Stock Up For Christmas

Did you run out of money for wine last year? Did you end up buying cheap supermarket plonk for Christmas dinner? Well this year, make your Christmas wine plans in advance, and then your wonderful Christmas dinner, which has to be the height of all festivities will be complemented some really delightful wines.

Now is a great time to stock up on your Christmas wine. There are lots of end of bin sales as new wines come in from the vineyards. These end of bin sales allow you to buy classic wines, often at a fraction of their selling price. So even if you are feeling the pinch of the credit crunch, investing in a couple of fantastic bottles of wine will ensure that your Christmas celebration is the best ever.

But Christmas is not just about the right wine to drink with your dinner. It is also a celebration, and so needs some wine for that purpose too. Buying sparkling wine or even Champagne now will save you money. Just before Christmas prices will be higher because of the demand, yes there are always some special offers, but if you look at wine prices now, you will notice that they are at the best level they have been for the last few months. The credit crunch and people not buying wine has bought prices down, making now a great time to invest.

So what are the tips for Christmas? A Champagne to start the day off is always a good idea, but for the big dinner you will need a wine to complement what you will be serving. White wines are usually the ones to go for with white meat, so if you are having turkey, they might be a good choice. However, Christmas dinner is always a very rich meal, where the cacophony of flavours delight your palate. Therefore a white wine may be overawed. So a red wine is probably the best bet.

A Shiraz would be a good choice. It is usually smooth in taste with a fruity flavour, which will complement the Christmas turkey or whatever other meat you serve.


But when thinking of wine to have with your Christmas dinner, don’t forget an aperitif and after-dinner drinks. A sherry makes a great start to the meal and if you are having cheese and biscuits later on in the day, why not invest in a bottle of port wine. But there is no need to stop there. There are excellent Madeira wines or other fortified wines that will make your meal complete.


Fiona Muller is a qualified journalist and has worked in food and drink writing for the last few years. For a great selection of wines, including information on fine wines and tips for tastings, go to www.laithwaites.co.uk

Why Hire a Christmas tree Display?

Christmas is usually a very busy time of year and for most businesses it is very important to get everything organised in advance in order to ensure that everything goes without a hitch. As a business owner or building manager it may fall to you to ensure that your office building, hotel or showroom are decorated to suit the season but with so much to get organised where do you start?

One of the most essential and recognisable decorations or symbols related to Christmas is the Christmas tree and for many centuries now the Christmas tree display has been the focal point of most Christmas celebrations. Many of us take a great deal of pride in our Christmas tree displays in our homes and the process of decorating the tree has become a regular Yule tide activity.

The history of Christmas trees and why we decorate them has a very long and varied history but most historians date the first Christmas tree displays back to Germany in the early 7th century. Over the years there have been many trends and crazes in relation to the types and themes of Christmas tree decorations.

One of the most popular decorations over time was Tinsel, which was invented in Germany in 1610 and at the time was made out of real silver threads. Whilst tinsel still remains popular today alongside electronic flashing lights, baubles, traditional wooden toys and the classic stars and angels which take pride of place on the top of the tree.

Decorating a Christmas tree display in the office however is often just hard work, with the run up to Christmas bringing mountains more paperwork and additional work to clear before the company shuts down for a Christmas break, there is not always enough time to get your Christmas tree display organised.


Getting your Christmas tree just right often takes longer than you might think not to mention having to take it all back down again when the office re-opens in the New Year. In circumstances such as this it is well worth considering hiring a Christmas tree display from a professional interior landscaping company.

Hiring your Christmas tree and other decorations may seem like another expense but in actual fact it can save you a great deal of time and will leave you with a beautiful display to rival the Christmas displays in the surrounding offices. It also means that you will have more time to concentrate on the important Christmas celebrations such as the office Christmas party and the eggnog.

A professional company will be able to supply a range of Christmas trees to suit all your requirements whether you are looking for an artificial or live tree of a particular size or require a specific themed tree. Your Christmas tree display will appear as if by magic on a date specified by you and will be whisked away after the festive season.


Most interior landscapers will also provide additional decorations such as decorative presents for under the tree that match the décor and colours of your chosen Christmas tree display. By choosing to rent a Christmas tree display you will also be able to change the theme of your tree every year without having to fork out for new decorations.

Roses For Christmas – Gift Ideas For Rose Lovers

Roses For Christmas – Gift Ideas For Rose Lovers

By: David Leach

It is said that one of Cleopatra s gifts to Mark Anthony was a bathing room full of scented rose petals, strewn across the floor to a depth of three feet! Personally I m not quite that extravagant or possess such a large rose garden to produce so many fresh petals but I do appreciate the sentiment.

Christmas in the northern hemisphere means we look out over our rose beds of bare canes and some of us miss the summer blooms, the vibrant colors and the delicate scents.

Christmas gifts for rose lovers can help maintain the sentiment and bring joy to an otherwise heavy heart. To help you with your gift giving plans, here are a variety of gift ideas for the rose lovers on your nice list.

Use Your Own Roses

If you have had the foresight to save and dry some of your own roses, why not use them to create a summer memory? A dry rose bud centerpiece or small door wreath both look nice, or how about using a variety of dried petals and a cinnamon stick to make up a potpourri which can easily be presented in a small wooden box topped with a rose bud.

Use Your Rose Hips

These wonderful little berries can be the source of many an unusual and welcomed gift. Boiled they can become a rose hip tea, rich in Vitamin C or added to your door wreath of dried rose buds they complete the Christmas color theme. My Aunt has the best idea however, she uses them to make rose hip jelly. Now wouldn t a pot of that go down well at Christmas time?

Get Crafty with Petals

Dried rose petals, your own or purchased, can be used in paper making, candle making and soap making. They bring color and some scent to all these crafts and their value can easily be enhanced by adding a card with dried and pressed rose buds. Gifts like these become even more poignant if the card noted that the petals being used had been cultivated in your own rose bed!

Crystal and Glass

Okay, so your not into crafts and you forgot to collect and dry your own roses this year. No Problem. What about a single rose made in crystal or a small tiffany style lamp with a rose design motif or, my favorite, a crystal rose shaped pendant? There are some stunning designs available that incorporate rose shapes and colors and these would be perfect for your rose loving friends.

Books and Stuff

Actually I really like to receive a yearly calendar full of rose photographs at this time of year. Books such as 100 English Roses for the American Garden or any of the Peter Beales books make good choices. How about A celebration of Roses – An Illustrated Anthology of Verse and Prose if you prefer a more lyrical outlook, or And Roses for the Table – A Garden of Recipes for the budding chef on your list. Don t forget the notepaper and envelopes with printed rose buds or the yearly subscription to the American Rose Society . Then there is another favorite of mine, a yearly subscription to my favorite magazine The Rose .

Dabble in Oils

Not painting so much, although a nice framed picture of your favorite bloom would be a great idea, but rose oils. It s worth considering for it embraces both ends of the spending spectrum. Rosewater is both useful, fine scented and rather inexpensive, while rose attar (true rose oil!) is both exotic and costly. Who wouldn t like to receive even a small gift in this category?

Small Tools for the Spring

How nice to be reminded that spring will be around again and you will have a new tool to help you produce those superb blooms. My most used small tool is a water probe which is both inexpensive and invaluable. How about small pruners or a sharpening kit for old pruners? The ultimate gift in this category however is a pair of rose gardening gloves, the ones that are thorn proof and have long sleeves, covering the lower arms from scratches. These would really bring a smile to your rose lover friend.

When I was a child I always envied our relatives in Australia at Christmas time, because they got to spend Christmas at the beach, but now I envy them because they have a full rose garden of blooms at Christmas while I, living in the Northern Hemisphere, stare out at bare rose canes. I know the spring is coming so I go hunting for Christmas gifts for my rose loving friends and somehow this bridges the winter gap. Hopefully these ideas can help you with your gifts for your rose loving friends.

Oh, and don t forget, reminding them to get a tetanus shot every ten years is probably the most useful of all gifts, but of course it is a little difficult to wrap!

Author Resource:-> You can learn all about the crafts mentioned above at: http://www.rose-works.com. Crystal, Books, Oils and Small Tools can be seen at: http://www.rose-works.com/rose-works-store.html

Article From Free Article Publishing

Corporate Christmas Customs

By: Rosie Richards

The tradition of giving a hamper packed full of Christmas sweet and savoury treats was began in Victorian times when the wealthy estate owners present their workers with a wicker chest style box which contained a variety of home made preserves, chutneys and puddings. It is believed that the wicker hamper was used for two purposes, firstly that it allowed air to circulate through and help keep food fresher and secondly, when emptied of goodies became a useful and practical gift which could be used for a whole manner of different purposes within a servant’s humble home.

Corporate hampers sent to loyal customers and work colleagues continues this traditional Christmas offering of gifts and has in recent years once again become a fashionable way to say thank you in spectacular style. There are a wide range of Christmas Hampers available which are appropriate and provide the perfect solution to giving luxurious gifts.

Modern versions of Christmas Hampers include those which are presented in contemporary designed trays made from burgundy or chic black cardboard or wood rather than traditional wicker. The majority include festive foods and a bottle of fine wine, however, there are also alternative themed Christmas hampers which contain no alcohol which are the ideal gift for those who abstain through choice or religion.

A classical hamper consisting of a bottle of Warres Warrior Special Reserve Port and a black and gold ceramic jar of the finest handmade blue Stilton cheese is truly a connoisseurs choice. This sophisticated and stylish hamper is packaged in a luxury gift box making it the perfect corporate Christmas gift for any astute lady or gentleman to send to their colleagues and clients to show an appreciation for their loyalty during the past year.

Organic hampers are becoming increasingly popular choices, these hampers have all the traditional Christmas mouth watering goodies but all made with natural, organic ingredients. A trendy black tray which includes handmade strawberry preserve, cheese nibbles with mustard, ploughman s pickle with ale, chocolate and orange biscuits, strawberry and mint cordial and fudge made by Dutchy Originals Organic produce is an elegant hamper which will be appreciated and enjoyed by clients and work colleagues of all ages. The hamper is beautifully presented with natural packaging to ensure the contents arrive safe and secure.

The range of alcohol free hampers include the Fairtrade Flavours which is busting with both sweet and savoury gourmet goodies such as Divine dried sliced mangoes covered in rich dark chocolate, hand roasted Rwanda coffee, Traidcraft wild blossom honey and forest feast Fair Trade tropical mix, offers great alternative with unusual specialities produced in countries all over the world. The contents are entirely Fairtrade and made with the knowledge that the farmers and workers in the developing countries have been given fair terms of trade, decent working conditions and current market prices for their products, which for many sees the re introduction of the traditional reasons for giving Christmas Hampers as a gift to help improve the lives of others.

Author Resource:-> Flowers Direct offers excellent corporate http://www.flowersdirect.co.uk/flowers/send-hampers/cmasshamp.html Christmas Hampers to send this holiday season to the colleagues and bosses that mean the most to you.

Article From Free Article Publishing

Yellow Lab Christmas Stocking

Yellow Lab Christmas Stocking Put out a stocking for your Yellow Lab so St. Nick will be sure to find the right place for all the dog treats. Whether you are starting a new tradition or replacing an old one, this needle point Yellow Lab Christmas stocking will last year after year. For an extra special touch, personalize this stocking with your dog's name embroidered across the top in white script. Max 10 characters for personalization. NO EXPRESS/AIR SHIPPING. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of this item. SHIPS TO THE CONTINENTAL US ONLY. Order by Dec 2 for Christmas delivery.

Stock Up For Christmas

Did you run out of money for wine last year? Did you end up buying cheap supermarket plonk for Christmas dinner? Well this year, make your Christmas wine plans in advance, and then your wonderful Christmas dinner, which has to be the height of all festivities will be complemented some really delightful wines.

Now is a great time to stock up on your Christmas wine. There are lots of end of bin sales as new wines come in from the vineyards. These end of bin sales allow you to buy classic wines, often at a fraction of their selling price. So even if you are feeling the pinch of the credit crunch, investing in a couple of fantastic bottles of wine will ensure that your Christmas celebration is the best ever.

But Christmas is not just about the right wine to drink with your dinner. It is also a celebration, and so needs some wine for that purpose too. Buying sparkling wine or even Champagne now will save you money. Just before Christmas prices will be higher because of the demand, yes there are always some special offers, but if you look at wine prices now, you will notice that they are at the best level they have been for the last few months. The credit crunch and people not buying wine has bought prices down, making now a great time to invest.

So what are the tips for Christmas? A Champagne to start the day off is always a good idea, but for the big dinner you will need a wine to complement what you will be serving. White wines are usually the ones to go for with white meat, so if you are having turkey, they might be a good choice. However, Christmas dinner is always a very rich meal, where the cacophony of flavours delight your palate.
Therefore a white wine may be overawed. So a red wine is probably the best bet.

A Shiraz would be a good choice. It is usually smooth in taste with a fruity flavour, which will complement the Christmas turkey or whatever other meat you serve.

But when thinking of wine to have with your Christmas dinner, don’t forget an aperitif and after-dinner drinks. A sherry makes a great start to the meal and if you are having cheese and biscuits later on in the day, why not invest in a bottle of port wine. But there is no need to stop there. There are excellent Madeira wines or other fortified wines that will make your meal complete.

Author:
Fiona Muller is a qualified journalist and has worked in food and drink writing for the last few years. For a great selection of wines, including information on fine wines and tips for tastings, go to http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/browsearticles~Filter~FoodMatchGeneral:foodgroup,13~results_per_page~.aspx

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live

Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Christmas Activities For Children

By: Jayne Waldorf

While adults indulge in the festivities and revel in enjoying the spirit of Christmas, undoubtedly it is more fun for children because they are able to lose themselves in the wide eyed wonders and glorious splendor of the season. Activities at Christmas that children can enjoy include all of the sights, sounds and scents that put the magic and a festive spirit into Christmas.

At major shopping centers like malls, children can enjoy various window displays and arrangements inside stores that show Christmas sceneries. The displays, which can be moving, stationary or interactive, can be so numerous and mesmerizing that parents often arrange a trip to such malls just for children to view the many displays.

Shopping malls are also a popular place where Santa Claus is sure to be found. For a small fee, children can get to sit or stand with Santa Claus, talk with him and most importantly, get a picture taken with Santa. Those children, like pre teens and teenagers, who may be too old for Santa Claus can also be entertained by the various grand Christmas displays as well as one of their favorite activities shopping.

Various colorful and twinkling lights are certain to be a part of the displays at malls and shopping centers, but other arrangements of Christmas lighting can also be a delightful activity for children to enjoy. Because Christmas displays have become so common, everyone has some form of lighting arrangement at their houses. This has led to neighborhoods where it is common to see an increase in traffic during the Christmas season because of the fanciful, landscaped displays of outdoor Christmas light decorations. These usually include figures of reindeers, Santa, sleighs, angels, shepherds and animals that are a part of the story of Jesus birth.

It can therefore become an activity to take a tour of these neighborhoods with children for them to feast their eyes.In a similar manner to the grand Christmas lighting that can be found in some neighborhoods and the occasional home, there are also themed lighting at quaint villages and special large, Christmas light displays at venues like some public parks. The displays can be similar to those seen in neighborhoods except that they are usually on a larger and grander scale. As an example, a typical home lawn display will have a Christmas display that includes Santa, a sleigh and a reindeer or two all as separate pieces. A Christmas display at a themed village or park would have a large and possibly moving display of Santa Claus with elf like figures in a sleigh that is being pulled by reindeers as one big structure. These Christmas sights are what often bring out the wide eyed wonder in children as their faces express awe and amazement.

While children will have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree at home to enjoy, it will also be fun for them to go to other lightings of Christmas trees because again, those trees are usually bigger and decorated on a grander scale than the ones in their living rooms at home. Just about every town, city or municipality will have Christmas tree lighting in a central location. Sometimes local firehouses will also have a special Christmas tree lighting. At these events, children can see a local official or personality flip a switch to symbolically turn on the Christmas tree, in a similar like they would have seen the President do on television.

Those local events are likely to include Christmas treats and goodies, a Santa Claus to present Christmas gifts to children and the singing of Christmas carols. Taking time out to engage in activities just for the enjoyment of children will make them feel special, experience the magic of Christmas and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Author Resource:-> Jayne Waldorf has been an internet marketer for over 12 months.Her new website http://www.waldorfchristmas.com/ combines two of her greatest passions - the internet and Christmas.She lives in England with her husband and has two grown up sons.If you would like some great Christmas gift ideas or to learn more about Christmas please visit Waldorf Christmas today.

Article From Freebie Articles

The Children''s Book of Christmas Stories The Children''s Book of Christmas Stories

Christmas in African Nations

By: Jayne Waldorf

Christmas celebrations in African nations are characterized by much outdoor activity because the season often occurs during a time when the weather is pleasant. Using palm trees and participating in processions are also characteristic features of activities related to Christmas in many parts of Africa.

In South Africa, activities that occur outside during Christmas include the usual caroling, but also the unusual ones of swimming and camping. The beach and mountains play an important role during Christmas in South Africa because the season occurs during the hottest time of the year summer.

Given the pleasant nature of the weather during Christmas, families also take advantage of it by often going sightseeing in the countryside on a relaxing drive in the late evening of Christmas Day. A rich and sumptuous menu that includes a suckling pig or roast beef, turkey, mince pies, yellow rice, vegetables and puddings usually makes up the traditional South African Christmas dinner.

To create a festive environment, decorated pine branches and fir, sparkling cotton wool and tinsel are used in homes and businesses as decorations.A similar decorative pattern of using evergreen, palm trees and lighted candles are also seen in countries such as Ghana and Liberia.

While South Africans gather at the beach during Christmas time to enjoy the warm summer waters, people in other African nations often gather outside at in town squares and in the streets to march, sing and enjoy an overall feeling of merriment.Despite the seemingly general similarity in activities, however, countries have their own individual style that makes Christmas celebrations unique.

Of all the celebrations in African nations, Christmas activities in Ethiopia stand out for their difference in when they are celebrated and how it is done. One of the features that make Ethiopian Christmas different is that the main celebratory event occurs on Jan. 7, around the time known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day in North and South America.Given the general modest economic financial situations of a significant number of the population in many African countries, Christmas celebrations also tend to occur over a shorter period of time, compared to activities in wealthier countries.Another difference in celebrations of Christmas in Ethiopia is the participation of various people who take part in a pilgrimage and converge on the capital city during Christmas Eve. These wanderers fill the night air with a din of praying and chanting and create a multicolor spectacle when they gather on Christmas morning to have a religious service. But retaining a similarity with other African nations, Ethiopians enjoy a Christmas dinner that includes a meat stew. Stews, rice, root vegetables such as yams, breads and soups often are part of the menu of traditional Christmas day dinners in African nations.

Christmas dinners are likely enjoyed by families outside, where everyone shares the meal while sitting in a circular pattern outside under the shade of a sprawling tree, instead of sitting in a formal setting at a table. Africans also enjoy exchanging gifts. Popular items that are exchanged as Christmas gifts include cotton cloth, soaps, sweets, pencils and books, all very practical items that can be readily used. Again, this may be related to the modest financial resources of up to half the population in many African countries, as well as to cultural norms. Individuals aren t able to afford extravagant gifts but they still want to surprise children, family and friends at Christmas with an unexpected gift.

The generally pervasive cultural norm of humility and modesty that exists among traditional African peoples also plays an important role in not having overreaching extravagance at Christmas.

Author Resource:-> Jayne Waldorf has been an internet marketer for over 12 months.Her new website http://www.waldorfchristmas.com combines two of her greatest passions - the internet and Christmas.She lives in England with her husband and has two grown up sons.If you would like some great Christmas gift ideas or to learn more about Christmas please visit Waldorf Christmas today.

Article From Freebie Articles

An African Christmas Multiple award-winning author Ifeoma Onyefulu maintains her strong track record with her latest title, An African Christmas...