Christmas cookies with cherries
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
5 g vanilla extract
250 g red fruitcake cherries
250 g fruitcake green cherries

Mix well with electric mixer butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Slowly add 2 1/4 flour until completely mixed. Chop the cherries and add. Separate the dough into two pieces. Shape into logs, wrap in wax paper and leave for overnight in refrigerator. Preheat the oven. Cut the log into 3sm cookie slices and bake for 15 min. Dust with powdered sugar.

Winter cookies
50 g chocolate
100 g butter
100g sugar
300 g flour
100 g cocoa powder
100 g cornstarch
3 g vanilla extract
Mix butter, sugar and vanilla and beat till light. Separately mix flour, cocoa powder and vanilla and then add to the mixture. Spoon into star shaped baking dish and bake for 15 min. Melt the chocolate and pour over. Leave aside to cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Lemon cookies
4 eggs
300g sugar
70 g flour
70 g fresh lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp powdered sugar
Cookie dough
Slice cookie dough into pieces and bake for 15 min in preheated oven. Mix beaten eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder, fresh lemon juice and blend very well. Pour this mixture over the hot cookies and bake for 20 min additionally. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into star shape.

Christmas nuts cookies
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
50 g chocolate bars
Cream butter and sugar and add egg and vanilla. Mix separately flour baking soda and salt and add it to the mixture. Stir chocolate bars and nuts. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

Outdoor Christmas decoration is very important part of the Christmas decoration even if not as much as the home decoration. The people can decorate their lawn, garden or patio in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. This will give an extraordinary look to the outdoor area of their homes.

It is the first thing that your guests or visitors might see. Even people passing by your house will be cheer when they see your well decorated garden. And this is the main Christmas idea to spread warmth and joy around. The big Christmas outdoor decorations are more popular then the small ones.

Lights or any sort of at night have an extraordinary effect. hey are available in different designs. You can buy with huge different colors bulbs or different Christmas theme shapes. They can be strung along the wall on the garden or around the tree brunches. You also can create series of tunnels so your guests can go through. Also do not forget to place Santa Clause in the garden or near your front door. Usually he does together with elves, tools and work branches. And wrapped papers of course and represents Santa’s Workshop.

If you have chosen to decorate the top of your house too buy rooftop decorations. One of the most popular and loves screen is Santa Clause with his reindeer. Also a good chouse will be decoration of jolly Santa trying to wiggle his way down a chimney.

Do not limit yourself with your front door decoration. The typical Christmas door decorations are the wreaths. Buy standard one and decorate it in your choice adding small fruits or ribbons. But if you usually do it every year try something different this time. Why don’t you wrap the front door with Holiday paper? Then tie a nice big bow. Also hang from the mailbox socking.

Everybody enjoys the Christmas decoration but the children have more fun.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.
Washington Irving

Christmas–that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.
Augusta E. Rundel

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
Calvin Coolidge

Warm Winter WishesMay the closeness of friends and the comfort of home, renew your spirits this Christmas

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart… filled it, too, with a melody that would last forever. ~ Bess Streeter Aldrich

May this Christmas
find you surrounded by those you love
and those who love you

Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind. ~ Helen Steiner Rice

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. Burton Hillis

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
it makes no noise at all,
but softly gives itself away;
while quite unselfish, it grows small.
Eva K. Logue

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
Hamilton Wright Mabi

Through a frosty winter night
In a sleigh with reindeer flight
Bringing joy to large and small
Merry Christmas one and all.

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts.
Lenora Mattingly Weber

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away;
While quite unselfish, it grows small.
Eva K. Logue

Best wishes for the holidays and for health and happiness throughout the coming year.

May the Song of the Angels of Glory to God And Peace to His people on earth Be ever more true in your home, in your heart And throughout the land of your birth.

As the Holiday Season is upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those who have helped to shape our business in a most significant way. We value our relationship with you and look forward to working with you in the year to come. We wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.

Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy your heart with love and your life with laughter.

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, health, happiness and prosperity in the coming New Year.

At this Holiday Season we remember and honor those who are no longer with us and cherish those who are

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.” With this thought, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, all the Happiest Holidays and all the luck the New Year could possibly bring to you.

To a Healthy, Happy & Peaceful New Year.

Wishing you Christmas Happiness to warm your heart and home with special joy.

May God fill your life with love, joy and peace this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year.

Christmas … is not an eternal event at all, but a piece of one’s home that one carries in one’s heart.
Freya Stark

Wishing You His Fullest Blessings This Christmas Season.

Hand print wreath
You need a lot of green construction paper, red ribbon, scissors, pencil and glue. Cut out a hand print on a piece of green construction paper. Then cut out14 more. Glue them together by covering a little bit of the twists. Leave it to dry and glue a red ribbon. Your wreath is ready.

Christmas paper stocking
You need brown paper, scissors, pen, glue, yarn and small pieces different color construction paper. Draw a large stocking on brown paper and cut two copies. Glue only the edges but do not put any glue on the top. Make small holes around the edges when completely dry and wave red yarn in and out the holes. At the top end leave a piece of yarn, tie it. You can cut out small Christmas theme ornaments to decorate it. You can hang it and stuff it with Christmas goodies.

Christmas tree card
You need apiece of construction paper 30/40 sm red or yellow color. Fold it in half to form your card. Cut out from green paper 5 triangles. Cut out first the smallest one 1/1/1sm.Then each next should be a little big bigger then the previous one. The smallest one will be the top of your tree and the biggest to be at the bottom. Glue firth the biggest one and with the next cover its top. When glue the smallest one leave to dry for 15 minutes. At this time cut out small star of the yellow paper. If you want draw some small ornaments and you can write your Christmas message.

Snowman Christmas card
You need 30/40 sm blue construction paper. Fold it into half. Cut out three circles of white paper-small, medium, big. Glue the biggest on the bottom of the card and the smallest on the top. Cut small hat from black construction paper and glue it too. Draw with markers eyes, mouth and carrot-shaped nose. Glue very thin glue around the snowman and dust with sugar. When it is dry lots of snowflakes will appear.

A good time is coming
A good time is coming, I wish it were here,
The very best time in the whole of the year;
I’m counting each day on my fingers and thumbs
the weeks that must pass before Santa Claus comes.

Then when the first snowflakes begin to come down,
And the wind whistles sharp and the branches are brown,
I’ll not mind the cold, though my fingers it numbs,
For it brings the time nearer when Santa Claus comes.

There’s More to Christmas…
There’s more, much more to Christmas
Than candle-light and cheer;
It’s the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all the year;
It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,
It’s hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding
And for goodwill to men!

Christmas gift suggestions 
Christmas gift suggestions
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
By Oren Arnold

I heard the bells
I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

At Christmas
At Christmas A man is at his finest towards
the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when
the Christmas season’s here;
Then he’s thinking more of others
than he’s thought the months before.
And the laughter of his children
is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than
at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him
 he comes close to the sublime.
Edgar Guest

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know,
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
Irving Berlin

The Adoration of the Wise Men
Saw you never in the twilight,
When the sun had left the skies,
Up in heaven the clear stars shining,
Through the gloom like silver eyes?
So of old the wise men watching,
Saw a little stranger star.

And they knew the King was given,
And they follow’d it from far.
Heard you never of the story,
How they cross’d the desert wild,
Journey’d on by plain and mountain,
Till they found the Holy Child?
How they open’d all their treasure,
Kneeling to that Infant King,
Gave the gold and fragrant incense,
Gave the myrrh in offering?
Know ye not that lowly Baby
Was the bright and morning star,
He who came to light the Gentiles,
And the darken’d isles afar?
And we too may seek his cradle,
There our heart’s best treasures bring,
Love, and Faith, and true devotion,
For our Saviour, God, and King.
 
Christmas Eve
Oh, hush thee, little dear, my soul,
The evening shades are falling;
Hush thee, my dear, dost thou not hear
The voice of the Master calling?
Deep lies the snow upon the earth,
But all the sky is ringing
With joyous song, and all night long
The stars shall dance with singing.
Oh, hush thee, little dear, my soul,
And close thine eyes in dreaming,
And angels fair shall lead thee where
The singing stars are beaming.
A shepherd calls his little lambs,
And he longeth to caress them;
He bids them rest upon his breast,
That his tender love may bless them.
So, hush thee, little dear, my soul,
Whilst evening shades are falling,
And above the song of the heavenly throng
Thou shall hear the Master calling.

Religious Night Before Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,
St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;
Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,
While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;
The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,
The grown-ups wouldn’t bother, there’s no room they said;
When even the inkeeper sent them away,
Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;
He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,
Lets go there said Mary, it’s silent and still;
The moon on the brest of the new fallen snow,
Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;
And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,
Our Saviour was born on that first Christmas Day!
The Father was watching in heaven above,
He sent for His angels, His couriers of love;
More rapid than eagles God’s bright angels came;
Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;
Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael, Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live.

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;
The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,
And saw in the heavens and unearthly light;
The Angels assured them, they’d nothing to fear,
It’s Christmas they said, the Saviour is here!
They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,
Till Mary invited them in to adore;
He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,
Never did the Shepherds see a baby so sweet!
He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,
He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;
Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,
And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;
Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,
Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!
Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself.
Norman W. Brooks

The night before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas,
 when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring-not even a mouse:
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
Clement C. Moore

All I Want for Christmas
Every body stops
and stares at me
These two teeth are
gone as you can see
I don’t know just who
to blame for this catastrophe!

But my one wish on Christmas Eve
is as plain as it can be!
All I want for Christmas
are my two front teeth
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth!

If I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could wish you
Merry Christmas
It seems so long since I could say,
‘Sister Susie sitting on a thistle’
How happy I’d be,
If I could only whistle
All I want for Christmas
are my two front teeth
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth.
So I could wish you
Merry Christmas!
A Puppy’s Christmas
It’s the day before Christmas
And all through the house
The puppies are squeaking
An old rubber mouse.
The wreath which had merrily
Hung on the door
Is scattered in pieces
All over the floor.
The stockings that hung
In a neat little row
Now boast a hole in
Each one of the toes.
The tree was subjected
To bright-eyed whims,
And now, although splendid,
It’s missing some limbs.
I catch them and hold them.
“Be good”, I insist.
They lick me, then run off
To see what they’ve missed.
And now as I watch them
The thought comes to me,
That their’s is the spirit
That Christmas should be.
Should children and puppies
Yet show us the way,
And teach us the joy
That should come with this day?
Could they bring the message
That’s written above,
And tell us that, most of all
Christmas is love.

Holly Jolly Christmas
Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
It’s the best time of the year
I don’t know if it will snow,
But have a cup of cheer.
Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
And when you walk down the street
Say Hello to friends you know
and everyone you meet.

Oh, ho, the mistletoe
hung where you can see;
Somebody waits for you;
Kiss her once for me.
Have a holly jolly Christmas,
and in case you didn’t hear,
Have a holly, jolly Christmas this year.

The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.
Johnny Carson 

Many banks have a new kind of Christmas club in operation. The new club helps you save money to pay for last year’s gifts.  

Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas.
Johnny Carson. 

Did you ever notice that life seems to follow certain patterns? Like I noticed that every year around this time, I hear Christmas music. 

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph. 

The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.  

The one thing women don’t want to find in their stockings on Christmas morning is their husband.  

I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.
Bernard Manning  

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want and their kids pay for it. Richard Lamm 

Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered. What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
Phyllis Diller  

Christmas is a race to see which gives out first - your money or your feet.

Why is Christmas just like a day at the office? You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit. 

There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.Erma Bombeck  

You know you’re getting old, when Santa starts looking younger.
Robert Paul

Do you know who Santa Claus is ?
He is one of the most popular persons in the world. He is also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas or simply Santa. He is historical and mythological character who we associate with bringing gifts on Christmas Eve.

He was a Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, now in Turkey born in very rich family. He was famous for generous gifts to the poor people and especially to the kids. Some legends say that he dropped the kids presents through the chimney. But he was much more capable then that. By the power of God he could bring dead people back to life, he could save sailor’s lives in storms. He did only good deeds. Nicholas died in December and probably this is the main reason to associate him as Santa Claus. This is the story how St Nicholas became popular as Santa Claus in Europe. Dutch sailors spread his story in USA. They called him “Sinte rklaas” and translated into English it is the famous Santa Clause.

The image of Santa Claus as a maker of children toy was elaborated by Thomas Nast. But when in 1930 Coca Cola used his image in their advertisement for first time they performed him as a round, big, joyous, red-cheeked old gentleman, famous all around the world as the person who brings gifts at Christmas-exactly like we know him today. He lives on the North Pole with his wife, reindeers and elves. They help him to determine wither the kids who wrote him were good or bad, to help him prepare millions of presents to fulfill  their  wishes. At Christmas Eve he wears his famous red suit, put all the toys in his sleigh and nine reindeer pull it. The red nose of Rudolph tells him the right direction.

Christmas is very special holiday and we all want to decorate our houses to look festive. Christmas lights give this special look to the Christmas tree.

The light is an ancient symbol for the triumph of spring over the darkness of winter. And also it is a symbol that Jesus promise for bright future of the people. The lights can give paradisiacal touch to the whole neighborhood and turn it into a magical place.

It is believed that Albert Sadacca was the person who made the Christmas lighting popular. In the mid seventeenth century he attached small candles with wax and pins to Christmas tree branches. Edward Johnson and Thomas Edison first decorated a Christmas tree with 80 white, red and blue bulbs in1882. President Grover Cleveland set up a lighted Christmas tree in the White House  in 1895 for first time. With the time Christmas lights get very popular and have almost turned the candles over for decoration as they are safer and last for longer period than the candles.

Some times it is really difficult to choose the right color, combination of colors of lights because every color in the rainbow is available now. But the most common color combination appropriate for this holiday is green, red and copper combination or red and blue combination.
Apart from the traditional lights, you can buy mini LED lights which are available in different designs, sizes and colors. They use a semi conductor to brighten up the house or the tree. Compared to the old fashioned mini-lights they are extremely energy efficient. But they are also more expensive than the standard lights.

But with any type of Christmas lights you have to be very careful and to practice safety. Replace the old bulbs with new ones, if you have your set for many year, go and buy new one for this Christmas. And always turn the lights off when you are going out or go to sleep.

Christmas is the time when Christmas gifts and greetings are exchanged. With your gift you can show the people you care and love, your feelings. You can show your affection through unique and beautiful present.

 The tradition of exchanging presents on this day comes from the time when Jesus was born. Few days after, wise men came to Jerusalem and found him. To express their honor they have prepared expensive presents to him with no expectation in return.This is the main idea on this day. To gift presents to the people we love without expecting anything in return.

Choosing the best present for the people we dare sometimes it is very difficult. You have to put aside your choices and have to think from their point of view what do they need, what they like.

Christmas gifts were homemade some time ago, but in these busy days it is easier to buy something then to spend days preparing presents at home. But what can be more unique then personalized present. If it is a T-shirt for your boy why not print his name on it, or if it is a family photo for your mum why not write your personal message on it?

You can pay any price to see the happy expression on the faces of the people you love when they receive the gifts from you. And especially the parents-they want their kids to be fully of joy and to see the smile on their faces. But choosing the perfect present for children may be very difficult task. They always want their presents to be more different then other kids, they want to be proud with it and all other kids to admire their present. If you want to take the right one why don’t you try to get some clues? Ask him to write a letter to Santa Clause or go together to big kids toy shop. For sure they will find the gift they wish so much.

Can anyone explain the glow of Christmas?
Can anyone explain the glow of Christmas?
Holidays are candles in the night.
Rebirth comes from family and friends
In one bright blur of food and talk that ends
Still burning as a peaceful inner light.
There is no way to substitute for Christmas.
Miss it and no circumstance feels right.
All my heart’s with you, yet I must miss this
Season thick with love and rich delight.

Christmas is a time for love and fun
Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to reshape souls and roots and skies,
A time to give your heart to everyone
Freely, like a rich and lavish sun,
Like a burning star to those whose lonely sighs
Show need of such a time for love and fun.
For children first, whose pain is never done,
Whose bright white fire of anguish never dies,
It’s time to give your heart to every one,
That not one angel fall, to hatred won
For lack of ears to listen to her cries,
Or arms to carry him towards love and fun,
Or friends to care what happens on the run
To adult life, where joy or sadness lies.
It’s time to give your heart to everyone,
For God loves all, and turns His back on none,
Good or twisted, ignorant or wise.
Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to give your heart to everyone.

The Real Meaning of Christmas
Two thousand years ago the King of Kings was born.
‘The Lamb of God’ later made to feel the thorn,
If his words are accepted and not scorned,
They will make us all reborn.
Though God’s grace, Joseph and Mary presented
A gift to the world that day, which we can all repay,
by living the ten commandments each and every day.
Try to remember and keep in your heart and mind
Jesus’s gospel while here on Earth,
Redemption not a life lived in constant mirth.
Peace on Earth, good will toward man
Everyone should try it, whenever they can.
The Lord gave us the option and choice of ‘free will,’
Now it’s up to us to fit the bill.
So when you’re Christmas shopping for family and friends,
and money is tight at both ends,
Remember that the greatest gift of all,
Is your love of Jesus in the manger stall

Baby’s First Christmas
You have to hold him up to see
The angel on the Christmas tree.
And even though he’s still too small
To know the meaning of it all
You watch his eyes reflect the glow
Of colored lights that come and go
And feel him quiver with delight
At every new and wondrous sight.
There’s Santa with his jolly face
Beaming from the fireplace.
And from the stocking hanging there
Peeks a cuddly teddy bear.
Bright ornaments and candy canes –
Musical toy and wooden trains –
There’s just no end to the delights
Spread out for him this night of nights!
He points and grins from ear to ear
And then he yawns - his bedtime’s near!
Dad gives him a kiss and you tuck him away
To rest up for the fun of his first Christmas Day
Alice E. Chase

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The Carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Snow Christmas Cookies
2 cups soft butter
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar
3 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
1 cup chopped almonds
3 1/2 cups flour

Melt the butter and beat it well with granulated sugar and add the eggs. Beat until light. Mix with almond extract and almonds with the mixture. Add the flour and mix. Make small balls from the dough. Place on ungreased baking sheet and slightly flatten. Bake for 15 min. Cool them and roll in confectioners’ sugar.

Chocolate Snowballs
2 cups butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup nuts
100 g chocolate
Beat butter and powdered sugar till light. Stir in flour, cornstarch, chocolate and nuts. Make small balls and bake till lightly brown. Then dust with more powdered sugar over.

Cheese Christmas Cookies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup green sugar crystals
1/2 cup red sugar crystals
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 package cream cheese
Cream the cheese with butter and sugar and beat till light. Mix the flour and salt and combine with the creamy mixture. Stir the chopped pecans. Cover and put in refrigerator for 30 min. Then shape balls and wrap in foil. Leave in refrigerator for one night. Coat each roll with green or red sugar crystal sand. Cut dough in to slices. Bake for 20 minutes.

Grandma’s Christmas Cookies
5 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3 g baking soda
Salt
Vanilla extract
Cream the butter and sugar. Then add milk, vanilla and eggs. Beat well and add flour and baking soda. Cover it and refrigerate for 20 min. Cut the dough with cookie cutters and bake for 10 min/180C.

The first Christmas cards as we know them today were invented in England 150 years ago. Sir Henry Cole had so many greetings cards to send that it was impossible for him to handwrite all of them. But he didn’t want to miss even one friend. And then he found the answer.

He commissioned John Calcot Hoesley to paint a greeting card. It displayed a happy family  enjoying the festival and sipping wine. There were criticized because showing a kid who enjoys a sip of wine was “moral corruption”. On the card was printed “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you”.  It is believed that Sir Henry didn’t send any card on the next year. But the costume of printing Christmas cards became very popular.

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s were very popular the Christmas cards designed by Kate Greenaway, Frances Brundage and Ellen H. Clapsaddle. Most of their cards were shaped like crescents, bells, birds or candles. They were decorated with silk, satin and fringe.
Till 1875 Americans imported Christmas cards from England. Then the German immigrant Louise Prang opened a lithographic shop and published the first Americans Christmas cards. They were illustrated with snow scenes, children playing with toys, fir trees.

The World Wars changed the Christmas theme in the greeting cards and brought patriotic themes. Abraham Lincoln asked Thomas Nast to illustrate Santa Clause. He was the first to introduce Santa Clause in the traditional red suit and big leather belt as he is famous today.

In our days Christmas cards are with comics, clever verses, jokes and beautiful Christmas scenes. They are usually sold in packs of varied designs. They can be separated in different categories: traditional-with pictures of nativity scenes; formal-with painted pictures of Christmas tree; cute-with small cute animals; funny-Rudolf throwing balls and others The digital photography and advanced printing provides more possibilities to personalize the Christmas Cards with photos and personal messages.

Paper chains
You need different colors construction paper, scissors and glue. Cut pieces 15 sm long and 1 sm wide. Then glue the ends of the strip and put the next through the first one. Make the chain as long as you want.

Handprint Tree
You need green paper, yellow paper, glue and small pieces of other colors paper. All you need to do is to mark and cut out 5-7 times your kids handprints. Then let him glue them with the fingers pointed down. Cut out big star from the yellow paper and glue it on the top. Now you have your Christmas tree. Cut small ball shaped figures and decorate it.

Christmas tree
You need green paper and some different shaper bright colors pieces. Mark and cut same size triangles. Glue them on white paper. Glue the first on the top. The top of the second has to cover the end of the first. Cut a piece of brown paper for bottom and leave enough place to glue the small presents you have prepared before. Decorate the Christmas tree with different shaped figures.

Christmas tree balls
You need a lot of tissue paper. Make different sizes balls. Then wrap them in red, orange yellow or blue foil. Turn a paper clipper into v-shaped form and glue it on the top. Now you can decorate your Christmas tree.

How to make snowflakes?
All you need are white papers and scissors. Cut out pieces of the white paper in square or oval form. Then fold them in half, then again in half. Cut out very small pieces on different places and with different shapes. When you open the white paper you will see unique and beautiful snowflakes. Do the same with the other pieces but never cut on the same place. This guarantees that all your snowflakes will be different. Now you can decorate your house or the Christmas tree.

At this time of the year when Christmas is coming everybody wants to make his home look festive and special. There are a lot of easy and fast ideas to create more wonderful Christmas atmosphere. You do not have to spend a lot of money, takes minimum of time and efforts.

First hang holiday wreaths around your home. Start from the front door so every time you come back home it will be the first thing to see and also to welcome your guests. To use it year after year buy artificial ones that will last. But if you do not want to spend extra money make your own. Use real pine. Decorate it with fruits, bows, ornaments or candies. Remember to put wreaths on the front windows too.Then you can arrange a lot of candles all around the house. In the evenings turn off the lights and have your dinner only on candle lights. Burn a fire in the fireplace and gather all the family around to read books or to write the Christmas cards. It will bring special holiday feeling. Set the table always with Christmas tablecloth and with holiday dishes that look festive.

Tie ribbons to the chairs backs. If you can’t decide what color then choose the traditional ones- silver, gold, red or green. Choose ones that you can tie and untie each year. Spread garlands on the ceilings in all the rooms in your house. And also you can tie bows to them. Tie ribbons or garlands to all candleholders you have and to stair railings too. You can make garlands out of many materials-natural or decorative. You can also dress up your houseplants with small Christmas ornaments. For final touch spear lot of paper snowflakes around the house. You can hang them on the windows. Or buy from the shop plastic ones.

And do not forget to hang the Christmas stockings on the wall.

The Christmas dinner is the main meal which usually is eaten in the early afternoon. It is the main event in the day and the gathers and all eat together. The food is with higher quality and includes some items that are not regular part of the family meals. The pork, ham, or turkey are the most famous features at Christmas dinner. Usually they are centerpiece s on the table. People celebrate Christmas around the world with different dishes.

In Australia Christmas dinner is very similar with the English version. There Christmas is in the summer so sometimes people prefer serving the meat cold. Very popular are the seafood and the barbecues.

In England the traditional Christmas dinner includes roast turkey, brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, rich nutty stuffing, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon and lashings of hot gravy. The dessert is always a rich, fruity pudding.

In the English part of Canada the dinner is similar to the English too. Turkey with dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables. The typical dessert is the plum pudding. Very popular are the eggnots, butter tarts and shortbreads. In the French part the typical dinner is similar to the French Christmas dinner. In France the dinner is long and usually party comes after. It is called réveillon. The food is expensive. The appetizers may include lobster, foie gras etc. Turkey with chestnuts is one traditional dish. Very often champagne or similar sparking wines are served with the dinner.

In Denmark the traditional meals are roasted pork, goose or duck with red cabbage, potatoes and gravy. The dessert is rice pudding with almonds.

In Eastern Europe people prepare special dinner which contains twelve dishes to respond twelve months of the year. It is very important the meats not to contain meat. The typical meals are beans, dried plums, nuts and fruits.

Exchange gifts
Everyone has to bring a present at the party. All your guests stands in circle. They have to hold the gift with them. The hostess reads a story. Every tine when the word “right” is read everybody passes the present to the person on his right side and every time the word “left” is read they pass the present to the person on their left side. At the end of the story every person keeps the present he is holding in the moment.

Gift giving
Every guest brings a wrapped unmarked present. Have all your guest in circle and pile with presents in the middle. Write numbers on small pieces of paper. Write for each guest a number .Fold the pieces and put them in a hat. Each person picks a piece. Then the person with number one chooses a present from the pile and unwrap it.Then the person with number two can either take the present from the first person or to take another present from the pile.

Guessing game
Take a pair of thick socks. Put objects 10-15 that you use or see in the time around Christmas. Then tie a ribbon around the opening so nobody peeks. Give everyone a piece of paper and pen. Pass the socks around and ask them to write as many objects as they can recognize in the socks. The winner is the person who guesses the most things.

Rip the Christmas tree
The players make attempts to rip a sheet of construction paper into a Christmas tree. But the most interesting is that they have to do this behind their backs. It is not allowed to look back to see what they have done till it is not ready. For more fun you can prepare some red or yellow colored ornaments to decorate their tree. Then hang all the works and ask a judge whose is the best looking tree in this game.

What do you get if you cross an archer with a gift wrapper?
Ribbon Hood

What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
Snowflakes

What’s red and white and gives presents to good little fish on Christmas?
Sandy Claws

Christmas is in my heart twelve months a year and thanks to credit cards, it’s on my Visa card statement twelve months a year also.

What do monkeys sing at Christmas?
Jungle Bells, Jungle bells.. !

What do you give a train driver for Christmas?
Platform shoes!

How long does it take to burn a candle down?
About a wick!

What does Father Christmas suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney?
Santa Claustrophobia!

Why does Father Christmas go down the chimney?
Because it soots him!

What did the big cracker say to the little cracker?
My pop is bigger than yours!

Why did the little girl change her mind about buying her grandmother a packet od handkerchiefs for Christmas?
She said “I could not work out what size her nose was!

Do you know what it is like to put up fifteen hundred Christmas lights on the roof of a house? The kids are giving two to one I’m gonna come down the chimney before Santa Claus does.

Did you hear about the Beverly Hills school Christmas pageant? Two kids dressed as Mary and Joseph and they are on their way to the inn in Bethlehem. On the other side of the stage, a boy in a shepherd’s outfit is on a mobile/ cellular phone, calling for reservations

The kids they weren’t talking to me or my wife, the worst Christmas they said they had had in their lives. My wife couldn’t argue and neither could I, so I watched TV and my wife, she just cried

Well I started to lie then I thought what the hell, it wouldn’t have been the first time that I’ve spent New Years in jail. I said, “Sheriff it happened last night about ten, and I thought that my wife had been drinking again.

Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
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
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh yeah

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

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Every body stops
and stares at me
These two teeth are
gone as you can see
I don’t know just who
to blame for this catastrophe!
But my one wish on Christmas Eve
is as plain as it can be!

All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth!

Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could with you
“Merry Christmas.”
It seems so long since I could say,
“Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!”
Gosh oh gee, how happy I’d be,
if I could only whistle (thhhh)

All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth.
Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could wish you
“Merry Christmas!”

It Must’ve Been Ol’
I think I saw ol’ Santa through my window Christmas eve
My eyes were really droopy but I really do believe
It must’ve been ol’ Santa ’cause I saw his big red hat
And I know my mom and dad can’t fly like that
And then I heard some footsteps in the hall outside my door
The same ol’ Christmas trick my dad had played since I was four
He stands outside my bedroom yelling “Ho! Ho! Ho!” because
He knows I don’t believe in Santa Claus

I think my daddy sees me
Peeking from my door
But he pretends he’s Santa anyway
Every year he tries to fool me
But I’m a big boy now I don’t believe in Santa or his sleigh…
No way!
So I went back to bed and I curled up nice and tight
I stared out my window and looked into the night
And then, all of a sudden, through my window I could see
Santa Claus was flying by and smiling at me
Santa Claus, Santa Claus
It must’ve been ol’ Santa Claus
Santa Claus, Santa Claus
Happy “Ho! Ho! Ho!” to you

Then I heard ol’ Rudolph tellin’ me to come outside
He told me that ol’ Santa wanted me to take a ride
I climbed out of my window and I jumped onto his sleigh
Then ol’ Santa took me up up and away
We flew high above the rooftops of my sleepy town below
I saw my big red school house and the town square picture show
It was really past my bedtime and so ol’ Santa said
“Little boys like you should be in bed”

So I hollered “Ho! Ho! Ho!”
And I put on Santa’s hat
Then he let me hold the reins awhile
We pulled up to my window
And I jumped back in my room
And I waved goodbye to Santa with a smile
When I woke up Christmas morning it was clear and bright
My parents said my window had blown open in the night
I smiled as I told them that it must’ve been the cat
And they asked me where I got my big red hat

Ave Maria
Ave Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui Jesus

Ave Maria
Ave Maria Mater dei
Ora pro nobis pecatoribus
Ora, ora pro nobis
Ora ora pro nobis pecatoribus

Nunc et in hora mortis
In hora mortis, mortis nostrae
In hora mortis nostrae
Ave Maria!

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.
Charles Dickens

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
Burton Hillis

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas. - Henry Van Dyke
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.
Agnes M. Pharo

Christmas is the one time of year when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ.
Bart Simpson

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the word seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses. - Taylor Caldwell

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!
Charles Dickens
 

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!
Hamilton Wright Mabie

Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year - and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority.
W.J. Cameron

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.
Agnes M. Pharo

The only blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
Helen Keller

The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfuly wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents.
O. Henry

A three-year-old gave this reaction to her Christmas dinner. “I don’t like the turkey, but I like the bread he ate.”

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. - Mary Ellen

So if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it, and maybe on some given Christmas, some quiet morning, the touch will take.
Harry Reasoner

And so, this Christmas season
may our hearts with gladness glow,
As we read the blessed story
That took place so long ago.
Alpha L. Bun

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.–Burton Hillis

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
Hamilton Wright Mabie

A goose never voted for an early Christmas.
Irish Saying

Christmas day is a day of joy and charity. May God make you very rich in both.
Phillips Brooks