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Which TV Christmas Programs Will Do the Least Harm

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Tags: Christmas, christmas gifts, family, gifts, gifts and occasions, greeting letters, holidays, home and family, kids and teens, parenting, personalized gifts, santa claus, santa letters, shopping

There is a tradition that parents love to pass down to our smaller children at Christmas time that gives us an extra special feeling. Like Santa letters, it is fun and allows us to participate with our kids during the event making even more special. We get a kick from watching the Christmas cartoons that many of us grew up with take on new meaning when we can share it with our children, especially if it is their first time. It is as exciting as receiving letters from Santa. Here is a short list of the best of them and why they were chosen.

Number 5 is an all time favorite with a delightful moral of perseverance, kindness, and selflessness. Santa Claus is Coming to Town is extra special because it is narrated by the extraordinary actor and dancer Mr. Fred Astaire. This marvelous, one hour, Rankin Bass production chronicles the life and times of that most famous and jolly old elf…, that’s is right, good old Saint Nicolas himself. This cartoon goes all out to answer as many questions as possible within an hour and still be entertaining. Fred Astaire is delightful as a mail carrier in the North Pole and that old wizard, voiced by Keenan Wynn really rocked. A very creative show that your children are sure to love.

The fourth spot on our list of top 5 Christmas Cartoons that you can share with your children is the popular story of Frosty the Snowman. Frosty’s voice is that of Jackie Vernon, until he sings and Jimmy Durante takes over. Jimmy Durante also handles the main narration of this classic, giving it such a wonderfully original feel that you just cannot help but smile. Friendship and sacrifice is the moral that your children will derive for themselves so you may want to point out the true point of the show, which many people believe is faith.

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Interview With Santa Clause

In 1985 I wrote to Santa expressing my sincere desire for an interview. I received a letter from Santa expressing his desire not to grant one. Over the next several years I wrote more letters repeating my request and received my relies including one that let me know how close I was from winding up on the naughty list. That letter immediately stopped my asking Santa for an interview until 1989, when I received a letter from Santa that was quite different from the rest. This Santa letter was to inform me that Santa had changed his mind and would consent to an interview provided I allow him to read and approve any articles or writings done on the interview. I was thrilled.

As I packed for the North Pole I kept thinking how lucky I was to be the first person to ever interview this wonderful man. I finished loading my suitcase and carried it to the living room. I was just about to phone for a cab when I heard noise coming from my kitchen. Scared and suspicious, I crept to the kitchen door. To my surprise, when I opened the door, there, standing in my kitchen with a mug in one hand and a package of hot cocoa in the other, was the man himself. For a moment, I was too shocked to speak. Santa told me to close my mouth before I let a fly in.

These are the official notes taken during my visit with this jolly man in the red suit. I asked Santa if the hot chocolate that I made him was okay. He replied that while it had taken him almost ten years to get used to, he had found one or two brands of instant cocoa that he enjoyed. This wasn’t one of them. He gave me a list of the best instant hot chocolate brands on the market, none of which I recognized. I then asked Santa if he was ready, he sat at my kitchen table with his hot chocolate, and we began. My first question was if he was a man or an elf. Yes, he replied. I knew that meant not to ask again. My next question was how he found flying reindeer. Santa explained that it was borne of necessity.

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Santa's Secret for Traveling the World

Have you ever wondered how Santa Clause can get all the way around the world in just one night? Did you ever include this question in your Santa Letter? Did you ever get a letter from Santa with the explanation? If you answered yes, yes, and no, to these questions, fear not. I have the answer and I am ready to reveal it. You see, I also wondered about this particularly perplexing problem personally and decided to find out. In a secret meeting arranged through a friend of a friend of a friend, I met with Ivanovitch Romanitzski who happens to be on Santa’s Astrophysics team. He revealed the secret to me in exchange for my 1961 D-17-coke bottle cap manufactured in Lincoln Nebraska, (It was in mint condition) which almost completes his collection.

First of all, it is important that we establish a fact that not many people know. Elves are a brilliant species with simple tastes. The dumbest elf child has a higher IQ than the smartest human adult. It seems that with elves and possibly even with humans, the smarter you are the less you need or desire in life. You long for the simple things like a good snowstorm, a cup of hot cocoa, and a fine bottle-cap collection, which is the epitome of classic elf life on the high side. Ivan, as I like to call him, (I cannot pronounce his full name very well) gave me the skinny on how Santa gets around the world in one night. While I do not understand the mechanics of it, I will try to explain it in simpler terms.

Santa, being the brilliant man that he is, came up with the solution when his nice list began to grow too large for him to handle in one night. He gathered together some of the finest Elvin Astrophysicists that he could muster and created a team that was dedicated to finding a solution to his problem, which, by the way, was heat. You see, the faster you go, the hotter you get. Santa had to generate faster and faster speeds to get around. The year before the first successful launch in his new multi-dimensional sleigh, he was moving so fast that the nose of the lead reindeer became super heated and is still glowing red to this day!

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What Makes Reindeer Fly

Writing Santa Letters is a very exciting activity for children. Receiving letters from Santa is even more exciting, especially for the children who have asked questions about how Santa Clause does all the wonderful things that make him so unique and special. One of the things that children ask most often is how he makes his reindeer fly. While there is many theories about how this miracle is accomplished, there is only one true answer. Since Santa Clause, like a true magician, is reluctant to give up his secrets, here are the five most likely explanations.

Magic Dust There have been many movies that show the reindeer flying and in some of these, a magical dust born of a wizard who lived in the extreme North around the time that Christmas first started is used to get those reindeer airborne. The legend goes that Santa had to travel across this relatively mean wizards land to get to a town he delivered toys to. When confronted by the wizard, Santa convinced him of his cause and showed him the error of his ways. As a thank you, he gave Kriss Kringle the formula to make this magic dust to use on reindeer. The wizard was using flying reindeer to pull his chariot at the time.

Elvin Magic It is said that elves have been around longer than humans. They ruled vast empires and covered the land before retreating to the frozen North as was foretold by their elder elves. They took their magic with them and used this magic to create a city beneath the ice away from the humans whom they admired and loved. The elves felt that they were here to help humankind to get started but their numbers were so greatly diminished, by the harsh winters that only a handful survive. These elves are helping Santa to spread joy throughout the world and it is their remaining magic that allows Santa to do the things he does, including making reindeer fly.

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How to Write a Great Letter to Santa Clause

Writing a letter Santa will always remember is not as easy as it sounds. Your child’s letter to Santa should be as personal as or even more personal than if they were writing a letter to a loved one or friend. Santa gets millions of letters every year and many of them are the same redundant letter over and over. These can get pretty hard to read so make sure that your letter is unique so that it catches Santa’s eye and makes him smile.

The first thing your letter to Santa should contain is a greeting. If the letter just starts with a request for gifts, it might come off as rude. Santa has been around for a long time and deserves the all the respect that we can muster. Dear Santa is nice, but the majority of all Santa’s letters are going to start this way. Be original with your greeting with something different in order to catch his attention right away. Open with a greeting that says more than hello. You could start your letter with “I Love You Santa” or “Hello Dear Mister Santa Clause, I hope this letter finds you well.” This opening would show love and respect and would be one that he notices as different.

The body of your letter should again be something personal such as how you are doing and what you have been up to lately. It is okay to let Santa know that you have been a good boy or girl and that you have just come home from church to learn about the nativity. Let him know if you have been struggling with math at school this year but you are going to continue to do your very best to improve. Santa Clause loves education and thinks that it is the most important thing for children. You could also say hello to Santa for a friend or family member who might be sick or will not get to write his or her own letter. Remember that Santa Clause can speak to animals so say hello for your pet. Your new puppy cannot write a letter to Santa Clause and he or she probably wants to say hello to him so you can do this for them. It shows Santa how considerate you are towards others.

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How to Capture the Elusive Christmas Spirit

The Christmas season is the most hectic and nail biting time of year. The traffic is atrocious and the city streets and highways are jammed with people who are in a hurry. Money is so tight you can squeeze green juice from it and everyone wants something from you, especially your time, which is always in short supply at this time of year. So how do you find and keep the Christmas spirit when all you want to do is crawl back under the covers and stay there until February. Read on, my tired and stressed out friend. You might just find something useful.

The most important thing you can do to make your Christmas less stressful is to do your Christmas shopping early. Granted, you cannot shop for everyone early because some children, particularly the older teenagers will want the latest version of whatever techno device is coming out just in time for Christmas. However, you can do the majority of your shopping early enough to make the rest seem easy by comparison. There is one day that occurs in the United States called Black Friday. As ominous as this sounds, it is actually a day that can benefit Christmas shoppers in a very big way. All the major retail stores set this day aside to have tremendous sales up to 80% off regular retail prices. They actually open their doors as early as 3am and stay open until midnight in many cases. However, the earlier you arrive, the better the selection. This is a great day to get everything (almost everything) done as far as your Christmas shopping goes.

Take your time. Anytime you need to drive during the Christmas season, leave early, and plan to take your time. Drive slowly and be as courteous as possible to the idiots who do not have a clue and are driving around like bats out of hell. You will be so much happier if you actually make the attempt at being happy in traffic than if you let the madness get to you. Smile at everyone with whom you make eye contact. You may find that there are more of you, the driver’s that are being careful, than you think. Play a nice, soulful Christmas CD in your car and sing along with it. Control your breathing and remind yourself that this will not last and you will be okay. Do not forget to stop by the post office to mail your Santa letters or pick up your letters from Santa. The kids will love getting those just in time for Christmas.

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Which List Are You On, Naughty or Nice

If you want to write a letter Santa will really appreciate, there are a couple of things that you should include that will grab his attention and make your letter to Santa stand out from the rest. One of the most important things you can do before you even start to write your Santa letter is to make sure that you are already on the nice list. If you write a Santa letter and you are on the naughty list chances are he will not give it much credence so you better watch out.

One of the things that Santa does not like very much is a crybaby. Be careful not to sound as if you are crying to Santa Clause about anything. Remember, he sees you when you are sleeping and he knows when you are awake. He will also know if you have been annoying your parents by crying and whining for things that you should have to earn. If your parents have already told you no about something, crying to Santa will do you very little good anyway and if it annoys your parents, chances are it will annoy Santa as well.

Another good idea to remember when you write your letter to Santa Clause is not to pout. Pouting and threatening to hold your breath if you do not get something for Christmas is a real good way to ensure that you will not get it. Santa likes little boys and girls who understand the concept of bad and good so make sure you are good, for goodness sake. Do not say anything in your letter about crying or pouting, as it will only put you on shaky ground.

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How to Keep the Christmas Spirit in Your Heart

Posted: under Christmas.
Tags: Christmas, christmas classics, christmas gifts, family, gifts, gifts and occasions, greeting letters, holidays, home and family, kids and teens, parenting, personalized gifts, santa claus, santa letters, shopping

Having a hard time keeping the Christmas Spirit alive and well in your home? Follow these five steps and watch the spirit catch on like wildfire. It all starts with you and your efforts to find and keep the spirit of Christmas. If you have it, share it. There is no happier family than one that enjoys Christmas together.

If the spirit is lacking in your household, watch it come to life when the phone rings and the kids find out that it is Santa on the line. Santa phone calls are a great way to start your season off right. When the younger children are not expecting it and Santa calls you can literally feel the spirit move. Imagine the excitement as they get to speak to Santa Clause. If anyone can get them into the spirit of Christmas, it is that jolly old fat man in the red suit. Make sure you let any older children in on it so that they can help you to build the excitement.

There is no better way to get everyone into the Christmas spirit than to get everyone into the kitchen and get them cooking. Baking cookies, cakes, and pies are a great way to make everyone happy and get them involved in the Christmas traditions that bring the season into focus. Turn on the radio and let those Christmas carols do the work for you. Encourage everyone to sing along with the Christmas classics. Print the words out on your computer and have the kids learn the words so that they can join in on the fun. Nothing brings a family together like Christmas carols and cooking.

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Projects That Lift Your Children's Christmas Spirit

Posted: under Christmas.
Tags: Christmas, christmas bells, christmas gifts, family, gifts, gifts and occasions, greeting letters, holidays, home and family, kids and teens, parenting, personalized gifts, santa claus, santa letters, shopping

One of the things your child loves to do at Christmas is to write a Personalized Santa Letter. They are especially happy when they receive in return a personalized letter from Santa. There are other projects that you can introduce into your seasonal traditions that are fun for the kids, fun for the parents, and bring the whole family together. These projects instill Christmas spirit and encourage children to be creative. Christmas is all about family and having fun. Here are a few of the things that you can do together to help the entire family enjoy Christmas together.

Arts and Crafts are a great way to get everyone involved in a Christmas project. They do not have to be expensive either. There are stores that specialize in unpainted ceramics and pottery. These statues and figurines have already been made, fired in a kiln (a pottery oven) and are ready to paint. Buy one or two of these for each member of your family. Purchase Christmas oriented pieces such as Santa Clause figures, reindeer, and Christmas bells or anything else that is related to the Christmas season. You can find acrylic paint at almost any hobby store relatively inexpensive. You will also need a pack of brushes. The small paintbrushes that come with the paint by numbers paint sets are perfect for this kind of project.

As a general rule, each family member gets two statuettes or larger sized ceramic items, and several smaller ones like Christmas ornaments. We all sit at the table together with the paint in the center so that we can share and we have ceramic paint parties. This way, we can help each other choose the colors that we think would look good on each piece and we spend quality time together drinking cocoa, listening to Christmas music, and painting Christmas ceramics. It is something that we look forward to every year and we will never outgrow it. The finished products are a great way of decorating your home for Christmas and make great gifts so we wind up saving money while having a great time together as a family.

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Five Things You May Not Know About Santa Clause

What do we really know about Santa Clause? Here is a man that we trust to come into our homes once a year. He eats our food and knows what we are doing almost all the time. He knows how old we are. He knows how many children we have. He even knows when we are sleeping or awake and when we are bad or good. The question is, what do we really know about him? Here are a few facts about the jolly fat man in the bright red suit.

Santa Clause is one of the smartest living beings on the planet. His IQ is so high that it could not be tested. A brilliant man and yet he has had no formal education to speak of. In the last decade, Santa Clause has taken college courses on line and earned a double PhD. Before the internet, however, he could already speak almost every language fluently and he could read and write them as well. If you have a conversation with Santa, he will be able to tell, within five minutes or so, where you are from and where you have lived over your lifetime by picking out small fluctuations in your accent. These are little key tones that we pick up from listening and speaking in any particular dialect.

In the last few years, more and more people are making phone calls to Santa. If he is busy when you call and cannot get to a phone. (Santa is a busy man) Santa Calls you back as soon as he can. Santa has been married to the same girl for most of his life. The two met in a small berg near the North Pole When Santa was just a young man. Mrs. Clause, whose name is actually Jessica, although she prefers either Jess or Mrs. C, spotted Santa in the local five and dime and fell in love with him instantly. Until she met Santa, she did not believe in love at fist sight.

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Christmas is a wonderful time of the year.

Visit our Christmas Store!

Which TV Christmas Programs Will Do the Least Harm

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Interview With Santa Clause

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Santa's Secret for Traveling the World

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How to Capture the Elusive Christmas Spirit

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Which List Are You On, Naughty or Nice

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How to Keep the Christmas Spirit in Your Heart

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Projects That Lift Your Children's Christmas Spirit

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Five Things You May Not Know About Santa Clause

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