So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key...

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• 17Dec 09

  Tinsel

  

  Tinsel was originally a metallic garland for Christmas decoration. Nowadays it is typically made of plastic, and used particularly to decorate Christmas trees. In addition it can be hung from walls or ceilings and is normally flexible enough to be wrapped around almost anything e.g. statues or lampposts. Tinsel in its modern form was invented in Nuremberg, Germany in 1610, and was originally made of shredded silver.

  According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, the word is from the Old French word "estincele", meaning sparkle.

  Tinsel is a rare German, Czech and Dutch surname, originating from the same old French Word "estincele".

  Tinsel used to include lead, which caused the strands to hang better from the branches. This was eventually removed due to safety concerns.

  Tinsel also can harm or kill pets, so it should be used cautiously in homes with pets. Make sure it is made of all plastic and has NO LEAD in it. I used to love the long, thin piecesof tinsel. It did look so pretty on the tree-like ice sickles. But once they found out that it had lead in it, they stopped making it. I also had to stop using tinsel as a whole because of the cats. What can I say, they just love to chew on that stuff! So now I have a string of wooden cranberries that I put around the tree. Not as shiny, but it is safer.

  • Posted Dec 17, 2009 11:28 pm PT
  • Category: General
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• 16Dec 09

  Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

  

  Perhaps the best know of all the reindeer is Rudolph - the red nosed reindeer. Rudolph was the creation of Robert May, an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago.

  May, who was very imaginative, wanted to create a booklet to give to parents who shopped at Montgomery Ward and with the help of Denver Gillen, a friend who had artistic skills, they created a booklet about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. The story of how Rudolph lit the way through the fog to help Santa Claus deliver his toys was distributed for several years, with millions of booklets distributed at Montgomery Wards stores over the years.

  In 1947 the story of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was put to music by a friend of Robert Mays by the name of Johnny Marks. It was recorded and sung by Gene Autry a famous TV star and sold millions of copies of the song. Rudolph has had his own TV shows and movies and continues to grow in popularity with every passing year.

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  As a side note, if any of you are fans of WWE wrestling as I am, and you have not heard, WWE has signed Bret "The Hitman" Hart, to a short term contract. As of this time the contract will run from January the 1st, 2010 to April 10th, 2010. Should prove interesting...

  • Posted Dec 16, 2009 11:47 pm PT
  • Category: General
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• 15Dec 09

  The Poinsettia

  

  Counting down the days fast to Christmas now. I just noticed a little while ago that I made it to level 34. Yeah! Now, on to the tradition...

  Poinsettia plants are native to Central America, especially an area of southern Mexico known as 'Taxco del Alarcon' where they flower during the winter. The ancient Aztecs called them 'cuetlaxochitl'. The Aztecs had many uses for them including using the flowers (also known as bracts) to make a purple dye for clothes and cosmetics and the milky white sap was made into a medicine to treat fevers. (Today we call the sap latex!)

  The poinsettia was made widely known because of a man called Joel Roberts Poinsett (why we call them Poinsettia! ). He was the first Ambassador from the U.S.A. to Mexico in 1825. Mr. Poinsett also founded the scientific institution in the U.S.A called the Smithsonian Institute. Poinsettia had some greenhouses on his plantations in South Carolina, and while visiting the Taco area in 1828, he became very interested in the plants. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began grow the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.

  The shape of the poinsettia flower and leaves are sometimes thought as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus. The red colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ. The white leaves represent his purity.

  Note: If you have pets, keep them away from live Poinsettia plants, they are poisonous to them.

  • Posted Dec 15, 2009 11:29 pm PT
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