Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed generally on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, several similar mythological figures, known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and Santa Claus among other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season.

Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts. It is the basis of Christmas, which is an important Holy day celebrated by Christians worldwide.

The accounts of the Nativity of Jesus in the New Testament appear in only two of the four Canonical Gospels, namely the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew. Events preceding the birth of Jesus, e.g. The Annunciation to Mary and the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth appear almost entirely in the Gospel of Luke. The account of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem appears in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke - which also includes the Adoration of the Shepherds by itself. The follow on events such as the Adoration of the Magi and the Flight into Egypt appear mostly in the Gospel of Matthew.

Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American country pop singer-songwriter and actress.
In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and was nominated for the Best New Artist award at 50th Grammy Awards. In November 2008, Swift released her second album, Fearless, and the recording earned Swift four Grammy Awards, including the Album of the Year, at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Fearless and Taylor Swift finished 2008 at number-three and number-six respectively, with sales of 2.1 and 1.5 million. Fearless has topped the Billboard 200 in 11 non-consecutive weeks; no album has spent more time at No. 1 since 2000. Swift was named Artist of the Year by Billboard Magazine in 2009. Swift released her third album Speak Now on October 25, 2010 which sold 1,047,000 copies in its first week.

I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film, written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with a developmental disability, Dakota Fanning as his intelligent seven-year-old daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer. Dianne Wiest, Loretta Devine, Richard Schiff and Laura Dern appear in supporting roles.

Jessie Nelson and Kristine Johnson, who co-wrote the screenplay, researched the issues facing adults with developmental disabilities by visiting the non-profit organization L.A. Goal (Greater Opportunities for the Advanced Living). They subsequently cast two actors with disabilities, Brad Silverman and Joe Rosenberg, in key roles.

Ostrich Egg

The Ostrich, Struthio camelus, is a large flightless bird native to Africa. It is the only living species of its family, Struthionidae and its genus, Struthio. Ostriches share the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, emus, and other ratites. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at maximum speeds of about 70 km/h (45 mph), the top land speed of any bird.The Ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest egg of any living bird (extinct elephant birds of Madagascar and the giant moa of New Zealand laid larger eggs).

Precious Moments Dolls

Crosstitch

Cross-stitch is a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches in a tiled, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. Cross-stitch is usually executed on easily countable evenweave fabric called aida cloth. The stitcher counts the threads in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also called counted cross-stitch in order to distinguish it from other forms of cross-stitch. Sometimes cross-stitch is done on designs printed on the fabric (stamped cross-stitch); the stitcher simply stitches over the printed pattern.

Dear John

Dear John is a 2010 American romantic drama-war film starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. It was released theatrically in North America on February 5, 2010. Directed by Lasse Hallström, the film is an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's novel of the same name, and the first Sparks adaptation not to be distributed by Warner Bros. It follows the life of a soldier (Channing Tatum) after he falls in love with a young woman (Amanda Seyfried). They decide to exchange letters to each other after he is deployed to the war.

My Sister's Keeper is a 2004 novel written by Jodi Picoult. It tells the story of 13-year-old Anna, who sues her parents for medical emancipation when she is expected to donate a kidney to her sister Kate, who is dying from leukemia.

Collection of Oriental stories of uncertain date and authorship. The frame story, in which the vengeful King Shahryar's plan to marry and execute a new wife each day is foiled by the resourceful Scheherazade, is probably Indian; the tales with which Scheherazade beguiles Shahryar, postponing and eventually averting her execution, come from India, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, and possibly Greece. It is now believed that the collection is a composite work originally transmitted orally and developed over a period of several centuries. The first published version was an 18th-century European translation; Sir Richard Burton's Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (1885 – 88) has become the best-known English translation.

We have the same birth date with this hero.
Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda(June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896, Bagumbayan), was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is considered a national hero of the Philippines,and the anniversary of Rizal's death is commemorated as a Philippine holiday called Rizal Day. Rizal's 1896 military trial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution.

This is the old washing machine.

Alysse Sonza
This photo is taken during Centennial Fair.

My grandmother made this and she put it on our dinning table.

My Aunt gave me this cake during my 14th bithday.

Last Supper (Joey Velasco)

Joey Velasco is a talented Filipino painter and sculptor. He is also a compassionate man.

He finds beauty, hope, strength, and happiness in the most vulnerable in society: the homeless child. Deep in his heart, he knows God loves these perfect beings. What is bleak in his paintings is actually God working through us. Take a look and experience its transformative power.


Behind the photograph of this painting are his words:

Poor Kids In My Pocket

I carry this picture in my pocket,

A simple reminder to me that

No matter where I am,

Jesus and the poor kids are always

in my midst.


This simple card is not a claim stub

To withdraw some blessings in return.

It is not a ticket to free me from guilt

Nor a good luck charm to protect me from harm.


It’s not even to tag me as a man of charity

Fo all the world to see.

It’s simply an understanding

Between Jesus and me.


When I put my hand in my pocket

To bring out my wallet,

It is NOT for alms-giving.


This picture just makes me remember

that I must have a heart to share

that a part of me has to be offered

in simple service and deeds

to the countless little children

whose future is obscure;

who suffer and shiver in the dark;

whose voices are unheard;

whose nightmares come at daytime,

and whose monsters are real.


It’s a symbol of my nearness to God.

So, I carry this little piece in my pocket,

Reminding no one but me,

That I can give hope

If only I care.


-Joey Velasco

Benigno Simeón Cojuangco Aquino III

Benigno Simeón Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960) is the 15th President of the Philippines. He is the son of Benigno Aquino Jr., a former senator and Marcos critic and Corazon Aquino, a former Philippine president. A current Senator to the 14th Congress of the Philippines, he served as former Representative of the 2nd District of the province of Tarlac to the 11th, 12th, and 13th Congress of the Philippines (1998-2007).

Noynoy, as he is fondly called, was born in Manila to a clan of politicians. He is the only son of Benigno Aquino, Jr. and former President Corazon C. Aquino. He has four other siblings, Kristina Bernadette, Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon and Victoria Eliza.

He completed his elementary, secondary, and college education at the Ateneo de Manila University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Economics in 1981. After graduation, Noynoy became a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress in 1983. He also worked humbly as a retail sales supervisor for Nike Shoes and as an assistant for advertising and promotion for Mondragon Philippines, both in 1985 to 1986. He also was the vice president and treasurer for Best Security Agency Corporation from 1986 to 1993 and served as executive assistant for administration (1993-1996) and fields service manager (1996-1998) for Central Azucarera Tarlac.

Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino

Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office. Aquino was also the first popularly and democratically-elected female president and head of state in Asia. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the authoritarian regime of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines. "Tita (Auntie) Cory", as she was affectionately known, is revered by many Filipinos as an icon of democracy and was hailed by TIME Magazine in 1986.

Taize Prayer

The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of about 100 brothers who come from Protestant and Catholic traditions. The brothers come from about 30 countries across the world.[1] The monastic order has a strong devotion to peace and justice through prayer and meditation. It was founded in 1940 by Brother Roger Schutz.[2]

The community has become one of the world's most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Over 100,000 young people from around the world pilgrim to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work. Through the community's ecumenical outlook, they are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation.

This is our fruits on the table last New Year.(Dec.31,2009)

Our Friendship is a gift.
I will always treasure with all my
HEART<3