Last week, Lynn, a mother of three young children, was walking with her youngest, when a neighbor’s black cat wandered up, looking for some friendly attention. Lynn’s little boy screamed in fear, demanding that his mom rush him home, before the bad cat got him. They have three cats at home, incidentally, but none of them are black. Apparently, though, he’d seen enough images of black cats, cavorting with all the other Halloween spooks, that he was certain something bad was about to happen.

We humans have always viewed cats as mysterious creatures-they’re domesticated, like dogs, but independent and often aloof, frequently preferring to be alone, requiring only sporadic affection. Still, it’s easy to see how witches and ghosts became continuing characters in our spooky traditions, but how did the black cat win its icon status in the Scary Hall of Fame? It’s actually a status that seems to be peculiar to America.

In ancient times, as in many parts of the world today, the black cat reperesented a harbinger of good fortune, rather than danger. In ancient Egypt, well-to-do households held their pet black cats in high regard, granting them a place of honor in the home, in order to guarantee riches and prosperity.

Legend holds that, in the 17th century, King Charles I of England had a black cat which he believed was his good luck charm, and kept a round-the-clock guard on the prized pet. When the cat died (presumably of old age), the King lamented publicly that his luck was at an end. The very next day the king was arrested and charged with high treason, and was eventually executed.

In the past, in certain English fishing villages, the luck of the black cat-believed to bring fisherman safely home from the sea-was such an important tradition that fishermen’s wives paid a huge price to obtain such a pet.

Even today, in many parts of the world, a black cat crossing one’s path is considered good luck, the exact opposite of the American superstition.

Historians believe that the Pilgrims are responsible for the black cat’s evil reputation in American today. When they emigrated to these shores for religious reasons, the Pilgrims brought with them a deep distrust of any superstition, believing such traditions were evil and dark.

Since the Middle Ages, many in England believed that those who practiced witchcraft used black cats as familiars, or creatures who could commune with evil spirits, in order to carry out the witches’ spells. Such was the fear of black cats that, for many years, in America, it was believed among certain religious sects that the only way to stop an evil spell was to shoot a black cat with a silver bullet.

Even today, most pet centers and animal shelters refuse to sell black cats around Halloween, for fear that they may be harmed or killed.

The next time a beautiful black cat crosses your-or your child’s-path, wanting a little affection, try talking to it. If it rubs against your leg and purrs in approval, you be the judge of its intent. It has no idea that it’s an object of fear-just like your tabby at home, it just wants a little love.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented articles. To help create the perfect family holiday, for the best selection of Christmas trees, lights, decorations and everything else Christmas, visit Santa’s Depot.

A divorce – especially a fresh one – can be particularly trying during the holidays. The Yuletide season is one of giving and family, and the dissonance of a divorce can greatly threaten the joy of the season. The challenge to adults is to keep Christmas spirits high for the children. Just because a relationship has been ruined doesn’t mean a child’s Christmas has to be ruined as well. Here are some tips for making sure that doesn’t happen this holiday season.

Put Your Kids First – Christmas is a selfless season. It’s a time when we focus on charity. Keep it that way. Think not of yourself or how to one-up your ex-spouse. Instead, focus on the needs of your kids. Ask yourself what you can do to ensure the holidays are happy and productive for them. Then do it.

Buy Your Ex a Gift – As much as kids love getting gifts, they also want to be part of the giving. They revel in the opportunity to give both mommy and daddy a gift or two, and it’s up to you to help make that possible. Your little one has no money and no transportation, so the only way they’re getting your spouse a gift is if you suck it up and take them Christmas shopping. Don’t be the parent that’s too proud to buy your ex a gift. It’s the child you’ll end up hurting anyway.

Don’t Hog the Kids – There may be a custodial agreement in place where the kids spend Christmas with mommy one year and then with daddy the next. Everyone loses when that happens. Unless mommy and daddy live too far apart, there is no reason the kids can’t see both. Perhaps they spend the majority of Christmas Eve at one place, then move to the other to spend the night and wake up on Christmas morning. Next year reverse roles so that both parents have the opportunity to watch the little ones wake up on Christmas morning and see what Santa left them. See what you can work out with your spouse. Remember, do what’s in the best interest of the child.

Don’t Take the Phone Off the Hook – When it isn’t possible for one parent to see the children on Christmas for whatever reason, don’t shut them out completely. Let the kids call them to say Merry Christmas.

Old Habits Die Hard – Since Christmas is about family traditions, a divorce naturally fractures those traditions. That’s especially hard on the kids. When it’s possible to maintain an old tradition, such as helping mommy make cookies or helping daddy select a tree, do so. When it’s not, start new traditions with your kids. They need them.

Don’t Bad-Mouth Your Ex – If you need to complain about your ex, do so to your adult friends – and don’t do it in the presence of your children. No matter how you feel about your ex, your children still love them and look up to them. Don’t hurt your kids by badmouthing their mommy or daddy.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. Learn how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with a letter from Santa.

Here’s one way to keep them entertained-dazzle them with your knowledge of odd little Christmas facts.

For instance: When you hear the Gene Autry classic Here Comes Santa Claus- for the fiftieth time, today-ask your kids if they’d like to visit the real Santa Claus Lane someday. That’ll make them think, at least for a minute. Though they may be disappointed at the lack of snow and ice, if they do visit Santa Claus Lane. See, every year since the 1930’s, Hollywood Boulevard has been officially re-named Santa Claus Lane, during Hollywood’s annual Christmas parade.

More semi-useless, but attention-grabbing facts:

What’s the most popular Christmas song of all time? Bing Crosby’s version of White Christmas. And Silent Night-arguably the most recognizable Christmas hymn-was written in 1818, by an Austrian pastor, Joseph Mohr. As Christmas Eve came, that year, the organ in his church was broken, so together with his friend, Franz Gruber, he wrote this new tune for the service that night, and played it on his guitar for his congregation. And Jingle Bells was originally written for a Thanksgiving celebration, in 1857.

As important as Christmas is to us, today, it’s only been in the past 150 years or so that the day has been an official holiday, in America. Thanksgiving was a much more important secular holiday to early Americans. In fact, Alabama was the first state in America to recognize Christmas as a holiday, officially, in 1836-and it wasn’t until 1905 that Christmas became officially recognized by Oklahoma.

Electric lights for Christmas trees were first invented by The Edison Company in 1882. Up until then, if trees were lit, candles were used-and then, usually only on Christmas Eve night.

The Christmas abbreviation-Xmas-is thought by some to be sacreligious, but in fact the first letter of the Greek word for Christ is chi, which is X. Before the invention of the printing press, Xmas was often used, in print, to save time and ink.

We get our custom of hanging stockings by the mantle from the Dutch, though their custom is to leave wooden shoes by the fireplace-they fill the shoes with fruits for the donkey St. Nicholas uses to carry his gifts for children.

See how easy it is? Just keep tossing out these little tidbits, one by one. Either your kids will marvel at your brilliance, or they’ll fall asleep in the car. Either way, they’re occupied. And you’re almost done; Christmas is almost here. Just keep talking.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented articles. To help create the perfect holiday tree, visit Santa’s Ornament Shop for the best selection of personalized ornaments.

It’s not unhealthy, according to most experts, for children to learn to relate to the season from an inherently selfish point of view. As every parent knows, in early development, kids regard what is satisfying-whether it’s a hug or a meal-as special, so if a holiday promises pleasing rewards, then children learn that it must be special, too.

But there’s another aspect to childhood development that adults are less aware of: the desire of children to comfort others. It can be as blatant as a two-year-old being upset when her older sister cries, or as subtle as a one-year-old pointing to a cuddle toy, an object that gives him comfort. Well-loved children instinctively want everyone around them to feel the same safety and love that they feel. Parents can nurture and further develop this natural empathy in their children, which can then develop into positive lifelong habits.

You probably noticed that, as your child began to walk and follow you around, she naturally tried to help you with chores or activities. Encouraging this kind of helpfulness with praise and love will help your daughter understand the value of working together. As she grows, she’ll seek ways to be even more helpful to you and your family.

The holiday season just may be the perfect time to show her that her desire to help can have benefits outside the home, as well, and that she can have a positive effect on the lives of people outside her family. It’s also the perfect time for the whole family to express concern for others and thankfulness for your own blessings, through volunteering.

At an early age, volunteering with your child need not be organized-something as simple as picking up litter in the park is an expression of care. While your child is very young, and until you’re sure she won’t put found objects in her mouth, you can make a game of it-have her find litter, and you pick it up.

As she grows, your volunteer activities can expand gradually to include direct involvement with others, as your daughter learns to grow comfortable with people she hasn’t met. For instance, picking an afternoon to make and deliver homemade Christmas cards to an elderly neighbor or a nursing home resident, or helping a disabled or elderly neighbor decorate a room for the season is an easy way to include your child in an activity that’s positive, without being intimidating. And your daughter will see that she can brighten someone else’s holiday just as she brightens yours.

Eventually, as your child grows, these volunteer activities can be expanded beyond the holiday season. You may, as a family, prepare a meal, once a month, for an invalid, or help out at an animal shelter. Many cities have organizations which can help you choose age-appropriate volunteer activities for you and your child.

And the benefits extend far beyond childhood. Studies have shown that children who engage in volunteer activities with their parents grow to be active volunteers, themselves.

Realizing she’s helped others to enjoy the season will make Santa’s visit even more special to your daughter. Realizing you’ve helped shape a caring, concerned individual will make every holiday season even more special for you.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented articles. To help create the perfect family holiday, for the best selection of Christmas trees, lights, decorations and everything else Christmas, visit Santa’s Depot.

Your kids probably love it, too-a day off from school, filled with lots of treats-but they probably think of Thanksgiving like you did, when you were small; it’s that holiday that falls between Halloween and Christmas. We don’t wear crazy costumes for Thanksgiving, we don’t receive or give gifts, as a rule. So, since kids aren’t bombarded with commercials, telling them what they have to get on Thanksgiving (if they want to fit in), it can be hard for them, in our consumer-driven culture, to understand just what it’s all about. After all, holidays mean presents, right?

You tell your kids about the starving Pilgrims, who were saved by the gifts of food from the local Indians, and how our country might not have developed as it did, without that act of kindness. But few of us ever mark that kindness as we down our turkey and dressing. It’s odd, when you think about it. Thanksgiving is the one holiday that really is all about giving and receiving, but advertisers still haven’t figured a way to stretch our credit limits to the max.

So how can you make a holiday with no presents have some real meaning for your kids? You could start with the word, itself. We often forget that Thanksgiving is a compound word-the day is meant for giving thanks. If your kids are old enough to enjoy receiving gifts and blessings, they’re old enough to begin learning the concept of thanks.

Before the holiday, sit down with your children and ask them what they have in their lives that makes them happy. They may name a specific toy, or a bicycle, or a game, but chances are, when they really think about it, they’ll be happy for the same things you are-family and friends, love and health and a roof over their heads. Make a list of these things with your kids-tape them on the refrigerator, or someplace where your children can be reminded of all that they have to be grateful for.

Talk to your kids about ways they can give at Thanksgiving. It’s a great opportunity to teach them that giving comes in many forms. With Christmas approaching, maybe they can think about donating some of the toys they’ve grown tired of to charity, so that children less fortunate can have a brighter holiday. Or, if your children receive an allowance, they might want to donate a portion of it, between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There are even volunteer activities appropriate for young children. Something as simple as a neighborhood clean-up can involve many children, with supervision. Local residents and businesses can be approached about donating toward the effort, the proceeds of which can then be sent to a charity of the childrens’ choice.

Thanksgiving need not be just the holiday between Halloween and Christmas. Even to your children, it’s a day that can have real meaning, and live up to its name.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented articles. To help create the perfect holiday tree, visit Santa’s Ornament Shop for the best selection of personalized ornaments.

All your friends with children are facing the same situation, right now. Now you all have to find the time to sit down with your children and help them compose their letters, following Santa’s rules, this year-i.e., how many special gifts can be requested in one letter, what your children wish for others this holiday season, etc. Then you’ll have to scour the ads in your Sunday papers or spend time online, searching for the exact brands of toys your children want, and hope that it’s not too late to find them-and hope that you can still afford everything.

Since you and your friends are all in the same seasonal boat, why not combine your efforts? Sometime shortly after Thanksgiving, consider hosting a Santa Letter-Writing Party-or, rather, having your son host the party. It’s a great way to address this annual holiday project, helping the kids in your son’s circle to pinpoint and record their Christmas wish-lists. It’s a great help to the other parents to know exactly what to shop for.

Whether you arrange an afternoon get-together or a weekend night sleepover, invite your son’s guests at least a week in advance, with instructions that they think about exactly what they’d like to ask for in their letters. If they’re not old enough to write on their own, have them look through the Sunday papers’ toy ads and cut out pictures of the gifts they’d like. Ask them, as well, to think about what they’d like Santa to bring someone else in their lives, and a good deed they’d like to perform, in order to warrant Santa’s special attention.

Work out some guidelines ahead of time, with the other parents-how many gifts can be requested in each letter, whether there should be one special gift each child requests, etc.

Have plenty of construction paper, children’s glue, and crayons-or washable markers-available, so that all the kids can design and work on their own letters, with a minimum of adult supervision, in order to make each letter individual and unique.

Make the letter composition the focus of your party, the important event for which they’ve all gathered. Solidifying their requests in such a concrete fashion is a way of avoiding the inevitable fickle-factor, to which all children are prone; they’ve made their choices and can’t change their minds at the last second, because the mailman can’t get to Santa in time.

Once the letters have been created, and you’ve promised to get them to Santa immediately, the party continues with a feast of potluck food, provided by the other parents. Games, Christmas videos, and carol singing are great ways to cap off the gathering.

Now you and the other parents have specific items you know your kids want for Christmas. Your shopping, at least for them, should be much simpler, this year.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. Learn how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with a letter from Santa.

Now you have little shoppers, and you can’t rush through anything, anymore, and a trip to the store-any store-is an operation which requires military-style planning. You can’t wait until late at night. You can’t slide and squeeze and speed your way through the crowds. And, most of all, you can’t dawdle, examining something on the shelf-when you’re shopping with small children, dawdling is definitely forbidden.

You know you have to keep them moving, keep their attention engaged, keep them guessing; a few seconds’ rest can put the brakes on your master plan:

Mommy, I want that!
Daddy, I’m hungry!
I have to go to the bathroom!
Tommy touched me!
I want to go home!

By the time Christmas rolls around, you never want to see the inside of a retail store, again.

The good news is, you’re not alone. Parents of small children all over the world are sharing your pain. The bad news is, there’s no easy way to shop for Christmas, with small children. There are, however, a few ways to take a tiny bit of the stress out of the process.

In the spirit of keeping your kids engaged and involved-rather than just being unwilling passengers on the journey-make your shopping trip their shopping trip, too. Have them make a list of things they want to give as gifts to their grandparents, cousins, or friends. Do your shopping, first, then deal with their lists-this can help keep them as anxious as you, to see that your shopping is done, quickly.

Plan a visit to the store’s Santa, on the condition that your kids are well-behaved and as helpful as possible-but make Santa your last stop.

Bring snacks along-hungry kids tend to be irritable. Bring activities, like coloring books, to keep them occupied, while you shop.

During the holidays, many malls have kids’ play areas with adult supervision. Talk with other parents you know, to discover which ones in your area are safe and trustworthy.

Talk with your children before your shopping trip. Plan a reward or discipline system for them, based on their behavior at the store. If they become unruly, don’t take the bait and discipline them at the store-just be sure, when the trip’s over, to follow through with your plan.

Know your kids. If you realize that a successful Christmas shopping trip with them is a hopeless dream, then find a way to leave them at home, with a sitter or your spouse.

Christmas shopping is a cultural ritual that’s here to stay. Look at it this way-you only have to survive a few years of it, with small children. Then you can go back to the last-minute, late-night gift runs-they’ll seem like a vacation, won’t they?

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. Learn how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with a letter from Santa.

Who isn’t, right? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because we’re crazy about movies and Christmas, too. And, thankfully, there are some good Christmas movies out there … the kind that put you in the holiday spirit year ’round, even during the dog days of summer!

In fact, there are so many great Christmas movies, so many memorable characters and wonderful story lines, that picking a handful of flicks that stand above the rest is difficult. But we’re always up for a good challenge, so why shy away from one now? Hey, you don’t have to agree with our picks, after all! Without further adieu, we present to you the five best Christmas films of all time:

A Christmas Story – Any discussion of the best Christmas movie can begin and end here. The classic tale of little Ralphie – who so desperately wanted a Red Ryder BB Gun despite the misgivings of his parents and teachers (and even a makeshift department store Santa Claus) – is the best Christmas movie ever made. There’s a reason it’s shown on television each year virtually non-stop for two consecutive days! You’ll shoot your eye out! is one of the most memorable movie lines – Christmas theme or otherwise – of all-time.

Miracle on 34th Street – Santa Claus is real, and this movie proves it. You could argue this is the best Christmas movie ever made. We’re not convinced it’s better than A Christmas Story, but we grant you that you could make a good argument nevertheless!

Babes in Toyland – Few movies made in 1934 (or before) still capture our hearts. But Babes in Toyland features Laurel & Hardy, and when this pair of beloved comedians is involved, you can safely say the project is a hit. Babes in Toyland has been remade several times over the years, but we still like the original the best due to the aforementioned duo.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – Chevy Chase is one funny guy (at least he used to be!), and the Lampoon’s Vacation series is comprised of many instant hits. They’re all funny and memorable in their own ways, and Christmas Vacation is no different. Wayward cats, senile aunts, a scrooge-like boss and a cousin that can only be described as eccentric combine to help this movie bring a little humor to the Yuletide season.

A Christmas Carol – Speaking of Scrooge, no Christmas movie marathon is complete without his appearance, along with the ghosts that haunt him. Charles Dickens’ novel is among the most beloved of literary classics, so why should the movie be any less popular? A Christmas Carol has been filmed numerous times for both the big screen and television, and most of them are pretty good. This story is too strong to mess up. So when you visit the movie store, take your pick.

Okay, okay. We know we left off your favorite, or maybe we included your favorite but left off another hit.

With so many choices, it wasn’t an easy decision, but we gave it a shot.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. Learn how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with a letter from Santa.

When making a purchase for your little one this holiday season, keep a watchful eye by closely inspecting not just the labels, but the toys themselves. Does it appear rugged and able to withstand the rigors of rough play, or does it look as though it could break into small pieces? If so, move on to something else regardless of what the label says.

Labels are good guidelines, but they aren’t foolproof. In fact, some believe that manufacturers intentionally over-label toys to insulate themselves from potential lawsuits. Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry. While toys made for children three years of age and younger must, by law, be large enough that they do not present a choking hazard, it’s best to closely inspect them yourself. Some sources suggest taking a 35-millimeter film canister with you. If the toy or parts of a toy will fit into that canister, they say, the gift is not a good choice as it presents a choking hazard. While it’s not scientific and probably isn’t a surefire measuring stick of what is and isn’t too small for your child, it does give you a general idea when doing your holiday shopping.

Aside from choking hazards, be sure to avoid toys that are sharp. Most toys made for children three and younger have smooth, rounded edges. If a toy has sharp or jagged points, it may not be safe for your toddler.

Despite the fact that hospitals in the United States treat thousands of children each year for toy-related injuries, many people get caught up in the buying frenzy and sometimes forget that what’s hot this year isn’t necessarily what’s safe for toddlers. For example, baby dolls with buttons or small accessories, like miniature bottles, present choking hazards. Toys that plug in to the wall could present a burning hazard. For that reason, if a toy utilizes light and sound it is best to make sure it is battery operated.

If you have a little one at home, here are some gifts that are good ideas for one- and two-year-olds:

* Cloth or plastic books
* Building blocks
* Push and pull toys
* Soft, washable balls, animals, dolls (make sure the eyes can’t come off and there are no buttons)
* Toy phones

Remember that while Christmas needs to be fun, it also needs to be safe. Sure, you want to get your child the perfect gift. But no gift is perfect unless it is safe and age appropriate. Finally, keep in mind that children under three years old, regardless of how safe you deem the toy, need adult supervision when playing with the gifts Santa leaves under the Christmas tree!

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. Learn how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with a letter from Santa.

The frustration comes when when you realize that Christmas advertisers have been wooing your kid since September. The befuddlement is what you feel about the electronic gizmos and video-doodads the advertisers are pushing on your kid. And the ear plugs are what you need, as said kid orders you-starting in early October-to make sure Santa brings him, on Christmas morning, the latest version of the New, Improved, Most Expensive Widget, or he’ll die of a badly broken heart.

You can’t blame your child-that Widget looks so beautiful and perfect on that commercial, and the child-actors playing with it look like the happiest children in the world. Who wouldn’t want a new Widget? But then the next commercial convinces your son he needs a Whatchamacallit, too. Or he’ll die.

You don’t want to lose your son at this tender age over a Widget, but you can’t see yourself (I mean, Santa) spending two hundred bucks apiece, for glorified toys that he’ll outgrow, or tire of, before the New Year. Go ahead and pick one, the Widget or the Whatchamacallit, and take the gamble that he’ll survive without both.

Then, why not consider getting him (I mean, asking Santa to bring him) some oldies-but-goodies? There are dozens of toys and gifts that you enjoyed as a kid, which are just as great today as they were, then. And your son will enyoy them for years, rather than days.

Remember Tinker Toys? They’re still around, and though they may lack the initial appeal of anything that has to be plugged in and makes noise, they provide a new experience for your child, every time he opens that plastic-and-metal canister. Remember when you believed, you were the first kid ever, to build a car that really rolled, out of Tinker Toys?

Lincoln Logs are still providing kids with construction adventures. They’re new-and-improved, but still basically the same notched-log pieces you remember, with roof-pieces and windows added. Years from now, when the Widget has become an obsolete antique, your son will suddenly pull the Lincoln Logs out of the closet and build something, just for fun.

The most versatile of all the build-it-yourself sets-Legos-is another childhood staple which can still keep kids occupied for years.

Even Silly Putty and Play-Doh are still around, in new-and-improved forms. They may drive parents slightly batty, but kids never seem to tire of the myriad ways they can be used.

The best thing about these golden oldies is the cost and the value. They’re relatively inexpensive, and will entertain your son-and any younger siblings he may have-for years. Assuming he survives Christmas without receiving both the Widget and the Whatchamacallit.

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented articles. To help create the perfect family holiday and for the best selection of animated lighting visit Santa’s Official Holiday Lighting Shop.