Christmas Printer

E-cards were born out of email.  They are animated cards which can be sent across the internet to friends and family.   In addition they can be personalized not to mention humorous, witty and fun.  Remember though that to some people they scream lazy or that you are forgetful.

E-cards are great to receive especially if you are chained to a desk and a keyboard, they can certainly brighten up a friend or colleague’s day.  Be careful though in December when everyone is exchanging envelopes, unless you are absolutely sure that your colleagues or friends will happily receive your glorified email, you best pop to the supermarket and buy a pack of charity cards, after all you do not want to look cheap or lazy.  However, if you do opt for the E-card ensures you personalize them well and ensure the recipient’s computer will live up to the graphics.

E-cards are fantastic for friends and family who live abroad.  They are more personal than a Facebook message or a regular email. In this respect they come out tops because when regular mail might fail you, you can be assured that your Christmas wish will reach your recipient the other side of the world if you send them an E-card.  If you know someone who is traveling, or who has simply moved away from the area, the internet is a lifeline to keeping in touch.  Imagine how pleased your recipient will be to see that you have taken the effort to personalize a card on the internet rather than risk it never arriving in the post.  If the more traditional you says send post the card, think about sending an E-card as a back-up just in case the hard copy never gets to its destination.

E-cards are certainly clever and very efficient but people still enjoy the traditional element of Christmas cards and appreciate receiving them through the internal mail or the post.  Not everyone is ready to go twenty first century on their holiday cards as they are on their regular letters which have been made almost obsolete by email.

Christmas is a busy time, not only are you frantically shopping for gifts, trying to socialise with colleagues, attempting to fit into your little black dress in time for New Year and remember to order the turkey or goose, but you have to send your Christmas cards.

Make it easy for yourself.  There is no crime in updating your address book in November.  Make it easy for yourself and get the addresses that you don’t have before you are battling with the dates for last posting.  Not only will this save you time in December, it will also give you an indication as to how many cards you are likely to need.

Buy your cards early too.  By being organised you get to pick the best ones and therefore will not be stung for buying all the luxury cards because you left it too late.  This will only be annoying when they are reduced in January.  (Incidentally if you are extra organised, you can buy them in the sales the year before)

You are at your leisure to begin writing them now.   You need not send them until December but make it more enjoyable and less of a chore. Sit down with a nice hot toddy and enjoy the process of writing cards rather than rushing it the day before they must be posted.

If you make your own cards you will probably be aware that it is wise to start thinking about them before the summer is out.  Of course this depends how many you intend to make.  It might be that you only intend to make one or two for select people – either way remember that this will take more time than cracking open a box so be prepared.

Ensure that you get your stamps in good time too.  You can even order them online making there no excuses for missing the last post before Christmas.

The key to keeping stress away is definitely organisation.  Make sure you are all ready to send those cards as soon as it is acceptable to do so – that way you have time to make good any you forget, or which get lost in the post.

Christmas cards are attractive, decorative and meaningful for the 12 days that they spend on the mantle. However, the Christmas card is doomed to fatality once January comes knocking on the door. What do you do with yours?
It seems that our social responsibility before Christmas is far more at the forefront of people’s minds before Christmas than the environment is after. Unfortunately many people tend to forget the problems with deforestation and melting glaciers while then waddle to the bin, full from eating a wealth of food, to dump in this year’s Christmas card selection.
Have a think about all the paper that we use at Christmas time. Many shops, supermarkets or councils will offer schemes where cards, paper and trees can be recycled for the good of Mother Nature. Contributing to such schemes will help the environment and set a good example for younger generations, whom it is hoped, will grow up with an innate awareness of the world we live in.
It might be that you could think about the implications of the cards you use and the paper you tear apart in the run up to Christmas. Some wrapping papers are not recyclable and this is heartbreaking when you think of the tonnes that are destined for the bin before it has even reached the checkout. Think of alternative ideas to using this paper. Brown paper can be decorated using stamps, ribbons and tags and can end its life in the recycle bin. It will also make your present stand out and look arty. Similarly, newspaper can look effective if used as wrapping paper so long as you beware of the print that could rub off.
If you or your family are sentimental it might be possible to give a card that doubles up as a present. This may consist of a photo, a painting or even double up as a Christmas tree gift. This is particularly possible if you make your own cards. The result is that your greeting can be added to the Christmas decoration collection or at the very least a box of treasures.

One small way in which to have a “green” Christmas involves a traditional symbol of the holiday, The Christmas tree.  It is mind boggling when you think of the number of households each year, in the U.S. and abroad, that decorate a tree.  I have absolutely no concept of the numbers of trees involved in Christmas celebrations each year, but it is immense.

Trees can be artificial, or real and already pre-cut so you can simply go to a local Boy Scout troop or other organization and purchase one.  You can also go to a local tree farm, pick out your favorite tree, cut it down and take it home.

Another option, the “green” one, is to purchase a live tree with its ball of roots intact.  Decorate it and use it inside your home as usual, but plant the tree outside when Christmas is over.

If you consider this option, here are a few recommendations from David Beaulieu:

-Dig the hole for planting long before Christmas so you will not have to dig in frozen dirt.  Bring the dirt you remove inside to keep it from freezing.

-Keep the tree watered (the rootball).

-Avoid large temperature swings for the tree.  Place the tree in the coolest spot in the house and do not keep it in the warm house for too long.

- The tree needs a 2 week transitional period temperature-wise.  After Christmas, take it out of the warm house, but not out into freezing temperatures right away.  David Beaulieu recommends storing it in a garage during this period.

-The roots should be unwrapped before planting.  After planting, water and mulch.

This time of year when holiday stress can take its toll, take time out to enjoy a bit of humor.  It is amazing what a good laugh can do for your spirits.  TV shows, magazines, comedy acts…humor abounds.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Roses are reddish
Violets are bluish
If it weren’t for Christmas
We’d all be Jewish.  Benny Hill

Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money.   Author Unknown

Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money.   Author Unknown

The Christmas season has come to mean the period when the public plays Santa Claus to the merchants.   John Andrew Holmes

A Christmas shopper’s complaint is one of long-standing.  Unknown

Santa Claus wears a Red Suit,
He must be a communist.
And a beard and long hair,
Must be a pacifist.
What’s in that pipe that he’s smoking?  Arlo Guthrie

I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white man would be coming into my neighborhood after dark.  Dick Gregory

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.  Shirley Temple

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claustrophobic.

Many plants are associated with the Christmas season, from the Christmas tree to holly, poinsettias, Christmas cactus and mistletoe.  For those of us who live in a northern climate, and are surrounded by snow and dead plants, it reminds us that spring will be coming and puts a bit of color in our lives.

The Christmas cactus has been a favorite houseplant for generations.  Not only have these plants been around for generations, but they may, quite literally, be with a family for more than one generation.  They have such a long life and are easy to grow.

In Swedish and Finnish, poinsettia means “The Star of Christmas”.

Poinsettias are sub-tropical plants, native to Mexico.  What beauty and color they bring to our homes during the Christmas season!  These plants are available in red, white, yellow, pink, and other color combinations, including marbled.

Holly is another highly desired Christmas plant.  The stunning evergreen foliage and bright red berries bring color to the winter scene.  Just be careful what you purchase, as some English holly plants can grow very high (15 feet!).

And what would Christmas be without a kiss under the mistletoe? Traditionally, young men and women were able to kiss under the mistletoe.  Each time they did so, a berry was plucked from the plant.  When all the berries were gone, there was no more kissing allowed under that plant.  White mistletoe berries provide a nice addition to red holly berries in the house at Christmas.

Christmas is such a heart-warming, festive time of year, and one in which we do much to decorate our homes to match the spirit of the holidays.  We need to be well-aware, however, of the real dangers that this decorating may pose for our young children.  Many hazards exist, and I will just mention a few here:

-Dogs and children love to play with things that sparkle and shine.  Do not hang breakable ornaments low on the tree within reach of animals and children.  Children, especially, can break glass ornaments and be cut badly.  If you need to decorate the bottom of the tree, use plastic or wood decorations.

-Make sure all extra cords, including extension cords, are not laying out where children, animals or the elderly may trip over them.

-Be aware of safety issues with any plants you bring into the house during the holidays.  A few will be addressed here:

• Consuming mistletoe by young children or pets causes severe stomach cramps and diarrhea.  It can be fatal.

• I never had a poinsettia plant in my house when my children were young because I was told that poinsettias were poisonous.  That, however, is a myth.  You should be aware, though, that poinsettia sap that can ooze from the branches can cause contact dermatitis in some people.  Make sure not to touch your eyes after touching the sap.

• Holly berries “being violently emetic and purgative” (per David Beaulieu), can cause excessive vomiting soon after they are swallowed.

So, enjoy the Christmas season, but be cognizant of hazards which may be facing your children and pets as you bring so many new items into your home.

One of my favorite memories of Christmas is making cookies with my family.  Admittedly, my memory was actually of frosting, decorating, and EATING the cookies.  My mom performed the hardest part, making the cookie dough, rolling it with a rolling pin, cutting out the cookies, and baking them.  As we children got older, we also helped with cutting out the cookies.

Making Christmas cookies has continued as a tradition with my children as well.  There is nothing more fun, and snug, than frosting and decorating cookies together on a cold winter’s day.  Just make sure there are at least 3 different colors of frosting, preferably white, red, and green.  Cinnamon hearts and a variety of Christmas sprinkles are basics for décor.

Our favorite Christmas cookie recipe can be found in the long time classic, “The Joy of Cooking”.  It is a recipe for Rich Roll Cookies and is as follows:

Cream:

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

Beat in:

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine and add:

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

Chill for 3-4 hours to make rolling easier.  Cut out cookies and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Favorite Frosting

This frosting tastes good on anything from cakes to cookies to cupcakes.  But it is exceptional on rolled cutout cookies.  And it is so simple to make.  You can find the recipe on a box of Domino Confectioners Sugar.  Simply mix the following ingredients together, slowly at first and then on medium speed for 1-2 minutes:

3 ¾ cups confectioners sugar

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

3-4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is my very favorite holiday.  I look forward to it each year and try to make it as special for my children as my parents did for me.  In recent years, however, there seems to be some agitation between various religious groups surrounding the holiday.

When I was Director of Marketing for a nonprofit group serving women and children, our organization put up a Christmas tree in a local bank.  The tree was decorated with ornaments made by the children and customers had the opportunity to purchase an ornament and thereby support our cause.  I was devastated to learn that we had to remove the tree because one of the non-Christian bank customers had complained about it.

According to Wikipedia, in 2008, 76% of the U.S. population identified themselves as Christian.  One can assume therefore that Christmas is a holiday enjoyed by a majority of U.S. citizens, and religious minorities should expect that Christmas activities will blanket the country in December. I don’t believe that Christians should be limited in their celebration.

On the other hand, I realize it is very difficult to be a non-Christian during this time of the year.  It must be especially hard for children.  The more recent development which makes dealing with the season even more onerous for non-Christians is the extension of the commercial timeframe.  Last year local department stores began decorating with Christmas décor BEFORE Thanksgiving.

Adam Sandler sang a series of songs about Chanukah, which address the theme of Jewish children feeling left out during the Christmas season.  They are humorous songs, but indicative of some of the stress and alienation that exists.

So this year I am hoping we can all make an effort to enjoy our respective religious holidays without limiting what others can do.  Be sensitive to those of all religions and respect their ability to celebrate as they wish.  The holiday season should be filled with love and living in harmony.

“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree…”  We all know the lyrics to this fun song.  But do we know its origin?  What is the significance of a “partridge in a pear tree” or of “five gold rings”?  There seem to be 2 different theories that are espoused.

The song is a cumulative song, with each verse building upon the previous verse.  The first theory relates the song to a time of religious persecution when Catholics were prohibited from practicing their faith in England.  The twelve days of Christmas are the 12 days between Christmas Day, the birth of Jesus, and the Epiphany, Jan. 6^th.

According to this tenet, the song was written as a type of secret catechism to help Christians learn when it was dangerous to put anything relating to Catholicism in writing.  Each item in the song symbolizes a religious truth as follows:

Partridge in a Pear Tree = Jesus

2 Turtle Doves = Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity

4 Calling Birds = The Four Gospels/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings = The first 5 books of the Old Testament

6 Geese A-Laying = The six days of Creation

7 Swans A-swimming = The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

8 Maids A-milking = The 8 Beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing = The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping = The Ten Commandments

11 Pipers Piping = The 11 faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming = The 12 pts. of doctrine in The Apostles’ Creed

The “true love” in the song refers to God, and “me” refers to all Christians.

Others feel that The Twelve Days of Christmas dates back to the book “Mirth without Mischief”, published in 1780.  In the book they describe The Twelve Days of Christmas as a “memory and forfeits game” played by children of that era.  In that game, the leader recited the first verse, the next child the second and so on until someone missed their verse and had to pay a type of penalty.  According to this explanation, The Twelve Days of Christmas was a part of celebrations called “12^th night parties” that were popular during the Christmas season.

Regardless of the true origin of The Twelve Days of Christmas, it remains a popular song to this day.