In order to allow more time for people to enter our Hand-Made Christmas Ornament Contest, we have made the following changes:

New Deadline:  All categories will have the same deadline:  December 3, 2011.   This applies to the children, teenagers, and adult categories.

New Prizes:  Each winner in the 3 categories will win a $50 Ornament Shop.com gift certificate, plus an adorable personalized snowman ornament, which is shown.  This will allow each winner to select the ornaments of their choice and includes personalization!  One honorable mention winner in each category will receive a $20 Ornament Shop.com gift certificate.

Voting:  Visitors to our Facebook page will be able to view and vote immediately for their favorite ornament.  Instructions can be found there.

New Announcement Date of Winners:  December 5th

How to Add Your Picture to The Facebook Page:  Go to the Ornament Shop Facebook page
Click on the “Wall” on left side of page, select “Share – Photo” in middle top of page, click on “Upload a Photo”, select an image file on your computer by clicking the “Browse” icon, go to picture and double click.

There is still plenty of time to participate in the Hand-Made Christmas Ornament Contest, sponsored by Ornament Shop.com. Honorable mentions selected by Dianne Weller, Owner of Ornament Shop.com, will be based on creativity and the material used.
 
There are categories for children, teenagers, and adults so everyone can participate!
 
Entering is easy. Simply use any materials such as dough, clay, wood, fabric, glass, paper, ceramic or anything else you want to use as a medium.  Submit a photograph of your ornament, the amount of time spent to make it, and the story or inspiration behind your creation.

Winners get their ornaments featured on Facebook and Ornament Shop.com, receive the $50 first prize gift certificate for each category or $20 for winning the Honorable Mention prize in each category as well as receive the Snowman 2011 Personalized Award Ornament with their name and date!

One of the most popular holiday traditions is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held Thanksgiving morning, in New York City. The parade, which is the largest one in America includes marching bands, musical performances from Broadway shows and popular musicians, the Radio City Rockettes, celebrity appearances, and of course the infamous balloons and floats.  This year’s parade will be on Thursday, November 24, 2011 between 9am-12:30pm EST.  The parade begins at Central Park West and ends at Herald Square.

The statistics:

• The parade was started in 1924 to give employees an opportunity to show their civic pride.
• Live zoo animals were featured the first few years of the parade.
• It was first televised in 1939.
• It has never missed a year except when it was suspended from 1942-1944 due to WWII.
• The parade attracts more than 10,000 participants.
• An estimated 50 million viewers will see it broadcast live from NBC & Telemundo.
• 3.5 million people take to the streets to view the parade in person.
• The parade is free and there are no public seating tickets.
• 2011 will be the 85th parade.

Viewing the parade in person:  Seating is only available to Macy’s executives, politicians, charitable organizations, and corporate sponsors.  Your best bet for viewing the parade is to stay in a hotel along the parade route.  If you choose not to stay in a hotel, they recommend you arrive no later than 6:30am on the parade course and leave your chair at home.  Dress warm as the weather is usually chilly this time of year in New York City.  The area most crowded is the official viewing area on 34th Street.  The best views, we’re told, is between 72nd Street (Central Park West) and 61st Street. 

Balloon preparation:  A lot of work and preparation go into creating the huge helium balloons that we look forward to seeing.  About a year before the parade, the balloons are designed on a computer and transformed into miniature clay models.  Once the balloons are manufactured, each balloon must go through a series of trial inflations and test flights.  Several weeks before the parade each balloon is flown under the leadership of a group of approximately 17 people and this event has become known as “Balloonfest”.   70 balloon handlers are taught how to fly and support the balloons.

Floats:  What type of balloons will be participating this year?  A few of them include Buzz Lightyear, Kermit the Frog, Kung Fu Panda, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Ronald McDonald, Shrek, Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants.  More than 30 floats will be partaking in the parade this year.

Performers:   The Radio City Rockettes and Santa Claus always participate in the parade and you can expect to see more than 1,500 dancers and cheerleaders, a dozen bands and 1,000 clowns.  Celebrities slated to appear include Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne, Scotty McCreery, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan and many others.

Previewing the night before:  Between 3-10pm the night before you can watch the balloons being inflated on 77th & 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue.

Questions:  You can call their hotline for more information at 212-494-4495.

Holiday season is usually a very busy time of year for most people regardless of your religion.  You have many gifts to buy and wrap, Christmas cards to send out, the house to decorate, holiday parties to attend, and last but not least, have the family over for dinner.  So, I like ideas that can save me time and I’d like to share one of my favorite things to participate in during the Christmas season:  cookie exchanges.

A cookie exchange generally works like this:  

•    Each person makes 12 dozen homemade cookies or bars of the same type.  This isn’t as hard as it sounds because most recipes make from 2-3 dozen from each recipe.

•    Once cooled and decorated, you place 12 cookies on a plate and secure with plastic wrap.  This will give you 12 plates containing 12 cookies for a total of 144 cookies.  

•    Type or write the recipe on small paper or 3” X 5” cards and tape to each plate of cookies, either on top or bottom.  You do want people to view the cookies though.

•    Bring the plates to the cookie exchange location at the assigned time.  Until the time deadline has been reached, you get to socialize and check out the selections that you will soon get to choose from.

•    You are then allowed to select 12 plates of 12 different cookies or bars to take home.  This is great because you now have 12 different varieties of cookies or bars to serve your family or guests even though you only made one kind of cookie or bar, plus you now have the recipes for the ones you liked.  Some exchanges will have you only put 6 cookies on a plate so you could wind up with 24 types of cookies!

•    I recommend making an extra couple of dozen or so, not only for your family and guests on Christmas, but in case you burn a batch.

Most cookies or bars can be frozen, so if you are lucky enough to keep them away from your family until Christmas, you have done minimal work in exchange for the great variety of cookies received in the exchange.  I say minimal work because it is easier to make one recipe, even if you need to make it several times, than to make 12 different recipes.  If you need more cookies you just bake extra dozens of cookies since you receive the same number of cookies that you bring to the exchange.  

The exchanges I have participated in only allow homemade items, no store or bakery products, which I like.  If your church, neighborhood, or friends have never done a cookie exchange, it is a great way to offer a variety of desserts to your guests and have a social gathering at the same time.

If you like cookie exchanges view our cute cookie ornaments which I’m sure you’ll like.

Trivia games are very popular, so we thought we’d see how well you know these Christmas facts.  We bet there are a few you can’t answer! (The answers are at the bottom, but don’t peek!)

   1) Where was mommy kissing Santa Claus?

   2) What is Frosty the Snowman’s nose made out of?

   3) What is the name of Rudolph’s dad?

   4) What did Ralphie (from A Christmas Story) want for Christmas?

   5) In what movie was a boy accidentally left alone at Christmastime while his family   

       went to Europe?

   6) What were the first artificial Christmas trees made from?

   7) When do most Europeans put up their Christmas tree?

   8) What do most Europeans use for Christmas tree lights?

   9) What is Santa’s real name?

 10) How many Reindeer are on Santa’s sleigh?

If you enjoy trivia, read our article “Christmas Trivia”.

Answers:  1) Under the Mistletoe 2) A button 3) Donner 4) A BB Gun 5) Home Alone 6) Goose Feathers 7) Christmas Eve 8) Real candles 9) Kris Kringle 10) 8

Although many companies have cut back on holiday parties, some companies use the party as a way to thank their employees for their hard work in the past year.  We’d like to give you some tips on planning  your company Christmas party this year.

Location
Consider the venue.  If you want people to have a good time, select a venue outside of work, yet close to your business location.  Book early as this is a popular time of year for parties.  Consider a “fun” activity such as bowling and glow-in-the-dark miniature golf.

Day & Time
It is always a good idea to hold it on a work day about an hour after work ends for most employees.  This way, employees don’t have to go home and then come back and if spouses are invited, it allows them time to arrive.  You will obtain a better response if people don’t have to attend on their days off.  Do consider that it is a busy time of year regardless of your religion.

Food
Depending upon your budget, you can serve appetizers and desserts, or a full meal.  If you cannot afford much, consider having your company cafeteria provide a holiday lunch at no charge to the employees.  Use any extra money for gifts.

Alcohol
Should you serve alcohol or not?  If the party is being held on company property, I wouldn’t serve alcohol due to the liability.  If it is held at a restaurant or hotel, then consider it.  You will probably receive a better turn-out if alcohol is served.

Gifts
Gifts are always appreciated and if your company has given gifts in the past, you will have a better turn-out.  Some companies give more expensive gifts which you can win in a raffle.  If you are going to give less than $50 per person, cash is king.  A gift card will also work. Small gifts could also include movie passes, car wash certificates (make sure it is near work or a chain), golf balls, ornaments, and turkeys or hams.  If you are going to raffle off larger gifts to those who attend the party, presents could include gift certificates for restaurants or retail stores, Blu-Ray players (< $100), theatre tickets or Ticketmaster gift certificates (minimum should be $200 to cover a guest).  Other ideas include an overnight stay at a hotel, days off without having to use vacation days,  Spa/Beauty Salon gift certificates, Golf course certificates, IPOD’s, IPOD Players, and small TV’s (≤ 32 inch).

Inexpensive Gifts for You to Give
If you are looking for inexpensive gifts, consider an ornament.  Ornament Shop.com carries over 3000 high-quality ornaments, most are under $16, and many can be personalized.  There are many categories to choose from such as Baby, Sports, Pets & Animals, Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes, Patriotic, Religious, Activities, Western, Music, Occupations, and more.  You can even buy an ornament stand to display your non-holiday related ornament year-round.  One of my favorites is the 2 person Snowmobile ornament.

Most of us love trivia and Christmas songs, so we decided to see how well you know your facts.  You can find the answers below, but don’t peak!   

1. What is the biggest selling Christmas song of all time?  
2. How many versions of this song (answer to #1) are there?
3. How many carolers participated in the largest caroling ever done?
4. During Radio City’s Music Hall performance in NY each year, how many costumes are used in each performance?
5. How many times does Santa check his list in Santa Claus is Coming to Town?
6. What was the name of the horse in Jingle Bells?
7. What song included the words “I’d take the seasick crocodile”?
8. What was the original title of Jingle Bells?
9. What is the name of the song that Nat King Cole recorded about chestnuts roasting over an open fire?
10. What Christmas song turned out to be the biggest hit of Eartha Kitt’s career?

To find out about how other Christmas songs came to be written, read our article “A Lot of Musical Trivia”.

Answers:  1) White Christmas by Irving Berlin 2) More than 500 3) 1175 carollers in 2003 in Ontario, Canada 4) Over 1300 5) Twice 6) Bob 7) You’re a Mean One Mister Grinch 8) One Horse Open Sleigh 9) The Christmas Song 10) Santa Baby

Here’s a true story from a good friend of ours, named Susie.  Susie comes from a large family.  Her grandmother had 6 children, her mom had 5, and most have 2.2 children.  As a result, they entertain about 45 guests on Christmas, which allows more food variety than if there were only 12 guests.

Guests begin to show up around 2:00 pm and greet each other with kisses.  Eating begins with 6-8 appetizers, drinks, and socializing until dinner at 4 pm.  Her family is concerned about having high quality food so most everything is homemade and delicious.  They may have homemade meatballs, a taco dip, salmon, shrimp, BLT dip, brie cheese baked in pastry dough, spinach dip, Dip To Die For (recipe below), and more.  

The dinner feast usually features honey baked ham, beef tenderloin, and some pasta dish such as lasagna.   Susie says they always have mashed or double baked potatoes, green bean casserole with french onions, broccoli rice casserole, corn, sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, rolls, salad, and two jello molds.

After dinner the clean-up begins with many people pitching in to help.  Then Christmas gifts are exchanged and by the time the clean up is done and gift exchanges are complete, everyone is ready to dig into desserts and coffee.  Susie said they really aren’t ready for dessert, but it’s hard to pass up scrumptious homemade desserts, and after all, aren’t the holidays the time of the year to over indulge?

On their dessert table Susie said you can find cheesecake, brownies with caramel middles, pies, cakes or cupcakes, kolatchkies, and probably no less than a dozen different types of cookies!  While they are gorging on desserts, the games begin.  The gamblers start their ritual poker game, the kids may play bingo and some play dice or card games (these are not the serious gamblers!).  The remaining guests may sit and watch Christmas specials or just socialize.

Somewhere between 8-10 pm, people begin to leave, but not without taking leftovers home.  The host is expected to have extra food so that everyone can take home leftovers, especially desserts.  Although her family is great about helping clean up, Susie is still faced with a mess.  Oh well, tomorrow’s another day.

Dip to Die For Recipe  (Everyone raves about this recipe and it is so easy!) 

1- 2.8-3.0 oz. jar real bacon bits
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese  
18 ounces of Hellman’s Mayonnaise
2-2.25 ounce package of slivered almonds (sliced will work also)
4 green onions (wash & chop from white part to ½ way up green part)
Box crackers

Mix together all ingredients except the crackers. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.  Serve with crackers.

To read about the history of wrapping gifts, plum pudding, and a recipe for fig pudding, view our article “Fig & Plum Pudding-English Christmas Traditions”.

There has been much misunderstanding as to what the twelve days of Christmas means, partly due to different interpretations or traditions.  It is not the twelve days before Christmas as it begins on December 25 or Christmas day, and ends on January 5.  The twelfth night is followed by the Epiphany on January 6. 

Note that some religions traditions may differ by one or two days.  Currently, some religions exchange gifts on Christmas Day, some on the twelfth night, and some every one of the twelfth nights.

As for the song and its historical accuracy, some consider it nonsense and some say it dates back to the 16th century religious wars in England as lessons of the Christian faith.  These lessons were supposedly put into song because it was rumored in the 17th century that those practicing Catholicism in England, or putting it’s teachings down on paper, could be imprisoned or hanged.  However it’s true history, we all still enjoy this popular Christmas song.

One interpretation of the Christmas song follows:   

•  A partridge = Jesus Christ
•  Two turtle doves = Old & New Testament
•  Three French hens = Faith, hope, & love
•  Four calling birds = The four gospels
•  Five golden rings = The 1st 5 books of the Old Testament
•  Six geese-a-laying = The six days of creation
•  Seven swans-a-swimming = The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit
•  Eight maids-a-milking = The eight Beatitudes
•  Nine ladies dancing = The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit
•  Ten Lords A-leaping = The ten commandments
•  Eleven Pipers Piping = The eleven faithful apostles
•  Twelve Drummers Drumming = The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed

Click here to read our article called “The Economics of the 12 Days of Christmas”.

With only 1% of the Chinese population Christian, you might think Christmas is not celebrated in China.  However, Christians in China have similar traditions as the United States.  They celebrate by decorating their houses with paper lanterns and lighting, and trim their Christmas tree with paper flowers, chains, and lanterns.  Chinese Christians call their trees, “Trees of Light”.  Despite Christmas day not being a public holiday, the holiday is becoming more popular and you can find Christmas decorations, trees, and lights being sold in urban department stores.

The Chinese New Year, which takes place from the middle of the twelfth month of one year to the middle of the first month of the new year, is similar to our Christmas season.  Their main celebration occurs on the eve of the Chinese New Year.  Everyone gathers together for dinner including “jiaozi” or dumplings boiled in water.  After dinner, as in our family, they play cards, board games, or watch TV programs focused on the holiday.  They keep every light on the whole night and fireworks begin at midnight.

Similar to our Christmas morning, the children receive presents but it is cash wrapped in red paper packages.  Afterwards the family visits their relatives, and neighbors to convey wishes of sincere peace and happiness.  In the days following, they continue their visiting and exchange many gifts such as clothing and toys.  Fifteen days later the Festival of Lanterns ends the Chinese New Year season with lantern shows and folk dances everywhere.  An emphasis is put on the worship of ancestors and their paintings are brought out and hung in the main room of the house..

More information on the Chinese celebration of Christmas and New Year can be found in our article “Christmas in China”.

The first Christmas tree with electric lights belonged to Edward H. Johnson in 1882, who worked with Thomas Edison.  Since that time there have been many improvements both in style and efficiency.  You can buy round spherical lights, lighting nets, mini lights, icicle lights, rope lights, curtain lights, garland lights, solar lights, and LED lights.

LED’s burn bright, don’t get hot and use less electricity.

Christmas novelty lights are some of the most fun.  These strings of lights are usually shaped like an object such as Santa, gingerbread, snowmen, candy cane, reindeer, tree, snowflake, angel, candle, bell, poinsettia, and holly & berry.

There are mini lanterns, lighthouses, pine cones, guitars, peace symbols, hearts, four leaf clovers, flip flops, sea shells, and lights with your college name on them.

If you like animals or other creatures, you can find dogs, fishes, bears, moose, turkeys, horses, pigs, cows, bats, spiders, alligators, cardinals, butterflies, and of course, pink flamingos.

Drink and food include hot peppers, pears, peppermint candies, cupcakes, Popsicles, pizza, wine bottles, cocktails and beer mugs.

For the non-Christian, there are menorahs, Star of David, and Hanukkah lights.

Brand name lights may include Elmo, Peanuts (Charlie Brown), M&M’s, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Coca Cola, Budweiser, Betty Boop and even Elvis!

Sports minded people may like their tree decorated with basketball, football, soccer, baseball, ballet, fishing, life vests or sailboats.

Lights that cater to your personal activities or hobbies include cowboy boots, assortment of tools, red tractor, bullets, firemen trucks, firemen hats, campers and luau related.

As you can see, it is possible to give some pizazz to your Christmas tree and show off your personal interests or hobbies at the same time.

To read about the beginning of Christmas tree lighting and the latest and greatest lighting, LED’s, see our article, "Christmas Tree Lights From Candles to LED".

History of Christmas Tree Lights

It is no surprise that the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, hung strings of electric lights in 1880, the year after he invented the incandescent light bulb.  Edward H. Johnson, a friend of Thomas Edison, was the first person known to use electric Christmas lights in a home.  These lights did not become widespread right away due to their cost and the expense to have an electrician install them.

Sometime around 1917, Albert Sadacca (as legend goes) asked his family, who owned a novelty business, to manufacture affordable strings of lights.  Sales were slow at first but as more people embraced household electricity, stringing Christmas lights around the tree became more common.

Improvements in Christmas Lights

Once upon a time we all had to deal with the old-style Christmas light bulbs.  They were huge, had thick cords, generated heat, came in limited colors, and you couldn’t link them together.  In the 60’s, mini lights became the rage but if one bulb blew you had to check each bulb (out of 25-50) to locate the bad one.  The next big improvement allowed one bulb to burn out while the rest remained lit.  

During the last few years, LED (light- emitting diode) lights have become the rage.  They are smaller, yet burn brighter.  They don’t get hot so you can combine many strings together.  This also allowed LED’s to be permanently wired on a fake tree so you never had to install or remove the lights each year.  In addition, they come in many colors, shapes, and sizes.

Last, but not least, LED lights use a fraction of the electricity the old lights used.  Since they have been out a few years now, their cost has dropped significantly.

You can find out more information on LED’s from this article “LED Christmas Lights”.

Many of us love trivia (and Christmas).  It just seems to make everything a little more interesting.  Here are some fascinating facts we uncovered regarding Christmas trees:

• The first decorated Christmas tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510.
• Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850.
• In 2002, Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, New York, and Virginia were the top Christmas tree producing states.
• Oregon was the leading producer of Christmas trees – 6.5 million in 2002.
• More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre. On average 1,000-1,500 of these trees will survive. In the North, maybe, 750 trees will remain.
• In the United States, there are more than 21,000 Christmas tree growers.
• 100,000 people are employed in the Christmas tree industry.
• 98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms.
• 73 million new Christmas trees will be planted this year.
• In 2007, 23% of real Christmas trees sold were from chain stores, 9% by non-profit groups. 12% from retail lots and 21% from choose and cut farms.
• An estimated 175,000 real Christmas trees are sold via e-commerce or catalogue and shipped mail-order.

Christmas Trees and the Environment

• An acre of Christmas trees provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
• Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.
• Recycled trees have been used to make sand and soil erosion barriers and been placed in ponds for fish shelter.
• Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air. 

Above data provided by the National Christmas Tree Association (www.christmastree.org).

How many Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year?  What are the most popular Christmas Trees and why?  How many years are trees grown before sale and how are they started?  What percentage of people still cut their own tree down?  How many real and faux trees are sold each year?  To find answers to these questions, read our article “Surprising Christmas Tree Facts & Figures”.

Holly and ivy have been used by Christians for Christmas decorations for centuries.  They look lovely in a centerpiece or a hurricane vase.  It is fairly easy to grow both of these to use for decorations, but they each have different requirements.

Holly

The holly plant is a dramatic expression of the traditional Christmas colors, filled with red berries contrasted against the dark green leaves.  However, keep away from children or pets, as eating the red berries can cause vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.  Winterberry is the holly that is native to the United States.

Plant the holly in acidic soil topped with peat moss, keep moist and place in direct, natural sunlight.  The female is the one that grows the berries which usually last from late fall to early winter.   Holly comes in various sizes and leaf types and English Holly is the one we are most familiar with in the United States.

Ivy

Ivy leaves can vary in the size and color of their leaves.  Ivy grows best in a hanging basket, or on the edge of an object such as a table or window sill which permits the leaves to grow out and down.  Ivy plants do not like direct sunlight and will even grow where the light is poor.

You can start the plant with either seedlings or from a store-bought plant.  Ivy needs moist, but not wet soil, and will flourish in most any type of dirt.  You can add peat moss or compost to enrich the soil.  Use a plant food product once a week and grow in cool temperatures.  You can control the size of the plant by cutting the ends of the roots.  Both the berries and leaves are poisonous so keep out of reach of children and pets.

To learn how to grow Silver Artemis, Tarragon, and Wormwood plants to use in Christmas decorations, read our article “A Christmas Garden:  Grow Your Own Decorations”.

Since most men don’t have to wear ties to work anymore and suits are mainly used for weddings and funerals, there probably hasn’t been too much buzz on Christmas ties the last few years.  However, if you like to be festive at Christmas, adding a Christmas tie is an inexpensive way to express yourself.  And you’ll have tons of choices, as we found over 18,000 different Christmas ties online!

As you might expect, you’ll find ties with familiar Christmas symbols like ornaments, Santas, Christmas Trees, stars, snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, presents, Christmas lights, holly, gingerbread, wreaths, elves, mistletoe, doves, poinsettias, and of course Scrooge.

For those who like the unusual you can find ties with Santa dogs, cats, cows, Obama, smiley faces, skeletons, pirates, frogs, and even sport Santas (basketball, football, baseball).

For the colorful, the ties come in neon, tie dye, peppermint swirl, ties that light up, and every color you could imagine.  If you want to wear or give a tie for a particular occupation, those are also available as well.

There are ties that say, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Dear Santa, Bah Humbug, and What I Want for Christmas.

For the risque, there is a snowman flasher, sexy woman Santas, naughty sayings (some too spicy to print here!), and a female vampire Santa with plenty of dripping blood.

You can also find a Griswold Family tie, Santa in the unemployment line, Santa smoking, three wise men on camels, The Nutcracker, religious ties, pink flamingos, penguins, and even an anti-Christmas tie!

So, to get into the holiday spirit and some good conversation starters, consider wearing a few holiday ties at Christmastime!  For more interesting facts, read our article “Christmas Ties for Men and Boys - Yesterday and Today”.

Who knew there are so many towns in the U.S. that have Christmas season names?  We found five towns named Christmas, one named Christmas City, Christmas Cove, Christmas Valley, and Christmasville.  There is a town called Elf, another called Humbug, six named Bethlehem, seven named Snow, and three called Snowflake.  How about Christmas plants? There is one town called Poinsettia Park, at least three named Holly, six Evergreen’s, one Mistletoe, and six called Garland.  

Commemorating the magical pullers of Santa’s sleigh, there is a town named Reindeer and another called Reindeer Hills. Add to that one each named Dasher, Vixen, Cupid, Blitzen, six Comet communities, three Donner’s, and five Rudolph’s.  To top it off there are two named Noel, three Santa Claus, four Saint Nicholas, one Holiday, a Holiday Hills, Tannenbaum, Advent, Santa and  Eggnog.

So, as you can see, many town founders were in the Christmas spirit when determining names for their towns!

To find out how you can have your Christmas cards postmarked from the North Pole, and for some interesting stories on how several towns came to be called the North Pole, read our article . “U.S. Towns Named North Pole”.

http://www.christmasornaments.com/articles/US-Towns-Named-North-Pole.asp

“Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light”, is so closely related to his persona he trademarked that phrase.  He likes to be called, “Americas most-collected living artist”, which is probably true.  His products are licensed and sold through Media Arts who claim one in 20 homes in the U.S. own some representation of Kinkade’s artistry.  

Thomas Kinkade’s style falls in the impressionism scenery painting territory.  His images appear in saturated pastel colors and glowing highlights.  He is considered a stipple paintings master and best known for his oil paintings in luminous inspirational themes.  Stippling is a method of drawing or painting using dots or short strokes. Thomas has an amazing ability to recreate lighting effects in his paintings that appear to glow from within.  This is called the “Kinkade glow”.

Thomas has created over 37 Christmas prints that beautifully display various Christmas landscapes, in addition to thousands of other paintings.  In addition, he produces ceramic replicas of many of his paintings which may light up or hold flowers.  His subjects include cottages, gardens, lighthouses, seascapes, nature, cabin, hearth and home, cityscapes and inspirational.  Thomas is known for inserting family member’s initials, hearts, or other traces in his paintings.  His paintings represent the past as it should have been, not what it was.  Mr. Kinkade rarely includes people in his paintings as he desires to capture memories to trigger an emotional response to an experience.

Besides his paintings, his designs can be found on watches, blankets and pillows, mugs, ornaments, mousepads, music boxes, tote bags, coasters, photo frames, umbrellas, ties, lighted figurines, and many other items.  In addition to being a popular artist, he has written over 140 books, is a best-selling author and respected speaker.           

To uncover more information on other Christmas artists, read our article “Nothing Goes Better With Coke Than Santa”.

Iceland’s version of Christmas is called Yule/Jol and began before the advent of Christianity.

The “drinking of Yule” was part of the Yule celebrations in the Icelandic Sagas.  Many stories and poems refer to the feasts, farmers drinking Yule ale together, and bringing back malt from America to make the ale.  Chieftains would invite many people to Yule, whereas farmers may drink Yule ale among friends.  The chieftains would present their guests with gifts after feasting for several days.  Some of the food included  lamb meat, ham, Rjupa, a wild bird, and Skate, a large flat fish.   Potatoes, vegetables, cookies and frosted cakes rounded out the meal.  Both the farms and the chieftains decorated their houses with decorative materials.

Before the late 19th century, Yule gifts were rare and frequently consisted of clothing which was also considered a bonus for a job well done.  If you did not receive a new piece of clothing, folklore had it that you would be captured by the Yule cat, which was a black, mean cat.  Summer presents were more common.

One tradition is for children to put a shoe in the window from December 12 until Christmas Eve. If they have been good, they receive a gift and if not, a potato.  On December 23rd, St Þorlákur, is celebrated.  Stores are open late but then close for three days.  Yule Eve, equivalent to our Christmas Eve, is when children can open their Yule presents after the evening meal.  Television is actually stopped in Iceland from 5 to 10 pm.

Bonfires, visits, and fireworks are the activities for New Year’s Eve.  Iceland’s Christmas season ends on January 6, when supposedly elves and trolls celebrate by dancing and singing with Icelanders.

To read more about Iceland’s Christmas and the thirteen Yule Lads, read our article “Christmas in Iceland”.

Trivia games are very popular, so we thought we’d see how well you know these Christmas facts.  We bet there are a few you can’t answer!

    1) Where was mommy kissing Santa Claus?

    2) What is Frosty the Snowman’s nose made out of?

    3) What is the name of Rudolph’s dad?

    4) What did Ralphie (from A Christmas Story) want for Christmas?

    5) In what movie was a boy accidentally left alone at Christmastime while his family went to Europe?

    6) What were the first artificial Christmas trees made from?

    7) When do most Europeans put up their Christmas tree?

    8) What do most Europeans use for Christmas tree lights?

    9) What is Santa’s real name?

   10) How many Reindeer are on Santa’s sleigh?

If you enjoy trivia, read our article “Christmas Trivia”.

Answers:  1) Under the Mistletoe 2) A button 3) Donner 4) A BB Gun 5) Home Alone 6) Goose Feathers 7) Christmas Eve 8) Real candles 9) Kris Kringle 10) 8

While millions and millions have been produced since they were first created in Lauscha, Germany, in 1847 there probably aren't all that many left.

They're shiny and all sorts of creatures big and small want to touch, smell or eat them as they hang on a Christmas tree.

Unfortunately, touching can unhook them from their little hangers. If you're fortunate, the ornament will fall into welcoming branches. If you're not, you end up with a bunch of very tiny examples of an amorphous (non-crystalline) solid material, that once were a whole in the shape of a ball (or bauble as they're know in the ornament business), a Santa, or even a pickle.

Keeping kitty or fido out of the room where the tree and its ornaments reside is one obvious answer. Those folding “child-proof” gates should do the trick – and should keep curious toddlers out as well. If it doesn't work to keep small children away from the tree then try keeping the glass ornaments on the highest branches – and make sure there is nothing easy to climb on anywhere in the room. You can always put non-breakable ornaments on the lowest branches – or even consider making some garland with your toddler… the kind you made in pre-school … with strips of construction paper glued together and linked to make a chain.

Getting glass ornaments to stay safe year after year can pose additional problems. Several of the plastic container companies are now marketing storage boxes specifically designed to keep glass – and other – ornaments safe for future generations. Wrap each ornament in acid-free paper (there are some store-brands of computer printer paper – Office Depot for one – that are an inexpensive source) – or try microwave-safe paper towels. The idea is to cushion the ornament while not creating an environment where the wrong chemicals in the paper or too much humidity might harm the materials that make the ornament colorful and special.

And, don't forget… you're on the right site to find a whole bunch of glass ornaments that make excellent decorations or gifts.

Since 1955 NORAD has been tracking Santa's Christmas Eve journey and keeping the spirit of Christmas alive in the hearts of millions.  Why would a national defense system use manpower and equipment for such a whimsical purpose?  It all began with a misprinted phone number in a Sears-Roebuck add.  The department store had advertised for children to call in and talk to Santa, but thanks to the misprint, the first caller got CONAD (what NORAD used to be called).  Luckily, Colonel Harry Shoup was at the helm, and he entertained the youngster's wishes by asking his team to report back on where the unfortunatley unavailable Santa was in the world.  The child's appreciative response touched the Colonel's heart, and the team continued to take calls through the night.

Ever since Colonel Shoup's kind and humorous approach to the question of Santa's whereabouts, NORAD has used volunteer power to answer phone calls, monitor Santa's progess through high-tech equipment, and more recently, build online tracking systems the whole family can watch on Christmas Eve.  According to the official NORAD Santa Tracker website, NORAD uses four cutting edge tracking systems to keep an eye on the bearded gift-giver: radar, satellites, fighter-jets, and of course, Santa Cams.  The use of radar is self-explanatory, but the satellites are another story.  NORAD actually has several of them at 22,300 miles above the Earth's surface, and they detect the infrared heat signature of Santa, his warm and fuzzy reindeer, and of course, Rudolph's nose!  Fighter jets keep tabs on radar reports and approach Santa with care in order to get a visual on him and to get a chance to ride next to him for a brief instant -- the reindeer can outrun an F-16 before long.  Finally the Santa Cams are strategically placed in cities and towns where we can get a good clear shot of Santa, and NORAD captures new images of him on the move every year.

NORAD has been followed up by other Santa tracking systems, thanks to the magic of the internet.  Google Earth works with NORAD to power their own Santa tracker.  NORAD has also assigned some students with the task of catching Santa on video, with some amazing results. However you track Santa this year, remember Colonel Shoup and NORAD, and their contribution to keeping the belief in Christmas magic alive for over fifty years.

Visit the official NORAD Santa Tracker site for the complete history, technical information, and important updates on Santa tracking technology.

ChristmasOrnaments.com has a variety of Santa themed ornaments for 2010.

Many of us enjoy singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" during the holiday season.  The song brings out the passionate singer in all of us, with its difficult melodies and its memory recall exercises.  But in North America, many of us have forgotten what the twelve days of Christmas really are!  The song is not, as some mistakenly think, a tool for memorizing catechisms or learning the sacraments.  It is literally about the twelve days of the liturgical calendar over which the Christmas holiday used to be celebrated, and still is in some denominations and cultures.

The twelve days do not begin on December 14, but on Christmas Day.  The length of the celebration comes from the number of days between the nativity and the theophany, that is, between Christ's birth and Christ's baptism (noted on calandars as "Epiphany").  For these twelve days and nights, that begin with a feast on Christmas night (only in modern culture has "Christmas Eve" ever been consudered a holiday), and run through the night before Epiphany, Christians would give gifts, eat sweets, sing songs, and enjoy their families.  On the twelfth night, a sort of Mardis Gras atmosphere takes over, complete with gender role reversals, the bucking of authority, and feasting and merrymaking like no other.  This is the night that gave the name to Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.  The next moring is one of more restrained celebration, a return to church, and the official end of Christmas.  In fact we still retain the idea that we can keep our decorations up until after the first week of January.  That tradition comes from the observation of the Epiphany.

While we may not be able to revive the twelve days of Christmas in American culture, we can at least keep them in mind when we sing the song, buy our gifts, and plan our Christmas celebrations.  Instead of rushing out on December 26th to hit the sales and make returns, perhaps we should all just sit back and bask in what is still a time of holy celebration, a chance to check out of our hectic everyday lives, and think about a simpler time when a partridge in a pear tree would have been quite an exceptional gift.

ChristmasOrnaments.com has a beautiful collection of Twelve Days of Christmas glass ornaments.  Get one for your pear tree!

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and Christians' anticipation of his return. If Christmas is all about the nativity, then why do we give gifts? We have the Three Wise Men to thank for the tradition of gift giving at Christmastime. They traveled a great distance, like many of us do for the holidays today, to bring gifts to baby Jesus. Each year we remember their generosity and selflessness by giving to one another.

The Wise Men weren't just some wise men who happened by -- they had names and stories like anyone else! Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar all traveled together from "the East" carrying gifts. The East could have meant many places when the New Testament was penned, but the priestly men's names are derived from Greek, as is the term "Magi" which they are often called. It is not known if they really were priests or kings, but they were learned men of a noble class with great knowledge of astrology. Their ability to follow stars supposedly guided them to Christ's birthplace in the manger.

Gold would be a wonderful gift at a modern Christmas, but some children who hear the story of the Wise Men may wonder what Frankincense and Myrrh could be. Both are aromatic resins used in incense and perfume, and Myrrh can also be used for medicinal purposes. In a time before sanitation, deodorant, or antibiotics, substances for making fine perfumes or dressings for wounds were as good as gold! Some scholars interpret the frankincense and myrrh as purely medicinal gifts, while others assign spiritual symbolism to each. Either way the gifts are interpreted, the Magi's gift giving was generous as well as thoughtful.

One more important tradition started by the Wise Men is the tradition of kneeling in worship. It is said that they fell before the Christ child, into a bowed, kneeling posture. This part of the story stuck with many Christian priests, and kneeling has remained an important part of worship since it was officially incorporated into services in the early days of the Church.

Wherever the Three Wise men really came from, whatever they intended by giving gold, frankincense and myrrh, they started a tradition that makes Christmas what it is today. While celebrating the nativity and sharing joy with family are the most important part of the holiday, gift giving is not just about getting, as the Three Wise Men demonstrated over two thousand years ago. Generous and thoughtful gifts celebrate friends and loved ones by honoring those first gifts that brought joy and comfort to baby Jesus and his family.

ChristmasOrnaments.com has brand new collection of Three Wise Men ornaments, as well as ornaments celebrating the nativity.

For more than 23 years, Christopher Radko’s glass ornaments have graced the trees of American homes.  The sparkling glitter and detailed workmanship of each piece has made ownership of these ornaments coveted throughout the world.  Beginning in 1986, Radko started making his own ornaments when he found, upon attempting to replace his mother’s heirloom ornaments after a Christmas “accident,” that there were no fine quality ornaments available in the states.  So in the decade of plastic and melamine, Radko turned to glass and gilt, in an effort to recreate the spirit of the ornaments he knew in his youth.

Radko has since sold his ornament business, which had quickly grown from a hobby to a multi-million dollar company.  Radko’s ornaments, however, are still in production, with new pieces out every year made to Christopher’s standards of quality and beauty.  These collector’s items are also valuable because one-third of them are retired each year! 

The themes of Christopher Radko ornaments harken back to a time of the pre-commercial Christmas.  Dazzling snowmen, jolly elf-like Santas, and old fashioned hearths decked with children’s stockings are the staples of the collection.  Every ornament is different, however, so that each year you can add something to the tree that reminds you of that particular Christmas.   As the company says, “A Christopher Radko ornament is a work of heart!” 

At Christmasornaments.com, we are celebrating the release of Chistopher Radko’s 2010 ornament collection. Stop by and take a look, and we’re sure you’ll be charmed by the warmth and light of these gorgeous holiday keepsakes.

This month, in honor of Oktoberfest, we’d like to share with you the legacy of German Christmas decorations and the effect they’ve had on what we often think of as our very American Christmas traditions.  Exquisite lace tablecloths, doilies, and even Christmas ornaments can be found in many American homes around the holidays, but perhaps we never thought about where this kind of lace came from.  This fine, linen handiwork is often German style lace, which is characterized by tightly knitted patterns, whimsical nature inspired designs, and delicate scalloped edges.

German Lace Christmas Ornaments are a beautiful addition to any traditional Christmas tree.  Some ornaments are simple snowflake or snowman designs that showcase the white delicate threads, while others use colored threads to create Santas and gifts galore.  An even more ornate lace ornament creation includes a German painted glass ball hanging within the lace design.  American children and crafty grandmothers have made all manner of lace-inspired ornaments over the past century, from yarn candy canes to macramé gingerbread men.  But there is no real substitute for the luxury of Christmas lace.

At Christmasornaments.com we’ve selected some superb examples of German Lace Christmas Ornaments for 2010.  These unique creations are directly from the region of Vogtland in Saxony, which is located in the eastern part of Germany. This region is well known for its embroidery tradition and produces the authentic "Plauen Lace" which has been recognized for its excellent quality since World War II. The artisans’ decades of experience are evident in the fine German craftsmanship of these heirloom ornaments.  Trim your tree with handmade keepsakes, or remember your German relatives at Christmas by gifting them with a set of these lace treasures.

When you look at your Christmas tree what do you see?  Globes, glass ornaments, tinsel?  All of these are German Christmas “inventions,” some passed down since the 12^th century.  Even the indoor tree itself was a German innovation!  This month, in honor of Oktoberfest, we’d like to share with you the legacy of German Christmas decorations and the effect they’ve had on what we often think of as our very American Christmas traditions.

Perhaps the biggest contribution to the tree was the glass globe ornament.  What tree today isn’t decked with at least a few colored balls?  Globes are standard issue today, and come in every color imaginable, painted with scenes, tie dyed, or branded with licensed characters.  We love our uniquely shaped ornaments but the ball is always where we begin.  The penchant for glass globes began when glassblowers in 16^th century Germany perfected their art, yielding the clearest, most uniform and luminous colored glass the world had ever seen.  When that first blower of the perfect globe saw how it reflected light and radiated warmth, no doubt he thought of using his creation to decorate his home for the advent.  The globe took its place on the tree next to ribbons, candles, and feathers, and its beauty has since reminded us of snow, the globe of the Earth, and a sort of Christmas universality.

Germany’s next most famous Christmas contribution is the formed glass ornament.  By the 19^th century glass could be blown into any shape, and Hans Greiner decided to make ornaments shaped like fruits and nuts in celebration of the season.  These glass treasures soon caught the eye of British tourists, and Greiner began shipping loads of them across the channel.  Then when F.W. Woolworth visited Germany in the 1880s, he brought the glass ornaments back to sell at his dime stores.  An instant hit with Americans (we’ve always loved sparkly things!), the glass ornament has since become a treasured heirloom ornament for many families.

Another contributiom to the ornament box is painted ornaments of all kinds.  While many cultures have painted ornaments for centuries, the style of painted globes and painted wooden ornaments with which most Americans are familiar is distinctly German.  Scenes of snowy nights, angels dressed in winter garb, or little boys fetching tiny Christmas trees are common.  The wooden versions of the painted ornaments perhaps made perfect gifts for children, as they were often child-themed and not fragile like the globes.

At Christmasornaments.com, we have a wide selection of German glass and German painted ornaments.  These beautiful treasures are designed, crafted and painted by a small team of artisans who give the personal touch to each and every piece in Germany.  The details are evident whether you select one of the hand-cut wood ornaments that are painted on the front and back, or the clear glass ball ornaments that are painted 360 degrees around the entire ball.  Next time you look at your Christmas tree, remember the German artisans who helped make our American Christmas what it is today.

The Santa Claus we know today has origins as far back as the fourth century.  Combining mainly elements from the 4^th century life of Saint Nicholas and the ancient mythology of the Germanic figure Odin, Western culture arrived at a composite character with a white beard, a host of little helpers, and a love for gift giving.

Saint Nicholas’ contribution to the Santa story (besides giving Santa one of his many aliases) was his generosity. It was said that he would leave coins in the shoes of poor children when they left them out, and most notably he provided the dowry for three poor young women who would have otherwise been forced to the streets as their father became too old to care for them.

Odin is a pagan Germanic god who, according to tradition, would lead a hunting party through the sky during the Germanic holiday of Yule.  He rode a horse that leapt across the sky, probably the inspiration for Santa Claus’ flying reindeer.  Children would leave treats for the horse in their shoes, and Odin would replace the treats with candy or gifts.  Many Christmas traditions survive from the Yule holiday.

Sinterklaas is the Dutch predecessor to the man we now know as Santa Claus.  The Dutch combined fun elements of Odin’s myths with the generosity of Saint Nicholas to create the first white bearded winter holiday figure.  Sinterklaas, for the Dutch and much of Western Europe, represents Saint Nicholas himself and attends celebrations on Saint Nicholas’ day.  By the end of the 18^th century, this combination of ancient figures, and the image and name of Sinterklaas, were translated into North American garb and North American pronunciation – moving us toward the Santa Claus we have today.

The American Santa Claus was originally portrayed in many colors and various statures (sometimes an elf, sometimes a man).  But by the 20^th Century, Santa’s image as a red fur suit wearing heavy-set man was cemented, thanks to drawings by political cartoonist Thomas Nash, a story by Frank L. Baum, and a major advertising campaign put out by the Coca-Cola Company (who, despite popular belief, did not choose his red suit color!).  The American newspaper and advertising culture had created a Santa Claus figure who was, and will continue to be, distinctly American.

Today there is much talk over whether the image of Santa has become too commercial.  Santa is depicted as running state-of-the-art toy warehouses, using global shipping services, and even sipping lattes to stay awake for all that toy-making management.  While Santa’s image may be used to sell products (as it has been for a century now), just looking at Santa Claus’s origins should remind us that what he really represents is a sense of wonder for the Christmas holiday season and the spirit of generosity.

Visit OrnamentShop.com to choose from a wide selction of Santa ornaments!

Christmas Traditions Around the World - Part 1: The Southern Hemisphere

When North Americans and Europeans think of Christmas, we think of white snow, warm dinners, and festive evergreens.  But in the southern hemisphere, in countries like South Africa and Australia, these seasonal associations hardly make sense.  When Christmastime comes to the Congo or to Melbourne, it is summer – bright sun, backyard picnics, and festive flower arrangements are more likely to be seen than any holly or mistletoe.  These seasonal differences as well as many cultural differences make for some very unique and beautiful Christmas traditions.

Many African cultures that celebrate Christmas will do so by honoring baby Jesus with gifts, as well as their own children.  Villagers wake up early, participate in pageants, and sing carols all throughout the morning (activities we usually save for blustery evenings).  Then a procession begins to deliver the gifts to the nativity scene in honor of the Christ Child.

The African home is sometimes decorated with the branches of firs, and many English or European traditions are observed indoors.  Gifts for the children are piled together and opened at the end of the day’s festivities.  There will also be a Christmas dinner with some familiar dishes like roast meats and porridge – but there will surely be some distinctly African treats as well, such as okra soup and yam paste.

An Australian Christmas can be even hotter than an African Christmas, but there is more pressure in Australia to continue to observe English Christmas traditions.  Until recent years, Australians would cook up meats and puddings just as their ancestors did, despite the extremely warm weather.  Lately, however, because of the mixed heritage of many Australians and society’s increasing acceptance of breaking with tradition, Aussies have begun their own new traditions, such as the Christmas barbeque or a Christmas trip to the beach (since the kids are freshly out of school).  Festivities and activities we would normally associate with summer holidays like the Fourth of July are enjoyed with fruit salads, cold cuts, and seafood.

Just like in Africa, Christmas in Australia might look much more familiar to us if we peek indoors.  Gum tree branches are brought in and decorated, stockings hang on the wall (fireplaces are uncommon), and children write letters to Santa.  However, Australians know that these traditions are only holdovers for their culture, and they make conscious attempts to come up with new ways to celebrate the holiday.  There has been talk of replacing Santa with a more locally meaningful character, and they even refer to what we like to call the “giving season” as the “silly season.”

Whether it takes the form of a harmonious mix of cultural traditions, as in Africa, or acts as a source of cultural growing pains as it seems to do in Australia, Christmas in the southern hemisphere is very different from what we are used to in the United States.  But while the outward appearances of celebration and tradition may be very different, Christmas around the globe seems to keep a few things in common.  It is – everywhere – a time to share, a time for family, and a time to come together.