It could be said that, since it was the birth of a baby as a gift to mankind that gave rise to Christmas, children should be the primary focus of the season. Individual families will say they have always put children first, and parents will sacrifice their own desires at Christmas to make sure their children are satisfied. Although adults look forward with much anticipation to the Christmas season, the frenzy that accounts for all the shopping and preparation during the Christmas season is really for the benefit of children.
From a financial perspective, the extensive shopping done at Christmas is really of benefit to businesses. But what really drives the maddening shopping activity is a desire by parents, relatives, friends, and acquaintances to play Santa Claus, mainly for children. Within families, children are usually the ones who receive the most gifts. This is deservedly so because their wide-eyed anticipation, excitement, and pure joy when they open their Christmas presents gives everyone an indescribably happy feeling.
Along with playing Santa Claus and secretly getting gifts for children, adults also use the Santa story for all it's worth as an effective means of discipline. As soon as the Fall season approaches, children will begin to hear warnings about their behavior and the consequence of Santa Claus not leaving any toys or presents. When the Santa Claus story is not being used to help to get the best behavior from children, it is simply pure fun to delight them by telling them stories about Santa Claus, his elves, and reindeer to enliven their imagination.
The story of Santa Claus is even useful for older children who may just be starting to unravel the mystery of Santa Claus. The stories that tell of different places where Santa Claus actually lives can be a starting point to go on an imaginative journey around the globe and may become a geography lesson to learn about those places.
Children are also central to Christmas because the many grand displays of Christmas scenery, colorful lights, and sparkling ornaments really target the attention of children. If children were not so important at Christmas time, then it is quite possible that many of the traditions that make Christmas what it is would not exist.
Christmas is also an important period for the toy industry whose clients are naturally children. Although the industry is part of the big retail picture and, therefore, seeks to boost sales during the Christmas season, there is also a deeper meaning for children. Toys are important to entertain, to educate, to help develop imagination, and to develop coordination and other skills in children. Toys can also help children to play together and learn to share.
The toy industry is important at Christmas time in introducing new products that are integral to the development of children. When children become totally captivated by a new toy at Christmas time, it may help them to learn a new skill, or provide new knowledge, all in a fun and captivating way that will make it more likely that whatever is learned will be remembered.
Children are also the focus of Christmas celebrations because it is important to create fond childhood memories of the season. These memories are created not by children necessarily receiving a lot, but by enjoying everything about the season. The story of Jesus, with the moral of sharing, giving, and doing kind deeds for others, can also help to build good character and to set a moral foundation that teaches children to have empathy and compassion during the Christmas season and all throughout the year.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Christmas Greetings and Good Cheer
Greetings at Christmas extend beyond a mere wish of “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” Christmas greetings embody a wish that all will go well in whatever preparations need to be made, and a genuine sentiment that much joy, happiness, and well-being will be experienced during the season.
The season of good cheer and wishes also reflect the jolly “Ho Ho Ho” nature of Santa Claus. To the delight of children, it is very easy for them to run into many jolly fellows dressed as Santa Claus who will quiz them about whether they have been good or naughty. Many times when friends, relatives, and loved ones call each other during the Christmas season, they will speak to the children and wish them Merry Christmas, but not without a warning that they had better be good or else there will be no presents from Santa Claus.
For children, therefore, a greeting of Merry Christmas has the purpose of increasing their anticipation for the arrival of Christmas Eve and Santa's visit to leave toys and Christmas presents under the tree. Because children also take part in many traditions associated with Christmas, holiday greetings for them are also a reminder of the fun they will have in doing such activities as decorating the tree, helping to bake cookies, and wrapping presents. When children have these things to look forward to at Christmas, it creates a lasting memory for them and it helps to make their childhood one on which they will later reflect with much fondness.
The more prevalent greeting of “Happy Holidays” that is used today reflects in part the prevalent nature to be politically correct in speech and communication. The greeting of “Happy Holidays” can be given to anyone, whether or not they celebrate Christmas. It avoids any offense being taken if someone is wished Merry Christmas when it's a celebration in which they don't participate or observe. “Happy Holidays” is also used to extend a greeting of goodwill beyond Christmas to the coming New Year holiday period. For procrastinators and the chronically late greeting card senders, they can still drop a “Happy Holidays” greeting card in the mail to friends and loved ones close to Christmas Day, or even after, and it will still be relevant.
Christmas greeting cards play a big role in communicating Christmas greetings and good cheer for the holiday season. It's a tradition that started in Britain in 1840, with the start of the first public postal deliveries. The production of large numbers of Christmas greeting cards started about twenty years later, in 1860, with the improvement of printing methods.
Today, Christmas greetings and greeting cards have further evolved with massive changes and developments in technology. The computer, which has become a necessary piece of electronic equipment in just about every home, is commonly used to send Christmas greetings through e-mailing online greetings or postcards. Online greeting cards have also brought other changes, such as being interactive or animated, and they can be easily personalized with pictures of individuals or families. Online greeting cards can be sent from web sites that are accessible to everyone, or they can be easily created on a home computer.
Another way in which Christmas greetings are sent is by mailing gifts relatives and friends who live elsewhere. Except for the dreaded tax season, there is no other time when post offices become more crowded than during the Christmas season. Post offices, therefore, play an important role in relaying Christmas greetings by handling thousands of greeting card mailings and gift packages for Christmas.
With just about everyone having a cheerful spirit for the Christmas season, it becomes very easy to pause for even a brief conversation and to extend a greeting of goodwill to friends, acquaintances, colleagues, neighbors, and others.
The season of good cheer and wishes also reflect the jolly “Ho Ho Ho” nature of Santa Claus. To the delight of children, it is very easy for them to run into many jolly fellows dressed as Santa Claus who will quiz them about whether they have been good or naughty. Many times when friends, relatives, and loved ones call each other during the Christmas season, they will speak to the children and wish them Merry Christmas, but not without a warning that they had better be good or else there will be no presents from Santa Claus.
For children, therefore, a greeting of Merry Christmas has the purpose of increasing their anticipation for the arrival of Christmas Eve and Santa's visit to leave toys and Christmas presents under the tree. Because children also take part in many traditions associated with Christmas, holiday greetings for them are also a reminder of the fun they will have in doing such activities as decorating the tree, helping to bake cookies, and wrapping presents. When children have these things to look forward to at Christmas, it creates a lasting memory for them and it helps to make their childhood one on which they will later reflect with much fondness.
The more prevalent greeting of “Happy Holidays” that is used today reflects in part the prevalent nature to be politically correct in speech and communication. The greeting of “Happy Holidays” can be given to anyone, whether or not they celebrate Christmas. It avoids any offense being taken if someone is wished Merry Christmas when it's a celebration in which they don't participate or observe. “Happy Holidays” is also used to extend a greeting of goodwill beyond Christmas to the coming New Year holiday period. For procrastinators and the chronically late greeting card senders, they can still drop a “Happy Holidays” greeting card in the mail to friends and loved ones close to Christmas Day, or even after, and it will still be relevant.
Christmas greeting cards play a big role in communicating Christmas greetings and good cheer for the holiday season. It's a tradition that started in Britain in 1840, with the start of the first public postal deliveries. The production of large numbers of Christmas greeting cards started about twenty years later, in 1860, with the improvement of printing methods.
Today, Christmas greetings and greeting cards have further evolved with massive changes and developments in technology. The computer, which has become a necessary piece of electronic equipment in just about every home, is commonly used to send Christmas greetings through e-mailing online greetings or postcards. Online greeting cards have also brought other changes, such as being interactive or animated, and they can be easily personalized with pictures of individuals or families. Online greeting cards can be sent from web sites that are accessible to everyone, or they can be easily created on a home computer.
Another way in which Christmas greetings are sent is by mailing gifts relatives and friends who live elsewhere. Except for the dreaded tax season, there is no other time when post offices become more crowded than during the Christmas season. Post offices, therefore, play an important role in relaying Christmas greetings by handling thousands of greeting card mailings and gift packages for Christmas.
With just about everyone having a cheerful spirit for the Christmas season, it becomes very easy to pause for even a brief conversation and to extend a greeting of goodwill to friends, acquaintances, colleagues, neighbors, and others.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Making Memories During Christmas and the Holidays
A favorite Christmas song has a line that describes Christmas as “'the most wonderful time of the year.” While giving and receiving gifts is something that is highly anticipated and remembered at Christmas time, there are many more activities that make Christmas memorable and wonderful.
One of these activities is decorating the Christmas Tree. The Christmas Tree occupies a central spot and is the most visible display of Christmas in most homes. Unlike in other countries, most American homes do not have a representation of the Nativity scene, which is more likely to be located at churches.
As soon as the Christmas season begins on the day after Thanksgiving, families will begin their search for the perfect Christmas Tree. This in itself can become a memorable activity as children may accompany family members to places like a Christmas tree farm to select a tree.
Once a real or artificial tree is selected, it's an exciting activity for the entire family to play a part in decorating the tree. Manufactured decorations come in many shapes and forms. A special memory is created when family members make a special ornament for the Christmas Tree, or contribute one or more keepsake items to decorate the Christmas Tree. It then becomes a ritual each year for those particular items to be placed on the Christmas Tree although other decorations may change in coming years.
Another activity that can help to create special memories at Christmas is baking cookies. Along with popular gingerbread cookies, using cookie cutters to make special holiday-shaped cookies is also practiced a lot in households. Based on the ages of children, they can help in the actual baking activity by measuring and mixing some ingredients, or, younger children can sprinkle sugar on the cookies or decorate them with icing when they are finished. Helping in this activity can also be educational as parents can use the activity of measuring and figuring out equivalent measures to teach fractions and other mathematical elements.
An activity that is related to food which also helps to create memories during the Christmas season is making fruit and goody baskets, which are filled with candies, baked items, and other treats for loved ones, special friends, neighbors, teachers, or for charity. Items such as goody baskets make especially wonderful Christmas gifts because they are homemade. That quality often makes them more treasured than a Christmas present that is bought at the store.
Because Christmas is the season of goodwill and good cheer, it is very important to reach out to family, loved ones, and friends during the season. The busy lives that many people lead today often leave them little or no time during the year to be in frequent contact with family and friends who are located far away, or even with others who live within a reasonable distance.
It is, therefore, very common during Christmas to send a Christmas or holiday greeting card to those individuals. Along with the pleasant memory of receiving the card, there may be a short letter included that gives a brief account of any significant event in the individual's life or with members of the family. This makes sending and receiving Christmas greeting cards even more memorable.
Then there's probably the most anticipated activity of Christmas - finding out what Christmas gifts Santa brought on Christmas Eve. While adults also look forward with much anticipation to see what Christmas gifts they will get, it's really the children who get the most delight from receiving presents at Christmas. The carefully planned actions to hide Christmas presents from children, and then to magically place them under the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning, is one of the most wonderful ways to create unforgettable memories for children at Christmas.
One of these activities is decorating the Christmas Tree. The Christmas Tree occupies a central spot and is the most visible display of Christmas in most homes. Unlike in other countries, most American homes do not have a representation of the Nativity scene, which is more likely to be located at churches.
As soon as the Christmas season begins on the day after Thanksgiving, families will begin their search for the perfect Christmas Tree. This in itself can become a memorable activity as children may accompany family members to places like a Christmas tree farm to select a tree.
Once a real or artificial tree is selected, it's an exciting activity for the entire family to play a part in decorating the tree. Manufactured decorations come in many shapes and forms. A special memory is created when family members make a special ornament for the Christmas Tree, or contribute one or more keepsake items to decorate the Christmas Tree. It then becomes a ritual each year for those particular items to be placed on the Christmas Tree although other decorations may change in coming years.
Another activity that can help to create special memories at Christmas is baking cookies. Along with popular gingerbread cookies, using cookie cutters to make special holiday-shaped cookies is also practiced a lot in households. Based on the ages of children, they can help in the actual baking activity by measuring and mixing some ingredients, or, younger children can sprinkle sugar on the cookies or decorate them with icing when they are finished. Helping in this activity can also be educational as parents can use the activity of measuring and figuring out equivalent measures to teach fractions and other mathematical elements.
An activity that is related to food which also helps to create memories during the Christmas season is making fruit and goody baskets, which are filled with candies, baked items, and other treats for loved ones, special friends, neighbors, teachers, or for charity. Items such as goody baskets make especially wonderful Christmas gifts because they are homemade. That quality often makes them more treasured than a Christmas present that is bought at the store.
Because Christmas is the season of goodwill and good cheer, it is very important to reach out to family, loved ones, and friends during the season. The busy lives that many people lead today often leave them little or no time during the year to be in frequent contact with family and friends who are located far away, or even with others who live within a reasonable distance.
It is, therefore, very common during Christmas to send a Christmas or holiday greeting card to those individuals. Along with the pleasant memory of receiving the card, there may be a short letter included that gives a brief account of any significant event in the individual's life or with members of the family. This makes sending and receiving Christmas greeting cards even more memorable.
Then there's probably the most anticipated activity of Christmas - finding out what Christmas gifts Santa brought on Christmas Eve. While adults also look forward with much anticipation to see what Christmas gifts they will get, it's really the children who get the most delight from receiving presents at Christmas. The carefully planned actions to hide Christmas presents from children, and then to magically place them under the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning, is one of the most wonderful ways to create unforgettable memories for children at Christmas.
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