Combining bits of papers lends a personal artistic touch with surprisingly incredible results. Anything goes — from pieces of foam rubber to paper bags and even fake credit cards!

All you need are fragments of paper, tape, glue sticks, hot glue or double sided tape. For added interest, try making use of unusual materials not typically used for wrapping such as twigs. Go ‘green’ by using colored paper shopping bags that you receive while buying gifts and recycling pieces of ribbon.

The center of attention is the front of the package, so don’t worry about the back which only plays backstage — it’s perfectly OK for the back to be a little untidy. The wrapping usually gets ripped off in a frenzy anyway!

Add some dimension with contrast of colors, light and dark, texture or material, or contrast of line by using angled paper on rectangular boxes.

The examples provided here are merely the tip of the iceberg for the plethora of ideas that Wrap Art provides on their website.

Tissue Rectangles with Cutaway Label Reveal (above)

Either use a white gift box or wrap one first in white paper. Mount a computer printed label on center, and add tissue wrap. Place 2 bands of red and gold tissue ‘ribbon’ horizontally, created by folding a wider piece of tissue in thirds so the edges are folds, not cuts. Next add 2 strips of pale green ribbon. Make 2 cuts in an ‘X’ shape with scissors in the tissue wrap to reveal the label beneath. Lastly, apply a ribbon around the edge of the box, and create a ‘ribbon candy’ layered bow for the top edge.

Brown Wrap with Gauze Contrast

The contrast of rough brown industrial paper with white gauze ribbon creates an interesting balance of materials. Add a paper computer label with your favorite Christmas image and voila!

Shopping Bag Collage

A gray shopping bag was used for this package. The bag had a white label imprinted with the retailer’s logo which was concealed with a 3-piece collage with the recipient’s initials over the image. Next a piece of gauze ribbon was draped in a spiral around the package.

Banded Tissue-Ribbon Wrap with Triangular Neck Label

Wrap a bunch of tissue folded into puffy ‘ribbons’ around a small package and tape to the back. Add a red triangular label for interest and contrast.

Foreign Newsprint and Sculptural ‘Bow’ of Natural Objects

Using a foreign newspaper for wrap, add gold and red ribbon topped with a glued on carved twig and acorn to make for a unique wholesome appeal.

The Ribbon Sash

A white wrap of ribbon, scarf or scrap of fabric around the sides of a white package covers up the folded ends. The wrinkly gold ribbon adds a delicate contrast. The top is left bare for the tag.

Credit Card Wrap

Why not put to use all those fake cards that arrive in the mail from marketers hounding you to apply for credit? Glue flat at first, then cut and make an angular sculptural ‘bow’ of cards. The outer edge of the gift is a tissue frame with a red ribbon. The red bow is made by layering ribbon back and forth, adding a spot of glue on each pass.

Collage: Innovation

Beginning with a brown wrap, attach black paper panels on the front and sides, allowing the brown paper to peek through. Next add a veil of plastic sleeving, first with yellow to form the vertical band on the right, then a second horizontal band in red. Add a bright red label with gold paint marker.

Foam Wrap

First wrap the gift in red tissue, then green packing foam, holding it together with red tinsel-trimmed ribbon. Make a quickly glued bow of the same material and finish with a small wooden disk.

Tissue Burrito

Roll the gift up in tissue and cut the ends with scissors to create a fringe. Frilly gold ribbon brightens up and completes the wrap.

Ribbon Weave Two-board ‘Box’

Two boards were used for this parcel, but you can use cardboard, picture framer’s matt board, or anything decorative but flat. Your gift must be flat to do this, or use a small flat gift box. The hidden gift is wrapped around its edge in red ribbon or use a tissue ribbon. Tape the red and black ribbons onto the back board, then began winding and weaving the ribbons and tape the ends onto the back board. Make a large label and use double-sided tape to the back side of the package to cover up the ends.

Band Collage

With a silvery shopping bag for wrap, attach a ribbon band collage with angled placement of the bands, using both overlays and open space, revealing more of the under-wrap.

Bottle Wrap

Clear plastic labels can be removed from facial cream bottles for a unique wrap to keep those out that can’t help themselves from sneaking peeks before Xmas. Remove the neck from the bottle and cut almost in half to make a hinged container. The short ribbon hides the cut, and the gold ribbon is stuffed into the neck hole.

Two Fragments Contrast Cap

Using scraps of paper, take a smaller piece and wrap one end of the box, then wrap the remaining part of the box. The larger piece depicted here has a torn edge. Finish with ribbon and a bow.

Two Fragments Ribbon Join

Using 2 pieces of wrapping paper apply the striped piece first, then the 2nd piece along the angled edge of the stripes. Apply a ribbon along the edge where the two papers join, thus eliminating the need for perfect cut edges. If necessary you can use rolled-tape strips or glue gun to conquer challenges of ribbon placement.

Visit Wrap Art for an overabundance of further gift wrapping ideas — not just for Christmas alone — on their website. You can even purchase the Wrap Art book by John Boak of Denver, Colorado, filled with 40 pages of full color in hardcover or paperback. All images and ideas are property of Wrap Art.

Tokyu Hands is always a good place for frivolously blowing money on meaningless novelty tat like fluffy dog-turds and Mexican wrestler masks, as I learned the stupid way a few months ago, after drunkenly stumbling in there, post-pub, and buying a Japanese version of the classic game, “Pop-Up Pirate,” with the pirate inexplicably wearing black leather bondage gear.

The mind-boggling array of moderately amusing plastic trash in Tokyu Hands makes it the last resort for the totally desperate shopper, who really can’t think of a present to buy that difficult relative. I went there first, to save time. Inside, I spotted some characteristically odd seasonal gifts, like this startlingly realistic roast-turkey-hat.

This is sure to be snapped up by infantile office pranksters to wear at their Christmas parties (before they trudge forlornly home, alone, to eat their Christmas KFC.)
Being a true romantic, I think I’ll buy one for my girlfriend. I’m sure she’ll love it.

Tokyu Hands also had these charming “his n’ hers” flesh-coloured socks, complete with painted nails for the ladies, and hairs for the gentlemen. Perfect for Mum and Dad.

If you’re looking for a more practical present you could do a lot worse than the Robomop, a robotic mop which cleans the kitchen all buy itself- a lazy person’s dream. I’d be tempted to buy one for myself if my kitchen wasn’t the size of a Monopoly board.

If Robomop doesn’t tickle your fancy, here’s a cute, new idea- give a loved one’s toilet a makeover. Tokyu Hands will convert a dull, conventional commode into a souped-up, supercharged robocrapper. Pimp someone’s Potty this Xmas!

My next port of call was the mysteriously-monikered “Donkey Hotei”. The name seems to be a pun on “Don Quixote,” but I’m not sure what the connection to 17th Century Spanish literature is, since it’s a big shop cluttered with multi-coloured junk and shelves overspilling with cheap and cheerful novelty goods. I came here hoping to buy some toys for my nephews and nieces, and was alarmed to find this diabolical contraption in the toy department, of all places.

It seems to be a microscope for analyzing your own jizz. Evidently sperm are the new sea monkeys. But what kind of warped sicko watches his own tadpoles wriggling around for entertainment?
I suppose if you have a teen-aged brother, he’d make use of it.

This wasn’t my only shocking discovery on my quest for toys. A toy shop in Ginza was still selling these decidedly un-pc Golliwogs. Be careful who you give one of those to for Christmas, or you might be banded a bastard.

I decided to pass on the Gollies, and look for something a little less controversial for the kids.
I have to say, toy-shopping in Tokyo is endless fun, and Japan leads the world in producing cool stuff for kids. There are endless supplies of quirky, high-tech gizmos and cuddly characters to be found on every street of Tokyo.
A character that has become popular recently is the “Oshiri Kajiri Mushi” (buttock-biting bug.) An infestation of fleas is not normally cause for celebration, but this character, pictured below, has taken the nation by storm this year, and even released a chart-topping single.

I bought some Oshiri Kajiri Mushi toys, and so ended my Christmas shopping adventure. I think I made some pretty unique purchases.
At least when you send someone a present from Japan you know they definitely won’t have it already.

If you’re faced with shopping just before Christmas, you might want to use some of these ideas:

Plan a day to get out early or stay out late. Crowds are smaller just when stores open in the morning. During the last week of the shopping season, many mall stores open at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. You can get a jump on the crowds and get a lot done before things get busy.

If you’re a night owl like me, plan to head to the mall with your shopping list after 9 p.m. for some last-minute shopping. Clerks are more available to help you and you won’t have to wait in line so long.

Patronize Neighborhood Shops

Avoid the hectic malls and visit a neighborhood boutique. Often the sales help is much more knowledgeable and the shops are less crowded.

Think Office, Entertainment, and Tech

You can usually find computer stores, office supply stores, or a stationery store free-standing, outside of a mall.

Think about special software, CD’s, daily planners for the year ahead, a personalized calendar, beautiful and collectible pen, or a photo album. You’ll avoid the crowds and find something really personal.

For the Tool Guy or Gal

Believe it or not, some people yearn for the newest cordless, variable-speed, reversible drill, but just can’t seem to splurge on one for themselves! A local hardware store or big building center often has knowledgeable staff to direct you to the latest tool or work-saving device. You’ll be thought of every time your recipient uses the tool!

The “Hostess With the Mostest”

Invite an individual or your group of friends to meet you at a favorite local restaurant. Advise your server that you’re picking up the bill for everyone, and let your friends know that your time together is your Christmas gift to them.

Bon Voyage!

If you know someone who has a trip planned or just loves to travel, find some handy travel supplies. (A suitcase is a very personal item, so I wouldn’t recommend buying one for another person. Think of a gift certificate for this.) You might find a perfect travel guide, maps, tote bag or backpack, flashlight, suitcase strap or lock, leather passport cover, or packing cases. You’ll be with them on their adventures, in spirit, at least!

Basket of Goodies

Retrieve a basket from your basement or garage or buy a new one. If you like, spray paint it in holiday colors. Then visit your produce store or grocery store and select some of their finest goodies. Create a basket of beautiful fruits, an assortment of yummy chocolates, coffee or teas and a mug, or ingredients and supplies for a gourmet Thai, Chinese, Italian, or Mexican dinner. Place the items on raffia or a bed of moss, cover with colored or clear cellophane, and top with a seasonal ribbon.

Plants and Flowers

Visit a local nursery or flower shop and purchase a beautiful living plant, a fresh miniature tree or wreath, or a display of holiday flowers. Add a pretty bow, a personal note, and a keepsake ornament, and hand-deliver the gift to your friend.

A Gift Everyone Loves

I love to receive gift certificates, though I don’t often think to give them. You too? Think of a gourmet grocery store, building center, department store, spa, hotel, restaurant, specialty apparel shop, gas station, theater, movie rental store, or flower shop. You can often order your gift certificates over the phone and ask them to be sent to the recipient. Or you can deliver them yourself or send them in your annual Christmas card. Confirm that the gift certificate has no expiration date and will be honored whenever it is presented. Many people tuck gift certificates away in a wallet, only to discover them months later. What a lovely surprise!

With so many ideas, what are you waiting for? Get out there, do your Christmas shopping, and rest assured that your friends will love their gifts, and you!

Source: about.com

Buy the wife a Black & Decker Workmate by all means. It’s a sensible gift from which she will derive years of pleasure while hopefully adding substantially to the value of the house. And, crucially, it’s an item comprehensible to the male mind. But bras and knickers? You’re just asking for trouble.

The thing is that men can only ever get it wrong.

Choose one of those catapult things, a thong or whatever it’s called, and you will in all probability be told a) you have no taste, b) you’re just a shaven-ape sleazeball with a typical one-dimensional male mind, or asked c) how you would feel having to wear a cheese slicer under your trousers for the entirety of a drinks party?

But if you play safe and buy a more generous knicker, opting for the bigger of two sizes to ensure a comfortable fit, it will be: “So I’m fat, then! You think I’m fat, don’t you? You could hold a bloody wedding reception in those!”

So, gentlemen, don’t do it. Even now, at Christmas, when concern about finding a suitable gift is turning to desperation, combined with an aching desire to get the whole awful business of present-buying out of the way. Take a trip down to the hardware shop and choose a nice ironing board instead.

But if you have to – if you really, really have to – go knicker-hunting, then at least join one of the two one-day Christmas Lingerie Academies at John Lewis in London’s Oxford Street.

There the frazzled husband or boyfriend will be offered sensible female advice on how to make an appropriate festive purchase while surrounded by reassuringly laddish paraphernalia: a comfy sofa, a fridge full of beer and, for the really mature, plasma screens on which to play a selection of computer games.

Trainees can even bring their loved ones along if they want to, but that’s not really the point.

Mistress of the academy is Maria Walker, the store’s head of lingerie. Maria is 38, a mother of three and has spent 14 years down among the undies. What she doesn’t know about them can be written on one half of one cup of a 30 AAA, whatever that is.

“A lot of men worry that they are going to be thought of as a bit pervy by coming into a lingerie department,” she says.

“Or that they are going to be leapt upon by some hyper shop assistant who will embarrass them to death with intimate questions about their partner’s likes and dislikes. Have you been in one before?”

Nope. Well, maybe when I was six, in Marks & Spencer with my mum. But lingerie departments weren’t lingerie departments then, in the late Sixties. They were more like the quartermaster’s stores at Catterick.

Everything was white or navy and passion-killingly functional; and there were huge white Playtex girdles capable of stopping a 45 calibre slug at 50 yards. Or so it seemed to my schoolboy eyes.

No, lingerie departments were, like the dentist, things to be avoided. Maria understands.

“Bra size is the key to getting it right. It happens all the time: the man comes in and you ask for his partner’s size and he looks dumbfounded and starts trying to represent it with his hands, saying ‘It’s about a handful’ or something like that. All he has to do is have a quick look in the drawer.

“There was one man in quite recently who gave up describing his girlfriend and simply showed me a picture of her topless that he kept on his mobile telephone.

It helped.”

And the bottom half?

“It’s a straightforward matter of observation to find out whether your partner likes thongs or bikini bottoms or shorts. The one absolute rule is: if in doubt about size, go for the smaller one.

It’s better to do that and be a little bit wrong than to present her with a pair that’s too big. There’s nothing more upsetting than receiving knickers that hang off you.

It’s basically saying ‘I think you’re big’. It’s not going to go down well. If they really are too small, she can always bring them back.”

In fact, Maria says that about one in five lingerie gifts sold in her department to men is returned by their partners in the New Year.

“It’s often the wrong size, but also the wrong choice. A lot of men go for what they want, which mostly seems to be all black or all red and as little of it as possible. Sometimes you get young men coming in in pairs and one is buying.

He starts acting up for the benefit of the other, making out it’s a big joke. He’s just trying to make himself look like a lad and not thinking of what his partner would actually like.”

Each person in Britain will spend an average of £700 celebrating Christmas this year, and a fair amount will go on underwear. John Lewis’s past experience shows that in the six weeks before Christmas the weekly spend on lingerie and women’s nightwear increases by more than 70 per cent.

Most of the increase is due to spending by men – the number of male customers rises by two thirds in the same period.

And the British male is nothing if not predictable. The store’s returns show that most men buy red and black lingerie in silk, often with, you guessed it, suspenders.

Any other trends?

“Padded bras are becoming more popular,” says Maria. “Not so much to give the appearance of size, but to shape. Shapewear in general is on the rise, to mould the figure and produce a smoother line.

“In terms of bottoms, shorts have taken over from thongs. When you actually ask men what they like, a lot say they prefer briefs to thongs.”

But does it matter in the end? After all, underwear spends most of its time being just that.

“If you feel good on the inside, you feel good on the outside,” admonishes Maria. “What is the point of wearing a dress costing hundreds and hundreds of pounds if the line is spoilt by cheap, poorly fitting lingerie?”

And with that we dive into a dazzling jungle of glitter and gauze, of Freya and Gossard and Elle Macpherson’s Intimates. All very pretty, but Mrs T would, I am sure, much prefer a new kettle.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

That’s because the Internet puts shopping at your fingertips. And rather than competing with traditional retail sTores, the Internet has actually expanded the ability of traditional stores to sell more merchandise to a larger number of people in various locations.

Both large and small retailers can be found at their specialized Web sites on the Internet. Most will also offer selections that can be found in the store. Many times online retail sites will have additional items available, or access to additional items, that aren’t found in the store.

Another advantage of shopping by the Internet is that it offers access to stores that are located anywhere. It’s therefore becomes easier to order a unique gift from niche or specialty boutique stores in locations that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach. It is also easy to do comparison shopping using ‘shop bots’ or simply comparing prices yourself.

If Christmas shopping is done through the Internet, you have to pay careful attention to the order times and any cutoff dates to get an item delivered in time for Christmas.

Based on anticipated volume, most sites will give a date or the number of hours within which orders have to be confirmed for guaranteed delivery of the items before Christmas. The mall is a popular place for traditional Christmas and holiday shopping to be done.

Malls offer one-stop shopping and have a large variety and wide selection of merchandise, which can minimize endless searching of several stores for some items. They will also be beautifully decorated for Christmas, have splendid displays and a Santa Claus to interact with children.

These and other activities that are usually at the mall during Christmas and the holidays also make them an interesting place to take children to enjoy some of the season’s delights.

To maximize shopping at the mall, you’ll need to know the differences between the mall department stores. You’ll need to find out which stores have certain exclusive brands, which stores are moderately priced and which are more upscale.

There are also the specialty standalone stores and spinoff store branches for children and teenagers that seek to fill a particular niche. As an example, stores have emerged that carry only styles related to hip-hop culture or styles that have an ‘urban’ look. So it may be worth consideration to start your shopping at a specialty store, because they are more focused, and then continue at a department store that has a wider selection.

Another interesting place to shop at malls are the standalone kiosks that are usually located at intervals in the open areas of a mall where there is a lot of foot traffic. These kiosks are more likely to carry one-of-a kind and unique items, which can even provide or inspire ideas for Christmas presents.

Also at malls will be specialized that offer home/household items, books, music and movies, electronics, sports gear and shoes. All of the types of mall stores previously mentioned can also be found at Outlet or Factory Malls or arehouses, which offer lower prices.

These stores often carry clearance items from their related mall store, merchandise with minor flaws and merchandise that is made for the outlet. Those merchandise usually have slight style variations from what is found in mall stores and may
also be made from different materials.

A final place to consider for Christmas shopping is downtown businesses. They are usually small and intimate, have unique offerings and offer more personalized assistance. Although downtown businesses are also likely to be crowded at Christmas time, there likely will be less of a crush of people like that found at malls.

Whether you’re shopping ahead of time or doing some last-minute shopping for Christmas, you’ll find some of our ideas helpful. Avoid the crowds, spend less money, and find gifts that everyone will really appreciate.

Try some of these ideas if you like to get your shopping done early, but want to be sure to get it right:

Shop Online

Almost every major retailer and specialty store has a website and offers online shopping. If you’re familiar with the quality of the products of the company, go for it. You can take care of all your shopping on one or two sites and find something for everyone. Books, plants, small appliances, toys, and clothing are easy to find.

Most companies will gift wrap your purchase, add a card with your personal greeting, and send it in time for Christmas. Be sure to confirm shipping times and options. If you need specific information about items, use the store’s customer service department and call.

Buy in Bulk

For work colleagues, teachers, neighbors, or a group of friends that you give gifts to, consider giving everyone the same item. It can be a yummy food gift, a seasonal decoration, a favorite book you’ve just read, or some piece of apparel. You may feel awkward doing this. If so, get several things and give one to an individual in each group. Then they won’t know that you’ve bought several of the same gift.I like to do this sort of shopping just after Christmas, when bargains are everywhere. I find something I really like, count my numbers, and buy one for everyone. If the items come wrapped, be sure to mark the packages so you don’t forget what’s in them and who they’re for. Store the gifts in a safe, weather-proof closet until the next Christmas.

Add to Someone’s Collection

Christmas is a wonderful time to add to a newly-wed’s set of dishes or a collector of memorabilia’s menagerie. You can buy the gift any time of year, pack it up, and have it ready when Christmas comes. If you’re looking for something unique or hard-to-find, contact antique dealers or retailers in your community and ask them to call you throughout the year when they get the item.

An Evening Out

Visit your local movie theater or concert hall and purchase a pair of tickets to an upcoming big event. If you have a group of friends you socialize with, consider buying a ticket for each one and yourself. You’ll be able to spend time together and you’ll be giving everyone a gift at one time.

Personalized Paper

Everyone loves to see their name on things, even if it’s just paper. Experiment and play on your computer to create a personalized letterhead for people on your list. (My name, Coral, is hard to find anywhere, so a personalized gift is really special!) Print out your work and have it copied onto notepads, envelopes, beautiful stationery, or business papers.

One-of-a-Kind Gift Certificates

For a gift that lasts long past Christmas, plan to share a lunch, tea, afternoon, shopping spree, day skiing, lesson on knitting, day of decorating, drive to the beach or mountains, or walk in the park with someone you love to be with. Create a personal and unique gift card that they can redeem with you for the occasion.+

Source: about.com

The story of Rudolph whose glowing red nose made him a standout, first appeared in 1939 when Montgomery Ward department stores distributed about 2.4 millionbooklets with the poem in the form of a story about “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It was written by Robert L. May, who worked in the store’s advertisement or marketing department, to be used to attract more people into the store. When the booklet was reissued in 1939, sales soared to more than 3.5 million copies.

But it wasn’t until a decade later, in 1949, that the story really gained immense popularity when Gene Autry sang a musical version of the fable. As a Christmas song, it is second only in popularity to ‘White Christmas.’ Rudolph, the ninth reindeer whose lighted nose guides Santa’s sleigh through the night, is now known worldwide as the song has been translated into more than 20 different languages and an animated television movie has also been based on the story.

Rudolph and his noticeable nose have also become the subject of jokes and sparked more interest in reindeers which has led to much research into Santa and the flying reindeers who pull his sleigh through the sky. Along with the catchy rhythm of the lyrics, Rudolph’s story is also appealing because of the moral lessons it contains.

As the story goes, Rudolph was ostracized by the other reindeers, which laughed and teased him about his shiny red nose. But on a foggy night, when Santa must have been concerned that he may not be able to deliver his Christmas gifts around the world, Santa spotted him and kindly asked if he would step to the front as the leader to ‘guide my sleigh tonight.’

His shiny red nose would after all be very useful in lighting the way, Santa thought. From then on ‘all of the other reindeers loved him,” and rightly predicted that he ‘would go down in history.’ Among the moral lessons the story can impart is that an attribute that is perceived as negative or as a liability can be used for a positive purpose, or, become an asset.

It also makes the point that an individual should not let the negative behavior of others define him or her and limit expectations of what can be achieved. And it also illustrates how quickly opinions and attitudes about a person can change. The question still lingers however of where Rudolph came from.

He is commonly regarded as the son of Donner (or Donder), one of the original eight reindeers. But the Snopes.com site rejects this however, saying that he dwelled in a reindeer village elsewhere and it was there that he was seen by Santa who had already started on his Christmas Eve journey to deliver gifts. And in a more modern evolution of the story according to Wikipedia.com, an animation by theBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) introduced a son, named Robbie, of Rudolph.

That son has now become the tenth reindeer. It’s also interesting to note that the idea of Santa’s sleigh being pulled by reindeers was originated in the poem, ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.’ That poem tells the story of St. Nicholas, who is Santa, calling his eight tiny reindeers by their names, as previously mentioned, just before he came down the chimney of a house to start filling the stockings from a sack full of toys he carried on his back.

So why then eat yourself into a resolution to ‘take off a few extra pounds’ if you can smartly avoid it ? Whether it’s sharing cookies and candies at work, or having an evening out at a party or dinner, you can have Christmas food and enjoy it. While you seem to be eating heartily with a smile, the key is to have a secret strategy of moderation.

It involves sticking to a plan that can be called ‘Eating on a Budget.’ ‘Eating on a Budget’ is not about the cost of what is eaten, but about the quantity of what is eaten. It is important that a ‘budget’ or eating in moderation plan is developed because it is almost impossible to avoid exposure to a lot of cookies, candies and other sweets at Christmas.

At work, you may risk appearing like the Grinch who stole Christmas if your response will always be something like, ‘Uh..no..bah humbug’ all the time that some Christmas goodies are offered. It will seem as if you aren’t in the spirit of the holidays especially since at that time of year everyone is usually in a festive and more relaxed mood, and the pace at work is usually slower.

A practical way to partake in Christmas goodies, for example, is to substitute some holiday cookies for say the bagel that you usually have with breakfast or for a mid-morning snack. And instead of just taking one cookie, from the platter, which is noticeable and likely will encourage a colleague to tell you to have more, take three instead.

That’s where the plan can come into play. You can then enjoy the cookies over two or more hours, because nobody will be watching how you really eat. You can always have a few candies, one cookie or a cookie and a half by your desk and that way it will seem as if you are heartily enjoying the holiday treats.

Another strategy is to bring – bake or buy – low calorie Christmas cookies and candies to work to counteract others that are being offered. Since eating healthy is highly encouraged, health-conscious cookies will not be looked down upon so long as they taste great. A box of sugar-free Christmas chocolate candies for example will look just as delightful as regular chocolate candies.

It’s interesting to note that in a poll sponsored by the National Confectioners Association in 2004, chocolate was the favorite food gift that Americans said they preferred to receive for the holidays.

The lowly and much maligned fruit cake was last on the list. The second favorite holiday food gift was a fruit basket and a plate of cookies was third on the list, according to the Association.

For an occasion such as a Christmas party or a dinner, including Christmas Dinner, where larger quantities and selection of food is available, the ‘Eating on a Budget’ plan means that serving portions and the choice of food selected should be carefully watched. At a party where more desserts and sweets are likely to be available, a few of the selections can be sampled.

If the urge to try everything can’t be resisted, then do so, but then second helpings have to be severely limited. The same is somewhat true for Christmas Dinners.

One big difference is that the food served during Christmas Dinner will be heavier, so by selecting portions wisely, one can always say truthfully that the stomach is full. And indeed, after a sumptuous Holiday Dinner, your body is likely to be full from food and your soul full of joy from sharing another memorable holiday tradition with family, friends and loved ones.

Those skeptics have put forward the thought that Jesus may really have been born in the spring instead. It is therefore little wonder that there are many fancy stories and tales that are told about Christmas and the Christmas season. The most common fancy tale that everyone tells, particularly to children, is about Santa Claus, also called St. Nicholas.

But even if it were accepted that Santa Claus existed, where does he live and how is he able to get to all the houses of good boys and girls on Christmas Eve ? In the United States, Santa Claus is said to have two homes. There is a home in Torrington, Connecticut, which is used as a distribution point for Santa and his many helpers, who are elves, to hand out gifts.

And then, a second home is said to be located in Wilmington, New York, and that is where Santa Claus and his delivery reindeer crew are located. But Santa can be visited in Cyberspace at anytime and what about the widely held belief that Santa Claus really lives in a village at the North Pole ?

The people of Finland also claim that their country is the official residence of Santa Claus. That’s because in Finland, you can actually visit a village any time during the year and see Santa’s workshop and observe Santa and his elves hard at work as they prepare for their very important Christmas gift delivery job on Christmas Eve.

The only day when Santa’s workshop is closed to visitors is of course, on Christmas Eve. Maybe a very smart visitor could visit Santa’s workshop on the day before Christmas Eve to see if there are any clues to how Santa and his reindeers plan to make their trip the next day.

That’s because as the tale goes, in Finland Santa Claus and his reindeers do not reach their destinations around the globe by flying. Finland welcomes visitors to Santa’s workshop but there is nothing said about whether visitors actually have any chance of having a word with the man himself.

While the chances of doing so are believed to be non-existent, among the questions that inquiring minds could ask Santa is whether Rudolph is the son of Donner (and to confirm the spelling – Donner or Donder) or whether Santa spotted him in a different reindeer village one foggy Christmas Eve when he had already started on his Christmas toy-delivery mission.

If mere mortals got a chance to question Santa, then he also would likely have some questions for us humans. He may want to know whose idea was it to have Christmas trees and for the gifts to be placed under them. The tradition of Christmas tree as it exists today comes from Germany by way of immigrants.

But it isn’t clear how the tradition really gained a foothold in Germany. One story is that Christians in Germany during the 16th century started to bring trees that were decorated into their homes. Some of those Christians would build pyramids for Christmas.

The pyramids were made of wood and would be decorated with evergreens and candles if wood was in short supply. It is however Martin Luther, a Protestant reformer, who is said to have been the first to add lighted candles as decoration to a tree based on his inspiration from the brilliant light of twinkling stars that shone through evergreen trees as he walked home one winter evening. As the legend goes, Martin Luther placed a tree in a primary room of his house and placed wires with small, lighted candles around the branches of the tree.

And that is how, as the tale goes, the Christmas tree as known today, was started.

Christmas in the United States today can be seen as focused around family, travel, shopping and decorations. Family and travel go together during Christmas in the United States because family members often have to travel fairly long distances to be with each other at one location.

The growth of cities hat have primarily economic activity, suburbs for residences, as well as the fact of different industries being found in certain geographic locations, are among the reasons that family members often live great distances from each other in separate states. hristmas and its festivities therefore present a wonderful opportunity for many members of the family to gather in celebration and see each other in an intimate setting.

The traveling involved makes the Christmas season a busy time of the year for rail and air travel. The occasion of seeing many family members at Christmas is also linked to the activity of shopping that is an important feature of Christmas in the United States. The Christmas season officially begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday and which now ranks second in shopping for a single day to the Saturday before Christmas.

Much of the shopping that is done is to purchase gifts for friends and family. Gifts for family members are usually exchanged after dinner on Christmas day, when everyone gathers in the room with the Christmas tree. Gifts are usually left at the base of the Christmas tree in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

Gifts may also exchanged before Christmas at parties held by friends and parties held at workplaces. Second to gifts, shopping is also done at Christmas for decorations. While the Christmas tree may be the centerpiece of attraction, garlands, wreaths, candles and decorative lighting placed outside on lawns or along rooflines are also used to create a beautiful holiday appearance for homes. Canadians enjoy Christmas activities that are similar to those celebrated in the United States.

That is so because in the 1700s when some German immigrants in the United States migrated to Canada, they continued to practice many of the activities associated with Christmas. The geographical proximity of the two countries also means they share many things, so similarities in Christmas traditions wouldn’t be an exception. One thing that accounts for the difference between the two countries however, is the Eskimo population in Canada.

Eskimos in Canada celebrate a festival during winter and have other traditions that are absent from American Christmas celebrations. A practice also exists in Nova Scotia in which small groups of masked individuals march around about two weeks before Christmas. These masked groups attract attention by creating stir with much bell ringing and engaging in a noisy caper in an aim to get candy, sweets and goodies from onlookers.

This tradition bears some similarity to Jonkonoo celebrations in the neighboring islands of the Caribbean. Those celebrations also involve masked individuals, including some that appear on stilts that make them as tall as trees. The parade of Jonkonoo regale onlookers with various antics and present a minor scare to some children, who are then calmed with candies and other treats.

In Nova Scotia, onlookers can try to calm the noise and rowdiness just a little if they can correctly guess the identity of the masked person. A correct guess puts an end to the noise as the mask is removed, exposing the individual. For their part, maskers also play nice by friendly nudging answers from children about whether they have been naughty or nice and handing out candies and treats accordingly.