History of the Christmas Stocking:

The tradition of the Christmas stocking seems to have originated in around the third century and involves the Bishop of Myra who became known as Saint Nicholas. The legend goes that there was a righteous and honorable man whose wife had died, leaving him to care for their three daughters. The tradition in that country at the time was that a daughter had to have a dowry to be able to get married, as this man was poor he felt bad thinking his daughters would never be able to marry. One day this information came to the attention of Nicholas the Bishop of Myra, so late one night he went to the man's cottage. Looking in the window he saw that the daughters had washed cloths and hung them around the fireplace to dry, noticing their stockings hanging with the rest of their clothes he took out three small bags of gold and carefully tossed them through the open window into the stockings. The next morning as the daughters were gathering their clothes they found the bags of gold, now they had money for a dowry! Of course each girl married well and lived happily ever after. As this legend grew more people began to leave stockings or small sacks hanging around the fire place in hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave them something as well.

A little further north in Holland, children used to set out their wooden clogs with straw in them, Father Christmas would feed the straw to his reindeer and leave a treat or small gift in the clog for the child. Italian children had a similar tradition of leaving their shoes out by the door so that Papa Noel would leave a little treat or something in them. In France the children left their shoes indoors by the fireplace and would then find treats or small gifts in them. In Puerto Rico the children would use small boxes, where they would put flowers and other greenery to be left for the three Wise Men or the three Kings.

Christmas Stockings in America:

As with any legend there are several variations. But the most likely way that hanging stockings became an American tradition was from all the different immigrants' coming to America and bringing their own traditions with them and then being in close proximity to each other the traditions began to merge and alter into what we have today. Another person that helped the tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace was Clement Moore and his most famous of poems A Visit from St. Nicholas, which today is called The Night before Christmas. And as anyone who has read the poem would know, it says, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. So a combination of different traditions and legends and famous poets gave birth to an American tradition. And today the Christmas stocking is an essential part in the celebration of Christmas in America. Although the practice of using everyday wearable socks has given way to specialty Christmas stockings. Today there is a wide selection of Christmas stockings for everyone and even a selection for pets.

About the Author:

Mitch Jelly has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. Select to view
http://www.christmas-decorations-gifts-store.com>Christmas
Decorations Ideas. We also have a great selection of
http://www.christmas-decorations-gifts-store.com/store/PPF/Category_ID/153/products.asp>Christmas
Stockings.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Christmas Stocking

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Christmas Stockings

What should I stuff his christmas stocking with?

What should I stuff in his stocking? I have never done this. Nothing too expensive. He isn't a big fan of candy and I don't wanna be cheesy.
He is my 30 year old fiance and we just got engaged.

scratch offs, if your state has a lottery, socks, razors, cologne,

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History of the Christmas Stocking:

The tradition of the Christmas stocking seems to have originated in around the third century and involves the Bishop of Myra who became known as Saint Nicholas. The legend goes that there was a righteous and honorable man whose wife had died, leaving him to care for their three daughters. The tradition in that country at the time was that a daughter had to have a dowry to be able to get married, as this man was poor he felt bad thinking his daughters would never be able to marry. One day this information came to the attention of Nicholas the Bishop of Myra, so late one night he went to the man's cottage. Looking in the window he saw that the daughters had washed cloths and hung them around the fireplace to dry, noticing their stockings hanging with the rest of their clothes he took out three small bags of gold and carefully tossed them through the open window into the stockings. The next morning as the daughters were gathering their clothes they found the bags of gold, now they had money for a dowry! Of course each girl married well and lived happily ever after. As this legend grew more people began to leave stockings or small sacks hanging around the fire place in hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave them something as well.

A little further north in Holland, children used to set out their wooden clogs with straw in them, Father Christmas would feed the straw to his reindeer and leave a treat or small gift in the clog for the child. Italian children had a similar tradition of leaving their shoes out by the door so that Papa Noel would leave a little treat or something in them. In France the children left their shoes indoors by the fireplace and would then find treats or small gifts in them. In Puerto Rico the children would use small boxes, where they would put flowers and other greenery to be left for the three Wise Men or the three Kings.

Christmas Stockings in America:

As with any legend there are several variations. But the most likely way that hanging stockings became an American tradition was from all the different immigrants' coming to America and bringing their own traditions with them and then being in close proximity to each other the traditions began to merge and alter into what we have today. Another person that helped the tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace was Clement Moore and his most famous of poems A Visit from St. Nicholas, which today is called The Night before Christmas. And as anyone who has read the poem would know, it says, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. So a combination of different traditions and legends and famous poets gave birth to an American tradition. And today the Christmas stocking is an essential part in the celebration of Christmas in America. Although the practice of using everyday wearable socks has given way to specialty Christmas stockings. Today there is a wide selection of Christmas stockings for everyone and even a selection for pets.

About the Author:

Mitch Jelly has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. Select to view
http://www.christmas-decorations-gifts-store.com>Christmas
Decorations Ideas. We also have a great selection of
http://www.christmas-decorations-gifts-store.com/store/PPF/Category_ID/153/products.asp>Christmas
Stockings.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Christmas Stocking

Many thanks for reading our Christmas Stocking article

Post from: Cheap Christmas Decorations

Christmas Stocking

If the Christmas lights fail to light because of one burned-out bulb, the lights are probably wired in series?

If the Christmas lights fail to light because of one burned-out bulb, the lights are probably wired in series or parallel?

The lights are wired in series

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One would think that Christmas lights have been around for as long as Christmas itself. Can any of you imagine Christmas without lights? How would the children find their way in the dark, so early on Christmas morning without them? The history of Christmas lights is intricately tied to the dawn of the modern era, when houses began to be supplied with electricity.

As you are likely aware, Thomas Edison invented the first functioning light bulb back in 1879. A few years later, in 1882, an associate of his first employed the use of lights on his Christmas tree. Edward Johnson was the first to electrically light his family Christmas tree in his New York home. His home was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired for electricity.

A visiting reporter from Detroit reported the following in "The Detroit Post and Tribune": "Last evening I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward H. Johnson, vice-president of Edison's electric company. There, at the rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree presenting a most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with many colored globes about as large as an English walnut and was turning some six times a minute on a little pine box. There were eighty lights in all encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided between white, red and blue. As the tree turned, the colors alternated, all the lamps going out and being relit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors, red, white, blue, white, red, blue---all evening."

In 1890, Edison published a promotional brochure which may have been the first mention of commercially available electrically powered
Christmas lights
. It stated that "There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasing than miniature incandescent lamps placed among flowers, or interwoven in garlands or festoons; for decorating Christmas trees or conservatories..."

From there, the popularity of Christmas lights exploded. Before long, every family had them and they became synonymous with the Christmas tree. It's hard to imagine Christmas without Christmas lights. I tip my fuzzy red cap to you, Mr. Edison. You have given us all a gift we will always cherish!

Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for christmaslightsanddecorations.com - an online resources for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about
Christmas trees
,
artificial Christmas trees
,
fiberoptic Christmas trees
and more.
About the Author:

Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for
http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com
- an online resources for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about
indoor Christmas lights
,
Christmas stockings
,
decorations
and more.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Christmas Story - The First Christmas Lights

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Christmas Lights