Taking a Christmas Cruise

We’ve always had very traditional Christmas celebrations. So when my husband suggested we take a cruise last over last Christmas I was not keen to the idea. After all, being away from home meant no tree, no wrapped presents, no holiday foods, lights or…stress. It was a very unconventional idea,...

Odd Christmas Traditions Around the World

In Italy they have no Christmas trees, instead they decorate small wooden pyramids with fruit. In Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, it is customary for the streets to be blocked off on Christmas eve so that the people can roller-skate to church. An artificial spider and web are often included in the...

Christmas Mailing Dates and Guidelines

To arrive before Christmas, mail going to members of the military in Iraq and Afghanistan should be sent by December 4. Military mail headed to other overseas destinations should be sent by Dec. 11, the Postal Service said Tuesday. “We have so much mail for the troops over the Christmas...

Healing the Ghosts of Christmas Past

I recently went for a walk in the commercial area of my neighborhood. One of the stores shelters a cute dog that is favorite among the locals. A group of people had gathered to admire the dog — petting it and enjoying its harmless nature. Yet only a few feet away, a homeless person sat on his flattened...

Spanish Christmas Traditions

The Christmas holiday season in Spain is a truly magical affair. Although it doesn’t get going until seemingly the last minute, the Spanish throw themselves whole heartedly into the spirit of things and the festivities finally culminate on the 6th January. The true mark of the beginning of Christmas in...