This 56 inches diameter skirt is made from luxurious emerald green velvet. The skirt opens up to show elegantly decorated finial style ornaments floating across the front. Each of the ornaments are made from different colored beads, sequins and plastic jewels sewn onto various colors of satin or gold lame fabrics. Above each ornament is a string of colored bugle beads that represent strings the ornaments would hang from. The underside of the skirt is lined with green, polyester lining fabric. The center slit closes with Velcro fasteners. This skirt comes on a very nice metal hanger for easy storage. Select this link to view our Christmas Tree Skirt.
Candles.
Man has been using candles since 3000 B.C. The ancients used them to prolong the day. Candles became a symbol of expressing joy. The Romans exchanged glowing tapers as expressions of goodwill and affection. The use of candles for Christmas celebrations was absorbed into the symbol of Jesus as the light of the World, and as a symbol of everlasting life. Select this link to view our Christmas Stockings.
The tradition of putting candles in the windows comes from Ireland. When Christianity was suppressed in Ireland, the priest had to travel secretly, through the night, to visit his parishioners. Irish Christians left their doors unlocked and candles in the windows to show the priests where there was a friendly place to stay and to guide them through the dark night. When the English authorities questioned the people, they explained that the candles were for Mary and Joseph. Select this link to view our Christmas Stocking Holders.
Christmas Cards The very modern tradition evolved from English school boys in the early 1800’s. They would send Christmas pieces or greetings to their parents. They were written on decorated sheets to show off their progress in composition and penmanship. In 1842 William Egley tried to make a commercial success of Christmas cards but failed to arouse any interest. In 1847, Sir Henry Cole commissioned J.C. Horsely to make a card. There was little interest at first, but by 1868, it was a common practice in all of England. Louis Prange began the public sale of Christmas card in America in 1875. Select this link to view our Fiber Optic Angel Tree Topper.
Christmas Carols.
Carols comes from choros meaning the dance and aulein to play the flute. The original meaning of the word carol was a circular dance with no songs, simply to dance in a circle listening to a flute. By the middle ages it became carollen or to sing joyfully. As when troupes of costumed actors traveled from village to village presenting the Christmas plays in song. The earliest dated carol was in 129 A.D. The father of the Christmas carol is attributed to St. Francis, the originator of the Nativity scenes, who taught his people to tell of their Christmas joy in songs. Select this link to view our Artificial Prelit Christmas Trees.