Christmas is a time for decorating your home and your neighborhood
and bringing a sense of joy and warmth to your family and others.
From tinsel to trees, ribbons to wreaths, and ornaments to gingerbread
men, the holiday season is full of colorful Christmas related décor.
There are some interesting facts about some common Christmas decorations
you may not know.
For example, the shiny ribbons of silver we put on our tree called
tinsel originated from Germany in the early 1600s. The first real tinsel was actually made from real silver and cut into
very thin strips.
Machines were used to cut the sheets of silver, and then the resulting
strips were hung on the tree. Of course, the newer version does not turn colors due to rust or tarnish, is much lighter, and
much less expensive.
You may enjoy buying a new, fresh live Christmas tree each year,
but some people prefer to buy an artificial Christmas tree. These "fake Christmas trees" also came from Germany. They used
to be constructed of metal wires with goose or other birds' feathers attaches to represent the branches.
At one point, these trees were made of brushes, much like toilet
brushes, until finally in the 1950s, artificial trees started to be manufactured that looked much more realistic. These were
manufactured in America and have remained a popular décor
item to this day.
During the snowy winter months, you probably see snowmen all over
the neighborhood. It may be surprising to learn that the first snowman known as Arktos came from Greek legend.
Ever since then, the snowman has become the thing of legend.
Some of the most popular nicknames for snowmen include Jack
Frost and Frosty the Snowman. People love to build these frozen men in their front yards and top
them off with a hat, scarf, carrot nose, and eyes made of coal. They are a comforting and friendly sight throughout the Holiday
and winter seasons.
In the 1830s, an Englishman by the name of John Calcott Horsley
began sending beautiful photos and cards as a way to express holiday cheer for others. This is when the Christmas card was
born. Today, it is one of the most common ways to celebrate the holiday and to share your love for others during the season.
Most of the Christmas props and decorations we use today have
a long and storied history that many people may not know about. It is fun and sometimes amazing to see where these traditions
came from and how much they have evolved over the years since they first began....
