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Christmas

Christmas [n.]

[pl. Christmases] 1. [also Christmas Day] the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ’s birth, held on 25 December. 2. the period immediately before and after this.
- ORIGIN Old English,“Mass of Christ”.
Oxford Dictionaries

Christmas is a mix of the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, combined with the time of year and concepts from earlier celebrations and beliefs such as the Norse Yule, the honouring of Odin in Germany, worship of Mithra, Saturnalia and even early Mesopotamia that occurred at this time of the year. It was not until the 4th century that the Feast of the Nativity was declared by Pope Julius. This later became known as Christmas and over time developed the present Christmas format.

This page covers Christmas history, the religious meaning, traditions around the world, an Australian Christmas, arts, crafts, cards, games, books, Santa Claus, Christmas foods & cooking, songs & music, making gifts, … .

History, Religion & Tradition

An Australian Christmas

  • Australian Christmas Carols and Songs
    ‘The box on the right contains links to some of our Australian carols and other songs’. Links to related material. A second site is found here. Click on titles to hear the songs.
  • Australian Christmas Recipes
  • Christmas Recipes and Christmas Food : SBS Food
    ‘Christmas in Oz is one of spiced fruit puddings, fresh prawns and hearty roasts, plus a cider-baked ham if you’re into that ! Here’s our pick of festive recipes - some naughty, all nice’.
  • Christmas in Australia
    ‘G’day, Welcome to our Christmas in Australia site. The pages have grown so much over the years that the menu on the left has become very complex. I trust you can find the information that you need’. Very extensive.
  • Christmas in Australia [2]
    How we celebrate Christmas in Australia when it is high summer and with a multicultural population.
  • Christmas Recipes
    ‘You’ll find all sorts of Christmas recipes here, both hot and cold, traditional and contemporary’.
  • Christmas Season Celebrations in Australia
    While about Christmas in Australia, it also covers history, traditions, symbols, … .
  • Koala’s Christmas
    The best part of this Australian site is the number of links to resources for Christmas. Links are grouped in directories.

Tradition & History of Christmas

  • Christmas Around the World
    ‘This is a collection of historical Christmas celebrations for many different countries. The celebration or activity is the earliest history for each country and may not represent the current Christmas celebrations of today’.
  • Christmas in Cyberspace
    Sub-titled a “A Christian Perspective”. Primarily spiritual rather than commercial.
  • Christmas Lore
    ‘Discover the Christmas traditions and answers you are looking for - and how you can create some great new Christmas traditions for your family’.
  • Christmas Traditions Around the World
    ‘The information placed on this site may not be the way all people celebrate traditions today. Many are over 100 years old. Many people change to suit their families’. Songs, recipes, toys, gifts, favourites.
  • Happy Holidays !! - Christmas
    How Christmas is celebrated in many countries, icons, music, poetry, links to Hannukah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice.
  • How Christmas Works
    Trivia from the How Stuff Works site on Christmas. Want to know how it came to be ‘X’mas, when the first one was, etc. ?
  • Saint Nicholas
    ‘Who is Saint Nicholas ?’, St Nicholas traditions in a range of countries, activities, other resources, play games, read stories, more.
  • Star of Bethlehem
    ‘At this time of year it seems almost traditional for stargazers to ponder the age-old question of the origin of the Star of Bethlehem. The Star’s appearance some 2 000 years ago is quite possibly one of the best-known celestial events in all of recorded history’.
  • The Christmas Tradition
    EnhanceTV. Primary level students.
  • The History of Christmas
    Dates back more than 4 000 years [according to the information supplied]. How pagan festivals linked to Christian ones.
  • The History of Christmas [2]
    ‘How much do you really know about this festive holiday ? Explore our site to find the true history !’ Videos, Christmas in Depth sections.
  • Welcome to Why Christmas ?
    ‘The Hows, Wheres, but mostly the Whys of Christmas’.

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Other Information

Arts & Crafts

Art & Images

Craft Activities

  • AllFreeChristmasCrafts.com
    ‘Offers 1 000s of free craft projects, home decor ideas and DIY tips. Some of our reader’s favourites include Ornament Crafts, Christmas Crafts for Kids, DIY Christmas Gifts and DIY Christmas Decorations’.
  • Christmas Crafts
    Using common items found around virtually every home.
  • Christmas Decorations
    Napkin rings to candles and miniature Christmas trees.
  • Christmas Gifting - DIY Crafts
    ‘There are many things you can make for Christmas which would be great gifts. Let the following links guide you with great ideas and directions for Christmas do-it-yourself crafts’.
  • Danielle’s Place
    ‘Christmas crafts for kids’. Activities for all ages.
  • Christmas Crafts
    ‘Christmas crafts you can make and give as gifts, including Christmas crafts to decorate your home, handmade Christmas cards, Christmas crafts for kids to make and more’.

Books, Poems & Other Stories

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Cards & eCards

  • Christmas Cards
    A collection of Flash cards to use.
  • Christmas Cards and Greetings
    ‘Offers its collection of free, beautiful Victorian Christmas cards in PDF format for you to print from your computer, as well as free Internet Greeting Cards you may send via email’.
  • Christmas eCards
    ‘Hundreds of ways to spread Christmas cheer to your friends and family. Make a difference ! Sending free Care2 eCards generates donations to great organisations’.
  • Christmas E-Cards
    ‘Click the Christmas image that you would like to send as an E-Card !’
  • Koala’s Free Christmas Email Cards
    ‘I have had lots of people ask for more Australian content in the cards. With this request in mind I have taken some of my photos of Australian animals and scenery and replaced some of the more traditional cards with these’.
  • Printable Christmas Card Templates
    ‘Matching envelopes, labels, writing paper’.

Christmas Recipes & Cooking

Games

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General Sites

  • All About Christmas
    ‘The answers are all here’.
  • All About Christmas !
    ‘Shares the origins of the holiday. We also feature wonderful holiday recipes, decorating ideas, crafts for adults and children, recommended videos for this time of year’.
  • All Things Christmas
    Use multiple menus to find All things Christmas.
  • Amazing Christmas Ideas
    ‘Providing you with a resource to help you with all your Christmas planning, shopping and decorating’. Use the Main Menu for book reviews, decorating, tips, even Christmas stockings.
  • A Victorian Christmas
    Decorating, entertaining, toys, dolls, gifts, crafts, a Child’s Christmas, links. All based on Christmas as it was during the Victorian period.
  • BillyBear4Kids says Merry Christmas
    Huge range of activities and resources for the festive season.
  • Christmas
    Etymology, history, traditions, date, economy, controversies, further reading, links, more. Wikipedia.
  • Christmas [ABC]
    Suitable for students in Lower Primary. Australian ABC. Worksheets, activities, resources, basic vocabulary, link to a program they run.
  • Christmas Activities
    DLTK’s Holiday Activities for Kids. Activities from colouring pages, to games and puzzles, a variety of other activities. Mostly for younger children.
  • Christmas Activities for Kids & Teachers
    Links under several headings. Traditions, Christmas Around the World, The Legends of Christmas, Christmas Songs.
  • Christmas.com
    Claimed to be the internet’s largest Christmas portal, for everything you did or didn’t, want to know.
  • New ! Christmas Countdown 2016
    ‘How Many days until Christmas 2016 ?’
  • Christmas Fonts
    This site provides you with a wide range of fonts suitable for use in many ways at Christmas.
  • Christmas For Kids !
    ‘One of the most special times of the year, and we know it ! We have hundreds of Christmas activities for kids at Activity Village. Have a look around, find inspiration and ideas, enjoy yourselves !’
  • Christmas Fun For Kids
    Things to do, read, sing, guess, work out, simply enjoy. Activities you can print.
  • Christmas Quiz - Novice
    An ‘Illustrated on-line Christmas trivia quiz. This is the Novice Level quiz, featuring ten of the easier questions from the FamilyGames.com Christmas trivia collection’. Check other levels.
  • Christmas Theme Unit
    Includes all you want in a Christmas unit. Suited to younger children.
  • Christmas Tree Activities for Early Learning
    Lesson plans, things to print, things to make, Crafts, Online Activities, media.
  • Christmas World
    A vast collection of Christmas information, activities and more. Use the menu on the left or the boxed information on the front page. Some pages/sections are specified for Adults.
  • Facts about Christmas
    Information and links compiled by a school in England. They also have special pages at Christmas Traditions in England, Scotland and Wales [A British Christmas].
  • History Channel Videos
    All things Christmas from history, to Santa Claus, gifts related to the Christmas season. Videos are about 3 min. long.
  • Merry -Christmas.com
    Holiday stories, tradition, recipes, games, music movies, email Santa, more.
  • My Merry Christmas
    Christmas online, music, movies, stories, clipart, downloads, for parents, memories, world Christmas, more.
  • Santa Letter
    ‘Your place for family friendly Christmas fun. Browse our sections [to the left in the Candy Cane signs area], or check some of our favourite recommendations. We have lots of fun activities to do, one of our top things to do is send a letter to Santa Claus !’
  • Santa’s Naughty or Nice List
    Check the quiz to see which you are.
  • Welcome to Santaland
    ‘Old fashioned Christmas Traditions’. Arts & crafts, gifts, carols, recipes, stories, books, cards, stamps, more.

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Making Gifts

Santa Claus, His Life & Home

  • Christmas at the North Pole
    Tour the village where Santa lives, sing along [karaoke] to carols, more.
  • Santa Claus At Claus.comGames and puzzles designed especially for younger children. Some grating aspects, however.
  • Santa Television
    Christmas traditions from around the world, visit Santa, watch presentations.
  • The North Pole Times
    ‘Santa’s Official Newsletter’. Read stories, visit the workshop, visit the kitchen, check the wish list.
  • Track Santa
    Track Santa Claus on his travels around the world. Begins 1 December.

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Songs & Music

  • 10 + 100 Creative Commons Christmas Songs
    ‘A list of 256 songs all released under a Creative Commons license so they can be shared, listened to, and sometimes even modified freely’. MP3 format.
  • Best Christmas Songs - 2015 Playlist
    Links to other videos with Christmas songs as well.
  • Christmas Carols
    Words for all your favourite carols, traditional and less traditional.
  • Christmas Songs
    ‘The lyrics and some interesting information regarding the most popular Christmas songs are included on this website together with additional sections dedicated to Christmas carols, Christmas music and traditional Christmas poems’.
  • Christmas-Songs.org
    ‘We have lyrics and downloadable MIDI music to over 300 Christmas songs and old fashioned Christmas carols. Now also has Christmas music videos from YouTube’.
  • KIDiddles Christmas Songs
    ‘Christmas Songs, Christmas carols, and music for the Holiday Season with lyrics and music to listen to. About 120 songs listed alphabetically’.
  • Lyrics to Popular Christmas Songs and Carols
    Classics and modern carols and songs.
  • 50 Best Christmas Songs
    Includes a range of modern music with some you may not have considered.

Write or Email to Santa

  • eMail Santa
    Email him. There are also other activities in which to be involved.
  • Let’s write to Santa
    ‘Australia Post Santa Mail’.
  • Letters to Santa
    ‘Send a letter to Santa and get an instant reply ! NO email or home address is required’.
  • Send a Letter to Santa
    ‘All you have to do is click on the inkwell on the desk and I’ll help you write your letter to Santa. You can also send one of Santa’s animated postcards to your friends’.You need to set up a free account.
  • Write to Santa
    Also try this site.

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