Kids And Parents

Christmas is the most wonderful time in a year when some of our dreams could come true. Maybe today the real meaning of Christmas Tradition is often forgotten but one should know that real Christmas story is based on Christian Bible. It is told in two different books: Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2 and you can easily find to read it online. So the Holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The actual birthday of Jesus is not known; therefore, the early Church Fathers in the 4th century fixed the day around the old Roman Saturnalia festival (17 - 21 December), a traditional pagan festivity. The first mention of the birthday of Jesus is from the year 354 AD. Gradually all Christian churches, except Armenians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 (the date of the baptism of Jesus as well as the day of the three Magi), accepted the date of December 25th.
In American/English tradition, Christmas Day is the day for opening gifts brought by jolly old St. Nick or ‘Santa Claus’ which was a real person. He was a Christian leader in the 4th century AD and gave money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.
Many of our current American ideals about the way Christmas come from the English Victorian Christmas, such as described in Charles Dickens’ in his novel “A Christmas Carol.”. Dickens began writing his “little carol” in October, 1843 finishing it by the end of November in time to be published on 17 December 1843 with illustrations by John Leech wich provided eight illustrations for A Christmas Carol.

The first and best of his Christmas Books, A Christmas Carol has become a Christmas tradition and easily best known Dickens’ book. And maybe till now this book stays as a wonderful Christmas gift for children and not only. Anyway you can find the novel in “Reading Together” section to read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens together right now.

This musical animated tale is a wonderful Christmas Gift and a nice addition to anyone’s Christmas collection. Crisp, clear colors with voices of Ed Asner, Kathy Bates, Madison Davenport, Colin Ford, Jay Leno and Andy Griffith.

More info about it you will find here: http://kidsfirst.org/detail/207326.html

Also you can learn more about Film Festival which has become the largest traveling children’s film festival in the world by collaborating with more than 100 venues nation- and worldwide. The Festival showcases children’s films, TV shows and DVDs from studios, independent and student filmmakers. This year, the Festival will have more than 10,000 screenings of individual films throughout the year. Youth are given a true voice - as curators of the Festival, panelists critiquing films, volunteer staff and as filmmakers and videographers showing their work. Critical to the impact of the Festival is providing educational programs that help children develop critical viewing skills. Once a year, in the fall, awards are given to films in more than 19 categories as well as five “Best of the Best” films at the annual KIDS FIRST! Best Awards Celebration.