Web sites to help you ring in the holidays

By JEANNE ROGERS
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 25, 2002

Before you celebrate the holidays with your family, check out the Web. You'll find recipes, information about holiday celebrations from around the world, songs and craft ideas. And the holiday season gets off to an early start: Thanksgiving is Thursday, and the first night of Hanukkah is Friday.

The First Thanksgiving

teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving/index.htm

Check out the timeline, information about the Mayflower's voyage to America and the Thanksgiving Challenge.

Plimoth on the Web

www.plimoth.org

Get a sense of what it was like in Colonial America (where this was one among a number of spellings for what's now known as Plymouth).

The Holiday Spot

theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving

Find out how the turkey became such an important part of the Thanksgiving tradition.

Not Just for Kids

www.night.net/kids/rr-holidays.html-ssi

Let's not just talk turkey. Learn about the Cranberry Expo in Warren, Wis., too.

Holidays on the Net

www.holidays.net

Here's a great family site that's bound to have something for everyone. Read about Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. There are links to games, stories and crafts.

Celebrate Hanukkah

www.HanuKat.com

HanuKat is a site rich in literature, bold graphics and interactive play. Read the holiday stories to learn about Hanukkah, and check out the list of activities. Comprehension and discussion questions are provided, which makes this site particularly attractive for educators.

A Hanukkah Celebration

www.torahbytes.org/hanukkah

Stop by this site to read A Hanukkah Toy Story, and take time to look at the suggestions for family activities.

Celebrate the Holidays

www.verybestkids.com/

Click on Holidays and Celebrations, and you will find the story of Hanukkah and the story of Kwanzaa.

Holiday history

www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays

The cable network's home page offers links to pages on Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Read about the history and traditions associated with these three celebrations.

Christmas Trees

www.bugwood.caes.uga.edu/christmas/97007.html

Learn about the different species of trees available for the holidays: pine, spruce, fir and cedar. Read tips on selecting, fireproofing and caring for a tree. Read about Christmas tree traditions in Spain, Finland and Italy at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees/traditions-world.html.

Real Trees

www.realchristmastrees.org

From the National Christmas Tree Association, find links for kids and teachers. There's a glossary of terms, tree types, crossword puzzles and information about the White House tree. A sister site (www.realtrees4kids.org) provides teacher resources for all grade levels.

Tree farms

www.christmastrees.on.ca

Look, read and learn about a tree farm in Canada. It's a terrific source of facts, information and activity sheets for kids. Check out Willey's Christmas Trees (www.willeyschristmastrees.com/seedharv.htm) to learn how a Christmas tree gets to market.

Official Santa Claus

www.northpole4kids.com

Here's a must-visit site. It has been revamped, and the music is bound to get you in the holiday spirit. We're counting down to Christmas, right down to the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds.

Santa Claus

www.claus.com/village.php

The home page resembles a village. Check out the post office, village shops and the reindeer barn. While you are at it, check out the toy workshop and watch the "magnetic kinetic toy hulla-bullu" in action.

Celebrating Kwanzaa

www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm

Read about this African-American celebration that focuses on family and community. The site includes the definition of Kwanzaa, an explanation of the seven guiding principles and hints and tips on the celebration.

Kwanzaa

www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/kwanzaa

You'll find e-cards, pictures to color and other activities for the whole family.

Some of these sites offer free downloads. Remember to check with your parents before downloading anything to your home computer. Also, the first rule on the computer is: Do not give out your name or address. Be safe and enjoy the holidays.

-- Jeanne Rogers is the technology specialist at Deer Park Elementary School in New Port Richey.

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