Santas dictionary Once upon a time in the North Pole Santa was going for a practice ride on his

sleigh. Then an elf named elf brought Santa a wishlist. On it were ice cream, hippopotamus, Christmas tree, pen, and scarf. Santa did not know what these things were for they were not real toys that little kids would play with. Santa knew that the person that sent this letter was on the nice list so he must create whatever these are. He sent elf to get a dictionary and in that it said a pen is a writing utensil so he created a jar of ink and a feather. For scarf it said a cloth used to wrap around your neck so Santa created an embroided circle. For Christmas tree it said a tree used for Christmas. He did not know how anything could be used for Christmas so he just got a plant and named it Christmas. For hippopotamus it said an animal but santa didnt know what type so he just packed a rat. For ice cream the dictionary said a delicios desert, (not dessert) so Santa just froze a bottle of lotion. By that time it was time for him to go and deliver the presents so he gave the dictionary to elf. I wonder how the little kid will feel. Poor Santa.

The Christmas I Saw Santa

At 11 o'clock on Christmas night I went downstairs to eat ice cream and sit on my special hippopotamus chair that my grandma gave to me for my birthday. Then, suddenly, I heard bells! I grabbed my scarf and started to run outside when I bumped into the Christmas tree. The ornaments were everywhere! Never mind the mess, I thought. I'll clean it up later! Then I tripped on my brother's pen that he said cost him a million dollars, but if it was worth that much, why would he leave it on the floor? Santa, his reindeer, and his sleigh were almost gone! I really had to see them! I ran outside, jumped into Santa's sleigh and sighed. Then Santa got into his sleigh and sat on me! "OUCH!" I screamed. "Oh, I am sorry, little girl!" Santa said. "It is 12 o'clock at night. We must get you back to bed!" "Okay," I said. Then Santa tucked me in and we said good night. Then, in the morning, I told everyone that I saw Santa! Nobody believed me, but that was okay with me.

Nature
When you live in a big city you surely have stress problems. Pollution, noise, crwods, nervousness, overtaxing work (maybe at home, too), these are the things that can make you say that you are tired, and you want to forget about them, at least for a while. The sollution is very simple: just get in a train and go to a calm place, somewhere in nature. It could be near a small lake, in a forest, on a coast or in the mountains. All you have to do is to relax, to forget about your everyday problem, because usually people have the tendency to enter into automatism, like a

machine: wake up in the morning, go to work, drink coffe, go shopping, return home, watch TV, go to bed and then start all over again. Nature could be a mirror for ourselves in which we can see who we become and which are the really important things in our lives. In this way nature can be a place of meditation and at the same time an inexhaustible source of energies. Also nature should be an example of harmony and balance for our lives. Nature is, for me, more than the place where I can be myself, it is also a teacher and a friend close to my heart. I hope that a lot of people who think and feel like me. I also hope that I have pointed enough reasons to convice you to return to nature, to respect her and to protect her.

Formal letter 6 Lower Turn Road Mountainthyme X26 3A 16th March 2006 The Manager, W. Jones & Sons Ltd Hermes House Clanton, Northshire CL20 OZX Dear Madam, I have seen your advertisement in yesterday's Daily Standard, and I am writing to ask you to send me more information about your Students' Note Taking Kit. I would be grateful if you could send me your catalogue. I and some friends are particularly interested in the wallet containing a ring file, extra sheets of paper coloured ball-point pens. I look forward to seeing your catalogue and will apreciate if you could let me know by return if you can supply these kits. Yours sincerely John Smith.

Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed

into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Dates: Family Name:Szekely First Name:Kiraly Mihai Date of Birth:14-10-1980 Nationality:Romanian Contact Dates: Address: str. Observatorului nr. 34 hostel 5 room 106 Town: Cluj-Napoca Mobile Phone:+4091939953 E-mail: sze_mihai@personal.ro Professional Education: 1999- Technical University of Cluj-Napoca,Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication,major course of study:Comunication-the third year of study 1995-1999 Theoretical High School,Tarnaveni-major course of study:mathematics-physics

Professional Experience: 1998-1999 a couple of jobs in maintenance,painting fields; june 2001- september 2001 S.C. Antenaserv S.A. Tarnaveni collaborator at the departament of Telecomunication(unpaid job) PC Knowledge: The base knowledge of PC: Excel, Word, Outlook, Powerpoint Programming languages: C/C++, Pascal Web Technologies: HTML, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver Databases: FoxPro, Graphics: Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw Operating systems: Windows 9x/Me, Dos Foreign Languages: English:very good (written and spoken) French:basics Hobby: Sports,reading,traveling.computers Interests: The willing and ability of continuous learning in my fields of interest, and the ability to adapt to different types of works and groups of work. To became a good engineer a specialist in my field

Winter
It is winter. Crystal butterflies flying through the sky darkened. Criva Santa arrived on our land with her daughter. Her children formed a silver robe. Small bell petals weave clothes tree with silver threads. Sun pale gray clouds provided. Very small breasts copliai is slippery hill. Fluffy snow crunches under their feet. With the coming of this great season is approaching and the following holidays: Neculai Santa, Santa Holy infant birth and transition to the new year. Children enjoy the season that opens the hearts of the people in another year u better.

Christmas
The years most celebrated holiday is celebrated on December 25th, both in homes and churches worldwide. The meaning for Christmas is to recognize Christs birth, of which the exact date is not known. During the fourth century the Bishop of Rome set December 25th as Christs birth date. Some authorities claim that the choice of December 25th was made because it coincided with Chanukah, Mithraics feast of the sun god, and the people of northern Europes winter solstice feast. The winter solstice is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the noon sun appears to be farthest south. (All About American Holidays,

1962 Encyclopedia Encarta, 1998) The Saturnalia was celebrated for seven days, during the period of time when the winter solstice occurred. During this, slaves were given freedom, gifts were exchanged, and banquets and happiness prevailed. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) Holiday Greenery Evergreens, the symbol of eternal life, have long been used for Christmas time decorations. The Christmas wreath represents everlasting life and Gods endless love for us. Kissing under a mistletoe supposedly started out when early Roman enemies stopped fighting when they met under a mistletoe. Holly is the most known Christmas greenery, and there are several legends about it, one is that Jesus crown was made of holly, and the holly berries represented his blood. (All About American Holidays, 1962) The Christmas tree: The Christmas tree is an evergreen trimmed with lights, decorations, and tinsel, is derived from a paradise tree, or the tree in the Garden of Eden. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) The use of the Christmas tree began early in the 17th century, in Strasbourg, France, spreading from there through Germany and then into northern Europe. In 1841 Prince Albert introduced the Christmas tree to Great Britain, where from there immigrants brought it to the United States. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) Santa Claus The beginning of gift giving during Christmas started from the three wise men, with their three gifts for the Christ child. Since then people have made up different things to tell their children where their Christmas presents came from. The historical Saint Nicholas was known in early Christian legends for saving storm-tossed sailors, standing up for children, and giving gifts to the poor. Although many of his stories cant be proven true, his legend spread throughout Europe, and he was soon know for his extreme generosity and gift giving. Many stories include him riding through the sky on a horse and wearing his red bishops cloak, sometimes accompanied by Black Peter, an elf whose job was to whip the bad children. His most known legend is when he would walk through the streets in his bishop clothes, carrying a sack full of presents, and leaving a gift on the windowsills of childrens houses. (All About American Holidays, 1962 Comptons Encyclopedia, 1994) >From the different parts of the world, there are different names, but the spirit of Christmas remains the same. Spanish children call their Santa Balthasar, children in Italy have a female Santa named La Belfana, Denmark has a gnome named Jule-Nissen, Holland has Sinter Klaas, Germany has Sanct Herr, and there are even some places that believe the Christ child brings their presents. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) The Christmas Feast On Christmas day, the years greatest feast was served, people went, and still do, all out. Although now we have different foods, the idea is still the same. The feast was started off with drinks and music, followed by a procession of the food. Once everyone was seated, the food was served and eaten, after dessert, people drank and danced. The banquet lasted hours and was the highlight of the day. Some of the food served was: beef, meat pies, roasted duck, geese, pigs, plumb porridge, fancy cakes, bowls of wassail, and toast. Christmas was a huge celebration filled with lots of eating, drinking, singing, dancing, and gift giving. (All About American Holidays, 1962) Christmas Decorations Centuries ago, Romans decorated their homes, public buildings, and temples on festive occasions, and we have followed this ancient custom. During Christmas time, store windows, malls, streetlights, and parking lot poles are decorated to celebrate this joyous time filled with shopping, gift giving, and happiness. Some popular and well-known Christmas decorations are: New Yorks Rockefeller Plazas Christmas tree, when set up, the first lighting of the tree signifies the official opening of the Christmas season. Another popular attraction is Christmas Tree Lane, in Fresno, California. People there string lights around the great cedars lining Van Ness Avenue. Homeowners there also set up holiday displays on their lawns and houses. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998 All About American Holidays, 1962)

my best friend

In life one may come across many people. Some will hate and while others will adore. The ones who hate can be referred to as enemies and theones who show adoration will be called friends. People may say the word friends is to broad. In the opinions of many, there are three types of friends. They are the aquaintinces he/she makes in school, the friends he/she looses as one grows, and bewt friends who may stray, but never too f ar away. First of all, there are those friends that are only seen in school. Seeing them on the street is like they are not even there. One may have known them throughout their whole school career, but have never talked to them outside of school. These school aqquaintinces are nice people to talk to , but there is never an effort to do anything more than that. These friends are good because there are never any chances to take with them. One just talks to them and then they go on their merry way. These school aqquaintinces are the peopl who are talked to about different hoobies and class studies. Not ones personal life. School aquaitnices are the people that one will not see for the first time until the schools ten year reunion. Second, there are former friends. These are the ones taht grew up in ones neighborhood and moved away. These are the friends who will bring back memories that people thoght were forgotten. One might be embarassed at first about seeing their former friend, but as soon as conversation begins all the embarassement will be a thing of the past. Former friends are the ones that little secrets about meaqningless ideas were told to as a child, or the person who spent countlerss nights at ones house sleeping over. These are the people that knew ones parents very well, almost as well as the friend was known. Te\hen all of a sudden out of nowhere this former friend is never spoken again to for years. Former friends give a sense of oldness to a person. In the long run they are good to have and to talk to. Finally, there are best friends who are the people that have been known all their lives or even just a few years. These friends regardless male or female can talk to a friend about anything on their mind. Many experiences have occured between two best friends or even a group of best friends. These kinds of friends share a common bnd that will last forever. Intimate secrets and special favors are all traits in which best friends can rely on each other for. All these examples are whypeople not only neebest friends, but should want them as well. These friends are future best men, bridesmaids, godfathers, and godmothers. They are the brothers and sisters ones parents never had. They are a part of oneself, if not all of that oneself. These friends mold the way of life one is going to live. Ones traits, beliefs, hobbies, jobs and even personality may come from the types of friends one encounters throughout life. Choosing friends wisely is a good habit to get into, for there are many bad influences in the world today. Friends come in many ways, but in the opinion of many the come as aquaintinces in school, the friends people wil lose as they grow older, and best friends who may stray, but never too far away.