If you haven’t heard of Elf Yourself this will be a treat for you. Just go to the website, upload a picture of yourself or a friend and the software there puts it on the body of a dancing elf. Set it to fit the body, make a couple of clicks then enjoy a brief video of you-the-elf dancing in whatever fashion you choose.

The site, brought to us by Jib Jab and sponsored for several years running by Office Max, gives a quick giggle to anyone looking for a little fun online.

This is the third or fourth year we’ve done Elf Yourself and not much has changed…except that the site has more logos on it before and you can now download your elf-self video for a $4.99 fee.

If you can look past the growing commercial aspects of what Elf Yourself has become (they likely had to do it to support the resources it must take to generate hundreds of millions of elves each year) this site is still a great diversion and simple harmless fun during the holiday season.

And it blows the doors off of Christmas history as you know it.

Modern historians have long labeled the three wisemen as mystics or magicians, hence the name Magi. Some identified them as men of Persia, due to its proximinity to the Holy Land. Though the Bible supports the idea that they weren’t Jewish there is no actual evidence — until now — that the Magi had any actual connection to Christ. This manuscript declares that the term “Magi” is actually a title bestowed upon an ancient order dating back to the time and family of Seth.

Seth was Adam’s third son, a righteous high priest known to be close to God. The book indicated that Seth’s family were called and set apart to escort the Messiah into the world and to witness his birth. In vivid detail the book describes the sect’s anticipation of the great event, their communication and teachings from Christ and their eventual and miraculous journey to Bethlehem.

The story gives amazing insights into Mary and Joseph and even touches a bit upon the trials of Adam (who is none too pleased with Eve). Even more incredibly, the story stays fairly true to the relatively skimpy Biblical account of the story of the Magi.

A scant 100-pages in length, the Revelation of the Magi is an easy read and a must own for any serious Biblical scholar or student of Christmas history.

Bear in mind: this isn’t a movie. It is a showcase. Filled with background music in various styles you select the visual part of the DVD is just slowly passing images of Christmas lights like you see during any Christmas season — from all over the United States. But now you don’t need to wait until post-Thanksgiving to see them. You can watch it at any time. Here is one of their samples:

When I sat down to view the hour long video I wondered if I would find it boring. In fact, the very thought of just seeing Christmas lights on a television seemed to me akin to watching paint dry. But as I got it started and turned up the music the kids started to come into the room. As each brilliant display passed by us the room filled with an energy as we talked about each one. The room soon filled with laughter and got us talking as a family about our plans for our own lights this year.

In talking with the production folks who made the video they acknowledged that this video isn’t like sitting down to a holiday classic movie. It might be more appropriate, they told me, as background material for a Christmas party.

I tried to think of it in that context but as I watched this and the kids dribbled into the room I was amazed at the reaction. My children span a wide gap — the eldest is 25 and the youngest is 9 — with all age inbetween. Each of them were enthralled with the images!

It certainly set a Christmas tone in our home early and for folks who can’t brave the snow and the ice or who just want to see Christmas lights long before or after they are displayed this video is a real treat.

The newest version, Christmas Lights DVD2, is just $9.99 and includes free shipping. It is now available for ordering via their website or on Amazon.com at the link below:

World Wide Christmas offers just two option: first is a page with 26 Christmas carols, categorized by their place of origin around the world. Some you can listen to, others just have the lyrics or even perhaps the sheet music. The site makes no bones about it not being a comprehensive resource but it does carefully delineate where each of the songs comes from.

The other option centers around a simple contest of photos submitted of site visitor Christmas trees. And the images from their 2010 campaign are stunning.

It never ceases to amaze me how the simple sites are the best. With their first option I was listening to Deck the Halls and while that was running I was browsing photos of outstanding Christmas trees decorated from places all over the globe. (Last year’s winner was from Spain).

I’ve bookmarked World Wide Christmas because I’m anxious to see the follow up for 2011. This is supposedly their 7th year of collecting such images.

The great music and the festive sharing of Christmas trees makes WorldWideChristmas.com our site of the week.

It is a question that gets endlessly debated on forums and in parent groups year after year. And for as long as there has been a Santa Claus there has been the argument over how and when a child is given the facts of life.

More than a hundred years ago the question was openly and famously debated in the media as a little girl’s letter to the editor questioning the existence of Santa Claus was carefully answered by editor Francis Church. Her letter and his reply are perhaps the most leaned-upon resource that parents have used to confront the question when brought up by their own children. Now parents have another resource.

The Santa Club takes on the issue quickly, frankly, honestly – and charmingly.

A thin volume, the book does not mince words. It lays out true Santa history sprinkled unflinchingly with religious beliefs about the heart of Christmas celebration centered on Jesus Christ. It separates fact from fiction while preserving a love for Santa Claus with a continued celebration of his place in the observance of Christmas.

As perhaps the ultimate test of the book I gave it to my nine year old daughter to read. She is not too far removed from her day of asking “the question”. She ate up the book in about 20 minutes and then slapped me on the shoulder. “You didn’t tell me there was a club!” she said.

While this book is aimed at young readers I’m recommending it for adults, too. Santa needs all the fans he can get these days.

A hobby is something that not only swallows time, grows talent and gives pleasure. It is an activity that begs to be shared and shouts to be showcased. Christmas isn’t a hobby for every one — many are content to be mere bystanders, enjoying the sights, sounds and seasonal highlights around them. And that’s fine, we’re not critcal of that. But for many — be it the hobbyist light hanger, crafter, scrapper or tree themer — it is a call to action. It just seems that for some Christmas is a verb.

At Christmas Tree Lane — a lovely blogspot destination — Christmas is definitely a hands on art. Operated by an elementary school principal from the midwest, Terri Steffes, Christmas Tree Lane is a joyful celebration of family, food, recipes, traditions and all things related to Christmas.

I like Christmas Tree Lane because it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t. It isn’t an encyclopedia, a portal, a search engine or the end-all-be-all of Christmas online. It is the Christmas experience USA-style as appreciated and celebrated by one who is as American as they come. Terri has an abiding love for the season and she’ll share whatever Christmas she finds.

It helps that she is an educator and actually knows how to write, too. In fact, I delight sometimes in her shared experiences:

Hark, the Harold Angels sing…When I was a little girl, I had all the lyrics to many songs confused. This was just one of them! I never knew any one named Harold and why I assumed this, I have no idea. Just like the Lord’s Prayer…and Howard be thy name….. again, where did that come from? I don’t know anyone named Howard, either!

See what I mean? Entirely genuine.

Christmas Tree Lane could well be a part of the Organized Christmas crowd that is so popular online. Primarily women and happy homemakers this group has for years flourished with their year round discussion of organizing for Christmas. While Christmas Tree Lane has no shortage of reminders when it comes to key calendar dates in organizing it is flush with images of ideas picked up here and there, no doubt much of it from that tight network of merry women.

But men can enjoy Christmas Tree Lane as well (I am exhibit “A”). The photography of food alone would enough to inspire any male but honestly there are enough ideas in decorating that any aspiring Clark Griswold can get ideas from Christmas Tree Lane.

Christmas Tree Lane is a great reminder that the Internet doesn’t have to be populated with shops, marketers or techno geeks to enjoy Christmas online. In fact, Christmas is what gives the Internet warmth in an otherwise cold, selling-centric kind of environment so common to seasons online.

Christmas Tree Lane, like Christmas itself, has none of that. It comes from the heart.

When you bring up the site it seems harmless enough. The site is full of festive images with lots of buttons that scream “click me!”. The site offers graphics, MySpace layouts, countdowns, buttons and other Christmas-related images for use on websites and social networks. Nearly everything there is a temptation to click.

Don’t do it.

Wish Merry Christmas.com is full of viruses, malware, hidden links and annoying popups. Their purpose is not provide you with Christmas freebies that are really free. Their purpose is to get inside your computer to track your surfing habits, take your information and sell what they know of you to web marketers who will target you relentlessly no matter where you go on the Intenet.

Don’t be fooled by these kinds of sites. Your best defense against sites of this type is to always run current anti-virus software on your system and consider running anti-malware software at all times. The anti-malware programs are worth their weight in gold and as it works you will over time begin to notice patterns websites like Wish Merry Christmas.com adopt to lure in users. They usually perform the same way, often share the same kinds of advertisements and trigger the same alarms from the security programs.

If you’re looking for trusted resources for Christmas graphics start with the other sites of Christmas you know. Visit Link Christmas.com, one of the largest hand-compiled Christmas directories online which works to avoid pointing users towards legitimate resources and away from dangerous venues, and discuss via The Merry Forums of My Merry Christmas.com and other trusted Christmas communities with other Christmas fans about their better resouces for Christmas graphics.

The problem with sites like Wish Merry Christmas.com is that they are backed by big money marketers and enjoy very targeted engineering that get them exposure on the large search engines and in social media. They go crazy with advertising at seasonal times and draw maassive amounts of visitors into their trap. Unfortunately for them Wish Merry Christmas.com is the type of site where they are the gift that keeps on giving with phantom browser tools installs, ad hyjacking and eventual total system flooding with advertisements and redirects.

Other signs that sites like this are dangerous come from the fact that there is no “About” page, no privacy policy and that their “contact us” page asks only for your information and gives none of their own. Just because they don’t sell anything on the site doesn’t make them safe.

Avoid, avoid and avoid Wish Merry Christmas.com.

We love Santa. In fact, we revere Santa. We believe Santa Claus can and should be not only a role model for Christmas celebration and service but also he is a genuine hero for our kids to admire and emulate. That is why the St. Nicolas Center website is a must-see part of Christmas online.

The St. Nicholas Center is a labor of love of two individuals with a devotion to the history of St. Nicholas and a background in Christian education.

As the St. Nicholas Center teaches the modern character of Santa Claus is based upon a real person, St. Nicholas. His story has been vastly celebrated over generations of time in lands all over the world. He was widely known for service and good works, particularly to children.

The miracles accounted to Nicholas may be considered fable or myth by some but the St. Nicholas Center goes far to back up their claims with scientific scholarship. There is no attempt to mask or embellish upon the stories of St. Nicholas or the later developed character of Santa Claus. The site is chock full of uplifting true stores and well-researched information about St. Nicholas that is bound to inspire scholars old and young alike. We cannot recommend this site highly enough.

After all, not everyone has the exterior illuminating talent of Clark Griswold. Some actually are very bad at it.

And that is what Ugly-Christmas-Decorations.com is all about. Despite the bold title there is nothing mean spirited about the site at all. In fact, it is fairly light hearted in presentation and usually quick to point out that their postings of over-the-top ridiculous decorating antics are meant to share in the fun and frivolity of the season.

The site design is spartan, making navigation quick and painless. It is a quick visit. The site appears to be about five years old and it is only occasionally updated. We’re guessing it gets the typical season attention of many Christmas websites. We’re sure submissions only come in during a short period of time.

Still it gives you a smile to visit and if you’re one who feels that your own decorating talents are lacking this site is sure to make you feel better.

This merry little site has been a labor of love since 1997 and there is something about the 1990′s-style of the web design coupled with the brilliant photography of New York City department store windows and Christmas sights that give this little site a lot of holiday charm. And, for those of us not close to New York at the holidays it gives us a unique look at Christmas done in the big city.

The site features an event calendar, pictures of Christmas around the city and it includes a city map and the history of perhaps the most famous Christmas tree in the world at Rockefeller Center. We’re happy to designate Christmas in New York our site of the week!