TheGeniusKids wish all readers "Merry Christmas"
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Gift Ideas for Kids
Santa Claus hasn't always looked like the jolly old fellow we know today. Like so many other American traditions, he's a product of the great American melting pot - a blend of many different cultures and customs. But the most influential figure in the shaping of who we know now as Santa was a real man, known as St. Nicholas of Myra. He was a fourth century bishop, and is legendary for being generous and kind.
According to one legend, St. Nicholas heard of a farmer who had three daughters of marrying age who could not afford to pay their dowries. Knowing the farmer was too proud to accept an offer of money, he climbed atop their home and tossed three bags of coins down their chimney, each of which landed in a stocking that each girl had washed and hung their by the fire to dry. The next morning when they woke, they found the gift and each went on to marry and live happily ever after. When word of St. Nicholas’ generosity spread, families far and wide hung stockings by their fireplaces and hoped to also receive gifts.
The practice of exchanging gifts at a winter celebration is can be traced back before the birth of Christ to the Roman celebration Saturnalia. They would exchange lucky fruit gifts called Stenae, and would have a big feast, just as most people do today. But Christmas gift giving grew following the birth of Christ when the Three Wise Men traveled a long distance to bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn baby Jesus. Since that time, gift giving has evolved into many seasonal stories and the stuff of Christmas legend.
St. Nicholas and his associates were widely known for their charitable acts. In their honor, French nuns in the 1200s brought presents to the homes of poor children on the eve of St. Nicholas’ feast day, December 6.
But in 1700s England, gift giving wasn’t as charitable an act. Groups of poor boys and men would simply march into the homes of the wealthy and demand gifts of food, drink and cash. Because their servants and peasants insisted their employers treat them as equals, they felt they had no choice but to comply with their demands.
The tradition of the mistletoe dates back to ancient history and across many cultures. Ancient druids viewed it as a symbol of peace, goodwill and love. Warring tribes chancing across it stopped their battles observed a temporary truce, and people began displaying it the doorways of their homes as a sign of peace. The Druids also believed it to have the power to p
There are some cultures who think it guarded them against witches and witchcraft, and other cultures believed it to have medicinal and healing properties and used it to treat a variety of illnesses.
But mistletoe’s roots run deep in the area of love. In some cultures, most notably in Europe, if you kiss a woman under the mistletoe sprig, it is considered a marriage proposal. But its lore has evolved into something a bit more lighthearted. According to most current day traditions, a young woman simply stands under the mistletoe and awaits her sweetheart’s kiss. Traditional legend dictates however that for each kiss that’s stolen from underneath a berry must be removed from the sprig, and if the berries are gone then so are the kisses. It is believed that an unmarried woman not kissed under the mistletoe will remain single for another year. Therefore, if you’re hanging mistletoe in your home, be sure to get a large enough bunch for the kisses to last!
Egg nog is a type of milk-based beverage popular in North America during the winter. Historically, it comes from posset, a hot curdled milk drink popular in the Middl
It’s highly likely that egg nog originated in Europe, although some believe it originated in the original American colonies who added rum. Therefore it’s not strictly just a holiday drink, but more of winter time drink. However, it is mostly served during both Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Modern eggnog typically consists of milk, eggs, and sugar mixed together and may be served with or without added spirits. Other ingredients include spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice, and frequently the substitution of cream for some portion of the milk, making a much richer drink. Whiskey, rum, brandy, or cognac can be added to eggnog.
It’s been a holiday tradition to burn a Yule log even before there was a Christmas. It signifies that it is time for friends and family to gather near for songs, stories and fun, and until the Yule log burns out, there’s no more working.
In its beginnings, the Yule log was burned as a celebration of the winter solstice. Yule ran from several weeks before the winter solstice to a couple weeks after in Scandinavia, as this was the coldest and darkest time of the year. And though the Yule log is named from this Scandinavian tradition, the practice of burning a special log during the winter months was a tradition in many countries across the world.
When Pope Julius I decided to celebrate Christmas around the time of the Winter Solstice during the fourth century, the Yule log tradition continued, but the light from the burning log represented the light of the Savior instead of the light of the sun.
The Christmas tree has become one of the most beloved and well-known holiday symbols and it’s been a staple in winter celebrations for centuries.
Many pagan festivals used trees to honor their gods and spirits. In Northern Europe the Vikings considered the evergreen a symbol and reminder that the darkness and cold of winter would end and the green of spring would return. The Druids of ancient England and France decorated oak trees with fruit and candles to honor their gods of harvests, and the ancient Romans decorated trees with candles and charms for Saturnalia in which they celebrated the winter solstice.
There are many legends surrounding the lore of the Christmas tree. One story tells of an English monk, St. Boniface, who happened upon a group of pagans who were gathered around an oak tree preparing to sacrifice a child. Legend has it that St. Boniface destroyed the tree with one punch from his fist, and a small fir tree grew in its place. St. Boniface called it the Tree of Life and told the pagans it symbolized the life of Christ.
“Who needs him, he’s such a loser.” Roger responded to his friend Steven when the subject of Danny came up.
“That’s a pretty harsh thing to say about your brother.” Steven responded. Roger knew it was harsh. He thought back when he and Danny were kids. Danny, the older by a year and a half, was always the guy who could “fix anything”. Oh, how mom and dad bragged on Danny when he fixed the washing machine or the lawnmower of unclogged a drain in the kitchen. At first, Roger tried to learn to do what Danny did but it never worked out.
Finally, in high school, Roger found his gift and like his own dad, it was the gift of gab. He won competition after competition in speech, debate and other forms of speech giving. He seemed to have a natural ability to talk to people, give speeches or just get people to see things his way or rally to his cause. It served him well as he moved into a sales career whereas Danny built a very successful auto mechanics business around his skill.
But sadly, for all the success the brothers had their dislike of each other kept them apart. Danny never understood by talking was a good skill and Roger thought being able to tinker with machines or pipes or wires was a geeky way to be. They fought about it endlessly until Danny moved out but holidays were always tense except when they went to see Grandma. Everything stopped at Grandma’s house because she saw them as her sweet baby boys and for a while when they visited her, they were sweet and children again, innocent and always ready to play.
Father Noel is the gift-bringer in Brazil. According to Brazilian folklore, he lives in Greenland, and it’s been said that because of how warm it is in Brazil during the Christmas holida
There is a very common tradition among friends and families, called amigo secreto, or secret friend. In early December game participants write their own name on a piece of paper, and then place it in a bowl or hat to be drawn by another participant.
They then draw a name from the bowl, but do not reveal to anyone what name it says. Then throughout December people receive cards and notes from their secret friend, which have apelidos, or fake names, on them. Only on Christmas Day do people reveal who their secret friend was and offer a gift. During the month there are exchanges of correspondence among the participants who use apelidos (fake names). On Christmas, family and friends gather to reveal their secret friends and offer them a special gift.
Christmas is a very different experience in Australia. It takes place during the hottest months of the summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so dreaming of a white Christmas while in Australia is about the only way you’ll have one!
Many Australian Christmas traditions are ingrained in their British roots. A traditional Christmas meal usually includes a turkey dinner, sometimes with ham. Plum pudding is also sometimes part of the menu, as is a Pavlova, an Australian meringue made with whipped cream, strawberries and passion fruit. . But some opt for more traditional summertime fare for their holiday meal such as cold ham, salads, or seafood.
Since the weather is so warm, many choose to spend their holiday outdoors. A great number of people flock to Bondi Beach in Sydney. Shorts, tank tops and swimsuits are the preferred Christmas attire. Because of the warm temperatures holiday decorating is done with beautiful flowers and fauna. One of the most popular choices is a native Australian plant called the Christmas Bush.
St. Nicholas is important part of Greek tradition as the patron saint of sailors. Greek ships never set out on a voyage without having an icon of St. Nicholas on board. Greek tradition tells of his clothes being soaked from sea water and perspiration from working to save sinking ships
Boys travel from home to home on Christmas Eve beating drums and tinkling triangles while singing Christmas carols. Each household usually gives each boy a gift of dried figs, nuts and candies.
Following 40 days of fasting, the Christmas feast is a grand celebration. Pigs are slaughtered and on almost every table are loaves of christopsomo, or Christ bread. This bread is made in large sweet loaves of various shapes and the crusts are engraved and decorated in some way that reflects the family's profession. As people gather together to celebrate and feast, they say Hronia Polla, or many happy years. Another favorite holiday treat is a kourambiethes, a cookie made from nuts.
Centuries ago, long before the birth of Christ, the wreath was always a part of festive processions. The evergreen wreath has always been a Christian emblem of eternal life and God's faithfulness to all humanity because of its hardiness and ability to withstand the cold winter temperatures.
An advent wreath is a ring or set of four candles, usually made with evergreen cuttings and used for household devotion by some Christians during the season of Advent, or the holy season for the Christian church. Many churches illuminate these candles in succession through the four weeks leading up to Christmas as part of their Sunday services.
Typically, three of the candles are violet-colored, and one is rose-colored, but some choose to use all purple or all blue candles. When used in household devotion, one candle is lit on the first evening of Advent, which falls on a Saturday. Each Saturday thereafter during Advent another candle is lit. Some wreaths have a large white candle in the center which is lit on Christmas Day to signify Christ's birth.
“GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST” The angel choir sang in the skies above Bethlehem that very first Christmas night. All of the Shepherds looked on in wonder as they heard from the choir of angels that filled the night sky of the coming of the Messiah, the Christ Child, Jesus who would save his people from their sins.
David watched from the hill not far from the flock and his uncle and dad who were tending the sheep. He had been coming out with his male relatives to learn how to be a shepherd under their care and teaching. They had sent him off to find a lost baby sheep that had wandered off. David knew exactly where the little scoundrel sheep was because he had chased her many times. He had given the sheep a name, Spunky and it had become David’s special pet in all the herd.
As the Angel Choir finished, David heard Spunky baa not far from where he was sitting. Spunky liked a little cove where some sweet herbs grew and only she knew about them. But she must have gotten caught in the brambles. Sure enough, there she was, all caught up and very unhappy.
“Oh Spunky, you get in trouble every time you come up here. What would you do without me?” David said happily, as he helped her get loose and she began to play about his legs and feet.
“Wow, is that a sheep?” David heard the small voice not far off.
The moment that most people begin to feel that Christmas is really on its way will be the moment when they are walking through a shopping center and they hear one of their favorite Christmas songs. After that point it is hard to resist the fact that the holidays are coming. For many people however, the Christmas music industry is tantamount to the arms trade or drug dealing – a horrible industry that makes money from rotting people’s brains and spreading anger. Of course, that is just the cynicism talking. Everyone has a favorite Christmas song, even if we are loath to admit it.
What we will generally agree on is that there are certain Christmas songs which, if they were sung at any other time of the year, would be the subject of derision and mocking from everyone. They do not need to be named, because we all know them, and by naming them we will inevitably start to hear them in our heads. And that way lies madness. However, some Christmas songs are actually good, independently of the season.
Depending on the traditions you were brought up in, you probably have a variety of things you usually eat around Christmastime. This can vary from the vegetables and meat served at dinner, to a particular brand of chocolate to be eaten on Christmas Eve. Food is a big part of Christmas, and most of us develop habits even when traditions do not exist.
Yet there is a flaw in this ideal. While it is always good to have some traditions, traditions that are based around food can be a little more tricky. We cannot all like Christmas pudding, mince pies, candy canes and other seasonal niceties - yet many of us insist on eating these items anyway. Eating something just because it's Christmas, and that's what you do at Christmas, is extremely bizarre - but we do it anyway!
When Christmas comes closer, it has become traditional in many workplaces, college residences and other communal settings to have a “Secret Santa” policy to allow members of staff to buy and receive presents, without the pressure of knowing who is buying for you, and in th
The concept is simple. When you have a number of people interested in taking part in the Secret Santa game, you take names down on slips of paper and drop them into a hat. The hat should then be passed among the team members who then have a chance to pick names out (putting their own back in should they draw it) and then, within a set limit of expense, buying a present for the team member whose name they have drawn. Then they wrap the present and attach a note with the message “To (Name), Merry Christmas from your Secret Santa” – or words to that effect.
Christmas is a time of year that draws strong reactions from a wide range of people. As much as it is a time for family and theoretically to be enjoyed, Christmas does have its opponents. Or, to be more accurate, there are people who are thoroughly displeased by the idea of a holiday which used to be about family togetherness and happiness being turned into a corporate festival which relies on rampant consumerism. Looking at the supermarkets which have Christmas related lines on their shelves from September onwards it is not hard to understand their points.
However it is inevitable that this kind of commercialism will take a grip on a holiday where gifts play a major part. Knowing that people will spend money to get the best gift for those who they love, the companies with something to sell will put a lot of their advertising budget into the Christmas period. The inevitable knock-on effect is that other companies will do the same to compete. Add this to an element of competition among families to get the “best” (read: most expensive) gifts, and you have a recipe for a commercial holiday.
Brandon and Sean loved superheroes. They loved Superman and Batman and the Fantastic Four and dozens and dozens more. They rooms were overflowing with action figures and comic books of all of the most amazing super heroes in the imaginary world and they knew their names and their stories to the tiniest little detail.
“Tell me the favorite thing you like about a superhero.” Mommy aced them as they settled in for their evening devotionals.
“Well,” Sean started. “They always defeat evil. Evil monsters and people who want to hurt innocent people are always wiped out by superheroes when they use their superhuman powers.” He said making punching thrusts into the air sitting on the couch with mommy in his footy pajamas.
“What I like is that superheroes are never afraid and always know what to do.” Brandon added looking into space like he could see his favorite superhero right there in front of him.
“Well I am going to tell you of a real superhero that you live with. We will call him SUPERDADDY.” Mommy said happily.
It is now socially acceptable - if not expected - to give tips during the Christmas season. These are usually small bonuses handed out to households to the people who make your life run a little smoother for the rest of the year; usual recipients include mailmen, people working at the post office, a building or house supervisor and the paper route boy. Yet while this is som
Your first move should be to establish if tipping at Christmas is something your neighbors do. While you may think it harmless to tip even if your neighbors do not, it could create resentment if they find out - they may feel you are deliberately making them appear to be a Scrooge. A few well timed questions should reveal an answer - and may even reveal what is accepted to be given. If not, try the internet - a local community online where you can post the question anonymously should have the same result.
Buying gifts for teenagers is a nightmare. Where you could once be sure the latest hot toy would satisfy a delighted child, teenagers are far more complex creatures altogether. Unless you ask a teenager to write a designated Christmas list - something which may be sneered at as childish - you could find yourself struggling when it comes to gift buying.
One of the first ways to maneuverer around this problem is to keep your ears open from August onward. Listen out for any hints - deliberate or not - as to what the teenager in question may like. They may mention a fondness for a particular band or movie; meaning you can buy the CD or DVD, providing they do not already have it (a quick scan of shelves should provide the answer).
We usually know what it is before we've even opened it. We can tell by the shape of the gift, or the way it feels when prodded, that we've received a gift we aren't going to love. Another pair of socks, a tie, perfume you probably don't like or an unfortunate knitted jersey from your Gran - the doom of the bad Christmas gift is a common feeling.
It's usually at this point that we all plaster on the fake smiles, nod enthusiastically and then cast the give aside never to be looked at again. We stuff it in a drawer and hope it'll disappear, because for some reason - even though we hate it - we don't want to throw it away. It's difficult, it's embarrassing, and what's more it's more than a little disappointing. Wouldn't we all like gifts we love?
“DAD how dare you look in my diary?” Max screamed at his father in fury. Chuck was red with anger at his little boy for what he read in that diary.
“How dare you lie to me? You said you would never smoke a cigarette and right here in this diary, you confess you have. Your promises are no good to me now Max!” Chuck yelled at his young son.
“Well my privacy is ruined. How I can ever trust you again!” Max said crying.
“Me? Its you who lied and I can never trust you again. I wish I never had a son.” Chuck said and right away he was sorry he said that. Max burst into tears and ran out the door to go down the block to his friends house to hide. Chuck slammed his hand down on the counter and hurt it. He hated fighting with his son. Parents hate it when their children are mad at them. It hurts them way down inside but sometimes they are proud and don’t know how to make things are ok.
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