Still stuffed from our Thanksgiving turkey, (and trying to get our holiday shopping started) we are moving on to Hanukkah and Christmas. As always, we have found a tremendous number of interesting holiday tidbits, fun websites and family places on the internet. Read a little Hanukkah history, some Christmas stories, try the recipes, enjoy the tidbits & trivia quiz. respond to our poll, send flowers and cards to a loved one, create your own holiday webpage....... and watch out for that fat guy, in the red suit, coming down the chimney!

Special reprint: "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!"

Have a favorite holiday recipe? A special tip you would like to share? EMAIL THEM TO US! We'll consider them for future issues. (we need recipes for all holidays!)

Be sure to bookmark this page... from here we will send you literally "around the globe"... we want you to "find your way home" ... leave breadcrumbs along the way! ... Don't forget the poll and contest before you leave!

"Hanukkah" comes from the Hebrew root "Hanokh," inaugurate. We light the menorah on
all eight nights of Hanukkah to commemorate the rededication of the ancient temple in
Jerusalem, when the last remaining container of undefiled oil miraculously lasted for eight
nights.

Lighting the Menorah
On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle (or oil wick) is lit, on the far right side of the
menorah. On each successive night an additional candle is added, from right to left (two
candles lit on the second night, three on the third...) until finally, on the eighth night, all eight
candles are lit. It is customary to light from left to right, with the newest candle lit first.
Kindly allow the candles to burn themselves out.

The candles are lit by a "shamash" or service candle, which after being used to light the
other candles, takes its own special place on the menorah - usually in a place slightly set
apart from the rest.

When To Light
The candles are lit starting at nightfall, and should burn for at least half an hour. On Friday
afternoon, the candles are traditionally lit before sunset, to avoid lighting on the Sabbath. By
putting longer candles in the menorah (or thick Shabbat candles on tin foil), the lights will
still be burning after it grows dark.

Where To Light
The glowing Hanukkah candles are meant to advertise the holiday's miracles. That's why
some people erect towering menorahs in shopping centers, hotels and town squares.

At home, some families put the lit menorah in the window where passers-by can see their
light, while others place the menorah where family members can best enjoy it.

After lighting all the candles of the day, it's traditional to sing upbeat Hanukkah hymns like
"Ha'Nerot Ha'Lalu (Those Candles) or Maoz Tzur (Rock of Strength).

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I saw a truck of Christmas trees, and each one had a tale, the driver stood them in a row, and put them up for sale.

He strung some twinkly lights, and hung a sign up with a nail; "FRESH CHRISTMAS TREES", it said in red "FRESH CHRISTMAS TREES FOR SALE."

He poured himself hot cocoa, in a steaming thermos cup, and snowflakes started falling, as a family car pulled up.

A mom, a dad, and one small boy, who looked no more than three, jumped out and started searching, for the perfect Christmas tree.

The boy marched up and down the rows, his nose high in the air; "It smells like Christmas, mom! It smells like Christmas everywhere!"

"Let's get the biggest tree we can", he said.. "A tree that's ten miles high!...A tree to go right through our roof! A tree to touch the sky!"

"A tree SO big "That Santa Claus, will stop and stare and say,...Now, THAT'S the finest Christmas tree, I've seen this Christmas Day!'"

It seemed they looked at every tree, at least three million times; Dad shook them, pinched them, turned them 'round, to find the perfect pine.

"I've found it, mom! "The Christmas tree I like the best of all! "It's got a little bare spot, but we'll turn that to the wall!"

"We'll put great-grandma's angel, on top the highest bough! "Oh, can we buy it? Please, mom, PLEASE?! Oh, can we buy it NOW?"

"How 'bout some nice hot cocoa?" Asked the man who owned the lot. He twisted off the thermos top, "now, THIS will hit the spot!"

He poured the steaming chocolate in three tiny paper cups. They toasted, "Here's to Christmas!" And they drank the cocoa up.

"Is this your choice?" the tree man asked, "This pine's the best one here!" The boy seemed sad---"My daddy says, "the price is just too dear."

"Then, Merry Christmas!", said the man, who wrapped the tree in twine. "It's yours for just one promise you must keep at Christmas time!"

"On Christmas Eve at bedtime, as you fold your hands to pray, "promise in your heart to keep the joy of Christmas Day!"

"Now hurry home, this freezy wind is turning your cheeks pink! And ask your dad to trim that trunk and give that tree a drink!"

And so it went on, all that blustery eve, as the tree man gave tree upon tree upon tree, to every last person who came to the lot---who toasted with cocoa, in small paper cups,
who promised the promise, of joy in their hearts---and singing out carols, drove off in the dark.
And when it was over, one tree stood alone;
But no one was left there to give it a home.

The tree man put on his, red parka and hood
And dragged the last Christmas tree, out to the woods.He left the pine right by a stream, in the cold, so the wood's homeless creatures could make it their home.

He smiled as he brushed off some snow from his beard, when out of the thicket, a reindeer appeared. He scratched that huge reindeer on top his huge head---"It looks like we've started up Christmas again!"

"There are miles more to travel, and much more to do! Let's go home, my friend, and get started anew!" He looked to the sky and heard jingle bells sound---and then, in a twinkling, that tree man was gone!
*****
An original Christmas tale to be read aloud to kids from dads.com

''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 mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day 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 hand, 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 of 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 bowlful 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!"

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We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor---
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon

"Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to have men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive of imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest mean, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."