Christmas

There's something about outdoor Christmas decorations that can just spark the mood for the holiday cheer. A home seem lifeless and without joy without Christmas lights. If you're looking for the best kind of outdoor Christmas decoration, then you should try looking for outdoor Christmas lighting. Here are some great tips in shopping for and installing lights outdoors.

Price Does Matter

Fire incidents have happened due to cheap but faulty Christmas lightings. You can avoid getting these sub standard products by choosing local government standard approved products instead of dubious imported or online auction lights. Standard outdoor Christmas lighting may be a little more expensive but you should rather spend than risk burning down your property.

If you discounted outdoor Christmas lighting, buy from reputable brand names and during the off season. Buy months ahead of Christmas or days after Christmas for next season. This can help you save a bit while at the same time nit sacrificing quality.

Decide on the Kind of Lights

Christmas decorations and lightings can be in C9 or miniature. Lights that are under C9 are often seen as better options for outdoor lighting. These lights are not only bigger, they are also sturdier and emit brighter lights.

Check the Lights

Before you install outdoor Christmas lighting, make sure that the strings that you use are still in perfect working order. Plug the strings and check for bulbs that no longer light. You can easily replace bulbs by unplugging the strings and replacing the old one with a new one. Aside from checking bulbs, you should also check the wires. Finding frayed or exposed wires means that it is time to for you to buy new lights. Checking for frays is especially important if you think you have mice at home.

Provide Outlets

Outdoor Christmas lighting would usually require you several extension cords. Sometimes though, they may not be the safest especially if the extension is connected to an internal socket. This could be a cause of short circuits. Extension cords that are improperly used and connected could also cause electrocution.

If there is a need to use extensions, make sure that the ones you will be using are sturdy and safe for outdoor use. You should also have outdoor receptacles or outlets from which you can plug extensions for outdoor Christmas lighting. These receptacles should be controlled by internal switches so that you do not have to pull the plug yourself. Also, remember to have a ground fault circuit interrupter that can prevent electrocution especially on wet areas. Extensions wires for outdoor Christmas lighting should be firmly attached to the ground with the extra length of wires clipped and kept in a neat bunch. This is to prevent accidental tripping.

Take Care of Connectors

Connectors are sometimes unavoidable if one outdoor Christmas lighting string is not enough for a specific area. You should make sure though that your connectors are not too exposed and are kept away from wet areas. You can put electrical tape around the connecting line for extra precaution.

CHRISTMAS TIME – A SEASON OF MEMORIES By Eva Fry
Ecclesiastes 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Christmas is one of the happiest seasons of our life. It gathers us together as families, where we create special loving traditions and so many loving memories. We all have special remembrances of Christmas’s past. I would like to share with you some of my memories.
Christmas has changed for me through the years. I am a grandma now and enjoy
special Christmas’s with my grown children and their families. I watch them create lasting memories for their little ones. I am reminded of those happy times when my precious children were still home with us and of the Christmas’s we had
Together. How I miss those special times.

My song “Christmas Wish” says what is in my heart.
If I could have one Christmas wish, I’d go back in time,
When our children all were young and they were home with us.
We’d decorate the house with lights, put up the Christmas tree,
Bake cookies; sing Christmas carols in the neighborhood.
Make gifts for the ones we love; wrap them really nice,
Laugh, kiss and hug a lot, we’d have so much fun.
I’d read the story of Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem
In the manger we’d carefully lay the Savior in.
Christmas Eve we’d hold them tight, our hearts filled with love
Give thanks for our family, our special gift from God.
We’d tuck them safely into bed, fill the stockings full,
Peek in at our sleeping babes; angels without wings.
Eyes would sparkle Christmas morn’ when Dad turned on the lights,
Santa left so many gifts; cookies and milk were gone.
Opening gifts was the best of all; parcels ripped apart,
Finding their special wish, jumping up and down.
I’d bake the turkey as they played with the toys they got,
We’d feast together on food and love, what a heavenly day.
The memories of those special days many years ago
Seem like only yesterday; life was filled with joy.
If I could have one Christmas wish, I’d go back in time,
When our children all were young and they were home with us.

Not only does Christmas bring back memories of my precious children but also
memories or my dear mother who passed away October 18, 2002. She was
86 years old and life had not been easy for but she did her best to make our lives
Happy. The most favorite memories of my mother were the wonderful
Christmas’s she created for my brother, sister and I. She always made Christmas
beautiful and exciting, in spite of our alcoholic father who played havoc with our
Lives, whenever he got drunk, especially at Christmas time.
My mother seemed to have a mission to make things right for us each Christmas.
Every year she would open a charge account at Zellers, to buy us gifts. My
father gave her no money. We were poor because of his addiction. She bought us
needed things like socks and underwear but always something special. I
remember the red leather loose-leaf binder she gave me when I was 10. We kids
did not know it then, but for the rest of the year mom paid off her charge account
with cash she could squeeze from her food money. Each new season she started
over with another Christmas charge account.
Mom did not let us see the tree before Christmas morning, an old family tradition.
My kids now have their tree up at least two weeks before Christmas. But never the less, when I was young the first viewing of the tree was glorious.

Christmas in North America:
In the United States and Canada, many elements of modern Christmas celebrations did not emerge until the 19th century. Before then Christmas had been an ordinary workday in many communities, particularly in New England, where early Puritan objections to Christmas celebrations remained highly influential. Among some groups, Christmas was an especially animated event, characterized by huge feasts, drunkenness, and raucous public partying. In an English tradition that survived in some parts of North America, Christmas revelers would dress in costume and progress from door to door to receive gifts of food and drink. Most holiday gifts were limited to small amounts of money and modest presents passed from the wealthy to the poor and from masters to their servants. Families almost never exchanged Christmas gifts among themselves.

Christmas in Africa:
Christmas is celebrated throughout the African continent by Christian communities both large and small. There are roughly 350 million Christians in Africa. Christmas Carols are sung from the Congo to South Africa. On Christmas day, meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January (rather than the 25th of December) because they follow a different calendar.

Gift Giving:
People who are well-off generally buy gifts for family & friends but the holiday is not as commercial as it is American & European countries, because main emphasis is more on the religious part of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ than gift giving. Usually & most importantly, Christians buy a new set of clothes to be worn to the church service. Majority of African Christians are too poor to be able to afford presents for their children & there aren't too many toy stores in rural Africa to shop at anyway. If gifts have to be exchanged in poorer communities they usually come in the form of school books, soap, cloth, candles and other practical goods.

Christmas Dinner:
As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family is the second priority after attending church. Since Christmas is a public holiday in most countries people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are sold out at a blink of an eye at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (barbeques) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.

Church Services and Caroling:
The history of Christianity in Africa dates back to the 1st Century AD. Every missionary have heard & witnessed that Africans are very spiritual people. (Besides Christianity, the other main religions are Islam and indigenous beliefs). Going to church is generally the main focus of Christmas celebrations in Africa. Nativity scenes are played out, carols are sung and in some cases dances are performed.

One of my earliest Christmas memories in Malawi is watching groups of young children go door to door to perform dances and Christmas songs dressed in skirts made of leaves and using home-made instruments. They received a small gift of money in return. In many countries the processions after the Christmas Eve church service is a joyous occasion of music and dance. In the Gambia for example, people parade with large intricately made lanterns called fanals in the shape of boats or houses. Every country has their own unique celebrations no matter how small their Christian population.

Christmas Decorations:
Decorating shop fronts, mango trees, churches and homes is common throughout African Christian communities. There are some reports of fake snow decorating store fronts in Nairobi, palm trees laden with candles in Ghana or oil palms loaded with bells in Liberia.

Christmas in East Asia:
The eastern part of Asia comprises mainly of China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Vietnam. Christians in eastern part of Asia, which are China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea & Vietnam celebrate Christmas on 25th December by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man."

There is no official celebration of Christmas in Japan because less than one percent of the Japanese population is Christian. But wherever Christmas is celebrated, the trees are decorated with small toys, dolls, ornaments, gold paper fans, lanterns, and even wind chimes. Candles are also placed on the branches. One of the most popular ornaments is the origami swan.

Every Korean church would have some kind of Christmas music program on Christmas day. Koreans also love to decorate for Christmas; every coffee shop is decorated for the season. Christmas day is spent shopping and most of the Korean families spending the day together going from shop to shop just "eye shopping".

Christmas in India:
Christian community in India celebrates Christmas with splendor, fun and devotion. Celebrations of the festival begin on the eve of Christmas on 24th of December and continue till New Year's Day. Christians across the country remember birth of Lord Jesus Christ by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebrations of Christmas are marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of Christmas Tree. In several parts of India, especially in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, Christmas Festival has assumed as one of important holidays of India and is joyfully celebrated by people of all religions and communities join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations.

Preparations for Christmas in India:
In Christian homes, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and involve in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look. The women Ladies start preparations for the traditional Christmas cake which is anxiously awaited not just by the entire family but also by the neighbors. Shopping activity takes place as everyone buys new clothes for the festival. Christmas Gifts are also bought for friends, relatives and kids in the family. Christmas is also the time for family reunions because people staying in different cities for job or higher studies come back to their homes to celebrate this festive season with their near & dear ones.

Christmas in Goa:
Most exciting celebration of Christmas can be seen in the vivacious state of Goa. A large number of domestic and international tourists flock to the beaches Goa during Christmas festival to watch Goa at its cultural best. One can also get amused in the best of Goa music and dance during Christmas festivities. Catholics in Goa participate in the traditional midnight mass services locally called Missa de Galo or Cock Crow as they go on well into early hours of the morning.

On Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, a special meal is usually served. In some regions, particularly in Eastern Europe, these family feasts are preceded by a period of fasting. Candy and treats are part of Christmas celebration in many countries.

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Christmas in Africa

Author: Ibrahim Machiwala

Christmas in Africa:


Christmas is celebrated throughout the African continent by Christian communities both large and small. There are roughly 350 million Christians in Africa. Christmas Carols are sung from the Congo to South Africa. On Christmas day, meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January (rather than the 25th of December) because they follow a different calendar.





Christmas in North America:


In the United States and Canada, many elements of modern Christmas celebrations did not emerge until the 19th century. Before then Christmas had been an ordinary workday in many communities, particularly in New England, where early Puritan objections to Christmas celebrations remained highly influential. Among some groups, Christmas was an especially animated event, characterized by huge feasts, drunkenness, and raucous public partying. In an English tradition that survived in some parts of North America, Christmas revelers would dress in costume and progress from door to door to receive gifts of food and drink. Most holiday gifts were limited to small amounts of money and modest presents passed from the wealthy to the poor and from masters to their servants. Families almost never exchanged Christmas gifts among themselves.





Gift Giving:


People who are well-off generally buy gifts for family & friends but the holiday is not as commercial as it is American & European countries, because main emphasis is more on the religious part of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ than gift giving. Usually & most importantly, Christians buy a new set of clothes to be worn to the church service. Majority of African Christians are too poor to be able to afford presents for their children & there aren't too many toy stores in rural Africa to shop at anyway. If gifts have to be exchanged in poorer communities they usually come in the form of school books, soap, cloth, candles and other practical goods.





Christmas Dinner:


As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family is the second priority after attending church. Since Christmas is a public holiday in most countries people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are sold out at a blink of an eye at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (barbeques) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.





Church Services and Caroling:


The history of Christianity in Africa dates back to the 1st Century AD. Every missionary have heard & witnessed that Africans are very spiritual people. (Besides Christianity, the other main religions are Islam and indigenous beliefs). Going to church is generally the main focus of Christmas celebrations in Africa. Nativity scenes are played out, carols are sung and in some cases dances are performed.





One of my earliest Christmas memories in Malawi is watching groups of young children go door to door to perform dances and Christmas songs dressed in skirts made of leaves and using home-made instruments. They received a small gift of money in return. In many countries the processions after the Christmas Eve church service is a joyous occasion of music and dance. In the Gambia for example, people parade with large intricately made lanterns called fanals in the shape of boats or houses. Every country has their own unique celebrations no matter how small their Christian population.





Christmas Decorations:


Decorating shop fronts, mango trees, churches and homes is common throughout African Christian communities. There are some reports of fake snow decorating store fronts in Nairobi, palm trees laden with candles in Ghana or oil palms loaded with bells in Liberia.





Christmas in East Asia:


The eastern part of Asia comprises mainly of China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Vietnam. Christians in eastern part of Asia, which are China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea & Vietnam celebrate Christmas on 25th December by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man."





There is no official celebration of Christmas in Japan because less than one percent of the Japanese population is Christian. But wherever Christmas is celebrated, the trees are decorated with small toys, dolls, ornaments, gold paper fans, lanterns, and even wind chimes. Candles are also placed on the branches. One of the most popular ornaments is the origami swan.





Every Korean church would have some kind of Christmas music program on Christmas day. Koreans also love to decorate for Christmas; every coffee shop is decorated for the season. Christmas day is spent shopping and most of the Korean families spending the day together going from shop to shop just "eye shopping".





Christmas in India:


Christian community in India celebrates Christmas with splendor, fun and devotion. Celebrations of the festival begin on the eve of Christmas on 24th of December and continue till New Year's Day. Christians across the country remember birth of Lord Jesus Christ by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebrations of Christmas are marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of Christmas Tree. In several parts of India, especially in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, Christmas Festival has assumed as one of important holidays of India and is joyfully celebrated by people of all religions and communities join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations.





Preparations for Christmas in India:


In Christian homes, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and involve in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look. The women Ladies start preparations for the traditional Christmas cake which is anxiously awaited not just by the entire family but also by the neighbors. Shopping activity takes place as everyone buys new clothes for the festival. Christmas Gifts are also bought for friends, relatives and kids in the family. Christmas is also the time for family reunions because people staying in different cities for job or higher studies come back to their homes to celebrate this festive season with their near & dear ones.





Christmas in Goa:


Most exciting celebration of Christmas can be seen in the vivacious state of Goa. A large number of domestic and international tourists flock to the beaches Goa during Christmas festival to watch Goa at its cultural best. One can also get amused in the best of Goa music and dance during Christmas festivities. Catholics in Goa participate in the traditional midnight mass services locally called Missa de Galo or Cock Crow as they go on well into early hours of the morning.





On Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, a special meal is usually served. In some regions, particularly in Eastern Europe, these family feasts are preceded by a period of fasting. Candy and treats are part of Christmas celebration in many countries.

About the Author:

Intrigue Online Store, One of the largest Gift Shop. Selling a large range of Christmas gifts, such as Jewelry, Ring, Necklace, Pendants, Watches, Soy Candles, Yankee Candles, Flowers, Cakes, Candies, For more Products, Christmas Discount Offers, Call Now. 804-378-4614.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/christmas-in-africa-287490.html

Christmas in Africa:
Christmas is celebrated throughout the African continent by Christian communities both large and small. There are roughly 350 million Christians in Africa. Christmas Carols are sung from the Congo to South Africa. On Christmas day, meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January (rather than the 25th of December) because they follow a different calendar.

Christmas in North America:
In the United States and Canada, many elements of modern Christmas celebrations did not emerge until the 19th century. Before then Christmas had been an ordinary workday in many communities, particularly in New England, where early Puritan objections to Christmas celebrations remained highly influential. Among some groups, Christmas was an especially animated event, characterized by huge feasts, drunkenness, and raucous public partying. In an English tradition that survived in some parts of North America, Christmas revelers would dress in costume and progress from door to door to receive gifts of food and drink. Most holiday gifts were limited to small amounts of money and modest presents passed from the wealthy to the poor and from masters to their servants. Families almost never exchanged Christmas gifts among themselves.

Gift Giving:
People who are well-off generally buy gifts for family & friends but the holiday is not as commercial as it is American & European countries, because main emphasis is more on the religious part of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ than gift giving. Usually & most importantly, Christians buy a new set of clothes to be worn to the church service. Majority of African Christians are too poor to be able to afford presents for their children & there aren't too many toy stores in rural Africa to shop at anyway. If gifts have to be exchanged in poorer communities they usually come in the form of school books, soap, cloth, candles and other practical goods.

Christmas Dinner:
As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family is the second priority after attending church. Since Christmas is a public holiday in most countries people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are sold out at a blink of an eye at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (barbeques) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.

Church Services and Caroling:
The history of Christianity in Africa dates back to the 1st Century AD. Every missionary have heard & witnessed that Africans are very spiritual people. (Besides Christianity, the other main religions are Islam and indigenous beliefs). Going to church is generally the main focus of Christmas celebrations in Africa. Nativity scenes are played out, carols are sung and in some cases dances are performed.

One of my earliest Christmas memories in Malawi is watching groups of young children go door to door to perform dances and Christmas songs dressed in skirts made of leaves and using home-made instruments. They received a small gift of money in return. In many countries the processions after the Christmas Eve church service is a joyous occasion of music and dance. In the Gambia for example, people parade with large intricately made lanterns called fanals in the shape of boats or houses. Every country has their own unique celebrations no matter how small their Christian population.

Christmas Decorations:
Decorating shop fronts, mango trees, churches and homes is common throughout African Christian communities. There are some reports of fake snow decorating store fronts in Nairobi, palm trees laden with candles in Ghana or oil palms loaded with bells in Liberia.

Christmas in East Asia:
The eastern part of Asia comprises mainly of China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Vietnam. Christians in eastern part of Asia, which are China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea & Vietnam celebrate Christmas on 25th December by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man."

There is no official celebration of Christmas in Japan because less than one percent of the Japanese population is Christian. But wherever Christmas is celebrated, the trees are decorated with small toys, dolls, ornaments, gold paper fans, lanterns, and even wind chimes. Candles are also placed on the branches. One of the most popular ornaments is the origami swan.

Every Korean church would have some kind of Christmas music program on Christmas day. Koreans also love to decorate for Christmas; every coffee shop is decorated for the season. Christmas day is spent shopping and most of the Korean families spending the day together going from shop to shop just "eye shopping".

Christmas in India:
Christian community in India celebrates Christmas with splendor, fun and devotion. Celebrations of the festival begin on the eve of Christmas on 24th of December and continue till New Year's Day. Christians across the country remember birth of Lord Jesus Christ by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebrations of Christmas are marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of Christmas Tree. In several parts of India, especially in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, Christmas Festival has assumed as one of important holidays of India and is joyfully celebrated by people of all religions and communities join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations.

Preparations for Christmas in India:
In Christian homes, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and involve in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look. The women Ladies start preparations for the traditional Christmas cake which is anxiously awaited not just by the entire family but also by the neighbors. Shopping activity takes place as everyone buys new clothes for the festival. Christmas Gifts are also bought for friends, relatives and kids in the family. Christmas is also the time for family reunions because people staying in different cities for job or higher studies come back to their homes to celebrate this festive season with their near & dear ones.

Christmas in Goa:
Most exciting celebration of Christmas can be seen in the vivacious state of Goa. A large number of domestic and international tourists flock to the beaches Goa during Christmas festival to watch Goa at its cultural best. One can also get amused in the best of Goa music and dance during Christmas festivities. Catholics in Goa participate in the traditional midnight mass services locally called Missa de Galo or Cock Crow as they go on well into early hours of the morning.

On Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, a special meal is usually served. In some regions, particularly in Eastern Europe, these family feasts are preceded by a period of fasting. Candy and treats are part of Christmas celebration in many countries.

Its Christmas time once again! The most awaiting moment of year finally arrived. Party, exchanging gifts, singing Christmas carol and last but not the least decorating Christmas trees are the things that you must be looking forward. Your Christmas celebration becomes more amazing if you can startle your friends and family members with some odd and unknown facts about Christmas tree. Here go some interesting facts about Christmas tree that you can share.

· You can eat your Christmas tree! Surprised? But part of Christmas trees like spruces, pines and firs are edible. In fact needles are rich source of Vitamin C. Sounds great way for recycling.

· Electric lights are invincible for decorating Christmas tree. The first person to give this idea a light is none other than Edward Johnson, assistant of Thomas Edison.

· Sometimes Christmas tree farms use helicopters for lifting harvested trees.

· A hectare of Christmas tree of Christmas tree field supplies the oxygen requirement of more than 40 people.

· In the year 1531 the first printed reference of Christmas tree was found in Germany.

· There are different variations of Christmas trees and some of the popular Christmas trees include Balsam fir, Virginia pine, Noble fir, Scotch pine, Fraser fir and White pine.

· The commercial sale of Christmas tree in United States dates back about 1850. Before that all the Christmas tree sourced from forest.

· If you reside in North Carolina, Wisconsin, California, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, then you must feel proud as these are top Christmas tree producing states.

· Against each harvested Christmas tree few seedlings are planted in that place.

· Virtual world contributes in selling more than 3,00,00 real Christmas tree in a year.

· Christmas tree decoration was once banned by the government because of environmental reasons. Tinsel, one of the lead decorating items used to have poisonous leads. But this problem was solved by using plastics.

· In Ukraine, fake spiders with web constitute as an important decorative items for Christmas trees! Ukrainian people believe that if spider webs are found on Christmas morning good luck will come. So, don’t be afraid of spiders any more.

· In US, approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees are sold every year.

· The first decorated Christmas was in Riga, Latvia in 1510.

· The popular Christmas carol Silent Night was written by an Austrian priest named Joseph Mohr in 1818 as a result of a broken church organ.

Interesting Facts about Christmas Photo Cards

Sounds unbelievable, but Christmas is knocking at your door. So, wrap up all your work to become a part of this festive season and send your warm wishes to your near and dear ones with Christmas photo cards. In fact, there are lots of interesting facts related to Christmas photo cards. Read more to know about some interesting facts about Christmas cards and share to make your Christmas celebration enjoyable.

· The tradition of distributing Christmas cards initiated in the year 1843. This time period is believed to be equal to publishing of Christmas seal.

· England was the country that first produced the Christmas card and soon its popularity touched the sky as the very next year more than 30,000 cards were sold.

· Commercial Christmas cards arrived in USA when Louis Prang became printer in 1875. The designs included winter motif and traditional Christmas themes.

· In the year 2004, German post office distributed near about 20 million perfumed stickers for making Christmas cards. The stickers smelled like cinnamon, fir Christmas tree, honey wax candle, ginger bread and the list continues.

· Christmas cards are used by many organizations for raising fund to various noble causes. Among the endless organizations, UNICEF Christmas card program deserves to be mentioned that initiated in 1949.

· In an average, American households mail more than 25 Christmas cards in a year and receive the same number of Christmas cards.

· During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.

· The most expensive Christmas card was an original 1843 example of the first card ever sent. It was sent by the inventor of the Christmas card, Sir Henry Cole (first Director of the Victoria and Albert museum), to his grandmother. It sold at auction in Devizes in 2001 for £20,000.

· Many Americans send considerably more than twenty cards. One Werner Erhard of San Francisco sent 62,824 cards in a single year. This is believed to be the largest outpouring of Christmas card generosity in history.

With Christmas photo cards, convey your Christmas greetings in a personalized way and let the recipients know how special they are to you in this grand festive season.

Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. This feast was created by the pope to promote Christianity and remove pagan festivals celebrated at the winter solstice.

During the IVth century, the pope decided to bring the Christmas day on December 25th.

Christmas has always been represented by religious ceremonies and gifts and greetings exchange.

Here are some Christmas symbols:

* The Advent consists of a burning candle each Sunday four weeks before Christmas; which symbolize the rebirth of light after the winter solstice.

* The December 24th Christmas Mass; which celebrates the birth of Jesus.

* The Christmas Crib; which symbolizes the birth of Jesus in Christian homes.

* The Christmas tree, a symbol from the pagan celebration and representing life.

* The Yule log; which represents the log that we put in the fireplace to warm up on Christmas Eve.

* Santa Claus, an American creation, inspired by the Christian Saint Nicholas (celebrated in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Alsace. This character wears a luxurious red cape, he has a long white beard and wears a red miter, he also holds a golden crosier. Saint Nicholas rewards good children while his companion Père Fouettard/Black Pete punishes nasty children) and the elf Yule Goat, celebrated in Scandinavian countries.

Over the centuries, Christmas has evolved and Christmas Eve with our family, replaced the religious ceremonies.

The gift exchange: luxurious for the rich people and useful - sometimes only one orange - for the poor people, has been replaced by the modern marketing. People not only buys gifts but also spend lots of money in decoration items, food, drink...

The secularization of our society removed the true meaning of Christmas Time; which is, obviously, becoming a pagan feast.

Here are some countries which celebrate Christmas:

Belgium:
We have a festival especially dedicated to children; which is Saint Nicholas (Sinter Klaas) on December 6th. The Great Patron of Schoolboys, who is supposed to bring candies in their shoes, brings in fact toys by the thousands to our children.

In Belgium, Christmas is rather reserved for adults: the streets are decorated and illuminated, we decorate our houses, windows, gardens, Christmas trees. Belgium seems to forget that it is a Catholic country and closes more and more churches, therefore, the Midnight Mass on December 24th usually happens at 6 or 8 PM. We then eat with our family and at 12 PM we exchange our gifts. Children usually receive a book or some clothes.

Christmas Day has little meaning but practicing Catholic go to church. Belgian people visit their family on January 1st. In the Belgian Ardens, people celebrate December 31st and not Christmas.

France:
Christmas is dedicated to children. The streets and the houses are decorated several weeks in advance. French people have lots of Christmas customs: Christmas Markets, the Christmas tree, the Christmas Dinner, Père Noël, Christmas gifts, stories, songs, Christmas turkey, The Christmas Crib, the Yule Log, and so on. In Alsace, however, Saint Nicholas predominates on Santa Claus.

The Netherlands:
They organize their St. Nicholas (Sinter Klaas) festival: the old bearded man traveling by boat and accompanied by many black aids, who distributes gifts to good children. Dutch people reserve the big gifts for Christmas Time because they profit for some great bargains after Sinter Klaas.

Germany:
Christmas in Germany lasts two days. On December 26th they visit their family and their friends. Christ-Kind offers gifts to the children on December 24th families and friends. Germany has also a Saint Nicholas festival on December 6th.

Great Britain:
Christmas is celebrated in England with enthusiasm. Children sing "Christmas Carols" in the streets, they eat the famous "Christmas Pudding" at the end the Christmas Dinner. In England, Santa Claus fills the English children socks with gifts. British people also exchange greeting cards; which are a British creation.

Spain:
If Santa Claus has little importance in Spain (Magi distribute gifts to children on January 6th), Spanish people decorate the streets with lights during the month of December. The windows of the shops are filled with lots of gifts and Spanish celebrate the Christmas Evening with their family.

Portugal:
Christmas Eve is a holiday. The Portuguese attend the Christmas Midnight Mass; which is the "Missa Do Galo." If there is no Christmas tree in Portugal, there is nevertheless a "Wooden Christmas".

Italy:
Christmas lasts three days, from December 24th till 26th. However, Christmas traditions vary from one region to another one and, depending on the region it is Babo Natale (Father Christmas) or the "Gesu Bambino" (Little Jesus) who brings gifts on December 25th. The Italian Christmas dessert is "Panettone".

Scandinavian Countries:
During the Christmas Dinner, Scandinavian people reserve a place for the souls of the deceased members of their family. Once they finish to eat, they read the bible. The whole family is singing Christmas songs and dance around the Christmas tree.

Other European countries:
In Romania, on December 24th, there is a Christmas candle burning until the morning of December 25th. In Russia, Christmas Day happens on January 7th, according to the Orthodox calendar. In Greece the Christmas period begins on Christmas Eve and ends at the Epiphany. Christmas is less important than Easter.

USA:
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Santa Claus is coming to announce the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. American people love to celebrate Christmas and set up a decorated Christmas in their home. Children hang empty stocks empty on the fireplace and on the Christmas morning they find them filled with candy and small toys.

Canada:
Houses, shops and streets are decorated with lights. Canadian people decorate their house with a Christmas tree, a Christmas wrap, a Christmas Crib... After the "Midnight Mass" people have a Christmas Eve with their family. Turkey and the Christmas log are the essential ingredients of a Canadian Christmas Dinner. They send greeting cards to their friends and family who live far away.

South America:
Peruvian people have Christmas parties but also learn to live better on christmas time. Their Christmas season lasts a full week. Mexican people celebrate Christmas with Las Posadas (pilgrimages representing the path by the Mary and Joseph). They celebrate the last Posada on the Christmas morning and then start the Christmas dinner. I Guatemala, immigrants have imported their German customs and the Christmas tree is essential but the Christmas gifts are reserved to the children. Gift exchange for adults is on January 1st.

Australia:
Christmas happens during the summertime, so Australian people celebrate Christmas at the beach. People eat cold turkey and pudding.

New Zealand:
If there are few decorations, New Zealand people organize Christmas parades and people sing in the parks. They also organize their famous "Christmas barbecue".

Japan:
Christmas is merely commercial significance in Japan. This festival represents Saint Nicholas and it is an opportunity to offer gifts to small children.

China:
If Christmas Day is not a holiday, Christmas is celebrated in Chinese cities. This festival was imported into this country by foreign missionaries. For the Chinese people who celebrate it, Christmas is a religious event.