rddigital combined compressed

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

1/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

2/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

3/47

WeWishYouaMERRYCHRISTMAS

oy to the world? With all youhave to do in December, youdsettle for a little joy in your ownliving room.

In this special Readers Digestdigital edition, well help youmanage the hustle and bustle,the clamor and clatter, of theseasonand have a few laughs

doing it.

THE EDITORS OF READERS DIGEST

3r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

4/47

HELPING HANDS

Last-minutewrapping paperand gift tags, freemusic downloads,and other seasonalsurprisesallfor you.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

5/47

5r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

L I F E W E L L S H A R E D

C O N T E N T S

6 LAUGHS Need a funny story or two to jump-start

your season? Heres some holiday humor tokeep you merry all the way into 2010.

12 FOOD Need a little something sweet? Here are12 recipes for Christmas-cookie classics.

22 HOME Feeling crafty? Dying to decorate? Follow oureasy directions and create centerpieces andarrangements to boost your holiday spirit.

24 SONGS

HEAR AND SHARE Need a little mood music?Download a dozen of our free Christmas carols.Need a quick gift? Put them on a blank CDand use our specially designed playlist. Instantpresent! (Weve even provided printablewrapping paper and gift tagssee below.) SING Feel the urge to go caroling withfriends and family? Dont remember the words?Print out our songbook and wassail away. KNOW Want the inside stories on your

favorite carols? Dont miss our quiz.

38 GIFT WRAP + TAGS Need to wrap a few last-minute presents?Just click, then print these designs. Youre done!

.com

COPYRIGHT 2009 THE READERSDIGEST ASSOCIATION. ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

6/47

6 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

GodJestYe,MERRYGENTLEMEN!Truestoriestokeepyoujollyallseasonlong

lying to Toronto at Christmastime,I arrived at the airport check-in. Asthe security guard cleared my bags, Inoticed a sprig of mistletoe danglingabove him. Whats the mistletoefor? I asked.

That? He smiled. Thats so youcan kiss your luggage goodbye.

T a m m y D a v is

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

7/47

7

DAN

REYNO

LDS

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

8/47

8 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

I received a box of chocolates asa gift and placed it in the freezer tobe enjoyed later. Recently, longingfor some chocolate, I rooted aroundin the freezer and finally spied theholiday box. I lifted it out, opened it,and found that Id preserved a plaidscarf and gloves. He le n Fla ig

Even after moving out of the house,both of our daughters and theirfamilies have always stayed with usfor Christmas.

Last year, as we opened gifts, ourtelephone rang. Our oldest, Jennifer,

grabbed the phone and walked intothe hallway, where it was quieter. Sud-denly we heard a crashthe phonehad fallen off the end table.

What the ? Jennifer exclaimed.It has a cord! J im M cL e a n

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

9/47

9

(LEFT)DAN

REYNO

LDS;(TOP)VAHAN

SHIRVANIAN;(RIGHT)FEGGO

On a trip to see Santa, my friendsyoung son Danny climbed onto SaintNicks lap and shared his wish list.Later that day, in another store, therewas Santa again.

And what would you like for Christ-mas? he asked Danny.

Shaking his head, Danny sighed. Youreally need to write these thingsdown. R u b y P o p p

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

10/47

10 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

I know my company has made abig effort to be family friendly, but Iwas baffled when I read this holidayannouncement posted on the bulletin

board: All employees are invitedto the annual Christmas party. Allchildren under the age of ten willreceive a gift from Santa. Employeeswho have no children may bringgrandchildren. K r is t in Ba y h a n

For Christmas, my niece and herhusband bought a toy parrot thatrepeats everything you say. Trying itout, they accidentally knocked it offthe table. It didnt look broken, but thewings would no longer flap. Hoping to

return it to the store, my niece boxedit back up and advised her husband,Dont tell the clerk it fell off the table;

just tell him it was defective. Immedi-ately the bird inside the box beganto chant, Fell off the table! Fell offthe table! Be ck y M cG la u fl in

We knew immediately that it wasthe perfect Christmas treetall, fulland lush, with no bare spots. Even ourgrown children were impressed.

Wow, said my son. If you didntknow it was real, it could easily passas artificial. R o b e r t P ie l

My daughter Lizann wanted to showme what she had bought for her

younger sister Holly. So we snuck intoher room while the others got readyfor the Christmas Eve church service.While we sat on her bed, door closed,

looking at the gifts, Holly tried tobarge in. You cant come in! weshouted. But I have to ask you some-thing, she said. Ask me through thedoor! Lizann yelled. After a moment,Holly called out, How do I look?

S a n d y G a g n o n

On the first day of her vacation, my coworkerfell and broke her leg. As the doctorexamined her, she moaned, Why couldntthis have happened on my last day of skiing?

He looked up. THIS IS YOUR LAST

DAY OF SKIING. Ed n a K it ch e

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

11/47

11

DAN

REYNO

LDS

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

12/47

12

SANTA BatThese12tried-and-truecookierecipeswilldelightfamilyandfriendsandguaranteesweetmemories

PEANUT BUTTER TEMPTATIONSYIELD: 3 DOZEN

cup butter cup white sugar cup packed light

brown sugar cup peanut butter1 egg teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt36 mini chocolate-covered peanut

butter cups, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In medium bowl,cream butter and white and brownsugars together. Stir in peanut butter,then egg and vanilla. Sift together

flour, baking soda, and salt; stir intopeanut butter mixture until doughcomes together. Shape into 1-inchballs and press them into cups ofungreased mini-muffin pan.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. As soon ascookies come out of oven, press a peanutbutter cup into center of each until onlytop is showing. Allow cookies to coolcompletely before removingfrom pans.

SUBMITTED BY SALLY

RECIPES FROM ALLRECIPES.COM

P H O T O S : C O U R T E S Y A L L R E C I P E S . C O M

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

13/47

13r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

14/47

14 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

GINGERBREAD BOYS

YIELD: 5 DOZEN

1 cup butter, softened1 cups white sugar1 egg1 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup3 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking soda2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon ground cloves teaspoon saltRoyal icing

1. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggand mix well. Mix in orange zest and corn syrupAdd flour, baking soda, spices, and salt, mixinguntil well combined. Chill dough at least 2 hours.2. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease cookiesheets. On lightly floured surface, roll doughout to inch thick. Cut into desired shapes

using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch aparton prepared cookie sheets.3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies arefirm and lightly toasted on edges. When cool,decorate with icing.

SUBMITTED BY JBS BOX: These are thebest gingerbread men Ive ever eaten. Theyhave a nice flavor, with a hint of orange.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

15/47

15

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION

CREDIT

BUTTER SNOWFLAKES

YIELD: 6 DOZEN

2 cups all-purpose flour teaspoon salt teaspoon ground cinnamon1 cup butter

1 3-ounce package cream cheese,softened

1 cup white sugar1 egg yolk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon orange zestColored sugar for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour,salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

2. In medium bowl, cream butter and creamcheese together. Add sugar and yolk; beat untillight and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and orange zest.Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Fill cookiepress or pastry bag with dough, and formcookies on ungreased cookie sheets.3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies aregolden-brown on peaks and bottoms. Removefrom cookie sheets at once to cool onwire racks. Decorate with colored sugar.

SUBMITTED BY LINDA: A wonderful spritzcookie with cinnamon in it.

CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS

YIELD: 4 DOZEN

3 cups finely crushed

vanilla wafers cup confectioners sugar plus extra

for decoration cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 cups chopped walnuts3 tablespoons light corn syrup cup rum

1. In large bowl, stir together crushed wafers, cup confectioners sugar, cocoa, and nuts.

Blend in corn syrup and rum.2. Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in additionalconfectioners sugar. Store in airtight con-tainer for several days to develop flavor. Rollagain in confectioners sugar before serving.

SUBMITTED BY FARMLIFE: The holidayswill sparkle brightly when you whip up abatch of these.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

16/47

16

KRISTENS AWESOMEOATMEAL COOKIES

YIELD: 5 DOZEN

cup shortening1 cup packed light

brown sugar cup white sugar1 egg cup water1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt teaspoon baking soda1 tablespoon ground cinnamon3 cups rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookiesheets. In medium bowl, cream shorteningand brown and white sugars together; stir inegg, water, and vanilla. Combine flour, salt,baking soda, and cinnamon; stir into creamedmixture. Stir in rolled oats. Drop roundedspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

2. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheetsa couple of minutes before removing to wireracks to cool completely.

SUBMITTED BY KRISTEN HATHAWAY: This ismy mothers recipe, and it really is awesome.The cookies are somewhat crispy but notcakey. You can add raisins, chocolate chips, or

coconut to this recipe too.

GRANDMAS GINGERSNAPS

YIELD: 3 DOZEN

cup margarine1 cup white sugar plus cup

for decoration1 egg

cup molasses2 cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 teaspoons baking soda teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In medium bowl,cream margarine and 1 cup white sugartogether. Beat in egg and molasses until well

blended. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon,baking soda, and salt; stir into molassesmixture to form dough. Roll dough into 1-inch

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

17/47

17r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

balls, and roll the balls in remaining sugar.Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreasedcookie sheets.2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to coolon baking sheets for 5 minutes before

removing to wire rack to cool completely.SUBMITTED BY RAMB: This was my

mother-in-laws recipe and my husbandsfavorite. Shorten or lengthen the cookingtime for a softer or crisper cookie.

CARAMEL SHORTBREADSQUARES

YIELD: 6 DOZEN

cup butter, softened, plus cup butter

cup white sugar1 cups all-purpose flour cup packed light

brown sugar2 tablespoons light corn syrup

cup sweetened condensed milk1 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In medium bowl, mixtogether cup butter, white sugar, and flour

until evenly crumbly. Press into 9-inch squarebaking pan. Bake 20 minutes.2. In 2-quart saucepan, combine remaining cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, andmilk. Bring to boil; continue to boil 5 minutes.Remove from heat and beat vigorously withwooden spoon about 3 minutes. Pour overbaked crust (warm or cool). Cool until itbegins to firm.3. Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl.

Heat 1 minute, then stir and continue to heatand stir at 20-second intervals until chocolateis melted and smooth. Pour chocolate overcaramel layer and spread evenly to covercompletely. Chill. Cut into 1-inch squares.

SUBMITTED BY JULIA: These cookies consistof a shortbread crust, a firm caramel center, anda milk chocolate top. Theyre supereasy to make.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

18/47

18 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cream togetherbutter, shortening, 1 cups sugar, eggs, andvanilla. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, bakingsoda, and salt. Shape dough by roundedspoonfuls into balls.2. Mix together cinnamon and remaining2 tablespoons sugar. Roll dough balls in mixture.

Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not toohard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

SUBMITTED BY BETH SIGWORTH: Thesewonderful cinnamon-sugar cookies becamevery popular with my friends at church. Withcrispy edges and chewy centers, these treatsare a crowd-pleaser.

MRS. SIGGS SNICKERDOODLES

YIELD: 4 DOZEN

cup butter, softened cup shortening1 cups plus 2 tablespoons

white sugar2 eggs2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons cream of tartar1 teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

19/47

VIENNESE CRESCENT HOLIDAYCOOKIES

YIELD: 4 DOZEN

2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup butter1 cup hazelnuts, ground

cup plus 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar8 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 vanilla beanSemisweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In large mixing bowl,combine flour, butter, nuts, cup confection-ers sugar, salt, and vanilla. Hand mix untilthoroughly blended. Shape dough into ball.

Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.2. Meanwhile, put remaining 2 cups confec-tioners sugar in bowl or small container. With

sharp chefs knife, split vanilla bean lengthwise.Scrape out seeds, and mix them into sugar. Cutpod into 2-inch pieces and mix into sugar.3. Remove dough from refrigerator and forminto 1-inch balls. Roll each ball into small roll,3 inches long. Place rolls 2 inches apart onungreased cookie sheets, and bend each oneto make a crescent shape.4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set but notbrown. Let stand 1 minute, then remove fromcookie sheets. Place hot cookies on large sheetof aluminum foil. Sprinkle with prepared sugarmixture. Turn gently to coat on both sides. Coolcompletely and store in airtight container atroom temperature. Just before serving, dip oneend of each cookie in melted chocolate and

coat other end with more vanilla-flavored sugar.SUBMITTED BY DEBBY HAWKINS: These cook-

ies are flaky and buttery and worth the effort.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

20/47

20

ORANGE CRANBERRY DROPS

YIELD: 3 DOZEN

cup butter, softened cup white sugar cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg3 tablespoons orange juice teaspoon orange extract1 teaspoon grated orange zest1 cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease cookiesheets, or line with parchment paper.2. In medium bowl, cream butter and whiteand brown sugars together. Stir in egg andorange juice, extract, and zest. Sift togetherflour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt;mix into orange mixture. Stir in driedcranberries. Drop cookie dough by heaping

teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on preparedcookie sheets.3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges startto brown. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes,then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

SUBMITTED BY RANDI: A delicious orangecookie with dried cranberries. Beautiful and

tasty!

GINGER CRINKLES

YIELD: 2 DOZEN

cup vegetable oil1 cup plus cup white sugar1 egg cup molasses

2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon saltWhite chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix oil and 1 cup sugarthoroughly with electric mixer. Add egg andmix well. Pour in molasses. Sift and add dry in-

gredients until incorporated. Roll teaspoonfulsof dough into balls; drop into remaining cupsugar to coat.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

21/47

21r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

2. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 15minutes. Dip cooled cookies in chocolate.

SUBMITTED BY DANI BOSCARELLI: This is arecipe from my mother. Our family has beenmaking them for 50 years.

BROWNIE BISCOTTI

YIELD: 2 DOZEN

cup butter, softened cup white sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cups all-purpose flour

cup unsweetened cocoa powder2 teaspoons baking powder cup mini semisweet chocolate chips cup chopped walnuts1 egg yolk, beaten1 tablespoon waterWhite and semisweet chocolate chips andbutterscotch chips, melted separately

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease baking sheets,or line with parchment paper.2. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar to-gether. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir invanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking pow-

der; stir into creamed mixture until well blendedDough will be stiff, so mix in last bit of flour mix-ture by hand. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts.3. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into9- by 2- by 1-inch loaves. Place on baking sheet4 inches apart. Brush with mixture of yolk andwater.4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm. Cool onbaking sheet 30 minutes.5. Using a serrated knife, cut loaves diagonallyinto 1-inch slices. Return slices to baking sheet,placing them on their sides. Bake 10 to 15 min-utes on each side, or until dry. Cool com-pletely, then drizzle with melted chocolate andbutterscotch. Store in airtight container.

SUBMITTED BY PA.GRANNY: A chocolateversion of an Italian favorite.

(BISCOTTI)POOFIETOMATO

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

22/47

BRANCHINGOut at HomeA little craftinesshere, a littleelegance there,and youve

decked thehalls for theholidays

CENTERPIECES

Readers Digestcomes from trees,

and now, with oureasy directions, itreturns to its roots.To make the maga-zine into a tree, seeopposite page.

CLICK HERE FOR STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

22

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

23/47

SUPPLIES

ReadersDigestmagazineCraft glueHoliday-coloredspray paint

Glitter, stickers, smallpom-poms

Small foam, wood, orplastic star

1.Remove front and back

covers of magazine. Takeupper-right-hand corner offirst page of magazine andfold it in toward magazinesspine; crease.

2.Take this folded page andfold it in again towardspine; crease. A smalltriangle will hang belowbottom edge.

3. Fold triangle up, aligningwith bottom edge; crease.First page is finished.

4. Fold remaining pagesfollowing steps above.

5.When finished, glue frontand back pages together.Spray paint tree and sprinkleglitter while still wet, or,

when dry, decorate withstickers or pom-poms asdesired. Glue star to top.

TIP:

For a fuller tree, glue twofolded magazines back-to-back.

CHRISTMAS TREECENTERPIECE

23

(LEFT)JEREMY

LIPS;(TOP

RIGHT)ROB

FIOCCA;(RIGHT)RICHARD

JU

NG/FOODPIX/GETTY

IMAGES

r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

EASILY ARRANGED Branches that have been dried andsimply decorated (above) or spray painted and hung withornaments in the same color (below) last all season.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

24/47

24

HolidayCAROLINGKITPrint,share,sing!HeresaninstantsongbookforimpromptuChristmas crooning.

SONG LIST

1. O Holy Night2. O Little Town of Bethlehem

3. Silent Night

4. I Saw Three Ships

5. Lo, How a Rose Eer Blooming

6. Joy to the World

7. The First Noel

8. O Come, All Ye Faithful9. Away in a Manger

10. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella

11. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

12. Jingle Bells

R A N D Y F A R I S / C O R B I S

(click to view a printable PDF of the Caroling Kit)

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

25/47

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION

CREDIT

r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m 25

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

26/47

26

O HOLY NIGHT(Words by Placide Cappeau, translated by John Sullivan

Dwight; music by Adolphe Charles Adam)

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,It is the night of our dear Saviors birth!Long lay the world in sin and error pining,Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!O night divine! O night when Christ was born!O night divine! O night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,Here came the Wise Men from Orient land.The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our friend!He knows our need, to our weakness is

no stranger.Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,His law is love and His gospel is peace.Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother,And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,Let all within us praise His holy name!Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!His power and glory evermore proclaim!His power and glory evermore proclaim!

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

27/47

27r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM(Words by Phillips Brooks; music by Lewis H. Redner)

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light,The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heaven.No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray,Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today!We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell,O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

SILENT NIGHT(Words by Joseph Mohr, translated by John Freeman Young;

music by Franz Gruber)

Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is brightRound yon Virgin Mother and Child.Holy Infant, so tender and mild,Sleep in heavenly peace! Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight.

Glories stream from heaven afar,heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night! Son of God, loves pure light,Radiant beams from Thy holy face,With the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

28/47

28

I SAW THREE SHIPS

(Traditional English)

I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three, on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,And what was in those ships all three, on Christmas Day in the morning?

The Virgin Mary and Christ were there, on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,The Virgin Mary and Christ were there, on Christmas Day in the morning.

LO, HOW A ROSE EER BLOOMING(Translated by Theodore Baker; music by Michael Praetorius)

Lo, how a Rose eer bloomingFrom tender stem hath sprung!Of Jesses lineage coming,

As men of old have sung.It came, a floweret bright,Amid the cold of winter,When half spent was the night.

Isaiah twas foretold it,The Rose I have in mind,With Mary we behold it,The Virgin Mother kind.To show Gods love aright,

She bore to men a Savior,When half spent was the night.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

29/47

29r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

JOY TO THE WORLD(Words by Isaac Watts; music by Lowell Mason)

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!Let earth receive her King,Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing, and Heaven and nature sing,And Heaven, and Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns!Let men their songs employ,While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plainsRepeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground.

He comes to make His blessings flowFar as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,Far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,And makes the nations proveThe glories of His righteousness,And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love,And wonders, wonders of His love.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

30/47

30

THE FIRST NOEL(Traditional English)

The first Noel, the angels did say,Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay,In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,On a cold winters night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,Born is the King of Israel!

They lookd up and saw a star,Shining in the East beyond them far,And to the earth it gave great light,And so it continued both day and night.Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,Born is the King of Israel!

And by the light of that same star,Three Wise Men came from country far,To seek for a King was their intent,And to follow the star wherever it went.Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,Born is the King of Israel!

This star drew nigh to the northwest,Oer Bethlehem it took its rest,And there it did both stop and stayRight over the place where Jesus lay.Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,Born is the King of Israel!

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

31/47

31r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL(Words and music by John Francis Wade; translated by Frederick Oakeley)

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!Come and behold Him, born the King of angels.O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,O sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above!Glory to God in the highest.

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,Jesus, to Thee be all glory given,Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

AWAY IN A MANGER(Traditional American; music attributed to James R. Murray)

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes,But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stayClose by me forever and love me, I pray!Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,And take us to Heaven, to live with Thee there.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

32/47

32

BRING A TORCH, JEANNETTE, ISABELLA(Traditional French)

Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella!Bring a torch, come swiftly and run.Christ is born, tell the folk of the village,Jesus is sleeping in his cradle.Ah, ah, beautiful is the Mother! Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son!

Hasten now, good folk of the village,Hasten now, the Christ Child to see.You will find Him asleep in a manger,Quietly come and whisper softly,Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers. Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps.

O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL(Words by John Mason Neale; traditional French)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,And ransom captive Israel,That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, freeThine own from Satans tyranny,From depths of Hell Thy people save,And give them victory oer the grave.Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheerOur spirits by Thine advent here,Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,And deaths dark shadows put to flight.Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, O Israel.

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

33/47

33r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

JINGLE BELLS(Words and music by James Pierpont)

Dashing through the snowIn a one-horse open sleigh,Oer the fields we go,Laughing all the way,Bells on bobtail ring,

Making spirits bright,What fun it is to laugh and singA sleighing song tonight!Oh, jingle bells! Jingle bells!

Jingle all the way!Oh, what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh!

A day or two ago,I thought Id take a ride,

And soon Miss Fanny BrightWas seated by my side.The horse was lean and lank,Misfortune seemed his lot,We got into a drifted bank,And then we got upsot.Oh, jingle bells! Jingle bells!

Jingle all the way!Oh, what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh!

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

34/47

34

emembering how carols filled him with peace andhope his first Christmas as a young orphan,

Ron Clancy has made it his lifes work to trackdown the stories behind the music of the

season. He has shared his favorite tales infour books on carols and a series ofYouTube videos.

Here, he tests how well you know thesongs you sing every year.

1. Which carol is based on a poemby Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?

2. Which carol became the biggesthit of Gene Autrys career after his wife

convinced her reluctant husband torecord it, put it on a B side, and

put whatever you want onthe A side?

3. Which carol won anAcademy Award for

best song?

4. What is the most recorded Christmas carol of all time?

5. Which carol is only 39 words long?

6. Which carol is the best-known work of a songwriter whoalso authored battle hymns for the Confederate Army?

NameThat

(HOLIDAY)TUNE

CLICK HERE FOR ANSWERS

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

35/47

35r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

1. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

(originally on the flip side: If It Doesnt Snow on Christmas)3. White Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn4. Silent Night5. Ill Be Home for Christmas6. Jingle Bells, written by James Pierpont, son of abolitionist Rev. John

Pierpont. Born in Boston, Pierpont lived in Savannah, Georgia, duringthe Civil War. He enlisted there on the Confederate side and wrotesongs in support of the cause, including We Conquer or Die.

J o h n G r o s s m a n n

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

36/47

36 r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m

The12PlaysofChristmasA CDSWORTHOF FREEMUSIC

1. OHOLYNIGHT 2:47

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

2. O LITTLETOWNOFBETHLEHEM 2:51

The Fireside Singers

3. SILENTNIGHT 3:18

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

4. I SAWTHREE SHIPS The Fireside Singers 1:41

5. LO, HOWAROSEEERBLOOMING 4:02

National Philharmonic Orchestra

6. JOY TOTHEWORLD 3:45

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

7. THE FIRSTNOEL The Ambrosian Singers with 3:48

the National Philharmonic Orchestra

8. O COME, ALL YEFAITHFUL 4:30Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

9. AWAY INAMANGER 3:39

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

10. BRINGA TORCH, JEANNETTE, ISABELLA 2:07

The Fireside Singers

11. O COME, OCOME, EMMANUEL 3:04

Larry Dalton, His Orchestra and Chorus

12. JINGLEBELLS The Fireside Singers 2:16

Get jolly and jinglywith these downloadable tunes. Simplyclick onthelinksbelow.YoucanevengiveaCDofthesesongsasagift.Justprint theCDcover (right) and attacha gift tag (following page).

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

37/47

37

SongsoftheSeason

1.

OHOLYNIGHT

2:47

RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraandChorus

2.

OLITTLETOWN

OFBETHLEHEM

2:51

TheFiresideSingers

3.

SILENTNIGHT

3:1

8

RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraandChorus

4.

ISAW

THREESHIPSTheFiresideSingers

1:41

5.

LO,HOW

AROSE

EERBLOOMING

4:02

NationalPhilharmonicOrchestra

6.

JOYTOTHEWORLD

3:45

RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraandChorus

7.

THEFIRSTNOEL

TheAmbrosianSingerswithNPO

3:4

8

8.

OCOME,ALLYE

FAITHFUL

4:30

RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraandChorus

9.

AWAYINAMANG

ER

3:39

RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraandChorus

10.BRINGATORCH,JEANNETTE,ISABELLA

2:07

TheFiresideSingers

11.

OCOME,OCOME,EMMANUEL

LarryDalton,

HisO

rchestraandChorus

3:04

12.

JINGLEBELLSTheFiresideSingers

2:1

6

Songs

ofthe

Season

Click to view a printable PDF of this page

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

38/47

FreeGiftTags!FREE GIFTWRAP!

Print what you need, wrapup last-minute presents, and rejoice

(click on each page to view a printable PDF file)

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

39/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

40/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

41/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

42/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

43/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

44/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

45/47

8/14/2019 RDDigital Combined Compressed

46/47

To keep your Christmas cookies from crumbling,try the Silpat nonstick baking mat in the cookiesheet you already have. No buttering and flour-ing, no cooking spray, no problem. $22.20.

Dont worry aboutsetting the TiVo for

your holiday filmfavorites. Enjoy aboxed set ofRudolphtheRed-Nosed

Reindeer, SantaClausIs Comin to Town!,

Frosty theSnowman, and more. Bonus: a CD of

holiday songs. The Original Christmas ClassicsLimited Keepsake Edition, $39.98.

In the Bananagrams game, everyone scramblesfor the perfect words using 144 letter tiles.Low-tech bonus: All you need is a flat surfaceand some creativity. $14.99.

Looking for asleek, compact,

and easy-to-usevideo recorder?The Flip Ultra cam-corder capturesup to 120 minutesof high-qualityvideo in a snap.$149.99.

FORKIDSOF

ALL AGES

FORTHE SAVVYBAKER

FOR THEWORDMAVEN

FOR THEMEMORYKEEPER

P R O M O T I O N A L

You can always use a few new ideas to goose your gift repertoire.When you shop online at READERSDIGESTSTORE.COM, youll findgreat products, great prices, and FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25.Problems solved. This year, instead of elbowing people out of theway at the mall, kick back and click to your hearts content.