DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

    Christmas  Day in  Ireland  is December 25.     Here the Christmas celebrations last from Christmas Eve to the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which is referred to as "Little Christmas". Christmas in Ireland is a religious as well as a festive occassion. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom and hence, Christmas traditions here echo those of the western countries.    In preparation for Christmas, Irish families bake Christmas cakes, puddings and mince pies. Mantelpieces are decorated with  flowers  (such as holly) and  ornaments . A popular tradition here, as in other western nations, is hanging the mistletoe in a doorway and to kiss under it. Before  the holidays , families give gifts (usually  money ) to all those who provide service to them throughout the year, such as  the plumber  or the milkman. Chirstmas shoppers    Homes are cleaned and o...

This comes from  www.wikihow.com  .  These are really a neat looking idea to hang on your tree or at your annual holiday Christmas party.  Make alot or a little. This is a little more complicated than a two-dimensional paper snowflake, but it looks beautiful and is a suitable craft for children adept with scissors and patient in making crafts. It will produce a 6-armed three-dimensional snowflake decoration that makes a perfect tree decoration or window-hanger. Steps   Assemble the materials. Assemble the materials . You can See the "Things You'll Need", are at the bottom of the page. Fold each of the 6 pieces of paper in half, diagonally . If the paper you're using doesn't make a perfect triangle, cut off the rectangular edge that sticks out and make it align perfectly.   Cut 3 lines on each side of the triangle from the folded edge (as per video), making sure not to cut through...

    The holidays are filled with joyful emotions and honored traditions, including the playing of songs about snowmen, St. Nick, evergreen trees, and presents wrapped up with big bows. No matter how you celebrate the season, you'll hear these songs on the radio, T.V., at the mall, in the office, and just about anywhere music is played.     If you think the same songs are played over and over, you're right, but if this bothers you, consider the alternative: Christmas carols were banned in England between 1649 and 1660. Oliver Cromwell, serving as Lord Protector of Britain, believed Christmas should be solemn and also banned parties, limiting celebration to sermons and prayer services.     Lots of holiday songs are festive, many have spiritual overtones, and all are played so often that they are familiar no matter what your faith. But what do you know about how these songs were created and the people who wrote them?   ...

C hristmas in Wrocław, Poland                                   I’d been watching the city municipal workers assemble the rows of wooden stalls and the three-story Christmas tree in Wrocław’s town center since the middle of November. The outdoor Christmas market seemed like it was going to be a huge event. Sprawled across two lengths of the square, the builders worked just as hard at assembling as they did at shoveling the continually on-coming snow heralding the beginning of the Polish winter.    I knew the day the market opened by the smell. Fried  kielbasa,  baked gingerbread, and the distinct linger of hot mulled wine invited me in as I walked from my bus stop toward the building where I work. Luckily, the town square is positioned so that a detour through the market was, actually, right on the way. ...

Christmas Craft: Homemade Candy Canes Homemade cherry rainbow candy canes! My friend Heather taught me how to make homemade candy canes. Ours are so quirky and delicious, hand-twisted into all sizes - fat and stubby, tall and spindly. I love them. Have you ever wondered how they are made? It has never crossed my mind. Here's a little peek at how it works:    Candy Cane Recipe (Adapted from CandyCaneFacts.com.) 3 cups sugar   1 teaspoon Peppermint flavoring (or whatever flavor you have on hand. We made pink and cream striped creme  de   menthe  and rainbow striped cherry.)   1/2 cup water   3/4 cup light corn syrup   3/4 teaspoon food coloring   1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar   powdered sugar, for dusting   vegetable oil, for greasing pans and utensils   *You'll need a candy thermometer, latex gloves and a pair of tight-fitting knit gloves. DIRECTIONS: *Make sure ...

Handmade gifts can be some of the best – especially when they’re edible! However, there just seems to be something wrong with loads of gorgeous holiday cookies that represent hours and hours of baking… on a plain paper plate with green plastic wrap. These festive cookie envelopes are the perfect way to present just the right amount of sweet to your favorite recipients. These can be printed on any lighter color of card stock, and the liner can be made ideally from wax paper (more detailed instructions are on the printables themselves). The closure is where it can get really fun – buttons, ribbons, and washi tape are what I used but I would love to do some with yarn pom-poms, big stickers… it’s really endless. One tip – flat cookies that are less than three inches in diameter work best with these envelopes. If you try to put a very round cookie in there it might not close all the way. Four tiny cookies would also be a really cute option. ...