Little-known Christmas Facts

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:40:41 +0000

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was brought to the shores of America by German immigrants who continued a practice that was popular in their former homeland. Today, a Christmas tree, even a miniature one, is present in just about every home at Christmas. It is therefore interesting to note some little-know facts about the Christmas Tree and other traditions related to Christmas.

The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas Trees for some Americans. These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many local stores and other places of business in just about every town and city across the country around Christmas time. But according to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy about 330,000 Christmas trees that are real through e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them shipped by mail-order. The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason they are so popular. But as they stand silently in their decorative wonder, they also are providing another benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says the amount of oxygen produced on a daily basis by one acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough oxygen for 18 people. And during the first week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to one quart of water each day to help retain its longevity for the many days of Christmas.

Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity in America, the Christmas Tree has always been a big tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmas trees were not always green. It was very popular during those times to have artificial trees with other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal in having these colored Christmas trees may have been due to the fact that they looked shiny and bright and appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage. An important ceremony related to the Christmas tree that gains national attention during the Christmas season is the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at the White House. This tradition can be credited to President Calvin Coolidge who lit the first decorated Christmas tree outside at the White House in 1923.

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also been used to convey some symbolic meaning not related to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in 1963 because of a national mourning period of 30 days for the assassination of President Kennedy. And while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an order that banned the Christmas tree from the White House, not for the assassination of President McKinley in 1901, which caused him to become president, but for reasons related to the environment.

Also of note is that when the National Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in 1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an unusually warm December.Christmas has been celebrated in the United States since the 1600s although it wasn’t always very popular. It took more than two centuries into the mid-late 1860s for Christmas to become a popular holiday season all across America. So maybe the rest of the country owes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state to declare Dec. 25 a legal holiday.

It is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789 Congress was in session. And to show how far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn’t until June 26, 1870 that the federal government declared Christmas as a federal holiday. Although Christmas is based on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups celebrate the season. Among the Christian groups who do not celebrate Christmas and related traditions such as sending greeting cards are Jehovah Witnesses. Jehovah Witnesses and other non-participating Christian groups say Christmas isn’t specifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason to celebrate and since they strictly adhere to the word of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate Christmas.

7 Simple and Affordable Christmas Activities

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:03:45 +0000

by: Ellie Evergreen
This Holiday parents want to maintain many of the special traditions that they have maintained for years. However times are tough and having the big holiday dinner right after just having spent money for Thanksgiving might seem extravagant. However there are some cost friendly activities that you can do this holiday that will still be special and magical. Here are some great suggestions to help you keep the holiday season special while not breaking your budget.

A great idea is to have a Christmas breakfast rather than a dinner. Breakfast food is normally much cheaper than lunch and dinner and you won’t have to spend too much on special holiday foods. Making a full sit down breakfast can end up being less expensive than a dinner or lunch. It will also add to the special atmosphere of Christmas morning. Try to make your kids’ favorite breakfast foods and provide delicious breakfast drinks. You can also have holiday favorites such as hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Have a holiday sing along with your family’s favorite Christmas carols and Christmas songs by favorite artists. This is a great way to have fun with the family and establish a family tradition that costs little or no money. If you have a karaoke machine, then you can have even more fun by having a holiday karaoke competition.

Have the family make holiday decorations from scratch. This is actually easier and cheaper than you might think. The materials needed to make them can actually be quite affordable. Also if you are worried about expertise, the internet can be one of your best allies and give you instructions to make numerous decorations. You can also try to find decorations that it will be easy for everyone to make. One example is pine cone tree decorations. This is easy to do if you live in an area with a lot of pine trees. Just go out and collect some pine cones in your area. Then you can decorate them with glitter and other items. When they are done, you can use them as beautiful tree decorations on your Christmas tree.

Another holiday activity your family can do is volunteering. There are many people who will not have a home or even family to celebrate the holidays with. Volunteering at a local soup kitchen or Thrift Store are a great way to show your kids the true spirit of Christmas and make them feel good about themselves in the process. It will also help your children realize how blessed they are in their own lives.

You can also make it a family event to watch holiday specials on TV. Make it a special time when the entire family gathers and just has a good time in each other’s company. The point of any activity is to bring people together and make good memories.

Have a family game night on Christmas Eve. If you have a video game console with multiplayer games, or some board games your family does not play anymore, you have the makings of some great holiday entertainment. Use the spirit of competition to make Christmas Eve even more fun for the entire family.

Finally you can enchant your kids with a special call from Santa. A great idea is to order the call online so it can be authentic as possible. You can order how you want the call personalized so your kids will really think its Santa and not you. It will be a fun family tradition and will make your Holiday more magical.

Create magic in your child’s eyes with our letters from Santa & Santa calls. EZSantaLetters.com offers fully personalized Santa letters and 15 pre-written Santa letters. All letters are postmarked from the North Pole and will definitely put a smile on your child’s face.

The Cure For A Stress-free Christmas

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:54:27 +0000

The weeks leading up to Christmas can be a stressful time. The holidays are trying times for Christians and non-Christians alike. If you think about all the tasks that have to be completed before December 25^th it is no wonder the true meaning and spirit of the holiday gets lost. Some would rather forget Christmas all together. But taking a few moments to reflect might just bring the spirit of Christmas back. Remembering the true reason of the season can help renew a special Christmas feeling.

Why and how did this penultimate holiday get started? History reveals that the early Christians wanted to dedicate a special day of their Savior’s birth and in doing so, separate Jesus from the ancient gods that were worshiped by the majority. Choosing to celebrate Christ’s Mass, meant a specific date would have to be chosen. This Holy Day, where the word “holiday” comes from by the way, was to be the date December 25^th. And while that date is not considered the exact day Christ was born, it was the symbol early Christians needed to promote their faith.

The tradition of gift-giving developed over time and the symbols of the season like Christmas trees, Angel figurines, and Nativity scenes are all expressions of our faith and allow us to explain our faith in Jesus to friends and neighbors. Therein lies the true meaning of Christmas, the ability to express your love, charity and beliefs. It also gives us the chance to tell how faith in Jesus can transform lives.

So take a brief moment between all of the shopping, decorating and cooking to remember and reflect on the real reason for season you will soon feel a warm, soothing Christmas spirit envelop you. Feeling the enthusiasm, which literally means filled with the spirit, will help you get through all of our ChristMass challenges.

A New Twist for Christmas Gift Baskets

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:24:21 +0000

Gift baskets are a popular way to fill out your Christmas giving list. But the usual fare filling baskets, namely wine and cheese, cannot be more boring. The solution? Baskets that are as unique as your friend, neighbor, or relative you are intending to gift.

A little thought and research can create a very memorable Christmas basket. If you have a relative like my aunt who is a a huge fan of romance novels, a basket with a few new romance releases and a gift card or two to her favorite book store or Amazon is a great idea.

You might have a co-worker whose passion is knitting and a basket filled with needles, yarn and a few idea books would be a wonderful gift.

My next door neighbor is a weekend fisherman and I know a basket filled with a variety of fishing gear every fisherman uses like, sinkers, a package of hooks, fishing line, and a lure or two will light up his holiday.

Finally, I can’t resist this. How about a basket filled with Christmas ornaments and a couple of Disney collectibles? You can’t get any more festive than that! Our Christmas Shop can be a great starting point for that gift search.

These are just a few ideas that are miles away from the standard fare of stale crackers, green olives and cheap wine filling most baskets. A little creativity kicks the giving of a Christmas gift basket up a notch and will be remembered for a long time.

Light Up Christmas!

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:07:36 +0000

Whether on your house or on your tree, Christmas lights are an important part of your decorations. Lights can set the mood for the inside of your house, or light the way in your outdoor display. But they can be quite pricey and putting them up can be time consuming. Finding the right lights for your purpose can also be troublesome. Thankfully, with a little research and planning, your Christmas light display can be everything you want.

Before going crazy and putting lights under every eve and pine bow, consider your budget. Not only are the strings of lights themselves expensive, but your electricity bill will feel the pinch too. If you are planning a large outdoor display of Christmas lights, make sure you give yourself extra money for your bill. Also, before you buy your strings of lights, consider the wattage. You don’t want bright lights illuminating the whole inside of your house, nor do you want your yard to appear to be an airplane landing strip. The proper wattage will save you money, and keep your display to a reasonable level.

It’s also beneficial to decide on a theme before buying your Christmass lights. Maybe you want all white lights. Or perhaps you are looking for traditional red and green. Whatever you are looking for, you’re sure to find the colors on the market today. In addition, think about the size of the bulbs you are using. Larger bulbs are nice for outside, but would be too much on your tree inside. Some lights come in strands of icicles, and some come as shaped displays like stars or presents. These can be a nice touch to your Christmas lights theme. The large bulbs are energy eaters, consider going small this year. There are a wide variety of LED bulbs on the market that offer low wattage and a almost all of the colors you could want.

Christmas lights can be expensive, so next you’ll need to do some intense planning. Add up the lengths of your eves or estimated the number of strings you’ll need to decorate your tree. Check and recheck the amount of lights you’d like.

Finding the right Christmas lights for your display can be time consuming, but it is worth it in the end. A well-decorated house helps to foster the Christmas spirit. Remember to consider your color scheme, bulb size, and quantity of Christmas lights before buying. Leave extra money for your electric bill, and down size on bulb size if you feel you’re spending too much. These simple steps will help you with your Christmas lights this holiday season.

The Warmth of Christmas Music

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:50:31 +0000

Christmas is the inspiration for more music than any other holiday. Some of my best memories of Christmas are revived as soon as I hear my first Christmas song. Nothing can create a memory faster than music. Here is a sampling of a few of my favorites, I hope you will add them to your collection this year.

Do You Know The Origins of “The 12 Days Of Christmas”?

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:48:11 +0000

Most of us know the 12 Days of Christmas as a popular song about a true love, turtle doves, 5 golden rings, and 8 maids a milking, among other things. However, the 12 days of Christmas are actually a religious holiday that starts on the evening of Christmas day, and ends the morning of January 6th, the day of Epiphany. The traditions and origins of the 12 days of Christmas are old, and are more than the lyrics to a popular children’s song.

The 12 days of Christmas can be traced to at least the Middle Ages, when the 12 days were mainly days for feasting that reached a crescendo on the twelfth night, made popular by William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. There is evidence that Colonial Americans brought the traditions of the 12 days with them. It as at this time that the tradition of weaving wreaths to hang on the door throughout the 12 days of Christmas became popular.

In modern America, the 12 days of Christmas have become a children’s song. Many argue this is due to the advent of Santa Claus, the acceptance of Christmas Eve as a holiday, and the increasing popularity of New Years Eve parties. However, those modern Americans that do celebrate are often religious and use their church to guide their celebrations. Some people give one gift for each of the 12 days of Christmass, some light a candle each day, and some even burn a Yule log a little each day.

Throughout the world, the 12 days of Christmas are celebrated in various ways. In England or other common wealth countries the 12 days are kicked off with Boxing Day, which begins on Christmas. They follow various aspects of the traditions found in the Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, and A Christmas Carol by Dickens. Roman Catholics celebrate by feasting and culminate their holiday on Epiphany with the largest feast. In Latin America, the twelfth day is the most important as it kicks off the Carnival season which end on Mardi Gras.

So there is certainly more to the 12 days of Christmas than most people know. The traditions of the 12 days are old and often religious. Yet the song’s meaning of each day has a rich and varied heritage.

Three Christmas Traditions To Pass On To Your Children

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:20:07 +0000

Christmas traditions, like most traditions, are falling by the way side these days. More and more frequently, you hear people say how when they were children, they had several familial Christmas traditions. In this day of split families, short Christmas breaks, friendly distractions, and hectic schedules, it is hard to find the time to pass Christmas traditions to your children. However, passing on Christmas traditions is not difficult to incorporate into your holiday this year.

One of the things most people remember about their fondest Christmas traditions is the food. The holidays have always been a time for good food and warm times spent in the kitchen. This is a great time to spend with your child. Have them help you make Christmas cookies, pies, rolls, salads, and if your brave enough, have them help with the turkey. Not only can you get extra help frosting all those sugar cookies, but also you are passing on a wonderful Christmas tradition while doing something you would have to do anyways.

Though the time for opening Christmas presents varies from family to family, it is a simple Christmas tradition to start for your children. For example, everyone can fondly identify with the little boy from the “Christmas Story,” who eagerly awaits Christmas morning so he can open his presents. Even as an adult, sometime I feel the pull to gently unwrap a corner of a present and sneak a peek. Making your child wait to open presents is a Christmas tradition almost all of us can identify with.

Yet, I’d say the most important Christmas tradition you can share with your children is that of charity. At no time of the year is it easier to share with your child the pleasure and rewards of serving or helping your fellow man. Peace on earth and good will to men is easier to point out during the holiday seasons. Setting up a tradition of charity with your children will be a Christmas tradition your children will remember.

Whether you follow these steps or make up Christmas traditions of your own, I’m sure you’ll agree they are important. Sharing Christmas traditions with your children can be simple when you include them in your daily errands. Pull them away from the T.V. long enough to help you bake cookies, make them wait to open their presents, and participate in a local charity as a family. These are the type of long lasting Christmas traditions your children will remember and pass on to their families.

Christmas Carols Have A Rich History

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:01:50 +0000

Tracing the root of Christmas carols is complicated as there are several accounts of ancient carols. Depending on the source they might have begun in the church, or in the community. They might have been hymns, or sung to bring together the working class. They may have originally been in Latin, and only translated to English in the 19th century. It seems the history of Christmas carols depends mainly on your religious beliefs.

Most historians agree, Christmas carols were originally hymns sung during Christmas time and Easter. However, these hymns lost popularity under the Protestant reformation. Though Luther wrote several hymns himself, and encourage singing them in church, it was not until later they became popular again. It is common belief that hymns or Christmas carols did not regain popularity until the first appearance of carols in print in Christmas Carols Ancient And Modern by William B. Sandys in 1833. These carols included, God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, The First Noel, and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. This is one view on the origins of Christmas Carols.

Others believe that Christmas carols developed as wassails. These wassails were originally drinking songs, or were sung when requesting ale, as a kind of payment. Could you imagine a system where a little karaoke could get you a shot? It appears that over time these wassails were transformed into more upbeat Christmas Carols sung while “wassailing” or caroling, as we know it today. Often carolers were rewarded with mince pies, puddings, fruits, breads, or monies, which were donated to charities. These Christmas carol traditions seem to stem from Britain.

Almost every modern country today has a set of Christmas carols of their own. Most of these carols stem from religions, whether Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or Pagan. These carols come in various languages, though surprisingly most of the carols have the same, or a similar tune. Christmas carols have become popular over the world, and today are mainly used as a community or family activity.

Your idea of the origin of Christmas carols depends mainly on your religious beliefs. Though today there are many secular Christmas carols, it is clear that at one time they were mostly religious in nature. Today the world over has their own versions of Christmas carols, some religious some secular. Whatever your religious beliefs, Christmas carols have become an undeniable part of modern Christmas traditions.

WeRejoice.net is back for Christmas 2008!

admin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:21:36 +0000

Welcome to WeRejoice.net, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas! We are so happy to be joining Collectibles Today this season in offering unique and distinctly different Christmas ornaments and gifts. Here we display the beautiful ornaments from Collectibles Today.