1200 POSTS BY CHRISTMAS 2009

[Stephanie]

Byron and I are going to buy a new tree this weekend. I'm so excited!

Also, I'm really looking forward to a Christmas bazaar type thing Byron and I are going to on the 21st. I know there are some people from Ohio on this board, but I'm not sure what part. Anyway, we are going to Christmas Connections in Cleveland. We've gone every year since we moved here and I can't wait!

[CandyKane]

Tonight I finished addressing the last of my Christmas cards. I have a huge stack of them. I'll be hand delivering alot of them to save on postage.

[CandyKane]

I went shopping today and bought the last of the gifts for the Operation Christmas Child boxes. Next year I hope we can start earlier and organize a fundraiser to help with the expense of our Christmas projects.

[CandyKane]

What is America’s National Christmas Tree?


America's official national Christmas tree is not located at the White House, but rather in King's Canyon National Park near Sanger, California. The tree, a giant sequoia known as the General Grant Tree, was designated the "Nation's Christmas Tree" in 1925.


It is 267 feet high, 40 feet across its base, and is estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years old. In 1956, the tree was declared a national shrine to honor the men and women of the U.S. military. As a memorial, park rangers place a wreath at the base of the tree during the Christmas ceremony, which has been held every year since 1925.

[CandyKane]

Here's a link about this years Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/200 ... _tree.html

[Pretjah]

Here's a link about this years Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/200 ... _tree.html

thanks candy kane....even though i've never gone and seen it personally, one of the highlights of christmas for me is the lighting every year of the rockefeller tree.

i dont know if you all remember last years tree came from my town. it came from the place my inlaws buy thier christmas tree everyyear so i've seen it for many many years

[CandyKane]

Pretjah--I do remember your post about last years tree. I think it's so great that you knew that tree before it was famous. I have always dreamed of seeing New Year at Christmas time. It must be so beautiful.

[CandyKane]

The Christmas cactus that I keep in my kitchen is starting to bloom. It has beautiful maroon blossoms on it.

[CandyKane]

Do you know the history of Holidays at Rockefeller Center?


In New York, it's not officially Christmastime until the tree is lit at Rockefeller Center. The first tree appeared in 1931, during the Great Depression, when workers placed a tree in the dirt of a construction site. That year, the tree symbolized Christmas as much as it did hope and the invincible human spirit.

In 1933, the current tradition began with a tree decorated with 700 lights placed in front of the newly completed RCA Building. The Rockefeller Plaza Outdoor Ice-Skating Pond opened in 1936.

The decorating themes and festivities have varied from year to year. In 1941, two reindeer borrowed from the Bronx Zoo were housed in cages beside the Prometheus Fountain. In 1942, during World War II, three living trees graced the Center.


In an act of patriotism, one tree was decorated in red, another in white, and the other in blue. However, because of wartime restrictions on electricity, the trees were not illuminated.


In 1949, the tree was painted silver. In 1951, the entire nation witnessed the tree-lighting ceremony when it was televised on The Kate Smith Show. And by 1964, the ceremony had become an annual event, with celebrities such as Johnny Carson, Hugh Downs, Ed McMahon, Barbara Walters, Debbie Reynolds, Marlo Thomas, and Phil Donahue hosting the show.


Today, the annual Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is typically adorned with more than 25,000 lights but no other ornaments except for the star on top.

[Noel+]

Today, while at work, my sweet DH and brother put up our Christmas tree in the living room! It's beginning to look a little like Christmas!!!

They also brought down all the bags, boxes, cartons of Christmas decorations so I can decorate for an hour every night before bed!

By the weekend after Thanksgiving I'll have it all completed and sing "its beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!"

[ksrjreed]

I think I am done decorating, I have my inside and outside looking like Christmas(except for some snow), I don't think I am going to add anything else, but if I do see something that I like I will go ahead get it and place it in my yard. We have finished shopping for one child and have three more to go,,,,but I am not complaining I love this time of year and as the kids get older it makes it more fun to me, it is like a puzzle trying to find the right present and hope it is the one that they wanted, if not though, oh well, anyway 41 days til Christmas and things are getting more and more hectic.

[ksrjreed]

Short day at work, will spend the rest of the evening with the family and will also get my cards for the exchange ready.

[CandyKane]

I went grocery shopping today and picked up most of the things I need for Thanksgiving. I also bought some extra cookie mixes for Christmas.

[CandyKane]

I only have one Christmas gift left to buy. The one for my hubby. I know what I'm getting. Just waiting until I have saved enough to buy it. This year I will have done all my Christmas shopping completely credit card free.

[CandyKane]

Who is Rankin-Bass?


Rudolph, Frosty, and Kris Kringle were all brought to life on television, thanks to the work of Rankin-Bass. The television production company founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr., and Jules Bass achieved fame in 1964 when they created an animated adaptation of the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."


Narrated by Burl Ives, with an original orchestral score by Johnny Marks, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was an instant hit and today is one of the longest-running Christmas specials in television history.

Rudolph's success was soon followed by several other holiday hits produced by Rankin-Bass:


"The Little Drummer Boy," 1968, narrated by Greer Garson, featured the Vienna Boys' Choir
"Frosty the Snowman," 1969, narrated by Jimmy Durante, with Jackie Vernon as Frosty
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," 1970, narrated by Fred Astaire, with Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland," 1976, narrated by Andy Griffith and starred Shelley Winters as Crystal
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year," 1976, with Red Skelton as Father Time
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey", 1977, featured original music by Gene Autry
"Jack Frost," 1979, with songs written by Al Jolsen and Mel Tormé

[mistletoe misfit]

Little Drummer Boy and Rudolph are my two favourite animated Christmas specials. Little Drummer Boy was released the year I was born.

[mistletoe misfit]

I am looking over Christmas sales flyers and adding more to my Christmas gift list. I plan on picking up a few gifts either later today after hockey and grocery shopping, or first thing tomorrow morning. There is a doll DD7 would like and it is on sale at Walmart this week.

[mistletoe misfit]

Just got back home a little while ago from Walmart. I bought two more Christmas gifts.
It's certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas there. The closer I got to the toy and Christmas sections(conveniently located next to each other) the crazier it became. It's only November 14th, so by the start of December it should be a complete mad house. I too will be one of the crazies there.
I probably wont be completely finished until maybe a week before. But that's ok I have bought the couple of gifts the children really wanted, so anything else we get them will be a bonus.

[CandyKane]

A local store donated all their leftover Halloween stuff for our church's Fall Festival next year. It was just like Christmas as we all dug through the boxes to see all the great new stuff.

[CandyKane]

Last night we watched The Wizard of Oz. Watching it is becoming our Thanksgiving movie tradition. I can not believe how close we are to Thanksgiving. I am getting so excited. I can't wait to watch the Macy's parade. When Santa comes down the street at the end of the parade, it will offically be Christmas for our family.