For many people, it's their favourite time of the year. Christmas. It elicits many different images for people of different ages. For children, of course, it's a chance to see Santa Claus and make their wish list for the presents that they'd like him to bring. And naturally, on Christmas morning they get a chance to open all the presents, many of which magically seem to have come from the list that they had sent earlier in the month.
By the time the children reach their teenage years, they wind up being confronted with the reality that Santa Claus really doesn't exist. They tend to deal with the news fairly well, since they had a sneaking suspicion for a few years that something was afoot, and that it all just sounded too good to be true. Modern technology has helped perpetuate the myth. The United States air defence system, known as NORAD, lends a hand by providing an alleged tracking of Santa’s flight over the entire globe. Thus, children, who are becoming more and more technologically advanced, can at least get some supposed backup to Mum and Dad's story.
'Tis the Season for Giving
Of course, children are not the only beneficiaries of presents during the holiday season. Adults also expect some recognition along the way, and particularly something special and personalised from members of their family. But even neighbours, business associates and more distant relatives often will feel offended if they don't receive something during the holidays. This can make shopping a little more complicated, but it doesn't necessarily have to be that way. Christmas hampers make for excellent gifts, as they appeal to an extremely large audience, and come in a wide variety of price ranges, and of course, assortments.
The tradition of celebrating Christmas on December 25 comes from the early beginnings of the Christian faith. It is meant to celebrate Christ's birth, although it took several centuries for a specific date to be settled on. What is interesting is that Christmas is also celebrated in many non-Christian parts of the world. It is a custom which has spread across borders and religious beliefs as humanity takes a break from the travails of everyday life. One interesting thing is that use of a Christmas tree, which is common today in most of the Western world, does not have its origins in any Christian belief. It traces its roots to early pagan worship, especially during the season of the winter solstice, which is just a few days away from Christmas.
Don't forget anyone on your Christmas list
Regardless of all the different customs and origins of all the traditions that surround our modern Christmas, it remains a fact that many gifts are shared among friends, family and co-workers. Be sure to make sure you don't forget anybody by making your shopping as convenient as possible.Christmas hampersare always a great choice, as they can in fact be shared by the recipient with people around them.
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