Need Help? Call Us
01753.689.021
Office Hours 9.00 am
to 4.00 pm Mon - Fri
|
|
|
 |
|
Great Selection of Personalised Christmas Stockings waiting to be Embroidered for You!
|
|
The prevalent custom of washing red stockings with white trim and hang them near the fireplace in anticipation that Santa will fill them with gifts is quite ancient and has been followed in many countries. Christmas stockings have now become inseparable from Christmas symbols and children love to find small gifts or knicks-knacks in these stockings in the morning. Here are some legends and theories on how Christmas stockings became so popular and a part of Christmas traditions:
The tradition of hanging stockings is said to have its roots in the 16th century Dutch tradition, where children in Holland used to leave their clogs by the fireplace filled with straw for the reindeers or donkeys of the Saint and a treat for Santa himself in the house. In return, the Santa Claus used to leave treats for children.
There is a legend about kind Saint Nicholas related to the tradition of Christmas stockings. Once a kind nobleman had a turn of fate. He lost his money and his wife and was left alone to fend off his old days with three daughters of marriage-able age. Once, when St. Nicholas was going on rounds, he heard all four of them crying together for they had little to eat and make merry. Their biggest problem was how to arrange dowries for the daughters so that they can get married.
The saint knew that these people were too respectable to be offered any charity and so he thought of another way to help them out. He saw that the three daughters had washed their stockings and hung them over their fireplace to dry. So, in the night, he quietly climbed down the chimney and placed three purses of gold in each of the girl's stockings that was enough to marry them off. In the morning, when the family found the money, they were very thankful to God and the kind nobleman who did so much for them.
According to yet another theory, at about the end of the nineteenth century, Thomas Nast and George Webster cooked up a story about a visit from Santa Claus as an illustrator and writer respectively, which became very popular. It was in this story that Christmas stockings were first mentioned as being hung from a chimney, thus, giving birth to the tradition.
Turn your home into a Christmas grotto for a children’s party
Christmas is a magical time for kids and throwing a Christmas party for your children and their friends is a lovely way to celebrate the festive season.
Making sure you have plenty of indoor fairy lights, a fantastic Christmas tree and wonderful decorations and your home will have a real party atmosphere. You could also encourage the children to wear fancy dress to get them involved in creating the seasonal atmosphere.
There are lots of great activities and games you can get the children to take part in at a Christmas party. If you have a large number of excitable children, ask them to cut out brightly coloured stars from card or metallic paper and hide their stars in another room. Once you have hidden all the stars let the children in to find them and give prizes to those who find the most.
Smaller groups will love to make decorations and Christmas ornaments that they can take home with them. If you provide them with the craft supplies and leave them to it, you will be surprised what great tree decorations they can make.
As well as making festive decorations, making cakes and biscuits is also fun and everyone gets to enjoy their efforts once they are cooked!
Oh Christmas Tree Christmas carol
One of our favourite carols to sing at Christmas time is ‘Oh Christmas Tree’. This can also be sung as the German version, ‘Oh Tenenbaum.’
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
Spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
Thou dost proclaim the Saviour's birth
Good will to men and peace on earth
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
Your boughs are green in summer's glow
And do not fade in winter's snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
On Christmas Day you stand so tall
Affording joy to one and all
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
Make ready-filled stocking for Christmas party guests
Christmas stockings are traditionally hung over the fireplace and filled with gifts for Christmas morning. However, why leave all the fun until Christmas Eve? If you are throwing a party for adults or children this Christmas, make it one to remember and give your guest filled mini stockings to take away with them.
Stocking are great festive alternatives to party bags and can be tailored to your guests. Here are some ideas for different themed party stockings:
Retro Toy Stocking:
Try filling mini stockings with small items that will remind your guests of their childhood, such as bouncy balls, polystyrene gliders, small ball-bearing games, whoopie cushions and glow sticks
Retro Sweets Stocking:
Everyone loves retro sweets, You can either go really old-fashioned with humbugs, sherbet lemons and rhubarb & custards, or hark back the 1970s and 80s with sherbet fountains, crackling candy, edible necklaces, candy cigarettes, sherbet spaceships and fizzers.
Kids’ Stationery Stocking:
This is a fun and useful stocking idea with gifts that are easy to find and purchase such as novelty rubbers, pencils, colouring pens, mini notebooks and post-its.
Ladies’ Stocking:
Include things like make-up, inexpensive bracelets or brooches, chiffon scarves and small make-up bags or novelty purses.
Men’s Stocking:
Most men will enjoy playing with retro toys so you can include some from the first list and add pens, mini playing cards, a compass, pocketknife, multi-tool or a keyring.
Europe’s best Christmas markets
Across Europe, and increasingly in the UK, Christmas markets are magical places to visit in the run up to Christmas to buy gifts, eat yummy food, sip hot mulled wine or simply soak up the festive atmosphere. Choose from a great range of personalised christmas stocking. Here’s a pick of some of the best:
BATH: If you can’t get away this Christmas there are plenty of British market, with Bath being among the best. This European-style Christmas market is being held between 26 November and 6 December 2009 and will host 123 traditional wooden chalets selling beautiful handmade gifts, delicious English and European food and mulled wine. This market is a great opportunity to take in the breathtakingly beautiful city while snooping out unique gifts.
COLOGNE: This picturesque German town has no fewer than six Christmas markets, with the largest taking place in the Neumarkt. For something a bit different, try the market that takes place on a boat on the Rhine This year http://www.WowWee.ie will be presenting their goods at the Cologne Christmas Market.
BASEL: Switzerland’s best Weinachtsmarkt is in the border town of Basel on the banks of the Rhine. It takes place from 24 November and runs right up to Christmas eve, so there’s plenty of chances to sample the traditional St Nicholas Pastries.
The Christmas cracker tradition
Christmas crackers have long been a part of the traditional Christmas in the West, but where did the tradition start and why do we pull crackers at Christmas time?
Christmas crackers are seen as a decorative way to give a small gift to guests on a dinner table or are used to decorate Christmas trees in many modern homes.
The were invented by Thomas Smith in 1846. He saw that the French often bought little sugar-coated almonds wrapped in paper twisted at either end, called bon-bons. He successfully sold the bon-bons in the UK in the run up to Christmas.
In the 1850s he decided to boost sales by including a love poem in the wrapping of the sweets, and later included a ‘cracker’ by impregnating some paper with chemicals that made a snapping noise when pulled apart…the cracker was born. Christmas crackers are known to be found in people's personalised christmas stockings on christmas morning and placed on the set table on time for dinner.
His sons took over the business in the 1900s and the idea of including a paper hat was invented.
It is thought that the tradition of wearing a king’s crown may originate from the Twelfth Night celebrations, at which a king or queen would be appointed to oversee the occasion.
The addition of a gift, such as a Christmas ornament, decoration or ‘stocking filler,’ has become part of the modern cracker and is seen by many as the most exciting part of the cracker-pulling tradition.
Make Christmas-themed cookies for friends and family
For a recession-proof Christmas gift, why not make some lovely Christmas-themed cookies for your friends and family this year. They are easy to make and delicious to eat!
This following list of ingredients makes 20 biscuits. Cookies are a great Christmas Stocking Filler and economical one too.
You will need:
140g icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
250g butter, cut into small cubes
375g plain flour, sieved
Method: combine the Vanilla, icing sugar, egg yolk and butter in a mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Then add the flour to the wet ingredients and stir well until you have a firm dough.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of a £1 coin and cut out Christmas-themed shapes with special cookie cutters. Christmas stocking, Christmas trees and star shapes are good options because these shapes are simple and they don't require a lot of detail.
Once they are cut out, arrange them on some greese proof paper on a baking tray and cook at gas mark five for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Once the cookies are completely cool, the fun begins! You can use anything from icing to silver balls to hundreds and thousands to decorate the Christmas cookies, but it’s a good idea to go for bright decorations for kids and stick to white and silver for adults.
Top five Christmas gift ideas for teenagers
Too old for toys, too young for bath salts and slippers: what to buy teenage children for Christmas is a quandary for many parents. Find inspiration with these top five Christmas gift ideas for teenagers:
1) Money
It may not be the most original Christmas gift in the world, but few teenagers will say no to cash.
2) Electronics
Teenagers love being in possession of any gadget that makes them look cool in front of their mates. Digital cameras, netbooks and e-readers are all cutting edge gadgets that teens will love.
3) Books
Certainly cheaper than gadgets and more educational too, there are books available from Amazon and traditional stores on every topic under the sun. Whatever your teenager is interested in, there’s bound to be a fascinating book all about it.
4) Concert tickets
Find out who your teenager’s favourite band is, and buy a bunch of tickets as a Christmas present. They can go to the gig with their friends (they probably won’t want to go with Mum or Dad).
5) Activity days
Companies like Activity Superstore let you buy vouchers for every sort of activity from scuba diving to horse riding. Some vouchers even leave the option open so your teenager can choose their own activity.
6. Personalised Christmas Stockings
Teenagers loved to be remembered especially at Christmas Time. They like to be grown up all year but their childish tendancies come out at Christmas like us all. The stocking can be filled with concert tickets, make up (for girls), sweets or bars, perfumes and aftershaves - you name it.
Top ways to avoid stress this Christmas
We all feel the pressure to buy the best gifts, cook the yummiest meal and make sure everyone is having fun at Christmas, which can lead to some stressful moments! However, there is lots you can do to relieve the strain in the run up to the festive season.
• One of the key things to remember when entertaining at Christmas is to go with the flow. Don’t try to force people to attend activities or parties that they are not comfortable with and don’t try to impress too much. A simple, laid back gathering will be far more fun and is more appropriate for this busy time of year.
• Don’t feel you have to carry on traditions from when you were a child once you have your own family. They may not work for you and could become a source of stress. Instead, try making your own, new traditions which work for your children and make your Christmas unique to you.
• When buying gifts, keep it simple. Shop online for christmas gifts and avoid the high street jungle, parking and queuing. A well chosen game, personalised book or toy will be enjoyed by most children.
• Buy online! Avoid the pre-Christmas shopping rush and select your gifts, decorations and food from the comfort of your own home.
TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY.
Make something new from your old Christmas cards
There are many ways to recycle your Christmas cards to make them into something useful for next Christmas:
• Make attractive Christmas ornaments for trees or tables from your Christmas cards by cutting two of the same shape from the cards (those with large pictures/patterns work best). Stick the two shapes together so the picture is on both sides and laminate with sticky-back plastic. Punch a hole in the top of the shapes, thread through a ribbon loop and hang them on the tree. These make a environmentally-friendly alternative to expensive tree decorations.
• Use your favourite cards to make gift tags for next year. Children will love helping with this activity. Simply cut the shape you require and let the children punch holes and thread through attractive ribbon to tie to your gifts.
• Create a hi-tech version of a scrap book by scanning your favourite cards along with some particularly nice messages, onto your computer. You can then arrange them in a document, which can be saved, used as a screen saver or wall paper or simply printed off. Do this each year for a great memento.
Christmas Stockings, Personalised Christmas Stockings, Stockings, Personalised christmas socks, embroidered christmas stockings
|
|
|
|
