Merry Christmas 2010!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

Christmas Cookies Recipes- Yum & Easy to Bake!

Christmas Cookies

Holidays are for fun and good food is one of the main ingredients for fun and joyous holidays. So, you’ve been planning for making Christmas cookies for a while now and are looking for some easy to bake Christmas cookies recipes! Here they are- some really easy to bake and yummy holiday cookies recipes for you. Read these Christmas cookies recipes with pictures and bake them at home for a delightful holiday season!

Christmas Cookies Recipe # 1- Peanut Butter Cookies

Although common yet delicious as ever- peanut butter cookies are meant for all special (as well as common occasions). This is the most easy Christmas cookies recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies

• Peanut butter- ½ cup
• Butter- ½ cup
• Granulated sugar- ½ cup
• Egg- 1
• Vanilla- ½ teaspoon
• Baking soda- ½ teaspoon
• Salt- ¼ teaspoon
• All-purpose flour- 1 ¼ cups
• Makes- 3 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

• Mix peanut butter and butter in a bowl.
• Add sugar, egg and vanilla to the butters and beat for about a minute.
• Add all the remaining ingredients gradually to the prepared mixture. Mix for about a minute.
• Roll dough into one inch balls.
• Place the prepared cookie balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Place them at least 2 inches apart from each other.
• Press flat with a fork in a criss-cross pattern to ¼-inch thickness.
• Now bake cookies at 375◦F until they turn golden brown. This will take about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the peanut butter cookies from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

Christmas Cookies Recipe # 2- Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

The combination of delicious cranberry and healthy oatmeal can turn out to be the most special Christmas cookies. Try making this easy to bake Holiday cookies!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients for Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

• Oats (rolled) - 3 cups
• Cranberries (dried) - 1 cup
• Butter- 1 cup
• Sugar- both brown and white- 1 cup
• Eggs- 2
• Vanilla extract- 2 tsp
• All purpose flour- 2 cups
• Baking soda- 1 tsp
• Cinnamon -finely ground- 1 tsp

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

• Mix all the ingredients to make butter mixture - butter, brown sugar and white sugar thoroughly in a bowl.
• Mix the egg beat and stir with the vanilla extract to make egg mixture.
• Add the all purpose flour with baking soda and cinnamon, butter mixture, egg mixture, oats and cranberries. Mix well.
• Take ungreased sheets of a cookie pan. Spread a spoonful of prepared cookies mixture in a circular way or any Xmas pattern on sheets.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degree F
• Now bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until the cookies turn golden brown.

Christmas Cookies Recipe # 3- Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Without chocolates no festival gets complete! So why leave chocolate cookies recipe for this Christmas behind! Lets know how to make yum chocolate chips cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookies

• All-purpose flour- 2 ¼ cups
• Baking soda- 1 teaspoon
• Salt- 1 teaspoon
• Softened butter- 1 cup
• Granulated sugar- ¾ cups
• Packed brown sugar- ¾ cups
• Vanilla extract- 1 teaspoon
• Eggs- 2
• Chocolate chips- 2 cups
• Chopped nuts- 1 cup
• Makes- 5 dozen cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

• Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in another mixer bowl until it turns creamy. Add an egg, beat well. Add the other egg and again beat.
• Now beat in flour mixture gradually. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Take ungreased baking sheets and drop rounded tablespoons of mixture onto them.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies turn golden brown.
• Let them cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and then move to wire rack.

Christmas Cookies Recipe # 4- Jam Filled Cookies Recipe

Jam is already so yum and when used to make Christmas cookies, they’ll win over all the children at home and your parties. So, try these jam cookies with ground almonds, butter, and almond extract, filled with strawberry or other jam.

Jam Filled Cookies

Ingredients for Jam Filled Cookies

• Blanched almonds, ground- 4 ounces
• All-purpose flour- 1 1/2 cups
• Softened butter- 3/4 cups
• Almond extract- 1/2 teaspoon
• Slt- 1/8 teaspoon
• Egg- 1
• Powdered sugar- 1 cup
• Lemon juice
• Strawberry preserves or other jam of choice- 3 to 4 tablespoons
• Makes 20 cookies.

Jam Filled Cookies Recipe

• Mix ground almonds, flour, butter, almond extract, salt, egg, and ½ cup powdered sugar and beat ingredients at low speed of electric hand-held mixer until well blended.
• Shape dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for at 2 to 3 hours.
• Lightly flour a surface and roll out half of the dough into a 12x9-inch rectangle. Let the remaining half of dough be refrigerated.
• Cut rolled out dough lengthwise into 3 strips and cut each strip crosswise into 6 equal rectangles. Doing this will give you 18 rectangles.
• Take a 1/2 to 3/4-inch round cutter. Cut out a circle in center of half of the rectangles. Take greased baking sheets and move cookies on them, leaving about 1/2-inch gap between cookies.
• Bake the cookies in an oven at 375degrees for 10 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Repeat the process with remaining cookie dough and the trimmings.
• Now take a small bowl and blend lemon juice with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, stirring until smooth.
• Spread a thin layer of this icing on cookies without the round cut-out centers.
• Top each iced cookie with a cookie rectangle with cut-out center.
• Fill center cut-out with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
• Store the jam filled cookies in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.

Gift-giving guide for the clueless at Christmas

It's a fact: Some people are really bad at gift-giving. And by some people I mean me. The traditional gift for every wedding anniversary I've been party to has been paper — as in hastily scrawled IOUs for Palm Springs vacations, weekends at the Beverly Hills Hotel and landscaping. Widen the circle beyond my spouse and it only gets worse. One year my brother and I exchanged the exact same gift (a DVD of Pink Floyd's "Live at Pompeii" performance). And for three years running, I've inadvertently given my sister-in-law things that have ended up back in my possession, either because she already owned the same item or because I'd subconsciously bought her something I'd wanted for myself in the first place so she turned it back over to me.

There is the occasional truly inspired gift — long ago I decided my stock wedding gift to former paramours would be the gravy boat off the registry — but the combination of an impulsive nature, the attention span of a nematode and the pressure of a marathon holiday shopping season make me possibly the worst bestower of seasonal gifts of any creature with opposable thumbs.

That's why I've developed a handful of fail-safe coping mechanisms — which can be easily remembered by using the acronym "GIFT." As we hit the midpoint of the holiday shopping marathon, consider them a gift.

Get going — early

It's never too soon to start making a list. If holiday shopping begins in earnest in September for most of the country (which, according to the National Retail Federation, it does), the gifting-challenged should consider kicking into high gear for next Christmas before the last ribbon has been removed from this year's haul.

There's a bonus to this approach: What better way to figure out how well future gifts might go over than by noting this year's reactions? Remember the time your dieting or deathly allergic in-laws recoiled at a gift box of nut clusters as if it were bubonic plague? If you had, you might not later have gotten them each the biggest Harry & David gift basket you could carry.

As presents are unwrapped, feel free to make extensive notes — everyone will simply think you're conscientiously making a thank-you list.

Invest (time, not money)

It's hard to truly hate a handicraft — especially at the holiday season. And, since homemade oven mitts and marmalades can't be returned or exchanged, they have to be tolerated.

Read more

Christmas Crafts: Make Candle Holders!

Christmas Candle Holders

Christmas is not only special because of parties and other festivities but it is also special because kids want to decorate and do all the stuff on their own. They also enjoy various Christmas crafts and love to make Christmas ornaments and other decorations with their own hands. This article will give some instructions for easy kids Christmas crafts related to Christmas lighting. So, lets know how to make Christmas candle holder for the special Christmas lighting.

Christmas Craft: Christmas Candle Holder

You will need very common things available in craft stores or even at home for making this one for easy kids Christmas craft of candle holders. Get the following supplies for making Christmas Candle holder:

• Baby food jars
• Scissors
• Tissue papers (red and green)
• Liquid starch
• Tea candles
• Glitter
• Ribbon or lace
• Glue 

Steps for Making Christmas Candle Holder

• Cut tissue paper into small square shapes.
• Dip the paper squares in a bowl containing liquid starch and attach them on the outside of the food jar. You may slightly overlap the squares.
• Allow the jar to dry completely.
• Now put a tea candle in the jar. To secure the candle to the bottom of the jar, pour a little dab of melted wax. When you light up the candle, the light will show through the colored tissue papers.
• Reuse the hand crafted candle holder by replacing the tea candle.
• For some more decoration of your handmade Christmas candle, sprinkle glitter on the jar when your tissue paper is still wet or use the colorful ribbons and glue them outside the jar in beautiful shapes of bows, flowers etc.

Buy Disney toys online for Christmas Gift

Disney Toys

Net-savvy kids or their net savvy parents have a unique opportunity this Christmas. They can shop online for Disney toys like Mickey Mouse, Hannah Montana and have them delivered at their doorstep this Christmas.

In keeping with the festive season, Net Distribution, an authorized Disney licensee has the new Christmas offer of selling toys on a new website where children as well as parents can order their choice and get their Christmas Gifts.

Characters from almost every Walt Disney cartoon and film including Toy Story, Disney Princess, Pixar Cars as well as Hannah Montana dolls are also on sale.

The toys, once ordered, can be delivered anywhere in India as gifts.

"Families can buy their favourite Disney branded products and have it delivered to any city or town in India.

There is a 'gifting feature', which allows shoppers in India and overseas to gift products to their children, nieces, nephews, friends and family," said Ajay Miglani, CEO of Net Distribution.

Source: Sify News

Christmas Offers- Mobile Phone Offers for Gifts!

Christmas Phone Offers

Everyone has to give Christmas gifts to many a people. So, its obvious that they look for attractive Christmas offers to get best deals. If you are planning to give mobile phones to your loved ones as Christmas gifts this year, Bestcontractmobilephonedeals have brought together a huge collection of Christmas offers this season.

A mobile phone can be an excellent gift idea, both for others as well as for yourself! Pick one from this site's list of Christmas Offers. Their offers include Free SIM, mobile broadband at lavish discounts, free gifts including Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, LCD TV, and Laptops. Choose the most opulent offer amongst a plethora of exclusive deals comprising of Contract, PAYG as well as SIM Free phones with reduced call tarrifs, free SMS and more. They also claim to deliver your chosen phone gift right at your doorstep.

To check this Christmas phone offers, visit bestcontractmobilephonedeals They have it all- from Samsung Galaxy S, HTC Desire HD, and Nokia N8 to Blackberry Torch 9800, Blackberry Bold 9700, BlackBerry 8520 Curve and Apple iPhone 4.

Christmas Dresses for Women

Watch this fabulous Photo Gallery of Christmas Dresses for Women!

 Red Christmas Dress

Velvet & Fur Red Dress for Christmas

Red Dress

Santa Claus Dress

To Buy Christmas Dresses for Women go to following sites:

Only Gowns

Milanoo

How to Have a Merry Guilt-Free Christmas!

Guilt Free Merry Christmas

Christmas and anxiety often go hand in hand. Between the gift buying, house and Christmas tree decorating, and cooking for friends and family, it's no wonder the holiday season can bring a side of ulcer along with that honey baked ham. Why not make this Christmas easier than all others? The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) offers tips to keep the holidays from becoming more chore than cheer:

• Make a more condensed gift and card list.
• Save gift buying for only those who have meaningful relationships with you.
• You may give cards to all your coworkers in place of personal gifts. You can even go for a no gift policy among your circle of friends.
• Instead of giving Christmas gifts to friends, you can make donations to local charities which could always use the help.
• To avoid the festive time crowded malls, traffic and long lines, go for online shopping. Get Christmea decorations, gifts and even the family Christmas tree and Christmas ornaments online for faster and convenient shopping.
• Try to plan out your shopping route. From food to decorations to gifts, its better if you can do them in an orderly fashion. You can find a multipurpose joint to meet several of your needs at one place only.
• Always make a list before heading for Christmas Shopping and stick to it.
• Buy an artificial Christmas tree as a convenient option instead of Live Christmas tree. You can set up artificial trees in no time!
• Don't be perfectionist. Try not to stress yourself for making everything perfect and pristine this holiday season.

Remeber, Christmas isn't about all stuff, decorations, food and similar things. It is about the people you love and choose to spend time with. So, Merry guilt-free Christmas!

About ACTA: The American Christmas Tree Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide consumers with factual data so that they may make intelligent decisions about Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry. For more information or for answers to questions about Christmas trees, please contact ACTA at www.christmastreeassociation.org. We hope you find your perfect Christmas tree!

Source: SFGate

Free Elvis Christmas Album in Next Week's Mail on Sunday

Elvis Presley Album: Christmas Peace

The Mail will give away an early Christmas gift to all its readers - a CD featuring 15 of Elvis Presley’s greatest Christmas songs FREE inside every paper with its Sunday issue next week! The tracks on Christmas Peace include White Christmas and Silent Night taken from the two albums of festive music recorded by The King. There is also a holiday single which he released in 1966.

The complete list of the Christmas Peace CD include:

1. White Christmas
2. Here Comes Santa Claus
3. Blue Christmas
4. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
5. Silent Night
6. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
7. O Come All Ye Faithful
8. Santa Bring My Baby Back
9. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
10. The First Noel
11. Winter Wonderland
12. If Every day Was Like Christmas
13. On A Snowy Christmas Night
14. The Wonderful World Of Christmas
15. It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You)

Source: Mail Online

Christmas Tree Decorations- The Basics

Live Christmas Tree Decoration

There are many Christmas tree options available in the market these days which include a range of different types of trees- from fresh live Christmas tree to artificial Christmas trees and from unlit artificial Christmas trees to pre lit Christmas trees! Whatever Christmas tree you select this season, you will definitely be in search of some really great ideas for Christmas tree decoration. However, you must first know the basics of Christmas tree decoration so that you do not mess up with the whole project. We here give you some tips for this.

Live Christmas Tree

If you have decided to decorate a fresh Christmas tree this year, you must keep the tree fresh and green. For this, you should cut the stump of the tree with a new fresh cut. After that, set it in water immediately. Place your Christmas tree in a stand that has a large water reservoir and keep it filled. Check and refill the water level for 4-5. After the first week, you can reduce the frequency of watering the tree.

Christmas Tree Lights & Other Decorations

It is also important to pay attention towards the right process of putting lights on your Christmas tree. You should first put lights on tree, then garlands, and then the Christmas ornaments which you have bought for decorating tree. Always work from the inside out- arrange the Christmas tree lights on the branches close to the base of the tree. Weave strings of lights along the branches situated inside and then move to the outer branchesof the Christmas tree.

Artificial Christmas Tree Decoration

Christmas Tree Ornaments

For Christmas tree ornaments too, the inside portion of the tree is more important. So, don't hang all the ornament on the tips of the branches. Place them as well as other decorations inside the tree for adding depth and interest to it. The filler ornaments should be evenly spaced all around the tree. Twenty filler ornaments at about every two feet of Christmas tree is a good amount for decorating a Christmas tree. If you plan some Christmas tree theme and have bought themed ornaments then mix them with the general or the basic ornaments.

Mariah Carey Christmas Album 2010 in Making!

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” is probably the best modern day Christmas-time track. Her fans are eagerly looking forward to hear more of her Christmas music, as Carey is reportedly working on a Christmas album for the second time in her career. All of Mariah's fan are praying for the double time success for her second Christmas music album just like her first album! The new Mariah Carey Christmas Album 2010 will have six new songs and a remix of her previous "Big Hit" song.

Mariah Carey’s last Christmas album was released 16 years ago. Carey, rumored to be pregnant with her first child with her husband, Nick Cannon, is also performing a concert in Brazil this week. She wrote on her blog, “Ola! Just landed in Brazil! .writing lyrics in the car on the way to the hotel w /a few nice big lenses + cars cutting us. Off to bed affap when I get to the hotel! Can’t wait to see the fans @ the show after I get a morsel and some sleep! Love you Brazil!.” her fans can also expect to watch Carey in the coming weeks and months if she becomes an Idol judge.

Source: RnB Music Blog

Why is Christmas Celebrated on December 25?

As most of the people know, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 to comemorate the birth of Jesus Christ though it is not established whether it is the true birth date of Christ. There are many beliefs regarding why Christmas is celebrated on December 25? Here are some of the reasons for celebrating Christmas on 25th December:

• December 25 may have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived.
• The date might also have been chosen to correspond the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar or one of various ancient winter festivals.
• It is also said that the Emperor Constantine of Rome wanted to change the importance of paganism and declared Christianity the Roman Empire’s favored religion. In A.D 354, Bishop Liberia of Rome ordered people to celebrate his birth on December 25. This date was probably chosen as the people of Rome already observed this date as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the pagan holiday “the birthday of the sun.”

Why is Christmas Celebrated on January 7 in Russia?

The Orthodox Christians still celebrate Christmas on January 7 (Eastern Orthodox Churches and Oriental Orthodox Churches using the Julian calendar). The Russian Orthodox Church still follow the old Julian calendar, which is presently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. Although the Russian government, like all the other countries, had adopted the Gregorian calendar in the end of 1917, Russian Orthodox Church decided not to follow the rules set by the increasingly oppressive Bolshevik civil authorities. One of the reasons for denying the Gregorian calendar was to protest against the Bolsheviks and their interference in church affairs. Another reason was to stick to the older rules, the ways in which generations of Russian Christians were praising the Lord, observing holidays, etc. As such, the Russian Orthodox still follow the old calendar and all Russian Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas on 7th January. However, the ‘not-so-religious’ people there celebrate Christmas on December 25 only together with the Western World.

In fact, Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season and it marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.