As joyous as the holiday season is, Christmas is also an increasingly expensive occasion for most families, today. Many families, who gather with their relatives at this time of year, are finding that alternative ways of gift-giving can make the financial impact of Christmas more bearable. Such creativity hearkens back to a simpler time, when the spirit of giving had nothing to do with marketing, and everything to do with the thought and love behind each gift. If you're looking for a simple way to liven up your family gatherings, and save money at the same time, consider the idea of family story-sharing. It really is simple. Everyone has a favorite song or story-or even a poem-which brings the Christmas season alive. Reading or reciting these traditional holiday tomes is a wonderful gift between family members, and easy to prepare: Each year, the story-telling duties can be delegated to one nuclear family, or to all the teenaged cousins, or to all the adults, or names can be drawn for those who will share their holiday tales. Selections can be read or recited by heart, can be long or short, and most-since they're familiar-are available and downloadable, online. They can be printed in easily readable font and contained in holiday-themed folders. A bit of rehearsal can help anyone prepare for such an event. Even a performance for family should be special enough at the holidays, to warrant proper preparation. The littlest family members will almost certainly be the most enthusiastic about sharing their favorite holiday stories, but they can also use help, finding their material and practicing its presentation. Children may even choose to write their own material, creating new holiday stories and traditions, which can become fodder for family laughs and memories for decades to come. The perfect time for a family story-circle is after a big meal, when everyone is rested and ready to listen and be entertained. Pick a "moderator" to introduce each reading or song, and to keep things moving along. Limit the number of stories, each year, to a handful, alternating family members, from year to year. Keep each season's session a moderate length, so that story-sharing is fun, rather than tedious. Sharing favorite holiday stories and poems and songs with your loved ones can turn into a highlight of each Christmas family gathering.

The Christmas season is a festive and joyful time of the year when people come together and families gather to celebrate and enjoy the company of each other.  We gather together to have fun, and to share in the festive spirit.  Singing is an extremely popular way of expressing the joy we feel.  So when we gather with friends and relatives, we all deserve a good laugh by singing along to some funny Christmas songs. 

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Like many other countries all over the world; at Christmas time, Argentinians get together and celebrate. Their celebrations may be rather different from some other countries because of the climate. In America, for example, we are used to winter snow and wrapping up warm at Christmas time-in Argentina, Christmas occurs in the summer, when the hot, dry winds called ‘zonda’ blow from the equatorial north. Yet the Argentinians still like to celebrate in their own particular style-and using traditional Argentinian Christmas recipes. Because of the heat, the Christmas dinner is usually served outside in the shade under a tree or trellis; or on a veranda, and the table is decorated with rosebuds and jasmine instead of candles. More on Christmas recipes from Argentina

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A typical Venezuelan Christmas recipe is the hallaca, which is their luxurious dinner. It is a mixture of beef, pork, capers, raisins and olives that is wrapped in maize, wrapped up in plantain leaves with string and steamed afterwards. This is the meal that is traditionally served in Venezuela during the Christmas holiday.

There is a popular myth which holds that it was common practice for the plantation owners to donate their leftover Christmas food scraps-usually bits of pork and beef to their slaves, who would then wrap them in cornmeal and plantain leaves for subsequent preparation and cooking.

There are, of course, other Venezuelan Christmas recipes but the hallaca is one of the most traditional and its preparation is practically limited to that time of the year. It is still prepared in a very similar fashion to colonial times with some modern refinements-the hallaca is also considered one of the most representative icons of Venezuelan multicultural heritage. The reason for this is because its preparation includes European ingredients such as raisins, nuts and olives-this is in addition to indigenous ingredients such as corn meal colored with annatto seeds; and also African ingredients such as smoked banana or plantain leaves that are used for wrapping. More on Is hallaca a traditional recipe from Venezuela?

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 In part I of this series we discuss the general preparation for a Christmas party. In subsequent articles we will go into more detail in things like Christmas party themes and Christmas party food. We will also discuss Christmas party invitations in more detail. So, be on the look out for them.

Everyone knows the month of December is full of shopping, cooking, and Christmas parties.  Many people enjoy entertaining during the holiday season.  Unfortunately, issues do arise, such as scheduling problems. Furthermore, money always gets tight right before Christmas.  Don’t let that stop you though.  If you want to throw a Christmas party for your friends and family there are some important tips to keep in mind. 

The first thing to do when deciding to have a Christmas party is start planning well in advance.  December is a busy month and getting the ball rolling early will be a huge help in your preparations.  So step by step, here is how it should go.  Decide on your guest list.  If your budget is limited (and who’s isn’t during the holidays?) you may want to put a number cap on your list.  Also be aware that space is an issue as well.  Overcrowding into a small area does not make for a merry party.  This is also the time to decide if you want to go the potluck way or handle all of the food yourself. 

The next step in your Christmas party preparations is to send out your Christmas party invitations.  Be sure to give guests as much notice as possible and, to avoid confusion, call, mail, or email everyone on the same day.  This just avoids hurt feelings.  No one wants to feel like an afterthought.  This is also the time to include a brief note mentioning the potluck theme if that is the way you decided to go.  Check back with any potential guests who may not have responded in a week.  A quick phone call should work fine.

Now that you have a good idea on how many people will be attending your Christmas party, you can start to think about the menu.  Make a list for the grocery store, being sure to estimate high on the cost.  If things look a little pricier than you intended, look the list over again to see if you can eliminate any items.  Don’t forget to include paper napkins, plates, and plastic ware.  Of course if you are having a more formal party those things won’t be a concern.  Go to the store, stick to your list, and get ready to party.

Having a Christmas party can be the highlight of your holiday season.  If you are prepared in advance, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the party as much as your guests.  Accept any help that is offered, cook your behind off, and celebrate the holidays with those nearest and dearest to you.

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Christmas songs are as diverse and varied as the individuals that listen to them.  The number of Christmas songs recorded over the years is staggering.  More than any other holiday during the year, Christmas definitely has the most songs.  As soon as thanksgiving is over, radio stations across the country start playing the Christmas classics along with new ones.  You realize just how many Christmas songs there are, when you can listen to one radio station for days and not hear any repeated.  As children, many of us can remember going door to door in the snow singing Christmas carols.

There are wonderful classic Christmas songs that many people grew up hearing and still listen to today because they are timeless.  Here are some interesting facts you probably never knew about the top holiday songs:

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You might say that I have lost my mind if I said that I have a stress free Christmas. Well, my sanity is still intact and we have had several Christmases that were stress-free in the past. I would like to tell you about the things I've learned to help reduce the stress during the Yuletide season. AFTER WAKING IN THE MORNING, READ GOD?S WORD EVERY I start by reading God's Word every day. Hearing from God & speaking to Him each day is a great boost for me and it strengthens and preps me to be the mom He wants me to be. During breakfast, we start our family devotions and begin our children's day on the right track as well. Each of my children understand that they are to read their Bible after waking. There are times that some of the kids need a little more reminding. DON?T DO EVERY ACTIVITY THAT POPS UP This seems quite evident, but it took me a decade to apply this. Actually, my marvelous husband helped me learn how to minimize the activity in our lives during the Christmas season. In the past, I wanted our kids to experience everything available during this season. What was actually happening was I began to harbor stress that would usually explode around Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. (I?m sure none of you have ever experienced this. WHICH ACTIVITIES DO I CHOOSE What works for our family is to choose 1 or 2 Christmas activities to attend outside our home. Anything else we do is done in our home. One of the best ways this reduces stress is that I am not ?persuading? my husband to attend one more Christmas activity each week. He still spends all day working to provide for our family. Consequently, he is much happier going to a few activities and enjoying our family & friends at home. Having other people in our home gives us a lot of satisfaction, so we capitalize on this. With cooking and cleaning done by the children, our work is lessened and I am not feeling stressed when our visitors arrive. ENJOY YOUR HOME I always more activities for our family than we ever have time for. In our Thanksgiving weekend I decided which activities can be postponed until next Christmas season. REMEMBER: YOU CAN?T DO EVERY THING, EVERY YEAR. I try to select activities that inspire my children to do something for others, instead of only thinking of themselves during the holiday season. One of the things we used to do is charity work by raising money for a missionary family. The kids would take orders for pumpkin bread loaves and chocolate chip cookies. After making and delivering them to their customers, they would pay me back for the ingredients and supplies used. The remaining money was their profit, which was used to buy useful gifts for a missionary family. This season we will have other kids over to bake cookies so their moms can do some Christmas shopping, uninterrupted. A Christmas card stamping party for younger kids would be a great idea for an activity. I?m still thinking it over how that will work. I have some other ideas that are included in Advent, Christmas & Epiphany Celebration Ideas. MAKE CHRISTMAS YOUR SCHOOL For those of you who homeschool, lessen some of the formal academics and enjoy these times. As we bake, shop and prepare for Christ?s birthday, we are also doing math and writing and reading with these activities. At our house, we still read aloud each morning and then work on a Christmas project. This may include handwork type crafts or other quiet projects. DO YOU FEEL STRESSED DURING THE HOLIDAYS? Take a moment right now and prioritize all the activities available to your family. Choose only 1 or 2 activities that the entire family can enjoy and pass on the rest. Being at home with your family is enjoyable. Invite another family over to roast marshmallows and mingle with them. At the center of this Christmas activity, keep your hearts tuned to Jesus Christ. Without His love for us, we would not be celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Decorating for the Christmas holiday is fun and truly creates the holiday mood. The highlight of decorating is the Christmas tree. Plan to involve your family when deciding how to decorate the tree this year. Traditionalists believe in keeping the same decorating scheme year after year. The Transitionalists have trees that change over the years. They add ornaments, change out the lights basically tweaking the Christmas tree design over the years. The third group are the Trendsetters. Trendsetters are the people who design and decorate the most dazzingly beautiful and unique Christmas trees. Christmas tree ornaments come in all colors, shapes, sizes and materials. Most come from a store but some are home made. Some families are lucky enough to have heirloom ornaments handed down generation to generation. Ornaments purchased from stores are as varied as the number of materials available. The ornaments can range from hard unbreakable plastic to fragile hand blown glass ornaments. The advantage of glass is the luster and color of the ornaments. Nothing surpasses the glow of holiday ornaments reflecting the lights of the Christmas lights. Glass ornaments are fragile and tend to be more expensive. Use care when handling. Home made ornaments can be wooden, paper-mache, needlepoint, pictures or almost any thing found around the home. The breakability of homemade ornaments varies. The special part of homemade ornaments is the person and the story of how and when they were made. Some homemade ornaments can be fragile, remember to handle with loving care. If young children or pets are part of your Christmas celebration, you may want to use unbreakable ornaments. Hopefully it is only a passing stage, but you want to prepare yourself and your tree. Pets, especially young ones can be rambunctious, and trees tip easily. So plan accordingly. If you have special ornaments either sentimental or dollar value, you can use a special ornament display stand in a protected spot. Consider making some ornaments with your children using ribbon and an inexpensive plastic ornament. Hobby stores also sell prepackaged ornament making kits. Have fun and add some personality to the ornament. A child's contribution will make your tree special. Your child will be proud to have made some ornaments for the family tree. Store and save each contribution for next year's tree. You can make new ornaments each year to show the progress each child has made with creating ornaments. No matter how you find or create your ornaments; decorate your tree to represent your family's interests and taste. Personalizing the tree means making your Christmas tree special. And decorating the Christmas tree together is a great family tradition to start and to have.

The Christmas season is filled with decorating opportunities, but none more special than the trimming of the Christmas tree. The style you use to decorate your tree is a reflection of your interests and taste. Here are some suggestions to get you started. 1. Thematic Christmas trees are becoming more popular. People use a single color to decorate. Others use a period of time in their lives. They then find or make ornaments to reflect the time period you have chosen. 2. Personalization of your Christmas tree can happen when you add unique personal ornaments of your choice. Specially chosen ornaments add to the Christmas tree and make it uniquely yours. 3. To save time and trouble save the boxes the ornaments came in for storage later. If you do not have the original box; get a glass packing box from some mover. Label the box before you store the ornaments for easy retrieval. Be sure to separate each ornament with some type of packing material to protect them during storage. 4. The sparkle of a Christmas tree comes from the strands of Christmas lights hung on the tree. Use caution when stringing the lights. Avoid placing a bulb too close to a branch as a fire can occur quickly. 5. Hanging Christmas tree lights means finding out which lights work and which ones don't. It's always easier to find the burned out bulbs before you start. Be sure you start from the top of the tree when stringing your lights. Work down and then around the tree. Plan your path so you end up near an electrical outlet to finish your work. 6. Store your lights on a piece of cardboard or an empty can. This keeps the wires straight, prevents them from breaking. Next year you won't have to deal with tangled lights. 7. Starting from the bottom of your tree, hang the larger ornaments. Then gradually add the smaller ones hanging them all around the tree. If you have young children or pets you may want to hang ornaments a little higher to prevent damage to the ornaments. 8. If you've ever seen an evergreen tree after a snow storm. Then you know how to hang tinsel on your Christmas tree. Hang the tinsel on the outer ends of the branches. Aim for a picture like you see when there is the first storm of the season. 9. You want your ornaments to shine and compliment your tree. So rather than just putting every ornament you own on the tree, pick and choose the ones your want. This way every ornament has its own special place.

Every year, the dazzle, the colors, the music, and the magic of the holiday season seem to fill our senses earlier than the previous year. Santa Claus appears in stores and advertisements as early as October, and the parties that fill the season begin in November, often prior to Thanksgiving. The season that leads to Christmas and Santa Claus's visit is full of parties and events that keep most families busy, until January. Many of the holiday activities we indulge in, every year, are centered around food. Every culture and ethnic group seems to have its own rich epicurean heritage, which is spotlighted in this season of joy and cheer. Not only is it difficult to avoid eating wonderful, calorie-filled food during the holidays, it's probably impossible. It's really true that the average person puts on at least a few pounds during the holiday season. And the earlier we begin celebrating the holidays, each year, the more pounds we're likely to add, before the New Year. And it's not just an adult problem, either. Children today are just as vulnerable to the holiday weight gain as their parents. So, what to do? It's probably unrealistic to expect anyone, during this busy season of parties and pageants, to begin a brand-new cardio-vascular exercise program. Our calendars are too full, already, to spend hours, each day in the gym, to make up for our over-eating. That doesn't mean that there aren't ways for families to spend at least some time, each week, burning off a few calories. Weekends can be great times for parents to take their kids on morning walks. An early, brisk, half-hour walk can charge the metabolic batteries for the whole day, so that the body burns calories more efficiently. A good walk on the morning of a party, where there will be great food, can stave off a tiny bit of weight gain. Whenever possible, family members should avoid elevators and climb stairs. There are few ways to get an overall cardio workout that are better than stair-climbing. Though children love escalators, parents should set an example, especially during the holidays, and use the stairs. Parents should make sure that both they, and their children, receive as much good sleep as possible, during the holidays. Lack of sleep has been proven to contribute to weight gain, in both adults and children. Avoiding wonderful food during the holidays is like trying to avoid Christams carols-who wants to do that? The best thing that families can do to avoid buying larger clothes in January is to look for as many opportunities as possible to burn a few extra calories, every day.