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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.

JeffCarter

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JeffCarter last won the day on April 16

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About JeffCarter

  • Rank
    Distinguished Member
  • Birthday June 29

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcarter629/
  • Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasCraftsman

Profile Information

  • My favorite Christmas story
    Rudolph
  • Location
    Atlanta, GA
  • Biography
    I've been lighting up for Christmas since I was 4. I started a YouTube Channel with DIY videos for Outdoor Christmas Decorations. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLwTziyLSWWiCFTCIb-acUQ
  • Interests
    Vintage GE Christmas Lighting and Christmas Lighting History.
  • Occupation
    Broadcast Engineer
  • About my display
    I create lighted displays for my home, my office and for the homes of friends and family.

Recent Profile Visitors

3,531 profile views
  1. JeffCarter
    Did you have any luck restoring the bells? Do you need any help rewiring them?
  2. JeffCarter JeffCarter changed their profile photo
  3. JeffCarter started following Scott Rob
  4. JeffCarter
    The ones on the bottom look like Fiberglas. Here's what I've found to clean clean them nicely:
  5. JeffCarter
    I'm interested.
  6. JeffCarter
    Well, bring the good old days back. It's easy to make these and other plywood projects and there is a whole generation that needs to see this kind of display. You'll really stand out in a neighborhood of inflatables and laser shows. ?
  7. JeffCarter started following Plywood Santa DIY video
  8. JeffCarter
    I posted this video of a U-Bild Plywood Santa project I just completed.
  9. JeffCarter started following Christmas Plywood Cutouts
  10. JeffCarter
    I show you the basic steps to make a plywood Santa for your Christmas display using U-Bild Santa Project # 189. https://www.u-bild.com/projects-holid... For more retro Christmas display and lighting ideas, check out www.ChristmasCraftsman.com.
  11. JeffCarter
    Here's a comparison I did... https://forums.planetchristmas.com/index.php?/forums/topic/60836-new-leds-vs-incandescent/&_fromLogin=1#replyForm
  12. Colorado Christmas started following JeffCarter
  13. JeffCarter
    Do you use it over the painted cutouts or to seal the plywood prior to painting?
  14. JeffCarter started following Animated Department Store Display elements for Sale and Plywood sealer recommendations
  15. JeffCarter
    What's the best sealer for painted plywood cutouts?
  16. JeffCarter
    The Macy's in Minneapolis is selling their old figurines that were part of their Christmas display. https://grafeauction.proxibid.com/asp/Catalog.asp…
  17. JeffCarter
    The Macy's in Minneapolis is selling their old figurines that were part of their Christmas display. https://grafeauction.proxibid.com/asp/Catalog.asp…
  18. JeffCarter
    Here's most of the Popular Mechanics display patterns: http://www.christmascraftsman.com/vintage-popular-mechanics-christmas-ideas.html
  19. JeffCarter
    Along those lines, here's another experiment I did...
  20. JeffCarter
    The ability to edit your post and comments for the life of the post.
  21. JeffCarter
    I did do a test with GE C9 Ceramics and smooth, translucent OptiCore lamps. The GE lamps are on the left and the Opticore are on the right for each color.
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