Show Notes: Holiday wishes from the Carey Bros. – On the House

Show Notes: Holiday wishes from the Carey Bros.

By on December 24, 2016
Christmas lights

We wish you the merriest of holidays with your family and friends. May the spirit of Christmas be with you throughout the New Year.

Our greatest gift is you, our listeners and readers.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

James, Morris, Captain Dan and Remodel Babe

 

Celebrate Christmas With the First Voice Ever Broadcast in Space

 Eisenhower kicked off the space race with a goodwill wish

 Called Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment, SCORE weighed just over 150 pounds. It had two tape recorders designed to transmit sound over a short-wave radio frequency down to Earth.

At first, the satellite was supposed to play a dry test message, but at the last minute President Eisenhower decided to record a Christmas-themed message instead.

“This is the President of the United States speaking,” the message said. “Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite circling in outer space. My message is a simple one. Through this unique means, I convey to you and all mankind America’s wish for peace on earth and good will to men everywhere.”

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-voice-space-had-christmasy-message-180961541/#YQo2HLASg0l5Jt3h.99

 

Christmas Firsts

 The First Department Store Santa

The first “department store Santa” in the U.S. made his appearance at a Philadelphia dry goods store in 1841. Store owner J.W. Parkinson hired his neighbor to dress as Kris Kringle and make an appearance at his shop on December 18 to lure in holiday shoppers. Santa actually arrived via the chimney bearing a sack that had “My friends shop at Parkinson’s” on the side.

 The First Christmas Club Savings Account

The Christmas Club savings account concept originated at Pennsylvania’s Carlisle Trust Company in 1909. Bank treasurer Merkel Landis came up with the idea of offering customers 3% interest on money deposited in a special Christmas account. They received coupons each time they put money in the account, and in early December they were able to redeem their accumulated coupons and hit the local stores flush with cash. Three hundred and fifty customers took advantage of the plan, and the average amount in each account on December 1 was $28 (almost $500 in today’s dollars).

The First Christmas Song To Top The Billboard Singles Chart

 The first (and to date, the only) Christmas song to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart is “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” by David Seville and the Chipmunks. The first-ever Grammy Awards ceremony was held in 1959, and Ross Bagdasarian (aka “David Seville”) walked away with three trophies for “The Chipmunk Song”—Best Recording for Children, Best Comedy Performance and Best Engineered Record.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/23497/6-christmas-firsts

 

Legend of Poinsettia

Dr. Joel Poinsett, who was the first ambassador to Mexico, brought the bright red star-shaped flower to the United States. Hence, it was named a Poinsettia. It is also known as ‘Flame Leaf’ or ‘Flower of the Holy Night’.

http://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-stories/legend-of-poinsettia.html

 

The Most Unique Christmas Traditions Around The World

Japan

Christmas isn’t really a widely celebrated holiday in Japan, but a highly successful KFC marketing campaign from 1974 imparted the country with a delightfully odd tradition. The campaign slogan “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii” (translation: Kentucky for Christmas), is more than 40 years old, and the Japanese still head to KFC in droves on the 25th for a special Christmas dinner. Yum?

  Ireland

You think Santa likes milk and cookies? Now that we’re mulling it over, it makes more sense that the big guy actually prefers a Guinness. The Irish know this well and instruct their children to leave out a pint and mince pies for the jolly interloper on Christmas Eve.

 Norway

Perhaps one of the most unorthodox Christmas eve traditions can be found in Norway, where people hide their brooms. It’s a tradition that dates back centuries to when people believed that witches and evil spirits came out on Christmas Eve looking for brooms to ride on. To this day many people still hide their brooms in the safest place in the house, to stop them being stolen.

 Venezuela

Love Christmas, but think it could be improved by a spot of roller-blading? If the answer is yes, visit Caracas, Venezuela this year. Every Christmas Eve, the city’s residents head to church in the early morning – so far, so normal – but, for reasons known only to them, they do so on roller-skates.

This unique tradition is so popular that roads across the city are closed to cars so that people can skate to church in safety, before heading home for the less-than-traditional Christmas dinner of tamales (a wrap made out of cornmeal dough and stuffed with meat, then steamed).

 http://www.momondo.com/inspiration/christmas-traditions-around-the-world/

 

Christmas Food Trivia

Animal Cracker’s were introduced at Christmastime in 1902. The carrying string on the box was designed so it could be hung on a Christmas Tree.

The candy cane supposedly originated in 1670 when the choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral had candies made in the shape of a shepherd’s crook. He distributed them to childred attending the church’s creche scene to encourage them to silence.

Today more than 1.75 million candy canes are made each year for the Christmas season.

Good luck or an extra present goes to the first one to find a glass pickle ornament hidden on a Christmas tree.  This German custom originated in an ornament making district, and has spread to the United States.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fchristmas.html

 

Website Mentions:

Lighted Gloves: www.gorunlights.com

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