1.  Ensure you use a planner to diarize times to celebrate the Christmas season doing special festive activities together.  This will ensure you get to create some magical festive memories that will be cherished for years to come.  It also has the possibility of creating annual traditions that you will all look forward to too each year.

2.  Diarize a date as a family to go see the Christmas sights in your city such as the tree lighting ceremony in your city-square or local park.  Go see the special Christmas shop window displays in your major city and you could even check out some of the big hotel foyer decorations – some even put on Christmas themed puppet shows or moving festive displays on the hour!

3.  Diarize to go for a family walk to view the Christmas and holiday decorated homes in your local streets.  You could even research and then visit the most popular decorated street or streets in your city.  This can be a magical time together while enjoying a feast for your eyes and a leisurely yet healthy stroll together.

4.  Research and diarize a local carol’s by candlelight in your area or you could find the most popular carol’s event and send out invites to not only extended family but friends too to join the night in song and celebration together.  Often you can bring a picnic and make it a truly special time sharing together this momentous occasion.

5.  Diarize a Christmas cookie-baking day together with your kids.  There are many free recipes available on the net.  Put on some of your favorite Christmas music in the background to create a magical atmosphere.  It can be fun for the kids to take turns adding mixture and stirring while making a Christmas wish.  Decorating can also be a lot of fun as you all get creative.  Expect that you all, as well as the kitchen, get messy and make that part of the fun together.   Come with the expectation to create some quality time and magical memories making Christmas biscuits for gifts for others this year as a family. If it doesn’t turn out, you could feed the local ducks or birds as a special Christmas treat and you can always try another recipe and have another fun baking day together!

Once you’ve made some great biscuits, you could use jars to place them in and make your own hand-made labels with Christmas wishes.   Wrap your jars in festive colored cellophane and tie with a Christmas ribbon.  You could make a basket full and together as a family go give out to people at the local nursing home or retirement village near you.  Plan to do something as a family to give back to the community.  Alternatively, you could volunteer at places like the Salvation Army, a soup kitchen or a local community group.  Doing something as a family that gives without the expectation of anything in return for others, is experiencing first hand the real spirit of the season.  You’re also teaching your children community care, service and responsibility.  Imagine the heart connection between you all, much stronger and the new local friends and smiles you will meet!

So enjoy the festive holiday season with your family creating great memories and connecting more deeply as a family by doing festive activities together.  Remember, it’s not things that are often remembered and cherished now or later in life, it’s quality time together; doing special and memorable things together, creating traditions and heart-felt connections.  If you would like to find out about more festive fun traditions come visit www.HohoHoChristmas.com

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house………’  is probably one of the best known Christmas poems of them all. This is an oldie from 1974. The famous is recited by a mouse in this cute cartoon.

Everyone should see this news report.

On December 24, 1963 flyers across the U.S. reported spotting an unknown flying object. Frank Kingston Smith published his account of the story, and flying on Christmas has never been the same.

Find out what happens when a red sled and nine reindeer are really sighted in the Christmas skies.

Narrated by Frank Kingston Smith Jr. Original Music by Alex Clements Sound by Dave Wallace and Jeffrey Corkum Animation by Anastasia Pavlova Produced by Bob Weis

This version of an old song is very cute and well done in cartoon form. Certainly worth watching and I hope it brings a smile to your face. Santa with his tapping foot and the reindeer singing the solo are fantastic.

In 2007, there were 10,000 injuries and 11 deaths reported from fireworks. Most of the injuries were to the eyes, hands and legs. Burns accounted for more than 50% of these injuries. The majority of these injuries was due to carelessness and could have been prevented if safety precautions were taken.

Preventing Serious Injury

You can still enjoy the fireworks and all the fun that goes along with the Fourth of July celebration if you just follow some common sense safety rules.

• If you are going to shoot off your own fireworks, make sure to use legal consumer fireworks
• Have a bucket of water handy
• Never use glass or metal containers to shoot off fireworks
• If you are drinking alcohol do not shoot off fireworks. Just like driving, your judgment and reflexes are impaired
• Make sure everybody is a safe distance away from where the fireworks are being shot off
• Small children should not hold sparklers. They heat up to 2000 degrees and can cause serious burns. They can be put into the ground and lit by an adult. You can line as many as you want and put a light show on for the children. When the sparkles are finished, be sure to douse them with water and dispose of them. Many children have suffered serious burns by picking up sparklers that were still very hot.
• If a firework or firecracker does not go off after lighting, DO NOT pick it up or get too close to it. Wait a few minutes or a reasonable amount of time, and douse it with water.
• Do not light firecrackers and throw them into crowds of people. Not only are they loud, but they can cause serious injuries. Remember, they are an explosive and need to be treated as such.
• Leave the shooting of large fireworks to the pyrotechnic professionals. They are licensed and trained to do this safely.

These safety tips will help keep your Fourth of July holiday fun and out of the hospital emergency room. With everybody using a little common sense when it comes to fireworks, this year should be a lot safer.