We celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day yet the Bible does not state that He was in fact born on December 25. Have you ever wondered why?

One early Christian tradition attributes this to the Annunciation; when the angel Gabriel revealed to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive and give birth to the Son of God. Since this event is celebrated on March 25, Christian authorities determined that the birth occurred nine months after, which is December 25.

According to another theory, December 25 was chosen because it was during this time of the year when the Winter Solstice and the “Saturnalia” were celebrated. Christian practices are believed to have originated from pagan rites and December 25 was when these ancient pagan festivals were observed.

In Jewish tradition, Hanukkah starts on the 25^th of Kislev. Kislev is the equivalent of December in the Jewish calendar and since Jesus Christ was a Jew, the Church chose December 25 to celebrate His birth.

Some Orthodox and Coptic Churches use the Julian and Gregorian Calendars so they celebrate Christmas in January even up to this day. However, since Saint Augustine used the Roman calendar, the countries that he evangelized celebrated Christmas on December 25. Saint Augustine was a missionary who introduced Christianity to the United Kingdom in the 6^th century and started the Christmas tradition there. From then on, Britain and the Western Europe commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25.

It was in 336 AD during the time of Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor, when Christmas was first known to be celebrated on December 25. After a few years, Pope Julius I declared December 25 as the birth date of Jesus Christ. From then on, the world has been celebrating Christmas on this special day of the year.

Every Christmas, not only do we hear bells ringing, we also see them as glistening ornaments for Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands.  Have you ever wondered about the story behind Christmas bells?

Bells are usually rung to announce the start of an activity or as a warning during difficult times. In church, they are used to gather people when mass is about to start. Bells are also tolled to usher in the holiday season and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

History tells us that the ringing of bells started as a pagan practice in ancient winter celebrations. In earlier times, people used them to produce loud noises and scare away evil spirits.

During the Victorian era, many people cannot afford musical instruments and so bells became the perfect alternative. Churchgoers then started to bring hand bells to play Christmas carols. They must have realized that the soft ringing blended beautifully with Christmas melodies!

There are many ways to go about gift exchanges during Christmas parties – Secret Santa, White Elephant, Left/Right, and so on. This particular game, however, is special because it shows one’s judgment as to what he thinks is valuable and worthless.

Objective:

The main objective of the game is to make gift distribution fun and interesting. Another equally important aim is to encourage sharing and generosity among participants.

Participants:

This game is not restricted to any group of people. Males and females of all ages can participate.

Requirements:

• 2 neatly wrapped gifts: 1 valuable and 1 useless
• 2 decks of numbered cards

Directions

1. Each participant brings two gifts: one gift worth a certain value ($15, for example) and one useless item (or at least useless for that person). Examples of useless gifts may range from a used bottle of lotion to an old toothbrush. The gifts should suit both males and females, regardless of age.
2. Both gifts should be beautifully wrapped so that no one can tell the valuable item from the worthless one.
3. Place the gifts on the table and number them to match each card in the deck.
4. Each participant picks one card. He can immediately open the gift from the pile that matches the number. If he gets the gift he brought, he will have to pick again.
5. The second deck is shuffled by the party host for the second round of card picking. The participants will have to pick a card again until there are no more cards or when each person has received two presents.

There is definitely a chance that a participant gets two useless gifts or two valuable ones. To be fair, people can swap presents with each other.

Now, this is when generosity comes to play. If you get two valuable presents, would you keep both or swap with someone unfortunate enough to receive two worthless items?

Which is more valuable to you – a precious gift or a dear friend?

Kids with a sweet tooth find Christmas exciting because of the abundance of candy canes during the holiday season. These cane-shaped peppermint treats help bring out the spirit of Christmas not only because they evoke happiness, but make great décor pieces as well!  Did you know that the tradition of Christmas candy canes started two and a half centuries ago?

The Candy Cane Story

According to a famous account, candy canes were originally straight white sugar sticks. In 1670 Cologne, Germany, a choirmaster gave these sugar sticks to the children during a Christmas Nativity Service to keep them quiet and behaved as they sat through the long program. To make it even more interesting, the choirmaster shaped them like a shepherd’s crook.

The “J” shape was meant to remind the kids of the shepherds that visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Some Christian stories say that the “J” represents the name of Jesus and its white color is to remind the kids that the Son of Man was pure and without sin. Other places in Europe adopted the tradition by giving away candy canes during Nativity plays.

The red stripes were added in the 1900s and were said to represent the blood of Christ that He shed when He was crucified. Meanwhile, the peppermint flavor is believed to represent the Hyssop plant that was used in the olden times for purifying the Bible.

A candy cane recipe was published in 1844 and as they became popular, literature started mentioning them. By 1874, it was associated with Christmas and in 1882, people started hanging candy canes on Christmas trees.

“The One Horse Open Sleigh” was released again in 1859 with the title “Jingle Bells.” It eventually became popular as people began to associate it with Christmas rather than Thanksgiving.

Lyrics:

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

A little trivia: In 1965, astronauts Thomas Stafford and Walter Schirra, who were aboard the spacecraft Gemini 6 at the time, played a prank on the Mission Control Center. They claimed that they saw a U.F.O. driven by a man in a red suit and proceeded to play “Jingle Bells” on a harmonica, accompanied by sleigh bells. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum now houses both instruments and is considered to be the first musical instruments played in space.

 “Jingle Bells” is one of the most popular Christmas songs and remains on top of the minds of people once asked to sing a Christmas carol. Its melody is often heard in malls, musical cards, movies and TV shows most of the time as mood-setting background music for the holidays.

The warm embrace of the cold winter season, the aroma of freshly baked cookies, the exciting sight of presents under the Christmas tree and the stimulating spectacle of bright colors – these are just some of the exhilarating sensations we experience every Christmas. Another noteworthy scene is the influx of lush greeneries that come in different forms.

From real and artificial Christmas trees to live Christmas plants scattered in your home, these greeneries not only help bring out the Christmas spirit but they also represent significant symbolisms derived from past traditions. Here are some of the most common greeneries we see every Christmas and the beliefs and customs they represent.

Yew Trees – These trees belong to the evergreen family and symbolize one’s everlasting life with the Lord.

Fir Trees – Most commonly used as Christmas trees, fir trees also represent everlasting life with God because of their deep green color. These are often recreated as artificial trees, which most households use during the holidays.

Holly – The Holly is a popular ornament that livens up any home. This prickly green plant highlighted by its red berries symbolizes Jesus Christ’s crown of thorns. The berries signify the drops of blood caused by the thorns.

Ivy – Because it needs to cling on to something for support, the Ivy is a reminder to every Christian that we need God in order to grow.

Laurel – Laurels resemble a wreath and worn on the head by ancient Greeks as a crown of glory. This greenery represents success, and in the Christian context, God’s victory over the Devil.

Christmas Wreath –Coming from the old English word “writhen” which means to twist, the wreath consists of evergreens in circular form. It is said to have come from the tradition of Advent Wreath that symbolize the four weeks of Advent.

Mistletoe – Mistletoes have been associated with a lot of beliefs. The Greeks believed it had mystical powers and later in the Middle Ages, it was thought to ward off evil spirits. They were also used to keep witches away. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe used to be associated with primitive marriage rites. Now, exchanging a kiss under the mistletoe is an anticipation of happiness and long life as well as a promise to marry for couples in love.

Thinking of what to get Grandma for Christmas or her birthday? Try these ideas and make her feel truly special!

Audiobooks

If Grandma likes to read but finds it difficult due to the strain to her eyes, consider getting her some audiobooks. Ask about her favorite titles or authors and give her a collection. This will not only spark a renewed interest in literature but also keep her mind active.

Membership to Activity Centers

There are organizations that offer programs for the elderly to help them become more dynamic individuals. Because of these opportunities, seniors are now more fit and active. If Grandma and Grandpa are still strong and fit, sign them up for classes to help them achieve a healthy mind and body.

Service Coupons

Give your Grandma a booklet of things you want to do for her for the entire year. For example, a coupon can entitle her to have your company all day and be driven to wherever she wants to go. In some coupons, you can also offer a shopping spree, a movie date, breakfast for two at her favorite place or anything that you think will make her feel special!

Indulge her hobbies and skills.

If she has a special talent in baking, buy her the stuff she needs and ask her to bake some goodies for Christmas. This way, Grandma doesn’t only feel productive and stimulated, she also feels much more needed and loved!

This guide may come in handy if you are planning to go on a holiday trip with your family. Here are 35 ways you can say “Merry Christmas!”

Afrikaans – Gesëende Kersfees

Afrikander – Een Plesierige Kerfees

Arabic – I’d Miilad said oua sana saida

Bahasa (Malaysia) – Selamat Hari Natal

Chinese (Mandarin) – Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan

Chinese (Cantonese) – Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun

Croatian – Sretan Bozic

Danish – Glædelig Jul

Dutch – Vrolijk Kerstfeest

Filipino – Maligayang Pasko

Finnish – Hyvaa joulua

French – Joyeux Noël

German – Fröhliche Weihnachten

Greek – Kala Christouyenna

Hawaiian – Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

Hindi – Shub Naya Baras

Hungarian – Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket

Icelandic – Gledileg Jol

Indonesian – Selamat Hari Natal

Irish – Nollaig Shona Dhuit

Italian – Buon Natale!

Japanese – Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Korean – Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Latin – Natale hilare et Annum Faustum

Maltese – IL-Milied It-tajjeb

Portuguese – Feliz Natal

Russian – Pozdravlyenie s Rozjdyestvom i s Novym Godom

Samoan – La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Spanish – Feliz Navidad

Swedish – God Jul

Thai – Sawadee Pee Mai

Ukrainian – Srozhdestvom Kristovym

Urdu – Naya Saal Mubarak Ho

Vietnamese – Chuc Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh – Nadolig Llawen

When you think about it, gift wrappers are carefully selected only to be thrown out. As such, they account for majority of the waste created during the holidays.

Be “Green” this year and recycle that used wrapping paper. If you don’t have a stash of old wrapping papers or gift bags, try these tips and jumpstart your creative side.

Paper Bags

Presents placed in brown paper bags show that you are an earth lover. Highlight the bag with a beautiful gold or silver ribbon. If you want a funkier look, decorate it with crayons and markers or paste several cut-outs.

Glass Jars

Remove the label completely then place your gift inside and hide it by lining up the jar’s interior with colorful recycled paper like a glossy magazine pages or left-over art papers from your kids’ school supplies. Take it further and add other elements like Styrofoam pellets for that snow effect!

Paper Waste

Add character to your gift by wrapping it with dated maps, magazine pages, crossword puzzle, graphing paper, or anything that has interesting shapes and colors!

A Gift within a Gift

Add a special touch by wrapping the item in another gift like a pretty scarf or a beautiful purse. This effort not only makes you “Green” but also makes you a very thoughtful gift-giver!

Soo Kee Jewellery Diamond Christmas Tree
USD 1,005,000

This million-dollar tree was produced in 2007 by Soo Kee Jewellery in Bugis Junction, Singapore. Standing at nearly 20 feet, the tree was encrusted with 3,762 crystal beads, 21,798 glittering diamonds (totalling 913 carats), and 456 Christmas lights. Bedecking it with these gems is just logical since it was produced by a jewellery store. With this 7,000-pound tree, Christmas is at its most lavish!

Ginza Tanaka 24-Karat Gold Christmas Tree
USD  1,600,000

Another tree produced by a jewellery shop, the Ginza Tanaka Christmas tree boasts of 46 pounds worth of gems – with 240 jewels made up of pearls and diamonds! The 24-karat gold tree was on display at the jewellery shop in Osaka, Japan back in 2008.

Takashimaya Christmas Tree
USD 1,800,000

This tree may be petite at only 40 centimeters but don’t underestimate its ability to stun you with its sparklers! Festooned with 400 diamonds from Australia and southern Africa, this tree was on display in 2009 at the Takashimaya department store in China. Aside from showcasing 100 carats of diamonds, the tree also flaunted beautiful preserved roses and a teddy bear. Now that’s one really steep but cute little Christmas tree.

Emirates Palace Christmas Tree
USD 11,400,000

And the most expensive Christmas tree of all goes to… the Emirates Palace Christmas Tree!

This tree is only 13 feet, way shorter than most commercial artificial Christmas trees. Yet, it was a record breaker in 2010 with its $11 million worth of jewellery ornaments from Style Gallery. The extravagant tree was decorated with 181 pearls, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and other precious gems. For one of the most expensive hotels in the world, it is certainly befitting!