Christmas Around the World

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Christmas in the Birthplaces of Traditions -- Bethlehem, Germany and England
        Christmas as celebrated today is a culmination of centuries of
traditions that are religious and secular and which came from different
countries around the world. It is interesting therefore to look at some of the
general ways in which Christmas is celebrated in these countries. The traditions
examined for each country will be examples of some of the things that are unique
to that country and which are done today, or which were once done by people in
those countries.

        To begin, it is symbolic to look at the town of Bethlehem, which is
believed to be the birthplace of Jesus. The Church of the Nativity is located in
Bethlehem and at Christmas it is decorated with a lot of flags and other
Christmas decorations. A very large crowd usually gathers at The Church of the
Nativity on Christmas Eve to see a dramatic parade procession of horsemen, led
by police who are mounted on Arabian horses. Following the police in the
procession is a lone horseman who carries a cross, followed by churchmen and
government officials. Members of the procession solemnly enter the doors of The
Church of the Nativity and place an ancient effigy of Jesus in the church. A
silver star located deep in an underground cave-like section of the church marks
the site where Jesus was born. A star is also set atop a pole in the town's
square. In Bethlehem, homes of Christians usually have a cross over the door and
a manger scene is usually set up inside the house.
  
        In Germany, home of the Christmas tree tradition, the Christmas tree
is not seen until Christmas Eve. The tree is usually kept in a special room, or
elsewhere, and decorated in secret with lights, ornaments, tinsels, angels,
candies, nuts and cookies. It is then lighted, the presents placed underneath
and then shown to the delight of Children on Christmas Eve. In Germany, Dec. 6
is known as St. Nicholas Day when Santa visits the homes of boys and girls. On
the day before, Dec. 5, children leave a shoe or boot outside or by the
fireplace for Santa Claus. If they were good, he places gifts and candies inside
the shoe. But if they were naughty, children will find twigs or a rod in their
shoe. Dinner on Christmas Day includes roast goose, long loaves of bread filled
with raisins, nuts and dried fruits. Other sweet delicacies are also enjoyed.

Many traditions in England are similar to those in the United States because
such traditions originated in England and were brought to the United States by
immigrants. The tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards started in England
and is still popular at Christmas, as well as the tradition of neighborhood
caroling on Christmas Eve. Children also hang stockings on Christmas Eve in
anticipation of Santa Claus filling them with Christmas gifts or treats. The
holly, ivy and mistletoe are also used a lot in Christmas decorations. In
England, the traditional Christmas Dinner is roast turkey, goose or chicken with
stuffing, vegetables and roast potatoes. Dessert consists of the British or
Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. A rich, fruit-filled Christmas cake may
also be enjoyed later in the day.

A tradition of pulling Christmas crackers also goes with the serving of food on
Christmas Day. A cracker is a paper tube that contains a party hat, riddle, toy
or trinket, and is brightly colored and twisted at both ends. It gives out a crack
as the contents pop out when it is pulled at each end. Also on Christmas afternoon,
the Queen broadcasts a Christmas message to the nation, which is heard on radio and
television. The day after Christmas is also a holiday that is known as Boxing Day.

Making Special Christmas Memories With A Postmark From Santa Claus

There is not a wonder that times are tough for millions of families across the nation. The poor economy has resulted in an increased unemployment rate and decreased incomes. Even so, during difficult times the holidays and gift-giving events continue. Finding ways to make Christmas unique without going in debt can be less difficult than you think.

One of the vital things to keep in mind is that meaningful time with family during the holidays can create long-lasting memories that are remembered for years to comer. One of the most fundamental things a family can do is to make and/or continue pleasurable family traditions that all can enjoy.

I suggest that you start your Christmas holiday season on Thanksgiving Day. Here’s what my family does:

After the meal is over and the dinner table is free of food and dishes, all the kids and some grown-ups gather to make hand-crafted Christmas decorations. By keeping a craft basket all year long that is added to regularly, the choices are infinite. We keep things like remnants of cloth, buttons, colorful pipe cleaners, ribbons and lace, construction paper, glue, glitter, Styrofoam balls and bits and pieces of stuff.

The final result is often some very innovative Christmas crafts and most are extremely cute. As the crafters work diligently to make their projects we have beautiful Christmas playing on the stereo. And after the crafting process is over it is time to find the ideal spot for showcasing them.

Then it’s back to the table for a final project of the day – which is writing letters to Santa. All the children usually spends time discussing this part of the day throughout the dinner so they already have a good idea of what they want to say to the old guy.

While creating the letters is fun for everyone, receiving letters from Santa Claus is simply enchanting. The good news is that genuine letters from the North Pole with a postmark from Santa Claus are not only easy to get – they are low cost.

These easy ideas and more like them can result in a Christmas that is very special and one that will be remembered because it involves hassle-free family time. Many of the decorations will be used for many years and the letter from Santa will become a memorable keepsake.

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

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

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

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

    Holiday-themed jewelry also works well as accessories. These can add that
little sparkle to an outfit that makes it stand out in an admirable way.
Holiday-themed jewelry is also perfect for those individuals who simply want to
show a touch of the holiday spirit without having to actually wear holiday-
themed apparel because it maybe too different from the conservative style of
their wardrobe.

    It is necessary to add some sparkle to apparel during the Christmas season
and current style trends of having jewel-engraved or embroidered tops play well
for the Christmas season. They will allow the wearer to look festive in a very
understated but elegant way.

    Fall popular styles will also undoubtedly be a fashionable way to dress
for the holidays. Based on the Fall Fashion Shows in New York, there are five
basic outfits that stylists say should be in the wardrobe of all women. They
are: the Tunic, Winter Short - which is cut just above the knee - the Vest,
Pencil Skirt and the Super-wide pant.

    The vest can be a dressy one with embroidery or other adornments, or it
can be more minimal based on the overall outfit. The Winter Short and Pencil
Skirt can easily convert from working outfit to party wear with the right
accessory, making them perfect to wear to an early evening Christmas or holiday
party. A variation from the Pencil Skirt is the Pencil dress. This too is likely
to be popular for Christmas as it can be easily accessorized with a broad belt,
which is one of the accessories that top fashion advisers say is a 'must-have'
accessory for the Fall.

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

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

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

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

Asides - Interesting Facts/ Notes About Christmas

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    It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was
brought to the shores of America by German immigrants who continued a practice
that was popular in their former homeland. Today, a Christmas tree, even a
miniature one, is present in just about every home at Christmas. It is therefore
interesting to note some little-know facts about the Christmas Tree and other
traditions related to Christmas.

    The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas Trees for some
Americans. These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many local stores
and other places of business in just about every town and city across the
country around Christmas time. But according to the National Christmas Tree
Association, Americans buy about 330,000 Christmas trees that are real through
e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them shipped by mail-order.

The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason they are so popular. But as they
stand silently in their decorative wonder, they also are providing another
benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says the amount of oxygen produced on a
daily basis by one acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough oxygen for
18 people. And during the first week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to
one quart of water each day to help retain its longevity for the many days of
Christmas.

Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity in America, the Christmas Tree
has always been a big tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmas
trees were not always green. It was very popular during those times to have
artificial trees with other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal in
having these colored Christmas trees may have been due to the fact that they
looked shiny and bright and appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage.
An important ceremony related to the Christmas tree that gains national
attention during the Christmas season is the lighting of the National Christmas
Tree at the White House. This tradition can be credited to President Calvin
Coolidge who lit the first decorated Christmas tree outside at the White House
in 1923.

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also been used to convey some
symbolic meaning not related to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in
1963 because of a national mourning period of 30 days for the assassination of
President Kennedy. And while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an order that
banned the Christmas tree from the White House, not for the assassination of
President McKinley in 1901, which caused him to become president, but for
reasons related to the environment.

Also of note is that when the National Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in
1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an unusually warm December.
Christmas has been celebrated in the United States since the 1600s although it
wasn't always very popular. It took more than two centuries into the mid-late
1860s for Christmas to become a popular holiday season all across America. So
maybe the rest of the country owes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of
Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state to declare Dec. 25 a legal
holiday.

It is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789 Congress was in session.
And to show how far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn't until June 26, 1870
that the federal government declared Christmas as a federal holiday.
Although Christmas is based on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups
celebrate the season. Among the Christian groups who do not celebrate Christmas
and related traditions such as sending greeting cards are Jehovah Witnesses.
Jehovah Witnesses and other non-participating Christian groups say Christmas
isn't specifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason to celebrate and
since they strictly adhere to the word of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate
Christmas.

Christmas Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

There are lots of ways to save money on gifts at Christmas time. Many people are simply cutting back on the people they buy for and others are buying less or being more thrifty in their spending habits.

We may find that instead of spending $20 on a gift for a friend or loved one we now opt to spend $10. That's okay - Christmas is about being with friends and family, and expressing the fact that you care - it's not about how much money you spend. The truth is that you really can get something nice for $10 or even less, and you will find some ideas in this blog.

One of the favorites is simply pulling together your own basket of goodies. This could be bought at a 'dollar' store. Just get a cheap basket of some sort and fill it with great things. You could do bath items like bubble bath, a bath sponge, bath oil, shampoo, a lotion, and even a towel. Or, you could go for another angle and use a large mug and add tea bags or soup ingredients, or coffee and creamers, or hot cocoa, etc. You can fill the basket with anything that you want, including craft items, or even small hand tools.

Most people enjoy getting an assortment of things that they can really use, rather than a single useless gift that was purchased because someone felt obligated. Be sure to check out Christmas Letters From Santa for additional ideas.