DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

  Float from the early years  Float from recent years       This uniquely American event began as a promotional effort by Pasadena's distinguished Vally Hunt Club.  In the winter of 1890, the club members brainstormed ways to promote the "Mediterranean of the West".  They invited their former East Coast neighbors to a mid-winter holiday, where they could watch games such as chariot races, jousting, foot races, polo and tug-of-war under the warm California sun.  The abundance of fresh flowers, even in the midst of winter, prompted the club to add another showcase for Pasadena's charm; a parade would precede the competition, where entrants would decorate their carriages with hundreds of blooms.  The Tournament of Roses was born.    "In New York, people are buried in snow", announced Professor Charles F. Holder at a Club meeting.  "Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear fruit.  Let's hold...

    The most famous ball in America will make it's decent into Times Square this December, ringing in more than just another "Happy New Year"! among fellow Americans.  While it may be the largest New Year's Eve Ball ever to grace New York City.  It may also be the most eco-friendly ball as well.  The new ball is 20% more energy efficient than the previous one, which will make it a sure crowd pleaser for the many Americans who are becoming more eco-conscious.  At 12 feet across and 11,875 pounds, the ball will be the largest ball to drop in Times Square since the beginning of the tradition.  It also contains 2,668 Waterford Crystals and 32,256 LED's, which make the ball capable of producing more than 16 million colors and several billion patterns.  It will be the most beautiful and breathtaking New Year's Eve Ball to date.  But where did the idea for the ball come from?  Who started this tradition, and when was the Waterford Crysta...

     If you're considering a trip to China for the holidays, you'll find that some of their Christmas traditions are similar to ours, but many are very different.  You'll see decorated trees, beautiful lights, and many scenes similar to the ones you would see at Christmas in the United States, but in China, most of the decorations are intricate paper folding that form flowers, lanterns and chains on the tree.    Yes, they have Santa in China, but they don't call him by the name Americans do, he's referred to as Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run), which means Christmas Old Man.  Another name for Santa is Lan Khoong.  Although most citizens of China are not of the Christian faith there are still plenty of celebrations.    The festival where everyone celebrates the most, occurs at the end of January, call the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year.  This is the time when children receive gifts of toys and clothing, every on...

    Christmas parades can be seen in cities and towns nationwide.  The parades help usher in Christmas.    Christmas parades can be small with just a few floats, and a couple of bands, or very large with a lot of floats, several bands, clowns, assorted groups, and cars carrying important people from the community.  But whether the Christmas parades are small or large in size doesn't matter, it's what is at the end of the parade that makes all the difference and that would be Santa Claus!  Seeing Santa Claus means the Christmas season is here!    Christmas parades have been going strong for 90+ years.  When Christmas parades first started it was more of a way for people who lived in small towns to get together and socialize with each other while watching a very short parade.  The parades were something the communities looked forward to every year.    One such Christmas parade in California started in 1928....

     In Japan, the most practiced religions are Buddhism and Shinto.  Because of this, Christmas is a more commercial event, much like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day in the United States.  Furthermore, the main celebration revolves around Christmas Eve and not the day that is honored in the West as the day of Christ's birth.    Though Christmas is not generally celebrated in honor of the birth of Christ, Japanese families enjoy the same focus on the importance and joy of generosity and giving.  Gift giving on Christmas is common.  In families, children believe that only Santa Kuroshu (Santa Claus)gives gifts on Christmas, so children do not give gifts to their parents.  It is believed that Santa has eyes in the back of his head so he can always see what the children are doing.  Children who do not believe in Santa don't receive gifts.     Christmas trees and lights on homes are becoming more and more commo...

    If you are looking to spend Christmas in Spain you may want to plan on spending a month there because Christmas in Spain is a very religious holiday which starts on the 8th of December and celebrations last until the 6th of January.  The  festivities for Christmas in Spain start on December 8th, which is also a national holiday in Spain, celebrating "Immaculada"...the feast of the Immaculate Conception.  In  Sevilla (Seville), one celebration is the "Dance of the Six" and in Caceres the young children of the town dress in jeweled clothing and holds a figure of the Virgin Mary as high in the air as they can run through the streets.    In Spain, Christmas Eve is known as "Nochebuena" , meaning the Good Night .  It is a huge candlelight celebration which consists of a magnificent feast and going to mass at midnight.  One of the most beautiful masses is the Mass of the Rooster, held at a mountain monastery at Montserrat, the boys cho...

   When Virginia O'Hanlon, an 8 year old girl from New York City, sent a letter addressed to the newspaper The Sun in 1897, she asked a very simple question: "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?"  In what must have been a surprise to her, the question was answered quite frankly.  After calling out Virginia's "little friends" for doubting the existence of Santa Claus and being clouded by an age of skepticism, the writer of the article, Francis Pharcelius Church, replied, "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".    Today, children all over the world are still asking the same question as Virgina did.  So who exactly is this Santa Claus guy, and why would he cause so much skepticism among boys and girls?  Is he some kind of magical figure?  How could one person cause so much excitement, doubt and even concern?    This Santa Claus guy appears to be pretty secretive about his operations.  Along with Mrs. Claus, elves...