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Over the years, the idea of special Christmas programming has become an assumed part of our cultural heritage as Americans. The clay mation cartoons and the music variety shows are as much a part of Christmas tradition as stocking hung by the chimney with care. As we get older, we still have our favorite Christmas specials, and we want to pass these on to our own children. So below are just a few of these beloved classics.

Who can forget Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and his adventures on the island of misfit toys? One of the classic claymation specials that runs through our networks every year, this story has become synonymous with the idea of the underdog. As we all know, Rudolph does get to lead Santa’s sleight and the reindeers to eventually let him play, but every year we come back to see the same story all over again.

Another cartoon favorite is the story of Frosty the Snowman, who can laugh and play just the same as you and me. Following the pattern of the familiar Christmas song, this cartoon leads us through the streets of town, right to the traffic cop. There is a tragic ending though, with the beginning of spring, and we learn that Frosty cannot stay with us forever.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is one in a long line of Charlie Brown holiday specials that have captured the hearts of children and adults alike. In this half hour special, Charlie Brown searches for the true meaning of Christmas amidst a mass of commercialism. Even today, the term “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” is used to describe the wilting or scrawny trees that many of us have in early apartments or dorms (or when we put our tree shopping off until the last minute).

Robbie the Reindeer is a spin-off of the beloved Rudolph franchise, but tells the story with a bit of a twist. The famous team behind the Wallace and Grommet cartoon series livens up the old reindeer games story with a bit of British humor and some reindeer romance games between the stuck-up Blitzen, femme-fetale Vixen, and the shy girl next door Donner as Robbie competes against Blitzen for the honor to pull Santa’s sleigh.

One Magic Christmas, a full length feature made by the Disney company in the early eighties also pops up into the frequently played roster. Following a popular trajectory, One Magic Christmas follows the tragic Christmas of one family from bankruptcy to bank robbery and kidnapping to a magical intervention that brings everyone back together at the end.

It sounds a little bit like the all-time favorite Christmas special, It’s a Wonderful Life. This Capra classic stars Jimmy Stewart as a man who wishes he had never been born and learns from a guardian angel just what things would be like if that wish came true. It is where we all learned that every time a bell rings and angel gets its wings. No Christmas is complete without it.

If you want to set your Christmas table with flair this year, but are very unsure of how to do it, why not take the easy approach and theme your table? It will add a touch of elegance to a dull and uninspiring look. Make your table an inspiring master piece that reflects your personality of attitude and sentimentalities about celebrating the Christmas season at your house. Don’t be afraid to be different, and use your creative side when decorating for the ultimate Christmas table. There are plenty of resources available for you to check out when it comes to setting a theme type dinner table. The internet is a wonderful resource along with TV decorating shows, and even the local hometown library.

Begin at the beginning by writing down the approximate number of guests, whether they are personal friends or extended family members. Always make sure that you have the required seating for all, and if necessary move some furniture out, or rearrange your dining area for the proper amount of seating. You can add smaller satellite tables for adults, and place the children at a kitchen bar with the same miniaturized but lovely decorations too. A serving table can be added in an ante room and decorated too. If your crowd is really large make sure to create a seating arrangement according to age and interest, this entices good conversation and pleasantries. Seating table arrangements also negate any chances that a guest that might not get along with certain individuals, or parties will not cause any holiday ruckus, which can definitely disrupt the celebration.

After considering your holiday seating arrangements think about how your intended decorations will affect the flow of interaction on your guests and family members. Take the advice of a few standard rules for center pieces especially. Ensure that your guests can visually see and hear others seated across from them. This comes in handy with guests that might be hard of hearing or visually impaired. Also, young children at a table need guidance and assistance for the unexpected spills and food accidents. When thinking about setting a table with a center piece, eliminate any tall or obstructive works of art for your table. Think low to the table top, and don??(TM)t overdo too much, sometimes less is more. After all if it worked for Jacqueline Kennedy’s White House parties and dinners, and it will work for you.

There are as many different types of themed holiday Christmas tables as your imagination can create. One great themed table setting if you’re a kid at heart, or if you are having children in attendance, is to decorate with Santa Claus in mind. Your dinner ware and serving dishes can be the traditional matching sets of holiday themes available on the market, such as holly and berries, or Santa on a sleigh with reindeer, but there are other alternatives. Bold red or green edging for all pieces on your table will be charming with a center piece of Santa on a sleigh, or lots of red and green Christmas balls in low vases, and over flowing onto the table. A small wired formed tree with miniature decorations and greenery add a nice touch too. Then again a long lasting battery operated traditional tree, and some coordinated topiary trees in the corners will brighten up a holiday safely. A fully stuffed stocking with garland encircling it can be used for strictly decorative purposes, or special gifts can be given out after the dinner is completed.

Another themed type of table can be geared more toward the adults. One uniquely beautiful theme is a white Christmas theme. This theme idea enhances either the setting outside, or creates memories of Christmas past for the family and guest members in attendance. Again as with the Santa themed idea, coordinate your dishware with the themed idea. Traditionally ice blue dish ware and silver ware will begin the look for a white Christmas themed table. A small ice sculpture and frolicking bears in miniature with a soft drink will leave your guests laughing. Complete the look by adding large cut out snowflakes on a darker or lighter blue table cloth, along with snow flake napkins rings. Silver plated accessories and special ordered holiday stem wear of cut glass with snow flakes complete the look. Obviously too any over lay to a traditional table cloth can be in a lace pattern in place of cut out snowflakes or graffiti.

Finally, themed table decorations can include religiously inspired ideas. White, gold or royal purple dishware in use, with wooden napkin ring holders and crosses, relay what the season is really about. If you??(TM)re animal lover delicate lamb and lion decorations for the center piece remind guests and family about the celebration of Christmas. Don’t forget this can be modified to include only angelic beings with a star feature, or a mixture of animals and angels watching over a rough hewn manger. Use plenty of synthetic angel hair to top off the table decoration

However you decide to set your table remember to have fun. Start early in planning and let your personality shine through. Christmas is a time for reflection and new beginnings, so take these thoughts to heart, and your table will have that magical feeling of you. Your guests will want to back again and again to see your new table decorations, and to experience the good food and happy times at your house.

Finland is a small Scandinavian country in northern Europe. It is a land of many traditions, situated on the Baltic sea and influenced by the neighboring countries of Sweden, Russia, Estonia, and Norway.

Families in Finland celebrate the Christmas holiday a little different than families in countries on the western end of the world. One of the most apparent differences between the celebration of Christmas in Finland and the celebration of Christmas in other cultures is that in Finland the Christmas Tree is felled and set up on Christmas Eve, the 24th of December, while in other cultures the Christmas tree may be erected as far as an entire month in advance. The children of the family normally decorate the tree with apples, candy, cookies, ornaments, tinsel, and Finnish flags, and candles (or Christmas lights).

Just as in Sweden, the people of Finland have adopted St. Lucia’s day, December 13. On St. Lucia’s day, the eldest daughter of the family dresses in a white robe with a sash, and a head wreath with candles around it. Clothed as such, she distributes breakfast rolls and coffee in bed. All of this is done in honor of the old Saint Lucia who was said to have delivered food to Christians during the time of their greatest persecution, her way lit only by a few candles. Saint Lucia was later executed for her valiant acts. By popular vote, the people elect a national St. Lucia from a selection of several young teenage girls, who lead the nation in their national St. Lucia’s day programs such as pageants, carols, etc.

On Christmas day, most local store owners lock up their shops at noon, so of course the Finnish people must get their shopping done on time! At this time, the “Peace of Christmas” is proclaimed, which means the Christmas holiday is officially in effect. In the early evening, Finnish families make a trip to the graveyard where they place candles on the grave markers of their loved ones, and mourn for them.

After all of this is said and done, the Christmas celebration begins.
The Finnish version of Santa Claus, Joulupukki (which roughly translates into Christmas Goat) is a jolly old man dressed in a red suit, similar to the jolly old version of Saint Nick. That is pretty much where their similarities end. While there are a lot of similarities between the Finnish and American version of Santa (minus the walking stick that Joulupukki is said to use), such as the reindeer team led by legendary Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the fact that he travels in a sleigh, Joulupukki’s reindeer do not fly! Also, while he does travel from home to home to give gifts to the “good” children of the world, rather than popping in and out of chimneys in the middle of the night Joulupukki is said to knock on the door during the family’s Christmas celebration.

According to the legend, upon entrance into the family home he says, “Onko t??ll? kilttej? lapsia?” which roughly translates into the question of whether or not there are any well-behaved children in the home. Of course since Joulupukki is merely a Christmas myth, normally a male family member or friend of the family will sneak out of the house to knock on the door and present the anxious, elated Finnish children with their gifts as a reward for model behavior during the year. After giving out his gifts, Joulupukki “departs” and returns to his toy workshop in Lapland, Finland (no, not the North Pole) for another year.

The conventional idea of Santa Claus is the symbol of the purity of the innocence and faith that children put in the Christmas season. He symbolizes hope, love, and In the present day, Jolly Old Saint Nick is portrayed as a happy, fat old elf with glasses and rosy cheeks that delivers gifts to the children on the Nice side of the Naughty/Nice list on Christmas Eve. Santa’s wardrobe consists of mainly red suits with white trim, black boots, and red, white trimmed hats with a pompon on top. The modern day Santa Claus hates to shave, and his principal mode of transportation consists of a giant red sleigh and eight reindeer (one with a keenly red nose). He popped into and out of household chimneys, picking up scores of cookies and glasses of milk along the way.

However, Santa Claus has not always been portrayed like this. The present day idea of Santa and his many attributes can be traced back to a conglomeration of various tales and legends; the present-day Santa Claus is the end result of centuries of yarns starring kind old men and holy figures, all rolled into one.

One of the most popular explanations of how Santa Claus originated can be traced back to an old monk in Turkey named St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas was famed for his kindness and generous nature; according to legend the old monk gave away every material thing he owned so that he could spend his life traveling to help the poor and sick children of the world. At this point, I’m sure you have noticed that this version of Saint Nick didn’t start out as part of anything having to do with the holiday season.

So how did St. Nicholas ever become associated with Christmas? Over the years as he became more and more renowned for his charitable work, St. Nicholas became known as the protector of children all over. The date of his death, December 6, was celebrated with a feast and was considered an extremely happy, lucky day. The Orthodox Catholic Church adopted Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children and seafarers, and the 6th of December is his day.

The origin of Santa Claus can also be traced back to the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas, who traveled the world on the eve of Saint Nicholas distributing toys and candy to the good children with Black Peter by his side, who carried a whip with which to punish nasty children. Author Washington Irving first brought the Dutch version of Sinter Klaas to American attention in 1809 by giving account to the saint’s journey on horseback on the eve of Saint Nicholas in his book, The History of New York. In 1823 the poem, “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” (also known as ” ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas”) by Clemente Mark Moore was published, and served as the American public’s first glimpse into the conventional present day idea of Santa Claus, chimneys, reindeer, cookies and all.

The Russian Federation, also known as Russia, is the only country in the world that expands across the continents of Europe and Asia, nearly doubling the size of Canada (Canada is the second-largest country in the world). Russia is a country rich in culture and heritage; it shares a coast with the mysterious Black Sea, and borders numerous neighboring countries.

As the political structure of Russia has evolved, so has the culture of the Russian people. As the culture of the Russian people has evolved, many distinct characteristics of the Russian way of life have been altered, one of them being the celebration of the Christmas holiday in Russia.

Saint Nicholas has always been a popular Christmas figure for the Russians. Saint Nicholas is a bishop-like man in a tall hat and beard who delivers presents to the homes of children who have been well-behaved during the year on Christmas Eve, or sometimes the Eve of the Feast of Saint Nicholas which takes place on December 6th. Saint Nicholas has since been replaced in society by Dedushka Moroz, or Father Frost.

In the old days before the Russian revolution, it was a stout older woman named Babushka (whose name means grandmother in Russian) that was said to have delivered the gifts to all of the children’s homes on Christmas Eve. The tradition behind Babushka and her gift giving ways is that on their journey to visit the baby Jesus the three wise men came across Babushka and invited her to come along with them and see him for herself. She declined their offer, but later regretted it and set out to try to catch up with the three wise men, but they were already well on their way at that time. Before she left, Babushka filled her basket with gifts for the infant. Unfortunately, the old woman did not know to follow the stars the three wise men had been advised to do, so she became very disoriented and lost her way. As the legend tells it, Babushka never did make it to see the baby Jesus, so she spends her Christmas Eves wandering the world in search of him, leaving gifts at the home of all of the children who have been on their best behavior throughout the year.

Also, during the more traditional Russian Christmas celebrations, people will begin fasting as early as 39 days before Christmas (which is celebrated on July 6th). On the final day of their fast when the first stars begin to appear in the sky (in honor of the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus) the Russian people then begin their Christmas feast. A traditional Russian Christmas dinner will consist of twelve courses, one to honor each of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Their meal could consist of many types of main courses ranging from turkey to goose to ham. Fish is also eaten as a main course in many Russian Christmas feasts, especially when larger numbers of people are in attendance.

The Christmas holiday has been an extremely important holiday in Romania since the fall of the Communist regime, both politically and in the hearts of the Romanian people. While they have many customs and traditions that are their very own, Romania has managed to adopt several traditions from the western portion of the world when it comes to various means of celebrating their winter holiday.

An older, more traditional means of celebrating Christmas in Romania involves their younger children going from door to door, around their neighborhood singing Christmas Carols. The procession is usually led by one person, usually an older child. As the children go from door to door, they carry large paper stars with them, on which images of the baby Jesus, the entire Nativity scene, or other Christmas images are imprinted (usually drawn or watercolor painted onto the star). The leader of the band of children carries a large wooden cut out of a star with him. The wooden cut out is wrapped in foil, and bells are fastened onto the edges of the star’s points. In the middle, a Christmas scene–usually the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus–is pasted onto the foil.
The most commonly sung of their Romanian Christmas carols translates into:
“Do you receive the pretty star,
Pretty and so very bright?
It Haseko we did in the sky
Just like God thought it would be right,
Stand it could be seen on high,
Just like we did in the sky”

Still other times, children will go from door to door on Christmas Eve (or sometimes other nights leading up to Christmas) and tell Christmas stories from the Bible and Romanian legends. As Romanian children get older, they eventually stop participating in the procession, but it is an old Romanian tradition that takes place in nearly every Romanian town every year, although as of late traditional means of celebrating the Christmas holiday such as this have become increasingly less and less popular as time has progressed.
In honor of Saint Ignatius, Ignatius’ Day is also celebrated in Romania during the cold winter season. Ignatius’ Day takes place on December 20th, just five days before Christmas Day. On Ignatius’ Day, a pig is slaughtered. They stick straws in the nose of the dead pig, and throw burning straws all over the body of the pig. The pig is nicely burned, and covered with a rag for ten minutes. After that, the family can take part in the eating of the Ignatius’ Day feast, with the pig as the main course of the meal.

In Romania, as in most other places in the world, Christmas is a time for celebration of life and love. Romania has paid a careful reverence to the true meaning of Christmas, and the birth of Jesus Christ and the struggles of Joseph and Virgin Mary on the eve of his birth are a central role in their celebration of the Christmas holiday.

When Christmas is over, life can be hectic. The house must be cleaned up after company has left, the left overs from Christmas dinner must be put away, decorations need to be taken down from the inside and outside of your home, and tacky Christmas gifts must be returned for store credit.

The few days immediately following Christmas and preceding the New Year are full of things that must be done, but it is important to remember to recycle your Christmas tree, as well. Christmas trees that are kept in the home for too long cause house fires every year, resulting in the loss of people’s homes, their property, and maybe even their lives. Protect yourself and your family, and give a little help to the environment in the process when you recycle your old Christmas tree.

If you have a backyard or a garden at your residence, it might be helpful to use your old Christmas tree as mulch for your garden. The pine needles make great ground covering, and so do wood chips. If this is a project that you plan on doing at home, it might be helpful to have an extra pair of hands or two to help you take down the tree down and remove it from the home. If you happen to have a wood chipper, or one available for your use. You can feed the smaller branches into the chipper one by one, and use the wood chippings to cover your garden’s top layer of soil in the winter time. This should add nutrients to the soil and help prevent seeds and roots from freezing so easily.

If you don’t have a wood chipper at your disposal, you may also find it helpful to simply use a saw or chain saw to remove the branches from the trunk of your Christmas tree. You can tie the smaller branches together and bundle them up. Place these small bundles of branches on the ground around your flower bed. This should work to preserve and warm the soil in your garden just as much as the wood chipping mulch that can also be made with your recycled Christmas Tree.

After disposing of their Christmas trees, many people choose to store their old Christmas trees on their own property (maybe in their barn or a similar area–it is not really a good idea to store a dried-up Christmas tree on your property if you live in the city or in a house with a regular-sized lot; Christmas trees are a severe fire hazard). The reason for this is because birds find them an excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife. Many people like to put bird feed, such as peanut buttered pinecones with bird seed on them, small seeds, or pieces of stale bread. Not only does this encourage animals to congregate near your home if you like to watch them, but it also discourages animals from getting into your barn or dumpster at home.

The Republic of Poland is a small country located in the center of Europe, bordered by the Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Belarus, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea. Poland is influenced by all of these cultures, which is apparent in the food they eat, their way of life, and the way they celebrate holidays – Christmas in particular.

Christmas may very well be one of the most popular holidays in Poland. The Christmas season may begin as early as four Sundays before Christmas at the beginning of the Advent. Special church services are held every morning, sometimes as early as 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning. During the Advent, the Polish people exercise many Christmas traditions. One of the most popular traditions is the pouring of hot bees wax into a bucket of cool water. The wax immediately cools off when it touches the cold water, and the pieces of wax may take one of several forms. The different shapes that the pieces of wax form are used to tell fortunes, and are popular because the holiday is so close to the New Year.

Christmas trees are a cherished tradition in Poland during the holiday season. Not only are trees in the homes of practically every person who celebrates Christmas and can afford it, but they are also displayed in the neighborhoods, on city streets, and in parks. The trees are gaily lit and decorated with candles, Christmas lights, ornaments, cookies, and even candy wrapped in bright red or green paper or foil. Sometimes apples may also be used to decorate the trees.

Oplatek, Christmas bread, is an integral part of the Christmas tradition in Poland. Oplatek are pieces of bread that have been pressed flat and imprinted with Christmas scenes. In the old days, people used to bake lots of pieces of Oplatek and distribute them to their neighbors in the name of good will; it was a way of wishing their friends and family a Merry Christmas. These days many people do still use oplatek as an object of good feeling between neighbors, but these days the distribution of these Christmas novelties is kept mostly within the realm of friends and immediate family.

Wigilia is the Polish word for Christmas Eve, or the day before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, some families distribute gifts on Christmas Eve and others wait until the more traditional occasion of Christmas morning. Whatever day they choose to open their presents, Wigilia is a time for families to spend time together, celebrating the Christmas holiday. Women bake cookies and bread and spend time with their daughters or female family members. Men eat, spend time with the family, and they may get a small amount of work done to prepare for the upcoming holiday.

Christmas Eve is when Polish families partake in their Christmas dinner, and it does not start until the first star appears in the sky. This is in remembrance of the star in the sky that guided the three wise men to Bethlehem to baby Jesus’ manger.

Norway is the westernmost country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northwestern Europe. Norway’s west coast is bordered completely by the Norwegian Sea, and the country shares borders with both Finland and Sweden.

As in most countries through out the world, the Norwegian Christmas celebration reaches its peak on December 24th, Christmas Eve. By this time, children have already made their paper baskets and decorated them with foil to hang on the Christmas tree, for they will be filled with candy and nuts during the night time. Christmas trees are a popular Christmas commodity in Norway; they were introduced to their first Christmas trees by Germany in the early 1900s, and these days they can be seen in every home where Christmas is celebrated. Some wealther homes in Norway may even have more than one Christmas tree in their home. Christmas trees are a big deal to the people in Norway; they spend a lot of time decorating their trees with ribbons, lights, and the paper baskets that the children have made.

The parents or older children of the family usually dress the tree in its baskets, lights, and ornaments in another room, and then bring it out for the family to see once it has been completed. This is made out to be a time of great anticipation, and younger children are always made to be very excited. Before gifts are opened, the family will traditionally dance in a circle around the Christmas tree. They hold hands and sing Norwegian Christmas carols; in Norway, Christmas is a time to spend with family and the people that are close to you in life.

In Norway, children are not visited in the night by a jolly old elf named Santa Claus, or even a bishop-like figure named Saint Nicholas. They are tended to by a man named Nisse, their version of Santa Claus. Nisse and the commercialized version of the man in red and white are not as similar as one might think; Nisse are small, stout men with facial hair that tend to the animals in the farm, if there are any. Nisse is a lot more fickle than other Christmas icons; it is said that if he does not receive a bowl of porridge on Christmas Eve when he visits the home, he may play practical jokes on the family, usually involving the farm animals or family pet. He usually has small elf like men with him called nisser that help him along.

In other areas of Norway there is a version of a Nisse called Julenissen that does somewhat resemble the traditional version of Santa Claus. Julenissen prefers to knock on the door on Christmas Eve with gifts rather than sneak down the chimney with them at night, though.

Gifts are most often opened on Christmas Eve. The following day, December 25th is normally a very relaxing day, used to clean up their homes and prepare for Boxing Day. The family usually shares in a large meal on or before Boxing Day, and children dress up on this day, usually in masks or costumes, and go out to ask the neighbors for treats–a lot like the American version of Halloween!

The southern United States and Mexico are similar in many respects. They share many traditions when it comes to cuisine, music, and even religious orientation. But Mexico has a rich culture of its own, and it is very well displayed in their cultural celebration of Christmas. The country of Mexico as a whole celebrates the Christmas holiday in many various, interesting ways.

In Mexico, the Christmas holiday can begin as early as December 16th. On this day, local children may participate in posadas throughout the village. During a Mexican posada, the children depict the scene of Mary riding a donkey through the streets of Bethlehem, belly bulging out in front of her. Mary’s donkey is being led by her husband Joseph, and behind them is a group of children (sometimes they sing Christmas carols) who knock on doors asking if the couple can stay the night there. Of course, nobody does let them in to stay the night, but as the procession moves from home to home some people will join in the procession, which ends at the local church. A mass is held, and then the Christmas holiday really begins.

During the Christmas season in Mexico, sometimes pastorelas are held to celebrate the holiday. Pastorelas are little plays that depict the appearance of the angel before the three kings and their journey to the manger the night Jesus was born, frankincense, myrrh and gold in tow. Their journey is depicted from beginning to end, with the magi facing numerous obstacles and moments of extreme temptation. They are harassed by Satan and his posse along the way, but eventually Michael, an archangel of God, (usually somebody’s child in a robe with a plastic light saber) comes along and defeats them, as the men move along their way.

There are lots of children in Mexico that receive their Christmas gifts from a jolly, rotund old elf named Santa Claus whose principal mode of transportation is a flying sled pulled by a fleet of flying reindeer–one of them bearing an extremely vibrant red nose. Still other Mexican children receive their gifts from el nino dios, “the holy child.” El nino dios passes out gifts to the good boys and girls. In places where Reyes Magos (Three Kings) day is celebrated, the kings may leave gifts for the children in their shoes.

Pi?atas are also an integral part of an authentic Mexican Christmas. Pi?atas are hollow paper dolls that are usually handmade and filled with candy or coins. They are strung from a tree or a rafter in the ceiling, and children take turns swinging at the pi?ata with a stick or bat. Traditionally, the child at bat is blindfolded.

In Mexico it can sometimes feel like celebrating Christmas for an entire month. On the midnight of Christmas Eve, midnight masses are held in churches everywhere. Most people attend the mass, whose main theme is el nacimiento, the birth of Jesus Christ. Sometimes pastorelas may take place during this time as well.