Christmas Spirit Foundation blog

Together we can! 
We’ve watched military families across U.S. bases enjoy choosing their perfect Christmas tree because of the generosity of our tree farmers and many personal and corporate donations. Now, during September, we have this great opportunity to receive a $250,000 PepsiRefresh grant that will help Trees for Troops bring an additional 5,000 military families Christmas trees. Many organizations compete for votes, with the top two projects receiving a Pepsi grant. Together, we can each vote daily, online or text message, to make a difference in the lives of military families who sacrifice so much.

HOW TO VOTE:

1. Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/treesfortroops and create an account with your name, email address and birthday. This will allow you to quickly login each day to vote.  
   
2. Vote from your mobile phone. Text* 102662 to Pepsi (73774) *standard text message rates apply

 It takes less than 1 minute to vote. Make a pledge to VOTE EVERY DAY online and via text message during the month of September. You can vote once per day the entire month!

Sign up to receive a **daily text message during the month of September reminding you to support Trees for Troops in the PepsiRefresh project. Text TROOPS to 69302 to receive text updates.

Here’s how one mom shared her Christmas memory with us:

 ”We loved our tree this year! We took part in the Trees for Troops at Fort Gordon, and I believe it’s easily one of the prettiest trees we’ve ever had. Thank you for thinking of us and all the troops around the world. It means so much to know that people appreciate the sacrifices military members and their families make each and every day. A great big thank you hug … you made our Christmas very special this year!”

Thank you for your vote and supporting the families of our troops …… Together We Can!

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/trees4troops

On December 9, only hours after Trees for Troops and FedEx delivered Real Christmas trees to military families at Fort Leonard Wood, the base received a wonderful comment through their online comment card program:

“Today they did the Trees for Troops program again. I just wanted to say thanks so much.  The staff was very nice and helpful.  I was there alone with my 2 young children and they helped me carry and load up my tree.  If it were not for this program we would not have been able to have a tree this year due to some financial difficulties.  This was very upsetting to my 5 year old who was terrified that if we did not get a tree Santa would not come.  So thanks so much for your time and efforts with this program.  You made this a much better holiday season for my family.”

This is only one of many notes the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and Trees for Troops staff will receive this year.  It’s amazing to see how much this program continues to affect the lives of military families around the country.

For more information about Trees for Troops, go to www.treesfortroops.org

Two December days a year, activity at the Douglass family farm in Fairhaven could be compared to Santa’s workshop or perhaps a scene from Dr. Seuss.

Big trees, little trees, green trees and blue, strapped on cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes, steadily make their way up Sconticut Neck Road, while their treeless counterparts stream down the same road.

The rate of trees leaving the property is so fast it has been calculated at approximately one every minute and a half, according to Dick Douglass, family patriarch and official tree planter.

With one road in and one road out, at least the tree farm is easy to find.

“Friends have told us we know we’re on the right road, because we see nothing but trees coming up,” Douglass said.

The two-day event, which brings family, friends and much of the community together for a good cause, is now in its eighth year and will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dec. 5-6.

The sale includes balsam fir, white spruce and some Austrian pine, as well as the return of potted emerald green arborvitaes. Trees are $40 each, and the arborvitae, each about 2-4 feet tall, are $20 each or three for $50. On Saturday, folks can visit with Santa, who will make an appearance.

Douglass and his wife, Vivian, sell the Christmas trees to benefit ALS research, a fatal neurodegenerative affliction commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. To date, the family has raised more than $130,000 for the search for a cure.

Douglass said he started the farm as a hobby, always expecting to use the income to donate to charities. “We had no idea what the charity would be; we were thinking scholarships or the Millicent Library, things like that,” he said.

But when his son was diagnosed with ALS, the family went looking for the best way to help. They chose ALS Therapy Development Institute, a research-based organization dedicated to developing treatments for ALS patients who are alive today.

Douglass said he plants about 1,000 trees a year to try to keep up with sales that have been running at more than 300 trees almost every year. The plantings will gradually decrease, he said, as he runs out of land to plant on.

Volunteers at the event will help families get the trees onto vehicles, although the Douglass’ recommend bringing a friend with a truck or at least cleaning out the car trunk.

And, while there’s plenty of people available to help cut your tree, those interested in picking up new tree-sawing skills, will find only encouragement.

“We’re more than happy to give tutorials,” Douglass said. “And you don’t even have to bring your own saw; we’ll loan one to you.”

View the article by Beth Perdue on Southcoasttoday.com: http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091123/NEWS/911230331/-1/NEWSMAP

Holiday traditions aren’t limited to the typical festive activities, like hanging stockings or decorating a tree. There are many ways to incorporate important traditions into your annual celebrations— and each family is special for having their own.

For instance, in my family, one of our longest-running traditions is to go for a walk on Christmas Eve (to look for Santa’s sleigh and the Christmas star, of course).

For Carl Ingebertson, his long-standing tradition hinges on his gratitude for a childhood that he describes as “lucky”.

At the tender age of three, he and his two younger siblings were handed over by their parents to the Children’s Aid Society. Ingebertson was placed with a loving, caring foster family— but he knows this story goes very differently for other children, so in his adult years he wanted to help less fortunate kids.

The 81-year-old Brampton resident has made it a ritual to donate to The Brampton Guardian Santa Claus Fund (and formerly the Jim Proudfoot Corner fund, a part of The Star’s Santa Claus Fund), since sometime in the 1950s. He’s been making contributions for roughly half a century— and plans to continue his support.

Although he’s never personally met any of the children who have received gift boxes from the Santa Claus Fund, he can imagine the joy it brings them— and he knows the joy it brings him.

“Christmas is probably the most important time for children,” he told me during a telephone interview. “The motivation I have for donating, well, I was helped when I was young and I appreciate the fact that there are many children who don’t have Christmas like I did growing up.”

A father and grandfather himself, Ingebertson has always felt a need to look after the community’s children as well— even before he had his own children.

You can image the smiles, squeals and high spirits he’s inspired on Christmas morning over the years, when less fortunate children ages 0 to 12 open up a brightly decorated box filled with clothes, toys, candy and other goodies.

For some children, it might be their only gift.

Ingebertson said he hopes people continue to donate to The Santa Claus Fund— and he knows there are many families in Brampton that are living in poverty, and children who are living in less that desirable conditions. Every dollar counts, and every dollar donated goes toward building happiness and lasting memories in someone else’s childhood.

Donations in Brampton so far, are tallied at just over $5,000— but we have a ways to go, and we can do better. So this year, consider making a child smile on Christmas morning one of your annual holiday traditions.

The Brampton Guardian is still accepting donations from the public for this charity campaign. There is no minimum donation required for the Brampton Guardian Santa Claus Fund.

How to donate: Please send a cheque to The Brampton Guardian Santa Claus Fund, 7700 Hurontario St., Unit 201, Brampton, ON, L6Y 4M3. Visa and MasterCard donations can be made by calling 416-869-4847 or online by visiting www.thestar.com/santaclausfund.

The Toronto Star absorbs all administrative costs so all proceeds go directly into buying the gifts. Tax receipts will be issued.

If you have been touched by the Santa Claus Fund, or have a story to tell, please e-mail Ashley Goodfellow at agoodfellow@thebramptonguardian.com or phone 905-454-4344, ext. 268.

© Ashley Goodfellow, The Brampton Guardian, November 13, 2009

Click here to view Ashley’s article in The Brampton Guardian, http://www.northpeel.com/editorial/article/80516

Christmas Games for the Family, Office and Children

© Emily Rogers, Suite101.com Contributing Writer

Adding some fun and exciting Christmas party games to a seasonal party makes for a Christmas everyone will remember.

Christmas is a time where individuals gather together with loved ones to enjoy the holiday season. Most everyone enjoys the fun of Christmas party games, as they make individuals laugh out loud bringing out the holiday spirit. This holiday, why not put together the best Christmas party games? This will be sure to create a holiday season to remember.

Name That Christmas Tune, an Exciting Christmas Game to Play

Have a stereo set up and have everyone gather around the Christmas tree. Have one designated person to be in charge of playing a few lines of a particular Christmas song, as everyone tries to name that Christmas tune. Who ever guesses the most tunes, wins a Christmas gift.

It is best to try and use old songs that will be more challenging. Individuals can also make it a little more tricky by having the players not only guess the name of the song, yet also guess the name of the singer, as well. This is a great game, as it gets everyone in the mood for Christmas, all while challenging each other’s minds.

How Well Do You Know Your Family/Friends? A Holiday Trivia Game

One individual can contact everyone who will be attending the Christmas party and have them email two specific holiday trivia details about themselves. Example: “I received a bright red reindeer sweater for Christmas last year.” “ I volunteer at the homeless shelter every holiday season.”

The individual will then need to type up a sheet of paper with two separate columns. One column will consist of the trivia statements and the other will state the names paired with letters or numbers. Once copies are made, they can be distributed throughout the Christmas party and whom ever gets the most answers correct will win a Christmas gift. This is an exciting game and it also allows individuals to better get to know each other’s holiday secrets, as well as see how well everyone knows one another.

The Christmas Alphabet, a Fun Christmas Game

One person will give each player a piece of paper that has the letters A-Z vertically written. The players must then come up with a Christmas related word for each letter and whom ever finishes first wins a Christmas gift. It’s important to have the players start at the same time, therefore it’s best to have them turn their sheets over until you say “Go.” This is a fun game that everyone can enjoy.

The Mystery Stocking Game, a Funny Christmas Game

One person will have prepaid stockings filled up with holiday items. The stockings will then be tied shut with holiday ribbons. Make sure to have the items loosely spread throughout the stocking, so that individuals can properly feel the items.

During the Christmas party you must separate the players into groups with their own holiday stocking. One individual will set a timer for 3 minutes and the team will then try to write down the correct items on their sheet of paper. The team who correctly guesses the most items will win a small Christmas gift. This game will be sure to get everyone laughing as they try to guess the stocking items.

The Santa Hat Game, a Fun and Exciting Christmas Game

As everyone arrives to the Christmas party, hand out a Santa hat to each individual. As the individual gives the person a hat, that person must tell the player that the rules are to not take their hat off at any time or say the word “Christmas.”

If one of the players hears another person saying the word Christmas or sees them taking off their hat, that person gets to steel the players hat. Which ever player ends up with the most hats at the end of the party wins a Christmas gift. This will be sure to get everyone laughing as they interact throughout the Christmas party.

Christmas party games are always a hoot and everyone seems to have a good time when interacting with each other while playing funny and exciting holiday games. So during this holiday season, make sure to add some new and exciting Christmas party games to your holiday gathering, making this holiday a Christmas to remember.

View Emily’s Article: http://holiday-entertaining.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_absolute_best_christmas_party_games