It's Christmas Time in Computerland!

It has begun. There is a sense of anticipation building as we move ever closer to that one special day each year. Some of us, and we know who we are, live without worry or fear because our actions this past year have bordered on angelic. Others, and you know who YOU are, sit sullenly in their recliners conjuring up defenses for their transgressions over the past twelve months. (She made me do it or I didn’t know that was a bad thing or I didn’t put her pigtail too far into the inkwell.)

As I travel around the county visiting clients, more and more homes, businesses, boats and canals are festooned with lights and decorations. It is tough to maintain a bah humbug attitude, but I am sure that some will try and perhaps succeed. But let’s get to the crux of the holiday. We have prepared our lists of things we really, really want and now it just comes down to waiting for ….Olde Saint Nick to arrive! 

But what to do until that jolly old fellow arrives? We still have some time before that magical flight begins and as we all know, time passes evermore slowly the harder we wish it would pass. Maybe our computer can help us keep our minds occupied while we wait.

If the joyous sounds of small children are filling your home this year, (Gordon, stop pulling the dogs tail.) perhaps this site can quiet things down. (David, why are you writing on the wall?) A site located at http://christmas-coloring.com/ has a collection of coloring pages that can be printed and handed out to the kids. (Derek, stop eating the candy canes off the tree.) This should keep then occupied for a few minutes.

We can also spend our time productively by playing the Santa Game. Simply point your browser to www.santagames.org. This is a web based game so there is nothing to download. (it requires Macromedia Flash to work, but if you don’t already have it, there is a link right there that will install it for you.) This is a neat little game that allows you to pick the country Santa should deliver presents to and then you have to try to drop the gifts down the chimneys as he flies over in his sleigh.

For those of us that attempt to make our own cards or greetings, we can find almost unlimited Christmas clip art from a variety of sources. My first attempt is usually by opening up Google, click on the tab that says Images and then type in a description of the clip art I am looking for. Example: Christmas Clip Art brought up 6480 different pieces of clip art ranging from the jolly elf to sleighs, trees and snow. (Martha, snow is a four letter word.) 

For a lot of us, Christmas is something that we noticed when we were just knee high to a grasshopper and it has continued ever since. Where did some of the traditions, events, and characters that make up Christmas originate? A few of these answers can be found at www.howstuffworks.com/christmas.htm. There we can find twenty some questions ranging from “What is Christmas?” to “Why does every mall have a Santa village, and why do kids come sit on Santa's knee?”

One tradition that many follow is the decorating of a large tree. While the first fifty years or so was fun, there has to be an easier way. With our computers there is a quick, fun and enjoyable way to do just that. Go to www.santa.net/decorate.html and add lights, decorations and tree topper to the tree and then turn on the tree and all the lights blink and the ornaments become active.

But if you’re the hands on crafty type and like to make the holiday decorations that give your home the one and only look instead of a branch of one of the local big box stores then go to www.homeandfamilynetwork.com/Christmas.html. Here are all sorts of decorating ideas, things to make and recipes that will make the mouth water and the waistline expand.

Now that we are all in the holiday spirit, and looking forward to a visit from Santa Claus, how will we know where and when he is arriving? We don’t want the milk and cookies set out for him to go bad. Make sure to visit and bookmark www.noradsanta.org. This is the official North American Air Defense Command center that looks for and tracks Santa’s Christmas Eve journey. On Christmas Eve, you can watch Santa take off and travel to all the good/bad boys and girls homes delivering toys to some and coal to others. (Martha, should I worry?) 

Happy Holidays