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Carl Anderson, with Jim Walker Jr. Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Health Communications, Inc.
Letters from children to Santa Claus, by one who portrayed Santa in a number of malls throughout the US. Some of the letters are funny: "I wos a good bowey thes yer. I wont a pocet nike and a crepeye crolrs set weth evreytheg that came weth it. Wey wel leve sum coceys and milk. For you." Some are tear-jerkers. "Please Santa, I would anything for a new dad and I don't mind if it's not a new dad but just someone that pays child support!" "I am writing this for my cousin. She and her mother are very poor. All she wants is a new winter coat and a nice dinner with cake."
Alice Chapin. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1998.
This is a revised edition of Great Christmas Ideas, published by Tyndale House Publishers in 1992. The books starts with ideas for maintaining the spiritual heart in Christmas. Ideas for church celebrations as well as home celebrations are included. There are suggestions for a Jesse Prophecy tree, a Positive Promise Tree and a Chrismon Tree. A Chrismon Tree is decorated with white mini-lights signifying that Jesus is the Light of the World, and white and gold ornaments that are symbols of who Christ is (eg. shepherd's crook, crown). The word chrismon means a monogram superimposing the second letter on the first letter for the name Christos in Greek (chi-rho, X-P).
The second section is on finding new joy in reaching out to others; the next sections focus on Christmas is Family; Christmas Day; the Family at New Year's; Coping with Christmas; Christmas Survey; and Safe Holiday Checklist. There are patterns to copy, suggestions for celebrating with friends and family and lots of ideas that can be adapted to fit each family, be it a family of one or of 20.
This CD of traditional Christmas music sung in lounge style may not be everyone's idea of good Christmas music, but alternative music fans will love the follow up to Jonethis's Lounge Freak (MBH, Nov. 7, 1997). Older audiences will enjoy the family musical style in the tradition of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. And, according to the promo, the music just makes you smile. Included are Winter Wonderland, White Christmas and Silent Night.
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