Christmas Background

Christmas Background

Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background
Christmas Background

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Christmas Fun

Christmas Fun

Xmas Fun is dedicated to the child in all of us. Fun for all ages. Christmas songs, jokes, games, stories, downloads, etc. Lots of Christmas fun!

Christmas Fun

Christmas Fun

Christmas Fun

Christmas Fun

Christmas Fun

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Christmas Recipes

Christmas Recipes

Chestnut and Hazelnut Cake Recipe

The recipe for this beautifully moist Chestnut and Hazelnut Cake appears exclusively (with permission) from A Year of Family Recipes (pub. Bettys and Taylors, RRP £25) by Lesley Wild. The book (read review) is the first produced by Bettys, the famous Yorkshire tea shop. This cake comes from Switzerland where sweet chestnut trees grow in profusion, particularly in the south of the country around the lakes of Maggiore and Lugano – where Switzerland meets Italy. It would make a perfect treat for Christmas supper.

Chestnuts, in both countries, are often dried and ground into flour which is then used in baking during the winter months. Chestnuts are not only low in fat and calories, but high in vitamin C and potassium. They also contain significant amounts of vitamin B. Because it is so rich, Lesley Wild says that she prefers not to decorate it with icing – a light dusting of cocoa powder just finishes it off.

The texture of the cake improves if it is kept for a day or two to mature before being eaten – it also keeps well in the freezer for several weeks. For a gluten free version, substitute the flour with the equivalent weight of extra ground almonds.

Ingredients - Makes a 20cm diameter cake

* 4 large eggs
* 280g caster sugar, divided into 2 halves
* 200g chestnut purée
* 100g plain white flour
* 100g ground hazelnuts
* 50g chopped hazelnuts
* 50g ground almonds
* cocoa powder for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC (gas mark 3½). Line the base and sides of a 20cm diameter cake tin (preferably springform or loose-bottomed) with baking parchment, using a little melted butter to keep it in place.
2. Separate the eggs, putting the whites to one side. Put the yolks and one half of the caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until pale and creamy and doubled in volume. Mix in the chestnut purée, then fold in the flour, sifting it through a sieve. Finally, gently stir in the ground and chopped hazelnuts followed by the ground almonds.
3. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk thoroughly until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue to beat until thick and glossy. With a large metal spoon, stir a little of the egg-white mixture into the nut mixture to slacken it, then gently fold in the remainder of the egg-white mixture.
4. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and place in the preheated oven for approximately 50 - 55 minutes until firm to the touch and golden brown. To test, pierce with a clean skewer – if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Allow to cool completely before sprinkling with cocoa powder. Delicious with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Christmas Snow Scenes

Christmas Snow Scenes
Snow, Ice and Christmas often go together, although why it should is a bit strange! There is no snow or ice in the Christmas story told in the Bible. However, snow does fall in Israel. Bethlehem and Jerusalem are on a range of hills that go north to south between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan valley. The top of these hills are about 1600 ft (500 m) high. The hills often have very cold weather from November to April and snow can often fall. So, although the Bible story may not have snow in it, Jesus may well have seen some snow in his life!

Christmas Snow Scenes

Christmas Snow Scenes
Christmas Snow Scenes
Christmas Snow Scenes
Christmas Snow Scenes
Christmas Snow Scenes

Christmas Snow Scenes

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Christmas Quiz

Christmas Quiz

Christmas Quiz

Christmas Quiz

Christmas Quiz Question

1. On Christmas Day 1977, Charlie Chaplin died in
a) Switzerland, b) England, c) USA or d) Canada?

2. On 26th December of what year was the USSR officially dissolved?

3. The Shrine of the Three Kings, a reliquary said to contain the bones of the Three Wise Men, can be visited in the cathedral in
a) Canterbury, b) Cologne, c) Vienna or d) Rome?

4. Every year in November Sinterklaas, the Dutch Father Christmas, arrives in Holland. Where does he come from and how does he get to Holland? (1 point per correct answer)

5. For which football club has Christmas come early when they won the Intertoto Cup 2006, the first silverware since 1969?

6. In what year did NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, start tracking Santa's flight path around the world? (+/- 5 years)

7. In what year were the first electric Christmas lights used? (+/-20 years)

8. Which of Santa's other 8 reindeer was the father of Rudolph the red-nosed one?

9. Kwanzaa, a cultural holiday celebrated from 26th December till 1st January, originated from
a) Sudan, b) Indonesia, c) USA or d) Kenya?

10. Which city is believed to be the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth?

11. If a Norwegian uses a bakken, what sport is he into? (*)

12. In what year did Coca Cola begin featuring Santa in their advertising at Christmas? (+/- 10 years)

13. In the 1930's, the Addis Brush Company produced the first artificial-brush trees, using the same machinery that made their
a) toilet brushes, b) hair brushes, c) tooth brushes or d) paint brushes?

14. Similar to the tradition of putting out cookies & milk out for Santa, the children in Sweden try please the Swedish Santa, Tomte, by leaving out
a) a bowl of rice pudding, b) a glass of vodka, c) a plate of dried herrings or d) a bottle of glogg (mulled wine)?

15. On 26th December 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie announced the discovery of which element?

16. Which European football league does not take a winter break:
a) Italy, b) Netherlands, c) Portugal or d) Austria?

17. Bandy is an ancestor of which winter sport?

18. In which country was the city of Natal ("Christmas") founded on 25th December 1599?

19. True or False: The man who founded the Buddhist Society in London in 1924 was a barrister called Christmas Humphreys?

20. In what century was Saint Nicholas of Myra born?

21. In what year did Band Aid release their record "Do They Know It's Christmas?"? (+/- 1 year)

22. George Frederick Handel's Christmas oratorio, The Messiah, was first performed in 1742 in
a) London, b) Dublin, c) Vienna, or d) Jerusalem?

23. The music to 'Silent Night' was originally written for a
a) guitar, b) piano, c) harpsichord or d) pipe organ?

24. In Dickens '"Christmas Carol", how many children does Bob Cratchit have? (BQ: what's the name of the youngest?)

25. True or False: Dr. Seuss, the creator of the Christmas hating Grinch, was a psychiatrist?

26. In order to make their geese happier, fatter & tastier for the coming Christmas season, farmers in Cheshire have begun to
a) dress them in woolly hats & scarves, b) feed them mulled wine, c) put up heaters in the coops or d) let them live in their houses?

27. Four of the top five teams at the 2006 ClauWau, the Santa Claus World Championships, came from the host country, Switzerland. The other team was from
a) Japan, b) Holland, c) Jamaica or d) Kenya?

28. In what year did John Calcott Horsley invent and design the first Christmas card? (+/- 50 years)

29. Which artist was famous for his many paintings of the Madonna with Baby Jesus:
a) Raphael, b) Michelangelo, c) Leonardo da Vinci or d) Marc Chagall?

30. What was the exact title of John Lennon & Yoko Ono's 1971 Christmas single?

31. The mistletoe grows
a) only on conifers, b) only on deciduous trees or c) on both?

32. True or False: only male reindeer have antlers?

33. The Christmas Star (Poinsettia) originated from
a) Cuba, b) China, c) Mexico, or d) Brazil?

34. In which country does Joulupukki, the Yul Goat, bring the presents?

35. Which Wallace & Gromit movie, set at Christmas and first aired on 24 December, won the 1995 Oscar for best Animated Short Film? (BQ: Which recurring character was introduced in the movie?)

Christmas Quiz Answer
1. a) Switzerland
2. 1991
3. b) Cologne
4. from Spain (he lives in a palace in Madrid) - (by steamboat)
5. Newcastle United
6. 1955
7. 1882
8. Donner
9. c) USA
10. Bethlehem
11. Ski jumping
12. 1931
13. a) toilet brushes
14. a) a bowl of rice pudding
15. Radium
16. c) Portugal
17. ice hockey
18. Brazil
19. true
20. 3rd century AD
21. 1984
22. b) Dublin
23. a) guitar
24. 6 (Tiny Tim)
25. False
26. a) dress them in wooly hats & scarves
27. c) Jamaica (Team High 5)
28. 1843
29. a) Raphael
30. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
31. c) on both
32. False
33. c) Mexico
34. Finland
35. A Close Shave (Shaun the Sheep)

Christmas Quiz

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Christmas Stocking Stuffers

Christmas Stocking Stuffers

A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that children hang on Christmas Eve so that Santa Claus can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins, or other small gifts when he arrives. These small items are often referred to as stocking stuffers or stocking fillers. In some Christmas stories, the contents of the Christmas stocking are the only toys the child receives at Christmas from Santa Claus. Other presents are wrapped up in wrapping paper and placed under the Christmas tree. Tradition in western culture dictates that a child who behaves badly during the year will receive only a piece of coal.

By tradition, the stocking is hung on the fireplace mantel, but, since many contemporary homes do not have fireplaces, stockings may be hung in almost any location.

Christmas Stocking Stuffers

The true story of Santa Claus and Christmas Stocking begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek. His wealthy parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of Saint Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. Without a dowry, this poor man's daughters were unlikely to marry.

One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing, they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night Saint Nicholas, knowing the despair of the father, stopped by the man's house after the family had gone to bed. He peeked in the window and saw the daughters' stockings hanging by the fire.

Inspiration struck Saint Nicholas, and he took three small bags of gold from his pouch and threw them carefully, one by one, into the stockings. The next morning when the daughters awoke, they found their stockings contained enough gold for them to get married. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry.

This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

The tradition began in many European countries. Originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose. Today, stores carry a tremendous variety of styles and sizes of Christmas stockings, and Christmas stockings are also a popular homemade craft. Many families create their own Christmas stockings with each family member's name applied to the stocking so that Santa will know which stocking belongs to which family member.

Christmas Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Stocking Stuffers

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