Young children anticipate few things more than the arrival of Santa Claus, with his sack full of toys. All Christmas season, they try to remain on their best behavior, as they write Christmas gift lists and letters to Santa. They bake cookies and leave out a glass of milk for the jolly fellow and even a carrot for the reindeer to share. But where did this folktale come from and how do we celebrate St. Nick this holiday season?

The American version of Santa Claus is most closely associated with the Dutch Sinter Klaas and arrived in the new world around 1773. In 1809, Washington Irving (writing under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker) described Santa arriving on horseback on Christmas Eve. In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (also commonly referred to as “The Night Before Christmas”), which detailed the physical description of Santa, as well as information about his workshop, traveling by reindeer and the delivery of Christmas gifts. Thomas Nast published pictures of Santa in Harper’s Magazine from the 1860s to 1880s, which further cemented the imagery in children’s minds.

Santa Claus has taken some harsh criticism over the years. While it was meant to be a celebratory figure of kindness and good cheer, not everyone approves. Some Christians say the pagan symbol takes away from the religious sentiment during the Christmas season. Some psychologists add that perpetuating this “Santa lie” can be damaging to children when they learn of the truth around age 8 and suddenly realize their parents have lied to them. Yet a third group opposes the Santa symbol because they say it personifies the rampant consumerism and commercialism they equally despise. Despite the critics, Santa continues to be one of the most widely celebrated cultural myths world-wide.

Are you looking for Santa Claus art and craft projects to make with the kids or to give as Christmas gifts? There are many great Christmas craft projects at www.christmascraftfreebies.com/santaclaus.html, including Santa quilts, Santa door hangers, Santa ornaments, Santa clay pots, Santa wreaths and Santa stockings. There are also directions for making a professional-looking Santa ornament this Christmas at www.images.scrippsweb.com/HGTV/2005/10/24/SharonMann_SantaOrn.pdf. At www.craftideas.info/html/santa_claus_crafts.html you can make wine cork Santas, wooden Santas, Santa table decorations, Santa gift tags and more. A large resource of Santa arts and craft projects can be found at www.allfreecrafts.net/christmas/santa-crafts.shtml.

Now, there is something wonderful about LEGO and its many incarnations. If ever there was a versatile toy on the market, it is this wonderful line of bricks and other parts that will go together in literally thousands of combinations. The LEGO toy range has now kept generation after generation of children (and adults!) entertained and amused. There really is no limit to what you can create with LEGO, and it is this versatility that made the range such a massive global phenomenon.

It is now so deeply ingrained in the lives of xchildren across the world that it is able to maintain its popularity no matter what trend comes and goes. It really is one of the best toy lines ever created, ranking alongside the classic Meccano kits as the most creative and educational toys available.

As well as the basic LEGO toys and sets themselves, there is an ever growing selection of licensed tie-in editions. Some of these movie and TV versions of the ingenious brand have proven to be hugely popular with fans young and old, and have included such great titles as Star wars, Batman, Spongebob Squarepants, and the superb Bionicle spin-off action range that ended up spawning a series of computer generated feature films.

It is the ideal toy line for younger children and older children alike, offering a veritable world of creative possibilities that all have their educational value. There are some fantastic kits and sets out there for fans of pretty much anything; cars, pirates, animals, houses, films, TV shows and endless other options.

The basic idea of LEGO is so very strong that it remains hugely popular even after so very long on the lists of most wanted toys. LEGO is the ideal Christmas toy for almost any child, and promotes hand-eye coordination, problem solving and creativity. While many other toys offer a limited amount of use, a box of LEGO can become pretty much anything a child can imagine.