Christmas Facts

Merry Christmas to all my readers. Here's a list of gathered Christmas facts and trivia. enjoy.

"Hot cockles" was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. "Hot cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.

"White Christmas" (1954), starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, was the first movie to be made in Vista Vision, a deep-focus process.

"The Nutcracker" is the name for the ballet performed around Christmas time each year. "The Nutcracker Suite" is the title of the music Tchaikovsky wrote.

"Wassail" comes from the Old Norse "ves heill"--to be of good health. This evolved into the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.

A Christmas club, a savings account in which a person deposits a fixed amount of money regularly to be used at Christmas for shopping, came about around 1905.

A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.

According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.

According to historical accounts, the first Christmas in the Philippines was celebrated 200 years before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the country for the western world, likely between the years 1280 and 1320 AD.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut farms.

After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original.

Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition began in 1836.

Although many believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year, it is not. It is the fifth to tenth busiest day. The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are the two busiest shopping days of the year.

American billionaire Ross Perot tried to airlift 28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to American POW's in North Vietnam in 1969.

America's official national Christmas tree is located in King's Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree," is over 300 feet (90 meters) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925.

An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight cards return in their place.

Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree.

As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to the problem was to limit by law the number of cards a person could send. Even though commercial cards were not available at that time, people were already sending so many home-made cards that sixteen extra postmen had to be hired in the city.

At Christmas, Ukrainians prepare a traditional twelve-course meal. A family's youngest child watches through the window for the evening star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin.

At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served "endored." This meant the flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior to roasting.

Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his character in "A Christmas Carol," three other alliterative names were considered by Charles Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and Small Sam.

California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees - 8.6 million in 1998.

Candy canes began as straight white sticks of sugar candy used to decorated the Christmas trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided have the ends bent to depict a shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to the children to keep them quiet during the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century that candy canes acquired their red stripes.

Charles Dickens' initial choice for Scrooge's statement "Bah Humbug" was "Bah Christmas."

Child singer Jimmy Boyd was 12 years and 11 months old when he sang the Christmas favorite, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." The song hit the top of the pop charts.

Christmas caroling began as an old English custom called Wassailing - toasting neighbors to a long and healthy life.

Christmas Day in the Ukraine can be celebrated on either December 25, in faithful alliance with the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar, or on January 7, which is the Orthodox or Eastern Rite (Julian calendar), the church holy day.

Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. Children are fond of the age-old custom of producing pantomimes - for instance, "Babes in the Wood," founded on one of the oldest ballads in the English language. Boxing Day on December 26th, when boxes of food and clothing are given to the poor, is observed as a holiday.

Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland. Some historians believe that Christmas is downplayed in Scotland because of the influence of the Presbyterian Church (or Kirk), which considered Christmas a "Papist," or Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in Scotland tends to be somber.

Christmas presents were known in antiquity among kings and chieftains, especially on the European continent. However, they have been common among ordinary people in Iceland only during the past 100 or so years.

Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.

Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania.

Christmas was once a moveable feast celebrated at many different times during the year. The choice of December 25, was made by Pope Julius I, in the 4th century A.D., because this coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one.

Cultured Christmas trees must be shaped as they grow to produce fuller foliage. To slow the upward growth and to encourage branching, they are hand-clipped in each spring. Trees grown in the wild have sparser branches, and are known in the industry as "Charlie Brown" trees.

During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids.

During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.

During the Christmas/Hanukkah season, more than 1.76 billion candy canes will be made.

During World War II it was necessary for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe to receive them in time. Merchants joined in the effort to remind the public to shop and mail early and the protracted shopping season was born.

Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in 1895. The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles.

Following Princess Diana's tragic death in 1997, the Ty toy company, famous in the late 1990s for its popular Beanie Baby line of beanbag animals, issued a "Princess" bear in tribute. The royal purple Beanie, bearing an embroidered white rose on its chest, became so desired that at Christmas time, American collectors were willing to spend up to $300 for one on the secondary market.

For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place.

There are two Christmas Islands.
The Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean was formerly called Kiritimati. Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean is 52 square miles.

Frankincense is a sweet smelling gum resin derived from certain Boswellia trees which, at the time of Christ, grew in Arabia, India, and Ethiopia. Tradition says that it was presented to the Christ Child by Balthasar, the black king from Ethiopia or Saba. The frankincense trade was at its height during the days of the Roman Empire. At that time this resin was considered as valuable as gems or precious metals. The Romans burned frankincense on their altars and at cremations.

Franklin Pierce was the first United States' president to decorate an official White House Christmas tree .

Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It is thought to be the forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It has its origins in a Celtic legend of the harvest god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the Earth.

Frustrated at the lack of interest in his new toy invention, Charles Pajeau hired several midgets, dressed them in elf costumes, and had them play with "Tinker Toys" in a display window at a Chicago department store during the Christmas season in 1914. This publicity stunt made the construction toy an instant hit. A year later, over a million sets of Tinker Toys had been sold.

George Washington spent Christmas night 1776 crossing the Delaware River in dreadful conditions. Christmas 1777 fared little better - at Valley Forge, Washington and his men had a miserable Christmas dinner of Fowl cooked in a broth of Turnips, cabbage and potatoes.

Greeks do not use Christmas trees or give presents at Christmas. A priest may throw a little cross into the village water to drive the kallikantzari (gremlin-like spirits) away. To keep them from hiding in dark, dusty corners, he goes from house to house sprinkling holy water.

Hallmark introduced its first Christmas cards in 1915, five years after the founding of the company.

Historians have traced some of the current traditions surrounding Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, back to ancient Celtic roots. Father Christmas's elves are the modernization of the "Nature folk" of the Pagan religions; his reindeer are associated with the "Horned God," which was one of the Pagan deities.

If traveling in France during the Christmas season, it is interesting to note that different dishes and dining traditions reign in popularity in different parts of the country. In south France, for instance, a Christmas loaf (pain calendeau) is cut crosswise and is eaten only after the first part has been given to a poor person. In Brittany, buckwheat cakes and sour cream is the most popular main dish. In Alsace, a roasted goose is the preferred entrée. In Burgundy, turkey and chestnuts are favored. In the Paris region, oysters are the favorite holiday dish, followed by a cake shaped like a Yule log.

In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Festivities were banned by Puritan leader, Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry, on what was supposed to be a holy day, to be immoral. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.

In 1752, 11 days were dropped from the year when the switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar was made. The December 25, date was effectively moved 11 days backwards. Some Christian church sects, called old calendarists, still celebrate Christmas on January 7 (previously December 25 of the Julian calendar).

In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.

In 1937, the first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria.

In 1947, Toys for Tots started making the holidays a little happier for children by organizing its first Christmas toy drive for needy youngsters.

In 1996, Christmas caroling was banned at two major malls in Pensacola, Florida. Apparently, shoppers and merchants complained the carolers were too loud and took up too much space.

In an effort to solicit cash to pay for a charity Christmas dinner in 1891, a large crabpot was set down on a San Francisco street, becoming the first Salvation Army collection kettle.

In America, the weeks leading up to Christmas are the biggest shopping weeks of the year. Many retailers make up to 70% of their annual revenue in the month preceding Christmas.

In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce, and spinach. The meal is traditionally eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ's birth.

In Britain, eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to the 16th century. It is still believed that to eat a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 happy months in the year to follow.

In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service.

In Finland and Sweden an old tradition prevails, where the twelve days of Christmas are declared to be time of civil peace by law. It used to be that a person committing crimes during this time would be liable to a stiffer sentence than normal.

In France, Christmas is called Noel. This is derived from the French phrase "les bonnes nouvelles," which means literally "the good news" and refers to the gospel.

In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi (also spelled Kallikantzari) sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. According to the legend, to get rid of them, you should burn either salt or an old shoe. Apparently the stench of the burning shoe (or salt) drives off the Kallikantzaroi. Other effective methods include hanging a pig's jawbone by the door and keeping a large fire so they can't sneak down the chimney.

In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25; however, Guatemalan adults do not exchange gifts until New Year's Day. Children get theirs (from the Christ Child) on Christmas morning.

In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint - he had not yet been referred to as Santa Claus and he had nothing to do with Christmas.

In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. Their Dutch counterparts, however, use shoes. Dutch children set out shoes to receive gifts any time between mid-November and December 5, St. Nicholas' birthday.

In Norway on Christmas Eve, visitors should know that after the family's big dinner and the opening of presents, all the brooms in the house are hidden. The Norwegians long ago believed that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve and would steal their brooms for riding.

In Portugal, the traditional Christmas meal (consoada) is eaten in the early hours of Christmas Day. Burning in the hearth is the Yule log (fogueira da consoada). The ashes and charred remains of the Yule log are saved; later in the year, they are burned with pine cones during Portugal's thunderstorm season. It is believed that no thunderbolt will strike where the Yule log smoke has traveled.

In southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use part of the log to ensure a plentiful harvest the following year.

In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbock. Made from straw, it is a small figurine of a goat. A variety of straw decorations are a usual feature of Scandinavian Christmas festivities.

In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by one of the Wise Men's camels. The gift-giving camel is said to have been the smallest one in the Wise Men's caravan.

In the British armed forces it is traditional that officers wait on the men and serve them their Christmas dinner. This dates back to a custom from the Middle Ages.

In the Netherlands, Christmas centers on the arrival of Saint Nicholas, who is believed to come on horseback bearing gifts. Before going to bed, children leave out their shoes, hoping to find them filled with sweets when they awaken.

In the Thomas Nast cartoon that first depicted Santa Claus with a sleigh and reindeer, he was delivering Christmas gifts to soldiers fighting in the U.S. Civil War. The cartoon, entitled "Santa Claus in Camp," appeared in Harper's Weekly on January 3, 1863.

In the Ukraine, a traditional Christmas bread called "kolach" is placed in the center of the dining table. This bread is braided into a ring, and three such rings are placed one on top of the other, with a candle in the center of the top one. The three rings symbolize the Trinity.

In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather. The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead, their feet were protected with a covering of tar.

It is a British Christmas tradition that a wish made while mixing the Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.

It is estimated that 400,000 people become sick each year from eating tainted Christmas leftovers.

Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was born in a cave, not in a wooden stable. Caves were used to keep animals in because of the intense heat. A large church is now built over the cave, and people can go down inside the cave. The carpenters of Jesus' day were really stone cutters. Wood was not used as widely as it is today. So whenever you see a Christmas nativity scene with a wooden stable -- that's the "American" version, not the Biblical one.

La Befana, a kindly witch, rides a broomstick down the chimney to deliver toys into the stockings of Italian children. The legends say that Befana was sweeping her floors when the three Wise Men stopped and asked her to come to see the Baby Jesus. "No," she said, "I am too busy." Later, she changed her mind but it was too late. So, to this day, she goes out on Christmas Eve searching for the Holy Child, leaving gifts for the "holy child" in each household.

Long before it was used as a "kiss encourager" during the Christmas season, mistletoe had long been considered to have magic powers by Celtic and Teutonic peoples. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes in order to bring themselves good luck and ward off evil spirits.

Mistletoe, a traditional Christmas symbol, was once revered by the early Britons. It was so sacred that it had to be cut with a golden sickle.

More diamonds are purchased at Christmas-time (31 percent) than during any other holiday or occasion during the year.

More than three billion Christmas cards are sent annually in the United States.

Myrrh is an aromatic gum resin which oozes from gashes cut in the bark of a small desert tree known as Commifera Myrrha or the dindin tree. The myrrh hardens into tear-dropped shaped chunks and is then powdered or made into ointments or perfumes. This tree is about 5-15 feet tall and 1 foot in diameter. Legend says Caspar brought the gift of myrrh from Europe or Tarsus and placed it before the Christ Child. Myrrh was an extremely valuable commodity during biblical times and was imported from India and Arabia.

New York City's Empire State Building's world famous tower lights are turned off every night at midnight with the exception of New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and St. Patrick's Day, when they are illuminated until 3 a.m.

On Christmas Day, 1989, Eastern Europe was permitted to celebrate Christmas freely and openly for the first time in decades. Church masses were broadcast live for the first time in history.

One Norwegian Christmas custom begins in late autumn at harvest time. The finest wheat is gathered and saved until Christmas. This wheat is then attached to poles made from tree branches, making perches for the birds. A large circle of snow is cleared away beneath each perch. According to the Norwegians, this provides a place for the birds to dance, which allows them to work up their appetites between meals. Just before sunset on Christmas Eve, the head of the household checks on the wheat in the yard. If a lot of sparrows are seen dining, it is suppose to indicate a good year for growing crops.

One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured a giant 165-pound pie. The giant pie was nine feet in diameter. Its ingredients included 2 bushels of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, 4 partridges, 2 neats' tongues, 2 curlews, 6 pigeons, and 7 blackbirds.

Originally, Christmas decorations were home-made paper flowers, or apples, biscuits, and sweets. The earliest decorations to be bought came from Nuremburg in Germany, a city famous for the manufacture of toys. Lauscha in Germany is famous for its glass ornaments. In 1880, America discovered Lauscha and F.W. Woolworth went there and bought a few glass Christmas tree ornaments. Within a day he had sold out so next year he bought more and within a week they, too, had sold. The year after that be bought 200,000 Lauscha ornaments. During the First World War supplies of ornaments from Lauscha ceased, so American manufacturers began to make their own ornaments, developing new techniques that allowed them to turn out as many ornaments in a minute as could be made in a whole day at Lauscha.

Per a November 2000 Gallup poll, 60 percent of Americans thought they would spend at least $500 that year on Christmas gifts. This was a slight drop from 1999 gift-spending.

Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins." This was because their uniforms were red. The British Post Office grew out of the carrying of royal dispatches. Red was considered a royal color, so uniforms and letter-boxes were red. Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas mail.

Queen Elizabeth's Christmas message to the nation was televised for the first time on December 25, 1957. For the next 40 years, the BBC aired the event.

Right behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the third-largest occasion for Americans to consume food, according to the National Football League.

Santa's Reindeers are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.

Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille Nacht" for the first time.

Since the 1840s, the residents of Pietarsaari, a town on Finland's coast, have decorated a Christmas street, Storgatan, since the 1840s. Suspended over the street are three large illuminated decorations: a cross symbolizing faith, an anchor representing h

St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early fourth century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.

Telesphorus, the second Bishop of Rome (125-136 AD) declared that public Church services should be held to celebrate "The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour." In 320 AD, Pope Julius I and other religious leaders specified 25 December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" was originally written to help Catholic children, in England, remember different articles of faith during the persecution by Protestant Monarchs. The "true love" represented God, and the gifts all different ideas:
The "Partridge in a pear tree" was Christ.
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity-- the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which relays the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of Creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

NOTE: Urban Legends Reference Pages says the above fact is False.
The abbreviation of Xmas for Christmas is not irreligious. The first letter of the word Christ in Greek is chi, which is identical to our X. Xmas was originally an ecclesiastical abbreviation that was used in tables and charts.

The actual gift givers are different in various countries:
England: Father Christmas
France: Pere Noel (Father Christmas)
Germany: Christkind (angelic messenger from Jesus) She is a beautiful fair haired girl with a shining crown of candles.
Holland: St Nicholas.
Italy: La Befana (a kindly old witch)
Spain and South America: The Three Kings
Russia: In some parts - Babouschka (a grandmotherly figure) in other parts it is Grandfather Frost.
Scandinavia: a variety of Christmas gnomes. One is called Julenisse.

The best selling Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia leads the world in exporting lobster, wild blueberries, and Christmas trees.

The Christmas season begins at sundown on 24th December and lasts through sundown on 5th January. For that reason, this season is also known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Christmas turkey first appeared on English tables in the 16th century, but didn't immediately replace the traditional fare of goose, beef or boar's head in the rich households.

The custom of singing Christmas carols is very old - the earliest English collection was published in 1521.

The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day. It is also the holy day called The Feast of St. Stephen. Some believe the feast was named for St. Stephen, a 9th century Swedish missionary, the patron saint of horses. Neither Boxing Day or St. Stephen have anything to do with Sweden or with horses. The Stephen for whom the day is named is the one in the Bible (Acts 6-8) who was the first Christian to be martyred for his faith.

The first British monarch to broadcast a Christmas message to his people was King George V.

The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but by a seven-year-old girl. The girl was Jitka Samkova of Rudolfo, a small town in the former nation of Czechoslovakia. The town received UNICEF assistance after World War II, inspiring Jitka to paint some children dancing around a maypole. She said her picture represented "joy going round and round."

The first Christmas card was created in England on December 9, 1842.

The first commercial Christmas card sold was designed by London artist John Calcott Horsley. He was hired by a wealthy British man to design a card that showed people feeding and clothing the poor with another picture of a Christmas party. The first Christmas card said, "Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you." Of the original one thousand cards he printed for Henry Cole, only twelve exist today.

The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.

The four ghosts in Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" were the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, Christmas Yet to Come, and the ghost of Jacob Marley.

The movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000) features more than 52,000 Christmas lights, about 8,200 Christmas ornaments, and nearly 2,000 candy canes.

The modern Christmas custom of displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house, is borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's celebrations. Romans wished each other "good health" by exchanging branches of evergreens. They called these gifts strenae after Strenia, the goddess of health. It became the custom to bend these branches into a ring and display them on doorways.

The northern European custom of the candlelit Christmas tree is derived from the belief that it sheltered woodland spirits when other trees lost their leaves during winter.

The poem commonly referred to as "The Night Before Christmas" was originally titled "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York newspaper for publication.

The poinsettia, traditionally an American Christmas flower, originally grew in Mexico; where it was known as the "Flower of the Holy Night". It was first brought to America by Joel Poinsett in 1829.

The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh."

The Puritans forbade the singing of Christmas carols.

The real St. Nicholas lived in Turkey, where he was bishop of the town of Myra, in the early 4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.

The Super Ball® was born in 1965, and it became America's most popular plaything that year. By Christmas time, only six months after it was introduced by Wham-O, 7 million balls had been sold at 98 cents apiece. Norman Stingley, a California chemist, invented the bouncing gray ball. In his spare time, he had compressed a synthetic rubber material under 3,500 pounds of pressure per square inch, and eventually created the remarkable ball. It had a resiliency of 92 percent, about three times that of a tennis ball, and could bounce for long periods. It was reported that presidential aide McGeorge Bundy had five dozen Super Balls® shipped to the White House for the amusement of staffers.

The table for Christmas Eve dinner in the Ukraine is set with two tablecloths: one for the ancestors of the family, the other for the living members. In pagan times, ancestors were believed to be benevolent spirits who, when shown respect, brought good fortune.

The tradition of Christmas lights dates back to when Christians were persecuted for saying Mass. A simple candle in the window meant that Mass would be celebrated there that night.

The traditional flaming Christmas pudding dates back to 1670 in England, and was derived from an earlier form of stiffened plum porridge.

The world's first singing commercial aired on the radio on Christmas Eve, 1926 for Wheaties cereal. The four male singers, eventually known as the Wheaties Quartet, sang the jingle. The Wheaties Quartet, comprised of an undertaker, a bailiff, a printer, and a businessman, performed the song for the next six years, at $6 per singer per week. The commercials were a resounding success.

Theodore Roosevelt, a staunch conservationist, banned Christmas trees in his home, even when he lived in the White House. His children, however, smuggled them into their bedrooms.

There are twelve courses in the Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper. According to the Christian tradition, each course is dedicated to one of Christ's apostles.

When Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, died on December 4, 1894, he willed his November 13 birthday to a friend who disliked her own Christmas birthday.

Yuletide-named towns in the United States include Santa Claus, located in Arizona and Indiana, Noel in Missouri, and Christmas in both Arizona and Florida.

Christmas comes from Old English; Cristes maesse or Mass of Christ

Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and dyed green.

"It's a Wonderful Life" appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.

Rudolph" was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930's for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.

The Nutcracker" is the most famous Christmas ballet.

Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.

If you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," you would receive 364 gifts.

Holly berries are poisonous.

Contrary to common belief, poinsettia plants are non-toxic.

Mistletoe was chosen as Oklahoma's state flower in 1893 and later changed to the state floral emblem.

In 1843, "A Christmas Carol" was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks.

Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870.

An angel told Mary she was going to have a baby.

Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down after Epiphany.

In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.

Santa Claus was born in 280AD as Nicholas, he wore a red and white Bishop's robe

The first electric Christmas tree lights were telephone switchboard lights

Joseph could have had Mary stoned to death for becoming pregnant

Christ was most likely born in the summer, as the Gospels state that shepherds who saw the star were watching their flocks in the fields at night. Judean winters are cold and rainy, and the flocks were more likely to be sheltered in caves during the winter months.

The "Christmas star" is thought to be Sirius, the "Dog Star" which is the birghtest star in the night sky.

The number of wise men that sought to find the new Messiah is not mentioned anywhere in the bible, nor is it mentioned that they were kings. They were more likely either persian priests or astronomers.

Level 50

So, last night, after about 5 failed runs through Sunken Temple and Black Rock Depths, Eisn reached the first goal I had set for him to achieve over Christmas break. He's falling a bit behind in the damage meters now as I've been grouped with people decked out in BoA gear and such, but is slowly gaining in the DPS meters as he gets improved gear. I think that, after running him through a few more instances this morning and afernoon, I'll complete the quests that are stagnating and growing moldy in his quest log. He just picked up the level 50 quest for Ravenholdt Manor last night, so I'll start in that area first.
I don't think I have done any power levelling like this in quite a while. I know some of you will say "You have a level 80 death knight, so you must have done some power levelling there.", but again, that was done between semester break, and level 58-80 isn't quite so much of a chore, I think I did that in about a week. I'm really enjoying playing on Eisn, and think he'll be my main toon on Kael'thas once he gets to 80. Back to the grind.

Tis the season for the scammers.

It's that time again for the scammers to try to trick unsuspecting people into giving out their World of Warcraft account information. I've received at least five such scam emails in the past week. The latest from wowaccountabnimn@yahoo.cn follows (note the poor attempt to copy the wowaccountadmin@blizzard.com email address, and the failure to mask the real account.) Also, the email entitled World of Warcraft - Potential Risks is sent to multiple users (Blizzard NEVER sends mass emails regarding account information). General word of advice when receiving such emails. Procede wih caution.

Greetings!
Some evidence indicates that you are trying to sell your personal World of Warcraft account(s).
As you may not be aware of, this conflicts with the EULA and Terms of Agreement.
If this proves to be true, your account can and will be disabled.
We will gather more information through further investigation.
If you wish to not get your account suspended you should immediately verify your account ownership.
You can confirm that you are the original owner of the account by providing the following information:
* First and Surname
* Date of birth
* Address
* Zip code
* Phone number
* Country
* Account e-mail
* Account name
* Account password
* Secret Question and Answer Or WoW CD-Key
Show * Please enter the correct information
www.worldofwarcrcraft.com
If you ignore this mail your account can be closed permanently.
Once we verify your account, we will reply to your e-mail informing you that we have dropped the investigation.

Regards,

Account Administration Team
Blizzard Entertainment

Break time...

Well, as of Wednesday, I am on Christmas break from school and, save for a few days in which I will be going in to move equipment back into the classrooms that had the floors stripped and waxed today and move the equipment out of the rooms that will be recarpeted next week, I have nothing to do. Today, was spent running all the usual Friday errands, which were stopped short of picking up a tree as I had reached my point of exhaustion, and coming home to get a much needed nap (I must be getting old if I need a nap so early in the day.) Tomorrow will (hopefully) be spent clearing space for my new computer armoir and maybe playing some WoW, after going tree shopping for the "imperfect Christmas tree". I say "imperfect" because there is almost always something wrong with the tree that Kat picks out. One year, the first year in the first apartment we lived in in Erie, she picked the tallest "eight foot" tree because "it would fit in our living room with high ceilings." OK, fine by me, nine foot ceilings- shouldn't be a problem. We got it in the door, and in the living room. the tree was 10.5 feet tall (apparently, the vendor didn't measure it properly) and I had to literally saw 3 feet off of the bottom in order to fit it into the room. Another "imperfect tree" was so lopsided, that I swore that I never wanted to get another live tree again (thankfully, the swivel tree stand allowed us to balance it to some degree of satisfaction.) especially, since by then we were living in a second floor apartment. I have no problem getting an artificial tree, especially since I am, to some degree, allergic to the strong scent put out by evergreen trees, but the other person here makes such a fuss over getting a real tree, that I give in.
Aside from tree shopping, working 2-3 days over break at school, and Christmas day itself, my break will be rather uneventful. I will probably finish watching some of the seasons of the TV shows on DVD that I haven't finished, play a lot of WoW, and get some much needed sleep (maybe I'll get to sleep in on the days that my back behaves and isn't in near-constant pain.) My one goal over break is to get my rogue at least to 50, which shouldn't be too hard, since he has gained about two levels/day when I play. Maybe I'll get to 60, or 70 (80 might be pushing it, but if he gets that high, I won't scoff.) but again, it depends on how much I play. Some days, like yesterday, I just didn't feel up to playing, and watched movies instead. We shall see, though, how well he does :)

Pre-Christmas Ponderings

Although winter doesn't officially begin for another 5-6 days, it has made its presence known here in Erie. After our first major lake effect snowstorm of the season last week, temperatures have remained below freezing save for yesterday, which started off in the mid 40s and then quickly dropped into the lower 30s in the mid afternoon. By this morning, the streets around town were covered with a snow-covered icy glaze.
With all of the snow that we've been getting over the past week, it set me to thinking about this time of year back in '95. It was to have been the first Christmas in almost 10 years that the whole family would be together. Everyone was excited at the prospect of gathering in my grandmother's small apartment (with various family members staying with others) and celebrating Christmas the way we used to. I had called grandma early on in the month to talk to her, and she was all excited and looking forward to going to Burger King and the mall with me, and launched into her own rendition of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (she loved the song)over the phone before we said our goodbyes. Little was I to know that it was the last time I would get to talk to her. Two days later, she suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. My mom and brother took the trip from Harrisburg to Erie to see her in the Hospital, where she had stabilized, and was told she'd be able to return home in a couple of days. Mom and my brother returned to Harrisburg the next day. Not a day after they had returned, I sat bolt upright in bed knowing something was wrong. (Call it premonition, but I could have sworn I had seen her as clear as day, as she said she loved me.) An hour later, I got the call that she had gone home to be with God. I don't think I had cried harder in my whole life. I took the next two weeks off of work, and made plans for the trip from York PA up to Erie (always a fun drive in the wintertime) for the funeral the following week. The first part of the trip was rather uneventful, no snow, and sunny skies. Kat and I had made a rest stop at a McDonalds close to the halfway point (they were giving away free parking in the rear to those who played their Monopoly game)and called to let my mom and aunt know where we were. Mom told us to be careful, because the Weather Service had just issued a lake effect snow warning, and that it was expected to get bad. I thanked her for the heads-up, and we proceeded on our way. Kat, who had never been to this area before, kept dismissing my concern for most of the rest of the trip as we got closer to our destination, and there was still no snow- until we hit Saegertown, when we hit the wall of snow dead-on. Giving her directions from that point was real fun since all the usual landmarks were obscured by the blinding snow. We made it in one piece, and went to the funeral the next day, despite blizzard conditions. Needless to say, Christmas hasn't been the same for me since then. Grandma Dailey was the matriarch of the family, and the one who seemed to hold the whole family together. She's the one who would bake all the goodies, and prepare the huge feasts for the family at Christmas, and generally make every Christmas memorable. Now, its just not the same, and I dread the coming of the new year because I know that I'll lose it when they start to play "Auld Lang Syne" and there's no grandma to sing along with it. Grandma, I know you're up there watching over me. I love you, and I miss you even after all these years.

And I'm Finished...

... for at least another semester. Had my two finals today and studied what I could last night (which meant no WoW for me last night.) The Accounting I Apps final was a breeze (with the exception of the brief confusion of how to journalize sales discounts) and I know I finished that class with an A. I'm still worried over my final grade in Intro to Business, since (as I stated in my earlier post), the teacher just rushed through the last couple of chapters, and there was some stuff on the test that wasn't covered. I know I blew the essay part of the exam (massive brain fart). I'll at least get a B in the class, but that would mean I failed in my goal of a straight 4.0 GPA this time around, despite busting my butt over the many assigned essays etc. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing, but it just bugs me.
Anyway, unlike the rest of the students who will not have to see the halls of EBC again until January 4, I will be working at the school over break. I was asked to help with the long awaited and overdue upgrades to the main computer lab and one other lab, as well as move the equipment out of the other labs so they can put in new carpeting in the rooms. So, I'll be busy, but at least I'm getting paid for it.

In other news:
I would like to congratulate my friend Lunas over at Emerald Paradise on a VERY promising sonogram.. She and her husband David are going to have TWINS!!! Here's wishing that she carries them to term for a successful pregnancy. :)

Monday, and two days to go until BREAK!!!

It's down to the homestretch for the end of Semester here at Erie Business Center. Wednesday is the last day of classes here until January 4, when the Winter session begins. This term, they are trying something different, and not allowing instructors to give finals until the last day of class (Tuesday for Tuesday-Thursday classes, and Wednesday for Monday-Wednesday classes) due to too many students not showing up for the last day of class the previous semester. It doesn't bother me too much, because I only have two finals to study for - Accounting I Applications, and Intro to Business (both on Tuesday). Automated Accounting was all bookwork, and I finished mine ahead of the rest of the class three weeks ago. Right now, I am riding on a 4.0 for the semester, but am slightly concerned about the Intro to Business final exam, since the teacher basically rushed through the last two chapters in two days, and we really didn't have enough time to let everything from the one chapter to sink in before we rushed through the second one. Others in that class are a bit concerned as well. I guess I'll just study what I can for that one and hope for the best.
Right now, I am sitting in my Automated Accounting class listening to the frustrated sighs of the girl that only showed up for half of the classes and never bothered to do the in-chapter work before the end-of-chapter exercises. I've given up trying to help her, because she doesn't listen when I tell her that she NEEDS to read and do the chapter work beforehand or she won't understand what she's doing. I guess maybe that's the reason why I finished my work ahead of time, and she's still struggling 3 chapters behind what was assigned. :shrug: Ah well. Like the teacher told me, it's not my worry.

In-game news:
I didn't progress as far on Eisn yesterday, as I had the previous two days because I started later and then took a break to watch the two hour Special Erie Edition of Extreme Home Makeover and it's pre-show launch on WJET. I did, however, manage to finish about 2 Scarlet Monastery Graveyard runs, 3 Scarlet Monastery Library runs, and 2 successful Scarlet Monastery Armory runs (the first being a total wipe because the healer decided to go eat dinner in the middle of the boss fight like a total idiot), and 2 runs through Razorfen Downs. He gained 2.5 levels yesterday and maintained top DPS in 2/3 of the groups. The best was one run through SM Armory in which he didn't get top DPS, but was a very close second to the hunter in the group (Eisn: 28.8%, Hunter: 29.1%~ pretty darned good, I think, considering the tank in the group pulled too much a couple of times and died twice, leaving us to kill the mobs.) Tonight, I may take a break to study for my two finals tomorrow, but that will depend on how burned out I get from studying at school. My goal for Eisn is to hit 50 by the weekend.

Gamer Sues World of Warcraft Maker for Ruining His Life

Some people really need to get a grasp on reality. For the full story, follow this link.

Rogue Levelling, LFG, and Spirit Bear Taming

Earlier this week, I decided to take a break from my hunter, and started to level my rogue, Eisn, as a change of pace. He was one of eight toons I rolled upon initially moving to Kael'thas server, and I levelled each to level 10 (at least) before focusing on my paladin for about a month. I started levelling him last Sunday, at level 10, and after about 5 quick runs through deadmines for the Blackened Defias set, I got him to about level 19 by Wednesday (Keep in mind, I don't spend a lot of time playing during the week due to school and studies-finals this coming week, ugh). Once I hit 20, I decided to try out the new LFG feature on Friday, and got instantly hooked. I think I must have run at least 50 various instances since Friday, and gotten fairly well geared up, along with gaining 14 levels in two days. With Christmas break beginning in 3 days, I'll have 2 weeks to catch up in my game-time a bit, and who knows, by te time I start my next semester, I may be 3/4 of the way to 80 on this toon. Playing on Eisn has been a refreshing change, and I have forgotten how much I liked playing a rogue. I retired my former main, Rhowynne, just before the release of WotLK because of burnout, but this week, after being at the top of the DPS/Damage meter 80% of the time (the other 20% being outdone by mages and locks with their AoE spells) I remembered how much I liked it. Eisn is specced for combat now, but that may change. I'm going to check out a few other blogs and forums to see what the concensus on Assassination spec is.
I mentioned the new LFG feature above, and aside from a few problems, I like it. I think the feature I like the most is the way that it forms groups. I haven't had any experience with forming raids with it yet, but each 5-man instance gets 3 DPS, a tank and a healer, which is a nice change from when we tried to form groups the old way, and it would give us 4 dps and no healer. The only problem I've had (which seems to be just server-crossover issues) is trying to enter an instance without using the LFG feature. I tried to enter Wailing Caverns solo to finish a couple of quests, and got an "instance not found" error. Hopefully this gets fixed soon.
Lastly, I would like to congratulate my friend Shaun who, after 4 days of camping out in Grizzly hills on his hunter, Savagelupine, spotted and tamed Arcturis the Spirit Bear. Competition was heavy, from what I'm told, but he was the one that was quick on the draw, and tamed it. Congratulations, Shaun! His next goal, he says, is to Aotona Good Luck!

Savagelupine and his Bear

Legerdemain Lounge

I started the Legerdemain Lounge on a trial basis. Find it here.

Enjoy.
-DS

just a teaser

I'm thinking about starting a blog that is open to anyone to post their own WoW fiction. I, for one, love to read other people's writings, especially when it's well thought out and well-written. Anyway, the name will be "The Legerdemain Lounge". I will keep this open to comments, and then hopefully open it up around Christmas.
-DS

WoW Year Review Meme

I swiped this from Daraia over at Daughter of Ravenholdt Manor (so I did the rogue thing since I wasn't officially tagged) It looked like fun, so here goes...

The Instructions are as follows:

Please leave a link to your meme post in the comments here. Please tag 5 other folks to complete the meme and copy these instructions and the questions into your blog with your answers.

What did you do in the World of Warcraft in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Collecting mounts, pets, and achievements. Who knew there were so many?

What was your favorite new place that you visited?

I'd have to say Naxxrammas (so, it was new to me). It gave me a bit of raiding experience, and helped me to hone my skills as a tank. I'm still not the BEST DK tank in the world, but I had a couple of pretty good teachers. :)

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

A better computer. My laptop is nice, but it can only do so much. Sometime after the new year, I'll be getting my "new" (read as rebuilt and overhauled) computer, with the awesome video card and spectacular sound system. WOOT!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Even though I'm no longer in Eternity Matters, I think it was getting recognition as a respectable tank, and being allowed to tank alongside a very skilled main tank and a fairly decent offtank. It gave me a bit of perspective, and a sense of belonging for a time.

What was your biggest failure?

My biggest failure was something that I know I'll never live down for as long as I play WoW. It was the first time I was asked to tank Sartharion in the Obsidian Sanctum. I was doing great and holding aggro without a problem until my cat, Dalamar, decided that HE wanted to do the tanking, and stepped on the key that unleashed the Army of the Dead. All Chaos ensued, Sartherion was all over the place, and- needless to say- we wiped. I got a bit of good-humored ragging over it, and it still comes up from time to time. Lesson learned: Banish kitties from lap when raiding.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Hearing about the Cataclysm. I got excited about Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, but not as excited as when I first heard about the upcoming expansion. I'm looking forward to the new map, the new races (really excited about playing Worgen) and completely changed content due to the destruction of that which we have become so accustomed to.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Hmmm... I'd have to say raiding. While it is fun and got me geared up and all, it got to be too repetitive, and eventually boring after a while. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't the same raid night after night and week after week, but it's lost its luster for me. Also, it tended to cut into my study time a bit too much, and I probably COULD have gotten that 4.0 if I'd have spent less time raiding.

What was your favorite WoW blog or podcast?

Podcast? Does "The Guild" count?

Tell us a valuable WoW lesson you learned in 2009.

First, and foremost, it's ONLY a game. There really isn't any sense in letting yourself get stressed over it. I learned this after a major blowup in which I nearly alienated some friends that I really did care about outside of their avatars in WoW. They really are good people, and quite honestly, I miss them- even though we don't always see eye to eye. When it all boils down, WoW is just a game. It's the real people that REALLY matter.

TAG! (Since most of my friends have already been tagged, I'm left with Ruhlen)

The messenger...

The snow swirled gently in the grey morning light of Dun Murogh. The lone figure sat silently at her table in the inn, waiting. What she was waiting for, none could guess, but she had been waiting at that same table, day after day, for almost a year. She hadn’t moved from that spot except when necessary, and to retire to her room at the end of the day, only to return to the same spot the following morning. She was of the Kaldorei race, as was evidenced by her tall, graceful stature and her lilting accent whenever she spoke, but her features, as was her name, were a mystery to everyone, as she wore a heavy cowl that kept her face hidden from view. Her hair, however, was of a silver hue, with trace hints of violet, which suggested that she was either no longer young, or had seen enough to change her hair from violet to silver.
It was on this day, roughly a full year from the day that the figure first appeared in Kharanos that a messenger arrived from the north. “I seek Sergeant-Major Rhowynne of the King’s Army.” He said. “I was told that I could find her here.”
At that, the figure rose and, revealing her face, moved gracefully toward the door. “She whom you seek is indeed here, good sir. I am she.”
The messenger, obviously enthralled by the silver knot of hair that fell softly over her shoulder, stammered, and then bowed. “The priestess Prophetess sends word from Icecrown, M’lady. Lord Tirion Fordring and Highlord Darion Mograine are amassing troops for the final assault on Icecrown Citadel. They are planning launch the attack to take down the traitor Arthas within the fortknight. King Wrynn has called for all able-bodied soldiers to contribute what they can, and your former commander, Sir Therigwin and his people are answering the call.” Pausing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a purse bulging with coin. “Prophetess has sent this to cover your passage to Valgarde Keep, and a gryphon waits for you in Ironforge to carry you to Menethil Harbor to catch the boat.”
Rhowynne looked the messenger over carefully, as if looking for some hint of deceit, and then graciously accepted the proffered purse, in exchange for a small tip of 10 gold coins for the messenger’s trouble. “Thank you for the information.” She said to him, and then to no one in particular, “It is time.”
She then gathered up her belongings, and paid her bill to the innkeeper before stepping out into the chill winter air. Thinking to herself as she made her way up the mountain to the gates of Ironforge, she recalled the battle just over a year ago to push the Lich King back into his fortress in the northern reaches of Northrend. It was then, while fighting legions of the undead scourge that Arthas had sent to take over Azeroth that she came face to face with that which had silvered her once violet hair. It was while fighting side-by-side along the Argent Dawn at the battle for Light’s Hope that she encountered the death knight whose face she knew more than any other. That face, now empty and devoid of all life, love and emotion, was that of her brother, Stelam. If it weren’t for the death knights regaining their own will as Arthas was defeated, he would have killed her there. The experience had shaken her so badly, that she had hung up her daggers and sworn never to fight again. However, she had maintained contact with her former comrades enough to know that, after the battle, her brother had fought alongside them for a while before vanishing, seemingly into oblivion. She knew that she was in no shape to join the fight herself at this point, having been out of practice for so long, but she would do what she could to help bring the traitor, Arthas, down. Upon arriving in Ironforge, she quickly penned a letter to the one who had been her mentor before her retirement.
“Commander Daraia,” it read. “I have received word from Prophetess of your involvement in the Icecrown offensive, and am willing to offer what assistance I can. I am en route to Howling Fjord, and will sign up with the offensive there. Give Therigwin my best, as well as my long-time friend, Firager. God speed, and god Bless.
-Sergeant-Major Rhowynne”
Satisfied that she had said all she needed, she sent the message on ahead via carrier, and, hoping that her old friends and comrades were well, climbed aboard her gryphon and began her journey to Northrend.

My Grown-up Christmas List

	Amy Grant - Grown Up Christmas List .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Click on the link above. This has been one of my favorite Christmas songs since I first heard it some 16-17 years ago. I think the appeal lies in the fact that it gets down to the basics and pulls at the heart strings, and speaks more volumes than most other modern Christmas songs. I got choked up when I first heard it so long ago (my first Christmas in a new town, and away from the home I'd known for so many years.) and I still get choked up when I hear it. It's been covered quite a few times over the years by artists like Kelly Clarkson, and Michael Buble, but they tend to cut parts out and lack the effect that Amy Grant's has on me.
You may ask why the song has such an effect on me. I've always been what most people refer to as a "sap" (in other words, my sense of empathy is stronger than most.) I get choked up at the save the children commercials, or the ASPCA commercials with Sarah McLaughlin (those especially get to me), and just knowing that others are suffering hurts me to no end. This song is probably as close to my own, real Christmas wish than anything else. I have seen close friends living in a homeless shelter over the holidays with no family or friends to spend them with (This year is probably going the be the best Christmas she'll have in a long time, since she's got her daughter back with her, and is at least living with a degree of comfort. This makes me happier than any gift that anyone could give me.) and I have seen others lose everything just before the holidays in a house fire. Christmas for myself hasn't been the same since my grandmother died just a week before Christmas 14 years ago. Every Christmas, my prayer remains the same, "Please God, hear my list!"

"Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.

Well, I'm all grown-up now,
And still need help somehow.(can you still help somehow)
I?m not a child,
But my heart still can dream.

So here's my lifelong wish,
My grown-up christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up christmas list.

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree.

Well, heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up christmas list.

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.
(there'd be)

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end, oh.
This is my grown-up christmas list.
This is my only life-long wish.
This is my grown-up christmas list."

Star Trek Online Release Date Announced.

Today, the official release and beta test dates were announced for Atari's long-awaited Star Trek Online game. Preorders for the game will begin on January 11, and each customer who preorders will get a beta download code for the beta run which will run from January 11 until January 26. The official ship date will be February 2, for those who don't preorder. The $79.99 collectors edition includes the following:

•Deluxe Packaging: Futuristic 3dX holography set in a high quality brushed aluminum finish. Heavy duty construction with magnetic closures and nested compartments for all components.
•Deluxe Manual: High end, hardbound, art book, manual, and disc case in a single, elegant package. “HD Printing” on over 40 glossy pages of exclusive art from the Star Trek Online Universe.
•Communicator Badge: High quality cast metal design based on the in-game badge model. Fully 3d Sculpted with recessed burst and curved contours.
•Guest Passes: Credit card style buddy passes to invite three of your friends for a three day trial of Star Trek Online.
•Red Matter Capacitor: A unique item that charges up and delivers extra energy to all of your ship’s equipment for a short time. A device that, when used, gives you a small bump in energy, has a long recharge.
•Next Generation Uniform: Uniform Options from and the Next Generation. The timeless look worn by Picard, Data and Riker.
•“Deep Space Nine” Uniform: Uniform Options from the “Deep Space Nine” Series. Grey shoulders, on a black uniform, just like Sisko, Worf and Dax.

Also, making this more tempting, those that preorder the game through Gamestop will receive a special downloadable code to unlock an exclusive in-game Starfleet Constitution Class Starship. This unique, upgradable starship comes equipped with blue phasers and an extra engineering station mod slot.

I've been waiting for this game for a LONG time, and it's going to be a tough choice between STO, and WoW. I guess I'll put a preorder through for STO with Gamestop, and at least give the game a try. "Scotty, Beam me up!"

Enter #5

Well, last night, after trying to complete as many of the barrens quests and quest chains as I could, I went hunting for my fifth pet on my hunter. I went first to the Petopia site to see what I could get as a pet in the Tenacity tree, since I didn't have one in that tree yet, and figured that I might as well get one to train as well. To my disappointment, there weren't too many lower level rares that appealed to me (I'm not much of a turtle, bear, boar or croc person, so that left crabs or scorpions. The next available rare in the crab family is a nice vermillion colored one named Crusty that crawls around off the northwestern shore of Desolace, but my hunter isn't high enough level to tame that one yet, so I settled on a nice rare scorpion in Durotar by the name of Death Flayer. He isn't so special except for the fact that 1) he is rare, and 2) he's got the nice mottled black color. I named him "Viahra" which is Rihannsu for "Sting" or "Stinger" (not to be confused with "Viagra" which is a medication used for erectile dysfunction). Here he is, pictured below:

Viahra

I will probably replace him with Crusty eventually, since I like the color, but he'll do for now.

Just rambling

Lately, it seems like a lot of my friends are experiencing what I term "WoW burnout". It has been mentioned in Tank for the Light, The Tree Healer, and in The Savage Coast where he spoke about retiring the main character that he'd been playing for at least a year. What is the reason for the burnout? Monotony. People are doing the same things, repetitively, day after day, and it's getting old. There is a lack of new content, and the long-awaited patch 3.3 is taking longer than most people expected to be released, so there is no new content to experience that will alleviate the monotony. I was beginning to feel the drain and the lack of excitement myself before I transferred Llaihr over to the Kael'Thas server, and had hoped that the change of scenery would relieve that to some extent. It didn't. Therefore, when I have been playing (game time has been limited due to school and preparation for final exams and projects in a couple of weeks, as well as general over-all tiredness) I have been playing on my "lowbies" that I created when I first started playing on that server back in early October. I have a blood elf Paladin, Sylverylle, that I've leveled into the 40s, and recently, I've started levelling my blood elf hunter, Amerylle, and have gotten her almost to 30. I have had a lot of fun playing her, and getting the pets I want (so far, one summoned pet, Liorae (Echeyakee), and three rares; Tehhr (Humar the Pridelord), Aehallh (Ressan the Needler), and AenRhien (Azzere the Skyblade).

Aehallh (Rihannsu for "Nightmare")

Liorae (Rihannsu for "Light")

Terrh (Rihannsu for "Darkness")

AenRhien (Rihannsu for "Bloodwing")

As you might have guessed, I like using Rihannsu (or for those who are not complete Trekker nerds like myself, Romulan) names for my pets. Most of them were easy to obtain. Echeyakee, of course was the easiest, as he is summoned via the Horde quest of the same name. I just happened across Ressan the Needler while running through Tirisfal Glades on my way to catch a dirigible to Orgrimmar the other day, and happened to stumble upon Humar the Pridelord the same evening, only a couple of hours later. The hardest one to get was Azzere the Skyblade, as he required a 4.5 hour camp just south of Camp Taurajo (I got tired of waiting and took a 45 minute break to finish up a couple of quests, and returned to find him waiting for me). I still haven't figured out what #5 will be for now. I know that eventually, I will replace most of them (I'd like to get at least one of either Loque'Nahak or Gondria, and possibly Skoll, and Aetona, but those are all a long way down the road yet. At least I'm happy with what I have, but if anyone has any suggestions for rare (lower level) Tenacity pets, feel free to let me know.

That's all for the (huge) WoW portion of this post. Before I close, however, I want to share my two WoW buddies, Dalamar "Poopins" (the main inspiration for the title of this blog) and Raistlin, with you. Either one of the two is usually in my lap while I'm playing (Dalamar likes to help, while Raistlin usually just curls up and sleeps). This picture was taken on one of the rare occasions when BOTH decided to share my lap.

Me with Dalamar (facing the camera) and Raistlin
in my lap "helping" me play WoW