L. Frank Baum wrote a lot more than the 'Wizard of Oz' series of stories. One of his books is 'The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'. He later wrote a short story, 'A Kidnapped Santa Claus'. See more about L. Frank Baum and his wide range of books on Wikipedia: L. Frank Baum.

This book is about Santa Claus, from his birth to growing up and how he became Santa Claus. L. Frank Baum wrote a book explaining all the Santa Claus traditions, why Santa gives presents, how he started using the reindeers and where the elves came in. For every child who has wondered about Santa Claus, this book gives them answers and pulls together so many other traditions and legends of the great jolly man in the red suit.

My family had a vintage copy of the first edition of this book. The cover was very red. If you picked up the book it would leave your fingers stained red, even after all the years we had the book on our shelves. This is why I never really read it I think. We had the book from my Mother's family. It was one of two books she saved from a house which was demolished to make room for a McDonald's restaurant in the town of Woodstock, Ontario (many years ago).

Sadly, the book ended it's days stored in the basement after yet another move to yet another house with our family. A hot water tank burst, flooded the basement and was not noticed right away. So many things stored in the basement then were left standing in water. One of the books in the most ruined box was the L. Frank Baum book, 'The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'. The insurance company paid us the value of the book, and some other things, but we have never really tried to replace the book. Some things are more than just objects. Replacing the object does not also replace the history and the feelings for it. So our messy old red book is gone.

It would be lovely to read the book. I think about it each Christmas. But, it's one of those things that gets pushed down on my to-do list as I keep adding more and more to be done first.

Dear Santa,

I need a new Christmas tree this year. I gave my old tree to my nephew. I thought he would be happy to have a Christmas tree of his own. It's his first year of living on his own, so far away from his family, attending university. Do you remember that tree, Santa? It was the first Christmas tree I ever bought for myself when I had a place of my own. The store I bought it from doesn't even exist now. I kept the original box, packed the tree up carefully each year. Until the divorce and then I didn't put up a tree for a long time.

But, divorce doesn't last forever and yes, I did buy myself a new Christmas tree, a fancy one! A celebration tree! I picked it out after Christmas so I could get a huge, expensive tree for just $40 on sale. I couldn't take it home on the bus, it was just too bulky and heavy. But, even with the taxi fare I still didn't pay the full amount the tree had been selling for. Practical even as I splurged on that tree. It was tall, lots of branches for all my ornaments. I loved the branches too, much nicer than my old tree (as much as I still liked it too). Still, the old tree did not come pre-lit! What a luxury that was. Just get the right plugs in the right places and there it was... all lit up and even a dimmer switch. What a glorious tree it was. Until the top of the three sections disappeared and I felt too discouraged to put it up that way.

This year, already November, Santa Claus, I gave away my old tree out of love and I can't put up the broken tree because it hurts my heart. Have you got a new Christmas tree in your Santa sack for me? Could you send it early, pretty soon in fact? I've got all the decorations out from the garage and they look forlorn sitting out without a tree to decorate.

It must be an artificial tree. I can't even remember ever having anything else since I was a kid and my brother was allergic to real trees. I'd like a tree that will be a little easier to store away, probably about 4 feet tall so I can get it inside a storage tote to keep the dust and mice away from it while it's in the rafters of the garage most of the year. I'd like something pretty. A pre-lit tree again for sure. I found the loveliest tree online (so far) but it's too far out of my budget to consider.

I know you must be crazy busy as December gets closer, but if you can, help me find that perfect little tree so I can put one up again this year. I need my Christmas spirit as much as everyone else.

Take care of yourself,

Me.

Note: This is not written to request anyone send me a tree. I've narrowed it down to a couple from stores in the area. I will have the tree ready to set up by the middle of this week. Thank you to anyone who would consider being charitable, but I'm just fine and I like being independent.

Should you get a Real Tree or a Fake Tree?

You may not have asthma and/ or allergies in your family, this is the most practical reason for having an artificial Christmas tree, to me. You may have animals in your home and want to keep them from treating a real tree like a.... real tree. Or, you may just not like throwing away a real tree after Christmas. If you have enough garden or yard space you can compost the tree but it's not going to compost quickly and it will change the garden soil condition - good for some plants and not so good for others.

In the end, consider a fake tree because they don't shed needles, don't need to be replaced each year and you leave the real trees out there to keep on growing and producing oxygen.

• Flickr: Christmas Tree Carcasses
• Flickr: Christmas Trees Discarded

Modern Artificial Trees are Beautiful Too

There are so many options for the modern artificial Christmas tree, I wonder why people keep cutting down real trees. It is especially sad to see all those real trees thrown out in the trash such a short time later.

My favourite thing about family holidays has always been the family getting together and baking. Most holidays we made pies, bread/ rolls and the odd new-fangled concept which seemed to always work out, some how. Those days are a bit lost now as we move from the old generation into the new. But, I still like holiday baking and Halloween is one of my favourite three holidays. I like these gingerbread men because they bring something new to an old Christmas tradition and something new to Halloween. Halloween gingerbread men are a good combination. Plus, tasty treats too.

Of course, most of these are based on the zombie idea. It's so trendy these days with zombie walks popping up in so many places. Gingerbread men (gingerbread people) in the zombie style tend to come with parts missing, gore and so on. Of course, you could just eat the odd leg - but that's a bit too much like double dipping. Frowned upon.

Then there's the skeleton gingerbread guy. Will you pick out the bones first or risk just crunching them between your teeth, in real gruesome Halloween style?

Why not continue on with all the standard Halloween characters in gingerbread, the ghost, the witch, the vampire, the Frankenstein monster and the mummy too. You can get tin, some snips and create your own cookie cutter designs. If you really want to go all out with the idea of gingerbread characters for Halloween.

Decorating the gingerbread men would be a bit challenging. I wouldn't like to use a lot of black icing so I'd get creative and turn them into colourful characters. Bring in more green and orange, black isn't the only traditional Halloween colour. Why should cookies be so darkly Gothic?

Pick a recipe for a basic or simple sugar cookie. These are the type which you can roll out, cut and decorate. Not every recipe will be roller friendly so if you try a new recipe read it all the way through first. Some may need refrigeration, some may be crispy and likely to break and snap once they are baked. Martha Stewart has a basic sugar cookie recipe, but if you have a family favourite stick with that!

Ghastly, spooky, creepy ideas in cookie cutting (and decorating) for Halloween.

Decorating cookies is a great way to make your best creative notions as edible creations. Use a simple cookie recipe, cut out the cookie shapes, decorate them, bake them and share them with family, friends and whoever wears the best costume.

Make Mine Chocolate

Sadly, unwanted former Easter rabbits are a problem for virtually all rabbit rescues, humane societies, and animal welfare organizations. The goal of the “Make Mine Chocolate!” campaign is to address the problem at its source: reduce the number of uninformed, impulse purchases by changing the public's attitude towards rabbits.

Wrapping paper and Christmas cards are part of the tradition but how about being even more creative and environmentally friendly? Sending online Christmas cards isn’t the same but it’s an alternative. If you buy cards get them in a box, buying a single card will cost a lot more. Plus you will have enough cards rather than going out again for anyone you forgot. Of course, look for cards and wrapping paper made with recycled paper.

Wrap presents in fabric: dish cloths, towels, blankets, scarves, pillowcases and clothing. How about giving presents in other containers such as lunch bags, travel cases, laundry baskets, cookie jars, food storage containers, tool boxes, knapsacks and other things people can use again. It’s a present in a present that way. You can also wrap presents in drawings children have made. Pages from comics, magazines, newspapers and books too dog eared to reuse (second hand bookstores) are crafty ideas too.

Skip the bows and ribbons and go with other reusable things like strings of beads, knitting yarn, garden twine and mittens on a string for kids. Decorate the top of the package with Christmas ornaments, fridge magnets, hair clips, seed packages, sample packs of coffee, photos from Christmas past, anything small and useful or just small and pretty.

Furoshiki - a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that were frequently used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods.