Festive Wishes and Christmas Gift Ideas with ChristmasPrezzy.com - Xmas Presents for friends and family

Christmas Past : Christmas comes but once a year ........ and many of us spend the best part of the year planning for it in order to make it a really happy time for family and friends. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, over 2000 years ago, at Christmas but, in actual fact, it has many other associations. Father Christmas or, to give him his more American name, Santa Claus, is the character that all the children know and love. He is the bringer of presents. His origins are confused by the mists of time and he is known by different names, and in different guises, in different countries around the world. Most of them relate to a saintly figure who dispensed charity to those in need. Many of the stories connect him with St Nicholas who was a bishop in Turkey (then known as Myra); Santa Claus seems to have more in common with the Russian character 'Grandfather Frost' (in translation) who gave presents to the children. It is a secular celebration and in the past has not always found favour with the church. During the years of The Commonwealth Christmas was actually banned! However, it was re-instated with the return of the monarchy in the shape of King Charles ll.

It is celebrated around the time of the winter solstice, when midwinter is passed and people can begin to look forward to the spring. In earlier times, when man's very survival depended on the hopes of new life in the earth and in the animals on the farm, this was a very important date in the calendar.

Let's not forget, though, that Christmas isn't just about receiving gifts, lovely though that might be; it's more about giving a present that will bring pleasure to the recipient. It's not always easy to know exactly what sort of present will be most appreciated; gone are the days when a home-made handkerchief case with a sprig of lavender or a bookmark made with pressed flowers were the norm! Today the shops are full of a bewildering array of presents, all packaged to say, "Buy Me! Not an easy task in this modern age.