Dedicated to getting you in the Christmas mood!
Throughout history the celebration of Christmas has been created and molded into the celebration we have today. In fact many aspects of Christmas such as the hanging of mistletoe date back to pagan rituals. During Queen Victoria’s reign however, Christmas became to look a lot like the festival that we celebrate today. Looking in particular [...]
We all have our favorite books that we grew up reading at Christmas time. My favorite, The Night Before Christmas, was read by my dad after dinner every Christmas Eve. The whole family would gather in a room and my dad would, very animatedly, read the story to us. It was a special time. Now [...]
Given that the age of the printed calendar took hold just after the war, it comes as no surprise that there are some people in the world who have become collectors of the item. The older calendars can be very exquisite and as they have always been intended as a temporary Christmas whim, it seems [...]
Advent calendars are a Christmas tradition like Christmas Cards that date back a fair few decades and which have become an icon of December in modern times. It is thought that they date back to Germany in the 1800s and gradually spread across Europe as their popularity became apparent. Chocolate calendars are thought to be [...]
This time of year when holiday stress can take its toll, take time out to enjoy a bit of humor. It is amazing what a good laugh can do for your spirits. TV shows, magazines, comedy acts…humor abounds. Here are a few of my favorites: Roses are reddish Violets are bluish If it weren’t for [...]
Many plants are associated with the Christmas season, from the Christmas tree to holly, poinsettias, Christmas cactus and mistletoe. For those of us who live in a northern climate, and are surrounded by snow and dead plants, it reminds us that spring will be coming and puts a bit of color in our lives. The [...]
Christmas has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870, but it was not a holiday in early America. Celebrating Christmas, in fact, was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. This was a result of Puritan ideas and religious reform. Then in the 19th century things began to change. Previously, Christmas celebrations [...]
A holiday tradition which spans generations is kissing under the mistletoe. A number of mistletoe varieties exist, but the American plant is called Phoradendron Flavescans. Mistletoe has long been regarded as possessing magical powers, as far back as with the Druids in the first century and early Vikings in the 8th century. It has been [...]
Are you sick of sending boring old Christmas cards year after year? Why not try something different? Keep technology in mind when sending your holiday wishes. Make a mixed CD using some of your favorite holiday tunes and send a copy to your friends and family members. They’ll love getting in the holiday spirit and [...]
It’s rare that people go caroling at the holidays anymore. However, it is a simple pleasure that costs nothing and brings joy to so many. Pick some of your favorite Christmas classics and try to incorporate caroling into your yuletide plans this year. Take the entire family or a group of friends to a nursing [...]