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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.

Mike F

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About Mike F

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  • My favorite Christmas story
    That time I almost shot my eye out with my Red Rider BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.
  • Location
    Long Island
  • Biography
    Born in NJ and moved to LI ten years ago.
  • Interests
    Creating problems for myself
  • Occupation
    Land surveyor
  • About my display
    My main display is a 15’ by 5’ Santa train that has seen better days.

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  1. Mike F
    Thanks for the reply, Scott. Is it particularly difficult to cut out and replace these sections? I'm seriously considering doing a full tear-down and rebuild. I'm not a novice to electric, but I wouldn't consider myself a pro. My experience amounts to replacing light fixtures around the house.
  2. Big J Illinois started following Mike F
  3. Mike F
    I really wish I'd found this website sooner, but better late than never, right? I have a large outdoor display that's seen better days. It's a 17' long x 5' high Santa train that we've had for the better part of 20-25 years and it's the old style rope lighting. Well, you can see that some of that rope lighting is more like rope than lighting now... ...and I'd really love to somehow rehab it. I live on Long Island (NY) and I've tried calling around but no one that I've been able to speak to has any other suggestions besides "Check out PlanetChristmas.com" so here I am. I've looked around this site and come to the conclusion that if I can't find the help here, I can't find the help. At this point, I'm not opposed to having it professionally restrung, but I'm open to any and all suggestions and/or constructive criticisms moving forward. Fire away!
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