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Christmas Quotes and poem extracts to get your creative juices flowing to use in holiday projects.

Traditionally, red and green have always been the colors of Christmas, but what do they symbolise?

Green stands for the continuance of life through winter and the Christain belief of eternal life through Jesus. Red denotes the blood Christ shed at the crucifixion.

The word Christmas (or Christ's mass) comes from the old English name Cristes maesse.However, it wasn't until AD 440 that the Christian church fixed the celebration date as December 25.

In the Western world, the birthday of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25th since AD 354, replacing an earlier date of January 6th. The Christians had by then appropriated many pagan festivals and traditions of the season, that were practiced in many parts of the Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out.

There were mid-winter festivals in ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Germanic fertility festivals also took place at this time. The birth of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia was celebrated on December 25th, as was the birth of the Persian sun-god, Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th of December. Public gathering places were decorated with flowers, gifts and candles were exchanged and the population, slaves and masters alike, celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm.

In Scandinavia, a period of festivities known as Yule contributed another impetus to celebration, as opposed to spirituality. As Winter ended the growing season, the opportunity of enjoying the Summer's bounty encouraged much feasting and merriment.

The Celtic culture of the British Isles revered all green plants, but particularly mistletoe and holly. These were important symbols of fertility and were used for decorating their homes and altars.

New Christmas customs appeared in the Middle Ages. The most prominent contribution was the carol, which by the 14th century had become associated with the religious observance of the birth of Christ.

In Italy, a tradition developed for re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of scenes of the nativity. This is said to have been introduced by Saint Francis as part of his efforts to bring spiritual knowledge to the laity.

Saints Days have also contributed to our Christmas celebrations. A prominent figure in today's Christmas is Saint Nicholas who for centuries has been honored on December 6th. He was one of the forerunners of Santa Claus.

Another popular ritual was the burning of the Yule Log, which is strongly embedded in the pagan worship of vegetation and fire, as well as being associated with magical and spiritual powers.

Celebrating Christmas has been controversial since its inception. Since numerous festivities found their roots in pagan practices, they were greatly frowned upon by conservatives within the Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent excesses presented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the Nativity, and many people throughout the centuries and into the present, condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of Christmas.

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.  People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!'  or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'  Dave Barry, "Christmas Shopping:  A Survivor's Guide"

From home to home, and heart to heart
from one place to another
The warmth and joy of Christmas
brings us close to each other.
Emily Matthews

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. Roy L. Smith

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. W.T. Ellis

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. Charles Dickens

Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts. Janice Maeditere

Keep your Christmas-heart open all the year round. Jessica Archmint

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. Laura Ingalls Wilder

May this Christmas
find you surrounded by those you love
and those who love you.
Author Unknown

Lover came down at Christmas
Love all lovely, love devine
Love was born at Christmas
Stars and angels gave the sign.
Christina Rossetti

Remember
This December,
That love weighs more than gold!
Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! Hamilton Wright Mabie

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!  Author Unknown

No matter what I get for Christmas You're all I really need. Author Unknown

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
Author Unknown

Christmas weaves a magic over this world, and behold, everything
is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...
Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it would be necessary to invent it.Katharine Whitehorn

If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, wouldn't it be a Merry Christmas? Don Meredith

Christmas is for children. 
But it is for grown-ups too. 
Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts.
Lenora Mattingly Weber

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. Burton Hillis

"Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness
To your opponent, tolerance
To a friend, your heart
To a customer, service
To all, charity
To every child, a good example
To yourself, respect."
Oren Arnold

You're a friend on whom I can depend,
You make me feel I'm never alone.
You have a very special way of cheering up a day,
And look upon my problems as your own.

You share my every dream and add to my esteem.
You help me and do favours, big and small.
You care with all your heart you've loved me from the start

Merry Christmas Mother, my dearest friend of all.
Author Unknown

Open your presents at Christmastime but be thankful year round for the gifts you receive. Lorinda Ruth Lowen

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles. Author Unknown

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. 
In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.
Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year.
Walter Scott

Great little One! whose all-embracing birth
Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth.
Richard Crashaw

O Christmas Sun!  What holy task is thine!
To fold a world in the embrace of God!
Guy Wetmore Carryl

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away.
Eva Logue

Sing hey!  Sing hey!
For Christmas Day;
Twine mistletoe and holly.
For a friendship glows
In winter snows,
And so let's all be jolly!
Author Unknown

At Christmas play and make good cheer,
For Christmas comes but once a year
Thomas Tusser

Roses are reddish
Violets are bluish
If it weren't for Christmas
We'd all be Jewish.
Benny Hill

The earth has grown old with its burden of care,
But at Christmas it always is young.
Phillips Brooks

Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve.
Yuletide excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age.
Carrie Latet

Twas the night before Christmas Clement C Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

A collection of favorite tunes, stories and ryhmes for Christmas Celebrations!  Let your children enjoy 'Reindeer Pokey' 'Dance like Snowflakes', 'Christmas Time' and many other great favorites.

http://ecobites.com/eco-kids-magazine/101-ecokids-1/652-christmas-songs--finger-plays--rhymes