For centuries children have hung stockings by fireplaces *”in the hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there”. This tradition creates a feeling of magic and anticipation about the arrival of this mystical figure that will slide down your chimney to bring you your heart’s desire. How is it possible that Santa Claus can fly through sky? Will he really fit in your chimney? How does he know that you really want that toy train or that talking doll? Just as magical, he is able to visit your home even if you don’t have a chimney.

In fact there are no written records as to how this tradition began. If one is to believe the legend of the nobleman who lost his wife and his fortune and was in despair that his three daughters would be unable to marry with out a dowry, this might be origin of the Christmas stocking. Hearing of the sad plight of these fair young ladies Saint Nicholas paid them a visit. Having crept into their home in the middle of the night he was searching for a place to leave the three bags of gold for them when he spied their stockings drying by the fire. He left his gift of gold in these stockings and saved the day for them. From this story, the placing of oranges as representing the bags of gold has lived through the centuries.

 Another theory about the beginning of the hanging of Christmas stockings comes, like the tradition of Christmas trees, from Germany. Children would leave their boots filled with straw, carrots, or sugar near the fireplace for Odin’s (a major god in Norse mythology) flying horse Sleipner in exchange for gifts or candy. 

 In the beginning children would leave their ordinary daily stockings or their boots or their clogs by the fireplace with the hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave them a small gift or some candy. It makes sense that this was done by a fireplace because in those days the fireplace was the source of heat and light in their homes. Gradually special Christmas stockings were created and were only used for this purpose.

 Today Christmas stockings are a major part of the Christmas celebration. There are large ones, small ones, and everything in between. For retailers they are often a large part of their Christmas decoration sales. The stockings are made of almost any imaginable fabric. They can be created from felt, fake fur, knitted, needlepoint, or quilted fabric. Many retailers offer a service to personalize them with the name of the child or adult on them. There are beautiful ornate ones that are used just as decorations.

 In many families there is a tradition of hand making the stockings. There are beautiful needlework kits that are made to celebrate the new arrival of a family member. In other families the stockings are crafted out of felt or a similar fabric in a set pattern and are made for every member of the family. Sometimes even the pets of the family have their own stockings.

 Although the tradition of putting an orange in the stocking seems to have survived, it seems that we are a long way from the small gift or a piece of candy and most Christmas stockings are over flowing with candy, puzzles, small toys, and sometimes rather absurd gadgets. In all of this over abundance we must not lose sight of the magic and joy that this tradition of hanging Christmas stockings brings to the children. They do truly go to bed * ” while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.”

*The Night Before Christmas Clement C. Moore.   

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/the-magic-of-the-christmas-stocking-5285473.html

Do you find yourself planning your holiday season with fewer resources than last year?  Or perhaps you’re tired of the excess that goes along with the season?  Even though many families are making do with less this year, it doesn’t mean that your holiday season has to be any less special.  With a little advance planning and good organization, it is possible to enjoy a wonderful holiday season on a budget.

Organization is the key when it comes to keeping your spending to a minimum.  The first step is to create a budget.  How much money do you have to work with and how do you want to divide it up?  The five most common areas where our holiday dollars are spent are gifts, food, entertainment, decorations, and contributions.  For some families, one or two of these categories will be the most important and the others almost irrelevant.  You must decide which areas are most important to you, and then divide your money up accordingly.  Most important, be sure you get it down on paper.  A budget is something you should refer back to throughout the season, so set up a spreadsheet on your computer where the information can be easily accessed.

Gifts – For many households, gifts make up the largest part of the spending budget.  It’s critical to make a list of each person you want to buy for and then assign a dollar limit for that person.  Be sure to shop sales and use coupons whenever possible to get the most bang for your buck!

Food – Many memories are made around special meals at the holidays.  The key here is to plan your menu and shop early.  Many stores will feature certain food sales on a rotating basis, so if you’ve planned your menu several weeks in advance, you should be able to pick up most of your ingredients on sale.  Another idea is to make your large family meal a potluck where everyone brings a different dish.  Not only is it fun to sample everyone’s different recipes, but this really cuts down on the expense for the hostess.

Entertainment – Remember, you needn’t attend every event in your community or every holiday party you’re invited to.  Pick and choose a few to attend in order to cut down on expenses.  There are many other forms of family entertainment that don’t cost money, too.  Consider sledding, ice skating, building a snowman, or free concerts or programs at your church or mall.  Caroling is an enjoyable activity for the whole family, and it can be followed up with hot chocolate and cookies.  Another enjoyable activity is to pack the kids in the car and take a drive through a well decorated neighborhood to look at the lights.

Decorations – The best way to save money on holiday decorations is to buy them after the holidays are over.  That’s right, if you wait until December 26, you’ll find every holiday decoration imaginable on sale for half price or less.  If you can keep a list of the items you’d like to have, then go shopping the day after Christmas and stock up.  Pack everything away in designated storage containers and you’ll be ready to go next year!

Contributions – The holidays are an important time for us to help others who are less fortunate than we are.  However, remember that a monetary gift isn’t the only way to give back.  Volunteers are frequently needed to help at food banks or to fix meals at shelters.  You could also sign up to ring a bell at a local store for your Salvation Army or Goodwill.

Remember, even though you may not have as much money to spend this year, it doesn’t mean that your holiday can’t be enjoyable and memorable for you and your family.  Making a budget and sticking to it can be tough, but it’s also a good way of reminding ourselves and teaching our kids that the holidays aren’t about money.  This season is for friends, family, and time spent together enjoying one another’s company and being thankful for our blessings.

Article Source: http://ellenbell.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/christmas-on-a-budget-1263530.html

Nowadays, stockings are a firm feature of Christmas however, we do tend to hang out our stockings more expectantly rather then to appreciate a welcome accident.

To make a mini Christmas stocking you will need…

Assorted coloured pieces of felt, coloured thread, ribbon, glue and a print out pattern (see the link at the bottom for a free printable patter)

Cut out the pattern piece.

Place the stocking pattern piece onto a piece of felt. Put the pattern close to the edge of the felt to save fabric. Cut right up to the pattern piece, there is no need for a seam allowance. Two main stocking parts are needed for each stocking. These can either be the same or different colours.

Pin the two pieces together and working on the right side, work blanket stitch around the edge of the stocking to sew he two parts together.

Tack a loop of ribbon inside the top of the stocking at the back. This is the loop for hanging the stocking up.

Decorate the front of the stocking with holly leaves and berries cut from scraps of felt. Stick them into place with PVA glue.

You could personalise the stockings by embroidering a name or initials on it.

Sequins make attractive decorations. Sequins look really festive near the Christmas tree, reflecting the light from the fairy lights.

Another simple decorative idea is to cut away shapes in one side of the stocking before blanket stitching them together. This Lacey effect is pretty and shows off a little of the stocking filler inside.

These little stockings are ideal for small gifts, such as sweets, chocolates, money, nail varnish, broaches, and other little trinkets. Hang them on the fireplace or on the Christmas tree.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/christmas-stockings-for-stocking-fillers-242558.html

There are certain special occasions which increase the need to be with your family, friends and relatives. Although, the memories of these loved ones never cease to remind you of their importance, but whenever a special festival comes you just can’t resist reaching out to them. Christmas, is one day in which every person away from his family and friends wants to enjoy these everlasting moments with them. But many people, who reside in other countries or cities for their jobs, cannot arrange a meeting with their loved ones back home. Therefore, special Christmas Cards are sent to friends and relatives in all corners of the world to share the joy and happiness.

Christmas cards come in different designs and colors, and while standing in a shop to buy a greeting card, it is often difficult to pick one. Arranging a list of the addresses of all the friends and family members, to send a Christmas greeting card somewhat takes the joy-factor away from this occasion. There are many people who deserve a Christmas card from you, but you may not be able to find their mailing addresses.

This problem has been obliterated with the use of e-cards that most people prefer over conventional cards. Through, the internet, while so many facilities have been imparted to us, this is yet another great option. All you have to do is to save a contact list of all the people who you want to send a Christmas greetings. Sending free Christmas email cards through e-mail is much easier and enjoyable.

There are many websites on the internet that contain great variety of online free Christmas email cards. Apart from Christmas cards, there are also a large stock of finest cards that relate to other events like birth days, wedding anniversaries, New Year and Easter. While some websites offer beautiful and colorful e-cards for prices, there are as many websites that allow you to send Christmas greeting cards to your loved ones for free.

Although, the existing free Christmas cards available on these websites are very fine and look good on the eyes, yet users have the permission to customize these e-cards according to their own desire. By changing colors and editing the default messages, you can personalize greeting cards very easily. Christmas cards containing images of Santa Claus and a Christmas trees will definitely remind the receiver of his or her childhood days.

While writing your personal Christmas greeting message on the e-card, choice of words should be immaculate as you have to express your feelings and emotions within a few words. When an old friend, with whom you have not been able to make a contact for some time, finds your Christmas greeting card in his inbox, all the perturbation will finish and he will reciprocate.

Christmas is an occasion, that offers you the opportunity to reconcile with anyone and everyone, and what could be a better tool to do this than a Christmas greeting e-card. Imagine, on the cold Christmas Eve, your whole family is gathered around their monitor to see your Christmas greeting card, while you sit thousands of miles away. Whenever you visit a website that offers free Christmas email cards, happiness and joy worth a million dollars are just one click away.

Free Christmas email cards:- 365greetings.com offers lot of Free Christmas Email Cards for your friends and relatives

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/free-christmas-email-cards-646999.html

Is the size of your budget making it hard to come up with Christmas stocking ideas for your kids? Finding cheap stocking fillers for kids’ Christmas stockings is an annual challenge for parents. With a little forward planning and a bit of ingenuity, shopping for Christmas stocking gifts can become fun and you won’t feel tempted to overspend.

Here are a few favourite Christmas stocking fillers for younger children.

Jig Saw Puzzles

You can buy jigsaw puzzles to suit any age. A lovely gift for baby’s first Christmas is a wooden puzzle with knobs on the oversized pieces for tiny hands to grasp the pieces easily.

Slightly older children will love the challenge of big brightly colored puzzle pieces that fit together to build a picture of animals or characters they can recognize.

Play Doh

All children love Play Doh. The manufacturers recommend this modeling substance as being non-toxic and suitable for children aged 2 years and up.

A basic set of different colored Play Doh is a great cheap stocking filler. You can also get many different creativity sets to make all kinds of Play Doh shapes.

Card Games

Children from about 3 years of age and upward love playing card games. Playing cards is educational as well as fun. Card games help children to develop organizational and matching skills. Playing cards also encourages children to learn about numbers and counting.

There are all sorts of new card games created especially for kids. But you can’t bear old fashioned games such as Snap, Rummy and Old Maid for fun at Christmas.

Coloring Pencils and Crayons

Even the tiniest tots have fun scribbling as soon as they are old enough to hold a crayon without attempting to eat it. Drawing and coloring help children to develop their coordination. Drawing pictures will encourage creativity and imagination. A coloring book and a set of coloring pencils or crayons will give a child many hours of fun.

As well as traditional pencils and crayons, washable glitter pens are popular with kids. Make sure it actually says “washable” on the pack, though, or you won’t be popular with parents who find their kids, clothing and possibly upholstery indelibly etched.

Beanie Toys

Beanie toys are great as cheap stocking fillers for young children, and they also appeal to older children as collectors’ items. Beanies are great for smaller kids as they like the squidgy feel of the toys. But Beanies are usually not recommended for under three year olds, so check the manufacturer’s advice before purchasing.

For older kids beanies are appealing because they are very cute. Kids of all ages enjoy collecting. Don’t be fooled by the outward sophistication of girls in their early teens; they love to collect cute items.

Beanies come in all varieties. To name just a few, there are beanie wild animals, beanie pets, beanie babies and beanie Disney characters.

Pocket Pals

Kids love anything pocket sized. There are all kinds of pocket size toys. For instance, there is Polly Pocket, Pony in my Pocket, Zoo in my Pocket, Puppy in my Pocket. When you think about the size of the average kid’s pocket, you will realize how small these toys are, so they aren’t suitable for the very youngest ones.

Board Games

It wouldn’t be Christmas without at least one board game.

Monopoly has been a family favorite for many years, but a game of Monopoly does tend to take a long time and younger children tend to get bored long before the game ends.

If you are looking for board games for kids to play over the holiday season, there are plenty to choose from. Ludo has been loved by children for generations. For the youngest members of the family, you can’t fail with the old favorite Snakes and Ladders. The hottest holiday board game at the moment is the award winning Qwirkle Board Game. This is suitable for players of 6 and up.

When you are buying treats to fill stockings for younger children you don’t have to worry that they will be hankering after the latest hot toy advertised on TV. Young children have no understanding of price tags; they judge a toy on its merits. Everything is new to kids experiencing their first few Christmases. A one or two year old can have as much fun (or possibly more fun) with a pile of cardboard boxes as with a pile of expensive toys. So relax and enjoy hunting down cheap stocking fillers your little ones will love.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/7-christmas-stocking-ideas-for-younger-kids-3795517.html

I am looking for ideas on ‘Xmas Magic’ for kids…here’s what we already do (looking to try some different things)…

Keep the Magic of Christmas alive with your kids by doing the following:

Starting December 1st…

Read the story of Elf on a Shelf (can be found online). Set up a miniature elf doll or figurine somewhere in your home. (the elf travels to and from the North Pole to report on your naughty or niceness each and every night. each morning he is magically in a new spot of the house and usually leaves a trail of glitter or glittery footsteps in his path, its fun looking for him in the mornings before school).

Set up a magical elf door. You can buy these online pre-made or make your own. We usually set ours up on the baseboard near the tree. Magical elves come and check in on the kids and also visit with your Elf on a Shelf (the door doubles as a portal for him). They also leave glittery footprints, sometimes tiny bells fall off their clothes, etc. they also are known to leave tiny surprises each morning for the kids in tiny wrapped boxes. In lieu of tiny gifts, sometimes they just leave decoration on or near their magical elf door—things like tiny wreaths, tiny xmas cards on string, tiny stockings, etc..—all of which can be found at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby. (look in the dollhouse miniatures section or make your own with free online printables).

On Christmas Eve before the kids go to bed…

Make sure you have set up a landing strip for Santa and his reindeer. You can do this in your yard or on your roof by lining up 2 strings of lights long enough and far enough apart to simulate a landing strip. You can invest in specialty lights that actually have a runway lighting pattern effect, which are very cool. You can even make a sign that reads ‘Santa Land Here” with a big arrow. (make sure you use glow paint for the sign).

Make sure to leave the reindeer a snack near the landing strip. A plate of carrots and sprinkle some dry oats with glow in the dark glitter (so they can see it).

Set up your Santa Trap and video recorder to catch Santa on tape! The Santa Trap consists of leaving him his snack along with a note. Attached to the note you want to run some yarn discreetly to a bell. When Santa picks up the note, the bell will ring. For the Santa video, you want to make a nicely wrapped gift box with a hole just large enough for your camcorder lens. You set up your camcorder inside, on night vision mode, and record the entire night. Its fun to watch the video the next morning and see Santa.
** a note on Santa’s snack…we leave him traditional cookies, however, we leave him a very nice drink to get him thru the night, either some hot coco with a shot of crème de menthe or a Grinch cocktail (midori melon, vodka, cointreau, sweet and sour).

Before the kids go off to bed, read the Santa Key poem (can find online), and put the magical Santa key on your doorknob (any old key will do with a bit of glitter to jazz it up or you can make your own from glittery foiled foam board).

On Christmas Eve after the kids are fast asleep…

After the kids fall asleep is when the real magic happens…LOL.

First, you want to go outside and break all the carrots off except the ends and throw away somewhere the kids won’t find them. You want to toss a nice sleigh bell in the yard (one must have fallen off Santa’s sleigh) and you want to make lots of hoof prints in the snow. Sprinkle some glitter—glow in the dark works good- inside the hoof prints.

Next, you will need a Santa suit and sack for this or borrow one if you can, you are going to enter the house with the magic Santa key and place the gifts under the tree. While doing so you are going to snag a piece of your suit on or near the tree and also lose a button in the process (these items can be loose in your pocket–just simulate the actions and leave the evidence). You are going to slam your drink, eat your cookies, and lastly, pick up the note. The bell will ring at this point from the Santa Trap and you will need to run on out of there.

The kids may or may not wake up at this point.

If they DO wake up—they are most likely up now until those gifts are opened and the video is watched! So, why not? Take them outside to see if you can see Santa in the night sky and they will find the carrots have been eaten, there are tons of hoof prints with glowing magic dust, and a pretty bell which fell off his sleigh. They will also find in the house the button and red velvet which snagged off his suit, the drink and cookies are gone, and you can watch the video of Santa too since he was caught on tape!!

If they DO NOT wake up—time for some more evidence planting, LOL. At this point, you are going to stop the video recorder long enough to leave some Santa tracks in the house. You basically are just going to alternate left and right foot stencils to and from the tree from whichever entry point Santa used. You will use glittery gl

It is that time of the year again. It’s the time to celebrate, to enjoy and to spend some joyous and cherishable times with your loved ones. Christmas is the occasion where the sentiment of giving and receiving overpowers everything. You love receiving and presenting your near ones with gifts that they would cherish for their lifetimes. In such a scenario, shopping becomes an absolute necessity and dearth of time becomes a perpetual problem. This is where online shopping portals step in to make this joyous occasion an affair to be remembered.

Take out all the stress and relieve yourself of the shopping worries that completely engulf you during the hectic festive season. Avoid the frustrating Christmas crowds and do most of your shopping from home. This is not really a new option but the status which online shopping has achieved in a short span of time has made it a preferred option for the most shoppers in UK. What time or occasion can be more appropriate to know the benefits and benedictions that online shopping has to offer.

Be it sweets, Christmas cakes, decorations, jumpers, apparel or unusual gifts for the entire family, online shopping portals today are capable of offering you the best of everything. If the idea is to gift your mom a voucher for a spa treatment or to give your dad the latest PDA, rely on the shopping sites that are full of some brilliant offers on these and more. Stocking fillers, Apple iPod, party gears or hampers and baskets, all are available in wide choices to be availed by you.

Vouchers, special offers and exciting deals are offered on the occasion of Christmas on most of these sites. Plus, cashback offers too act as major incentives to lure customers towards shopping portals. Avail the best of offers and discounts on the World Wide Web and make this Christmas the most memorable one!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/shop-online-with-santa-a-memorable-affair-240825.html