Happy Birthday
Happy birthday wishes to dearest RUSSELL on your ninth birthday tomorrow. Lots of love, hugs and best wishes come from mum, dad, your brother Ricky and your sister Rebecca, uncles, aunts, grandparents and cousins Phil, Ryan and Cherilys.
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Hello everyone
In this week’s issue McDonald’s are once again keeping us updated on what is happening at their various restaurants.
I am sure that you have already heard of the characters Puttinu and Toninu. The HSBC Cares for Children Fund is distributing gift packs, consisting of a colourful book and two audio CDs of these two well-known characters, to a number of primary school children.
Why not try the Pine Cone Christmas Tree, which is featured in our Creative Christmas Ideas article? It is very simple to make and, added to other decorations in your Christmas tree, would surely make it that extra bit special. If you want, these cone Christmas trees can also be used as name holders for the family Christmas lunch.
Watch out for more competitions in this issue. Today we are announcing the winners in our KRS competition.
See you next Thursday
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IN OUR CINEMAS
‘THE NATIVITY STORY’
from tomorrow, 8 December
Entertainment
The Nativity Story chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary and Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus.
Film released by KRS Film Distributors Ltd
Winners of cinema tickets for
the film Flushed Away
Kristina Suda, Lyanne Sawyer,
Tania Zahra, Elena Brincat
Courtesy of KRS Film Distributors
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Did you know? … about Christmas trees
When searching for the historical beginning of the first Christmas tree, you must go very deep into the past. Just like Santa Claus, you find that the first Christmas tree was a combination of many different facts, legends and customs all starting in the Baltic countries and what is now Northern Germany. The first documented use of an evergreen tree in a Christmas celebration was in Riga, Latvia, in the year 1510, according to many sources.
• Christmas trees were decorated with apples, cakes and sweets for many centuries. Martin Luther was the first to use candles on trees in the late 16th
century.
• President Calvin Coolidge started the US tradition of the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn in 1923.
• The trees were hung upside down in the Middle Ages!
• Every year since 1947 the people of
Oslo, Norway, have given a Christmas tree to the city of Westminster. The gift is an expression of goodwill and gratitude for Britain’s help to Norway during WWII.
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Puttinu Gift Packs
The HSBC Cares For Children Fund is distributing a number of Puttinu and Toninu educational sets to 70 primary schools around Malta and Gozo.
Puttinu and Toninu is a collection of 12 stories for children written by Dr Philip Farrugia Randon. The book is published by the HSBC Cares For Children Fund and comes in a pack that includes a colourful book and a set of two audio CDs. The books are currently being used in a number of educational, recreational and rehabilitation programmes undertaken by the fund.
“The distribution of these sets forms part of the commitment of the HSBC Cares For Children Fund to promote reading and literature among primary school children. The charismatic Puttinu and Toninu, who are well-known children’s characters, will help instil the love of written narratives and reading in children,” said HSBC Cares for Children Fund chairperson, Catherine Gonzi.
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McDonald’s News
The toys of DreamWorks new film Flushed Away can only be found at McDonald’s this Christmas. Flushed Away Happy Meal toys are already available at all restaurants. The film is an animated comedy set on, and beneath, the streets of London. The characters to collect are Roddy the rat; Rita the scavenger; Whitey the Toad; The dreaded baddy, Le Frog; the Villainous Toad and football fan Sid. Each toy has a special function. One toy with each Happy Meal while stocks last.
You are sure to enjoy this fun film and collection of
toys over Christmas at McDonald’s.