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Did you know?
  • The original Rudolph did not have a red nose. In that day and age, red noses were seen as an indicator of chronic alcoholism and Montgomery Ward didn’t want him to look like a drunkard. To complete the original picture, he was almost named Reginald or Rollo.
  • The Christmas wreath was originally hung as a symbol of Jesus. The holly represents his crown of thorns and the red berries the blood he shed.
  • The three traditional colors of most Christmas decorations are red, green and gold. Red symbolizes the blood of Christ, green symbolized life and rebirth, and gold represents light, royalty and wealth.
  • Tinsel was invented in 1610 in Germany and was once made of real silver.
  • The oldest artificial Christmas trees date back to the late 1800s and were made of green raffia (think grass hula skirts) or dyed goose feathers. Next the Addis Brush Company used their machinery that wove toilet brushes to create pine-like branches for artificial Christmas trees that were less flammable and could hold heavier decorations.
  • ‘Jingle Bells’ – the popular Christmas song was composed by James Pierpont in Massachusetts, America. It was, however, written for thanksgiving and not Christmas.
  • Coca-Cola was the first company that used Santa Claus during the winter season for promotion.
  • Hallmark introduced their first Christmas cards in 1915.
  • The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine. A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on that day.
  • Santa Claus's sleigh is led by eight reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder (variously spelled Donder and Donner), and Blixem (variously spelled Blixen and Blitzen), with Rudolph being a 20th-century inclusion.
  • Outdoor Christmas lights on homes evolved from decorating the traditional Christmas tree and house with candles during the Christmas season. Lighting the tree with small candles dates back to the 17th century and originated in Germany before spreading to Eastern Europe.
  • That big, jolly man in the red suit with a white beard didn’t always look that way. Prior to 1931, Santa was depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to a spooky-looking elf. He has donned a bishop's robe and a Norse huntsman's animal skin. When Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he’s known for today.
  • Christmas 2018 countdown has already begun. Will you be ready???
  • Why do we love Christmas? It's all about the traditions. In this chaotic world we can miss the "good old days." Christmas reminds us of that time.

Walter and Jackie Monkhouse

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Walter and Jackie Monkhouse last won the day on July 20 2016

Walter and Jackie Monkhouse had the most liked content!

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About Walter and Jackie Monkhouse

  • Rank
    Penthouse Member

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  • Website URL
    http://www.MagicChristmas.org

Profile Information

  • Location
    Alexandria, Louisiana, USA
  • Interests
    Gardening, Christmas lights and caring for our tropical birds
  • Occupation
    Walter-Retired (Gulf of Mexico Oil Field), Jackie- Retired (High School Coach)
  • About my display
    Magic Christmas has over 200,000 lights which include many special effect lights. Probably the most dynamic and crowd pleasing are the 400 plus strobes that vary in size and intensity. Walter has designed and built a very unique Christmas train that travel through a forest of Christmas trees. He also broadcast the music that is synchronized to the light show over a low power FM frequency.

    Old toys are outlined with rope lights and are hung from two oak trees as ornaments. Other elements include massive bubbles as well as handmade quilted pieces.

Recent Profile Visitors

2,125 profile views
  1. Ralphie started following Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
  2. Big J Illinois started following Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
  3. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    The winner of the Pixel Tree Class door prize at Christmas Expo was Peggy Volpe from Columbus, Ohio. The door prize was donated by Advatek Lights and valued at $1849.55. A BIG Thanks to Advatek for donating this exceptional prize. Congratulations Peggy! See Advateks product line at www.advateklights.com
  4. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    If you are planning on building a Pixel Tree or improving an existing one , come to the Pixel Tree Design class at the Christmas EXPO in Chicago. The class is Friday , July 15, at 2 PM. There you will learn about the elements of a pixel tree and see how to build the New Proportional Degree Pixel Tree. By attending the class you are eligible to enter a drawing for an exciting and exceptional door prize donated by ADVATEK LIGHTS. See ADVATEK'S Creative Digital Lighting Solutions at www.advateklights.com .
  5. boston_waterproofer started following Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
  6. Vinny the Elf started following Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
  7. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Awesome---the Patriotic Display just might be our favorite at Christmas in Cotton Plant. Nice addition!!!!!
  8. Don In Kenner-LA started following Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
  9. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse started following Don In Kenner-LA
  10. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bill Foley. Bill was a good friend and mentor . Mark Z summed it all up so well. Bill will be very much missed . Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nancy and Bills family.
  11. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    It is good to hear your home was not totaled and you were not injured. We had very little damage , but lost our air conditioning due to electrical spikes . Good luck with your train.
  12. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Looks like you have a real nice pole . Don't know if the Portable Hole will work for your situation or not, but shoot me an email at walter @magicchristmas and lets talk .
  13. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Sounds like maybe a style of early Bert Kaempfert . [Wonderland By Night , Red roses For A Blue Lady, Three O'clock In The Morning]. I ran the recordings side by side and it seems to mimic his arrangements.
  14. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Look at pg 6 and 7 of the tutorial. The 3/4 " flange should fit exactly [with it's own bolts and nuts] between the large bolt heads of the 2" flange. A small amount of filing on the 3/4 " flange edges might be necessary to remove excess castings.
  15. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    That Topper looks good. A 3/4 " floor flange for a Star or other top piece will fit between those 4 holes in the middle.
  16. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    We will be attending the Miss Mini. Looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.
  17. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Here is a tutorial about the ColorMotions Tree. The instructions are detailed. Downloading the link takes a few minutes. https://www.dropbox.com/s/gsobu8te7al48h5/Building%20A%20ColorMotions%20Tree.pdf
  18. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Wow! A lot of effort involved in that display. Very different .
  19. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    And we thank you also. W&J
  20. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Wayne , The pixels are attached to polyester banding material which is tensioned between a topper and a bottom ring. We are preparing a detailed tutorial about the Colormotions tree which will be posted here in about a week. Any specific questions you have , please email me at [email protected]
  21. Walter and Jackie Monkhouse
    Is this what you are talking about?
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