Christmas Stocking Collection

It’s only fitting that since Santa Claus has the magnificent capability to
visit homes around the world in a single night that more than one place would
claim to be his home. It’s common belief that Santa hails from the wintry North
Pole, but folks in Finland will also tell you that Santa calls that country his
home. To prove it, the Finns will even invite you to visit Santa in his workshop
before Christmas or during the year and talk with Santa Claus as he and his
elves busy themselves for their end-of-year Christmas expedition around the
globe.
The popularity in America today of the images and legend of Santa Claus
can be traced to the poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ that was written
by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822. In that poem, Moore described St. Nicholas as a
jolly fellow who flew from house to house in a sleigh pulled by reindeers and
waited for children to go to bed on Christmas Eve before he came down the
chimney to deliver Christmas presents for them.
Following the distribution of that poem, the popular magazine Harper’s Weekly
published cartoons by Thomas Nast between 1863 and 1886 that depicted Santa as a
cheerful fellow with a large round belly and long white beard who wore a bright
red suit that was trimmed with white fur. In those cartoons, Santa also held a
sack, which was filled with toys for boys and girls, over his shoulder. The
cartoons also showed Santa reading letters from good boys and girls, working in
his workshop with his elves, checking his list to make sure he had all the
required toys and even showed his wife, Mrs. Claus.
The tradition of Santa Claus was brought to America however by Dutch colonists
who settled in New York City, which was called New Amsterdam at the time.
The real St. Nicholas is said to be a minor saint from the 4th Century with a
reputation for generosity and kindness that gave rise to legends of many
miracles that he performed for the poor and unhappy. One of the stories about
the legend of St. Nicholas is that he saved three poor girls who were sisters
from being sold into a life of slavery or prostitution by their father.
According to the legend, Santa Claus provided the girls with a dowry so that
they could get married.
The legend of St. Nicholas led to hundreds of people being devoted to him and
consequently thousands of European churches became dedicated to him. After the
Reformation period however, widespread practice and worship of St. Nicholas
disappeared in European countries that were Protestant, except in Holland where
the legend of St. Nicholas continued. St. Nicholas was known as Sint Nikolaas
but that was later corrupted to Sinter Klaas.
Dutch colonists took this tradition of Sinter Klaas to New York City where it
was adopted using the Englist name of Santa Claus. Over time, the Dutch legend
of the kindly saint was combined with old Nordic folktales about a magician who
punished naughty children and rewarded good ones with presents to give rise to
the stories that now exist about Santa Claus.
The red and white-trimmed suit of Santa Claus is believed to be the colors that
the original St. Nicholas worebecause red and white were the colors of the robes
worn by traditional bishops. It is also believed that the Coca Cola Co. played a
role in what is regarded as the popular look of Santa Claus today through
paintings by artist Haddon Sundblom that were placed in some of the company’s
advertisement between 1931 and 1964.

Since so much time and effort is put into selecting the perfect Christmas
tree, it follows that similar consideration should also be given to giving the
tree the best possible care. Otherwise, there will be disappointment if needles
start to brown or turn yellow, or branches begin to break with days or weeks to
go before the season is over. Safety is also an important reason to take proper
care of your Christmas tree because a drying Christmas tree also presents a
grave danger as a fire hazard. The average Christmas tree should last for about
five to six weeks if the proper care is given to it.
After selecting a Christmas tree and getting it home, the first thing that
should be done is to make a fresh cut and place it into a stand with water. A
Christmas tree shouldn’t be mounted dry and the water in its stand should be
replenished regularly. A fresh cut is made by cutting about an inch off the
bottom in a slight diagonal shape to help the absorption of water. If a fresh
cut isn’t going to be made immediately after getting the tree home, it should be
placed in a container with water and left to stand in a shaded area that is away
from the wind.
If a fresh cut isn’t made and the Christmas tree is left exposed to air, the
vessels for transporting water can become blocked. If this happens, another
fresh cut can correct the problem and the tree would need to be immediately put
in a container with water.
Your Christmas tree should be secure in its stand and it should be placed
away from open flames or sources of heat such as furnaces, fireplaces and air
vents, all of which may dry it out. Decoration of the tree should also begin
after it has been mounted in its stand. Several decoration precautions should be
taken to lessen or avoid the Christmas tree being a fire hazard.
Ornaments that have an open flame or candles should never be used for
decoration. Christmas tree lights should be checked to make sure the bulbs are
working properly, the connections are intact and that no part of the cord is
damaged. If there appears to be any exposed wiring or bulbs that are not working
or which are working intermittently, that string of Christmas tree lights
shouldn’t be used.
A good Christmas tree stand should be selected since water is the most
important item to getting the longest life out of your Christmas tree. In
selecting a stand, find out the amount of water it can hold when a tree is
placed in it. Some water will be displaced from the space taken up by the base
of the tree so it is important that a selection is not made based on the total
volume of water the stand can hold.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the average Christmas tree
may absorb up to one gallon of water each day. It is therefore important to
check the water everyday and replenish it accordingly. To make sure your
Christmas tree gets enough water, the Association recommends that one quart of
water is required for each inch of the diameter of the tree’s trunk.
After Christmas is over and your wonderfully decorated Christmas tree has
provided much joy, it is important to remove it before it dries out. Options to
discard your Christmas will likely depend on the services offered by your
municipality. Some municipalities will pick up Christmas trees on particular
days, with a cut-off date. Some towns may require that residents take their
trees to specific locations, while in others Christmas trees will be picked up
with the garbage, again up to a certain date. But Christmas trees should never
be burned in the fireplace as it can cause the build up of creosote, a
colorless, oily substance.
There’s also the choice that you can continue to get a different use from your
Christmas tree by cutting it to pieces yourself and be environmentally sensitive
by using it for mulch.

The decoration of Christmas trees has evolved and undergone many changes,
much like many of the early traditions of the Christmas season. Christmas tree
lighting that started out with real candles underwent probably the biggest
change when electric light became commercially available and special Christmas
tree lights were manufactured. It is therefore not surprising that today you can
set up Christmas trees that are expertly decorated with little or no effort.
While many people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its scent, many others
simply want a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and will choose an artificial
or man-made tree. Artificial trees have been available in America since the
start of the 20th century. Many artificial trees are made to have a similar
appearance like real Christmas trees, but changes have been made to them to make
them decorative and different from regular Christmas trees.
As an example, in the 1950s some artificial Christmas trees had branches
made of aluminum-coated paper to give them a shiny metallic look. For those who
like to have a Christmas tree with a unique look, trees with a similar shiny,
metallic appearance are available today. They are however made with a different
material because the older trees were a fire hazard.
For the those people who are very busy and don’t have the time to spend
carefully placing Christmas lights on trees, there are several pre-lit models of
Christmas trees on the market today. A standard type of these Christmas trees
look like their real counterparts except multi-colored fiber-optic lights can be
found scattered throughout the limbs and branches of these trees. This
arrangement saves time and effort of having to undo or untangle strings of
Christmas tree lights.
Another type of pre-lit artificial Christmas tree are those that are made
completely of fiber optics so that the tree appears to be shaped out of strands
of light that are wispy. Some of these brightly-lit fiber-optic trees also come
equipped with pre-recorded Christmas songs and carols and speakers to give the
added pleasure of music.
Many pre-lit Christmas trees have electric Christmas tree lights however
which need to be plugged into a real electrical outlet. The advantage of these
trees is that the lights are already strung on them from the factory and you
need only to follow the instructions about how to assemble the tree and plug in
the different parts for it to appear lighted. Once this is done correctly, the
tree will look as if it was decorated with lights manually or professionally.
Another ready-made decorative feature of artificial Christmas trees is to have
the appearance of snow-covered branches. That trend is an evolution of faux snow
that is often sprinkled in garlands and wreaths to add a Christmas quality to
those decorations. Icicle ornaments are also used to decorate real and
artificial trees and icicle lights are commonly used along rooflines and outdoor
areas for additional lighting decoration. These decorations, along with the
ready-made snow-covered branches of artificial trees, all convey the frosty, icy
and cold feel of the winter season when Christmas occurs.
Christmas trees that arrive from the factory with lights also have
decorations such as apples and minute red berries to provide additional color,
and real pinecones that may or may not be frosted or sprinkled with faux snow.
They may also be pre-decorated with red or gold bows, round ornaments, flower-
like patterns, dried bow and twigs and gold frosted branch tips. to give an
appealing, sparkling appearance. The trees also have varying hues of green
similar to real Christmas trees.
Pre-lit and pre-decorated Christmas trees are therefore an excellent way
to brighten the holiday in your home and enable you to gain more time to enjoy
the festivities of the season.

Given the many types of Christmas trees available and the various ways in
which they can be bought, it’s important to know certain qualities that a
Christmas tree should have so that it will be suitable for decorating and will
also last through the season.
One of the most important qualities a Christmas tree should have is
freshness. This makes buying a tree from a Christmas Tree Farm the best option
because you will observe the tree being cut at the time it is purchased. If a
tree is bought elsewhere, such as from a retail lot, it is important to find out
where the tree came from and when it was cut.
To determine the freshness of a tree, observe whether it looks green and
healthy, has a fragrant scent and has needles that are moist and flexible. If
the needles appear dry or show browning, then that is a sign the tree isn’t very
fresh. If a large amount of green needles fall when a few branches of the tree
are shaken, that’s also a sign that the tree isn’t the best one to buy to last
for the entire season. The needles of fir trees should break crisply when they
are bent. If a fir tree needle is bent and doesn’t break readily with pressure,
it might mean that the tree isn’t absorbing water and that will affect its
longevity.
Another reason a Christmas tree farm can be a better option for purchasing a
Christmas tree is that it will be more likely to offer more species of trees and
therefore a wider variety of shapes and sizes.
For those Christmas trees that are located on retail or other commercial lots,
freshness can be determined by looking at the conditions in which the trees are
kept. Observe whether the trees are kept in stands that hold water, if baled
trees are protected from the wind and sun, if a fresh cut is put on trees and if
the trees are tied down correctly.
Another quality to consider in selecting the right Christmas tree is its size.
Before buying a tree, its important to decide where it will be placed so that
the space can be measured. You will need to do a floor to ceiling measurement
and then subtract at least 10-12 inches to get the maximum height for the
Christmas tree. It is recommended that at least 10-12 inches of space should be
between the top of the Christmas tree and the ceiling.
The bottom of the Christmas tree also needs to be checked to make sure there is
adequate space between the end of it and the lowest branches. A small diagonal
fresh cut, such as an inch, is made in that area to enhance absorption of water,
which will make the tree last longer. This cut should be made just before the
tree is placed in water. If a fresh cut is done and the tree is exposed to the
air too long, the vessels can become blocked.
Along with freshness and size, a tree should be selected based on the shape that
you like, the smell of the needles and bark and on how dense and sturdy the
branches are. For the density and sturdiness of the tree, you need to have an
idea how the tree will be decorated – how many heavy ornaments, Christmas lights
or bows will be used. As an example, a fir tree that has sturdy branches will be
better for holding heavy ornaments and a pine tree is good for Christmas trees
that have light decorations such as bows and a string of Christmas lights.
The texture of the branches and how durable or long-lasting the tree will
be are also worth considering in choosing a perfect Christmas tree.

The real meaning of Christmas is often expressed as being about giving to
others during the season. Giving can take many forms, but during the Christmas
season the most obvious way in which giving is done is by preparing beautifully
wrapped Christmas presents for family, friends, acquaintances, work colleagues,
teachers and others such as business clients.
The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas is believed to have started
with the Three Wise Men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But
the practice of giving gifts as is common today, evolved from a retail strategy
that involved Santa Claus and attracting children into stores. For that reason,
giving gifts at Christmas and during the holidays has been centered on children.
Giving gifts during Christmas started in the early 19th century when the
celebration of Christmas was restored after a period when the Protestants in
England banned Christmas celebrations. In 1820 to 1840 when Christmas
celebrations regained popularity, stores started to advertise special Christmas
shopping promotions. At the same time, newspapers also created advertising
sections solely for holiday shopping advertisements. These special advertising
sections had prominent displays of Santa Claus.
In 1841 when a store in Philadelphia had a life-size model of Santa Claus,
hundreds of children turned up to get a look at Santa Claus, which had become a
new and popular element of revitalized Christmas celebrations. The interest in
seeing Santa Claus provided a marketing idea to retailers that they could
attract children and parents to stores through offers to have a look at a ‘real’
or ‘live’ Santa Claus. Because of that marketing strategy to attract children
during Christmas, the focus was therefore to give Christmas presents to
children.
Today, gift-giving is still focused on children, but adults are as much popular
recipients as children. Within families, the focus on children is evident in the
fact that an individual child will get more gifts than any other individual
adult member of the family. For young children, who are particularly delighted
and enchanted by the holidays and Christmas festivities, toys are usually the
gift given. Among older children, clothes and electronic gadgets are popular
items to give as Christmas gifts.
Adults are the ones however, for whom there is the widest range of items that
can be given as Christmas presents. An item that will make a good Christmas or
holiday present to just about any adult is a decadent box of chocolate or
holiday cookies. This is enjoyed even by those who are diet-conscious because,
they can be sugar- and, or, fat-free or also low in carbohydrates. At Christmas
time also, many people tend to temporarily disregard any strict diet rules that
they are following and so they welcome and enjoy any type of Christmas treats
heartily.
According to a survey done in 2004 by the National Confectioners Association, 90
percent of 1,000 adults who were surveyed responded that giving or receiving a
box of chocolates and creating or receiving a stocking filled with goodies were
among the top three ways they enjoyed candy during the winter holidays. A third
way was having candy that was placed in a dish, which indicates that having
sweet treats at Christmas time is generally enjoyed by a broad cross-section of
people.
Aside from family members and friends, it may also be a nice gesture to give a
holiday or Christmas present to colleagues at work, teachers of your children
and based on your profession, to business clients. The primary reason to give
any of those categories of people holiday or Christmas gifts is likely to
express appreciation. For that reason, a holiday present of goodies or treats
would indeed be a sweet gift to give.

The tradition of caroling and Christmas carols is believed to have
originated in England when wandering musicians would go from town to town and
visit castles and other homes of the rich to give impromptu performances. But
there also is the belief that singing carols at Christmas likely came from the
group of angels, shepherds and Wise Men who visited Jesus at his birth, because
they worshiped the holy child, sang and proclaim praises unto Him. And after
their visit, they continued their proclamations in the street.
The origin of the word carol however, is thought to come from the word
‘caroller,’ which is a French word that describes a circle dance with singers.
And from the twelfth through the fourteenth centuries, the carol was highly
popular as a dance song. The use of carols then evolved to festivals where they
were sung as processional songs and others were used as part of religious
mystery plays in Europe. Some traditional qualities of a carol was that the
words expressed should celebrate a topic that was seasonal, have verses and a
chorus arranged alternately and have music that was suitable for dancing.
Although many of the carols that are now popular at Christmas time are very old,
there are others from earlier times that didn’t survive. During the 17th century
when the Protestants, led by Oliver Cromwell were in power in England, many
Christmas caros were banned and consequently some were never heard again. The
Christmas carols that survived the Protestant Reformation period didn’t become
very popular again until the mid-19th century to the start of the 20th century.
Many of the Christmas carols that were banned, and early Christmas carols in
general, had lyrics that expressed joyous and merry themes instead of the
serious somber words found in church hymns. During the time when carols were
banned, some composers and musicians wrote non-religious songs that had highly
varied choral music, which they called carols, for Christmas. After Christmas
carols again became popular, many of those songs were re-arranged with new
Christian lyrics and used by the church.
Making changes to Christmas carols continues in a different way today with pop
artistes singing the carols to different tunes and melodies to give them a style
that characterizes the particular artiste. Having Christmas carols with tunes of
contemporary or popular music of today means that they are also more likely to
survive because younger listeners will be interested in hearing any music that
is done by their favorite or other popular singers.
The popularity of Christmas carols in the United States increased in the 19th
century, as it did in England, because many of the traditions related to
Christmas came to the United States from England. The United States and England
also have closely linked religious observances, which also accounts for the
popularity and similarity of Christmas carols that are enjoyed in both
countries.
Today, radio stations are the first to play Christmas carols, usually starting
toward mid-November, to signal the coming season. At the start of December when
the Christmas season official begins, mall stores and other retail
establishments will begin to pipe Christmas carols and songs through their
places of business.
The singing of carols at churches, schools, and by groups performing at malls
usually will be a common sight starting in early to mid-December. Carol singing
as a part of Nativity plays and concerts at churches and schools is usually in
full swing by mid-December as the Christmas season gets into high gear and the
countdown to Christmas Day begins.
Whether it’s the traditional tune or popular makeovers of Christmas carols that
you enjoy, listening to them is part of an old Christmas tradition. And any
version of a Christmas carol that is played will serve the purpose of putting
you in a festive mood for Christmas that you may even want to dance, just like
the music of original carols was meant to do.

It’s only fitting, perhaps, that along with the magic of Santa Claus at
Christmas, holiday and Christmas lights also came about through the work of a
wizard – the Wizard of Menlo Park in New Jersey – as Thomas Edison was called.
It was Edison who first developed and demonstrated an incandescent electric
light bulb in 1879 that had commercial potential, an event that led the way for
the mass use of electricity and lights on Christmas tree as used today.
Before the discovery and use of electricity, candles were used to light
Christmas trees. That practice evolved into having glass covers with candles
inside them or metal lanterns that had small wicks. These were hung like
ornaments on Christmas trees. But even after Edison invented the incandescent
electric light bulb, it took many years before the large-scale manufacture of
Christmas tree lights were available commercially.
It is said that the idea of Christmas lights came from one of Edison’s
assistants, Edward Johnson. In 1882, Johnson had Christmas tree bulbs made
specially for him. He displayed these electric bulbs on his Christmas tree at
his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City and it drew widespread attention. But
Christmas tree lights underwent many changes and improvement before General
Electric Co. introduced Christmas lights on a commercial scale. As an example,
among the earlier lights used on Christmas trees were night-lights that were
strung together to make light strings. After the commercial introduction of
Christmas lights, sales and wide-scale use of them soared.
Decorative mini-lights to be used for Christmas tree lighting were introduced in
the 1970s. Since then, they have continued to be popular and are the dominant
types of Christmas tree lights in the marketplace. Before that, icicle lights
were introduced as decoration for rooflines. Those decorative lights are the
most popular ones used for outdoor landscape lighting during the holidays.
Outdoor decorative lighting has evolved from Christmas tree lighting to also
become a popular way to use colorful lighting during the holidays to create
spectacular scenes.
Another development in decorative lighting at Christmas time is the use of
candles. Real candles can be used, but electric candles became more popular and
safer because they present less threat of a fire hazard. Today that threat has
also decreased with the development of flameless battery candles. The battery
operation also makes their use more flexible because they can be placed in areas
where there aren’t electrical outlets. Candles are usually displayed at several
windows of a house during the holidays. They produce an appealing look
especially if there are at least two sets of three windows each other where they
can be placed.
Battery-operated candles can also be used during Christmas and the holidays for
other activities such as caroling, church services, school activities and for
other holiday arrangements around the home.
As Christmas lights have become a mandatory feature of the holidays, they are
continually being used in new ways that differ considerably from their early
beginnings. Outdoor lighting is now just as common as indoor lighting and that
is an area in which a change in the use of holiday lighting can be seen. Along
with icicle lights that illuminate rooflines and frames of houses, there are
also lights that are placed in shrubs. Holiday lighting also comes in the shape
of trees and other ornaments that can be placed on lawn to enhance the visual
appeal during the holidays.
Many lawns are landscaped by lighting during Christmas and the holiday season
with lighted figurines and various other items associated with the season. In
some communities, entire blocks of streets will have such elaborate holiday lawn
lighting that they attract passersby and even tourists – residents from
elsewhere – who are captivated by the spectacular visual displays of the
landscaped holiday lighting.

Maybe no other single activity really embraces camaraderie, playfulness
and fierce but friendly competition as heartily participating in playing indoor
games with friends and family. Christmas games does all those things but also
serves the purpose of bringing friends and family together to interact directly
with each other in a competitive and happy way.
Participating in Christmas games is another way of sharing, but it is also doing
something tangible to get into the festive, jolly and relaxed mode for the
holidays. Otherwise, its easy to get caught up in all the preparation and
shopping and become ridden with anxiety. Here are some holiday and Christmas
games that will cause fierce but friendly competition and leave everyone in a
jolly mood.
For the ‘Gift Wrap’ game, items needed will be small gifts, wrapping paper,
scotch tape and music that can be turned on and off at will. Each gift item is
wrapped in several layers of paper. The number of layers used will depend on the
duration you want the game to last. A gift is given to the group which should
start passing around the gift when the music starts. Whenever the music stops,
whoever has the gift should remove one layer of gift wrap. This continues until
the last layer of paper is removed. Whoever has the gift unwrapped gets to keep
it.
The items needed for the ‘Sock Guessing’ Christmas game are two or three thick
new thermal socks, items used or seen during Christmas, pens, pencils and paper.
Each sock is stuffed with 20-25 items that are used or seen during the
Christmas season. These can be useful items such as scotch tape, ornaments,
decorations etc. Each sock should have the same items and the opening should be
tied with a ribbon so the contents inside aren’t visible. The socks are then
passed around for each person to try to feel and guess the items then write down
what they think is in the sock. The person with the most correct guesses of
objects is the winner and can be awarded a separate special gift or token.
The ‘Gift Grab Card Game’ needs two deck of cards and a few small Christmas
gifts that are wrapped to look very interesting and enticing. One deck of cards
is passed out one at a time to guests. Each should have an equal number of cards
from the deck. The gifts are then placed in the center of the group. Someone
then calls out cards from the second deck. Whoever has an identical card gets to
choose a gift. When all the gifts are taken, everyone can steal gifts from each
other until the deck is finished and those with gifts get to open and keep them
as prizes. The fun increases when the stealing begins because everyone will have
different ideas about which gift looks interesting and try to hang onto it by
stealing it over and over if it is stolen. Some people will also try to disguise
the fact they have a gift, although they should be kept in sight.
A children’s Christmas game is ‘Pin the Nose on the Reindeer,’ which is the
Christmas game version of ‘Pin the tail on the Donkey.’ The items needed are a
drawing of a reindeer’s head with an incomplete drawing of the nose and several
noses with the names on one side and tape on the other. The picture should be
placed against a wall so that children can reach the nose. Each child then gets
a nose. They take turns being blindfolded spun around a couple times to
disorient them a little then told to walk to the reindeer and place the nose on
the picture. The child who places the nose closes to the reindeer’s nose wins.
A delightful Christmas game for work is the ‘Match the Desk to the Item’ game. A
day or so before the Christmas party at work, someone needs to secretly take one
item from each person’s desk and assign a number to each item. At the party, all
the items are displayed for everyone to guess whose desk the item belongs to.

It can be very satisfying to cater to friends, families and loved ones
during the Christmas holidays. Taking the time to share food, fun and laughter
in a happy, jovial manner truly embraces the spirit of Christmas.
In deciding to have a party at home, one of the first things to consider
is whether it will be formal or informal. Among the key things that need to be
considered are the number of people to attend, the menu, the preparation of food
and arrangement of decoration that is attractive and has themes for the
holidays. It’s also important to make a note of how much, if any, help will be
available from friends or family members.
A formal Christmas party likely would include a small number of people -
not more than 12 and likely fewer – who would be seated at a table for the
duration of the meal. It means that place settings and seating have to be done
and a decision made on whether the meal will be a three- or four-course dinner.
The advantage of a formal dinner is that it is very organized, it has a
known content and everyone around the table usually engages in pleasant
conversation. It also usually provides a good opportunity to get to know and
hear from everyone present without having to initiate any small talk, which some
people are not comfortable doing.
As the host of a formal dinner, you will also have the responsibility of
keeping the meal flowing smoothly by having each course brought out at the
perfect timing and to also be aware of any special needs that a guest may have.
In contrast, an informal Christmas party at home is organized in a
different manner and does not have the predictability of a formal one. The fun
and festive spirit of an informal holiday party comes from groups of people who
mill around, move about freely to have conversations, laugh and enjoy munching
on Christmas treats, goodies and other foods.
Despite the easy, fun-filled atmosphere, it is necessary to plan the use of
space and to think about the area that people will use or wander around. Making
such a plan will facilitate contact between partygoers so that the party spirit
will pervade everywhere and put participants in a livelier mood.
Another consideration to make for an informal Christmas party among friends and
family is if children will be present and about their ages, if they are allowed
to attend. Children, even older ones, always need careful supervision. If
children are going to attend a holiday party at home, arrangements should be
made for adequate supervision of them and special activities should also be
provided that can occupy their attention.
An important feature that must be a part of a festive Christmas party at home is
the right mix of music. In selecting Christmas music, consideration should be
given to what will be played at the start of the party as guests are welcomed
and introduced to each other, the songs that can be played later to inject or
enhance liveliness and later to create the right mood as the partygoers bid
farewell with ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays.’
Along with the music, Christmas decorations and even the food can also help to
enliven a Christmas party at home. Food that is interesting because it looks
‘pretty’ due to the color palette of items, infuses a mellow feeling among
guests and adds an intangible element to the level of enjoyment and excitement
of the partygoers.
Christmas parties at home can also be personalized with special cookies, treats
and dishes that are ethnic. The presence of some ethnic food, but not an
overwhelming quantity, which isn’t frequently enjoyed by guests will be
different and will add something that is unique to the host. And that is a part
of what a Christmas or holiday party at home is about. It’s to entertain family,
friends and acquaintances with a personal style while all enjoy some merriment
in the season of goodwill and good cheer.

During Christmas and the holiday season, the festive spirit and relaxed
mood even extends into the workplace where the pace is likely to slow
considerably as the volume of work is lessened. By having parties at work,
everyone can unwind a bit, have some fun and enjoy the satisfaction from the
results of a year of hard work. Colleagues at work can celebrate goals that have
been accomplished and look forward to an even more rewarding year.
Parties at work during Christmas and the holidays may include a voluntary
gift exchange and individuals have to make a decision whether or not they will
participate in it. In a situation where an individual may not know other
colleagues very well and is unsure what Christmas present to give, it may be
better to opt out of exchanging gifts. If the party and gift exchange is among a
fairly large group, such as company-wide or of several departments, it may not
be noticed if someone doesn’t participate in the gift exchange. If it’s a small
group however, it is likely to be noticed. To eliminate the possibility of any
negative talk regarding non-participation, it would likely be better to be among
those agreeing to exchange gifts.
A basic thing to remember in selecting gifts for Christmas gift exchanges
at work, which are usually called Secret Santa, is to not choose anything that
could be considered inappropriate or offensive. Although the sender won’t be
revealed, it won’t leave a good feeling and it will become the topic of
conversation among everyone.
Separate from the ‘Secret Santa’ Christmas gift exchange at work, it may
also be a good gesture to give Christmas presents, which can be small tokens or
even just candies or treats, to colleagues in a division or department if you
are the respective leader or manager. Such a gesture shows thoughtfulness and
that the work of individuals has been appreciated. It will be a good note on
which to end the year and to start a new one.
Another important thing to observe during Christmas parties at work is
good behavior that is considered casual but still business-like. Although there
will be much fun and laughter, it will still be occurring within a work
environment or within the parameters of work. So, individuals will still be
observed by their colleagues. It is of utmost importance to be careful about how
much drinking is done, or how much alcohol is consumed, because drunken or any
offensive behavior will not be tolerated and could have negative repercussions
on one’s career.
The consideration of good etiquette is also something to be remembered and
observed at holiday parties at work. As examples, talking and laughing with food
in one’s mouth, emptying a platter of delicious hors d’ouevres or bagging
candies, cookies or treats to take home are all considered poor etiquette.
A Christmas party at work can also provide an opportunity to have a brief
conversation with supervisors, managers and other company officials whom one may
not come in contact with frequently. It can be the ideal time to leave a good
impression on a key decision maker. By introducing yourself and striking up a
conversation, it is also putting a face to a name or making yourself known and
standing out among fellow colleagues. For those who are strivers and who want to
advance such interactions at work holiday and Christmas parties can be
beneficial and advantageous.
It’s therefore important to keep in mind that while Christmas parties at
work are fun, there are still ways to inconspicuously seek some benefit while
you laugh and enjoy a break from the stress, competitiveness and daily routine
of work.