Carl Pettit

Christmas is the time of giving and families, but it also has a darker side.

Santa Claus, who without a doubt really does exist, doesn’t have time to make a personal appearance in every Hollywood movie about Christmas ever made. Instead, he relies on a number of talented actors to portray him on the silver screen.

Globes and angels and stars are fine, but for the folks who like to be a little more imaginative with their Christmas-tree decorations—whether from boredom or budget—we’ve come up with a list of five unusual ways to help get the creative wheels in your noggin spinning:

Christmas means toys, food, holiday cards, laughter, singing, family squabbles and lot of sweets stuffed inside your belly. The festive season also means a ton of money will be spent on those near and dear to us—and with so many sales going on, maybe just a bit on yourself as well.

“Come on! It’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.” Those famous words, from the song ‘Sleigh Bells Ringing,’ signal the arrival of lots of snow in the colder regions of the planet—and tons of winter fun. What better way to enjoy the crisp air, and the cold outdoors, than by taking a “cool” sleigh ride?

The microwave oven is a wonderful time saver. When you want to defrost a chicken, warm up a bowl of soup, pop some popcorn or cook an instant burrito, you can’t beat microwave technology.

The open road offers up a lot of possibilities. You’ve got adventure, new and strange destinations, gorgeous scenery, and the opportunity to escape the humdrums of your normal life, plus all of the interesting characters you’ll meet along the way. All you have to do is decide on a route, get into the car and drive.

When you’re out in the bright sun, and you want to have some fun without squinting for hours on end, you need a pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes.

If vertigo isn’t an issue for you, and you have no problem keeping your lunch down while hurtling through space, then you just might be a roller coaster fan.

Little kids like to stick things inside their mouths, ears and noses. From toy soldiers and toy cars, to carrot sticks, pencils, crayons and more, some curious toddler somewhere has jammed it down his gullet or into his nose.

It’s never a good idea to infuriate an ex-wife or estranged husband with a score to settle. You never know what your former life partner is capable of. One man, living in Utah, discovered just how angry is ex-wife really was at him. Brenda Christine White drove a Ford Explorer through an office building in Salt Lake City and attempted to run her husband down.

Maybe you thought your thumbs were fast, and you could pop out text messages at remarkable speeds. Well, perhaps you should think again. A 16-year-old New Yorker was just awarded the top prize for the second year in a row at the LG US National Texting Competition.