Web Surfing

 

Happy Christmas www.happychristmas.com

Fa la la la la, la la la la. Christmas is coming. If
you’re one of the many people who aren’t quite up to
speed for the holidays, www.happychristmas.com has just about
everything you need to get into the Christmas spirit. The
capitalist, American Christmas spirit, that is. From forums on your
all-time worst Christmas gifts, to discussion boards on what to buy
that person who has everything, to links for buying gifts online,
happychristmas.com is fully equipped to get you in that consumer
mood. There are also sections to share your best and worst
Christmas anecdotes, adding to the interactive atmosphere of the
site. Aesthetically, the site leaves a little to be desired; the
simple silhouette of a Christmas tree looks vaguely like an
elementary-school art project. Also, the fact that the visitors of
the site provide most of the content is weak. The trite suggestions
and explanations often are a waste of time, such as one modest
gentleman’s suggestion that you give him, as the perfect
Christmas gift, yourself naked except for a bow. Another creative
idea that flops on the site is the “Pizza Joint”
section, where visitors can post favorite eateries. On the World
Wide Web, though, it’ s silly to have phone numbers of Pizza
Huts around the world. All in all, happychristmas.com is a cute but
unmoving venture. Beyond being effective in trying to psych one up
for the holidays, or looking for links to buy goodies online, one
is probably better off watching “Miracle on 34th
Street” or talking to friends about their favorite Christmas
year.

Andrea Dingman Rating: 5

Chanukah 2000 www.chanukah2000.com

With all the Christmas hype, the celebration of Chanukah is
often times forgotten by mall decorations as well as mainstream
media. But www.chanukah2000.com presents stories behind the Jewish
holiday, as well as some of the more fun aspects of it. For
instance, under the section titled, “Chanukah How-To,”
users can learn the exact workings of the holiday and how they can
participate if so inclined. The festivities begin Dec. 21 and
continue until Dec. 29, unlike the one day of gift giving that
comprises Christmas. Furthermore, one is not simply told to light a
candle on the menorah; the actual blessings which are supposed to
be recited for that day are provided. Though site goers can learn
such useful information as well as the story of Chanukah, less
serious options are also available through the site.
“Chanukah Spinning,” is a game that allows users to
spin a dreidel for gambling-like stakes. One starts of with $100,
and the goal is to earn up to $613. In the end, however, even the
games prove to be educational. The dreidel game is actually
teaching users various Hebrew letters, that can often times be
found on the spinning toy, and what each symbol stands for.
Chanukah2000.com really offers a wide variety of options for one
who celebrates, or is interested in celebrating, the holiday.
Recipes on dishes and treats that accompany the celebration can be
found, in addition to inspirational stories. An especially useful
link is one which provides the locations of public menorah
lightings around the world, many of which are here in Southern
California.

Barbara McGuire Rating: 7

Ben and Jerry’s Season’s Greetings www.benjerry.com/yule

Many may be unaware of the fact that there are more than two
main celebrations going on during the month of December. Sure,
everyone knows that during December both Chanukah and Christmas are
the “big” celebrations, but there are other Winter
holidays occurring that are just as important. Kwanzaa, a newer
celebration, which originated in the United States in 1966, is one
of these holidays, as well as Winter Solstice, or Yule, which
focuses around the first day of Winter. At www.benjerry.com/yule,
visitors can learn about the workings of these less known holidays,
in addition to the more obvious ones. Not only is a short summary
of the celebration for each holiday provided, but so are numerous
links to other comparable information sites. Besides just being a
useful site, however, benjerry.com/yule also provides tons of fun
games for site goers to enjoy. There is a virtual Christmas tree on
the site, for instance, which viewers can decorate and design with
ornaments and other fun decorations Safety tips are also provided
that recommend the best ways to have a great tree without running
the risk of starting a fire. In addition to this interactive game,
word searches and mazes that one can print out and share with
others are also accessible through this site. Being an Internet
location that is connected to the makers of the yummy ice cream,
it’s no surprise that the site is filled with fun graphics
and attractive colors, enough to get anyone caught up in the spirit
of it for hours.

Barbara McGuire Rating: 8