Santa’s Stuck Up in the Chimney

This was my 5-year-old daughter’s favorite song last Christmas. This funny Christmas song tells the tale of how poor Santa put on the pounds and got stuck in a chimney. Santa’s reindeer have to come to the rescue by pushing, pulling, tugging and shoving St. Nick’s portly form until he gets free in this silly song kids will love.

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

This is an old song that kids still love. Originally recorded in 1953 by 10-yaer-old Gayla Peevey, the song became an instant holiday hit, peaking at number 24 on Billboard magazine’s pop chart in December 1953. The song, about a little girl who asks Santa to bring her a hippo for Christmas, inspired a local promoter to actually raise money and buy Gayla Peevey a real hippopotamus. The girl donate the hippo, named Matilda, to the city zoo, where it lived for about 50 years.

Reindeer Poop

Kids who enjoy making “reindeer poop” from chocolate candy will love this song about a man who travels to the North Pole and discovers that reindeer poop is tasty. Those who have never made “reindeer poop” gifts may not understand the song too well, but kids who are familiar with the treat will get a kick out of the lyrics, especially if you play this song while preparing bags of “reindeer poop.”

Love these? Here’s a list of 10 funny Christmas songs for kids.

1. Bookmarks – This is an easy craft for kids or anyone who loves to read. Simply cut your old cards into long strips about one to two inches wide and use them to mark your place in a book. For more durability, laminate the strips.

2. Gift tags – This is an easy, useful idea that can also save you money next year. Simply cut your old cards into squares or rectangles, and then fold them to use as gift tags.

3. Postcards – Need a way to save money on Christmas cards? Try postcards. They require less postage and you can create them from your old cards. Just cut off the picture side of a card and draw a line down the blank back to use it as a postcard. Write your message on the left and address on the right.

4. Dinner placecards – If you’re hosting a Christmas meal, this is an easy way to make table place cards. Just cut off and discard the back portion of your holiday cards and then cut the picture on the front into a rectangle. Fold that in half to create a dinner placecard.

5. Christmas placemats – Kids will love to help with this craft! Cut pictures from your cards into fun shapes and arrange them on a large sheet of colored construction paper and then laminate.

Historically, egg nog comes from posset, a hot curdled milk drink that was popular during the Middle Ages and reported to have medicinal purposes. The name is a combination of egg and nog, but there’s some debate about the origins of “nog.” Some believe it derives from noggin, which is ale or a small wooden cup, while others believe it stems from grog, an alcoholic drink made from rum.

It’s highly likely that egg nog originated in Europe, although some believe it originated in the original American colonies who added rum. But however and wherever it originated, egg nog has been a popular concoction for many years. Legend has it that George Washington was an egg nog enthusiast and developed a recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. It was reportedly a very strong drink that was enjoyed only by the courageous or those with little sense.

Eggnog is not strictly a holiday drink, but most people typically enjoy it during the period from Christmas to New Year’s Eve. Originally served warm, egg nog has been served cold and without alcohol since the mid 1960s, both of which are major departures from its historical origins.

Modern eggnog usually consists of eggs, milk and sugar mixed together. Other ingredients include spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice, and cream is often substituted for some part of the milk, making a much richer drink. These days, it’s also available in a soy-based formula for vegans or those with dairy allergies.

Egg nog has long been the drink of choice to toast the holiday season. So hoist a cup and have a happy holiday season!

One of the best ways to create a digital Christmas letter online is use Smilebox. This popular site can help you create personalized Christmas letters, holiday slideshow, invitations, photo greeting cards and more in four easy steps. And best of all, the basic version is free! Just follow these steps.

1. Download the Smilebox Application
To create your digital Christmas letter, visit Smilebox and download their app. it’s free, easy, safe and will give you access to hundreds of Smilebox designs for Christmas, other holidays and every day use. (Note that the site plays music, so be sure to turn down your computer speakers if you don’t want others hearing the music, or turn the sound on if you want to enjoy the music.)

2. Pick Your Digital Christmas Letter Template
When you open your Smilebox application, you’ll be see a wide selection of templates you can select for your electronic Christmas letter. Smilebox has more than 1000 designs separated into categories that make it easy to select the perfect one. You can browse the templates by format (newsletters, photo cards, slideshows, invitations, recipes, calendars, etc.) or by occasion (holidays, weddings, birthdays, etc.). Choose Holidays and then Christmas to see all the formats for the Christmas season. To create a Christmas letter, select Newsletters to view the available options.

3. Personalize Your Christmas Letter

After you select your Christmas letter template, you can start personalizing your digital Christmas letter.

Smilebox makes this easy. To get started, go to the right-hand column that gives you options to Choose Your Music, Choose Your Layout, Choose Your Title and Choose Your Font Title. Select the options you prefer.

Now go to the left-hand column and look for the options to Get Photos. Choose how you’d like to add photos and select the images you want to put in your newsletter. When you add photos to Smilebox, they’ll show up in the left column and you can then drag and drop them into your electronic Christmas letter template. If you want to move a picture, just drag it to the new place and drop it. If you want to change a photo, simply drag another photo into the template.

After you’ve finishing adding photos, you can start writing your holiday letter. To do this, just highlight the sample text and start typing. Your words will then appear in the template and you’ll be able to see what it will look like as you go.

When you’re done writing, click Preview to see your digital Christmas letter, including the Smilebox animation and music you’ve chosen.

4. Share, Save, Print or Burn to DVD

If you like the preview, be sure to save your creation. Otherwise, go back and make changes until you’re satisfied. After you’ve completed and saved your project, you can choose to send it via email or share it online. Both options are completely free and are supported by ads that appear on the screen next to your Smilebox creation.

You can, however, upgrade to a full-screen ad-free version of your digital Christmas letter for a small fee. These premium letters can also be printed at home or burned to DVD. Sign up for the two-week free trial membership to Club Smilebox and you can get the premium features at no cost for 14 days. Check out Smilebox now to create your own digital Christmas letter!

1. The Twisted Chipmunk Song by Bob Rivers
Don’t like those high-pitched singing chipmunks and their cute little song about Christmas? Then you’ll probably enjoy this twisted version of the song. It still has those high-pitched chipmunk voices, but you won’t hear any cute furry animals asking Santa to bring lots of nice toys in this funny adult Christmas song.

2. Jingle Bombs by Jeff Dunham
Achmed the Dead Terrorist, the zany creation of ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, sings his own version of Jingle Bells on Dunham’s “Don’t Come Home for Christmas” CD. Achmed’s version includes some jabs at “Guitar Guy” and lyrics that include, “Dashing through the sand, with a bomb strapped to my back…” And if you’re familiar with Achmed’s signature phrase, you won’t be disappointed.

3. She’s a Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas by Patent Pending
If you don’t let your kids hear about Mommy kissing Santa Claus, then make sure they’re not around when you listen to this one. The “ho ho ho” in this funny Christmas song for adults isn’t satisfied with a quick kiss under the mistletoe. She’s spending Christmas “with a bottle in her hands and with her legs around a man.”

4. The Twelve Pains Of Christmas by Bob Rivers
Who needs a partridge in a pear tree? Bob Rivers celebrates Christmas with a long list of 12 holiday complaints in this song. He disses everything from singing Christmas carols to finding a Christmas tree. If you’re a “bah humbug” type, this is certainly the song for you.

5. Redneck 12 Days Of Christmas by Jeff Foxworthy
For another funny 12 Days of Christmas parody, check out Jeff Foxworthy’s “Redneck 12 Days of Christmas.” What do rednecks get for Christmas? Counting backwards, it’s 12 packs of Bud, 11 wrestlin’ tickets, 10 Copenhagen, 9 years probation, and so on down to some parts for a Mustang GT.

Ready to listen? Here are samples of these funny Christmas songs for adults.

To make your letter in the shape of a tree,  you set your text to center alignment and then you a manual return at the end of each line to make each one successively longer than the next. To give it even more appearance of a tree, you can make your font green. Advanced users who have Christmas fonts on their computer or even a font like Zingbats or Wing Dings may want to break up the text by placing colored circles, stars or other objects in the middle of the text to represent decorations on the tree.

For more instructions, see How to Create a Christmas Letter in the Shape of a Christmas Tree at Christmas Letter Tips.com.

More Creative Christmas Letter Ideas

I Farted on Santa’s Lap Lyrics
Mom made beans for dinner
You know I ate ‘em all
She said come get your coat on, we’re goin’ to the mall
Gonna visit Santa and sit upon his knee
But all that I could think about was how not to cut the cheese

While waiting there for Santa, I thought that I’d explode
The gas bubble grew bigger with every “Ho, Ho, Ho”
Tried my best to hide it, thought I was doing swell
But when I sat down on Santa’s lap, he hollered “What’s that smell!”

Chorus:
I farted on Santa’s lap, now christmas is gonna stink for me
I farted on Santa’s lap, now I’ll get nothin’ under my Christmas tree

I asked him for a baseball
I asked him for a bat
I asked him for some ice skates but I’ll get none of that
I asked him for a lot of things I’ll have to do without
‘Cause when I sat on Santa’s lap, I let one slip out

(Chorus)

On Christmas Eve I snuck out of my bed without a sound
Went down to the living room just to take a look around
It was then that I saw Santa next to the Christmas tree
His arms were full of presents and they were all for me
He put them on a pile and got up to turn around
And blew a fart with such great force our tree almost came down
And so I’ll always cherish that special moment when
I realized even old Saint Nick rips one now and then

I farted on Santa’s lap and Christmas didn’t stink for me
I farted on Santa’s lap and Santa left one on my Christmas tree

Well, way up north where the air gets cold
There’s a tale about Christmas that you’ve all been told
And a real famous cat all dressed up in red
And he spends the whole year workin’ out on his sled

It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick
It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick

Just a little bobsled we call it old Saint Nick
But she’ll walk a toboggan with a four speed stick
She’s candy-apple red with a ski for a wheel
And when Santa hits the gas, man, just watch her peel

It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick
It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick

Run run reindeer
Run run reindeer
Whoaa
Run run reindeer
Run run reindeer

He don’t miss no one

And haulin’ through the snow at a frightenin’ speed
With a half a dozen deer with Rudy to lead
He’s gotta wear his goggles ’cause the snow really flies
And he’s cruisin’ every pad with a little surprise

It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick
It’s the little Saint Nick
Ooooo, little Saint Nick

Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry Christmas Saint Nick
Christmas comes this time each year

Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry Christmas Saint Nick
Christmas comes this time each year

Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry Christmas Saint Nick
Christmas comes this time each year

Fans of the movie “Elf,” the 2003 holiday comedy starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, may remember the dinner scene in which Buddy lists the elf food groups after swigging down an entire 2-liter plastic bottle of Coke at the dinner table. “We elves try to stick to the four main food groups – candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup,” he says. He then produces a vial of maple syrup to pour on his meal – a spaghetti dinner.

If you haven’t seen this movie about a man adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his biological father, you’re in for a treat. Will Ferrell is delightful, and the supporting cast is great. James Caan stars as Buddy’s real dad, Ed Asner is Santa Claus (the real one!), Mary Steenburgen is Buddy’s stepmom and Bob Newhart is Papa Elf. This fun holiday movie is clever enough to keep the attention of everyone in your family, from young to old. Need a sneak peak? Or perhaps a refresher if you’re already a fan?

Here’s the wonderful “elf food groups” scene from the movie.

Based on the popular song written by Katherine K. Davis in 1941, this new Little Drummer Boy movie stars Junior Asparagus as the little drummer boy, Aaron. The Little Drummer Boy has no gift to bring to the baby Jesus, but when he plays his drum for the Christ Child, he releases the anger in his heart and discovers the true meaning of Christmas.

A related soundtrack, O Holy Night: Journey Of A Little Drummer Boy, features Bebe and Cece Winans. There is also a VeggieTales Drummer Boy play set that features characters from the movie, and which goes along with the VeggieTales Nativity play set.

If you’re a fan of VeggieTales, the Veggie Tales Drummer Boy DVD is sure to become a favorite.

Tip #1 – Shop at retailers that offer free shipping on select items or with a minimum purchase
You can get free shipping every day, all year long from a variety of stores that offer free shipping with a minimum purchase. Amazon is perhaps the best known of these, but it’s not the only one. Target is another larger retailer that is now offering this feature to its RedCard users, and UnbeatableSale.com offers it on select items. You can also find free shipping on many products every day at eBay.

Tip #2 – Sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is the annual program at Amazon.com that provides free unlimited 2-day shipping without a minimum purchase, and it now also includes free access to books in the Kindle lending library, as well as free streaming of movies and TV programs. Trial members get all the benefits of paying members. You simply need to cancel before the end of the trial if you don’t want to continue the service, or you can continue to receive the benefits by paying the annual fee.

Tip #3 – Use free shipping coupons whenever possible
If your favorite store doesn’t offer free shipping with a a minimum purchase or on the items you want, look around for free shipping coupons. Just check your favorite coupon site, or visit Christmas Coupons 365.com to see stores with free shipping for Christmas.

Tip #4 – Shop Online on Free Shipping Day.
You’ve probably heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but Free Shipping Day may not yet be in your vocabulary. It started in 2008 as a one-day event, and it’s now an annual opportunity to get free shipping for a single day in mid-December. In 2011, Free Shipping Day will be on December 16. More than 1700 retailers participated in the event last year, according to Wikipedia, so check your favorite store in December for one last chance to get free shipping for Christmas gifts.

Free shipping is a great way to save money during the holidays, so be sure to search for holiday shipping deals before you buy this year.

If you’re looking for some great new Christmas DVDs for 2011 to share with your family, or want some fun stocking stuffers, here are a few of the family Christmas movies released on DVD this year.

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas DVD
If you enjoy the Ice Age franchise and can’t wait for the latest sequel, Ice Age: Continental Drift next year, you’ll be glad to know that you can spend time with your favorite Arctic herd this holiday season with Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. This new animated special will air on Fox TV on Thanksgiving night and the Ice Age Christmas DVD will be released two days later, on November 26.

In this new animated film, Sid breaks Manny’s favorite holiday decorations and goes to the North Pole to explain it all to Santa Claus after Manny convinces him he’s now on Santa’s Naughty List. Crash, Eddie, and Peaches accompany Sid, leaving Diego, Manny and Ellie frantically searching for Peaches. Of course, Sid can’t stay out of trouble and ends up destroying Santa’s workshop on Christmas Eve, so it’s up to our favorite prehistoric herd of misfits to set things straight and make sure Christmas isn’t canceled.

Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story DVD
Since Elf on the Shelf was published, thousands of kids have joined in the fun holiday tradition of having a scout elf visit their home and bring back regular reports to Santa Claus on whether they’ve been naughty or nice. Now those kids can get a look at what it’s like to be one of Santa’s secret helpers.

Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story will make its debut on CBS TV the day after Thanksgiving, and the new Christmas DVD for 2011 will be released the next day, November 26. This animated tale follows the adventures of Chippey, a scout elf who is assigned to a boy named Taylor who can’t decide whether he believes in Santa and Christmas magic. When Taylor breaks the most important Elf on the Shelf rule, the little scout elf loses his magic and the family loses its elf. But through the power of love and forgiveness, both Chippey and Taylor discover that true belief in Christmas isn’t something that can be taught.

Disney’s Prep and Landing DVD
This animated Disney Christmas special first aired in 2009, but Disney is releasing it for the first time on DVD this year. The story follows Wayne, an elf in Santa’s elite “Prep and Landing” unit, a team of elves who work with military precision to ensure every house is ready for Santa’s arrival before he gets there. Their job is to ensure the path is clear for Santa to get in and out of the house quickly, safely and without a hitch. But Wayne has been doing this job for a long time and was just defeated in his quest for a promotion. Now he’s willing to let his new trainee, Lanny, take over while he slacks off. It’s a recipe for disaster, and Wayne has to save the day so one little boy’s Christmas won’t be ruined.

Barbie: A Perfect Christmas DVD
Any Barbie movie is sure to be a hit with little girls, and this will be no exception. In this holiday tale, Barbie and her sisters Skipper, Stacie and Chelsea are on their way to New York for Christmas, but when a snowstorm diverts their flight, they end up stranded in the remote town of Tannenbaum. To their surprise and delight, they discover magical experiences and new friends. Barbie and her sisters then put on a musical performance for the whole town to enjoy and discover that “being together is what really makes A Perfect Christmas.

Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure
In Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure DVD, viewers will get to hear Beethoven talk for the first time ever! Beethoven comes to the rescue in this film after an elf takes Santa’s sleigh and all the toys, and then crash-lands in a tree. When Santa’s magical bag of toys ends up in the wrong hands, Beethoven and his human companion Mason have to save the elf, get the toys, and make sure Christmas comes for children around the world.

From: New Christmas DVDs 2011 on HubPages

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Through the magic of sites like Capture The Magic and The Santa Video, you can now get proof of Santa’s visit to show your kids.

All you need to do is visit Capture The Magic and upload a photo of your living room, family room, or wherever you want to “catch Santa” in the act. Then choose your favorite image of Santa Claus and use the easy online tools to adjust the image until Rudolph himself won’t be able to tell that you didn’t actually stay up until midnight to catch Santa at work. You don’t need any special skills or artistic abilities to pull off this magic; if you can upload a photo, you’ll be able to create a believable photo of Santa in your home.

And if you want to take it a step further, you can use the same photo to capture a video of Santa in your house at The Santa Video.com. Once again, all you’ll need is the ability to upload a photo and make a few tweaks, and they’ll do all the rest. Take a look at the video below to see how believable your video will look.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but seeing your kids’ face light up when they see a video or picture of Santa in your house will be priceless.

Find Online Discounts
Your local shopping mall is not always the best place to look for deals. It’s too tempting to purchase items you see without comparing prices. Shopping online, on the other hand, gives you time to compare prices using sites such as BizRate.com or to look for coupon codes.

You can easily find coupon codes online that will help you save money during the holidays, or you can look for holiday-specific coupons and Christmas discounts at sites such as Christmas Coupons 365.com. This site lists coupons and deals for hundreds of popular stores and makes it easy for you to save money on gifts for everyone on your list.

Another way to save money online is to search for cheap gift suggestions. For example, here are 5 gifts under $5.

Make Your Own Gifts
If you’re craft-challenged like me, you might be tempted to skip this section, thinking that you don’t have the skills to make your own gift. Not so! Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can make personalized gifts with virtually no talent at all. If you’re making something personalized, you might feel ok spending less than you would on a generic gift? You can create mugs, shirts, iPhone and iPad covers, and much more on Zazzle and personalize them with your own photos, artwork and/or text.

Cut Down Your Gift List
One of the most obvious ways to save money is to buy fewer gifts. If you’re the generous type who likes to buy gifts for everyone, from your child’s teacher to the postal carrier, you can save money simply by cutting down your gift list or changing the way you give gifts.

For instance, if you’re from a large family and your family tradition is to buy one gift for everyone, including all the adult relatives, it might be time to suggest drawing names for the holidays. Rather than everyone buying gifts for every other adult relative, each person draws a name and then only buys one gift for that person, so each adult receives one gift, while children can continue to reap the rewards from multiple aunts, uncles, grandparents and so on.

With a little forethought, you can still give wonderful gifts and save money with a couple small changes.

Revised with permission from ,a href=”http://lisa42.hubpages.com/hub/Cheap-Christmas-Gift-Strategies”>Cheap Christmas Gift Strategies on HubPages.

I was only in second grade at the time and had learned the truth from our older brother. I must not have believed him at first because to prove his point he ushered me out to my grandparents’ mobile trailer where my parents had stashed the goodies. And there was the proof – all the toys and gifts we had asked Santa to bring. Eureka! My big brother had obviously stumbled upon a giant secret. Thinking that my sister should also be privy to this discovery, I promptly went to inform her that Santa didn’t exist.

I don’t remember her reaction to the news, but she says she cried. And 35 years later, she still reminds me of my evil deed and gives me a bad time about destroying her belief in Santa. It’s become something of a joke between us, but now that we both have children, I realize just how young she was when I broke the spell, and I feel bad that I was the one who took that magic away from her.

My own son is eight now, and I’m glad he still believes. I’ve tried to keep the magic going for as long as I can, by sending Christmas letters from Santa and reminding him to be on his best behavior to stay on Santa’s Nice List. This year I might even try showing him real Santa pictures of the jolly old elf in our house. But I imagine that some day soon – either this season or perhaps next – one of his friends will break the news and he’ll come to ask us the truth. What will I say?

I’ve learned from experience that often the best answer to these tricky questions is another question: what do YOU think? Often kids don’t want a big long explanation. It reminds me of the joke about a little boy who asked his mom where he came from and she went into a detailed explanation about the birds and the bees. When she finished he said, “But where do I come from? Johnny is from Chicago.”

So my first response will be to find out what he thinks. If he’s not ready to let go of the magic, I will let him continue to believe and tell him that I, too, believe, and we’ll leave it at that. But if, as I suspect, he’s too smart for that and realizes all those shopping mall Santas look different and no one could fly around the whole world in one night, then I’ll have to tell him the truth.

But when I do, I’ll tell him that I still believe in Santa. I believe that the spirit of giving that lives today in the myth of Santa comes to us from the very real spirit of Saint Nicholas, a generous soul who donated his fortune to the poor and spent his life helping those in need, particularly children. His compassion and generosity set a very real example for millions of people who have translated his good deeds into the legend of Santa.

And I believe we are always given gifts in life when we try our best, play well with others, and remember to use our manners. These are qualities Santa always looks for when deciding who goes on the Nice list and who goes on the Naughty list. But we don’t need the fear of Santa’s list to practice these traits. All we need to know is that these qualities will bring us gifts every day of our life. These gifts may not come in boxes, bags, or bows, but they will come to us in the form of lasting friendship, love, and happiness.

I also believe in the magic of Santa. I believe life is miraculous, magical and wonderful, just like Santa, but only those who are willing to believe in the mystery will be able to see the beauty in a world that is also full of war, hunger, hatred and fear. Just as with a belief in Santa, the magic will disappear as soon as you choose to let it go. Belief in magic takes patience and care. Many people cannot see small miracles that happen around them every day because they are so blinded by the trappings of our fast-paced society.

I believe what Santa gives to children and adults alike is the ability to see life through the eyes of a child. We are reminded that it’s important to play and laugh, to let our imagination run wild, and to hope for the impossible. These are things I can believe in.

I hope that when my son realizes Santa is only a symbol for all these good things, he won’t be too disappointed and will still want to share the legend of Santa Claus with his kids some day. I think the world would be a much sadder place without the jolly old elf. I only hope my son agrees.

Reprinted with permission from Is Santa Real? How Do You Answer the Question? by lisadh on Squidoo

They tradition began in England. Sir Henry Cole, a British inventor and civil servant, produced the first commercial holiday cards in 1843. He commissioned an artist named John Horsley to illustrate them, and Cole obliged by drawing a three-panel image that included a family raising their glasses for a toast above the words “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you.” Cole sold over 2000 of the cards for a shilling a piece that year.

Other cards soon followed, although they didn’t look like the cards we’d think of today. Rather than having winter or religious themes, early Christmas cards depicted flowers and fairies and other images that looked forward to the coming of spring.

The first holiday cards in America weren’t offered until more than three decades later. In 1875 Louis Prang became the first printer to offer cards in America. The advent of the postcard brought an end to elaborate Victorian-style cards for awhile, but by the 1920s, cards with envelopes had returned.

Christmas cards have been continually evolving and changing since then. During the World Wars, patriotic themes were popular, while in the 1950s, cartoon illustrations and cards with risque humor caught on. Today you can get holiday cards with a wide range of images and greetings. Nostalgic, sentimental, and religious images continue to be popular, and, now you can also purchase many “unusual” Christmas cards that can do double-duty as Christmas letter, calendars or or tree ornaments. Today’s Christmas cards can be anything from humorous to religious, simple to ornate, small to large, and everything in between.

Unfortunately, sending out printed Christmas cards is a tradition that’s in danger of fading out as more high-tech options become available and more popular. In recent decades, the number of cards sent during the holidays has been declining. The estimated number of cards received by American households dropped from 29 in 1987 to 20 in 2004. Despite the decline, printed cards are still popular – 1.9 billion cards were sent in the U.S. in 2005 alone. And new services that send cards out for you are making it easier to combine the popularity of printed cards with the ease of online ordering.

So even though the tradition of holiday greeting cards may be changing, it should be with us for a long time to come.

Christmas cards have come a long way since the 1800s

Reprinted with permission from The Tradition of Holiday Greeting Cards on Christmas Letter Tips.com.

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“Mom, Dad..is there really a Santa Claus?” Parents have stumbled over the answer to that question for generations! Now they have help. THE SANTA SECRET: THE TRUTH ABOUT SANTA CLAUS answers this question in a uniquely designed book with sections for both parents and children. While the introduction teaches parents how to share the secret without destroying the wonder of Santa, the storybook, the centerpiece of this heirloom-quality book, reveals for children the Santa secret. Not since the New York Sun’s famous editorial, “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” has this issue been so adeptly addressed, and never in book form. THE SANTA SECRET allows parents to share the heartwarming truth: Santa lives through each one of us!

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Characterized by its Capra-esque quality, this acclaimed holiday recording features an ensemble that joins talents from the hard rock, Broadway musical and classical arenas.
Genre: Christmas Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
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Release Date: 15-OCT-1996Is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Eve and Other Stories a holiday rock opera? Or perhaps just a holiday prog-rock disc? Or maybe it’s New Age? Whatever the case may be, this isn’t your typical Christmas album. Filled with electric guitar solos, plenty of synthesized keyboards, a children’s choir, and lively drumming, Christmas Eve can only be compared to one other record, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s other holiday disc, The Christmas Attic. On this CD, angelic vocal solos (on numbers such as “The Prince of Peace”) are interspersed with driving instrumentals. Sentimental, occasionally bombastic, but as high-concept as holiday albums can be. –Jason Verlinde

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Christmas Song

2009 Holiday release. Digitally remastered, expanded and repackaged edition of the classic Nat King Cole Christmas album featuring bonus tracks and new cover art. Of all the songs played during the holiday season, ‘The Christmas Song’ is the most popular. And out of the numerous versions of the song recorded over the years, none come close to Nat King Cole’s flawless recording. This album contains that holiday chestnut plus other classic Christmas tunes sung like only Nat could sing them. Features 20 magical Christmas songs for all to enjoy!

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Many parents may want to write their own letter from Santa Claus so they can make it more personal, but sometimes they’re stumped by the process of writing and creating the letter. They’re not sure what to say or how to make it look fun and colorful. If you’re one of those people, don’t despair! Santa letter templates can help you create a great-looking, personalized letter at home for less than you’d pay a professional Santa letter company. If you want an inexpensive way to create a Santa letter for your child, they may be the answer you’re seeking.

Here are 3 reasons to use Santa letter templates:

Save money. Santa letter templates are usually offered as Microsoft Word documents that you download once, often for less than you’ll pay for a single letter from professional letter companies. You can use it repeatedly simply by editing the text. So if you have three kids or a whole classroom of them, you still only pay for one document, making a Santa letter template cheaper even than some of the offers you’ll find on eBay.

Personalized content. Many professional Santa letter companies only offer one letter design and don’t always let you see what the content of the letter will look like. With a Santa letter template, you can choose your background design, and the content is completely editable, so you can change or add to the existing text. At Santa Letter Templates, each letter also comes with the text for three alternate letters, so you have many options for changing the wording.

No waiting. When you order from a Santa letter company, you have to wait for snail mail to deliver your purchase. With Santa letter templates, you can download your letter as soon as you make your purchase, so there’s no waiting. It’s a great solution for busy parents who miss the ordering deadline of the big sites.

Environmentally friendly. Because Santa letter templates are pdf files that you download from your computer, there’s no need to send put a piece of paper in an envelope, attach a stamp and send in a mail truck or plane, which means less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Your document is delivered instantly to your email box. You can then print it at home, which allows you to use recycled paper or tree-free paper, if you choose.

You can get Santa letter templates right here at Santa Letter Templates.com.

This article originally appeared in an edited version as 3 Reasons to Use Santa Letter Templates on Squidoo.

Thank you all for viewing!!! *: I am not sure if it is ‘The war is so long.’ or ‘The world is so wrong.’ The lyrics site I was checking said it was the last one, but I heard the first one in the song. Celine Dion – So This Is Christmas, with English Subtitle. For the Dutch people: I am Dutch and if you want I can add the Dutch subtitles too. Just mail me. Thank you very much!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

No song evokes holiday season nostalgia like ‘White Christmas.’ With more than 100 million copies sold, Bing Crosby is almost as synonymous with Christmas as Santa. But the star of such film classics as Holiday Inn (1942) and White Christmas (1954) didn’t make the first of his seasonal television specials until 1961 … all major productions available for
the first time since their original broadcast. In this two-DVD/one-CD collector s set, enjoy four of these glittering holiday extravaganzas (1961-1977), carefully restored from the original masters. In what became a family affair with wife Kathryn and children Harry, Nathaniel and Mary Frances Crosby is also joined by a musical who s who, including Bob Hope, Robert Goulet, Mary Martin, Andre Previn, opera star Mary Costa, Terry Thomas, Ron Moody, David Bowie and more.

Bonus CD – Selections from the Bing Crosby Archive series (Collectors Choice Music), including ‘Santa Claus Is
Coming To Town,’ ‘Jingle Bells,’
‘Silent

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The Christmas Sessions

Stocking caps off to Mercyme, the best selling Christian rock band, for making a solid Christmas rock record that ranks as one of the year’s best holiday releases. The Christmas Sessions showcase Bart Millard’s arching pipes and the band’s ability to rock many of the traditional hymns and popular carols without excess or restraint. No mean feat. Even “Silent Night,” here played as it were always a country-rocker (with Amy Grant singing harmony), is rendered with spirited reinvention, while the band’s guitar-driven sound always seems to draw yet more from such classics as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear.” Although the entire group could be accused of being U2′s poor American cousins (despite Millard not yet having achieved the global sainthood of Bono for his humanitarian work), no one is going to be disappointed if this record gets wrapped up with a cool bow and pretty paper, or stuffed in a long stocking hanging on the mantle. Highly recommende

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This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

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LEISURE ARTS CHRISTMAS BOOK 8 "DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE"

US $6.00 End Date: Thursday May-17-2012 23:38:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $6.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEWBERRYS SANTA CLAUS COLORING BOOK toy catalog 1956 and 1961

US $18.00 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 0:09:18 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $18.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Each year, the Christmas concert presented by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square is seen by more than 85,000 people live and by millions more via television broadcast. It is a full-scale production featuring world-class musicians, soloists, dancers, narrators, and music that leaves viewers in awe year after year. This year, the Choir was joined by pop music sensation and platinum recording artist David Archuleta. David s clear and powerful vocals paired with the Choir s classic Christmas sound makes this album a must-have for any Christmas collection.

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A gingerbread house, less gingerbread and more meat. Buy TSHIRTS!! Click Here! epicmealtime.com Like on Facebook! www.facebook.com Follow on Twitter! www.twitter.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

2010 holiday release from the Grammy-winning, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter. 11 tracks including two self-penned yuletide songs plus classics like ‘White Christmas’, ‘Silver Bells’, ‘Silent Night’ and more.

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Anne Murray's Christmas Album by Anne Murray (CD, Jan-2008, EMI Music...

US $6.99 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 1:32:02 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $6.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Various : Christmas In New York

US $15.92 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 1:32:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $15.92 Buy it now | Add to watch list

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This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: The Century co. in 1890 in 192 pages; Subjects: Children; Conduct of life; Voyages, Imaginary; Children’s stories; Juvenile Fiction / General; Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General; Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic; Literary Criticism / Children’s Literature; Self-Help / General; Self-Help / Personal Growth / General; Social Science / Children’s Studies;

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Santa Claus Will Come Tonight

Snow is falling in the forest,Christmas day is almost here,Santa Claus will come tonight;He brings us presents every year.Dawn Apperley’s rhymes and adorable illustrations show how a group of woodland animals prepares for Santa’s arrival: decorating trees, singing Christmas carols, hanging stockings, and more. This is the perfect bedtime story to read to children eager for Santa and Christmas morning! A die-cut hole on the cover reveals Santa flying through the night sky!

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LEISURE ARTS CHRISTMAS BOOK 8 "DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE"

US $6.00 End Date: Thursday May-17-2012 23:38:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $6.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEWBERRYS SANTA CLAUS COLORING BOOK toy catalog 1956 and 1961

US $18.00 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 0:09:18 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $18.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

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Original soundtrack recording of the CBS television special recorded in 1965, tracks include ‘O Tannenbaum’, ‘What Child Is This’, ‘My Little Drum’, ‘Linus and Lucy’, ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ (instrumental), ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ (vocal), ‘Skating’, ‘Hark, The Herald Angels Sing’, ‘Christmas Is Coming’, ‘Fur Elise’, ‘The Christmas Song’ & ‘Greensleeves’. Fantasy Records. 1988.The first time you listen to this disc you will undoubtedly be transported directly back to your childhood. Charles Schulz’s Peanuts characters will go toe-tapping and funky-dancing through your mind’s eye. Play it a few more times, though (ignoring the dialogue snippets, if you can), and you will begin to truly revel in Guaraldi’s wonderful, humorous, deep piano playing. You’ll hear why he’s such an influence on new age ivory tickler George Winston, but you’ll also realize that Winston’s holiday music never quite sparkles with the underlying passion, and humor, that twinkles in these grooves. Buy it for th

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Capitol Stereo The Sound of Christmas Album

US $4.80 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 1:15:02 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $4.80 Buy it now | Add to watch list

VARIOUS**CHRISTMAS IN SWEDEN**CD

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