germany - Hessen), Copenhagen (Denmark), Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro - Serbia), Barcelona (Spain), Zagreb (Croatia), Z rich (Switzerland), Prague (Czech Republic), Oslo (Norway), Brazzaville (Congo), Gibraltar (U.K. - Gibraltar), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Bratislava (Slovakia), San Marino (San Marino), Vaduz (Liechtenstein), Vatican City (Vatican City State), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Bangui (Central African Republic), Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Andorra La Vella (Andorra), Monaco (Monaco), Skopje (F.Y.R.O. Macedonia), Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Tirane (Albania), Bern (Switzerland), Yaound (Cameroon), Valletta (Malta), Tunis (Tunisia), Porto Novo (Benin), Palma (Spain - Mallorca), Niamey (Niger), Ndjamena (Chad), Luanda (Angola), Libreville (Gabon), Kinshasa (Congo Dem.Rep.), D sseldorf (Germany - Nordrhein-Westfalen) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 00:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Places: London (U.K. - England), Dublin (Ireland), Casablanca (Morocco), Lisbon (Portugal), Reykjavik (Iceland), Yamoussoukro (Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)), Glasgow (U.K. - Scotland), Freetown (Sierra Leone), El Aai n (Western Sahara), Dakar (Senegal), S o Tom (Sao Tome and Principe), Conakry (Guinea), Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), Cardiff (U.K. - Wales), Bamako (Mali), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Nouakchott (Mauritania), Monrovia (Liberia), Lome (Togo), Belfast (U.K. - Northern Ireland) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 01:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Azores in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean Places: Praia (Cape Verde), Azores (Portugal) 1 Jan 2006 - 02:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Eastern parts of South-America Places: Sao Paulo (Brazil - S o Paulo), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil - Rio de Janeiro), Brasilia (Brazil - Distrito Federal), Montevideo (Uruguay), Fernando de Noronha (Brazil - Pernambuco), Porto Alegre (Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul) 1 Jan 2006 - 03:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Rest of eastern South-America Places: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Asuncion (Paraguay), Salvador (Brazil - Bahia), Recife (Brazil - Pernambuco), Paramaribo (Suriname), Nuuk (Denmark - Greenland), Stanley (U.K. - Falkland Islands), Cayenne (France - French Guiana), Rosario (Argentina - Santa Fe), Mendoza (Argentina - Mendoza), Tucum n (Argentina - Tucum n), Salta (Argentina - Salta), Mar del Plata (Argentina - Buenos Aires), La Plata (Argentina - Buenos Aires) 1 Jan 2006 - 03:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Newfoundland in Canada Places: St. John's (Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador) 1 Jan 2006 - 04:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Eastern Canada, many Caribbean islands, parts of South-America Places: Caracas (Venezuela), Halifax (Canada - Nova Scotia), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), San Juan (Puerto Rico), La Paz (Bolivia), Georgetown (Guyana), Kingstown (Saint Vincent and Grenadines), Castries (Saint Lucia), Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis), Saint George's (Grenada), Roseau (Dominica), Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), Bridgetown (Barbados), Hamilton (U.K. - Bermuda), Manaus (Brazil - Amazonas), Saint John (Canada - New Brunswick), Charlottetown (Canada - Pr.Edward I), Willemstad (Netherlands - Netherlands Antilles), Plymouth (U.K. - Montserrat), Fort-de-France (France - Martinique) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 05:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Eastern Time in Canada and USA, Western South-America Places: Washington DC (U.S.A. - District of Columbia), New York (U.S.A. - New York), Havana (Cuba), Detroit (U.S.A. - Michigan), Toronto (Canada - Ontario), Montreal (Canada - Quebec), Lima (Peru), Boston (U.S.A. - Massachusetts), Bogota (Colombia), Atlanta (U.S.A. - Georgia), Philadelphia (U.S.A. - Pennsylvania), Ottawa (Canada - Ontario), Nassau (Bahamas), Kingston (Jamaica), Indianapolis (U.S.A. - Indiana), Hartford (U.S.A. - Connecticut), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Newark (U.S.A. - New Jersey), Columbus (U.S.A. - Ohio), Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Concord (U.S.A. - New Hampshire), Columbia (U.S.A. - South Carolina), Baltimore (U.S.A. - Maryland), Louisville (U.S.A. - Kentucky), Augusta (U.S.A. - Maine), Richmond (U.S.A. - Virginia), Raleigh (U.S.A. - North Carolina), Panama (Panama), Quito (Ecuador), Qu bec (Canada - Quebec), Montpelier (U.S.A. - Vermont), Miami (U.S.A. - Florida), Dover (U.S.A. - Delaware), Harrisburg (U.S.A. - Pennsylvania) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 06:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Central Time in Canada and USA, Mexico and most of Latin America Places: Mexico City (Mexico), Guatemala (Guatemala), Chicago (U.S.A. - Illinois), Montgomery (U.S.A. - Alabama), Winnipeg (Canada - Manitoba), Tegucigalpa (Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador), St. Paul (U.S.A. - Minnesota), New Orleans (U.S.A. - Louisiana), Minneapolis (U.S.A. - Minnesota), Managua (Nicaragua), Houston (U.S.A. - Texas), Aguascalientes (Mexico), Des Moines (U.S.A. - Iowa), Dallas (U.S.A. - Texas), Sioux Falls (U.S.A. - South Dakota), St. Louis (U.S.A. - Missouri), Jackson (U.S.A. - Mississippi), Bismarck (U.S.A. - North Dakota), Belmopan (Belize), Acapulco (Mexico), Veracruz (Mexico), Topeka (U.S.A. - Kansas), San Jose (Costa Rica), Regina (Canada - Saskatchewan), Oklahoma City (U.S.A. - Oklahoma), Nashville (U.S.A. - Tennessee), Madison (U.S.A. - Wisconsin), Little Rock (U.S.A. - Arkansas), Lincoln (U.S.A. - Nebraska), Leon (Mexico), Kansas City (U.S.A. - Missouri) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 07:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Mountain Time in Canada and USA Places: Edmonton (Canada - Alberta), Denver (U.S.A. - Colorado), Phoenix (U.S.A. - Arizona), Aklavik (Canada - Northwest Territories), Cheyenne (U.S.A. - Wyoming), Billings (U.S.A. - Montana), Boise (U.S.A. - Idaho), Albuquerque (U.S.A. - New Mexico), Salt Lake City (U.S.A. - Utah), Mazatlan (Mexico), Yellowknife (Canada - Northwest Territories), Santa Fe (U.S.A. - New Mexico), Helena (U.S.A. - Montana), Chihuahua (Mexico), Calgary (Canada - Alberta), El Paso (U.S.A. - Texas), Tucson (U.S.A. - Arizona), Mesa (U.S.A. - Arizona), Aurora (U.S.A. - Colorado) 1 Jan 2006 - 08:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Pacific Time in Canada and USA Places: Los Angeles (U.S.A. - California), San Francisco (U.S.A. - California), Vancouver (Canada - British Columbia), Seattle (U.S.A. - Washington), San Diego (U.S.A. - California), Whitehorse (Canada - Yukon Territory), San Jose (U.S.A. - California), Tijuana (Mexico), Salem (U.S.A. - Oregon), Sacramento (U.S.A. - California), Mexicali (Mexico), Las Vegas (U.S.A. - Nevada), Carson City (U.S.A. - Nevada), Oakland (U.S.A. - California), Long Beach (U.S.A. - California), Stockton (U.S.A. - California), Riverside (U.S.A. - California), Anaheim (U.S.A. - California), Adamstown (U.K. - Pitcairn), Portland (U.S.A. - Oregon), Victoria (Canada - British Columbia) and many more... 1 Jan 2006 - 09:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Alaska - USA Places: Anchorage (U.S.A. - Alaska), Unalaska (U.S.A. - Alaska), Fairbanks (U.S.A. - Alaska), Nome (U.S.A. - Alaska), Juneau (U.S.A. - Alaska), Gambier Islands (France - French Polynesia) 1 Jan 2006 - 09:30 Count! UsethisTZ! Marquesas Islands as part of the French Polynesia Places: Taiohae (France - Marquesas Islands) 1 Jan 2006 - 10:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Hawaii - USA, Tahiti and Cook Islands Places: Honolulu (U.S.A. - Hawaii), Rarotonga (Cook Islands), Papeete (France - Tahiti), Adak (U.S.A. - Alaska) 1 Jan 2006 - 11:00 Count! UsethisTZ! Samoa is the last place Places: Alofi (Niue), Apia (Samoa), Pago Pago (U.S.A. - Ameri

christmas and new year

Île Christmas :Territoire de l'Australie

what is christmas?

Santa Reveals His Goodie Bag

Santa Reveals His Goodie Bag

Merry Cha-Ching-Mas!

The fact of the penguin greeting E-card

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Christmas Lights

happy christmas and new year 2006

Christmas in Syria

Christmas in Scotland

Christmas in Sweden

Christmas in Hong Kong

Christmas in Germany

Christmas in Denmark

Christmas in China

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Christmas in Belgium

Christmas in Bangladesh

Christmas in Austria

Christmas in Australia

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Christmas in United States of America

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christmas postcard

You've got a Card!MERRY CHRISTMAS

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Christmas Gifts from Friends

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The Real Meaning of Christmas

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Christmas Around The World - Rochedale State School, Australia has some great Christmas pages. They contain activities, stories, jokes, clipart, links

new year 2006

New Year Celebrations

chinese christmas

christmas around the world

You've got a Card!
MERRY CHRISTMAS