USPS customers can get the North Pole to postmark their letters from Santa Claus to a child or on their Christmas greeting cards.

On a letter from Santa

Write a letter to your child and sign it from Santa Claus. Place this letter into an envelope addressed to your child with the return address from SANTA, NORTH POLE. Please make sure to affix a First Class postage stamp. Then, place that envelope into a larger envelope, ensuring that you have affixed proper postage and send to the address listed below.

On holiday greeting cards

Write and address your greeting cards just as you normally would. Place First Class postage stamps on the envelopes, BUT instead of writing your own address on the envelope, use the return address from the North Pole below. You can use your own address if you prefer. Then place your greeting cards into a larger envelope or box  with appropriate postage and send them to North Pole Holiday Postmark by December 10th.

NORTH POLE HOLIDAY POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DRIVE
ANCHORAGE, AK 99530-9998

Please help Operation Letter to Santa answer more “Dear Santa” letters from needy children this Christmas.

Thank you!

We all love cookies. Santa loves cookies! What better way to ring in the holidays than with cookies? Hosting and/or going to a cookie exchange or swap is a delightful way to both give and receive. It is a terrific way to sample cookies from friends, co-workers, family and neighbors. Kids love this too! At the end of the day, you have gotten to sample and keep dozens of cookies that you didn’t have to bake and you will have some new and delightful cookie recipes too!

When planning a cookie exchange you will want to invite a group of 10 or more people. Each person makes and brings a per-determined number of cookies. Preferably around 6 dozen per person. It is also a good idea to print up the “rules” or include them on your “Evite“.

Ask your guests to arrange their cookies on a decorative platter or basket with a Christmas theme. They will also need to bring containers to take home their new cookies if you don’t plan on having something available. I always head to the Dollar Store and pick up a couple of dozen disposable aluminum baking pans with clear lids for a dollar each and make sure those are available for the guests to haul off their bounty in.

Be sure to have plenty of tongs or napkins available so people can pick up and pack their cookies.

Ask your guests to RSVP and send your their cookies recipes when they do. I like to take all of the recipes and print them on Christmas stationery and give them to each guest when they leave.

You will also need to know beforehand who is baking what cookies so there are no duplications.

Clearly a few rules should be in place. For instance, all cookies should be homemade, meaning no cookies mixes, no refrigerator cookies, meringues or store/bakery bought cookies.  You may also want to tell people no chocolate chip cookies. They do seem to be the universal favorite, but if you wind up with dozens of chocolate chip cookies, the whole Christmas theme has been rather defeated. Bar cookies can be included in your acceptable list, but for some people they are a definite no-no.

Remember, this is a party, so having some finger food and beverages will make it a genuine Christmas party, and of course Christmas attire is encouraged!

And don’t forget the milk! After all, you can’t have cookies without milk can you?

Please come back and tell us about your Christmas Cookie exchange experiences and party ideas. We would love to hear from you!

Here is one of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes to get the ball rolling. Thumbprint Cookies!

As you know, Santa has an enormous list of children who are expecting him to deliver Christmas goodies on Christmas Eve.

In order to track Santa’s progress around the world, NORAD has organized a global tracking system to help you determine when you can expect Santa to arrive in your neighborhood.

Remember to put out milk and cookies for Santa and even some reindeer food before saying your prayers and nodding off to sleep.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Track Santa to your house here!

Invitations for holiday bashes go out early. Before every day of the season gets booked up, get your bid in for a Christmas party of your own. Spread the word early so that all of your invited guests get a chance to positively respond to your invitation.

If you are going to throw a Christmas party, you want all of your friends and family in attendance. Invite neighbors, church members, coworkers, and others who you know love to celebrate the festivities and make merry. Sounds great, huh?

Hang on a second! If you are going to host such a legendary party, you’ll need to start planning as soon as possible. Here are some great tips for getting that party off to a good start.

1. Print up the perfect invitation. Card programs on the computer usually include party invitations that can be personalized for your needs. Try for a Saturday afternoon a week or so before Christmas. As it gets closer to the holidays, your available days and times will get shorter. Include party theme (if applicable), menu (if applicable), and time frame for the party, and address. Don’t forget to ask for an R.S.V.P. Send out invitations right after Thanksgiving. 
2. Start on the party planning. What games will you have? Are you serving finger foods or a catered meal? Is the dress casual or dressy? Will there be recorded music or a DJ to play requests? Is this a party with alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages? Are kids invited? What is the capacity of your home? All of these questions will get you started on the planning. 
3. If you plan on catering, then the responses to your invitations are important. You’ll need an accurate headcount for ordering. If everyone has not responded by the second week in December, call the non-committed invitees and ask for a response. 
4. Buy your decorations. This is a party, so your home needs to look the part. If it is a Christmas costume party, decorate according to the theme. 
5. If kids are invited, they will need to be watched by their parents or you can designate an older child to watch them. Many Christmas parties are for adults only. If yours is one of them, state that in the invitation so guests can find child care. 
6. Move all breakable items out of the room. If there’s going to be dancing or games, something is bound to get smacked off the mantle or kicked across the floor. Store these things out of sight. 
7. If there is a bar, offer to drive your guests home if they get inebriated. No one wants their friends to drive drunk and hurt themselves or someone else. 
8. Set your house up early that day so that you have time to dress before the caterers arrive or if you are serving the food, before the food is ready. Have a list of games and supplies ready beforehand to play at the party.

Christmas parties can be so much fun. Make yours a party to remember, and more importantly one you as the host can enjoy without stressing over every single detail.

“Christmas  A Is Coming” is a nursery rhyme and Christmas carol (frequently sung as a round) with lyrics as follows:

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man’s hat
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do
If you haven’t got a ha’penny, then God bless you!

This became the basis for Bing Crosby’s song ‘”Christmas Is a-Comin’”, re-written by Frank Luther, which contains these lyrics as follows:

When I’m feeling blue, when I’m feeling low,
I start to think about the happiest man I know.
Now he doesn’t mind the snow, he doesn’t mind the rain,
But all December you will hear him at your window pane,
Singing again and again and again and again and again:
Christmas is a coming and the bells begin to ring,
The holly’s in the window and the birds begin to sing.
I don’t need to worry, and I don’t need to fret,
And the more you give at Christmastime the more you get.
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
The more you give at Christmastime the more you get.
Christmas is a coming, the egg is in the nog.
Please give a friendly man a friendly little dog.
If you haven’t got a friendly dog, a friendly cat will do,
If you haven’t got a friendly cat may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven’t got a friendly cat may God bless you!
Christmas is a coming, the lights are on the tree.
How about a turkey leg for dear old me?
If you haven’t got a turkey leg, a turkey wing will do.
If you haven’t got a turkey wing may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven’t got a turkey wing may God bless you!
Christmas is a coming, the cider’s in the keg.
If I had a mug of cider I wouldn’t have to beg.
If you haven’t got a mug of cider, half a mug will do.
If you haven’t got half a mug, may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven’t got half a mug, may God bless you!
If you haven’t got a thing for me, may God bless you!

The Christmas season is upon us. Everyone is getting ready to put up decorations and get into the holiday mood. Entertain your kids this holiday season with television programs geared towards getting them (and us) into the Christmas spirit.

Who says that there is nothing valuable on television anymore? During the holidays some of the best programs air on regular stations and cable. Consult your local guide for show days and times. Here are the programs to highlight for viewing by your kids.

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) – Poor old Chuck. He’s feeling left out again. No one has invited him to any Christmas parties. But, his luck seems to be changing when he is chosen director of the Christmas play. That is, until Lucy decides to offer him her expert advice. 
2. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) – This is the story of the Who’s down in Whoville and their nemesis high above them, the Grinch. For some reason he hates Christmas and dislikes anyone who enjoys it, namely the Who’s! The story is narrated by Boris Karloff, a legendary horror movie icon in Hollywood’s heyday. 
3. ‘Twas the Night before Christmas (1974) – The cartoon is based on the poem by Clement C. Moore. In this story, the children in a small town end up on Santa’s naughty list when someone begins sending hate mail to Santa. It is up to the town’s clockmaker, Joshua Trundle to fix the situation with a rousing Christmas song. 
4. Mickey’s Once upon a Christmas (1999) – The Disney gang is all accounted for in a program that encompasses several small vignettes about the Christmas holiday. See Mickey and Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and their three pesky nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and Goofy. 
5. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) –The classic Christmas favorite by Charles Dickens is animated and acted by the Disney characters. Mickey plays Bob Cratchit to Scrooge McDuck’s Ebenezer Scrooge. The characters bring the story of greed and redemption to a kid’s level of understanding.
6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) – Our favorite reindeer is back again with his friends Yukon Cornelius and Hermie, the elf. Rudolph proves that being different is not a curse, but a blessing. Along the way they sing a lot of great songs and everyone learns acceptance. 
7. Frosty the Snowman (1969) – Who is the fastest belly flopper in the world? It’s Frosty of course. A group of school children bring their snowman to life with the help of a magician’s hat.

So, pull up a chair and a bowl of popcorn to watch these fun family favorites with your kids. Many air more than once during the month of December so if you miss it the first go round there will be other chances.

Advent is the four week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a season celebrated by Christians of all denominations. Advent prepares our hearts of a time of worship on Christmas day.

Advent means “the coming.” It is a time when we look forward to and anticipate the celebration of the Christmas season. During Advent season, we are given insight into the giving of God’s most precious gift to human beings, Jesus Christ. Advent can be celebrated at church and also in the home for a ceremony that just involves the family.

Advent season involves the lighting of candles in a wreath. The Advent candles can sit in a candle holder specifically designed to hold the five Advent candles or can be put into votive candle holders surrounded by a green garland wreath symbolizing the season.

Advent candelabras and wreaths range from the very expensive (used in large churches) to the affordable ones used in home celebrations. A family can construct their own Advent centerpiece so that it has the personal touch. The Advent candle setup is placed in a prominent spot in the room so that it can be a constant reminder of the miraculous birth we celebrate on Christmas Day.

The first Sunday of Advent for 2010 is the last Sunday of November. One candle is lit each Sunday representing four virtues of the season: Faith, Joy, Hope, and Love. Different Christian publications list each virtue in a different order.

There are four main candles for Advent: Three blue or deep purple candles and one pink candle. The Advent portion of service usually involves a litany, a song, and the lighting of the candle. Parishioners are welcome to do additional readings on each virtue through the week to get ready for the following Sunday.

Advent can be celebrated at home also. Each night families can light the candle for the week’s virtue and read a scripture and say a prayer. Advent celebrations open up discussion between parents and kids about the real meaning of Christmas and the significance of Christ’s birth.

The last candle and usually the largest is the white candle that fits in the center of all the others. It is called the Christ candle and is lit on Christmas Day. Some churches hold special services on Christmas and some do not. Everyone can light the final candle in their homes as a celebration for the culmination of the Advent season.

Advent is a time of remembrance and internal reflection about on how we view Christmas in our hearts.

Visit Santa’s Advent calendar here and click on each day to download Christmas desktop wallpapers to decorate your computer with during the Christmas holidays. These beatiful desktop wallpapers are our gift to you!