According to the US Census Bureau and the Evangelical Alliance UK, there are many "facts for features" we would all be interested in knowing about the Yuletide season and possibly these will change our perspective about the Christmas celebration as well. This is a season for family, friends, and colleagues to get together and celebrate, to exchange gifts, to contemplate, and to give thanks.
o Please Check The Mail
As much as 20 billion (yes, that's 20 billion) cards and letters were delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2008. The Royal Mail, on the other hand, was expecting 750 million Christmas cards to be posted approximately on the same period. The US Postal Service also predicted that December 17th will be their busiest mailing day while the Royal Mail expected December 15th to be the day with as much as 123 million cards, letters, and other items being mailed.
o Gifts, Presents, Giveaways
In the UK, survey had determined that an average person spends £384 on gifts. In the US, department stores experienced a 42% increase in retail sales as compared to the previous months. Other stores and shops which experienced the same increase are book stores, clothing stores, jewelry stores, electronics stores and sporting goods stores. The items sold on these establishments are often the gifts and presents one buys for his or her family and friends, as well as for oneself.
o Christmas Is For The Children
Can you remember the time when you were a kid and you left stockings by the fireplace or milk and cookies by the Christmas tree for Santa Claus? Sometimes you even leave a Christmas card with the cookies. Many believe that Christmas is a time for children, a magical time for elves, reindeers, and wishes coming true.
In the UK, children considered Christmas as the celebration of Jesus' birth and approximately two-thirds of children associated the season to giving rather than receiving gifts. They save up for this time of the year to buy presents for their loved ones.
o Christmas Trees And Decorations
Will Christmas be Christmas without a tree or even a wreath? It has been a tradition not only in the US but all over the world to have a real tree or, when this is not available, an artificial one inside our homes. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the top choice for a Christmas tree is the Fraser fir, a native southern fir.
Handmade Christmas ornaments are also very in demand and decorating the Christmas tree is a family custom in many homes. The most common ornaments and decorations are candles garlands, ribbons, tinsels, and poinsettias. Some of these decorations are even heirlooms passed down from generation to generation.
o Christmas Food Delicacies And Specialties
This may sound harsh to those who love giving out fruitcakes during Christmas because according to a survey in 2006, almost half of the people interviewed say that they will chuck a holiday fruitcake in the trash with second thoughts, and approximately one in every ten person surveyed are willing to rewrap a fruitcake and give it out as a gift.
Mince pies are also a Christmas tradition in the UK wherein children leave a drink and mince pies for Santa Clause instead of milk and cookies.
These are very interesting bits and pieces of information aren't they? They certainly made you more fascinated about the time of the year we all love and that is Christmas. So maybe it's time to make that Christmas list as early as now. You wouldn't want to be caught up in the hassle and bustle when the Yuletide season comes around, like what happened last year.
Jo is a writer for 'Festive Collection' (
http://www.festivecollection.co.uk), the leading corporate Christmas card range of Qubic Print Direct. Festive Collection offers one of the largest selections of personalized corporate Christmas cards in the UK. If you want to send your customers and business associates these unique and personalized
Christmas cards they'll remember or if you like to go one step further and design an entirely bespoke card, print your own company logo, and signature at a nominal additional charge then you should check out Festive Collection.
