Sweet, sweet Natalie Portman as an evil, black swan and a sex fiend?  Seems hard to believe but that is exactly what she is or at least which characters she is portraying in her new flicks Black Swan and No Strings Attached, which also stars the mucho hunky Ashton Kutcher.  Seeing her accept the award for Best Actress at the Golden Globes on January 16th, you could feel nothing but happiness for her.  She also earned the Critics Choice award a few days earlier.

Can a Black Swan make a great Christmas card?

With her upcoming marriage to choreographer Benjamin Millepied, whom she met on the set of Black Swan, and well on her way to “creating more life”, this is definitely the year of Natalie!  Her new movie No Strings Attached out in theaters now is just the type of romantic comedy that seems right up her alley.  On the flip side, Black Swan is a dark role.  Personally, I would not expect her to play that type of character but that’s why they call it acting and great acting is just what she did.  It would make for very interesting Christmas Cards this year if she used the Black Swan theme with either a black greeting card or a card that had both white and black feathers on it to send to all her celebrity friends (though I’m thinking probably not Sean Penn.)  It would certainly be creative and unique.  Hopefully the feathers won’t fall out all over the place when you open the card much like glitter and confetti always does.  Hate it!

Natalie’s kind aura is evident in her lifestyle.  She became a vegan in 2009 after reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals and is a big advocate for animal rights.  Her gentleness is backed by a solid education having earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Harvard in 2003.  She has been acting steadily since 1994 and has a long list of movies and a wide range of characters that she has portrayed over the past two decades.  Natalie is a dual citizen of the US and Israel.  She has been quoted saying that her heart belongs in Jerusalem and that she feels at home there.  Well, don’t leave us just yet Natalie.  A little birdie is telling me that you might want to stick around for the Oscars but please, I beg you, work on refining that acceptance speech.

It’s always nice to see a celebrity show his eco-friendly side. Lord of the Rings’ very own Boromir, aka Sean Bean, is asking some of his English neighbors to do their part by recycling the Christmas cards they received this past holiday season.

Sean Bean battles the dark forces of evil, and the problem of Christmas waste

The Woodland Trust has an annual recycling drive and this year, Bean is asking everyone to “do battle against Christmas waste” by recycling their Christmas cards with participating retailers this year for the organization’s last drive.

Bean is no stranger to battle. While stateside he is perhaps best known for his role in the first film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he has also played a villain to Nicolas Cage’s character in National Treasure, the Greek god Zeus in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and a nemesis for James Bond in GoldenEye.

Perhaps he has also done battle in divorce court, as he has been married four times, the last marriage ending in December 2010. After his second wife claimed he watched too much football and spent too much time at the pub, he developed a reputation as a chauvinist.

Despite the roles he often plays and any troubles he’s had in the marriage arena, Bean describes himself as quiet and has been described as shy and down-to-earth by reporters. A man of many hobbies, he plays the piano, sketches, and gardens in his spare time, though right now he may not have much of that; he is currently acting in three films due in theaters in 2011.

When you are making out your next Christmas card list, take a look at the environmentally friendly options out there before choosing that perfect card. You may even wish to send Sean Bean one of them – but don’t be surprised if he sends it to the recycling bin!

When you talk about the Christmas Spirit it’s nice to think of celebrities who do so much for others, especially children.  In my opinion Marlo Thomas is one of these people. With the time and energy she gives to the charity founded by her father, her Christmas cards might be the kind to bring a tear to your eye. She has dedicated her time and money to a charity started by her father Danny Thomas.  Danny Thomas was a struggling young entertainer who prayed to St. Jude. In his prayers he stated, and I quote, “show me my way in life and I’ll build you a shrine.”  Mr. Thomas believed his prayers were answered and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was built in 1962. Marlo, along with her sister and brother are keeping their father’s dream alive by actively helping raise money for this worthy cause.

Marlo Thomas shows her Christmas spirit all year through with her charitable works

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats children with cancer and other catastrophic illnesses, and they are also on the forefront of research into the treatment, and hopefully one day the cure, to these diseases. With both patient care and research occurring under one roof, St. Jude is a place like no other. Marlo Thomas is the National Outreach Director and she is heavily involved in bringing attention to the needs of the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In a time when most celebrities feel that no press is bad press, Marlo Thomas continues to help those that need it most. One can only imagine that her Christmas cards must be filled with the generosity of the Christmas spirit, as she has done so much for so many.

Marlo, whose real name is Margaret Julia Thomas, was born November 21, 1937. She is married to Phil Donahue, and they have been married for 30 years.  This is certainly a long marriage for celebrities, especially by today’s standards. Marlo is the step-mother of 5 and the grandmother of 2.  She has in her career won an Emmy, Golden Globe and a Grammy and is now in the process of writing a book called “Growing up Laughing”. It is so refreshing, with all the publicity given to self centered brats, to find a celebrity who really does reflect the true meaning of Christmas.

The holidays tend to sneak up on me. Mid-December rolls around and Christmas cards start showing up in my mailbox. If I could be bothered to tune in to the local radio stations, perhaps I’d have fair warning – they start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving!

Tori Amos sends her Christmas greetings through her album 'Midwinter Graces'

Last year, an album I never thought I’d see released made its way to record stores: Tori Amos’s Midwinter Graces. Fans of Tori will know that she is a minister’s daughter, and much of her musical catalog is an expression of her struggles with her upbringing and her own beliefs as far as religion and the church go. For this reason, the album of traditional reworkings and original songs works on a spiritual, if not religious, level, and can be listened to throughout the cold winter months. It even features guest vocals on one track by her daughter, Tash. Some retail outlets also included a “Tori Amos Christmas Card” in the packaging for this release.

Best known as one of the top female singer-songwriters to come out of the nineties, Tori’s well-known singles of the time include “Crucify”, “Silent All These Years”, and “Precious Things”. She has been playing piano since she was two and composing since she was five. Ever the musician, Tori tours regularly and can be seen on stage straddling the piano bench as she simultaneously plays her trademark Bösendorfer piano and an electric organ. Midwinter Graces is not her first foray into Christmas music. She has covered standards such as “Little Drummer Boy” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in the past.

Right now she is busy writing the music for a musical adaptation of The Light Princess for the Royal National Theatre. Of course, Tori seems to rarely take a break these days, and is likely already working on her next album. Maybe it will be ready in time for next Christmas!