Get Ready For Christmas With The Kids

If you have children in your family, or your friends have children, I'm sure you'll agree that they add an extra dimension to Christmas - the fun, the excitement, the suspense in the run up to the big day!

If you've ever spent time with kids in the run up to Christmas, you'll know that the excitement can almost get too much - so much waiting (and behaving!)

Here are five ideas for entertaining children in the last few weeks before Christmas without spoiling them!

1. Take them Christmas carolling - ah bless their cotton socks, even the naughtiest most-hyper child will be transformed into a little angel once they start belting out "Away In A Manger".

2. Long walk outdoors - whether it's crisp and cold, or wet and windy, a walk outdoors is a sure-fire way to tire out little legs and create a diversion in little minds. Try to point out Winter wonders as you go along, winter berries on the trees etc! Perhaps try and collect pine cones or holly that can be used as part of a Christmas decoration project!

3. Bake mince pies and treats - good old fashioned baking can fill an afternoon and what could be more Christmassy than mince pies? If you don't fancy messing with the oven, try making truffles or sweet treats that don't need an oven! As a bonus, things like truffles can be boxed and use as inexpensive gifts - grandmas will love gifts made especially for them by little hands!

4. Visit the grottos, garden centres and Christmas fayres - Santa might be there, but you don't need to spend time in queues or paying to see him, young children are often captivated by the displays in shops and around the town. They also love seeing houses that are covered from roof to floor in lights and decorations (and a lot of people enjoy decorating their homes this way), so keep an eye out for these Christmas wonders and remember to take the kids for a look, they will love it!

5. Get busy with the wrapping paper and sellotape -  let the children get crafty - collect a box of old/surplus wrapping paper, cards, tape, decoration, bows, glitter and glue and let them go wild. (A plastic sheet for the floor might be an idea before you start!) You could collect things all year so that you have a box full of materials by Christmas time - remember to supply them with safety scissors! They can make all kinds of fun stuff - you could even get them to wrap sweets and treats and put them under the tree!

One thing's for sure, if you have kids, your Christmas preparations will be a lot more fun!

Traditional Religious Christmas Icons

Ever wondered why poinsetta and mistletoe are used to symbolise Christmas?

Here's a nice article / gallery of images with detailed commentary about traditional religious Christmas symbols, from poinsetta and mistletoe to robin red breasts and Christmas stockings...

www.bbc.co.uk/religion/galleries/christmas/

Credit Crunch Christmas

Top Five Things To Do This Christmas Without Flexing Your Wallet!

1. Go Sledging - this will be more fun IF it snows....
2. Build a Snowman - as above
3. Have a Snowball Fight - er....
4. Sing Christmas Carols - no snow required
5. Pour Water On Public Steps & Watch The Results - just kidding folks, you don't want to get sued!

Silent Night - song lyrics

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, All is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so Tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!

Silent night, holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light!
With the angels let us sing
Alleluia to our King!
Christ the Saviour is here,
Jesus the Saviour is here!

Silent night, Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord at thy birth;
Jesus Lord at thy birth.

Original Lyrics (Stille Nachte) - Father Josef Mohr

Jingle Bells - Song Lyrics

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring,
Making spirits bright,
Oh what fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight....

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

A day or two ago,
I thought I'd take a ride,
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank;
Misfortune seemed his lot;
He got into a drifted bank,
And we, we got upsot....

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago,
The story I must tell
I went out on the snow
And on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by
In a one-horse open sleigh,
He laughed as there
I sprawling lie,
But quickly drove away....

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight
And sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob-tailed bay
Two-forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you'll take the lead....

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

lyrics: James Pierpoint

Christmas Gifts Ideas For Boys And Men - Books

Struggling to think of a Christmas gift for the men in your life? Here are some Christmas present ideas for bookworms!

15 Recommended Books For Dads & Lads This Christmas:

Emperor: The Gates Of Rome - Conn Iggulden

Ratcatcher – by James McGee

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – by Stephen King

A Game Of Thrones – by George R R Martin

Strike Back – by Chris Ryan

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

Centurion – by Simon Scarrow

Patriot Games – by Tom Clancy

T2: Infiltrator – by S.M. Stirling

Casino Royale - by Ian Fleming

The Shining - by Stephen King

The World According To Clarkson: Volume 4: How Hard Can It Be? – by Jeremy Clarkson

The Chase – by Clive Cussler

The Traveller - by John Twelve Hawks

The Five Greatest Warriors - by Matthew Reilly

What is Christmas?

What is Christmas? What does Christmas mean to you?

Some argue that the Christmas that we all know and love, with frantic present buying and rushing around has little to do with the true meaning of Christmas.

Here's Wikipedia's take on Christmas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Christmas means something different to each of us - for some it's about remembering the birth of Christ. For others who are less religious, it's a break from work and a chance to chill out and relax with family and friends.

What does Christmas mean to you?