Just for you Santa!

 

 

England

In England, children leave out a sweet treat for Santa Clause. Instead of cookies and milk, the tradition in England is to leave out some mince pies and milk.

Chile

In Chile, children prepare a pan de Pascua for Viejo Pascuero, or Old Man Christmas, as he is lovingly called. Pan de Pascua translates to Easter Bread, but it is a traditional Christmas treat, made of sponge cake flavored with candied fruit, ginger, and honey. It is typically part of the night’s meal, too. After a dessert of the sweet treat, family members exchange gifts, so the kids leave some for Santa in the hopes he will leave something for them, too.

Denmark

In Denmark, Father Christmas and his sneaky little elves, or nisser, who take up shop in the attic of homes to keep an eye on things, expect to find a bowl of Christmas rice pudding waiting for them on Christmas Eve. The pudding, called risengrød, is made with sugar, cinnamon, and milk, and is also part of Christmas Eve dinner. Forget to leave it out and Santa and the nisser are said to play some cheeky little tricks. 

Kids in the Netherlands spoil Sinterklaas’ steed, not Sinter himself. Carrots, hay, and water are left out for Sinter to feed his horse for the long night’s journey. In return, he leaves marzipan, chocolate coins, hot cocoa, and mandarin oranges.

Philippines

The Feast of the Three Kings marks the end of the Christmas celebrations in the Philippines. On Three Kings Day, January 6, kids leave out shiny shoes and squeaky-clean socks just begging to be filled with gifts. Oh, sorry, were you Three Kings hungry? Well, drop the presents and get yourself to a diner, ‘cause there’s nothing to see, or eat, here — ironically, no food is left out during the so-called feast

France

One might expect cheese and Champagne to be the go-to midnight snack in France, but that’s not the case when it comes to Santa, or Père Noël as he is known in France.  Children in France leave out some carrots and some biscuits for Père Noël by the fireplace. Sometimes, they put the carrots and biscuits in their shoes, which they leave out for the night to find some them stuffed with some trinkets, treats, and toys when they wake. 

In America:

 

When it comes to Christmas, cookies and milk are tradition — at least at holiday time here in the States. The ritual of leaving out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa — and sometimes carrots for Santa’s reindeer — has become routine in the U.S.



Greens for the Holidays

Types of Greenery
Many different kinds of greenery can be used for holiday decorations. Pines, firs and cedars are good to use for indoor decoration since they dry out slowly and hold their needles best at warm interior temperatures. They may last for several weeks if properly treated and cared for. Hemlock, spruces and most broadleaf evergreens will last longer if used outdoors.

Below are some suggested varieties to use in holiday decorating.

White Pine: This soft, bluish-green, long-needled pine has excellent needle retention but wilts visibly if dry. It is readily available as premade garland and wreaths.

Virginia Pine: This native pine has shorter, coarser needles, and is long-lasting, with excellent needle retention. Virginia pine is readily available.

Junipers: Fragrant, short, green or silver-blue foliage that may be adorned with small blue berries. The needles are often sticky. Red cedar is a native juniper and is readily available.

True Cedars: Deodar cedar, blue atlas cedar, and cedar-of-Lebanon all have a wonderful fragrance. If small male cones are present, spray them with lacquer or acrylic to prevent the messy release of pollen at room temperature.

Firs: All firs have wonderful scent and good tolerance of hot, dry indoor conditions. The needles are short and flat with excellent color and needle retention. Fraser fir wreaths and swags are commonly available from commercial sources.

Spruce: Wreaths are the main use for spruce greens. The branches are stiff with short, sharp needles. Blue spruce is especially attractive because of its color, and it holds its needles better than other spruce. Needle retention is poorer on spruce than on other conifer greens.

Ivy: This vigorous vine is readily available in many yards. It makes an excellent green for holiday arrangements. The cut ends must be kept in water, or the ivy will quickly wilt.

Holly: This most traditional holiday green comes in several forms, both green and variegated. Female plants display bright red berries. Make sure that holly does not freeze after cutting, or the leaves and berries may blacken.

Mountain Laurel: This is a traditional evergreen in the South for wreaths and garlands. As with other broad-leaved evergreens, however, laurel holds up best when used outdoors.

Boxwood: This small-leafed shrub is a longtime favorite for fine-textured wreaths and garland. It has an aroma that is either loved or hated. Be sure of your reaction before using it indoors.

Magnolia: The large leaves are a glossy, dark green that contrast well with the velvety, brown undersides. Magnolia leaves make stunning wreaths and bases for large decorations. The leaves hold up very well even without water.

     

 

For more info: Martha says
    http://www.marthastewart.com/274907/holiday-greenery-101/@center/1009039/christmas-trees-ornaments#221135