Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, be plenteous in mercy is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge.

Monday 3 December 2012

WEEK 3: LET'S SHARE!


"Christmas Gift" is an expression traced back as early as 1844 in the southern United States.
 It is derived from the tradition of saying "Christmas Gift!" among typically poor African American and Anglo farming families in rural areas, when people would wake on Christmas morning and rush to say "Christmas Gift" before anyone else. 
The person being told "Christmas Gift!" is expected to present the person saying it to them with a present. 
In addition, while "Merry Christmas" is the common and current seasonal salutation, "Christmas Gift" was an equivalent expression used in the rural south and also in southern Pennsylvania, Ohio Valley, West Virginia, and later in northeastern Texas as a simple greeting and recognizing the birth of Christ as a gift.



Let's share ideas for Christmas gifts
Remember:
1) you can describe only ONE gift;
2) if you provide a different variation for the gift which has already been posted in the commentary, do it via the Reply button. 

1 point per commentary or reply!

20 comments:

  1. My idea for a Christmas gift is a Christmas music collection, which includes such songs as:
    1. Silent Night
    2. The Christmas Song
    3. Winter Wonderland
    4. White Christmas
    5. Blue Christmas
    6. Sleigh Ride
    7. Frosty the Snowman
    8. Cantique de Noël (O Holy Night)
    9. O Come All Ye Faithful
    10. Joy to the World
    11. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
    12. Silver Bells
    13. Santa Baby
    14. The Night Before Christmas
    15. Jingle Bells
    16. Song for a Winter’s Night
    17. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella"
      "Coventry Carol"
      "Gabriel's Message"
      "Here We Come A-wassailing"
      "The Holly and the Ivy"
      "I Wonder as I Wander"
      "In dulci jubilo"
      "In the Bleak Midwinter"
      "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
      "See, Amid the Winter's Snow"
      "Sussex Carol (On Christmas Night All Christians Sing)"
      "Wexford Carol"

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. I like your idea:)) I'll make a note of such choice of Christmas gifts as very often I have difficulties in choosing it for my friends or family...

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  2. Everyone likes gifts, especially on Christmas! And I would like to share with you one interesting idea! =)

    CANDY PLANT CRAFT

    Materials Needed:

    3-inch Clay Pot
    Paint
    Green Floral Foam
    Small, Wrapped Candies
    Craft Stick
    Misc. Supplies to Decorate (see suggestions below)
    Craft Glue
    Paint Brush
    Scissors


    Instructions:
    Paint the clay pot however you like. At this time you can also paint the craft sticks green. use however many sticks as you want flowers. Let the paint dry!

    Place a snug piece of green floral foam in the pot. You can also place tissue paper in the pot first so it sticks out of the top of the pot. If you don't have floral foam, you can fill the pot with rocks or even candy!

    Glue the wrapped candies one end of a craft stick. If you want 'fuller' flowers, consider cutting flower shapes out of craft foam, felt, or construction paper and gluing them to the craft stick first.

    Poke the craft stick stems into the floral foam in the pot. Once all of your flowers are in place, you can fill in around them, covering the floral foam, with shredded tissue or Easter grass.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My idea of Christmas gifts are ornaments on the Christmas trea. There are lot's of them for sale this time. But they cost very much. In this case "You can't bye it for yourself", as I usually say, is true. though it will be a good present from a friend.
    It can be:
    1. Christmas glob
    2. Christmas star
    3. spangel
    4. garland
    5. scattered rain
    6. artifactural snow
    7. an electro-dancind-and-singing toy of Santa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Christmas Angels Gifts in Style
    Christmas Angels are the most interesting part of the Nativity scenes and play an important role in Christmas celebrations. A star-shaped angel guided the Three Kings to Jesus and back to their homelands; another angel warned Joseph of the coming calamity and Herod's orders to kill children under the age of 2 and advised him to flee to Egypt with the mother and child in time; yet again, Christmas angels informed the family when they could return safely to their homeland. Angels are believed to be prolific in Christmas art and music. And angel pictures are a common part of almost all the popular and domestic arts. Christmas angels attract the fantasies of young children and are considered sacred in all forms.

    Archangel Michael has his special church festival while Christmas angel ornaments; figurines, pictures and guardian angels jewelry are classic Christmas gifts and party favors. Angel pictures grace many Christmas cards in which they are shown hovering over Christmas nativity stable. Angels have been popular subject of Christmas music throughout the world and medieval dramas frequently depicted Nativity angels. Both classic and modern movies show angels as an intervener in the lives of the movie characters. Thus, they catch the fancy of the little kids who dress up in white angel robes as Christmas angels for seasonal holiday dramas. In Europe, angels are a part of groups of boys who go from door to door singing Christmas carols and songs and getting treats in return.

    Angels are believed to keep record of children who have been naughty or nice throughout the year and bring gifts for the good ones. According to an Irish folklore, Virgin Mary sends angels each Christmas Eve to wake up children and lead them to heaven to sing a carol to the Christ Child. Children return to their beds before morning and chosen children are considered lucky. In Latin America and the Philippines, people dress up as angels and take out street processions reenacting the journey to Bethlehem. Heavenly angel figurines are parts of popular home decorations while angel ornaments are often used to decorate Christmas trees and gifts. Gold and silver guardian angel jewelry are said to remind us of the fact that an angel is watching and safeguarding us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A family may get together and bake christmas cookies. This activity is a unique chance to build more strong relationship. In my opinion, it`s funny to have a great time mixing, baking and decorating and everyone shares in the clean-up too.
    Here is one of funny recipes.
    Ginger drops
    1 package gingerbread mix
    1 cup almonds
    1 cup raisins
    1/2 cup of water.
    Mix all ingredients
    Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 10 minutes

    ReplyDelete
  6. As for me, I really like handmade Christmas gifts and it doesn't matter how old you are and what you really can allow to buy. They may be very useful also. So, as the girl, it would be pleasant for me to receive the following handmage gifts:

    Fabric-covered boxes for jewelry

    Snowdrop Block-Printed Tea Towels

    Sewn Felt Slippers

    Tote Bags with Iron-On Silhouettes

    Paillette Flower Headband

    Big Ball Necklace

    Or many many others! the choice is limited only by your fantasy:))

    ReplyDelete
  7. Christmas pudding recipes go hand in hand with Christmas. Christmas dinner is always concluded with a sensational Christmas pudding, steaming hot and smothered in a rich, sweet sauce.That's why I think it's a good idea to cook puddings and give them your friends and relatives. Possible recipe: One cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 cup molasses, 1/2 teaspoonful nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup corn meal, 1 cup chopped beef suet, 1/4 cup finely minced citron, 1 cup seeded raisins, 1/2 cup currants. Flour to make a stiff batter.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Photo album with photos/family history in it.

    Recipe box with some of your favorite family recipes jotted down.

    Music box that plays their favorite song.

    I guess that's the best gifts for Christmas :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. As for me, I think a goog collection of Christmas films can be considered as a Christmas gift:
    It’s a Wonderful Life (1946);
    One Magic Christmas (1985);
    Scrooged (1988);
    Home Alone (1990);
    Sleepless in Seattle (1993);
    Miracle on 34th Street (1994);
    The Santa Clause (1994), The Santa Clause 2 (2002), The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006);
    The Family Man (2000);
    The Christmas Shoes (2002);
    The Polar Express (2004)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, there’s something about handmade ornaments that really make me smile. It's cool to have handmade stuff mainly because whilde doing this or that handmade thing you put your heart and soul into it!

    So here is my idea of Christmas ornament called 'An Adorable Polar Bear Ornament Out Of An Old Wool Sweater'

    1. Print out the polar bear stencil or make your own.
    2. Felt a white second-hand sweater.
    3. Trace the bear with a fine point washable marker. You will be able to quickly rinse the ink off when done cutting and then pat dry.
    4. Add any embellishments you want. A single black glass bead looks nice. Insert the needle in the back and out the front. Thread the bead on the needle and then pass the needle back through in the same place. Knot in the back. Use a little embroidery floss for the nose and the mouth or keep it simple.

    ReplyDelete
  11. My variant of present is a box filled with milk chocolates and candies. This present will be nice not only for children but also for adults. To make this present special you may decorate this box with colorful ribbons and write on these ribbons wishes for Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like your ideas, guys! Now I know what gifts I should prepare for my friends.
    But nobody said about something more exotic. I think it's marvelous idea to choose a tour in a tourist agency for your boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe for your friend. It may be a trip to warm-climate country (Australia, Bali, Brazil, Jamaica, Cuba). Moreover it would be interesting to see how these countries celebrate Xmas!Also every year tourist agencies propose fantastic tours to Lapland to visit Santa's house!Santa Claus Village is a unique destination located on the Arctic Circle in the Town of Rovaniemi. Here you can follow a trail telling some of Santa’s secrets and full of experiences that leads you to the new Santa Claus Office, where the much loved Santa Claus is waiting to meet you! At the Santa Claus Village you can also see the very busy elves working at the Santa Claus Main Post Office, explore Finnish Christmas traditions in the Christmas Exhibition and take part in plenty of other fun activities!

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  13. As far as we use the Internet every day, I think that it'll be a good idea to start a blog in honor of someone. Just call the blog – Best Dad Ever or something like that. Post a few entries and send the web address to the recipient.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think the best gift for Christmas is an expression of your feelings to your close people. And one of the ways to do it is just to write about it in a letter or a Christmas card and send it by post. I think it's so splendid to receive a letter with wishes especially on Christmas and knew that someone love you very, very much :)))

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have some ideas about Christmas gifts. So, you mau buy and present chocolate coins. Anyone who doesn't like chocolate coins probably doesn't like Christmas. Ofc if you've got an allergy. These are fairly traded too, for added points with Father Christmas. If you want to share some warm energy , you can present snuggly-warm wool jumper with a cotton lining in a classic design. Moreover, if you want not only to share your gifts with your friend, but to give something to his "minor creatures" , for example - a dog. So what to get the pampered pooch who has everything? Possibly a course at a dog-training centre would be the ticket, but if you must spoil them, make like Paris Hilton and tote them round in a, um, tote :D.

    ReplyDelete