The Snowman was adapted as a 26-minute animated film by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling British public-service Channel 4. It was first telecast on 26 December 1982 and was an immediate success. It was nominated for the 1982 Academy Award for Animated Short Film.
The film story is told through pictures, action and music, scored by Howard Blake. It is wordless like the book, except for the song "Walking in the Air". In addition to the orchestral score, performed in the film by the Sinfonia of London, Blake composed the music and lyrics of the song, performed by a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty.
The film ranks 71 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programs in a year 2000 list drawn up by the British Film Institute, based on a vote by industry professionals. It was voted number 4 in UKTV Gold's Greatest TV Christmas Moments.
Download and print these restored antique Christmas postcards to include in your homespun crafts this holiday season! Read our Terms of Use first; images are for personal use only.
This old-fashioned belsnickle carries a fir tree and a sack of toys for some lucky little girl or boy. There is a little country church in the background and he is framed with poinsettias.
"Grown-Up Christmas List" (sometimes titled "My Grown-Up Christmas List") is a Christmas song composed by David Foster (music) and Linda Thompson-Jenner (lyrics), and originally recorded by Foster (with singer Natalie Cole on vocals) for his 1990 non-holiday album River of Love. Though it was also released as a single, the song was not a hit upon its first appearance.
The song is about a visit with Santa Claus by an adult who does not
ask Santa for anything material for Christmas, but rather nothing but
good things for all humanity.
The original version by David Foster with Natalie Cole also appeared on Foster's 1993 holiday set, The Christmas Album.
In 2003, former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson
performed "Grown-Up Christmas List" on the show's Christmas special,
which resulted in renewed airplay of the song during the holiday season
that year.
This woman is so cute; she reminds me of my daughters. In this film she shares a bit of Danish Christmas tradition. If your in Denmark during the Christmas holidays, the Hans Christian Anderson Market is a lovely place to visit and celebrate some old-fashioned Christmas cheer.
Vintage sheet music of "Good King Wenceslas" lyrics included, CC.
Wenceslas was considered a martyr and a saint immediately after his death, when a cult of Wenceslas grew up in Bohemia and in England. Within a few decades of Wenceslas's death four biographies of him were in circulation.
These hagiographies had a powerful influence on the High Middle Ages conceptualization of the rex justus, or "righteous king"—that is, a monarch whose power stems mainly from his great piety, as well as from his princely vigor.
Referring approvingly to these hagiographies, the chronicler Cosmas of Prague, writing in about the year 1119, states:
"But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion,
no one doubts that, rising every night from his noble bed, with bare
feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God’s churches and gave
alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by
every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but
the father of all the wretched."
Several centuries later the legend was claimed as fact by Pope Pius II, who himself also walked ten miles barefoot in the ice and snow as an act of pious thanksgiving.
Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I
posthumously "conferred on [Wenceslas] the regal dignity and title" and
that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a "king". The usual English spelling of Duke Wenceslas's name, Wenceslaus, is occasionally encountered in later textual variants of the carol, although it was not used by Neale in his version. Wenceslas is not to be confused with King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (Wenceslaus I Premyslid), who lived more than three centuries later.
Our daughter, Natalie, loves a package of Oreo cookies. But, she loves Oreo balls even more!
These cookies are real crowd pleasers at Christmas parties and, yes, they are fattening beyond belief. These cookies are
incredibly easy to make.
Sandbakelse are sugar cookies from the nineteenth century Norway. The dough is pressed into tins, and then baked in an oven.
Sandbakelse or 'Sandbakkels' (meaning sand tarts) or 'Sandkaker' are a Norwegian sugar cookie. They are a Christmas tradition in many families.
Sandbakelse are made of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and almond extract - possibly with vanilla or cardamom. After the dough is mixed and cooled, it is pressed into fluted tins. After ten minutes in the oven, popping the cookies out of the hot tins is best left to adults.
In 1845 a recipe for sandbakelse appeared in a Norwegian cookbook, but they were not widespread until later in the 19th century. They became popular later than the similar krumkake because sandbakelse required fine flour, which wasn't yet widely available. Emigrants took their tins and recipes west across the sea, where sandbakelse remain an "old-country" Christmas tradition for many Norwegian-Americans.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of soft butter
3/4 cup of white sugar
1 egg white
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup blanched almonds finely chopped
4 unblanched almonds finely chopped
Procedure: Cream the butter, sugar and egg white together and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Chill the dough for a few hours. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pull the dough apart in chunks and press it firmly into the sandbakelse tins. Do not unmold the cookies. This cookie dough must bake inside the tins for approximately 12 minutes. Remove the molded cookies from a cookie sheet and let the molds cool. Tap the molds against a wooden bread board to unmold the sandbakelse.
Pfeffernüsse originate in Scandinavia and date from medieval times when spices were used exclusively in holiday baking
Pfeffernüsse (also spelled pfeffernuesse in English, in Danish: pebernødder (plural), päpanät in Plautdietsch, and pepernoten in Dutch; singular Pfeffernuss) are small, firm, round biscuits, sometimes with ground nuts.
The name translates to pepper nuts in German, Danish and Dutch, describing their spicy taste as well as the fact that many recipes actually call for almonds or walnuts. Bahlsen's pfeffernüsse has no added nuts. Despite the name they do not necessarily contain black pepper.
Pepernoten are originally a Dutch treat, baked during 'Sinterklaas', a feast on 5 December (6 December in Belgium and Germany) on which little children receive gifts from the holy St. Nicholas, the partial inspiration for Santa Claus. In Germany, Pfeffernüsse are traditionally made during the Christmas season.
These recipes often call for the dough to be rounded into a ball. Today they are sometimes produced with a chocolate base.
Like most baked goods, there are many variations of pfeffernüsse. While most recipes call for cloves and cinnamon, some also use nutmeg or anise. A Danish recipe for pebernødder requires white pepper, while most recipes don't use pepper at all. Some versions of pfeffernüsse contain pecans, ginger, or cardamom.
Pfeffernüsse are extremely hard when they are first baked. For at least a week, it is difficult to bite into them without first dunking into a beverage. However, they soften with age.
In Germany they are also known as "Pimpernüsse" in some places, and are traditionally given out at Martinisingen.
They are very popular at church concert receptions, especially around Christmas time.
Pfeffernüsses are often confused with Russian tea cakes because they are a similar shape and are both generally covered in powdered sugar, but Pfeffernüsses are much more bitter owing to fewer refined ingredients.
Ingredients:
A plate of pfeffernüsse.
1/2 cup of soft butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of molasses
1 egg
1 Tablespoon licorice flavored liqueur
3 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
1 dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
powdered sugar for dusting the cookies
Procedure: First preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease the cookie sheets. Then beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is creamy. Beat into this mixture the molasses, egg and liqueur until the mixture is fluffy. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then mix together both the dry and wet ingredients. Shape the dough into small tablespoon sized balls and bake. Raw dough balls should be placed approximately 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets and these should be finished baking after 12-14 minutes. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets. Dust the cookies thoroughly with powdered sugar and store them in airtight containers after they have cooled completely.
Krumkake are centuries-old cookies from Norway. They were originally baked over open fires using decorative irons; however modern cooks use electric or stovetop irons to bake these wafer-thin biscuits. Krumkake are wrapped in a cone shape, and are named for the crumbles left in your hand after taking the first bite.
Krumkake or 'Krum kaka' (/ˈkruːmkɑːkə/; meaning bent or curved cake, plural krumkaker) is a Norwegian waffle cookie made of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and cream. Krumkake is traditionally made during the Christmas season.
A special decorative two-sided iron griddle, similar to a waffle iron, is used to bake the thin round cakes. Older irons are used over the stove, but modern electric irons offer the convenience of nonstick surfaces, automatic timing, and multiple cakes per batch. While hot, the 13–20 cm krumkake are rolled into small cones around a wooden or plastic cone form. Krumkake can be eaten plain or filled with whipped cream (often multekrem) or other fillings.
These cookies are popular not only in Norway but also among Norwegian immigrant descendants in the American Midwest. Krumkaker are traditionally made in preparation for Christmas, along with other Norwegian sweets including Sandbakelse and Rosettes. They offer a sweet dessert after the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of ribs or pinnekjøtt.
In Germany, the cookies are commonly filled with sweet stuffings. They are also used as a type of ice cream cone.
Left, Krumkake just off the hot iron, being shaped on a conical rolling pin. Right, Krumkake, some dusted with powdered sugar
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (approx. 1 stick or 1/2
pound) butter or margarine, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Procedure: Beat the eggs and sugar until just mixed; do not over beat. Add the cooled melted butter, vanilla and cardamom seed. Then Sift together the flour and corn starch before adding it to the egg mixture. The batter should have a dough-like consistency. I have included a youtube video above that demonstrates "how" the batter is then made in on a krumkake grid. This procedure is of course best done with genuine Norwegian cooks in your kitchen. If you do not know any genuine Norwegian cooks, I suppose the recipe may turn out in the long run?
Note* You do not need a conical rolling pin in order to make krumkake cookies. You may just roll the soft pancake cookie by hand.
Serve the krumkake with with fresh berries and wipped cream piped inside the cookies.
A traditional cookie which dates from the Middle ages in Norway, Fattigmann cookies are deep fried in unsalted fat.They are also eaten in the areas of North America where Scandinavians settled during the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. The dough is made from egg yolks, egg whites, sugar, cream, cognac, cinnamon, cardamom, and flour.
Ingredients for dough:
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon of sugar
3 tablespoons of butter
1 3/4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla
pinch of salt
Procedure: Beat the eggs gently and then stir into these the sugar, softened butter, flour, salt and vanilla. Combine the ingredients until a soft dough is formed. Roll out the dough on a wooden cutting board that is covered with a dusting of flour. The rolled dough should be approx. 1/8th inch thick. Use a Fattigmann cutter to cut the shapes and make a basic knot from this. Deep fry the cookie dough in the fryer. Cool the cookies on a rack and allow these to drain into paper towels. Sprinkle the cookies with confectioner's sugar from a sifter and serve immediately. Store the left overs in a tight container for freshness.
The Value of a Token. The following incident appeared in a New York daily: Bent with age but bright-eyed and alert, James Swift, eighty-four years old, was committed at his own request to the almshouse yesterday by Magistrate Krotel, sitting in Yorkville Court.
"I'm goin' to start for California just as soon as I come out of the almshouse," Swift told the magistrate. The old man displayed a silver watch with copper chain, which he said, was a perpetual pass over the Union Pacific Railroad. It had been given him as a token that he was one of the men engaged in the construction of the road, the presentation being made on the occasion of the driving of the last spike in May, 1866. All he had to do, he said, when he wanted to ride over the road was to show the timepiece to the conductor.
In much the same way are the traditions of Christmas like tokens. All we need do is unpack the examples of mirth, good cheer, delight, childhood wonder, and stories of miracles and promises made to us by God and then, suddenly, we pass over the next hard patch in the middle of the road. We wish for you dear visitor, that Christmas becomes a reminder of good things once had and good things yet to come.
The story of Christmas as told by the children of St Paul's Church, Auckland, New Zealand. Anyone is welcome to show this film publicly, but
not change it in any way, nor make money out of it.
The Birth of Jesus:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2: 1-20
The Magi Visit the Messiah:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2: 2-12
The Escape to Egypt
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:"A voice is heard in Ramah,weeping and great mourning,Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.Matthew 2: 13-18
The Return to Nazareth
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2: 19-23
AT CHRISTMASTIME by W. G. Park
AT Christmas-time on Judea's hills The moonlight falls with silver glow, And shepherds watch their flocks by night, Just as in ages long ago. At Christmas-time our hearts still turn With loving thoughts to that far day, "When angel hosts proclaimed the birth Of Him who in the manger lay.
Though centuries have passed away Since earth its Christmas-time first knew, The centuries that are to come Will celebrate His birth anew. The light of Bethlehem's wondrous star Has shone through all the ages long, And 'round the world on wings of love Has rolled the angels' glorious song.
A Christmas market, also known among Germanic peoples as a Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. Although many of these markets originated in Germany, Austria, South Tyrol and Alsace, many are now being held in many other countries.
The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German speaking part of Europe. The Dresden Christmas market, first held in 1434, is one of the oldest Christmas markets. It attracts between 1.5 and 2 million visitors a year and has over 250 stalls. The Bautzen Christmas market was even older, first being mentioned in records in 1384. The Vienna "December market" was a kind of forerunner of the Christmas market and dates back to 1294.
In many towns in Germany and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt". In southern Germany and Austria it is sometimes called a "Christkind(e)l(s)markt" (German language, literally meaning "Christ child market"). Generally held in the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls, accompanied by traditional singing and dancing. On opening nights (and in some towns more often) onlookers welcome the "Christkind", or boy Jesus, acted out by a local child.
Popular attractions at the market include the Nativity Scene (a crèche or crib), Zwetschgamännla (figures made of decorated dried plums), Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers), Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread), Christstollen (Stollen), a sort of egg bread with candied fruit, Bratwurst, and for many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch
(an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). Both help stave off the cold
winter air which sometimes dips below freezing. Many other handmade
items, toys, books, Christmas tree decorations and ornaments (and in recent years less useful gadgets) can be found at a Christkindlmarkt.
A traditional stand selling teddy bears.
Famous Christmas markets are held in the cities of Dortmund, Erfurt, Nuremberg, Dresden, Stuttgart and Augsburg making them popular tourist attractions.
The Nuremberg and Dresden markets draw about two million people each
year; the Stuttgart market attracts more than three million visitors and
the Dortmund market can claim one of the biggest Christmas markets in
Germany, with more than three and a half million visitors and over 300
stalls packed around a gigantic Christmas tree creation that stands 45
metres tall. Additionally, Berlin claims over 70 markets, which open in
late November and close just after Christmas.
Strasbourg, in Alsace, France, has been holding a Christmas market, "Christkindelsmärik," around its cathedral since 1570, when it was part of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation.
Christmas markets are also traditional in Alsace and most of the towns have their local Christmas market.
In 1982 Lincoln, England established an annual Christmas market in early December, and this remains the most extensive such market by area in the United Kingdom,
with a claimed total of over 300 stalls attracting more than 100,000
visitors over its four days. Large Christmas markets are also held in
England in Bath (since 2000), Leeds and Birmingham, with visiting traders from Frankfurt. The Birmingham Christmas Market was the largest in the UK in 2009 attracting over 2.8 million visitors over four weeks. Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, and Nottingham
also hold similar markets; with Manchester having around 200 stalls in
2007, attracting nearly 1.2 million visitors over five weeks. The
Birmingham Market in 2011 became the largest ever Christmas Market to be
held outside of Germany, stretching one kilometre through the city
centre.
Since 2007, a traditional Christmas market is held for the first time in Sibiu, Romania.
The first of its kind in Romania, it is inspired by Viennese Christmas
markets. It was held in the "Lesser Square" (Piața Mică) had 38 small
stalls, a small stage and an area dedicated to children, having several
mechanical attractions installed there. The 2008 edition was held in the
"Grand Square" and had the same number of stalls, but a bigger stage
was installed, where Christmas carols concerts were held. A new
attraction was an ice skating rink. The third edition, in 2009, was also
held in the Grand Square of the town Sibiu,
has over 70 stalls where merchants from all over Romania sell their
goods. A stage, an ice skating rink and an area dedicated to mechanical
installations for children are installed.
German immigrants also brought the Christmas market celebrations to the United States. Although North Americans do not have such grand celebrations resembling the German Christkindlmarkts, we do organize literally thousands of Christmas craft fairs annually across the United States in our town squares, high schools, churches etc... Below I have included a listing of those internet sites that will help prospective organizers of Christmas craft fairs.
The things children most quickly note and in
which they take most interest may indicate their bent of mind and help
parents and instructors to shape their education along the lines of
least resistance. R. H. Haweis says:
"Long before I had ever touched a violin, I was fascinated with its
appearance. In driving to town as a child-- when, standing up in the
carriage, I could just look out of the window--certain fiddle-shops hung
with mighty rows of violins and cellos attracted my attention. I had
dreams of these large editions--these patriarchs of the violin, as they
seemed to me. I compared them in my mind with the smaller tenors and
violins. I dreamed about their brown, big, dusty bodies and affable
good-natured-looking heads and grinning faces. These violin shops were
the great points watched for on each journey up to London from Norwood,
where I spent my early days."
Parents can help shape the way culture and our future generations of
children view Christmas. Because culture is a learned process, handed
down from one family to the next, you can leave lasting impressions on
others that count! Visit the Nativity links to see just "how"
congregations are "reshaping" the culture of Christmas here in America.
Your church can develop programs for people of the community that are
both unique experiences and that introduce them to the story of Jesus
birth.
The best holiday window
dressings can generate great excitement and become a gathering place for
an entire shopping community. They contribute to the environment by
entertaining pedestrians, while simultaneously communicating the
products and services inside the store. Many department stores
create displays with moving parts, lights, music and all kinds of
animated characters.
When I was a young child it was a part of my family's tradition at
Christmas to grab a hot cocoa and walk along the avenue viewing the
Christmas window displays. As I grew older and moved to Chicago this
became an even greater treat!
Now I take my children to down town St. Charles
every year to view their window dressings and eat chestnuts that are
roasted by venders on the street corners there. St. Charles also hires
many actors and singers during Christmas to entertain pedestrians. This
is a inexpensive way for my family to enjoy the holiday environment and
be together.
I've included some fun video here of Christmas window displays I found on youtube for
those of you who are "snowed in" during the holidays or maybe you live
in a small town and don't get to see these elaborate creations.
Video selections of window dressings at Christmas.
An Advent calendar is a special calendar that is used to count or
celebrate the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. Some
calendars are strictly religious, whereas others are secular in content.
Despite the name, most commercially available Advent calendars begin on
December 1, regardless of when Advent begins, which can be as early as
November 27 and as late as December 3.
Today, most Advent calendars are made for children. Many take the form
of a large rectangular card with "windows" of which there are often 24;
one for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. One is opened
every day during Advent. In many of these calendars, each window opens
to reveal an image, a poem, or a portion of a story such as the story of
the Nativity of Jesus. More elaborate Advent calendars have a small
gift concealed in each window, such as a toy or a chocolate item.
The origins of the Advent calendar come from German Lutherans who, at
least as early as the beginning of the 19th century, would count down
the first 24 days of December physically. Often this meant simply
drawing a chalk line on the door each day, beginning on December 1. Some
families had more elaborate means of marking the days, such as lighting
a new candle (perhaps the genesis of today's Advent wreath) or hanging a
little religious picture on the wall each day.
A simple, silver and white Advent calendar
made with cardboard drawers.
The 24 candles might also be placed on a structure, which was known as
an "Advent clock". In December 1839, the first verifiable public Advent
wreath was hung in the prayer hall of the Rauhes Haus (relief house) in
Hamburg, although it had been a family practice in parts of
German-speaking Europe since the 17th century.
The first known Advent calendar was handmade in 1851. According to the
Lower Austrian (NÖ) Landesmuseum, the first printed Advent calendar was
produced in Hamburg in 1902 or 1903. Other authorities state that a
Swabian parishioner, Gerhard Lang, was responsible for the first printed
calendar, in 1908.
Lang was certainly the progenitor of today's calendar. He was a
printer in the firm Reichhold & Lang of Munich who, in 1908, made 24
little colored pictures that could be affixed to a piece of cardboard.
Several years later, he introduced a calendar with 24 little doors. He
created and marketed at least 30 designs before his firm went out of
business in the 1930s. In this same time period, Sankt Johannis Printing
Company started producing religious Advent calendars, with Bible verses
instead of pictures behind the doors.
The practice disappeared during World War II, apparently to save paper.
After the war, Richard Sellmer of Stuttgart resurrected the commercial
Advent calendar and is responsible for its widespread popularity. His
company, Richard Sellmer Verlag, today maintains a stock of over
1,000,000 calendars worldwide. Other companies such as Cadbury's who
specialize in the making of calendars have similar stocks, if not
higher.
The photo below shows paper ornaments that I made with die-cuts of vintage Victorian
children and paper cupcake liners. The cupcake liners eliminate the
tedious work of dying, cutting, folding and gluing paper rosettes in
order to fit the individual sizes of the dye-cuts pictured in the
garland pictured on the right.
So why not go to such trouble, some of you dyed-in-the-wool crafters may be thinking? Don't the handmade rosette look better? Well, yes, but the rosette paper ornaments below were crafted for profit. Patrons will not pay much for these paper ornaments, so one must find ways to pinch pennies in order to make a bit of money. These paper ornaments will sell for about $1.50 and the materials to make just one cost approximately 35 cents. This doesn't include labor of any kind. Therefore, it is necessary to find economical ways to produce craft for fairs in order to make the effort worth while. Tips such as these are very helpful for those of you who are as frugal as myself. I will endeavor to share more of them in future posts.
Die-cuts backed with rosettes made from cupcake liners are very
inexpensive to produce. Purchase those cupcake liners in bulk during a
discount sale at your local craft, hobby, grocery or specialty cake
store. To assemble simply layer and paste the papers together according
to size and taste. I cut out the centers of the cupcake liners so that
only the accordion folded edge is used. This makes it easier to shape
the folded paper ruffles to fit the project.
For this project I purchased Styrofoam balls and covered these with discarded textile trims, silks, and embroidered clothing that had served it's usefulness long ago. I pinned these fabrics down with regular steal sewing pins and gold sequin stars. These baubles were very easy and entertaining to make.
I use similar methods to those used by many Victorian crafters in the past. The differences are, of course, design related. Traditionally this craft is done with blank silk covered balls and elaborate beading techniques. The Victorians preferred very formal symmetrical designs on their pinned baubles. A random approach to this is considered far more contemporary.
