Holiday Fun and Games
The Origin of Glass Ornaments: A History of Beauty and Elegance Glass ornaments have been around for centuries, tracing their roots back to ancient Egypt and Rome. These delicate and ornate pieces of art were initially designed for practical purposes, used as containers for oils, …
Outdoor Christmas decorations are a great way to show your holiday spirit. Whether you’re decorating your front porch or back yard, there are tons of ways to make your home festive this season. The most important thing is to have fun with it. Take a …
Christmas Eve is a magical time of year. It’s the eve of the most wonderful time of the year, and with it comes an abundance of traditions and customs that are unique to each country. From Christmas carols, to Santa Claus and even how people celebrate, there are so many different ways to spend Christmas Eve. Here are some of our favorites:
The Norwegians have a tradition of sending their children out for food on Christmas Eve, which is called Julebukk (Yule Goat). Children go out dressed as goats or trolls armed with sticks and bells to beat on doors until they receive treats such as candy, fruit or nuts. They then return home to share their bounty with other family members.
In Sweden, Santa Claus is not called St. Nicholas but Julenissen (Yule gnome). This tradition dates back hundreds of years and has become an integral part of Swedish culture.
French families gather for an early supper and exchange small gifts called cadeaux de Noel (Christmas gifts). Children typically receive one gift from each adult family member, including their grandparents.
Germans traditionally do not open presents until Christmas morning — or on St. Nicholas Day (December 6), which falls on December 5 this year because December 24 falls on a Sunday this year. Families also go to church on Christmas Eve as part of their celebration.
In the United States, families go to church on Christmas Eve and then have dinner together at home. Some families like to listen to music while they eat dinner and sing songs together. After dinner, children open presents and adults get ready for their family parties later that night or early in the morning on Christmas Day.
In Latin America, people usually have a big meal with family members before going to church on Christmas Eve and then returning home for more food and drinks after church services end. Some families also visit houses of relatives or friends who live nearby before going back home again for more food and entertainment until late at night or even early next morning when everyone goes back home again to sleep.
In England and Ireland, little boys and girls put their boots outside their front door on Christmas Eve so that Father Christmas can fill them with presents. If there is no snow on Christmas Eve, they’ll often sprinkle water on their boots instead so that when it falls overnight it will look like there has been snow everywhere!
In Australia, it’s traditional for children to receive gifts from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day itself (which falls on a Monday this year). Children also receive presents from their parents as well as grandparents and other relatives during this time period as well.
Australians celebrate Christmas with an evening meal — usually roast beef or lamb — followed by presents. A lot of kids go to bed at 7pm so they can get up early for presents!
At Christmas time, things go in overdrive at hotels and restaurants as it brings in a lot of revenue. Still, you need to spend your money to make money. One of those expenditures is a 6-foot artificial Christmas tree with decorations. Like window shoppers looking …
For those who are debating on a tree to get during the Christmas season, you are going to find that you do have options. Have you given any thought to 15 foot artificial Christmas trees? While not every home will be able to accommodate the …