...Santa Claus Ever since I was a little kid, it was a tradition on Christmas Eve to get ready for the arrival of Santa Claus. To prepare for St. Nick’s arrival, weeks before I would write out my wish list and send it in the mail to get to him. On Christmas eve, my family would set out cookies and milk for him as well as carrots for the reindeer. I would then go to bed early so that he would come, and I would wake up Christmas morning to find a plethora of presents lying underneath the decorated Christmas tree. Growing older as a kid, I realized that Santa Claus actually does not exist. This raises the question: Why is it that Santa Claus is featured everywhere, but does not really exist? In the Secrets of the Psychics, Randi said in the 1980’s that he lived in a world of fantasy. In the video, Randi wants to give up any fantasy he has so that he can live in a real world. Santa Claus was an iconic figure that appeared in movies, the mall to take pictures with, and in storybooks. Even though as adults we know that Santa Claus does not exist, It is nearly impossible to disprove claims of people that insist that they have seen a flying saucer or have been abducted by aliens or that they saw Santa Clause climbing down their chimney. According to Skeptic magazine, “Preying on the emotions of grieving people is not only unethical but can also be very dangerous. It is sad and even deplorable that radio and TV gives such people the publicity and ability to continue their fraud. But...
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...Christmas… the way it should always be Once a year, when the smells of the old country come alive again, its Christmas time and everyone is bustling with excitement. The children play outside in the brisk December night air, the women in the kitchen with stained aprons, the smell of flour, virgin olive oil, as they constantly brush their hair back in the heat of the kitchens. The men they are outside, their job of setting up tables and arranging chairs now done, they watch over the children while smoking cigars and drinking wine. This is the scene of our Italian Christmas. Through out the night can be heard a language that not only can be heard, but seen as well. Talking with their hands, speaking a language of Italian dialects and broken English. It’s the language you can hear the sing/song word endings of the Roman dialect, the slick imagined well dressed dialect of the northern Milanese, the country chopped words of my calabrese, and the hard earthy of the Sicilian. We are all one under this house, so this combinations of dialects works as one language. This is the language that I understand, it the language that my Nonna tells me she loves me. I stand their transfixed, as a young child of ten, trying to remember something to respond with in this language. While nothing comes to mind, I turn to her and say in English, “I love you too, Nonna” and then place a kiss on her cheek. I can smell her perfume and see the way she’s dressed, how they are all dressed: the men in suits...
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...14 September 2013 Amy Tan's “Fish Cheeks” In the story, “Fish Cheeks,” Amy Tan describes a young girl and the anxiety that she was experiencing when she learns that her crush, Robert, was coming to dinner with his family. Amy's family was Chinese and their customs were different for Christmas compared to Robert's American customs. She was afraid of what Robert and his family would think. These feelings are expressed in the second paragraph, “When I found out that my parents had invited the minister's family over for Christmas Eve dinner, I cried.” At first, Amy is shamed of her family and their customs and traditions. Amy's mother had prepared a large meal of Amy's favorite foods, that was traditional for a Chinese Christmas. However, at the time she thought it was “strange.” She knew that Robert's family was not accustomed to this kind of meal, and she was also embarrassed by her own family's manners. By the time both families were finished eating, Amy mentioned that she “was stunned into silence for the rest of the night,” in paragraph 7. Her embarrassment was evident throughout the night. After the meal and the Robert's family left, Amy's mother wanted her to realize that she didn't need to be ashamed of her Chinese heritage, but also understood that Amy wanted to be like the American girls. Her mother gave her a special gift that night as well, to try to show her understanding. Amy's mother reiterated to her daughter that she should be proud of her Chinese...
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...Just in Time for the Holidays * Eric J. McNulty FROM THE DECEMBER 2005 ISSUE * SAVE * SHARE * COMMENT * TEXT SIZE * PRINT * 8.95 BUY COPIES Just in Time for the Holidays VIEW MORE FROM THE December 2005 Issue EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE RECOMMENDED * ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Just in Time for the Holidays (HBR Case Study and Commentary) ------------------------------------------------- TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONSHBR CASE AND COMMENTARY * ------------------------------------------------- Eric McNulty, M. Eric Johnson, Horst Brandstatter, Warren H. Hausman, Anne Omrod ------------------------------------------------- 8.95 ADD TO CART * ------------------------------------------------- SAVE ------------------------------------------------- * ------------------------------------------------- SHARE * ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Just in Time for the Holidays (HBR Case Study) ------------------------------------------------- STRATEGY & EXECUTION HBR CASE * ------------------------------------------------- Eric McNulty ------------------------------------------------- 8.95 ADD TO CART * ------------------------------------------------- SAVE ------------------------------------------------- * ------------------------------------------------- ...
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...Whoville Vs. The Grinch 1) STATEMENT OF FACTS: The Grinch’s main goal was to sabotage Christmas, as the story begins with the Grinch saying "I must find some way to keep Christmas from coming!”. This was just the start of the Grinch’s conspiracy to trespass and commit burglary on the homes of the people in Whoville. The Grinch committed his act of conspiracy when he spoke of his plan to max, “"I know just what to do!" The Grinch laughed in his throat. "I'll make a quick Santa Claus hat and a coat."” With the intentions of pretending to be Santa as he broke into the Whoville homes. This is when The Grinch’s Burglary began. The Grinch then committed his first act of Larceny by stealing the Christmas stockings, “"These stockings," he grinched, "are the first things to go!"”. It didn’t stop there, the Grinch continued to fill his sack with more and more items from the Whoville homes. The Grinch made this statement about his bag “Packed it up with their presents, their ribbons, their wrappings, their snoof and their fuzzles, their tringlers and trappings!”. 2) ISSUE PRESENTED: Under Criminal Law, is the defendant “The Grinch” guilty of Larceny Conspiracy to Trespass and Burglary? Under Tort Law, can the plaintiff People of Whoville sue for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress? 3) ARGUMENTS: Under criminal law a defendant is guilty of conspiracy if an agreement between two or more persons to engage jointly in an unlawful or criminal act, or an act that is innocent...
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...Brianna Jackson Period 3 12/15/15 Les Fêtes Christmas is one of the most important festivals. It is celebrated ever year on 25th December. It was on this day that Lord Jesus Christ was born. Christians wear new clothes and attend special prayers in the church on Christmas. The churches are lit up on the 'Christmas eve, an evening before Christmas. On Christmas, Christians sing carols and pray together in the church. All the family members decorate Christmas trees with toys, decorative lights, balloons and candles. Children believe that it is Santa Claus who brings gifts for them. Christmas is a festival of joy and peace. But Christmas is celebrated differently in many countries. Variations during this time include different meals, ideas of Santa, and celebrations. Two countries that both celebrate Christmas yet do it differently is the united states and France. In France, a Nativity crib is often used to help decorate the house. French cribs have clay figures in them. During December some towns and cities, such as Marseilles, have fairs that sell Nativity figures. In French Merry Christmas is 'Joyeux Noël'. Yule Logs made out of Cherry Wood are often burned in French homes. The log is carried into the home on Christmas Eve and is sprinkled with red wine to make the log smell nice when it is burning. There is a custom that the log and candles are left burning all night with some food and drinks left out in case Mary and the baby Jesus come past during the night. In France...
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...Christmas Traditions In Beijing, about two weeks before Christmas, all the big shopping malls decorating both their insides and outsides with beautiful Christmas trees, colored ribbons and glaring illuminations, set Christmas discounting information on posters on the gates. Crazy customers with large alacrity rush into their shopping heavens to choose on-sales goods as Christmas presents for themselves, their families and friends. The scene is spectacle. It seems that Christmas is merely a shopping season and entertaining festival for Chinese. But what is the true meaning of Christmas? What are the roots of those Christmas traditions? Christmas is the abbreviation of Christ’s mass. It is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians. No exception, millions of people around the world celebrate Christmas on the widely accepted day, December 25th every year. They bought their Christmas presents a couple weeks before Christmas Eve, put green Christmas trees with decorations in the houses, and prepare pleasant hearts to welcome the Christ’s birth, one of the most important festivals in the year. Christmas traditions accompanying them to have great holidays during Christmas provide them a sense of warmth and satisfy. As an evergreen conifer decorated with pinecones, candy coated angels, colorful Christmas balls and fake icicles, a Christmas tree is the essential compose of the celebration of Christmas. The origination of Christmas trees can be traced to...
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...Introduction: In Argentina It is a season for religious celebrations as well as enjoyment of gatherings with family and friends.From Europe and America, the influences to the Christmas traditions of Argentina include the Christmas tree, red and white flowers, and the boots of Father Christmas. People even go to the extent of putting cotton on and around Christmas trees and the manger to simulate snow. The decorations on the Christmas tree are meant to produce a spectacular effect through candles or electric lights and other ornaments. Gifts surround the foot of the Christmas tree, while a figure of a star or Father Christmas is placed on top. Like Peru, Christmas dinner is served in Argentina on the night of December 24th. Upon the initial...
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...Where does Santa Claus Come from? Santa Claus Today Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and simply "Santa", is a figure with legendary, mythical, historical and folkloric origins who, in many western cultures, is said to bring gifts to the homes of the good children during the late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve, December 24. The modern figure was derived from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas, which, in turn, may have part of its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of gift giver Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in the third century in the city of patara which is a port on the Meditarian Sea, which is today turkey. Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Sinterklaas. He was a 4th century Greek Christian bishop. Saint Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor. Dutch folklore In Dutch folklore Saint Nicholas (the good saint) had helpers known as the Black peter, or pere fouettard in French. Tradition holds that Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) and his aides arrive each year by steam boat from Spain in mid November. Black Peter carries the book that contains notes on all children that indicate whether the child has been good or naughty during the year. The entourage carries gifts, chocolate letters and spice nuts to be handed to the well-behaved children. During the subsequent three weeks, Saint Nicholas is believed...
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...Brittany Prunsky Episodes of World War I The Christmas Truce of 1914 “Christmas Eve was, in the way of weather, everything that Christmas Eve should be’. Christmas Day itself was a perfect day. A beautiful, cloudless blue sky. The ground hard and white ... It was such a day as is invariably depicted by artists on Christmas cards - the ideal Christmas Day of fiction. And indeed, the curious manifestations taking place along considerable stretches of the British front that day had a look of the most surprising fiction” (Terraine). The wonderful events that occurred over the Christmas holiday of 1914 revealed to all that the human spirit seems to have a way of peaking through at rather disastrous times showing that even in times of chaos, a glimmer of hope can be seen through the compassion that humans undoubtedly possess. This was proven true during one of the most violent and fatal wars in history. World War I, also known as The Great War, spanned from 1914 until 1918 experiencing around 37 million war casualties (“First World War Casualties”). During the horrors of the war, an almost unexplainable incident occurred; the Christmas Truce of 1914, which restored a bit of hope in many men living in hopelessness. Neither a civilian nor a soldier during World War I could have anticipated the Christmas Truce of 1914 due to its story like characteristics. Although at times seen as merely a myth or a small incident blown widely out of proportion, this truce absolutely...
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...It was late on Christmas eve and a young Aaron Sherrill is putting his pajamas on. His mom yells for him in the kitchen. When he gets in there she tells him about the Christmas forecast. It is supposed to snow early that morning. He walks back upstairs and goes to bed. Young Aaron could hardly sleep with the thought of Christmas just hours away. Everyone in the house was already asleep and that scared him. Aaron got up to go get a glass of warm milk. As he wobbled down the stairs he almost fell. But someone was there to catch him. It was Santa Claus! Aaron screamed in fear. Luckily no one awoke from their deep slumber. Santa Claus told him to go back to bed. But Aaron did not want to. Claus picked Aaron up and carried him to his room. He sprinkled...
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...everybody knows about the jolly Santa Claus, but few know he has a partner known as Krampus. They are two sides of the same coin, with Krampus also being known as St. Nick’s shadow. Both were and still are highly present in European areas, but when St. Nicholas came to America as Santa Claus, Krampus was left behind. There seemed to be no need for this fearful figure in the new world, but as he is beginning to become noticed once again one must understand who he is to our beloved Christmas childhood hero....
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...the solid brick buildings are covered in fluffy white snow. Flurries swirl against the steely gray sky of a late November morning. But the soft glow of light from the windows and steady hum of machinery hint at the productivity inside. Buildings 1 and 2 house the company’s massive mail facility, where children’s letters to Santa are sorted and matched against a database that tracks the writers’ behavior over the course of the year. Inside Building 3, gleaming steel equipment moves board games and Erector sets toward pallets where they are shrink-wrapped and readied for distribution on Christmas Eve. Red garland is draped across the windows that line the outer walls, though none of the busy elves seems to notice the festive touch. A large man in a red suit walks among the workers. His smiles and waves are returned by the elves bustling on the shop floor. It is just five weeks until Christmas, and the plant is in high gear. The man is startled by the short, sharp blast of a horn and turns to find a forklift stacked high with boxes pulling up alongside him. “Sorry for the horn, Santa. Not a minute to waste,” says the elf at the wheel. “How’s everything going, Smitty?” Santa Claus...
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...Myth of Santa Claus Santa Claus is a figure who is said to bring gifts to the good children on 24 December, the night before Christmas. He is depicted as a joyous, white-bearded man, wearing a red and white suit and carrying a bag full of gifts. Santa Claus in the American culture has elves working for him at the North Pole. The elves make and pack the toys that goes to the children. Santa makes a list of the children according to their behaviour and delivers the toys to the well-behaved children and sometimes coal to naughty children on the single night of Christmas Eve. The elves help him doing that. He has eight reindeer which pull his sleigh and can fly. Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. History of Santa Claus The American name Santa...
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...Christmas in Ireland Christmas in Ireland is the largest celebration of the year and lasts from 24 December to 6 January. ------------------------------------------------- Relevance of religion to Christmas Ireland is a predominantly Catholic island with small communions of other Christian denominations. As such, Christmas plays an extremely important role in both religious and secular aspects of Irish life. There are huge attendances at religious services for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, with Midnight Mass a popular choice for Roman Catholics. It is also a time for remembering the dead in Ireland with prayers being offered for deceased at Masses. It is traditional to decorate graves at Christmas with a wreath made of holly and ivy. In most homes in Ireland the traditional crib, along with the Christmas tree are part of a family's decorations. Family and friends also give each other gifts at Christmas. Some people light candles to signify symbolic hospitality for Maryand Joseph. The candle was a way of saying there was room for Jesus's parents in these homes even if there was none in Bethlehem. ------------------------------------------------- Christmas tree Christmas trees officially go up on 8 December because according to Christian tradition the immaculate conception was on this date. Trees in towns and cities are erected in central locations every year along with lights. ------------------------------------------------- Santa Claus Santa Claus, Daidí na Nollag (lit...
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