DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

The Original Christmas Tree Ship     The story of the beginning of the Christmas Tree Ship is the story of the Schuenemann family, and most particularly the story of Capt Herman Schuenemann and his last ship, the Rouse Simmons. In approximately 1885 August and his brother Herman Schuenemann moved to Chicago to seek out their fortune. Chicago’s Harbor was one of the busiest in the world at this time with over 20,000 vessels entering and leaving annually. As competition was fierce, the brothers became excellent businessmen as well as sailors. Although they made a relatively good living, two-thirds of their annual income was generated between Thanksgiving and Christmas with the sale of trees. August had become a truly competitive trader and by 1895 had a well-established reputation as a Christmas tree merchant. In early November of 1898, August was in Sturgeon Bay looking for trees that he would bring to Chicago on a ship named the S. Thal. He purchased 3,...

This diy comes from  www.thriftyparsonageliving.blogspot.com  . They look like they been outside and the snow and ice has crystalized on them. Very nice. Enjoy! DIY Epsom Salt Ornaments and Candle I know there's been candles and ornaments made with Epsom salt floating around blog land for a while now, but I thought I'd share my version which utilizes simple things most of us have lying around our homes. Here is what I had and you'll need if you're going to make these. 1. Styrofoam balls 2. Candle 3. Paint 4. Mod Podge or Glue 5.Epsom Salt I made this project for mere pennies because every thing I used I already had in my home. Three styrofoam balls - from a "free" box at the local thrift store. Paint  (deco art)  given to me by a friend who no longer had a use for it. Glue I didn't have any Mod Podge in the house, but you can substitute glue watered down with a few drops of water as a homemade version. Begin by painting the balls. Next...

   It is the most wonderful time of the year! From trimmed trees to twinkle lights to knit stockings hanging over the fireplace, you really can’t escape the christmas cheer. Although we have many christmas time traditions, the christmas tree is definitely the first and foremost.    This timeline takes us through the history of the christmas tree from the first decorated tree in 1600, to the first christmas tree in the white house, to the griswolds A Christmas Vacation. It is easy to see the influence of the different fads and trends through out the century, like the bubble lights from the 1940′s. My best friend’s tree has bubble lights each year! Its their christmas tree staple.    The other main aspect of the timeline is the debate between the real and artificial tree. My family are a bunch of real tree advocates, claiming that they will never own an artificial tree ever. I do agree and love the real tree, but artificial trees are so easy and require n...

    The childhood magic of anticipation comes rushing back with one of these treasures packs of promise!     Christmas crackers  or  bon-bons  are an integral part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. They are also popular in Ireland. A cracker consists of a cardboard tube wrapped in a brightly decorated twist of paper, making it resemble an oversized sweet-wrapper. The cracker is pulled by two people, and, much in the manner of a wishbone, the cracker splits unevenly. The split is accompanied by a small bang or snapping sound produced by the effect of friction on a chemically impregnated card strip (similar to that used in a cap gun).    Crackers are typically pulled at the Christmas dinner table or at parties. In one version of the cracker tradition, the person with the larger portion of cracker empties the contents from the tu...

   During Christmas in Costa Rica, people like to decorate their houses with beautiful tropical flowers. A model of the nativity scene, called the Pasito or Portal, is the center of the display. It's also decorated with flowers and sometimes fruit. Some of the scene take a long time to make and all the family is involved. As well as the traditional figures, people add other models including houses and lots of different sorts of animals. Christmas wreaths are made of cypress branches and are decorated with red coffee berries and ribbons. Most homes, shops and important buildings are decorated with Christmas lights.    In Costa Rica, the gift bringer is often  'Niño dios'  (Child God, meaning Jesus) or  'Colacho'  (another name for St. Nicholas).    On Christmas Eve, everyone puts on their best clothes and goes to Midnight Mass. In Costa Rica it's called the 'Misa de Gallo (Mass of the Rooster); it's also called that is...

Why December 26 is a 'monster' shopping day: 4 theories     The day after Christmas is second only to Black Friday as the year's busiest shopping day — thanks, in part, to a tendency for people to buy themselves delayed presents. 1. More people are spending on themselves. Plan on hitting the mall today? You're not alone. In a recent American Express survey, 57 percent of Americans said they planned to go shopping on December 26, up from 43 percent in 2010. In fact, the day after Christmas is second only to Black Friday as the busiest shopping day of the year. But why are more Americans willing to circle around crowded parking lots than last year? Here, 4 theories: In the days leading up to Christmas, Americans are consumed with shopping for friends and family. After the 25th, the focus shifts. One out of five shoppers will be cashing in gift cards they got from Santa,  says Brad Tuttle at  TIME , with many purchasing holiday presents f...

This recipe comes from  www.bravetart.com  .  A change of pace than your average egg nog recipe.   Probably better to consume and enjoy as well.  Good luck! Egg Nog Shake ·   (serves 4) I originally shared this recipe for my column on Serious Eats. You can read more about the terrifying ingredients found in a  McDonald's Egg Nog Shake , but I’ll give you the short story:  there are thirteen ingredients in the cherry alone . Not kidding. So, skip the drive through and make something you don’t have to be scared of. What gives this egg nog its distinctive flavor is chopped, not grated, nutmeg. Whether with pre-ground nutmeg from the jar or freshly grated as needed, most people only use nutmeg in its smallest form. Now imagine if you only used garlic that way in cooking. No sliced garlic. No whole cloves smashed open. No chopped garlic. No minced garlic. Only garlic paste. Yeah. More than vampires would die in the aftermath, that’s f...

   FIRST MENTION OF FEAST OF NATIVITY ON 25th DECEMBER: Possibly the earliest mention of a special feast for the Nativity on the 25th December is in the Philocalian Calendar in the year 354. This does refer back to earlier information from 336. However, in 388, St Chrysostom wrote that the observing of the festival of the Nativity (on December 25th) was not yet ten years old. *WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME TO BRITAIN: The first records show that St Augustine came to Britain with his missionary monks from Rome, and on Christmas Day 598 it is said that he baptised more than 10,000 English people in the Christian faith. *According to the Venerable Bede in his History of the English Church, the legendary King Arthur was crowned by St Dubricius on Christmas Day, somewhere very close to this date. *In the year 816, the Council of Chelsea enforced the observance of Christmas on December 25th in Britain. This date was formerly called 'Mothers Night, a vigil in honour of the re-birth...

 Most people can agree on what Santa Claus looks like---jolly, with a red suit and a white beard.  But he didn't always look that way, and Coke advertising actually helped shape the modern day image of Santa.    2006 marked the 75th anniversary of the famous Coca-Cola Santa Claus.  Starting in 1931, magazine ads for Coca-Cola featured St. Nick as a kind, jolly man in a red suit.  Because magazines were so widely viewed, and because this image of Santa appeared for more than three decades, the image of Santa most people have today is largely based on their advertising. 1931 Coke Santa Ad  Before the 1931 introduction of the Coke Santa Claus, created by artist Haddon Sundblom, the image of Santa ranged from big to small and fat to tall.  Santa even appeared as an elf and looked a bit spooky.    Through the centuries, Santa has been depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to an elf.  He has worn a bishop'...