John Oberhauser asked:

As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to remember all the year’s news and get started on your family Christmas letter. It’s easier to write one basic letter and then tailor it as needed depending on who is going to get it. Once you have the basic letter, you can add and delete content to tailor it for each recipient so that they feel like they got a personal letter. By allowing the stationery to set the mood, you can make this task a lot easier than you might expect.

Write down a list of people who will receive your family Christmas letter, and then divide the names into categories like whimsical, spiritual, or classy. Family members and friends with children in the same age group as yours will appreciate whimsical stationary. There is a large variety of stationery choices including ones with candy canes, funny penguins, snowmen and, naturally, Santa. Supplement your main Christmas letter with a few paragraphs about your children and use lively stationery so people will enjoy reading it.

It might be your desire to send your church associates a short Christmas letter with more religious overtones. Choose stationary with religious themes such as Mary and Baby Jesus, three wise men or celestial angels. Relevant imprinted stationery will reveal how you understand the real meaning of the holidays. The basic Christmas letter is best for casual acquaintances who might not want to read such a detailed letter. I feel somewhat sensitive when I read too many details about endeavors of a child from a first marriage that I was not familiar with until I saw this Christmas letter.

Some of the people you would like to send your Christmas letter too may not share your religious beliefs, or may not have any religious beliefs. It is not difficult to alter your “Christmas” letter to a “Holiday” letter by choosing the proper letterhead to put it on. Wintry nature themes, like cardinals, pine trees, or snow-covered landscapes, work well for this purpose. When you consider their personal beliefs, this will be appreciated by them.

It will be really easy to create unique Christmas and Holiday letters. Write one master letter that contains everything you might want to share. Then make a new document for a specific recipient, cut and paste the paragraphs you want to use, and print the letter on the holiday letterhead you have chosen for that person. Definitely write your own name on each letter and send it in an envelope that matches. Always send the full Christmas letter to grandparents because they always cherish every detail. Merry Christmas!

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Randy Stocklin asked:

You think Santa Claus and decorated trees when you think Christmas, right? The Jolly One probably comes first as the number one symbol of the holiday, but there’s no mistaking that Christmas trees are nearly just as important when it comes to celebrating the holiday right.

Santa Claus and Christmas trees are so intertwined, so connected, in how we celebrate, it makes one think that Santa maybe even invented the Christmas tree. After all, it’s Santa who places everyone’s presents underneath the tree. Maybe back in the old days, before trees, he used to place presents under children’s beds and in the bathtub. And maybe eventually he got tired of it, and instead invented Christmas trees as a convenient and fun place for him to leave presents. Makes sense, right?

Maybe, but Santa had little to do with the real reason that Christmas trees came about. Sorry to disappoint you folks, but it was actually German Christians who started the Christmas tree celebration, way back in the 1500s. And as for decorating these trees, the story goes that one of the top Christians of them all, Martin Luther, started decorating his family’s tree in the 1500s with lit candles. He got the idea one night walking home under the stars.

Then the idea really caught on in the mid-1800s, when the Queen of England and her children started decorating a tree for Christmas. Sketches of the royal family with their decorations got put in all the major newspapers, and soon every good Englishman was starting a new family tradition: decorating their house and home with colorful decorations and freshly smelling, beautifully green evergreen trees.

In America, however, we were a little bit slow, not just with decorating Christmas trees but with celebrating Santa Claus and anything else ‘extra’ in their Christmas festivities. That’s because up until the very end of the 1800s, Americans saw Christmas as a very religious holiday. There was no room for chubby men in red suits, or bright decorations and candles, and even a Christmas tree. All Americans did back then was go to church service. Period.

But then the Queen of England enjoyed her Christmas tree. And many immigrants to the United States, especially the German ones, celebrated December 25 with trees, lights, and holiday cheer. Eventually, the fun caught on. In true American fashion, though, Americans not only took on the tradition of Christmas trees and decorations, they improved on it. Every thing had to be bigger, better, and more festive!

For example, at the turn of the 20th century, Europeans tended to like their trees manageable, at only about the height of your typical sixth grader. But when Americans started catching on to the tree tradition, they decided they liked their trees big, so big that they touched the ceiling of their homes.

Then Americans took it one step further with the invention of electricity in homes. Trees were braided with strings of multicolored lights. Homes were covered with decorations of every color, blinking lights, and Santa Claus statues with his sleigh of reindeer. Even towns and cities started setting up Santa Claus displays around Town Hall, as well as Christmas trees that reached to the sky.

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coastie girlfriend asked:

I am mailing my 3 year old brother a letter from Santa. Do I address the envelope to him or to my mother? I would like to put it in his name but will the mail get there if it is addressed to a 3 year old? As long as the address is correct I can put his name right?
also…do I have to put my address as a return address? am I able to write say,
“1 North Pole Lane”

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kirikara asked:

I am doing a santa letter for children in needs and while i am planning on buying my 11 year old kid warm clothing, he also wrote that he would really like a pokemon book.
I am guessing he does not have a video game, so I am afraid to buy the worng book.
He is asking for the pokemon guide book with all the characters or a pokemon manga/comic book to read???
I really want to make him happy, so if you know what he is talking about, let me know!

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Stephnie O asked:

He’s 50 something, ex con, just got out of jail 3-4 months ago after being in there for aboug 4 years. He’s an ex ***** head who lives on his sisters couch. I’m 100% serious. We have to spend AT LEAST $50, and no more thant $75. On his paper for describing things he wants he wrote in big letters “something nice”. He doesn’t have hobbies, and he literally sits around watching TV all day with his girlfriend who is in the same situation.
I cannot buy him an outfit because I dont have sizes. I’m not bitter about having to get him something, but he litterally cannot go out and do the things we can do. He’s stuck where he is. Thanks for your input tho.

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gretchenholloway asked:


Christmas is arriving and I still don’t know how i’m going to get my children anything!I’m a 27 year old,single mother who’s struggling just to make sure my children have the basic things in life they need.We finally moved into our own apartment[we were in one room before]. With everything going on I really can’t afford to give them the Christmas they truly deserve. I’ve heard of programs and dear.santa letters but I don’t know how to get in touch with the programs.Can someone please offer me a little insight on what to do, so my children can have the Christmas they deserve. I just want to see their smiling faces on Christmas morning.

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Jake Tyler asked:

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years. The story starts with a monk named Saint Nicholas. As the legend goes, Saint Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, Turkey which is near Myra in the country of Turkey we know today. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas was the center of many grand tales. These legends have been passed down to generations and generations of children.

It is thought that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and riches so he could travel the country. He wanted to travel so he could help the poor and sick. One of the more popular St. Nick stories is the one about him saving three poor sisters from being sold into a life of slavery or prostitution by their father. Other stories tell of St. Nick saving people from famine and disease, sparing the lives of those innocently accused, and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds without expecting anything in return.

Over the course of hundreds of years, Saint Nicholas’s popularity spread across the globe. The Saint became known as the great protector of children. He was admired for his work to help the needy. He was also revered for his great Christian faith. By the Renaissance period, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in all of Europe. Even after the Protestant Reformation, when the admiration of all saints was discouraged, Saint Nicholas was able to maintain a good reputation. He is honored by all of the Christian world, in both the East and West. In the West, he is especially honored as he is considered the great patron Saint of children and the jolly giver of gifts. He is often called Santa Claus.

On the anniversary of his death which is thought to be December 6, a feast day is celebrated. This was traditionally considered a lucky day to get married or make large purchases. Another tradition that we all are familiar with is writing a letter to Santa. Writing letters to Santa Claus has been a Christmas tradition for many years. These letters from children usually includes a wishlist of toys and gifts. Children often include their accomplishment of good behavior. Letters from Santa are still mailed out every year around the globe.

SantaLetters4Kids.comhttp://santaletters4kids.comWriting extremely personalized Letters from Santa for almost 10 years.

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Debbie Allen asked:


It’s time to start planning for Christmas again and how to make it even more unique. If you are like the average person that recognizes and acknowledges this endearing holiday, you will be dragging out your favorite and most cherished decorations from past Christmases plus adding more. Most people seem to continuously build their supply of adornments. After all, there are always new and gorgeous ornaments, wreaths, garlands, and other decorative embellishments we can add. The truth is that having a wide rangeoffers the opportunity to either have a themed oriented decorating scheme, or a free for all style.

Decorating your home and surroundings is usually a Christmas tradition that all members of the family participate in. Even the very young get into the act. And of course, us grownups sometimes get a little emotional at Christmas time. It’s not hard to do as we think about favorite Christmases from years gone by. And if we are really lucky we will even have some keepsakes from those times that seem to keep us in touch with our past.

Christmas traditions are a wonderful way to bridge the gap between old and new, and young and old. The passing down of traditions keeps a bond of sorts between the generations. Just as our parents celebrated during the holidays, we have followed, and our kids will too.

Whether your family traditionally spends a specific time making and displaying Christmas craft projects, or simply decorating, or just spending quality time together, these can all become memorable Christmas traditions. And great memories will be a part of each Christmas as the tradition is carried on.

My family’s Christmas traditions include putting our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day. Afterward, we work on a few Christmas craft projects – a family favorite is making snowmen out of Styrofoam balls. It’s easy enough even for the youngest members to do and fun for all.

When the craft projects are complete it is time to write our letter to Santa Claus. The kids love this. I always look forward to learning what it is that the children really want for Christmas. When the letters are done we put them in envelopes addressed to Santa Claus at the North Pole. And when the kids receive an authentic letter back with a Santa Claus postmark from the North Pole they are ecstatic. As soon as their eyes take in the postmark from Santa Claus they are overjoyed, and I get to share in their joy.

No matter what activities you and your family look forward to together, the essential thing is to make it fun and make it meaningful. There’s something about Christmas that is simply enchanting and I believe that magic lives in our hearts. It just takes thewonders of Christmas to bring it out in each of us.



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