Released on = October 21, 2006, 6:15 am

Press Release Author = Christmas Express

Industry = Internet & Online

Press Release Summary = Original Letter from Santa Claus is a delight

Still remember how exciting it was to wait for Christmas when you were a child? It
might have been a few years ago, but the same feelings still arise when Christmas
season starts.

That is why it is so nice to get a letter just before Christmas, a letter that has
been sent by the Finnish Santa Claus. You can choose from 13 different language
options and your name can also been added to it by Santa Claus of course, who
naturally signs the letter.

The original letter from the Santa Claus is a nice way to remember your friends and
relatives everywhere in the world. With the letter you are sending the Christmas
spirit to your loved ones and are spreading the traditional, warm Christmas feeling.


Press Release Body = A Special 2006 Christmas Gift from
The Arctic Circle


A Story about Santa Claus in the 21st Century.

As we are all aware, the genuine Santa Claus has always lived far, far away at
Korvatunturi in Finnish Lapland. There he has his secretive home and workshops as
well as the gift storehouse and many, many other buildings.

The extraordinary thing about this is that the road to Korvatunturi is only known by
Santa Claus himself, his elves and of course his trusted reindeer. When looking on a
map one can easily find the location of Korvatunturi (483 metres high).



Korvatunturi is a mysterious place where the elves can listen to the children as
well as the adults to hear whether they are being good or bad. The elves listen
carefully to everyone\'s undertakings and write their observations into the huge
notebooks. Generally they record only positive observations in the books, but if
necessary they will also note down tantrums, grumbling and spiteful behavior, which
from time to time can accidentally happen. Especially before Christmas, the elves
are known to move about the homes and in the neighborhoods of children making close
observations about the children\'s behavior and their kindness.

Just before Christmas Santa Claus examines all the comments in the huge notebooks
and carefully chooses delightful gifts for all the kind and good children. In the
case there is a note of naughtiness, Santa Claus may also arrive with his
disapproval. Happily in the past few years there have been fewer and fewer of these
incidents because everyone has been so good.

Are you aware that in Finland, Santa\'s home country, he personally delivers all the
gifts to the kind children? As he arrives in the home he always asks the confirming
question: \"Ho, Ho, Ho, are there any nice children here?\" The children often sing a
short song to Santa and also promise to be good the following year.


Then Santa, with the help of the children to read the labels, deals out the gifts.
In many other countries Santa Claus delivers the gifts to the children\'s homes while
they are asleep. In the morning the parents give the gifts to their children, at
that time Santa Claus is well on his way back to Korvatunturi.


The Santa Claus Village


A long time ago Santa decided to meet and be with people at other times of the year.
Consequently, after many surveys, with the help of his good friends, he decided to
build his own village close to the town of Rovaniemi, at the point where the highway
north crosses the magical Arctic Circle.

Santa Claus desired to have an international airport close to his village, where
visitors from all corners of the globe would easily be able to come and visit him.
He also wished to have a town nearby, in order that visitors would be able to stay
and safely witness the northern way of life and nature with experienced guides. All
these requirements have been fulfilled at the present location in Rovaniemi, at the
Arctic Circle.

Today, at the Santa Claus village, Santa has his own building with his personal
office and reception. By the way, Santa has brought a small collection of his many
big books from Korvatunturi. The books may be admired in the shelves, but visitors
cannot peek at the contents. That right is only reserved for Santa Claus and his
elves.




Santa Claus received hundreds of thousands of letters from all over the world last
year.
The letters come to Santa Claus' Main Post Office. The Santa Claus Greeting Center
and the Philately Club in Rovaniemi help Santa Claus and Santa Claus' Main Post
Office to open every letter. All stamps from the envelopes that Santa Claus has
received, are sold in special stamp auction. The profit is donated to Unicef to
benefit children in developing countries.
The Magnificent Lapland Where Santa Village Situated
Lapland's pure and serene nature is a wonderful setting for all your pursuits. Come
and feel the tug of nature's energy! People of all ages will find things to do, see
and experience in the Lapland summer.
Whether you love peace and quiet, or whether you have in mind an active or cultural
holiday, you can give free rein to your wishes in Lapland. Come to Lapland with your
family, friends or by yourself. You will always be well received and served by some
of the best tourism professionals in the world.
The reindeer is an inherent part of Lapland's nature and is one of the North's
favorite animals. The 200,000 strong reindeer stock is an essential source of
livelihood for Lapland's people.
The golden eagle can also be spotted in Lapland. The birch groves are home to other
birds common in Lapland - the meadow pipit, the Lapland's most common predator, the
fox, roams the forests. Wolves and arctic foxes are rare. You can also come across
bears in the forests of eastern Lapland or on the lower slopes of the fells. The
most common bird of prey is the rough-legged buzzard. wheatear and the willow
warbler.
Other northern birds include the snow bunting, the willow grouse and the Siberian
jay. Birds found typically in the heaths of Lapland are the golden plover; by the
rapids, the water ouzel; and in the peatlands, the sandpiper, the ruff, the crane
and the bean goose.
The different parts of Lapland are clearly distinct. The south and the west are
maritime, they have rivers and rich flora. Central and eastern Lapland are known for
their tree-covered fells. Northern Lapland is more barren, and only stunted
deciduous trees and bushes grow above the tree limit. The domes of the fells are
bare and easy to cross. Pine, usually accompanied by lichen, dominates Lapland's
forests. Nature, forests, waterways and the landscape have had a profound effect on
the lives of Lapland's inhabitants. The shamans, who are also known to have dwelled
in Lapland, based their beliefs on natural phenomena and the course of life and
nature.

Christmas in Finland


Christmas is celebrated from 24th to 26th of December in Finland. Many Finnish
people start to prepare Christmas already on November making Christmas decorations
for their homes and for the Christmas tree. Also they bake gingerbread cookies and
prune tarts. At the beginning of December already Christmas lights appear in the
stores. Children count days to Christmas in December. Most of them have their own
Christmas calendar with some great pictures of the Christmas theme or even some
chocolate caramel.

The Christmas tree is picked up from one\'s own forest or bought from a tree seller
for Christmas Eve. The Christmas tree is decorated together with the family members
and the candles are lit. In Finland the Proclamation of Christmas Peace is declared
on Christmas Eve at noon and after that people quieten down for Christmas in their
homes.

Santa Claus comes on Christmas Eve to the houses where there are little children. He
wears a red coat, vest and linen shirt and warm boots. When he comes, he always
asks:

\"Are there any well-behaved children in this house?\"

If you have been good during the whole year then Santa Claus brings some gifts.
Every Finnish child knows that Santa Claus can also bring some brushwood if they
have not been good. According to tradition Santa Claus has never needed to bring any
brushwood to anyone.

Singing Christmas carols, visiting the church and the cemetery and enjoying
Christmas food and also Christmas Eve\'s sauna belong to Christmas. The adults often
remember their own childhood Christmas.

Christmas Eve starts with a tasty rice porridge breakfast. Christmas gospel is read
in many families. Later in the day families enjoy delicious Christmas dinner: ham or
sometimes turkey with homemade mustard, fish, swede casserole, carrot casserole and
potato casserole with a traditional cold Finnish salad.

Christmas day is spent with family but the next day, Boxing Day, it is customary to
visit relatives and friends.

After Christmas, people start to look forward to New Year\'s Eve. The Christmas tree
is taken down on the Twelfth Day to mark the ending of Christmastide.



A Christmas Letter to Your Loved Ones.... from Far Away in the Arctic Circle


Still remember how exciting it was to wait for Christmas when you were a child ? It
might have been quite a few years ago, but the same feelings still arise when
Christmas season starts.

There are many ways to manifest to our loved ones during this special season. One of
the personal ways is to send a warm message to friends, relatives and others in
conjunction with the season. A very special way of doing this is of course to ask
Santa Claus to convey the message on your behalf !






www.MerryXmas.org allows you to do exactly that special way ! MerryXmas.org is the
official website of Christmas Express in association with Santa Claus Greeting
Center, Finland. The unique website allows you to request for an original Santa
Claus Letter to be sent to your loved ones direct from Santa Village and the Letter
can be written in 13 different language options. Of course Santa would tell the
recipient that you are the special person who request for the letter.


The 13 Languages :


The original Santa Claus Letter from far away in the Arctic Circle is a nice way to
remember your friends and relatives during Christmas. With the letter, you are
sending the traditional warm Christmas feeling and the spirit of Christmas to your
loved ones anywhere in the world. The personal Letter can also be a unique way to
remember your staff whom you meet and work with everyday in the office or your
business associates and clients. To the recipients of the Letter just before
Christmas Day, it is certainly a sweet surprise to be remembered for the longest
time.

You request for the Santa Claus Letter online via www.merryxmas.org. For more
information please contact info@merryxmas.org. Last order date : 7th December 2006
to ensure delivery before Christmas Day.



Web Site = http://www.merryxmas.org

Contact Details = Christmas Express Sdn Bhd
Company No : 0734089-X
Business Address
Level 36,Menara Citibank
165 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
tel : +6(03)2169 7326
fax : +6(03)2169 6168
email : info@merryxmas.org
Contact Person: Mr. Chuah Seng Yuan
Associate Founder