| |
| |
|
Holidays Information |
|
|
|
The Evolution of Christmas Ornaments
Things have come a long way since a Christmas ornament was likely to be just a ball hung by the window, or later on a Christmas tree. Historians believe that this original Christmas decoration descended from a witch ball. The original purpose of a witch ball was to fend off evil spirits. However, being traditionally glass made, these balls were also very decorative, and people started to see their use for decorating the home. They were great decorations, so they started to move around the house a bit, and the original green colour was varied as time went on. Over the centuries, and gathering pace in the Victorian era, they were made in different colours and sizes, and even the material from which they were made started to be varied. Also by Victorian times, it became fashionable to decorate the home for Christmas, so Christmas ornaments started to take a hold in Victorian homes. Less concerned about evil spirits, people looked at ornaments as a festive display, a symbol of celebration. Instead of warding off evil spirits, they started to accompany a surge in other spirits, most notably brandy and whisky. From Victorian times onwards the range has increased steadily. The decorations have been hung in different places too: the mantle, windows, and front door being favourites, as well as the Christmas tree, but there is really no restriction where to hang Christmas ornaments these days. Inside, outside, it no longer seems to matter. A lot of the increase in the use of Christmas decorations has come from the desire to impress friends, neighbours and family with the decorative display, as well, of course, for one's own enjoyment. The Christmas ball that was supposed to have been derived from the witch ball, is still a clear favourite of the Christmas ornaments used to decorate the Christmas tree. Over the years Christmas tree balls have been designed in a great variety of colours and finish, with an increasing variety of sparkling balls. Another favourite for Christmas decorations nowadays are the coloured fairy lights. Flashing coloured lights are often a feature of outside Christmas ornament displays, as well as for the tree and other places inside the house. It also became quite normal in the 20th century to hang a new type of Christmas ornament on a tree; some sort of food, especially chocolate, that would be covered with a colourful, shiny paper wrapping to add a festive decorative effect. On top of the Christmas tree, a fairy has been a popular adornment over the years, but that has been changing in recent decades, and other Christmas ornaments often now take pride of place at the pinnacle. As with so many things over the last hundred years, Christmas decorations have just got bigger and better, as well as with a greater variety. Now, in some localities, you will get local communities where house owners go to great lengths to decorate the outside of their homes with giant Christmas ornaments and lighting displays. Some such localities become well known simply for their Christmas display. Even here in the Philippines, some localities become well known in the Christmas season for their exuberant Christmas ornament displays. For most of us, however, Christmas ornaments are about decorating our own little piece of territory to make Christmas a special occasion for the family, and it is unlikely that that will ever change. This Christmas Ornament article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner of the Xmas ornament website, and http://www.gifts-for-xmas.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Holidays - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Easter Traditions: Seven Ways To Add Meaning To Your Family Celebration Family traditions connect us to past and future generations. They provide meaning and connection, as well as a sense of ritual and comfort. Spice Up Your Life with an Adventure Holiday! Are you bored with the routine of city life? Do you yearn for a getaway from the hustle and bustle and put some excitement into your life? Do you hope to visit the places that have been aired over National Geographic Explorer and experience it for yourself? If your answer is yes to these questions, then adventure travel is just the thing for you!Defining an Adventure HolidayOk, so you've decided that you want an adventure holiday. This leads you to the next question - what type of adventure holiday do you want? There is just so much variety and different perceptions of the word "Adventure" that people have come up with all sorts of activities to define this word. New Year's Resolution - Why Not Resolve To Take Back Your Life? It's time once again for the dreaded New Year's Resolutions. Most of us make them; few of us keep them for more than a few months. Anniversary Gift Ideas Year by Year, the First Nineteen Years It's impossible to remember what gift is traditional for each anniversary. This article is perfect to print out or post on your website for easy reference. Keeping Christmas Spirit Alive: Christmas Just Isn't The Same Without Santa Claus! Holidays may come and go but some holidays, like Christmas, should never change. Most folks have a favorite holiday and for many it is Christmas. Birthday Gift Guide A birthday gift is the opportunity to show your loved one precisely how much they mean to you and how special you think they are.A little thought into your friend or loved one's personality will help you to understand what kind of gift they would really love for their birthday. 10 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who have laid their lives in the nation's service. Memorial Day has also become a popular time for Family Reunions and Get Togethers as it is preceded by a weekend. Mothers Day Gift Ideas Do you remember the days when your mother used to bring those surprise gifts for you? You just loved the sight of those big packages wrapped in beautiful gift papers, didn't you? What did you find when you opened those packets? Wasn't it always just what you wanted? The pretty doll in the window you longed to have for so long, the toy car that could be operated by remote control or a walkie-talkie. Ever wondered how mother always knew what you really needed? How heart-warming it would be to see the same joy and happiness light up your mother's face today. A New Look at Labor Day A day to reflect on the accomplishments of working people: That's been the proud tradition since the first, unofficial, Labor Day back in 1882.But, one of labor's greatest accomplishments has gone largely unrecognized. Celebrating Fathers On Father's Day, we celebrate the guys in our lives. Not just our dads and the fathers to our children, but all the men who have made a positive impact on a child's life. What Are And How To Use Free Ecard and Free Ecards You can consider free ecards as being the same thing as normally greetings cards. The difference is that an ecard is an electronic card. Dont Want Another Carpet Sweeper This Year For Christmas? Unique "Drop-A-Hint" Plan Sends Your Gift Wishes Via E-mailSure, they love you and each year they try their best to find you the perfect gift. But let's be honest, sometimes they need a little help. Lost and Found (A Valentines Day Story) I casually glanced down at my hand, but instead of a wedding ring and an engagement ring, there was only the narrow gold band."Randy!" I yelped. 5 Most Popular Styles of Christmas Ornaments Traditionally Christmas ornaments were bulbs of all the same color which were placed randomly throughout your Christmas tree. Over the past few decades, Christmas ornaments have developed into elaborate pieces of art which are delicately planned out and placed throughout the Christmas tree. This Mothers Day -- Give The Gift Of Fitness Do you know a Mom that deserves a special gift this year for Mother's Day? I'm sure you know at least one, if not more. Sure, flowers can always brighten a Mom's day and a dinner out is always appreciated. Celebrate Your Freedom: 6 Important Freedoms to Celebrate Everyday At the end of the movie "Braveheart," William Wallace is tortured but refuses to cry out. Just as he is about to die, he belts out one word-"Freedom!"Freedom is a word and a privilege that has been easy to take for granted in America. Making Gifts A Pleasure As we reach the time of year when Christmas items start to appear in the stores, and thoughts of vacations start to wind down with the shortening daylight, it is a good time to think about gifts. Not only the gifts, though, but also the practise of giving. Ten Tips for a Real Holiday Season Holidays and the start of a new year inevitably make us think about how we can improve ourselves, and have the life we want in the future. We make resolutions - I must lose weight, I will save more money - and then lose our way. I Just Love It! "I Just Love It!"You know the scenario. You're sitting at the family Christmas gathering and your ten-year-old opens one of Aunt Martha's itchy homemade sweaters. Costumes! Do They Reflect On Your True Personality? Costumes are a great way to escape reality, and wearing your favorite costume (especially on Halloween night) lets you transform your personality into your desired character of choice, and allows you to become someone else for a day!Now do you wear the same Halloween outfit every year, or do you go against the norm, and choose something wild and crazy by adding outrageous makeup, wigs, and accessories! Well, let's have some fun and put your personality to the test, and see what you usually attract to in a costume design.What I would like to do is break down some popular themes, and see what costume would appeal to which personality types:Medieval Renaissance Costumes: A person looking to wear this historic outfit would have charisma, charm, and passion in their blood.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
