Christmas Gift Idea - Gift Baskets

Just In Time For Holidays

The Origin of the Christmas Tree

Have you ever wondered why we decorate a tree for Christmas? What sense does it make? We cut down a perfectly good tree, bring it in the house, decorate it with glass balls, twinkle lights, embarrassing arts and crafts from our youth and put a big star on top - why? No one knows for sure. But the Christmas tree does have a long, if not mythological, history.

Get beyond the commercialism and secular nature Christmas has become and get down to the symbolism Christmas trees represent and you will get closer to the actual truth. The fir tree, the first tree widely used throughout Europe as a Christmas tree, was originally chopped down and placed indoors in an effort to promote good cheer and hope. When everything else on the horizon is dead and covered with mountains of snow, the Evergreen color reminded us of good things to come?the rebirth of the Earth at springtime.

In 1882 however, Thomas Edison's assistant decided to use his boss's invention to add a more "twinkly" effect to the Christmas tree - lights that ran on electricity. This innovation made outdoor Christmas lights possible as far back as the early 1900s. And don't you just know, even then, there was that one annoying neighbor down the street who refused to take his Christmas lights down until long past Easter.

But what about the tradition of the ornaments we decorated the tree with? You know what I am talking about... all the little doodads, candy canes, and the embarrassing arts and crafts your parents "insist" on putting on the tree every year - where did that tradition originate. Simple - all of those ornaments morphed from eight distinct decorations.

The Star - symbolically means, "The shining hope for all mankind."
The color red - red is used not just on trees, but also on nearly every other piece of Christmas decoration to come down the pike since the beginning of time. Red symbolizes Jesus Christ's sacrifice for all.
The Fir Tree - green, the second color of Christmas symbolizing everlasting light and life. The needles point up to Heaven.
The Bell - actually symbolizes the ringing of a bell more than the bell itself. The bell rings out to guide lost sheep back home.
The Candle (and later electric lights) - symbolizes our thanks to the star of Bethlehem.
The Bow - is tied as we should all be tied together in the bonds of goodwill forever.
The Candy Cane - symbolizes the shape of the Shepard's crook, used to bring lost lambs back to the fold.
The Wreath - symbolizes everlasting love with no beginning and no end.

But that still doesn't explain the embarrassing decorations we are forced to look at year in and year out. Where did that tradition come from? Simple - parents have been embarrassing their kids for generations - why should Christmas be any different.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on Christmas and Christmas trees. "I am the news director at USA News Network and have been working as freelance writer for 2 years. I've been published in a few magazines, newspapers and websites and my specialty up to this point has been movie and music reviews."

Wine and Cheese Gift Basket
A "thank you" for a gracious host.

Ad Space - Link Text
Get advantages of being linked on all pages.

Women's UGG Australia
Genuine UGG - U.S. Free Shipping

Christmas Memories Will Warm Hearts This Holiday Season
Groundbreaking feature film and TV special utilizes vintage home movies to help families remember the joy of Christmas past.

Tips to Save Time & Money; Christmas Shopping Online
So Christmas is a few months away. Seems like a lot of time but we all know how quickly time passes to the holidays.

Gift Basket Ideas for Men
I'm always on the look out for great Gift Basket Ideas & have come up with a few especially for men. I'm using Home & Garden Party products, but you can easily adapt them to your line or what you have on hand.

Treasured Memories in Need of Care This Christmas
Many gifts this Christmas will become treasured keepsakes through the powerful memories they will one day evoke - memories that will be shared with friends, children and grandchildren for generations. The perfect way to keep those keepsakes safe and in pristine condition for decades to come is to store them carefully. Ideally use storage boxes and materials that have been tested and proven to be of archival quality and acid free.

Christmas Comes Early For Car Dealers Across America As FenderSplendor Gives Away Free MP 4 Players With Every FS 488 Paint Meter
Automobile Dealers across America received an early Christmas Holiday gift from FenderSplendor--the distributor of the FS 488 Paint Meter. Car Dealers and Auto Auctions started "seeing the light" 7 weeks ago when FenderSplendor, Inc released the new 2008 FS 488 with an Ice Blue Illuminated Display. Now...just in time for the Holidays. FenderSplendor is giving away a state-of-the-art Mini MP 4 Player with the purchase of every 2008 FS 488 Paint Meter.

Proposal Ideas: Orlando Resort Introduces Christmas Marriage Proposal Package Guaranteed to Cause Cold Feet
Getting married? Looking for the best places to propose? Need marriage proposal ideas? Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando is offering a creative place to propose marriage. Those who are looking for a cool way to 'pop the question' and propose marriage can get engaged inside the resort's nine-degree Christmas attraction, made from two million pounds of ice. This is one romantic marriage proposal!

TopTenREVIEWS' Announces the TopTen Christmas Movies of All Time: Get Into the Holiday Spirit with Memorable Characters Scrooge, Grinc
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, a classic Christmas movie is a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the season. TopTenREVIEWS, a comprehensive and trusted online entertainment review site, today announced its list of the TopTen Christmas Movies of All Time, to help consumers select the best movies to watch with family and friends this holiday season.

Gourmet Spanish Food Aficionados Have Jamón Ibérico for Christmas and a New Website, Too
The first Jamón Ibérico hams arrived in the US and cleared final USDA inspection in time for Christmas delivery by LaTienda.com, a family-owned gourmet Spanish food retailer based in Williamsburg, VA. Simultaneously, LaTienda launched Jamon.com, a new website dedicated to the fine art of ham. Jamón Ibérico, marbled with rich golden fat and infused with the flavor of acorns, is also remarkably good for you. The curing process converts the fat of the ham into heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat, giving the ham beneficial qualities similar to olive oil.

Christmas In Brussels ? Great time in Brussels Hotels
Starting in the Place Saint-Jean and continuing to the Place Sainte-Catherine, going through the Bourse (Belgian Stock Exchange), and the Fishmarket, 220 Christmas country cottages take place and change our capital into a "Christmas Tales Village" where you can discover thousands of gifts ideas and have a wonderful time in Brussel Hotels.