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A chatters rendition of the Night Before Christmas Written by Debby, page made by Lady Majick. http://www.angelfire.com/stars2/DebbysStory

New Years Resolutions-

Please send us your New Years resolutions by December 30th to have them included in the New Years issue of the zine. ch_zine@hotmail.com

~*Thoughts Of An Angel*~ Angelface™ ChristmasBeen along time since I have wrote an article...I have been off on hiatus, *L* had alot of things going on out of cyberspace but I am back and my hopeful new year's wish is to write my article more *G* . Whether you are spending this time of year with someone you love or with family, Christmas has a special kind if magic. It has always been the one time of year when most can put away their grudges and be happier than any other time. When people just smile at strangers, help out little children, go home to family… There is a twinkle and a mist of magic that surrounds everything it was often my favorite thing...that magic. This year I didn't feel it, till well, about today, and even still it is small, I got so caught up in my stresses and unhappiness that I didn't watch the lights, or count my blessings, or remember how lucky I am. My heart wasn't in it...it was somewhere else. So my advice is if you don't feel that spirit, smile a little, look at the twinkle of lights, watch a child, call a friend, make up, forgive a grudge, put down hard feelings, toss your stresses aside for a moment and embrace a moment of the magic. Curl up and watch something from your childhood, or curl up with someone *EG* make your magic however YOU see fit. I wish Chatters one and all ~Happy Holidays~ for whatever holiday you are celebrating and may the New Year be all that you dream and wish for and more...may the little bit if magic from the season stay with you longer than the 1st. I will see you after the New Year and as always keep an open heart. *huge hugs* angel™

1. Who would you most like to get caught under the mistletoe with this holiday?

Smiley of course *G*hahahaha ~Fantasy Girl™

My daddy ~Texas Storm*F*®

Texas Storm ~RiderOfTxStorm™

Hermm... Well, everyone knows of my fondness for the Rock, so I'd pick him if it could be ANYone in the world, either that or this really hot guy from here named James... YUM!!! ~Wizzardess

This is very easy, *soft smile* my Star... ~angelface™

I don't get caught, I do the catching ~Chat Dominatrix

ABLE... My gift ~Michigan Storm™

I think------that would have to be----Hmmmm---Harrison Ford. As long as it wasn't your daddy that caught me under it with him! Well maybe the guy he accused of having for a boyfriend. >:) ~MI Bliz™ (aka Michie's mom)

Who else but my wonderful husband. *S* ~Josie

while it is impossible to happen Mel Gibson *L* ~Lady BK

the new guy i just met on sunday *WEG* ~me(f)

Considering even when I'm not staying at my folks house I'm still responsible for decorating their HUGE yard, I know that they burn ALOT. ~Michigan Storm™

Watts? Prolly around 4 or 500. ~MI Blizz™

More than I can afford, but not as much as I'd like to. ~RiderOfTxStorm™

I burn about 30,000KW of electricity on my Christmas lights. ~Venom(f)

I'm not really sure *thinking* I'll have to ask, we havn't put up outside lights yet so probably not too much.~Wizzardess

none didn't put them up this year as we are going to grandma's ~Lady BK

too much... my mommy went way overboard *L* ~me(f)

ALOT! hahahaha ya should see all the lights *looking for airplanes trying to land * hahaha ~Fantasy Girl™

I plug them in and they come on, that's all that's important. *ggls* ~Josie™

I would love to refer to question number 1 and say once again my sweetie.. ~angelface

my family ~Lady BK

Everybody that I am, and a few more that I'm not. ~Texas Storm*F*®

The people that I'm spending my Christmas holiday with. ~RiderOfTxStorm™

I'm spending it with TX Storm, Rider and family. I'll miss my niece and nephew and mom and dad and brother on Christmas Eve when we usually do all our Christmas stuff.  I wouldn't mind spending a little time with a certain Kansas man too *S*. ~Michigan Storm™

My Complete family. As I believe family is what Christmas is about. ~MI Bliz™

Well, if I had a boyfriend, I'd say him, but since I don't... Family. Friends too, that'd be great. I'd love to spend Christmas with my friend Katie, but we both have families to spend them with, so maybe I'll see her after. ~Wizzardess

more like who im not... seeing i have four differen't "parents" and family friends and then friends myself... i in the end have about 8 christmas' *S* ~me(f)

Well im fortunate enough to have the one i want too *S*~Fantasy Girl™

If I could spend the holidays with all those that I would like to, I would need a football field to put them all. *BAS* I will be happy with my children and my loving husband. *S* ~Josie™

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....stuff? *L* ~me(f)

I asked for one thing and that was him in a red bow and I should get it cause I have been goood *L* ~angelface

A F*cking set of Christmas dishes! ~Texas Storm*F*®

A set of Christmas dishes that I forgot to buy. ~RiderOfTxStorm™

What I want won't fit under the tree. I want to just be happy... I want everyone to have and not need... Ya know the BIG things!! ~Michigan Storm™

Ideal gift under my tree? MICHIE (ggls) a new body? no really I don't know, Unless it was a nice gift my husband bought me himself. without me picking it out. ~MI Bliz™

I REALLY want to move out, so maybe money to do it with? That seems unlikely though, so I really just want this jacket from the Gap, it's great. Maybe some boots for clubbing! Or a nice bottle of, oh wait, my parents wouldnt buy that, yeah, the jacket works. ~Wizzardess

To have my most important wishes, which are also things that we could use, to come true. *S* ~Josie™

flannel pajamas ~Lady BK

cash! hahahaha ~Fantasy Girl™

Until my Great Aunt Nonnie passed we always gathered at our home on Christmas Eve and played all kinds of card games and board games and watched the Christmas cartoons on the TV. We exchanged gifts with her and at midnight if we had cattle that year we'd go out to watch them kneel *S*. Then on Christmas morning we were allowed to get our stockings but nothing else from downstairs until everyone was up then we'd have a big breakfast and do our gift exchange -my mom explains more in her answer *G*- ~Michigan Storm™

On December 24th my family does our gift exchange we have a lil party here, open gifts and then each go off and do our own thing.. ~angelface

Eating, eating and more eating...FOOD. ~Texas Storm*F*®

By going in debt *L*. ~RiderOfTxStorm™

We gather as a family on Christmas Eve and have a meal. One of our traditional dishes is Oyster Stew, That my husband makes, and other side dishes which are mostly finger foods, peal and eat shrimp and all kinds of stuff. When everybody is full and miserable we gather around the tree choose a person to act as Santa and have them pass out presents. No one opens any until they are all passed out and then we try (notice I said try) to have everyone take turns opening theirs one at a time. ~MI Bliz™

Normally most of my family comes over on Christmas Eve and we spend the night at my grandparents house, then most of us spend half the night wrapping presents in various rooms and scrambling to get everything done and under the tree, (I always sleep on the couch right by the fireplace and the tree) and then we all get up at about 6 or 7 and open presents, then I get to go take care of all my animals, then the cooking starts. Then the rest of the family shows up and we eat, and open more presents, then we all just chill and eventually go home. Then I start thinking of New Years... ~Wizzardess

Now this one could take quite a long time considering the traditions in my family as well as in Chris' family so I will spare you. *L* ~Josie™

the usual, to much food, lots of presents and tons of trash! ~Lady BK

well lets see my christmas start next week... usually we just hit different houses and such... there's my step dad's family, then my dad's family... then my dad and his wife and my brothers... then there's my mommy, step dad and sister... then there's my mom's family, then there's my dad's wife's family... then there's family friends (two or so of them) then there's me and my friends.. usually we get all drunk and silly after dinner (actually that's just at my mom's family's *L*) and have fun hanging out with each other seeing we really don't see each other much during the year....it's fun *S* ~me(f)

well ...the kids get me awake about 5 or so am....then they open there gifts ,....they play i cook all damn day ...and then there too tired to eat it...sooooooooo i made my dinner to be about 1 pm or so ...now they can stay awake and eat! hahahaha...then by 8pm im exhausted and i go to bed *G* ~Fantasy Girl™

(Source: WorldBook Encyclopedia) The first mention of Christmas
The first mention of December 25 as the birth date of Jesus occurred in A.D. 336 in an early Roman calendar. The celebration of this day as Jesus' birth date was probably influenced by pagan (unchristian) festivals held at that time. The ancient Romans held year-end celebrations to honor Saturn, their harvest god; and Mithras, the god of light. Various peoples in northern Europe held festivals in mid-December to celebrate the end of the harvest season. As part of all these celebrations, the people prepared special foods, decorated their homes with greenery, and joined in singing and gift giving. These customs gradually became part of the Christmas celebration.
In the late 300's, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. By 1100, Christmas had become the most important religious festival in Europe, and Saint Nicholas was a symbol of gift giving in many European countries. During the 1400's and 1500's, many artists painted scenes of the Nativity, the birth of Jesus. An example of these works appears in the Jesus Christ article in the print version of The World Book Encyclopedia.
The popularity of Christmas grew until the Reformation, a religious movement of the 1500's. This movement gave birth to Protestantism. During the Reformation, many Christians began to consider Christmas a pagan celebration because it included nonreligious customs. During the 1600's, because of these feelings, Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America. The old customs of feasting and decorating, however, soon reappeared and blended with the more Christian aspects of the celebration. ~My2Cents

When the Christ Child was born a star led the three Wise Men to the stable where the Baby Jesus lay in a manger and they brought to him gifts of Frenkensence, Myrrh and gold. There is a lot more to the story I just tried to keep it short and simple.~MI Bliz™

well Christmas got started when Christ was born, *S* but somehow all that got changed and made into this whole commercial thing, gifts are supposed to be representatvie of the gifts the wise men gave ~angelface

Somebody decided that was the best day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Who? I don't know. Why? I don't know. When? I don't know. ~Texas Storm*F*®

Because that's the date that the Roman Catholic church decided to celebrate it on. ~RiderOfTxStorm™ 

It began as a religious holiday then it became a commercialized money making event. Christmas is about Christs birthday and about caring and giving, at least that's how I feel. ~Michigan Storm™

Well, I don't know how they decided to celebrate it on the 25th, because I guess according to historians, it's more likely that Jesus was born in the summer time, but who knows? ~Wizzardess

i was always told that's when jesus was born and the three wise man brought him gifts hence gift giving at christmas??me(f)

birth of Christ? ~Fantasy Girl™

My one and only answer to this is the celebration of the bith of Christ our Lord. ~Josie™