Online Children's Stories Online Children s stories. There are a lot of stories available on the Internetto read christmas stories My compilation of links to christmas stories. http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/stories.html
Holiday Poems Page 3 Www.cowboypoetry.com They had always read it together, the story of the first christmas Eve, The stars lit the heavens and desert below as he opened the shed door wide. http://www.cowboypoetry.com/ho3.htm
The Stories Behind The Candles I m going to tell you about the advent candles of christmas. For the completestory (edHelper subscribers) click here for printable story and http://www.edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_24_10.html
Extractions: "My topic is Hanukkah [HAH-nuh-kuh]. Hanukkah means 'dedicate' and 'beginning'," he said. "It's also called the Jewish Festival of Lights. Each year it's either in November or December, depending on the Jewish calendar." He opened his box and pulled out a large silver candelabra and nine blue candles. "This is a menorah [meh-NOR-uh]. It holds eight candles for the eight days of Hanukkah, plus one extra candle in the middle that is used to light the others. You add one candle each day, until finally on the last day you have all the candles lit." Hanukkah celebrates the Jew's victory more than 2,000 years ago as they fought the Greeks for religious freedom. When they reclaimed the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, it had to be rededicated to the Lord. Although they only had one day's worth of sacred oil for the lamps, the oil burned miraculously for eight days until more oil arrived. That's why there are eight days of Hanukkah.
Storytelling In The Holidays And the children will be all excited! Many different kinds of gifts will be There are many stories about Santa Claus and christmas that are not of any http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_art_of_storytellling/112615
Extractions: New Topics Writing a Home Business Personal Essay Successfully Writing for Money Comedy Writing ... More... New Articles A Circle of Friends There Is More than One Way to Become a Bestselling Author Three Brides for Three Brothers A Master of Idioms ... More... New Discussions F is for Focus The Writing Business personalized poetry Self-Publishing ... More... My Recent Articles Expanding Your Storytelling Audience Ending Your Story Telling Session Developing Your Own Stories to Tell Related Online Courses Become a Suite101 Copyeditor You Can Write A Novel in Thirty Days Becoming a Technical Writer Home Literature and writing Writing (Rhetoric), collections and criticism of more than two literatures Writing (Rhetoric) and collections of literary texts from more than two literatures Author: James Foster Robinson Published on: December 5, 2004
Getting A Grip On Children's Lit This course will talk about categories of children s books (ie board book, Action/Adventure Boys love stories with a heroic character who does http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/17939/1376/3
Extractions: Free Course: Getting a Grip on Children's Lit Lesson 4: The First Years of School- 4-6 Years Old Heroes and books for boys Humor: Who doesnt like to laugh? The more outrageous and absurd the book, the more enjoyable it is. One great example is The Dumb Bunnies by Sue Denim. This family of bunnies couldnt be more topsy-turvy! They hang Christmas Stockings for Halloween, put ketchup on watermelon, and go roller-skating in the lake. This book is really goofy, but little boys enjoy it immensely. Other great choices include George and Martha by James Marshall, and any of the fractured fairy tales mentioned in the previous section. Action/Adventure: Boys love stories with a heroic character who does something adventurous and fantastic. Whether it be facing monsters, or seeking buried treasure, boys love an exciting story. Is there something happening in the book? Is it exciting and attention grabbing? One of my favorites is an old classic called Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone. Tim has always dreamt of being a sailor, and when the opportunity arises to stowaway on a steamer ship, he jumps at it. What ensues is the adventure of a lifetime for Tim, stormy seas and sinking ship included. There were a whole series of Little Tim books, but this is one of the few titles currently in print.
Daddy, Papa & Me We sang a few christmas carols as we lit the tree, like Away in the Manger Jingle Bells I searched for a children s version of Jesus birth story, http://www.lathefamily.org/warren3/blogs/001264.shtml
Extractions: So, Christmas eve we continued with our tradition (does 6 years make a tradition?). We had guests over. This Christmas eve we had my brother, sister-in-law and my niece, a neighbor friend of ours and her daughter, and our friend/babysitter :) Radek. Made for an interesting Christmas eve observance, a devout Muslim family (brother's family), an observant Jewish family (our neighbor) and a 'broadly believing' Christian family (that'd be us). It went very well (of course, they are all wonderful people) and I'm hoping we can share perhaps Seder and Ramadan celebrations with them in 2005. (i've got to figure out how to get the camera to take better evening shots, all the others for that evening didn't turn out so well :( ) As part of our evening we had a simple supper of home-made clam chowder, salad and eggnog. After supper, we all gathered around the tree and lit the candles on the tree (and the German candelabra/nativity scene)
Christmas Celebrations Of The World Children are not allowed to feast eyes on the christmas tree until christmas It is a time when the faces of children are lit with wonderment and glee no http://mt.essortment.com/christmasholida_rnky.htm
Extractions: Christmas celebrations of the world To many cultures of the world, Christmas is a time of celebration and tradition. To others, it isn't recognized as a holiday. How do cultures celebrate? In many parts of the world, Christmas is the most grand, festive, and religiously significant time of year. Families gather for food, companionship, gift giving, and celebrating the birth of the Christ Child of the Christian foundation. In other locations, the day goes by without a mention. Many traditions have started over the decades concerning Christmas. The "real" Saint Nicholas was born in the Middle East region in the 4th century. He was kind and adored children. The story of "Santa Claus" evolved over the years to what we know today, however, there are different legends about Santa to delight children from around the world. He might be known as Father Christmas, St. Nick, or a number of other monikers. Each culture also its own interpretation of how Santa deals with naughty and nice children. Some of the traditional stories concerning naughty children sound rather fear-inspiring next to North American legends. Presents do not always come from a Santa-like character, however. In certain parts of Europe, gifts are believed to be sent from the stars and other cultures believe that angels deliver Christmas gifts to children. The Christmas trees we enjoy decorating today were actually part of celebrations very long before the holiday we know as Christmas came into existence. Cultures long before the birth of Christ decorated with evergreens to signify life and the watching and waiting for the return of spring.
World Lit: Frametales (F2004) A christmas Carol was published in 1843. According to many social critics, This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the http://www.mythfolklore.net/2003frametales/weeks/week14_dickens/background.htm
Extractions: HOME Announcements Blackboard EZBoard ... laura-gibbs@ou.edu Assignments Reading Resources Images About Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and went on to become one of the most popular and influential novelists of the Victorian era (Queen Victoria ruled England from 1837 to 1901). Some of his most famous books include Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and - the book you will be reading this week - A Christmas Carol. (The main character in this book is named Ebenezer Scrooge, so you may know the story from movies like Scrooge or Scrooged When Dickens died in 1870, he was buried in the Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey in London, where many other famous British writers are buried (among them, Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the Canterbury Tales). Here is what is written on his tombstone: He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world. Although Dickens ended his life as an international celebrity, he faced some serious hardships early in life. When Dickens was twelve years old, his father was imprisoned for debt. As the oldest child, Dickens left school and went to work in a factory in order to support the rest of the family, who stayed with the father in Marshalsea debtor's prison in London. When he was fifteen, Dickens got a position as a law clerk, and he eventually became a journalist. His first novel
Teen Missions Intl - About TMI On christmas Eve they put on the christmas story from the Bible, as a play. Afterwards they had a candlelighting service and each child lit a candle to http://www.teenmissions.org/abouttmi/pastteamquotes.php
Extractions: In His Service, Ian and Jessica Williams Acts 20:24 This team has meant a lot to me. It's almost like family. When we were laying a cobblestone sidewalk, we built it brick by brick on the foundation. In the same way, my walk with God was built brick by brick on my foundation in Christ. The team really brought out who I really was. It made me see my strong and weak points, which I have been able to fix if needed. I realized that in order for God to be fully effective in my life, I needed to die to myself and let him build me up. And that even if I thought something is impossible, if God wants it done, it will be done no matter how incapable I am! This summer taught me that God has a greater plan for my future than me. Laws are not a cage, but God's arms protecting us. God would rather have a daily relationship with me over anything else.
Extractions: Mary's Mountain Home The Christmas Donkey The Christmas Dog A Busy Night in Bethlehem These stories have been developed over the years for Christmas parties. The stories are meant to be told to children of all ages, and they work most effectively when young children are asked to play the parts in a spontaneous manner by acting out what the storyteller describes. For marysmountain.com, these stories will be illustrated by children who have heard the stories and have drawn pictures inspired by them. If you or someone you love would like to send in a picture for one or more of the stories at marysmountain.com, please send to Ed Noonan at the address below. You just might find your drawing or painting illustrating one of our Busy Night in Bethlehem stories. THE CHRISTMAS DOG Written by Ed Noonan Illustrated by Alyx Ruzevich The first memories of this brown and white dog involved fire. The dog, her mother, and her four brothers and sisters had been caught in a fire. Somehow as a small puppy only 6 months old, she had been able to lead them out of the fire saving their lives. She remembered how all of her family huddled in the back of a storage house, afraid to move. She had not been afraid and was able to see a path through the burning building that briefly was available for escape. She barked and pushed her mother, who finally realized what the little puppy was doing. Ahead of her mother, she led her family out through the flames. From that day on, the man who fed and cared for her family treated her as a special puppy. He trained her to be a watchdog to watch through the night for fires that might start and to tend fires that needed to be kept alive in the night. She had a great instinct for this work and before long everyone in her town became dependent on her as the faithful night watchdog. She had free run of her town, which was named Bethlehem. Every night she was a familiar figure seen running through the streets checking on one fire after another.
Frankston City - Error Thousands of wideeyed children were thrilled to see snow for the first Professional story-tellers delighted the young with their christmas stories, http://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/doc_display.asp?document_id=751
Rosemont College Traditionally, one purple candle is lit each week, with the exception of the Ever since I was a little girl I have loved the Advent/christmas season. http://www.rosemont.edu/root/main/about/mis_minadvent.htm
Extractions: Reflection 1 Reflection 2 Reflection 3 Reflection 4 ... Reflection 5 Reflection 1: The madness that can be the holiday season usually begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and most likely the biggest shopping day of the year. It is around this time that people begin the holiday frenzy, rushing to decorate, bake cookies, find the perfect gifts for their friends and loved ones. In the materialistic world that we live in today, it is easy to be influenced by this Christmas Craze. But where is the Christ in this kind of Christmas?
Extractions: Our lives are full of festivals. Perhaps we don't call them festivals any more. Nevertheless, is our nature to celebrate. The first readings today talked of the celebration of the return of the light. Festivals of light occur in many cultures when the days grow short. The most ancient of festivals at this time of the year is the winter solstice. On Monday night, many of us gathered in our Parish house. We created a spiral of greens on the floor. We put cans covered in foil at intervals along the spiral. Only a single flame-the flame of the chalice-was lit in the center. We sat a circle around it. Except for the Christmas tree, the room was dark. A musician played softly on a dulcimer. Each one of us took a candle and walked meditatively around and around to the center of the spiral, lit our candle and then laid it somewhere along the winding greenery. At the end of the spiral, each one picked up a candle and carried it to the next person. Some people walked in twos-a few couples and a mother and son. Candle by candle the room was alight with meaning and being. This was the timeless place when the day and the night were the same length. What made this such a spiritual experience? The second festival mentioned is the birthday of Jesus. Much is made of this birth. The biblical story says that the father was no earthly one, that angles announced the birth, and a star guided shepherds and rich men from Persia. Modern scholars say this story was probably added to provide a noble birth so that Jesus' family line should go back to King David. Many of us smile at such fantastic stories, and yet Jesus of Nazareth had to be born and was once a babe. Whose heart is not touched by the birth of a child, especially a child who words touched the lives of so many that a world religions grew from them? Biblical scholar Elaine Pagels' tells us that the Gospel of Philip says that "virgin birth" means "new" birth or "spiritual transformation." But this perspective was declared heretical in the third century.
A Blue Christmas Service 1996 This service of worship known as Blue christmas or Longest Night hope whichthe christmas story offers to us. (Pause while the fourth candle is lit. http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/bluexmas.html
Extractions: rjf@rockies.net The Gathering Words of Welcome The Approach Call to Worship (from Isaiah 9) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing upon them, and the burden upon their shoulders, thou hast broken in pieces O God, our Renewer. Opening Prayer God of Mercy, hear out prayer in this Advent Season for ourselves and our families who live with the painful memories of loss. We ask for strength for today, courage for tomorrow and peace for the past. We ask these things in the name of you Christ who shares out life in joy and sorrow. Death and new birth, despair and promise. Amen. 1. Isaiah 40 Responsive psalm 121 One: I will life up mine eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? Many: My help comes form God who made heaven and earth. One: God will not suffer your foot to be moved. The one who keeps you will not slumber. Many: Behold the one who keeps Israel shall not slumber or sleep. One: The holy one is your keeper. The Holy one is your shade on your right hand. Many: The sun shall not hurt you by day nor the moon by night. One: Our God shall preserve you from all evil and shall preserve you soul. Many: Our God shall preserve your going out and ;your coming in form this time forth and even for evermore. 3
Dmulticultural Or have children place cotton pieces on the classroom christmas tree many candles are lit as the family tells the christmas story (birth of Jesus). http://www.preschoolbystormie.com/dmulticultural.html
Extractions: If you'd like to help with the research for any of the multi-cultural ed sections of my website, or have specific activities or children's books to share, or can tell us where to get posters and/or other related information, just e-mail me at stormie@ preschoolbystormie.com MINI-GEOGRAPHY AND MUTI-CULTURAL ED: During our "Christmas" unit, we can connect children to the rest of the world by sharing (on their level) how this joyous of holidays is celebrated by other countries and cultures. It can be as simple as giving them an informational tidbit during Group Time or as involved as a Special Project. The important thing is that we're making that multi-cultural connection. To provide a frame of reference, show children where a particular country is located on your classroom globe, and if possible, provide related pictures and books. (I feel it's just as important, however, to mention to the children that not everyone in the world celebrates Christmas.) Alaska (U.S.):
Prince Edward Island: Island Christmas Stories Like any child, christmas for me was exciting and a visit from Mum, but onchristmas Day we would receive Rupert books (a story book about an engaging http://www.gov.pe.ca/christmas/seniors/wartime.php3
Extractions: (reprinted from Voice for Island Seniors , with permission) I was just a child in England when World War II broke out. As a safety precaution I, along with my brother and sister, were evacuated to the Isle of Wight as Portsmouth, our hometown, was a prime target for the Luftwaffe as it had a large dockyard. My older sister was billeted with one family and my brother and I were billeted with Auntie Maud who treated us kindly. Like any child, Christmas for me was exciting and a visit from Mum, who was in the Wrens at the time, was always great. She would visit us about once a month if the Channel was safe from drifting mines. Close to Christmas she would arrive with bags full to the brim. I don't know how Mum did it, but on Christmas Day we would receive "Rupert books" (a story book about an engaging little bear), colouring books and the odd toy. Her greatest gift to us though was a real Christmas pudding. She would save sugar and raisins for months - even dabbling in the black market; and when we were served a portion on Christmas Day, we would usually find a six-pence buried in it. What a treat! As soon as Auntie Maud saw Mum walking up the path, Ernie and I were sent out to play whilst the two ladies closed the drapes in the front room to stop anxious children from peaking in and the front room was off limits to us.
Trojan Horseshoes: A Christmas Story That Warms The Heart. A christmas Story that warms the heart. On a message board I frequent, someoneposted As I rang the doorbell I lit a cigarette and looked back to Kate, http://trojanhorseshoes.blogfodder.net/archives/009624.html
Extractions: A collection of thoughts on topics such as geek stuff, southern culture, life as a first-time parent and politics. Main December 24, 2003 A Christmas Story that warms the heart. On a message board I frequent, someone posted this story that happened to them last night while Christmas shopping. Click the link below to go to his posting, or click more to read the whole thing. Its a story that shows maybe there is some extra good luck around Christmas time. Maybe it's not so bad after all. I went shopping last night, just to pick up some last minute things for family/friends/yada-yada. So far the best deal I've gotten on a Christmas gift this year is $50.00 for a 1985 Firebird. Anyway... I was just browsing the coffee pots when I hear something strange; The sound of crying. So, I grab my coffee pot and circle around the aisle looking for the source of the sobbing. As I come around into the furniture section of the store, there's a little girl holding her knees to her chest and crying underneath a table. "Hey there. What's wrong?"
Children's Literature: Tomie DePaola His love of christmas is evident in the numerous books he has created to celebrate Any child with a special blanket will enjoy this story about a little http://www.childrenslit.com/f_depaola.html
Extractions: Tomie dePaola What a treat to meet this legendary author/illustrator. He is so down to earth that our interview time just flew by. Our meeting took place shortly after all of us were feeling the effects of September 11. Tomie was supposed to be on an extensive tour with Kathleen Norris, but she did not fly in from her home in Hawaii. As a result Tomie and his PR support person were traveling by train on an abbreviated version of the original tour. Forty-five years before our interview, Tomie had entered the Benedictine Monastery in Vermont. It was there that this tour started - to launch The Holy Twins . It all started when he read Kathleen Norris' book Cloister Walk . He got her address, wrote her a letter and asked if she would be interested in collaborating on a book. (The letter went out in 1997 and he got the text in January 2000 - the art was completed in the fall of 2000 and the book was published September 2001.) In The Holy Twins , Tomie managed to always have Scholastica and Benedict in all of the pictures. He worked hard to ensure that the pictures depicted the way they really would have lived. Moving on from this new picture book, I asked Tomie how he started writing chapter books and he related that it was pretty much due to the letters that he received from kids. They needed to write book reports and he was one of their favorite authors, but they couldn't use his picture books for their assignments. His assistant Bob Hechtel encouraged him to try writing a longer book. It took him 2 1/2 years for the first, number four came out January 2002 and there will be one each year until Tomie in the book reaches August 15, 1945 when he turns 11 at the end of WWII. We have yet to meet his other sister Judy because she wasn't born until 1942.
Children's Literature: Meet Authors & Illustrators And with her mother, children s novelist Gloria Skyrzynski, Scotty and hismother are heading to his grandparent s for the christmas holidays. http://www.childrenslit.com/f_ferguson.html
Extractions: By Donna Freedman After Alane Ferguson's best friend was killed, she was asked for details on Savannah's life. The police told Ferguson not to hold back, because any information she could offer might shed some light on her friend's death, and might help them convict the killer. As the tape recorder spun, Ferguson began to realize that the authorities already had their own pet theory: that Savannah had been two-timing her fiance, and he killed her in a jealous rage. Their theory was so wrong as to be laughable, and allowed the real killer - the security guard at Savannah's building - to walk free for almost five years. That murder and its aftermath reverberate in the pages of " Show Me The Evidence ," her Edgar Award-winning young adult mystery. Its teenage protagonist, Lauren, struggles fiercely in the face of police skepticism to clear a friend's good name. Ferguson concedes that today's young readers are pretty jaded about the justice system, bombarded as they by Court TV and shows like "Hard Copy." Yet she trusts them to know what's fair and what's right. "They still want to have an ordered world, although intellectually they know better," says the author. "If I wrote a story where the killer got away, they'd be furious." Although she broke into the business with a picture book That New Pet!
