Global Arts

·         Vote for Thomas! This year, Thomas’ one holiday wish is to be recognized not only as a Really Useful Engine, but to be honored as Toy Industry Association’s Property of the Year! Help make his wish come true by casting your vote for Thomas & Friends today!

Just one quick last reminder that BookSwim, the Netflix for books is a fab last-minute printable gift idea that delivers thousands of New York Times bestsellers to your giftee's door!
You rent, read and return, cutting down on clutter and amping up time curled up on your couch. You can purchase gift certificates in any denomination, but we are offering a holiday special -- any $50 gift card purchase comes with a $50 gift certificate to restaurant.com -- so you can read and digest over dinner -- on us! You can even choose which greeting card to send with -- cute puppy anyone?  Visit BookSwim.

• A Christmas light spectacular on YouTube
• The season’s best smartphone apps
• Gift suggestions for tough folks on your holiday list
• Streaming holiday tunes
• The best holiday cookie recipes
• Creative gift wrapping ideas
• A David Sedaris essay (with bonus fun illustrations)
• And Santa’s Blog!

Image via WikipediaGameStop, the world’s largest multi-channel video game retailer, is giving more reasons for shoppers to be merry and bright this holiday season with the Holiday Power Saver Sale.  Now through Dec. 19, GameStop is offering new and pre-owned games from 10-percent to 60-percent off. Buy 2 pre-owned games get 1 pre-owned game free kicks off the Power Saver Sale (valid Dec 10-12) and additional offers include:
•       Save $10 on select new EA 2011 games
•       Buy 1 get the second 50-percent off new LEGO games
•       Save $30 on Tony Hawk Shred and DJ Hero 2
•       Save $50 on a new PSPgo system

In addition, from Dec. 12 to Dec. 13, customers who purchase Super Mario Galaxy 2, Kirby Epic Yarn or Wii Party will receive a $10 GameStop gift card. Hurry because selections and special offers are limited.

Holiday traditions are delivered this season in all shapes and sizes. Some with red and green razzle-dazzle, others with the scent of a Christmas long ago. Either way you slice it, each family has something special about the way they celebrate. Little Passports wants to take you on a global adventure to glance at Christmas around the world. 

So, you think Christmas starts earlier each year in America? Check out Christmas in the Philippines where the "Ber" months initiate the kick off. That's right, SeptemBER is the first of four months to get decked out in lights and covered in parols (star lanterns).    

"I'd like to believe our country celebrates the longest Christmas season...ever. Everyone is excited when the 'Ber Months' hit us." - Carmine Dinglasan, Manila

 

As the "Ber" months wind down and the anticipated day nears, Simbang Gabi begins. Starting on December 16th and continuing for 9 days until Christmas Eve, churches across the archipelago open their doors at the break of dawn and invite in the masses to worship. Young children, teenagers, adults, and elders alike gather at 4am to partake in Simbang Gabi. Locals say that the fun part of Simbang Gabi is that if you complete 9 straight masses without missing any, you get to make a wish! After mass the streets are filled with food stalls selling yummy treats like puto bumbong (sticky rice) and bibingka (rice cake). Pictured to the right, a girl from Manila offers her guest bibingka while a parol glows in the background. 
Summer Time Christmas: Australia                           

The sun Down Under sure isn't shy around Christmas time in Australia. While much of the world is still searching for Frosty's carrot nose lost in the snow, this country in the Southern Hemisphere is in prime time summer. Most Aussies happily trade a fire for a fan, roast bird for a seafood feast, and reindeers for kangaroos. It's common for fish markets to have a line out the door on Christmas Eve and for families to celebrate Christmas outdoors. Camping, beach side BBQ's, and lounging riverside are typical ways to spend Christmas in Australia.  

"I love Christmas when it's hot. You lot are truly missing out"

- Kellie Newstead, South Australia

 

Though Santa may swap his thick red coat for bordies and a hot roast gets kicked to the side to make way for fresh fish, Christmas in Australia has common roots to the United Kingdom. This means Christmas trees fill town squares and carols fill the warm night air.

 

Carp for Christmas: The Czech Republic and Poland

Old Town Square: Prague, Czech Republic

Many Americans perceive carp to be a dirty, bottom-feeder fish that gets in the way of the real catch. However, in Central Europe carp is a delectable dish served up for Christmas Eve dinner. Carp is a fresh water fish that is often bought live days before the Christmas feast and is kept alive in the bath tub! The scales of the fish are then used in many superstitious ways to bring good fortune for the following year. Carp scales are hidden underneath plates to bring money and people put a scale or two in their wallets to carry all year. 

"It doesn't mean we love fish so much but this is our traditional Christmas dish. Perhaps once upon a time we needed to find a way to get rid of all the carp in our ponds."

- Ondra Burda, Prague

However your family rejoices, whether you decorate a palm, pine, or tree of plastic, Christmas is a special time to gather with family and partake in your favorite traditions. This year, Little Passports hopes to find a spot  in your heart (and under your Christmas tree). Share these international Christmas traditions with your friends and family. Do you have a special way to enjoy Christmas or know of a fun way other countries celebrate? Tell us about it on Facebook!

No matter what country we are from or where we spend Christmas, our Dutch friend sums it up nicely:

"We celebrate by visiting friends and family and being in their company, celebrating their friendship, and the fact that we are together. It is a moment of standing still in the world that goes by around us." - Toine Sterk, The Netherlands

Activities

 

1) Have an International Holiday

Clearly, there are many ways to ring in the holidays. Add a little spice to your holidays and combine a tradition from another country in with your own. Here are some ideas:

 
• Hide the Scales: Surprise your dinner guests with a fish scale under their plate. At the end of the meal announce that each person has a special treat under their plate and tell them about the tradition from Central Europe. If you don't have any scales handy (which most of us don't) create your own using translucent paper and color pencils.
   
• Sing Australian Carols: Adaptations had to be made to "Frosty the Snowman" and "White Christmas." Learn the words to an Australian carol such as "Six White Boomers," a song about Santa's kangaroos. Perform this for your friends and family in true holiday spirit.
   
• Build a Filipino Parol: The streets of Filipino towns are filled with parols that light the streets. Traditional parols are made from bamboo lining and thick tissue paper, most commonly in the shape of a star to represent the guiding star that led the Three Kings to the manger. Parols come in all shapes and sizes and Little Passports has a fun and easy way for you to make your own. Visit our Facebook page for instructions on how to create a parol of your own!
   

2) Map Activity
   
Can you find these countries on the map?

• Slovakia

• The Netherlands

• The Philippines

• Belgium

• Australia
   

3a) Bonus Questions:

1) Is Australia the only continent that lies ENTIRELY in the Southern     Hemisphere?

2) Do you know where the original Santa Claus comes from?

3) When does Santa Claus come to town? (HINT: It's not December 25th)

4) Is Simbang Gabi in the Philippines reserved only for families?

3b) Bonus Answers:

1) No, Australia is not the only continent entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctica is there too! Additionally, most of South America and the bottom half of Africa are also in the Southern Hemisphere. 

2) While many Canadians claim Santa as one of their own, St. Nicholas of Myra is from modern day Turkey. 

3) St. Nicholas comes to towns across Europe on December 5th or December 6th in honor of his names day (12/6). The Netherlands and the Czech Republic celebrate St. Nicholas on the 5th, while Belgium celebrate on the 6th. Children in the Netherlands and Belgium write letters to Sinterklaas while children in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia write to Mikulás (American children write to Santa Clause).

4) No! Simbang Gabi is celebrated amongst friends and family alike. Groups of young people gather together to attend mass and then hit the street for the yummy food stalls together.

 

 Send your feedback to at support@littlepassports.com.  

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• FREE Photo Holiday Cards (Qty. 10) Choose from flat or folded holiday cards with Free Envelopes. Order today, and save 50% off higher quantities. Products are free, shipping starts at $4.60.
  
• FREE Holiday Postcards (Qty. 100) Get your message across this holiday season with customizable postcards! Use them as holiday cards, invitations or announcements for home and business use. Mailing services available. Matching envelopes available at checkout. Create today and receive in as few as 3 days. Printing is free, shipping starts at $7.
  
• FREE Photo Calendars (Qty. 1) Impress family, friends or customers with customizable photo wall calendars this Holiday Season. Select from Wall or Desk calendar and hundreds of templates to suit your style. Choose icons, add captions and highlight important dates. Upload your photos from Facebook, Flickr or Picasa. Calendars make perfect holiday gifts! Create today and receive in as few as 3 days. Bonus: Order today and save 50% off higher quantities. Printing is free, shipping starts at $5.67.
  
• FREE Holiday Labels (Qty. 140) Spread the cheer with every letter you send! Stick your labels on festive holiday letters, cards and packages. Choose from thousands of designs, upload photos or create caricature return address labels. Create up to 7 caricatures of your family, friends and pets! Use labels as To-From stickers, gift tags & more! Printing is free, shipping & processing starts at $3.07.
  
  
• FREE Photo Book (Qty. 1) Create a memorable gift for friends & family. The handy 4”x6” size is easy to carry wherever you go. Easily upload your photos and customize with captions. Includes 10 pages with 1 photo per page. Use it as your brag book! Order today and save 50% off all photo book options sitewide! Printing is free, shipping & processing starts at $6.16.
  
• FREE Mug (Qty. 1) Serve up some fun with a 11-oz full color ceramic mug. Choose from a variety of designs and personalize with your text. Have fun creating a gift to warm hearts this holiday season! Printing is free, shipping & processing starts at $6.06.
  
• FREE Holiday Stamp (Qty. 1) Choose from over a dozen designs and make holiday labeling a tad easier this year. Choose from red, black or blue ink. Printing is free, shipping & processing starts at $5.67.
  
• FREE Sticky Notes (Qty. 1 Pad) Personalize sticky notes are indispensible for work or home. These adhesive 3”x3” pads are full-color and easy to customize. Printing is free, shipping & processing starts at $4.59.

Get 1 Photo Mug for just $1.99. Bonus: 50% Off Holiday Cards, Calendars, & More! These one-of-a-kind photo mugs are sure to make you smile with every sip. Can’t choose just one favorite photo? You can add up to six.

A free photo canvas is a great gift idea.

Share the high converting Canvas People offer with your visitors and suggest they get a canvas with holiday memories on it! The Canvas People offers you up to a $55 credit toward a photo canvas. The way it works is like this:

1) Choose and upload the photo you would like printed
2) Choose what size. (8x10 is free + shipping/handling after $49.99 credit)
3) Chose any "extras" (framing, etc.)
5) Enter shipping information
6) Pay the $14.95 shipping/handling (this is still a GREAT deal for one of these)

These photo canvases make great Christmas, birthday, anniversary, and graduation gifts as well.

Mark your calendars and celebrate the third annual day of awareness to Spread the Word to End the Word, March 2, 2011, with a renewed pledge to end the hurtful and degrading use of the “R-word.” This international day of awareness was created by youth with and without intellectual disabilities in order to change the conversation from one of negativity and pain to a positive message—highlighting inclusion and RESPECT for all.


While March 2 is the culmination, eliminating the R-word from everyday speech is a year-round effort with hundreds of events happening throughout the world. In order to assist schools and communities in beginning their own local campaign, updated resources are now available online.
The 2011 Spread the Word to End the Word toolkit includes:

• Fact Sheet
• Event and Activation Ideas
• Key Messages and Talking Points
• Reference Materials and Links
• Social Media Activation
• Video Messaging for Ambassadors
• Vireal E-mail Template
• Youth Rally How-to Kit

The Barnes & Noble More In Store for NOOK December line-up includes:

• December 5
Why I Shout At The Computer Screen by Dean Koontz: Dean Koontz's searing, page-turning tales of horror and suspense have been thrilling readers for decades. In this exclusive essay for Barnes & Noble, Koontz talks about the voices in his head - the characters who make his books so terrifying.

Escape with Joan Johnston to a Castle in Kent by Joan Johnston: Joan Johnston is the queen of romance. In anticipation of her fiftieth novel, she took a dream trip across England and invites Barnes & Noble readers along for the ride.

• December 12
The Future of Innovation by Steven Johnson: Bestselling author Steven Johnson has changed the way many people think about culture and mass media in books like Everything Bad is Good For You and Where Good Ideas Come From. In this exclusive piece for Barnes & Noble readers, Johnson recommends some more books for great holiday reading, all on the future of innovation and creativity.

Never Abandoning Imagination by Tony diTerlizzi: New York Times bestselling author of The Search for WondLa talks exclusively for Barnes & Noble customers about how stories keep us going from childhood on.

• December 19
Skewering Fairytales by Gregory Maguire: Gregory Maguire has a catalogue of New York Times bestselling novels and the genesis of hit Broadway musical Wicked under his belt. Now, Maguire has another hilarious, inventive, completely original novel and he's written an exclusive piece for Barnes & Noble readers.

Gifts White People Like by Christian Lander: Gift-giving for white people doesn't have to be all wailing and gnashing of teeth, explains the author of Stuff White People Like in this exclusive essay for Barnes & Noble readers.

• December 26
Writing Mary Ann by Armistead Maupin: Bestselling author Armistead Maupin is widely known for his wonderful, humorous novels of life in a tight-knit and eccentric San Francisco building. In this exclusive essay for Barnes & Noble, Maupin discusses the return of one of his most troublesome characters: the delightful and difficult Mary Ann Singleton.

Must-Try Meals Across America by Robert Reid: Everyone needs a bucket list of food - delicious, regional meals you have to try. Lonely Planet takes a road trip across the U.S. for some scrumptious and sometimes disturbing meals exclusively for Barnes & Noble readers.

• NOOKbook Bestsellers and NOOKbook New Releases List
As always, NOOK readers can access Barnes & Noble NOOKbook(TM) Bestseller and NOOKbook New Releases lists. The lists are available as part of the "shop" feature on NOOK and offer book overviews, free sample chapters and customer ratings to help readers with buying decisions.

NOOKbook Bestsellers for the week of November 29 include: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand; Cross Fire (Alex Cross Series #17) by James Patterson; Just Kids by Patti Smith; Decision Points by George W. Bush; and Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs.

Henna has been around for thousands of years.  It has been used primarily to beautify the hair or even parts of the body.  It has also some health benefits.  For more information on Henna go here.

In the video, my hand is being designed with Henna.