#Permanent Christmas Lighting St. Thomas

[foreverlights]

Permanent Christmas Lighting St. Thomas

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[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Married With Children: Liam Gallagher

William John Paul Gallagher or Liam was born on September 21, 1972 in Manchester, England. At the age of ten, his mother Peggy took Liam and his siblings away from his father Thomas for his abuse. After Oasis had become successful, his father appeared at a bar, which caused the singer to later threaten to break his legs on the phone if he ever saw him again. Coincidentally, Noel was the one at that bar, who calmed his brother down to avoid any physical altercation. Liam had a bit of a rebellious youth, especially during his teen years when he had a propensity for stealing bicycles. He would attend St. Bernard’s RC Primary School and St. Barlow’s Catholic High School. A common false story was that at 16 he was expelled for fighting, but he only received a three month suspension eventually receiving his graduation certificate. At a younger age, Liam seemed to enjoy sports more than music until a rival student injured his head with a hammer. He began to be increasingly drawn towards music as an interest, not athletics. The future Oasis frontman fell in love with the idea of being the singer in a rock and roll band. Liam started listening to bands like the Beatles, the Stone Roses, the La's, the Who, the Kinks, the Jam, and T. Rex. By far, his favorite artist emerged as John Lennon, who years later the singer would joke was him just reincarnated. As his interest in music increased, Liam would sometimes assist his brother Noel as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets.

After the breakup of Oasis, Liam started a new band including Gem Archer, Andy Bell, and Chris Sharrock called Beady Eye. He made this brief announcement in November 2009, “Oasis are done, this is something new.” He later went into more detail during an MTV interview. “We've been demoing some songs that we've had for a bit. Just doing that, on the quiet, not making a big fuss about it. After Christmas we might go in the studio and record them and hopefully have an album out in July." One year later Beady Eye released their first singles, “Different Gear” and “Still Rolling.” In February 2011, the group released its debut album entitled Different Gear, Still Speeding. The album had been preceded by the singles. The songwriting on the album is listed as co-writers between Gallagher, Bell, and Archer. Both The Independent and the BBC felt that the album improved upon the final album by Oasis. New Musical Express liked the record’s simple premise, while calling the track “Bring the Light” a very nice surprise. Q and Mojo both agreed that the LP surpassed the expectations before the release thinking that it would not be this good. In March 2012, Liam announced that the group would actually perform Oasis material at their shows beginning with a set before a Stone Roses concert. Speculation soon began and has not stopped since that an Oasis reunion is on its way. The world is still waiting for that reunion, which will probably never take place. In August of that same year, Beady Eye performed “Wonderwall” as part of the Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London. Beady Eye’s second album would be released in June 2013 entitled BE. In promotion of the album, the group played a secret show at Glastonbury that year. Unfortunately, the sales of the release proved to be much less than hoped for dashing any plans for a substantial world tour. Unlike the critical response to their debut, BE received more of a mixed reaction with some publications disliking the poor lyrics and shoddy production. In October 2014, Liam announced that he would be disbanding the group permanently.

For the next couple of years, Gallagher resisted putting out a solo album, until he made the decision to put out some solo material in 2017. The singer made it clear that this did not mean he would be embarking on a solo, but simply he a backlog of songs that needed to be done proper. The first single “Wall of Glass” came out in May 2017 coinciniding with a music video for the track. His first show as a solo performer would happen within a month as a fundraiser for victims of the Manchester terror attack. In June, he made a surprise appearance at the One Love benefit concert performing “Live Forever” with Chris Martin of Coldplay. Throughout the summer Liam performed new material at a number of festivals including Glastonbury, Rock am Ring, Benneiscasm, Exit, Reading and Leeds, and Pinkpop. The singer began a set at Lollapalooza but left the stage twenty minutes later apologizing to fans on Twitter citing vocal problems. His debut release As You Were was released in October 2017 confirming a successful comeback for Gallagher as it debuted at number one on the UK charts. As You Were sold the highest number of vinyl records in its first week in over twenty years. He even earned a headline slot at the Isle of Wight festival the following year alongside acts like Kasabian, the Killers, and Depeche Mode. In June 2019, the singer released the first single from his second solo album entitled “Shockwave.” The same day as the release of the single was the release of a documentary entitled As It Was profiling Liam’s road to his first solo and its success. Singles “The River,”“Once,” and “One of Us” followed in the next couple of months prior to the album’s release. Why Me? Why Not would officially come out in September 2019. One month prior Gallagher performed an acoustic show for MTV Unplugged at Hull City Hall bringing things full circle since the early years of Oasis. He would be joined on stage by former Oasis member Bonehead during the show. Most critics reacted positively to the new record feeling that it built upon what he had started with his debut. In January 2020, the singer released an acoustic ep featuring a combination of his solo material and Oasis songs. A third solo album is now in the works entitled C’mon You Know due in May 2022. The first single has been released called “Everything’s Electric,” which he co-wrote and performed with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters.

Throughout the years, Liam Gallagher has gotten into his fair share of trouble. Here are some of the highlights. After an argument on an airline going to Australia over a scone, Liam would be banned from Cathay Pacific Airlines. Around that same time, he would be arrested for head-butting a fan wanting a photograph with him. Criminal charges would be dropped, but the civil case led to Gallagher settling out of court for an undisclosed sum. In 2006, Liam would get into a fight with soccer player Paul Gascogne in a London bar ending with the Oasis frontman setting a fire extinguisher off in his face. In 2010, he accepted the Brit Award for Oasis thanking all the members of the group, except for his brother in a profane speech. He then gave the award to a person in the crowd. As early as 1994, his words were creating quite a stir as noted by his comments about Americans. “Americans want grungy people, stabbing themselves in the head on stage. They get a bright bunch like us, with deodorant on, they don't get it." He also made some negative comments about his brother Noel around that same time leading to Noel leaving for a short time. Some things never change with the Gallagher brothers.

In his personal life, Liam first married actress Patti Kensit in April 1997, but only two months later the singer began an affair with fellow singer Lisa Moorish in Los Angeles. This led to the birth of a daughter that he only first met in 2018. Molly would later changer her surname to Moorish-Gallagher. He and Patti had a son Lennon Francis born in 1999, but the couple divorced in 2000. In 2001, he had a second son with Nicole Appleton, whom he married in 2008 after an eight year courtship. From 2011-2012, Gallagher had an affair with journalist Liza Ghorbani, which led to a daughter Gemma born in 2013. Five months after separating from Appleton the affair was publicly reported just as he had begun to date his personal assistant, Debbie Gwyther. In 2014, the former Oasis frontman moved in with his mother in her home in Ireland, while at the same time had next to no relationship with Noel. He continued to ask him to participate in an Oasis reunion to help with his financial strains, but the pleas fell on deaf ears. He had planned to marry Gwyther in the summer of 2020, but the pandemic postponed those plans. Liam has been a lifelong supporter of Manchester City, but also follows Celtic F.C. as well. His favorite films are Quadrophenia, Scarface, Seven, and Trainspotting. His close friends include musicians Richard Ashcroft, Ian Brown, Jarvis Cocker, Miles Kane, Lee Mavers, Gary Mounfield, Dave Grohl, and the late Taylor Hawkins. He is also an avid jogger in his spare time, but more recently his doctors have advised him to run less due to hip issues. In 2021 while performing at Isle of Wight festival, the singer feel out of a helicopter suffering bruises and cuts to his face, but he quickly recovered with no long term effects.

[dansnaturepictures]

02/12/2021-Photos and sightings from another day working in the office in Winchester

I saw some beautiful sky scenes as the sun rose on the way to and at the railway station which I took the first two pictures in this photoset of, the fields near Lakeside making a nice backdrop as the day awoke. I got really nice views of a Pied Wagtail at the railway station as I very often do. On the way in on the train as well as seeing the bright sun ascending in the sky I enjoyed seeing a Buzzard extremely well above the train sat in a tree, always something that brings me great joy when seen on this journey as a relatively frequent moment of wildlife escapism in a working day when I used to work in the office every day. There were shadows of traveler’s joy adorning the railway track side. 

At lunch time on what was a gloriously sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky throughout, I enjoyed alongside what feels like the last of the of the autumn leaves (some orange ones shown in the fourth picture I took in this photoset today) that captivated me last time I worked a day from the office the beautiful sights of Winchester lit up in the sunshine. The Great Hall (shown in the third picture in this photoset I took today), St. Thomas Church (I took the fifth picture in this photoset of this), Winchester Cathedral (shown in the seventh picture I took today in this photoset with the sunlight shining really nicely through the stunning windows), Abbey Gardens and the wonderful River Itchen by the lovely mill all looked gorgeous in the sun I did really want to see the river in this weather today and took in what I did so often on my lunch time walks when in Winchester permanently to work the refreshing sight of the river rushing by I took the tenth picture in this photoset of it. 

Also looking lovely today was a nice statue and water feature off of Colebrook Street which I took the eighth picture in this photoset of and rather festively the large Christmas tree in the High Street near the Cross which I took the sixth picture in this photoset of it looked great against the blue sky. It was nice to see the Christmas lights as I walked to Winchester station this evening. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of Feral Pigeons on a roof by the River Itchen and enjoyed shadows of the flowers at Winchester Cathedral in a line getting it in a photo I took seeing a nice yellow flower by the river. I enjoyed sneaking my bridge camera in my work bag today. I hope you all had a nice day.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Buzzard, Feral Pigeon, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Pied Wagtail. 

[thesinglesjukebox]

DUA LIPA - PHYSICAL

[7.50]

It's okay! Move that boogie body!

Leah Isobel: It is a dark and stormy night. In a sinister science lab located somewhere in Carmen Sandiego's plush pomo lair, a pop singer plugs in a neon light, shrugs into a next-season Gaultier lab coat and gets to work. In the reflection of her gold-tinted goggles we see her add one (1) part Extract of "Into You," one (1) part Juice of Newton-John, and four (4) drops of Synthesizer Spice into a contoured beaker. She turns on the flame of a Bunsen burner; stream gushes from her concoction like a geyser, emitting a high, keening refrain. She whispers a few luscious words into the steam -- "diamond," "sssimulation," "adrenaline" -- but her experiment still lacks a certain something. Then -- BOOM! -- in a thundercrash of lightning, it hits her. Eureka! She turns and sees her reflection illuminated in the glass of an emergency axe container, kept onsite in case of fire. "Well," she chuckles to herself as she breaks the glass with a four-inch stiletto heel, "I am creating something... hot." Axe in hand, she chops the neon light into pieces and stuffs the shards, now glittering like a million sequined dancefloors, into the beaker. With the addition of this Decoction of Disco, her potion bubbles... it burbles... then KABOOM: it explodes the entire building and half of the surrounding city! She stands in the wreckage as thunder splits the sky above and sirens wail in the distance. We see Dua's eyes glow green before she throws her head back to the sky and screams: "GAY RIIIIIGHTS!" [9]

William John: Probably the best example of what parts of the Internet's stan culture would facetiously refer to as "gay rights" from a mainstream musical artist since... the last Dua Lipa single, or, failing that, "Into You." Like those precedents, "Physical" is camp but magisterial; playful but extremely melodramatic; sweeping, dance floor ready, and dripping with an exultant swagger. Her reminder to "hold on, just a little tighter" at the bridge is, truthfully, a hollow gesture; at that stage, the listener is so deeply embroiled in her glorious disco caprice as to not really be capable of gripping anything at all. [10]

Jackie Powell: It couldn't be clearer that Dua Lipa had something to prove not only to herself, but to the pop music intelligentsia on her sophomore offering. What has struck me most about the Future Nostalgia cycle is how Dua is executing every facet of it with confidence. On this track, she's not afraid of hitting notes that eclipse the breadth of her previous singles, especially on the bridge. "Physical" is a representative offering of exactly what she's aiming to prove. Each track we've heard so far reflects a different decade accompanied with a modern polish. I don't think I'm the only one who believes Olivia Newton-John's '80s exercise sexual metaphor smash "Physical" deserves the tribute it's getting here. There's a clear homage paid to her and to Patti LaBelle on Lipa's own "Physical." I'm going to interpret her lyric "We created something phenomenal" as a bit of a double-entendre. Not only is it about sex in the narrative of the track, but it's a comment on Lipa's approach to this era and her confidence on every single part of it. The sexual symbolism isn't just in the lyrics, but also in the track's composition and the narrative communicated in the visual treatment. The vocal highs that she hits on the bridge represent a climax musically and sexually. She has so much confidence in the visual treatment, she spends most of it braless. That takes guts. [9]

Tobi Tella: Dua Lipa's perceived lack of personality has turned out to actually be lack of a schtick preventing her from artistically evolving, something many of her peers are plagued with. Also, I've died and gone to gay heaven. [9]

Alfred Soto: The way Dua Lipa's unexpected bon mots and smoky sultriness ride the beat and compete with the strings compensate for a production too dressed up in leg warmers and headbands for my taste -- I mean, her exhortations are more fearsome than erotic. [7]

Julian Axelrod: Pop's '80s revival arms race has escalated to its natural endpoint: the accidental exhumation of Olivia Newton-John. I wish Dua Lipa had used "let's get physical" in a more literal iteration; singing it over hyperdrive synths guarantees it'll be never played in its intended setting, especially when she has half the energy of ONJ. But she hit the mark where it counts: This is going to rule spin classes for the rest of the year. [6]

Brad Shoup: A throwback training-montage track that suggests sex but is really about dancing and Olivia Newton-John erasure. This is Stranger Things pop. [5]

Thomas Inskeep: Sex is natural, sex is fun, sex is best when soundtracked by throbbing '80s synths. [6]

Ashley Bardhan: Okay, fine, I enjoy horny music. Sue me! This song is what would happen if ABBA was brought back to life as a bunch of hot 20-year-olds in little shirts from Fashion Nova. The "let's get physical" chorus feels a little lazy since it's a direct lift from Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit, but this is a great song to listen to while thinking about that video of Charli XCX holding poppers. No complaints here. [7]

Alex Clifton: I've underestimated Dua Lipa. Her first album had some hits and misses, but Future Nostalgia is shaping up to be one of the best pop releases of 2020 based on the strength of its singles. "Physical" is a cascade of rainbow lights in a roller rink and makes me long to go out to a club, one where I can get down in a huge crowd of people and dance my white-girl ass off poorly. I'm an extreme introvert, so anything that makes me want to leave the house and be around strangers is powerful stuff indeed. It's a little cheesy, but who cares? It's a love letter to the '80s with all the campiness a song citing Olivia Newton-John should have. I'm desperately in love with Dua Lipa after hearing this, and I have a feeling "Physical" will be one of my favourite songs of the year. [9]

Stephen Eisermann: Dua Lipa has quietly become the pop superstar that so many of us wanted Carly Rae to be. Both women make incredible music, but it is Dua who has found commercial success; after hearing "Physical," it seems pretty obvious why. It's a retro-laden, power-pop track that is extraordinary only in the way Dua delivers it. What should be pedestrian instead is hypnotic, infectious, and oh so delicious. [8]

Lauren Gilbert: I promised a friend I'd blurb this song, and now that I've sat down to write it, I have nothing to say. It is a perfect pop song -- Dua knocks it out of the park on this record. I keep getting distracted from writing jamming to the track. I'm dancing while lying down on my couch. She created something phenomenal; we are left with no choice but to stan. [10]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: I've justified Dua Lipa's dearth of personality in years past, but this is where things don't add up: her dead-eyed singing makes no sense during the chorus, whose synths lack the fervor to make up for clinical vocal melodies. Around this time last year, we had Lizzo's "Juice"; now we have "Physical" as an example of '80s pastiche that only feels like it exudes energy and passion and charm. [2]

Will Adams: It's neat to have a single that's its own Initial Talk remix, but the synthpop revivalism is a bit too literal, to the point of putting all its chips on an Olivia Newton-John quote. It's not until the bridge -- "keep on DANCING!" -- where the drama locks in and starts, but only starts, to feel real. [6]

Kylo Nocom: Dua Lipa, determined more than ever to win the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, accidentally transforms into Alice Chater in the process. [5]

Katherine St Asaph: If "Physical" being by Dua Lipa wasn't hypertargeted enough to the Popjustice set, is that the synth progression from Saint Etienne's "No Cure for the Common Christmas" in the intro and beneath the chorus? It's certainly the same height of drama. The track attached isn't quite so charged: a little too Lady Gaga circa "Applause" and a little too Peloton instructor quoting Olivia Newton-John for absolutely no reason besides the culture deciding at some point to make the phrase a permanent, meaningless meme. (The song doesn't even sound particularly '80s; the disco strings are the decade prior, and the vocal squiggles on the verse are so specifically 2016 a time traveler's on their way to erase them.) Dua Lipa only betrays a personality on the spoken-word bridge; ironic how that and the vaporous intro, the least physical things on this track, are the most thrilling. [7]

Vikram Joseph: The intro feels like a prickling at the back of your neck, the one-line pre-chorus feels like plummeting six floors in a broken elevator, and the chorus is such a headrush you can practically smell the poppers: "Physical"'s thrills might be straightforward, but they're visceral as fuck. There are vintage Lady Gaga vibes, the "come on!"s are surely a nod to "We Are Your Friends," and the whole thing reminds me, inexplicably, of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life." But Dua Lipa is starting to make this all seem effortless, and the panache with which she delivers "Physical" easily pulls it clear of the gravitational field of its forebears. [9]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: "Physical" dares us to be the boldest versions of ourselves. It finds itself at the perfect intersection of confidence and lust. Dua Lipa is flirting with you with a playfulness she can only possess because she already knows you're going home together -- and she won't let you leave until the dancing is done. Dancing here is instinct, it's synths that sound as sweet as they do sinister, it's salty like the sweat that rolls down your forehead after you've been, well, physical. Dua Lipa is crushing the Confessions on a Dance Floor album that I've long been waiting for Lady Gaga to make. Dance floor music has long been my site of refuge and catharsis, so it's refreshing to be reminded that it can still sound so immediately, eminently thrilling. [9]

Kayla Beardslee: This doesn't quite reach the heights of "Don't Start Now," but damn it comes close. "Physical" should, in theory, be a cookie-cutter pop girl release, but Dua proves once again that she is the most important element in her music. The producers are doing everything right too, but who else could pull off her endearing smirk in "common love isn't for us" or that wonderful growl in "follow the noise"? And Dua takes us through a transcendental bridge that highlights the best qualities of her voice: singing simple lyrics that say everything they need to, she's breathless yet confident, desperate for touch yet satisfied with the musical world she's helped to create. Something phenomenal, indeed: this rollout has been a joy to follow. [9]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: "Physical" takes the opposite approach to "Don't Start Now" -- while that song's studio version swallows up its singer in a beautifully constructed, sterile disco pastiche (the live versions and remixes are much better), turning her into just one more retro cog, "Physical" makes her the center of attention. The production around her is good enough (the synth preset change right before the chorus starts is especially nice), but not particularly coherent or hooky on its own. In the vacuum left, Dua gets to have more fun, charismatically switching between vocal styles and walking around like she owns the place. [8]

Jibril Yassin: A powerhouse vocal colliding headfirst with production that's neither plodding nor limp. It's a song that's meant to feel like a blockbuster and after a few failed tries, it's thrilling to hear Dua Lipa finally nail the landing and sound like the superstar she wants to be. [7]

Michael Hong: "Physical" is magnetic. Its pulse is unrelenting, its atmosphere is shadowy and captivating, and Dua Lipa gives possibly her best vocal performance. There's no sense of the up-and-coming performer who delivered everything with stolid execution, instead, "Physical" is a sly wink of a pre-chorus leading to a forceful command: "baby, keep on dancing like you ain't got a choice." Dua Lipa is at the helm, all thoughts and any other desires are out the window, and the night is neverending. [7]

Joshua Lu: Several of Dua Lipa's past hit songs have relied on a marketable veneer of cool: "New Rules" works because she's the straight-talker friend giving advice, "Don't Start Now" necessitates a stoic character who can't be bothered to fret about her ex, and even on collaborations like "One Kiss" does Dua employ a rather unemotional voice, like she's a blank canvas for Calvin Harris' more playful and engaging production. "Physical" feels like such a departure for Dua not just because of its obvious throwback sound, but because this veneer of cool is completely torn down when the song reaches its rushing chorus. She sounds more and more desperate as her voice climbs and the synths soar above her, and her cries of "come on" ring as desperate instead of dominant. The song is indebted to pop titans of yesteryears (Olivia Newton-John obviously inspired the title, but the theatrics of the song feel more indebted to Bonnie Tyler or Patti Labelle) to the point of it not really feeling like a Dua song, but she sells it all so convincingly that it feels like a natural fit. It's part pop song, part epic showdown, and I look forward to Dua continuing to push herself to the forefront of mainstream pop music greatness. [9]

Scott Mildenhall: Little wonder that Lipa's so keen to get physical, given that she's "dreaming in a simulation" -- her focus seems to be on the former, since the latter exemplifies the aimlessness of the verses in comparison to the locked-and-loaded chorus. That has its thrills, yet never feels as loose as seems intended. "Physical" comes across too in love with the idea of being a kind of Perfect Pop to actually be it; an anthem for kinetics developed via science textbook. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[holidays-events]

How Christmas Trees Became a Popular Tradition

By Robert McNamara  Updated May 21, 2019

The husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, gets the credit for making Christmas trees fashionable, as he famously set one up in Windsor Castle in the late 1840s. Yet there are reports of Christmas trees appearing in the United States years before the royal Christmas tree made a splash in American magazines.

One classic yarn is that Hessian soldiers had been celebrating around a Christmas tree when George Washington caught them by surprise at the battle of Trenton.

The Continental Army did cross the Delaware River to surprise the Hessians on Christmas night 1776, but there is no documentation of a Christmas tree having been present.

Another story is that a Hessian soldier who happened to be in Connecticut set up America's first Christmas tree in 1777. While that's accepted local lore in Connecticut, there also doesn't seem to be any documentation of the story.

 A German Immigrant and His Ohio Christmas Tree  

In the late 1800s a story circulated that a German immigrant, August Imgard, had set up the first American Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio, in 1847. The story of Imgard appeared often in newspapers as a holiday feature. The basic version of the tale was that Imgard, after arriving in America, was homesick at Christmas. So he cut down the top of a spruce tree, brought it indoors, and decorated it with handmade paper ornaments and small candles.

In some versions of the Imgard story he had a local tinsmith fashion a star for the top of the tree, and sometimes he was said to have decorated his tree with candy canes.

There actually was a man named August Imgard who lived in Wooster, Ohio, and his descendants kept the story of his Christmas tree alive well into the 20th century. And there is no reason to doubt that he decorated a Christmas tree in the late 1840s. But there is a documented account of an earlier Christmas tree in America.

 First Documented Christmas Tree in America  

A professor at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Charles Follen is known to have set up a Christmas tree in his home in the mid-1830s, more than a decade before August Imgard would have arrived in Ohio.

Follen, a political exile from Germany, became known as a member of the abolitionist movement. The British writer Harriet Martineau visited Follen and his family at Christmas 1835 and later described the scene. Follen had decorated the top of a spruce tree with small candles and presents for his son Charlie, who was three years old.

The first printed image of a Christmas tree in America seems to have occurred a year later, in 1836. A Christmas gift book titled A Strangers Gift, written by Herman Bokum, a German immigrant who, like Charles Follen, was teaching at Harvard, contained an illustration of a mother and several small children standing around a tree illuminated with candles.

 Earliest Newspaper Reports of Christmas Trees  

The Christmas tree of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became known in America in the late 1840s, and in the 1850s reports of Christmas trees began appearing in American newspapers.

A newspaper report described "an interesting festival, a Christmas tree," which was viewed in Concord, Massachusetts on Christmas Eve 1853. According to the account in the Springfield Republican, "all the children of the town participated" and someone dressed as St. Nicholas distributed presents.

Two years later, in 1855, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans published an article noting that St. Paul's Episcopal Church would be setting up a Christmas tree. "This is a German custom," the newspaper explained, "and one that has been of late years imported into this country, to the great delight of the young folks, who are its especial beneficiaries."

The article in the New Orleans newspaper offers details indicating that many readers would be unfamiliar with the concept:

"A tree of evergreen, in size adapted to the dimensions of the room in which it is displayed, is selected, the trunk and branches of which are to be hung with brilliant lights, and laden from the lowest bought to the topmost branch, with Christmas gifts, delicacies, ornaments, etc., of every imaginable variety, forming a perfect storehouse of rare presents from old Santa Claus. What indeed can be more gratifying to children than to take them where their eyes will grow big and bright, feasting on such a sight on the eve of Christmas."

A Philadelphia newspaper, The Press, published an article on Christmas Day 1857 which detailed how various ethnic groups had brought their own Christmas customs to America. It said: "From Germany, in particular, comes the Christmas tree, hung all round with gifts of all sorts, interspersed with crowds of small tapers, which illuminate the tree and excite general admiration."

The 1857 article from Philadelphia whimsically described Christmas trees as immigrants who had become citizens, stating, "We are naturalizing the Christmas tree."

And by the time, an employee of Thomas Edison created the first electric Christmas tree in the 1880s, the Christmas tree custom, whatever its origins, was permanently established.

There are a number of unverified stories about Christmas trees in the White House in the mid-1800s. But it seems the first documented appearance of a Christmas tree wasn't until 1889. President Benjamin Harrison, who always had the reputation of being one of the less interesting presidents, was nonetheless very interested in Christmas celebrations.

Harrison had a decorated tree placed in an upstairs bedroom of the White House, perhaps mostly for the entertainment of his grandchildren. Newspaper reporters were invited to see the tree and wrote fairly detailed reports about it.

By the end of the 19th century, Christmas trees had become a widespread tradition throughout America.

https://www.thoughtco.com/christmas-trees-19th-century-tradition-1773913

[tmccormally]

Ask most everyone where they’d like to spend the year-end holidays and chances are, nobody is going to say the hospital.

But at Children’s Mercy — where we spend every day of the year making hospital visits as comfortable as possible — it’s special this time of year. Thanks to creative friends and passionate staff, there are bright lights and colors, paper stars and snowflakes, ribbons and bows and lots of people dressed in holiday finery.

And it is not something that we’re just started doing. Holidays have been special for our hospital for decades. While I can’t find evidence of the first-ever Christmas tree, I know our history of decorating and holiday parties goes back at least to the 1960s. Below are photos from past to present. May they brighten your holidays as much as they brighten those of our children, family and staff at Children’s Mercy.

This is one of our prized possessions: A holiday card sent in 1967 by Board of Trustees Chairman Herman Sutherland proclaiming that after a long fight, the hospital’s plans to move to Hospital Hill were set.

The Kansas City Chiefs, and their cheerleaders, are no strangers to Children’s Mercy around the holidays … this undated photo shows a young quaterback Len Dawson (back, center), running back Ed Podalak (left) and kicker Jan Stenerud (back, right) and others with Santa circa 1970.

Chiefs players continued their tradition of visiting long after those Super Bowl days. During the 1990s, Linebacker Derrick Thomas (left, above) brought along several of his teammates for an ruckus evening of visiting patients and handing out presents. Quarterback Joe Montana opted for a quieter time with patients, opting for no media or pictures during his holiday visits.

Hallmark and its employees have been longtime supporters of Children’s Mercy, as this photo (above) of a 1963 holiday party shows. Hallmark continues to spread holiday cheers in the 2010s, decorating Children’s Mercy with bows and ribbons and tinsel, as the photos below of this year’s decor show.

In 1999, the man in the “sultry velvet suit” was known as the “Helzberg Santa” and he visited 12 hospitals in five cities, delivering 3,000 bears.

This holiday greeting card is one of several from the 1960s by famed Kansas City artist Jack O’Hara. The image at the time of this blog post is another card of his.  According a bio of O’Hara on eBay, he has paintings in corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad including the permanent collections of the KC Art Institute; the University of Kansas Alumni Center; The Spencer Museum, Lawrence, KS; the Kemper-Albrecht Museum, St. Joseph, Mo.; and the Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, Maine. Proof positive that Children’s Mercy has been blessed with wide support of people from all walks of life, during the holidays and all year long.

Holiday spirit shines at our hospital Ask most everyone where they'd like to spend the year-end holidays and chances are, nobody is going to say the hospital.

[johnvonstach]

Helpful Questions On Valuable Vsp North America Solutions

Many people are unaware of what benefits solar energy provides. Luckily, with a little bit of time and research, you can learn everything you need to about the subject. Read the tips below to begin.

Find solar panels that maximize energy to save money in the long run. Newer systems can store energy from the sun while it is up, and then let you use that energy later. This ensures that you always have the power you need, even when it is nighttime or raining.

To help save money and protect the environment, install a solar water heater. There are several varieties of water heating systems including solar powered tankless styles and solar heated water tanks. These can be installed in a sunny location or on top of your roof.

If you cannot afford a full-scale solar energy system, invest in small-scale appliances. This can be done in a couple of ways. You might seek out solar panels that can be mounted on or in a window for recharging portable electronic items. Second, look at solar powered camping equipment, such as stoves or lanterns. Even small amounts of saving add up over time.

While it may seem that your solar panels are always affixed to your roof permanently, the best ones permit repositioning of the angles. If you have no choice but to get fixed panels, you will have to find the best angle for all seasons.

If you are moving toward leasing your solar panels instead of buying them, be sure that your contract lets you transfer your lease. If you decide to sell your house, you’ll still have to pay for the lease if you can’t transfer it. Having the transfer of lease option can get you out of your contract and allow the new homeowners to enjoy the benefits.

After installing solar panels, make it a point to monitor the inverter. You should see a solid green light. If it’s off or blinking, you should call an expert. You will become able to diagnose small issues yourself if you learn more about solar panels, but it is best to call a professional. A technician can often come free if you have a warranty.

If you own a home, the best thing to do is to get a comprehensive solar energy system. Solar panels are a pretty hefty financial obligation, especially considering how often people move. You don’t want to lose your home or still be paying on solar panels if you decide to move.

Understand that, unfortunately, solar panels aren’t cheap. Therefore, you should probably start out with just a few if necessary. You should find a professional who can conduct an energy audit. This can help you make necessary changes in regards to your energy usage habits. This means you will not need as many panels installed.

Solar energy is something that has the potential to provide tremendous benefits to a wide range of individuals. That said, many people don’t know what solar energy can offer. Now that you know the basics about solar energy, you should feel capable of continuing to research the subject on your own.

Disabled people had to be carried down stairs and escalators in the chaos. Inbound flights were diverted to other cities and outgoing flights were halted. A spokesman for Delta Air Lines, which has its hub in Atlanta, said the majority of its stranded passengers have been booked on other flights that will leave Monday. Spokesman Michael Thomas said he expected the airline would be “largely if not completely” back to a normal schedule by Tuesday, well before the peak travel weekend ahead of Christmas Day. Delta is by far the largest carrier in Atlanta. Anthony Foxx, who served as U.S. transportation secretary under former President Barack Obama, blasted airport officials, saying the problem was “compounded by confusion and poor communication.” Foxx said he was among the many travelers stuck for hours on a plane on the tarmac. “Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today,” he tweeted, adding that there was “no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!” Georgia Power’s top executive issued an apology, saying he realized the outage inconvenienced thousands of people. CEO Paul Bowers said in a phone interview Monday a switch gear failed, causing a fire that then spread to cables coming in from two substations. But he said it wasn’t clear what caused the switch gear to fail. Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta were able to make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a $200 change fee. The airline encouraged travelers not to pick up their bags Monday because of congestion at the airport.

For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.sooeveningnews.com/zz/news/20171218/atlanta-airport-fire-strands-thousands-slams-travel-system

Some Professional Guidance On Rudimentary Sault Ste Marie Solutions

Nominations invited for Christmas Lighting Awards Nominations for the 2017 Christmas Lighting Awards Program are now being accepted by the City Clerk’s Department. This program, co-sponsored by PUC Services Inc., encourages community pride and recognizes the efforts of residents who light up their homes and businesses in the spirit of the Christmas season. There are two award categories – residential and business. In the Residential Category, two winners per ward will be selected. In the Business Category, three awards are presented citywide (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place). Judging of the nominated properties will take place the week prior to Christmas. Submissions must include the civic address being nominated and the resident’s name. The property owner or any resident can submit a nomination. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, December 12. Nomination forms are available online at saultstemarie.ca/christmaslighting or from the City Clerk’s Department – 99 Foster Drive. Completed nominations may be emailed, dropped off, faxed, or mailed to: Civic Centre, 99 Foster Drive, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5X6

http://saultstemarie.ca/Newsroom/November-2017/Nominations-invited-for-Christmas-Lighting-Awards.aspx?feed=news

VPOWERENERGY|130 Hood St, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6C 6E5, Canada|http://vpowerenergy.com|+1 705-759-3899|John Von Stach VS Products Inc

Further Analysis Of Essential Factors Of Solar Power Sault Ste Marie

Are you familiar with solar energy? Are you thinking of taking advantage of this renewable resource? If so,you need to know how to move forward and find out as much as possible. Read on to find out how you can make the most of solar energy.

You don’t have to remove your whole roof to use solar energy. You should be able to use solar powered lights everywhere outside your home. These will charge during the day and then shine all night.

Consider a backup power option, just in case you have a problem with your solar panels. A great choice is a generator. Or, you could stay hooked up to a power grid and get power when panels are down. If you decide to use a generator, test it regularly and do not hesitate to keep more than one generator in your home.

There are many tax credits, rebates and incentives to help you offset the initial costs of solar power. The savings can add up greatly, so take the time to find out all of the options when it comes to rebates, grants and even tax credits. Seek out information online, and speak to someone in your area concerning programs that are available to you.

If you appreciate the environment, you should consider solar energy. It’s the cleanest source of power available. Therefore, reduce your carbon footprint by making use of solar energy.

If you’re building your home, solar energy panels should definitely be considered. This is the most green power solution available. There is no better time to investigate the benefits of solar energy.

It’s better to get a solar system when you own a home. These panels can save you a lot of money during the course of the year on energy.

Solar outdoor lighting is an inexpensive way to introduce yourself to the technology. Solar pathway lighting absorb energy from the sun during the day, then use that to light your way through the dark at night. It’s simple to put them in place, and they look great.

Solar panels must be installed in the specific area where they can maximize their potential for providing you with solar energy. Check for tree blocking the sun’s rays and decreasing the efficiency of your panels.

Check the weather before buying solar panels. A good rule of thumb is to ensure your panels will receive a minimum of five hours of good sunlight per day. However, if your area experiences a lot of cloudy days or large amounts of snowfall, you may need to explore other green energy sources.

Try to keep away from people that sell solar energy systems if they’re being pushy about making a sale. They’re common, sadly. Always be ready to inform them you’ll think about their options in the near future but that you’re not going to commit right this moment. If it will save you money at the present moment, it will later as well. Hasty decisions are often expensive down the road.

Hopefully, you now have the information you need to start using solar energy. There are many advantages to using solar energy. Use these tips now; you will pleased with the outcome.

To read more about vpowerenergy portable solar power generator for camping Sault Ste Marie visit https://www.johnvonstach.com/vs-products-inc/

The post Helpful Questions On Valuable Vsp North America Solutions appeared first on VSP North America.

from VSP North America https://www.johnvonstach.com/vs-products-inc/helpful-questions-on-valuable-vsp-north-america-solutions/

[eosoutdoorlighting]

Permanent Holidays Lighting

  *Landscape Lighting Architect Andy Thomas, Viewpoint Lighting.

*FX Luxor ZDC lighting system.

Start thinking ahead to the holiday’s lighting!The latest in landscape low voltage lightingcan minimize your seasonal lighting bill this year!

Do you have outdoor lighting ? Upgrade your system to LED color changing and start enjoying the different holiday’s throughout the year with the touch of your finger.

Color Changing technology will allow you to have a colorful lighting for, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween and Christmas.

The post Permanent Holidays Lighting appeared first on eosoutdoorlighting.com.

from eosoutdoorlighting.com https://eosoutdoorlighting.com/permanent-holidays-lighting/

[hamkeepsnotes]

In The After - pt 3

Fic Summary: Recovery is perhaps the hardest part of war. (A series of one-shots about the aftermath of the second Wizarding War and what it takes to get better.)

Chapter Summary: Parvati is trying so hard to get better, but seeing Lavender again is enough to remind her that she isn’t.

Characters: Dean Thomas, Parvati Patil, Padma Patil

Words: 1760

also on ao3

Trigger warnings for dissociation/ptsd symptoms

Parvati Patil (December 4, 1999)

Hogsmeade weekends, Parvati had discovered, were not nearly as fun when she didn’t attend Hogwarts. The sight of the snow covered shops and the students in casual wear, both of which used to be fun and fill her heart with excitement, now filled her with a feeling of dread that reminded her why neither she nor Padma had returned to school for their Seventh year.

The restaurant she was heading for was tucked away on a side street that rarely went traveled by students. It was fancy enough to be out of most students’ price range, and out of the way enough that not many of them even knew it existed. She certainly hadn’t before Neville’d suggested it.

Parvati was not particularly looking forward to eating dinner with her former Gryffindor yearmates, but it had been Seamus’ idea. Not much made him smile after he and Dean broke up – the last time she’d gone to visit him, in fact, he’d spent the entire time trying to pretend he wasn’t endlessly lonely and she’d resolved to buy him a krup puppy for Christmas to keep him company. When he asked if she would come to dinner, there was no possible way to say no, even if she wasn’t yet able to be present in conversations for extended amounts of time.

She was relieved to find that Neville was already there, saving a round table near the back of the dining room for their group, and hurried over. She chose a seat that was right beside Neville, facing the rest of the room. People behind her still made her nervous, and it was best to not prepare for her night to be a total failure right off the bat.

She spaced out as rest of their group slowly trickled in, knowing full well that who she really wanted to see wouldn’t be coming anyway. And saw everyone else often enough that it didn’t really merit the excitement she supposed it was meant to bring.

She’d visited Ron and Hermione and Harry at their London flat and brought her sister’s brilliant mind to come up with a way to remove permanent sticking charms from portraits and the like, in an attempt to help them spruce up the flat he’d inherited after his godfather died. (Getting rid of the particularly nasty portrait of Walburga Black had been cause for celebration.)

Neville was around often enough, as the flat she shared with her sister was in Diagon Alley, not far from where he lived with his girlfriend above the Leaky Cauldron. She tried to visit Seamus at least once a month, and Dean worked with her at Flourish and Blotts while they both tried to get back on their feet, so really, it was just Lavender she missed.

But Merlin, did she miss Lavender.

No one, save for Seamus, had seen the girl since not long after the Battle, when she’d been in a ward at St. Mungo’s bandaged up and unable to speak. Seamus swore she’d been doing well, but she wasn’t accepting visitors, not even Parvati. And that was what stung the most, that she’d rather see Seamus Finnegan’s dopey face than hers, even after everything they’d gone through, even after –

Neville elbowed her gently in the side, and Parvati jumped, startling herself from her thoughts and back to reality. The rest of the table was full but for a chair in between Seamus and Hermione. Parvati doubted it would ever be filled.

“She said she’d come,” Seamus was saying, nodding towards the empty seat. “I imagine it’s hard for her to be out and about nowadays.”

Ron nodded, frowning at his plate. “George still hardly leaves the house, leaves the shop to be run by Lee for the moment.”

Parvati could relate, but she didn’t say it. She barely ever left the house anymore, unless it was for work, too afraid she would space out and cause problems. Staying focused for too long led to thinking and thinking led to fear and screaming and that was nothing good.

Just as she was letting herself fall down that perilous train of thought, there was a cheer from Dean and Seamus, and Parvati looked up to find a familiar beauty heading for their table.

Lavender looked so different without the bandages that Parvati had last seen her in. She wore a dark red dress, with long sleeves and a higher collar to cover the thick pink scars that covered her chest and arms. A matching bow pinned her curls to cover still more of the damage that marred her once-smooth neck. Parvati found her eyes drawn to them. She knew it was rude but she couldn’t look away.

The screaming. That’s what she remembered the most, what hurt the most. The screaming and the blood, nearly the same color as her dress, and then it was quiet, too quiet. She blinked hard, trying to forget that night, but it was there, imprinted on the backs of her eyelids like it’d been charmed to play there for eternity.

Lavender smiled, a pretty pink curl of her lips. “Sorry I’m late, I had a thing,” she said as she sat down. Her voice was deep, husky and almost strained.

Blood, so much blood.

Parvati cursed under her breath. Now was not the time.

Seamus said something. Lavender laughed. Fire from the bridge. Burning. The smell of death.

Ron and Harry were saying something. Neville put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Death Eaters stormed the hall. Light flashing. Screaming. Blood.

Parvati stood, shoving her chair backwards and grabbing her cloak. “I need some air,” she muttered as politely as she could, rushing from the table and out the door into the snow before anyone could stop her. If she could just get to the Floo station, she could go home. Padma promised to stay home tonight, just in case something happened.

Blood. So, so much pain. Someone was screaming.

“Parvati!” Dean’s voice broke through the fog, and Parvati managed to shake herself into consciousness. She had made it to the main thoroughfare of Hogsmeade, but was doubled over, crumbled on the cold ground. The hood of her thick cloak had fallen over her face, but she could feel the eyes of the students and shopowners on her. Suddenly she realized why – she was the one who was screaming.

“Par, come on, let’s get you home,” Dean muttered, carefully taking her by the elbow and pulling her to her feet.

“I’m fine, Dean, really,” she tried, feeling her face flushing. She was so weak, always having these stupid flashbacks.

Dean scoffed, wrapping an arm tightly around her shoulder. “You aren’t,” he replied easily.

He glanced at the people pretending that they weren’t watching them from the street.

“A war hero is allowed to break down sometimes,” he added, purposely raising his voice. The silent observers quickly looked away.

 Parvati’s hair fell into her eyes as she ducked her head. She hated this. Everyone else had managed to get over it, but here she was, still haunted by images and phantom pains of her past. It was a curse nearly as bad as the torture she’d faced during the battle.

When they reached the Floo station, tucked away in a hidden part of the post office, Dean helped her pull her cloak further around her, hugging her close as he called out the address to the Patil sisters’ flat. Parvati hid her face in his shoulder, sick from the dizzying spiral through the fireplaces of many wizard families until they finally reached the right mantle.

True to her word, Padma was curled in her favorite armchair with a book and a cup of tea when they fell into a pile on the floor. She hurried forward and helped them up, taking Parvati’s now shaking body from Dean’s arms and depositing her on the sofa. She was wrapped in a warm knitted blanket from Ron’s mother, a warm mug of tea between her shaking hands.

Dean and Padma muttered to each other for a moment before exchanging brief hugs. Dean dropped a brotherly kiss onto Parvati’s forehead before stepping into the fireplace once more, leaving the twins alone.

“So, how was dinner?” Padma asked cheerily, as if Parvati wasn’t pale as she could be with a face covered in frozen tears. “Is Neville’s internship doing well?”

“Lavender was there,” Parvati mumbled bitterly, taking a long sip of her tea so she wouldn’t have to elaborate. Her sister froze, the carefully light set of her shoulders tightening for just a moment. Concerned. Padma was concerned.

Of course she was. No one else knew how much she cared about Lavender, but Padma had been privy to many a midnight ranting and tearful confession. She was worried about how Parvati would take it.

“How was she?” she asked carefully, voice still as falsely light as before.

“I miss her,” Parvati said instead, a tear rolling down her tan cheek. “I saw her and I panicked. She’s so hurt. I saw her and it all came back. All the pain, and the screaming, and the blood.” She shuddered, pulling the blanket closer around her.

“Oh, Parvati,” Padma sighed, settling beside her on the couch and pulling her close. “You don’t always have to be brave, you know. It’ll get better eventually.”

Parvati rolled her dark eyes. “I’m supposed to be the brave one,” she said pointedly. “Yet you can walk around fine and dandy, with your fancy Ministry internship, and I’m a babbling mess in the snow in front of a bunch of thirteen year olds!”

“That’s much braver than me,” Padma argued. “I wouldn’t have even gone. You think you’re the only one struggling like this? I have nightmares, you know. Most everyone does. It was traumatic. You had the Cruciatus curse used on you more times than I know – that would mess anybody up.”

“I-“

“No,” Padma said, sitting away and taking her sister’s chin in her hands to make her look. “You listen to me, Parvati. You are braver than anyone I know. You are going to get better. You have so many people who will help you. And Lavender Brown will see that one day and realize everything she missed out on without you. I promise.”

A small smile spread across Parvati’s face. “You’re the best sister, you know that?” she asked, leaning in for another hug.

Padma rolled her eyes as she pulled away. “No way,” she replied lightly. “That honor belongs to you.”

[holidays-events]

The History of Christmas Traditions

The history of Christmas traditions kept evolving throughout the 19th century, when most of the familiar components of the modern Christmas including St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, and Christmas trees, became popular. The changes in how Christmas was celebrated were so profound that it's safe to say someone alive in 1800 would not even recognize the Christmas celebrations held in 1900.

Christmas Traditions: Key Takeaways

Our most common Christmas traditions developed during the 1800s:

The character of Santa Claus was largely a creation of author Washington Irving and cartoonist Thomas Nast.

Christmas trees were popularized by Queen Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert.

Author Charles Dickens helped establish a tradition of generosity at Christmas.

 Washington Irving and St. Nicholas  

Early Dutch settlers of New York considered St. Nicholas to be their patron saint and practiced a yearly ritual of hanging stockings to receive presents on St. Nicholas Eve, in early December. Washington Irving, in his fanciful History of New York, mentioned that St. Nicholas had a wagon he could ride “over the tops of trees” when he brought “his yearly presents to children.”

The Dutch word “Sinterklaas” for St. Nicholas evolved into the English “Santa Claus,” thanks in part to a New York City printer, William Gilley, who published an anonymous poem referring to “Santeclaus” in a children’s book in 1821. The poem was also the first mention of a character based on St. Nicholas having a sleigh, in this case, pulled by a single reindeer.

 Clement Clarke Moore and The Night Before Christmas  

Perhaps the best-known poem in the English language is “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” or as it’s often called, “The Night Before Christmas.” Its author, Clement Clarke Moore, a professor who owned an estate on the west side of Manhattan, would have been quite familiar with the St. Nicholas traditions followed in early 19th century New York. The poem was first published, anonymously, in a newspaper in Troy, New York, on December 23, 1823.

Reading the poem today, one might assume that Moore simply portrayed the common traditions. Yet he actually did something quite radical by changing some of the traditions while also describing features that were entirely new.

For instance, the St. Nicholas gift giving would have taken place on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day. Moore moved the events he describes to Christmas Eve. He also came up with the concept of “St. Nick” having eight reindeer, each of them with a distinctive name.

 Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol  

The other great work of Christmas literature from the 19th century is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In writing the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Dickens wanted to comment on greed in Victorian Britain. He also made Christmas a more prominent holiday and permanently associated himself with Christmas celebrations.

Dickens was inspired to write his classic story after speaking to working people in the industrial city of Manchester, England, in early October 1843. He wrote A Christmas Carol quickly, and when it appeared in bookstores the week before Christmas 1843 it began to sell very well.

The book crossed the Atlantic and began to sell in America in time for Christmas 1844, and became extremely popular. When Dickens made his second trip to America in 1867 crowds clamored to hear him read from A Christmas Carol. His tale of Scrooge and the true meaning of Christmas had become an American favorite. The story has never been out of print, and Scrooge is one of the best-known characters in literature.

 Santa Claus Drawn by Thomas Nast  

The famed American cartoonist Thomas Nast is generally credited as having invented the modern depiction of Santa Claus. Nast, who had worked as a magazine illustrator and created campaign posters for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, was hired by Harper’s Weekly in 1862. For the Christmas season, he was assigned to draw the magazine’s cover, and legend has it that Lincoln himself requested a depiction of Santa Claus visiting Union troops.

The resulting cover, from Harper’s Weekly dated January 3, 1863, was a hit. It shows Santa Claus on his sleigh, which has arrived at a U.S. Army camp festooned with a “Welcome Santa Claus” sign.

Santa’s suit features the stars and stripes of the American flag, and he’s distributing Christmas packages to the soldiers. One soldier is holding up a new pair of socks, which might be a boring present today, but would have been a highly prized item in the Army of the Potomac.

Beneath Nast's illustration was the caption, “Santa Claus In Camp.” Appearing not long after the carnage at Antietam and Fredericksburg, the magazine cover is an apparent attempt to boost morale in a dark time.

The Santa Claus illustrations proved so popular that Thomas Nast kept drawing them every year for decades. He is also credited with creating the notion that Santa lived at the North Pole and kept a workshop manned by elves. The figure of Santa Claus endured, with the version drawn by Nast becoming the accepted standard version of the character. By the early 20th century the Nast-inspired version of Santa became a very common figure in advertising.

 Prince Albert and Queen Victoria Made Christmas Trees Fashionable  

The tradition of the Christmas tree came from Germany, and there are accounts of early 19th century Christmas trees in America, but the custom wasn’t widespread outside German communities.

The Christmas tree first gained popularity in British and American society thanks to the husband of Queen Victoria, the German-born Prince Albert. He installed a decorated Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841, and woodcut illustrations of the Royal Family’s tree appeared in London magazines in 1848. Those illustrations, published in America a year later, created the fashionable impression of the Christmas tree in upper-class homes.

By the late 1850s reports of Christmas trees were appearing in American newspapers. And in the years following the Civil War ordinary American households celebrated the season by decorating a Christmas tree.

The first electric Christmas tree lights appeared in the 1880s, thanks to an associate of Thomas Edison, but were too costly for most households. Most people in the 1800s lit their Christmas trees with small candles.

 The First White House Christmas Tree  

The first Christmas tree in the White House was displayed in 1889, during the presidency of Benjamin Harrison. The Harrison family, including his young grandchildren, decorated the tree with toy soldiers and glass ornaments for their small family gathering.

There are some reports of president Franklin Pierce displaying a Christmas tree in the early 1850s. But the stories of a Pierce tree are vague and there doesn't seem to be contemporaneous mentions in newspapers of the time.

Benjamin Harrison's Christmas cheer was closely documented in newspaper accounts. An article on the front page of the New York Times on Christmas Day 1889 detailed the lavish presents he was going to give his grandchildren. And though Harrison was generally regarded as a fairly serious person, he vigorously embraced the Christmas spirit.

Not all subsequent presidents continued the tradition of having a Christmas tree in the White House. By the middle of the 20th century, White House Christmas trees became established. And over the years it has evolved into an elaborate and very public production.

The first National Christmas Tree was placed on The Ellipse, an area just south of the White House, in 1923, and the lighting of it was presided over by President Calvin Coolidge. The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has become quite a large annual event, typically presided over by the current president and members of the First Family.

 Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus  

In 1897 an eight-year-old girl in New York City wrote to a newspaper, the New York Sun, asking if her friends, who doubted the existence of Santa Claus, were right. An editor at the newspaper, Francis Pharcellus Church, responded by publishing, on September 21, 1897, an unsigned editorial. The response to the little girl has become the most famous newspaper editorial ever printed.

The second paragraph is often quoted:

"Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS."

Church’s eloquent editorial asserting the existence of Santa Claus seemed a fitting conclusion to a century that began with modest observances of St. Nicholas and ended with the foundations of the modern Christmas season firmly intact.

By the end of the 19th century, the essential components of a modern Christmas, from Santa to the story of Scrooge to strings of electric lights were firmly established in America.

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-history-of-christmas-traditions-1773799