The Christmas Tree

Celebrating Christmas without a richly decorated Christmas Tree would not seem right today. But why do we have a Christmas Tree, and how did it originate?

Back in the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, traveled to Germany to spread the Word of God. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to the German people. The German people started to revere the Fir Tree as "God's Tree". In the next 5 centuries, the tree became a symbol of Christianity, and was being hung upside-down from the ceiling as a sign of Christianity.

The first known decorated Christmas Tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. Martin Luther decorated a small Christmas Tree in 1535 with candles for his children, to show them how the stars twinkle through the night.

In the middle of the 16th century, Christmas started already to turn into a business as the German people at the local market sold everything from gifts, food and also more practical items such as knife grinders to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose. At these fairs, bakers sold gingerbreads and wax ornaments for souvenirs to take home for use to decorate their Christmas Tree.

This has been recorded by a visitor to Strasbourg in 1601, which he stated: "...a tree decorated with wafers and golden sugar-twists (Barley Sugar) and paper flowers of all colors". Earlier trees were more biblically symbolized as the "Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden" -- the many food items were symbols of Plenty, the flowers originally were only red (for Knowledge) and white (for Innocence).

Tinsel were invented in Germany around 1610. Only silver was used at that time and machines had been invented to pull the silver into the wafer strips for tinsel. Later they attempted to use a mixture of led and tin to eliminate the tarnishing of the silver, especially with candlelight. This attempt failed as the tinsel became to heavy and branches started to break under the weight. Therefore, silver was used for tinsels right up to the mid-20th century.

The First English Trees

The first Christmas Tree came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany. At the same time, German Merchants living in England decorated their homes with Christmas Trees. The British people were not found of the German Monarchy, did not copy the fashions at Court, which is why the Christmas Tree did not establish in Britain at this time. Although, a few British families did have Christmas Trees, probably more from influence of their German neighbours than from the Royal Court.

Read More......

Who Invented the Umbrella?

"Ancient umbrellas or parasols were first designed to provide shade from the sun."

The basic umbrella was invented over four thousand years ago. We have seen evidence of umbrellas in the ancient art and artifacts of Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and China.

These ancient umbrellas or parasols, were first designed to provide shade from the sun. The Chinese were the first to waterproof their umbrellas for use as rain protection. They waxed and lacquered their paper parasols in order to use them for rain.

Origins of the Term Umbrella

The word "umbrella" comes from the Latin root word "umbra", meaning shade or shadow. Starting in the 16th century the umbrella became popular to the western world, especially in the rainy weather of northern Europe. At first it was considered only an accessory suitable for women. Then the Persian traveler and writer, Jonas Hanway (1712-86), carried and used an umbrella publicly in England for thirty years, he popularized umbrella use among men. English gentleman often referred to their umbrellas as a "Hanway."

James Smith and Sons

The first all umbrella shop was called "James Smith and Sons". The shop opened in 1830, and is still located at 53 New Oxford Street in London, England.

The early European umbrellas were made of wood or whalebone and covered with alpaca or oiled canvas. The artisans made the curved handles for the umbrellas out of hard woods like ebony, and were well paid for their efforts.

English Steels Company

In 1852, Samuel Fox invented the steel ribbed umbrella design. Fox also founded the "English Steels Company", and claimed to have invented the steel ribbed umbrella as a way of using up stocks of farthingale stays, steel stays used in women's corsets.

After that, compact collapsible umbrellas were the next major technical innovation in umbrella manufacture, over a century later.

(source)

Read More......

Where was the world's first underground railway?

The world's first underground railway, between Paddington (Bishop's Road) and Farringdon Street - with trains hauled by steam engines - was opened by the Metropolitan Railway on January 10th 1863. The initial section was six km (nearly four miles) in length, and provided both a new commuter rail service and an onward rail link for passengers arriving at Paddington, Euston and King's Cross main line stations to the City of London.

Read More......

Who created the pink flamingo?

 

The father of the pink flamingo (the plastic lawn ornament) was Don Featherstone of Massachusetts. Featherstone graduated from art school and went to work as a designer for Union Products, a Leominster, Massachusetts company that manufactured flat plastic lawn ornaments. He designed the pink flamingo in 1957 as a follow-up project to his plastic duck. Today, Featherstone is president and part owner of the company that sells an average of 250,000 to 500,000 plastic pink flamingos a year.

Read More......

Is Los Angeles moving?

Using satellite-surveying techniques, scientists have determined that Los Angeles, California is moving east. At a rate estimated to be about one-fifth of an inch per year, the city is moving closer to the San Gabriel Mountains.

Read More......