If you’ve followed tradition in this country, chances are that you’ve left all your Christmas shopping to the last minute, again!!!, that includes buying a tree probably.

Maybe you’ve left it so late that the local nursery or garden centre has sold out. Maybe you’re shocked by how much a Christmas tree costs these days.

A six foot, Abies Nordmanniana (Nordmann Fir) costs around seventy pounds, that’s a lot of money. A Picea Abies (Norway Spruce), which is the original Christmas tree is slightly cheaper, but looses its needles and makes a mess.

The Christmas tree industry is huge, but it also produces a lot of waste.

Although trees can be chipped or composted, essentially, trees are grown on large areas of land as a monoculture. They are usually imported to this country using massive amounts of energy, decorated, then thrown away.

My very simple alternative is to use a branch and decorate it. Broken branches are best.

It’s a fantastic seasonal activity that the children will look forward to, every year. You can take the children out to find a branch, and it’s great wondering what tree you’ll have this time.

My family do this every year. This year I got a damaged Quercus Cerris (Turkey Oak) from work.

I think it teaches children to be creative. You don’t limit yourself to one tree, and it gives you the opportunity to learn more about your surroundings. It also teaches children that nature can provide for us. It’s free and fun. Just remember to enjoy the whole process. Happy christmas.

Leslie Brindley

Its always recommended to discuss with the little ones in the family about the situation.  How they feel about it.  Hugs always come in handy.  Specially during the challenging times,.  

If possibly confronting the family member or friend who is doing the dysfunctional conduct to find out what is wrong, if they don’t want to discuss it, then ask them to take a chill or etc. However, they are encouaged to “not” mess up everybody elses “Holiday’s”.  If they can discuss it at a later time in private, when they feel better, absolutely.  In a calm matter.  Always hug your family, friends.  Always remind them how important they are to you.     

Of if a family member friend get out of hand.  That’s when you ask them to stop if they don’t they need to leave.  Christmas, the New Years eve and after should be enjoyed by all. The Holidays are not done yet, enjoying the Holiday gifts and the food and family,.  Standing up to family, friends, etc’s announce should never be tolerated either during or after the Holidays or when ever a family function or etc.                             That’s when tough love kicks in.  And, it says “stop now”.

Beings the Holiday’s bring somewhat unique attitudes out in a select (few) people, depending on where they go,. Or who they come across,. Their day can take a turn for the worst. And, depending on how they react to it or etc.. will possibly affect their surroundings. Their misconduct or etc, such as family or friends they come across. And, if they may drink or do drugs, etc.. it will only make the situation worse. Or worse                           yet, if they have been mentally challenged. 

Getting lots of education on how to have patience management, tolerance management.  You gotta be who you are.  And, take deep breathes. And, believe in yourself.  Talking to your family members about your Holiday experiences,. 

Ask for help.  You deserve a healthy, happy, festive, motivational Christmas and New Year.  Despite the unfortunate situation. 

Even when the Holidays are winding down.  Scars may be forming because of your situation. Again, start talking. Change your life, routine. If need be cry. Realize your situation hurt you.  And, you don’t have to get used to it. 

Image via Wikipedia

No. It is almost, but not quite. This is the magic that Christmas I see. The atmosphere is so incredible, with all these lights and Christmas trees! I love this period of the year. Some of love it step, or even hated it, but me, I am there meaning well. I know that you must say: “Ah, he is young, it is surely because of the gifts!”. But not…

It is the family gathering.

Uncle. Aunt. Grand-parent. Cousin. Cousin. Other in addition as and as. This is makes me happy at dead. I could describe this strange sensation. It is just so beautiful. I am lucky: several families turned back and removable the pleasure of the holiday season.

This is what I regret most!

Why are some families not able to live United? I rent my family to have been able to preserve this good agreement between our members. I look around me, sometimes, and this is that I see where we go. Where most of the world is heading. Towards a world separate, and this, even between own family!

The gifts?

Oh the gifts! It is beautiful! Not! I find damage that would be the purpose of gathering. I would like to better that he should have no that anything if it can separate families. Only be family should be the principal. This is the priority. This is the magic of the holiday was introduced.

The magic?

Life is stressful… Do you not say the opposite. Why not be able to relax, laugh… to talk only about family. Strengthen family ties. I think this is a new problem that emerged: a rejection. Some families are; It is a big mistake! Companies are greatly happy holiday you tell me, but why would you not also happy? Why not take the holiday season to taste the sweetness of the magic.

Take only the time to think.

The magic is there, everywhere. 

She asked to be entered! What do you expect?

Is this not the beginning of a new year?

It is during such times when your kitchen is filled with plenty of bin bags filled with waste, this is a season when the earth is abused immensely with loads of waste generated during the festive season.
There are several in which you can reduce on Christmas waste without losing the holiday cheer. The following are some practical ways, in which you can use to reduce on Christmas waste.

Reuse your shopping bags

Reduce on the number of plastic bags that you go home with, after your holiday shopping. Take reusable bags with you when going for your holiday shopping and reduce on the number of plastic bags you take home this Christmas Season.

Gifting

The tradition of giving out gifts to friends, family and charities is high during the Christmas season. Give out gifts that you have never used at all to someone else. You can also give out items that you don’t need or have slightly used to charities to help you remove clutter from your home. When buying gifts, look for products that are made from recycled materials and keep the environment safe from waste.

Buy Rechargeable batteries

If most of the gifts that you are buying operate on batteries, then consider buying rechargeable batteries, rather than disposable batteries as a way of reducing on waste.
Be different this time, and give house plants or potted plants as Christmas gifts especially if the person you are buying the gift for likes gardening. You can also give out tickets to a big game as way of reducing on Christmas waste.

Gifts made out of recycled material such as welcome mat made from sisal, surface cushion tiles made from recycled tires are some of the unique gifts made from recycled material that you can give out as gifts.

Reuse wrapping paper

When wrapping Christmas gifts, you should make use of reusable decorative boxes or gift bags instead of buying more wrapping paper. You can cut the pictures of old Christmas cards and use them creatively as gift tags.
Buy Christmas cards made from recycled paper or send e-cards instead, and save on stamps and that don’t require you to drive when delivering them.

Use last year’s decorations

Instead of buying new decorations every year, use the old ones and reduce on Christmas waste. After every Christmas season, keep the decorations for reuse the following year and reduce on waste and save some money.

Recycle as much as possible

After the holiday celebrations, it is time to clean up the mess. Start with the paper waste, if there are pieces of paper that you can reuse, keep them.

There are some towns that have paper recycling projects, you can take the paper waste to such a place for recycling as a way of reducing on waste. Save any reusable ribbons, gift bags, cards and other materials for next year instead of buying new ones.

Other items that can be recycled

Instead of throwing away bottles, plastics, card-boards, cans, you can recycle these items and reduce on the waste. Clean all your glass jars and cans and keep them for future use instead of trashing them

You should also recycle your Christmas tree and store it away until next year. Buy an artificial tree which you can use for many years. According to  Cygnus Groups and the Environmental News Network, About 50 million Christmas tress are purchased in the U.S. About 30 million of these trees go to the landfill. 1 acre of Christmas trees produces a daily oxygen supply for 18 people

Prepare only what you can consume

During the Christmas season, most people are fond of preparing excessive amounts of food. Food is an organic compound and it generates methane gas if the waste is not properly managed. When you compost your food waste properly, you will be helping the planet.

Give gifts that promote life style changes that are Eco friendly

Gifts such as cloth napkins and a matching tablecloth, a compost bin, reusable picnic sets, stationary made from recycled paper are among the many items that you can offer as gifts this Christmas season.

Christmas is around the corner and our perception of christmas are about Christmas trees, mistletoes, gifts, festive feast, snow, snowmen, candles and singing carols. It is a celebration with friends and families.

However, in some countries, their celebrations are unique.

Here are some countries with their unique customs.

Iceland

The big continent of ice are covered most part of the country. Therefore, trees are particular hard to grow. Instead of the traditional Christmas tree we seen on tv, Icelanders use a straight and long stick to substitute the real tree.The stick will be put firmly on the ground and another wood log will be put on the top of it, which makes it look like a tree. After that, the Christmas decorations can be put on the tree.

In Iceland, the Christmas meal is not the turkey. Simply said, due to the cold weather, vegetables and turkey are out of the menu. They replace turkey with mutton. Hence, is you are a mutton or lamb fan, congratulation, during Christmas season, one can taste a variety of mutton meals to the fullest.

Denmark

Danish celebrates new year on 23rd of December. On that day, they will prepare roast duck, roast goose or roast pork with potatoes, red cabbage and kale. The dessert is milk porridge and add a single almond. The lucky person that has the almond will receive a gift and be lucky in the coming year.

Sweden

Swedish believes there are elves living under the roof. Every Christmas, they will put a bowl of milk porridge on the roof and adding a few cream ball to satisfy the elves. In doing this, they wish the elves continuing protecting the family and have a happy yet safe year.

On 13th of December, Swedish has a festival named St Lucy’s Day. The youngest daughter will put on white robe with red sash. Candles are lighting on the top of her crown.

Later, the wreath will put on their neck to symbolize the light on winter night. The wreath is made of leaves and berries.

This custom has a myth. Lucia was a kind and generous girl. She dispensing her inherited fortune to the poor. However, her good deeds were not approved by her families. They went to the judge and Lucia was sentenced to burn alive. However, she was unscathed in the fire. Therefore, Swedish regards her as the saint.

Norway

Norway Christmas has the most light of all Europe. Norwegians light up the first candle four weeks before Christmas and adding one candle each day until Christmas.

The Norwegians also prepared the rice porridge and served to the “Nissen” who believed to be living in the barn, outside of the house and forest.

England

Mistletoe plays a unique role in English’s Christmas. As we know, whoever is standing under the mistletoe or whoever is holding the mistletoe over the top of your head could kiss you or be kissed. This must be a night full of kisses.

Holland

The Dutch has a unique way to celebrate their Christmas. On 6th of December, the kids will receive their gifts. Yes, it is too early compares with another countries. It has its reason. During seafarers’ times, the ships will arrive home on the 6th of December. Everyone gathered at the Amsterdam port to greet their families and friends. The seafarers will give away vegetables or fruits to the kids. To them, this is their Christmas gift.

France

Kids in France will not hang their stocking, instead they will put their shoes by the fireplace.

Kids will prepare a glass of water and an orange to serve the Santa Claus. They consider the efforts of Santa Claus that have to deliver a lot of gifts and it must be tired. Therefore, the water and the orange will place underneath the Christmas tree for Santa’s to have a little break before continuing his journey.

Italy

Do you know that in Italy the kids believe gifts are not delivering by Santa? Instead the gifts are delivering by a witch named Beffana on her broom. She left presents in the stokings and shoes for the children. So when the witch left, there are dust and speckles of coal left behind.

Germany

In 1880, a glass blower master invented a decoration that has still be performed today. At Thuringia, the glass maker blew an apple like ball and put it on the top of Christmas tree. Also, the children put their shoes outside rather than hanging stockings.

Ian Richards was forced to celebrate a Christmas party years in prison. He had to undergo 18 months imprisonment for knowingly intoxicating plant.

Kent Police, Britain was already investigating Richards is believed to be a bookie marijuana dealer. When they searched his house, it turns out most of the marijuana hidpronik was already filled with Christmas decorations.

“By changing 1.5 meters tall marijuana tree as a Christmas tree, proving that Richards did not respect the law at all,” said Chief of Police Derren Dennett as quoted by the Daily Mail, Saturday (24/12/2011).

Police also found one room house converted into a marijuana plant harvest.

“He admitted to plant trees as the personal consumption of marijuana. But through the existing findings clearly prove he was selling marijuana in bulk,” he explained.

In fact from the middle of December life starts to be slow. Even if you are a workaholic it might be hard to arrange a meeting with more then 2 people. They are off, or they are shopping. From the 24th of December the life..I mean the usual business life…is definitely hanging and even if you want, you can’t work anymore.

That’s what I like. Even if the majority of the society is not religious anymore, Christmas became a modern celebration and still a serious off. Some says it became totally commercialized which is true, but I do not mind it. I think consuming, buying presents is still a nice habit…definitely nicer than killing people.

Image via Wikipedia

I also like the rituals around Christmas. We do something that we do only once year. Decorating the streets, the houses or even only the window. Buying/making present, wrapping them. Buying Christmas tree and decorating it from the boxes where you keep the decorations and those boxes you never touch until the next Christmas. I like all these. 

The smell of the Christmas tree, the shiny decorations, the nicely done dinner, the quality time of the family. I really love Christmas….

Image by paparutzi via Flickr

This will be my first Christmas in the United States. 

Back in October, I discovered that America loves holidays! Coming from a different culture, I found the zest and enthusiasm phenomenal. 

Christmas is now here – a time to come together as family, share love, have fun, exchange gifts. Did I mention decorate? The shimmering lights on houses, trees, streets, lamp posts are a sight to behold. A neighbor has big red bows on their car. (Back home, I think you’d either be stopped by cops or people would assume you are part of a funeral procession)

 And then of course there is the the commercialization and consumerism. Plenty of advertising and shopping. 

 And the absence (or ill-concealed efforts to blot) the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Hence the debate whether to wish happy holidays or merry Christmas. Many advertisers going with the former of course. 

 The pain 

 Africa is working hard to grow and develop, to catch up with the first world/developed countries. Yet societies are rarely picky when it comes to development – they grow en masse, pick up the good, bad and ugly.. So with all the good that can come out of ‘growth” there is the flip side of imbibing all the “bad” with it. 

And especially so when the “development” is donor driven (we’ll swing right back to Christmas story shortly, hang on). 

Aid and grants from the western world to Africa come with very long and tight strings attached. I am glad for an emerging crop of leaders in Africa who recognize that the key to a flourishing continent does not lie in aid but in educating and equipping a person with necessary skills. 

 I think I will like my Christmas here in the States. 

But not without a wish list.

I want Africa to maintain its innocence. Its warmth, deep family and relational roots. Where I don’t need a gift to know am loved. You call me all the time, you visit with me, make time for me, pop in un-announced, eat my food, freely get all over my business when there is need. Am there for the birth of your kids, I know your best friends, I stalk you all the time and it’s okay. 

I don’t want Africa to loose itself even as it catch’s up economically with everyone else. 

Well, am allowed to dream.

Jeff Goins has great post on Rediscovering the true spirit of Christmas. In his days, December 25th concluded with a nervous question from parents “so, did you get everything you wanted?” 

“Are you kidding me? Everything I wanted? Is this what we want to teach our children about life? That you can get everything you want? My parents had the best of intentions at heart. Most do. But this is telling of our culture. Maybe it’s America. Maybe it’s humanity at its most broken. But I shudder to think of the implications of that phrase: everything you want.”

It is the simplicity of Christmas which makes is so beautiful – a child in a manger. 

But o boy we’ve made it complex -what with the gift lists, shopping frenzies, advertising, planning, travels and meals, making everyone happy and comfortable. 

It’s become too complex to stick with the main story – child in a manger. 

It’s about “others”. 

No longer about Him. 

We have to be politically correct now. 

Inclusive. 

Tolerant. 

I mean, come on, whose holiday is it? 

Amazing how “Christians” are breaking their backs trying to “include” everyone, even those who do not believe as we do. Who is trying to make, say, Islamic holidays more “inclusive and tolerant of other faiths and religions?”

Okay. Back to my Christmas story. 

I grew up in the village. A typical African village to be exact. So my story is slightly different from those who grew up in the cities. 

My earliest memories of Christmas as a child

The food. 

The most delicious and rare meals showed up on this day. My brother who was in the army brought incredibly exotic treats. Mum did not supervise our food portions, (cos some of us usualy ate like crazy), we got away with weird table manners (like stashing away food to exchange /show off to our friends), had huge barbecues (called nyama choma in Swahili) and we nibbled late into the night. And oh another brother did not hustle us for our plates cos he’d has his fill. O the bliss. 

The chores. 

I don’t mean vacuuming, emptying the trash , cleaning the bathrooms or tidying up the bedroom. Our chores were tending the cattle, sheep and goats, farm work, gathering firewood e.t.c. All animals were in their pens on Christmas, no farm work a few days before and after Christmas. We loved Jesus for being born on that day, for giving us a break from all the work.

Church. 

Everyone went to church on Christmas eve or Christmas day. And I mean everyone. Even the heathens (those who did not attend the rest of the year).  I remember sitting in service on Christmas Eve, waiting for the antic of the year from the village drunk…or just something – from murmurs to shuffling feet from those of “little faith”. It was about the birth of Jesus and there was always unity and commitment to that. At our house, Christmas service was a given (we never missed church anyway) but this time, we dressed up more.

Santa. 

We did not know that we could send letters to santa claus. To us, santa was just a picture on a coloured gift wrapper/decorations for the Christmas tree. We did not even think twice about his existence (he did not exist). If we got gifts, we knew where they came from i.e parents. I heard about st Nicholas as an adult…still trying to make sense of it.

Gifts. 

We did not have a gift-list to present to our parents or other relatives. Our parents decided what they would get us. And if they did, it was mostly functional – dresses, trousers and items for the house. Nothing to stock up a playroom to high ceiling. (Our playrooms were the open grassy countrysides anyway). Again, gifts were not a guarantee. We did not fuss about it, were happy without them and just enjoyed the day. 

Christmas tree. 

It was chopped off from our fence. The decorations included cotton wool (to represent snow!) and other glittery stringy things. It went up on the week of Christmas and came down shortly thereafter. I loved stringing decorations around the house more than putting them on the Christmas tree itself. My brother also got an opportunity to display his Christmas artwork in the house. That boy could draw!

Family. 

Most city folk traveled back to the countryside to be with family during this season. So this was the time to meet and see new neighbors, snotty cousins, fancy cars. People hang out along the roads talking, dropped in each other’s houses, celebrated late into the night. The air was just different during Christmas. Even the cattle rustlers tried to stay away then.

Christmas in rural Africa remains pretty much the same. It is very different in the cities though.

My wish list remains – that we’d keep Christmas simple. 

As it was in the day He was born. 

A child in a manjor. 

Born to reconcile us to the Father. 

Image by paparutzi via Flickr

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…….(and that beautiful guitar strumming in)

Jack Frost Nipping At Your Nose (strings)

You get the message.  As a child this song evoked some of the most beautiful images in the world. It was a cozy song, happy song, a song filled with so much promise of a good Christmas and Santa Claus himself.  And love as well.  I remember when I was about four years old and my younger sister being two.  This was one of the best Christmases in the world.  My mother had a unique idea that people put up their Christmas trees far too soon, therefore it was traditional for  us to go out on Christmas Eve and get this towering tree.  My older siblings would deck it with Angel hair, icicles, bows, all kinds of ornaments and bells with that top angel on the tree.  We would be so enchanted and happy with this.  And we had a big family and at that time only my eldest sister had married and moved away.  Everyone was still at home; beautiful aromas were permeating the home from the kitchen.

My sister and I were told over and over to get to sleep so that we could wake up and see our gifts that Santa would leave us.  We had a real fire burning fireplace and were allowed to sit a treat of cake or cookies and sometimes ham and potato salad there so that he could eat since his job was so hard.  We wrestled with sleep that night because  we were keyed up so badly…..and then we heard something.  We heard bells and figured that it was Santa and his reindeer sailing over our home to land.  Would you believe that we were ready to take a quick nap then?  I guess in our mind, the wait was over. We woke to half the living room filled with so many presents we couldn’t believe it.  We three younger girls had dolls, my brother a sled, all kinds of tea sets and table and chair, bicycle and books and clothes.  I could cry with the thought of all this beauty and more than anything, the love that was heaped on us.  You best believe we tried to be nice to get a repeat of this, although we often failed.

But that song, called the Christmas Song personifies our Christmases here.  They are oftentimes white just as kids learn to love and they are cold, usually.  It’s funny that Mel Torme, a Chicago Born gentleman wrote the song and a Chicago Born singer Nat King Cole made it so romantically famous.  I think it’s ironic that we have a mean temperature colder than that of Southern Alaska right here.   Our winters can be brutal and I have witnessed countless bad ones.  Still it’s our home and we are pretty well adapted to it.  Seldom do I don a hat or gloves until the temperature goes to the teens.  People wonder why I don’t get a cold and again I say adaptability.  It’s the same as me wondering what people do in the Southern States for the heat.  Again, adaptability. 

Image via Wikipedia

Yes, the Christmas song sort of seems like it belongs to us.  We love it and we loved both the Writer/Singer and the Singer who made it so famous.  They were beautiful, talented men.  Mr. Torme was raised on the North side of town and Mr. Cole, in our Community, the South Side.  I just can’t praise that song without praising them as well.  And for those who celebrate the Christmas season, may I say “Merry Christmas Baby” too, made famous by the late Charles Brown!

Image by paparutzi via Flickr

The Christmas tree and Santa Claus are the most symbolic figures of christmas. Christmas trees can be found in almost every shopping centre during the holiday. Santa Claus is a person that delivers christmas presents with a sleigh and a dozen of reindeers on the night of 24th december. It is a fairytale but many children tend to believe in him.

During Christmas, people enjoy themselves. They go shopping on Boxing day, hang out with their friends and also have Christmas parties. Many high schools have Christmas balls before the 25th of december.

Christmas is the longest holiday of the whole year, enjoy the holiday, seasons greetings