Every Neopian's Guide to a Great Christmas

Christmas isn't just about the 25th itself. If you have time to spare, why not give some of it to preparations? Dig out that Gigantic Decorated Christmas Tree from your safety deposit box and add it to your neohome if you haven't already. Or you could simply get a plain tree and decorate it as a family. While you're at it, it probably wouldn't hurt to browse through your safety deposit box and see what else you can come up with. A couple of strings of lights can instantly brighten up a room and add to the overall atmosphere, while fireplaces are just about the best thing for warming up rooms. Pop in a CD comprising Christmas carols to add to the general feel of things. Mix and match decorative items to suit your needs, wants and style- go bold, go creative, as long as the whole family loves it. Personalization does wonders! And the best part is, everyone gets involved, be it having the responsibility of placing the star at the top of the tree or bickering with another about how red lights would look better than yellow ones simply because it goes with the couch.

There's also the advent calendar to visit for the whole of the Month of Celebrating. The pets absolutely love it, and there's always some excitement at visiting a place to receive a little present, be it good, amusing, or simply to enjoy the daily animations. Definitely a must stop for all Neopians. (:

Who could forget gift buying? There're many ways to do this, and there's never one perfect way. You could get the family to create wishlists and have them exchanged within members. You could use your own discretion, as long as the gift intended for the other party is something he/she likes.

Has your pet been eyeing that striped paintbrush for the longest time? Has he/she been favouring that rainbow Blumaroo plushie in the toy shop? Christmas would be the perfect time to give them a little surprise. Many shops offer wrapping services, however, should you wish to wrap your own presents there's always the gift shop, which brings in truckloads of designs every Month of Celebrating, so you'll probably find something you fancy. Gift wrappers aren't all that hard to make too. As long as you have large sheets of paper and some decorative materials, you're pretty much set to go.

How do you go about gift buying, you say? Be creative with your excuses when sneaking out of your neohome to go shopping. A perfect opportunity would be when your pets are attending neoschool. If they're too young for school and the shopping has to be done, don't leave them alone! Hire a nanny to look after your little one while you get your Christmas shopping done, or drop them off at the nearest day care or with your neighbour.

Be creative with your hiding places. Storerooms, the cupboard or the space below the bed are probably the first places on the list should your pets ever want to sneak a peek at what you've bought them. You don't have to bury them. As long as they're hidden someplace you're sure your pets won't think of trying (that large, scary storeroom they're too afraid to enter wouldn't be too bad), your gifts should remain hidden till Christmas

Christmas cards can make the individual feel loved, so why not make or buy a couple? As with the giftwrap, should you ever decide to handmake them, all you'll need are construction paper, markers and other decorative materials, unless you're very creative and would like to make it out of something other than paper. Cards can also be bought from the gift shop.

Feeling charitable or would like to do a good deed? Keep the spirit of giving going by donating something nice to the Money Tree on a daily or weekly basis. Whatever you can spare is fine, as long as it's usable and you're confident of it making a needy Neopian's day. (: Everyone deserves a happy Christmas.

A good Christmas breakfast/lunch/dinner is never denied. Shop for fresh ingredients two days before or on the eve of Christmas so they'll stay fresh! Christmas cakes, cookies or pudding make a nice dessert. Turkey dinners can really fill one up, if you haven't already had them recently. Or just whip up you and your pets' favourite dish for a scrumptious meal.

The eve before Christmas, be sure to hang up your pets' stockings! Santa doesn't appear to the watchful eye, so make sure your pets are in bed by twelve! Take some time to enjoy the Christmas lights shimmering on that tree or around your neohome. For those who don't believe in Santa and would like to bask in the magic of Christmas, you could always go caroling. Invite friends along and have a great night out! Just be sure to keep warm, as temperatures have been known to be unpredictable at times.

And then, it's Christmas morning! Your pets were probably too hyped the night before to sleep much, so don't be too surprised to find them below the tree already, tearing open the presents Santa brought them. Bring your own gifts for them out from wherever you were hiding them, and it's time for the great present exchange! If you were lucky enough to have a white Christmas, snowball fights and snowman building are usually favourites with everybody, so bundle up and have a little fun before trooping back in for breakfast.

If you were looking for ways to spend your Christmas day, Terror Mountain is an obvious choice- what with its snow theme and all, there's bound to be something special going on. Indulge in a game of Rink Runner or pop by the Ice Cream or Slushie shop- they just might have special Christmas offers. You could also just enjoy the buzz of activity going on, or even the many Christmas decorations. The Snowager might even be in a good mood, although the chances of that happening are probably slimmer than the last lucky thing you'd ever expect to happen to you. Should you ever be in need of something warm, the Coffee shop in the deep catacombs just might do the trick. The Bakery and Chocolate shop in Neopia Central might also be selling Christmas goodies, so pop by for a visit. Spread more of that Christmas cheer by donating again to the Money Tree. The smiles of others can make the best gift. Visit friends, get caught up in catching up! If none of these appeal to you, however, there's nothing wrong with spending the day at home with your pets baking treats, or doing an activity that appeals to everyone. To complete the day, enjoy that lunch/dinner (or even both) you've painstakingly prepared.

And so, Christmas comes and goes, all in a flash. That doesn't mean you have to immediately take down the tree and lights as soon as the clock strikes twelve, however. In fact, they say that Christmas lasts for twelve days, so that means more cheer, pudding, eggnog, and whatever you think would make a fine Christmas! Most importantly, remember that this is only a guide to give a couple of ideas to how you can prepare for and spend your Christmas, so feel free to include your own ideas, skip others or even change some to suit you and your pets. The key is to have fun. Happy holidays, everyone! (: