2011 New Year celebrations

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 30: The Times Square New Years Eve Ball is tested the day before New Year's Eve December 30, 2010 in New York City. The 11,875-pound Waterford crystal ball will descend a 141-foot tall flagpole to mark the beginning of 2011.





Workers run a cable over the street in preparation for the New Year's celebrations in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to celebrate the beginning of the New Year 2011 at the famous landmark in Germany's capital.



People dressed up as Father Frost, the equivalent of Santa Claus, and Snow Maiden, march in celebration of the coming of the new year in the town of Glubokoe, north of Minsk December 30, 2010.




LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Members of the Etiwanda Marching Eagle Regiment perform during a warm up in Trafalgar Square on December 30, 2010 in London, England. The bands from the USA, are to perform at the 25th anniversary New Year's Day Parade through Central London tomorrow. Many of the musicians have been stranded in the USA, after flights were canceled due to heavy snow



Members of the Riverside City College All Star Band, based in California, rehearse for London's New Year's Day Parade, in Trafalgar Square, central London on December 30, 2010. Every January 1st, people gather from the Houses of Parliament to Trafalgar Square to watch the New Year's Day Parade in which various floats and marching bands perform whilst parading through central London.



People dressed up as Father Frost, the equivalent of Santa Claus, and Snow Maiden, take part in celebrations ahead of the new year in the town of Glubokoe, north of Minsk December 30, 2010.



Crews work the New Year's Eve ball that will hold Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, star of MTV's 'Jersey Shore', Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, in Seaside Heights, N.J. The network planned to drop 'Snooki' from its Times Square headquarters but relocated to the reality show site after an objection by Times Square Alliance.




NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 30: The Times Square New Years Eve Ball is tested they day before New Year's Eve December 30, 2010 in New York City. The 11,875-pound Waterford crystal ball will descend a 141-foot tall flagpole to mark the beginning of 2011.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 30: The Times Square New Years Eve Ball is tested the day before New Year's Eve December 30, 2010 in New York City. The 11,875-pound Waterford crystal ball will descend a 141-foot tall flagpole to mark the beginning of 2011.



EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: Men dressed as Vikings lead the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations December 30, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, followed by the burning of a Viking long ship.



EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: Men dressed as Vikings lead the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations December 30, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, followed by the burning of a Viking long ship.



EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: Men dressed as Vikings lead the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations December 30, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, followed by the burning of a Viking long ship.




EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: Men dressed as Vikings lead the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations December 30, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, followed by the burning of a Viking long ship.


Times Square New Year's Eve Ball 2011






Edinburgh, Scotland Hogmanay Torchlight Procession


source: Daylife
photo: AP, Gettyimages, Reuters

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Mariah sings for Mickey in a very festive red dress as Ms Carey joins the Christmas celebrations at Disney World

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By GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN

All I Want For Christmas: Mariah Carey performs her festive classic as she joins in the celebrations at Disney World, Florida


It's one of the most well-known Christmas songs of recent times that has been described as a 'holiday standard'.

And being heavily pregnant with twins wasn't going to stop Mariah Carey belting out her Yuletide classic 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' for a delighted audience at Disney World this weekend.

The pop star looked happy and glowing as she performed at the theme park in Orlando, Florida for the resort's Christmas celebrations.

Mariah, 40, who is expecting twins next Spring, sang her classic Christmas song in a cute red dress with white trim.

Then she disappeared and came back on stage in a black dress to to sing her new holiday single 'Oh Santa,' which is currently at No. 1 in the US charts.



Cinderella's Castle: Mariah comes out to perform against the famous Disney backdrop


But while she was in Orlando singing her heart out, her husband Nick Cannon was on the other side of the States, hosting the Christmas celebrations from Disney Land in Los Angeles.

Thankfully the couple did get to spend the holidays together as they had pre-recorded the shows - which were broadcast this weekend - earlier this month.


Glowing: Pregnancy is clearly suiting Mariah who beamed for her audience as she came on stage


Christmas cheer: Mariah came back on stage in a black dress to wrap up the concert


Mariah was joined at the Christmas Day Parade in Orlando - which was hosted in by American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest - by singer Selena Gomez.

Performing in a white dress, Selena, 18, sent the crowd into a frenzy as she performed 'Winter Wonderland'.


Hello, Disney! Selena Gomez dressed all in white with festive red shoes as she came on stage to sing Winter Wonderland


Other artists performing at the event included this year's American Idol winner Lee DeWyze who sang Little Drummer Boy and Glee's Amber Riley.

It was the 27th annual parade at the Disney resorts and it travels along the park's Main Street with lots of famous characters including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.


Live from LA: While wife Mariah performed in Florida, Nick Cannon hosted the event at Disney Land in California



From Idol to Main Street: Ryan Seacrest reports from Disney World's parade


Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas is you (Disney Christmas Parade 2010)



source: dailymail [endtext]

Merry Tweetmas! Celebrities take to their Twitter pages to spread some Christmas cheer

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By GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN

Fairy on the tree: Kylie Minogue sent a video Christmas message with her inside a bauble


It's the one day of the year that they can forget about their celebrity duties and relax at home with their families.

But for some famous faces, Christmas wasn't complete this year without an online update of their Yuletide comings and goings.

Some, including Jonathan Ross, just wanted to offer their best Christmas wishes to their fans and followers.

Others, such as Dannii and Kylie Minogue wanted to post a video message to everyone.
And some celebrities just wanted to show off their families and where they would be eating their turkey feast, just like Gordon Ramsay.

The celebrity chef and his family spent the day touring round some of his restaurants to visit his staff before stopping at Claridge's for their Christmas dinner.


Christmas smackers: Dannii Minogue blew her followers some kisses in her video message from her home in Melbourne


They started at the Savoy Grill where Ramsay posed with the kitchen staff for a picture to Tweet.

He wrote: 'Merry Christmas from all the amazing team @ The Savoy Grill , lunch is about to start xxx'

Then it was on to the York & Albany, his restaurant in Camden and where his children - daughters Megan, 12, Matilda, eight, and ten-year-old twins Jack and Holly - posed with Santa Claus, with Ramsay writing: 'Kids with Santa @ The York&Albany , there slightly miffed he's so fat , and sounds Australian ! X'


Sexy Miss Santa: Myleene Klass sent her followers' pulses racing in her strapless red dress and Santa hat


It was then on to Claridge's where his wife Tana took a picture of him and the children with the chefs which he posted and wrote with it: 'Just arrived @ Claridges for lunch and the Chefs Table is in full flow ! Can't wait to start eating.'

Meanwhile, TV host Jonathan Ross got wife Jane Goldman to take a picture of him and his puppy Snowball and wrote: 'Here's a Christmas pic of Professor Snowball and me.

Happy Holidays! Big love to Pagans, Jedward fans and all the Little Gaga Monsters x'
Pop star Kylie and her X Factor judge sister Dannii Minogue treated their faithful followers to a video message in which they sent their Christmas love, Kylie from London and Dannii from Melbourne.


Baby's first Christmas: Danielle Lloyd poses with her five-month-old son Archie in his Santa Claus costume


Spoiled rotten: Big Brother 8 contestant Chanelle Hayes showered her five-month-old son Blakely with gifts on Christmas Day


Looking stunning in the sun a red halterneck, Dannii wrote: 'Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas all the way from sunny Melbourne! See you in the new year. Love and kisses Dx.'

And Kylie, who sent a message that saw her blowing kisses from a Christmas tree bauble wrote: '*MeRrY ChRiStMaS* everyone at home in OZ!!!!! Miss you, kiss you!! Love Kylie xxx'

Former model Gail Porter posted a very Disney photo of her daughter Honey with her Toy Story toys and A Muppets Christmas Carol and wrote: 'Now that's what I call Christmas. With extra sunrays. X'


Christmas Saturday: Frankie Sandford, one fifth of girl group The Saturdays, wore reindeer earrings


And pregnant TV presenter Myleene Klass set her followers' pulses racing when she posed for a picture in a strapless red dress and a Santa hat.

Describing her Christmas day with three-year-old daughter Ava and partner Graham Quinn, Klass said: 'Gray and I scrambling around looking for batteries, building a dolls house and eating Santa's mince pies. Merry Xmas everyone...

'Before I fall into my food coma, I hope you're all having a wonderful Xmas with your families.'

Enjoying their first Christmas as a mother was model Danielle Lloyd and reality TV star Chanelle Hayes.


Santa Gordon and his elves: Celebrity chef Gordan posed with his staff at Savoy Grill


Ho ho ho! Gordon's children - Megan, 12, Matilda, eight, and ten-year-old twins Jack and Holly - pose with Santa at the York & Albany restaurant


Both Lloyd and Hayes posted photos of themselves cuddling their respective sons, Archie and Blakely.

Celebrity Big Brother star Lloyd dressed her five-month-old son in a cute Santa Claus costume, while Hayes posed surrounded by presents with her little boy.

She wrote on Twitter: 'Merry Christmas everybody!! This is my first Christmas with my own little family. Christmas with my boys!! So happy and blessed.'

The Saturdays singer Frankie Sandford showed off her reindeer earrings as she spent Christmas with her family at home in Essex.


Puppy love: Jonathan Ross posed for a Merry Christmas picture with his pooch Snowball


Seasonal sunshine: Gail Porter Tweeted a picture of her daughter Honey and her new toys as the sun shone through the window


Kylie Minogue - Santa Baby Christmas In Rockefeller Center 30-11-2010


source :dailymail [endtext]

Santa Claus Hears Christmas Wishes

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Santa Claus, who was at the Arden Fair Mall on Christmas Eve, talks to children about their hopes and wishes for the holiday.

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Christmas Wishes From President & Mrs. Obama

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: Hello everyone, and Merry Christmas. As you and your families gather to celebrate the holidays, we wanted to take a moment to send greetings from our family—from me, from Michelle, from Malia and Sasha—and from Bo.

FIRST LADY: This is our first Christmas in the White House, and we are so grateful for this extraordinary experience. Not far from here, in the Blue Room, is the official White House Christmas Tree. Its an 18-foot tall Douglas-fir from West Virginia and its decorated with hundreds of ornaments designed by people and children from all over the country. Each one is a reminder of the traditions we cherish as Americans and the blessings were thankful for this holiday season.

PRESIDENT: Thats right, especially as we continue to recover from an extraordinary recession that still has so many Americans hurting: parents without a job who struggled to put presents under the Christmas tree; families and neighbors whove seen their home foreclosed; folks wondering what the new year will bring.
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From the surfing Santa of Indonesia to where it all began in Bethlehem... Christmas celebrations around the world

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By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Indonesia: A surfer dressed in a Santa costume surfs at Kuta beach on the resort island of Bali


Marvel at the diving Santa of South Korea, the candle tower of Germany and the cycling St Nick of the Philippines. All over the world, Christmas festivities are under way. From India to Australia, Spain to Thailand, Santa's got his hands full...


Lebanon: Children celebrate during their last day of school before the holidays in the southern port city of Sidon


India: Christian devotees pay their respects as part of the Christmas celebration at the illuminated St Paul's church in Amritsar


United States: Santa at play on the ski slopes of Colorado


Lebanon: A choir wearing cowboy hats in east Beirut


United States: Frosty the Snowman pilots his small boat down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


South Korea: Light displays in downtown Seoul


India: Children light candles in St Paul's church in Amritsar


India: Men dressed as Santa Claus visit slums in Allahabad


Spain: Children sit on the laps of men representing the Three Wise Men to ask for presents at Christmas, in Madrid


West Bank: A boy watches the parade outside the Church of the Nativity while Christians gather for Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem


Pakistan: A woman and child decorate a Christmas tree in a Catholic church in Peshawar


Iraq: Kurd children gather to greet Santa Claus in the city of Arbil


Philippines: A member of the Firefly Brigade, an organisation of cyclists, wears a Santa Claus costume as he talks to a woman with her baby in Quezon City


Bethlehem: Pilgrims pray inside the Grotto of the Church of Nativity


Germany: The former tower of the city wall decorated as a candle in Zell an der Mosel


South Korea: A diver swims with sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul


Thailand: Schoolchildren in Ayutthaya watch a show featuring elephants dressed as Santa


United States: Santa waterskis down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


United States: Still on the Potomac, but this time with reindeer and boat-sleigh


Mummy, Daddy... where IS he?


Santa nav: Find out exactly where the great man is via Santa Tracker (www.noradsanta.org/)


Merry Christmas from Warwick, RI


source: dailymail [endtext]