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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.

ki4bbl

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About ki4bbl

  • Rank
    Member
  • Birthday 11/15/1970

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  • Location
    Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
  • Interests
    ham radio
  • Occupation
    English teacher
  1. ki4bbl
    Wow, I can't imagine outlining all of those windows.
  2. ki4bbl
    Hey folks. Here is mine: We are in Virginia Beach.
  3. ki4bbl
    These are directly from the SuperStar site. I love them as do the visitors. They are actually a lot of fun to sequence.
  4. ki4bbl
    Nah, no problems. Just unnerving for the wife. She is already scared of fire. lol
  5. ki4bbl
    Thank you. This is a great thread.
  6. ki4bbl
    Thanks Dave. I actually screwed two bolts in the top at the ends of the broken pieces and then used a hose clamp to pull them together. It has been working like a champ.
  7. ki4bbl
    Here is a new one for me, but I think I know the answer. When all of my lights come on at certain points in the show, my breaker box buzzes in time with the lights. Also, my computer screen gets a case of the horizontals in time with the buzzing. The breaker panel is on the wall in the garage opposite my computer room. My question is, am I pulling too much power somewhere? (Although I think the answer is yes, I need to know for sure.) I have a 200 amp service. You can see my setup here Thanks, Greg
  8. ki4bbl
    I use a wooden stake that I cut from some old fencing. It seems like the winds only pick up in December around here!
  9. ki4bbl
    Well, UV has finally broken one of my arches. I am thinking of cutting the other one in half as well and programming them as poles. Each half would be 4 channels, so I would have 4 poles with a total of 16 channels. Any suggestions on how to set them up? I am thinking of putting them in a fan configuration. Each 4 channel section will slide over rebar, but I am concerned the weight of the two ends will cause the pole to fall. I also thought about putting them into trees like oversized icicles. Thoughts? Greg
  10. ki4bbl
    I have to say, I live 20 minutes from GF, and every season I go in to get some molds, they are incredibly helpful and kind. They do, however, hire quite a few seasonal employess who have really no idea what is going on.
  11. ki4bbl
    I go into my mailbox yesterday, and I find a card decorated with crayon and pictures of the season. I open it up and it reads, "I hope your neighbors enjoy your lights. I like to see them all the time. Thank you." My display is not that large yet, but I think next year will be an improvement. I do this to hopefully make memories for people, and that card just reemphasizes my attitude. I love the season. Greg
  12. ki4bbl
    64 channels, numerous edited songs, pictures for lor, amp/watt info...all of it was stored on the network. I didn't do a real show last year, so I didn't need the computer. I was resurrecting my show, and when I was cleaning up the folders, I deleted the 2009 folder from the network. Well, I just found out that when you delete from the network, it does not go to the recycle bin. It is gone forever. Drat Oh well, gives me a chance to do it over again. Greg
  13. ki4bbl
    My plan is to get 4 of the 16pc kits. I am going to put 2 each into a modified rubbermaid container that will have 16 sockets around the outside. Or I may just use one container per board. Still thinking about it.
  14. ki4bbl
    I, too, am ordering a few of the DIY controllers. I was about to get out of the game, but I just come back here to get motivated again. I don't think I will do anything new this year. Greg
  15. ki4bbl
    Thanks to all, it has been sold. Greg
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