Who says its too early?

If the USA Today says it — it must be true: retailers are starting Christmas earlier than ever. They call it “Christmas creep” and it means that Christmas is showing up when it shouldn’t. According to those who write these news stories and headlines people are “quite...

Debating Santa

It is December and while the War on Christmas rages and steals all the headlines there is another debate going on, as it does every year, and it is a painful one. Is fostering belief in Santa telling your kids a lie? Is it harmful to do so? And what point do you come clean? Early in December, it seems, every...

Queen Cancels Christmas Party

Queen Elizabeth has canceled a popular Christmas event at Buckingham Palace, citing concerns that the event would be viewed as too lavish and inappropriate during difficult economic times. The event usually costs the Queen $80,000 to pull off and is famed for allowing her or Prince Phillip to mix and mingle...

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,...

What is a decent Santa to do?

The magical world of Santa Claus is operating under dark clouds these days. Just this week the Wall Street Journal broke the story of in-fighting within fraternal Santa organizations and the Telegraph of London took the sordid tale of American Santas running amok international. Even our own feed of...

Fat, Nappy-Headed Santas

A new battlefront has formed in the war on Christmas. This year it is all about bashing Santa Claus. From New Zealand come reports from a temp staffing agency who for 40 years has provided santas for South Pacific malls, churches, and private events. Santa training this year included the sage advice to never...