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Augustus "August" Imgard (1828-1904) was a German immigrant who has been recognized as an early proponent in popularizing the Christmas tree in the United States. [1] He has also been credited with being the first to decorate it with candy canes. [2]
August Imgard (born in Wetzlar, Germany on January 8th, 1828) emigrated from Germany to Wooster, Ohio before he was 20 years old and started a tailoring business. [1]
In 1847, Imgard cut a blue spruce tree from a woods outside town, had the village tinsmith construct a star, and placed the tree in his house, decorating it with paper ornaments, gilded nuts and Kuchen. It stood on a slowly revolving platform while a music box played and people came from miles around to view it. [1] Imgard died in 1904, is buried in the Wooster Cemetery, and every year, a large pine tree above his grave is lit with Christmas lights.
Although no longer credited as the first to introduce the Christmas tree to America, Imgard is still recognized as an early proponent. The National Confectioners Association also recognizes Imgard as the first to put candy canes on a Christmas tree; the canes were white, with no red stripes.[ citation needed ]
A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas.
Wooster is the county seat of Wayne County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, the city lies approximately 50 mi (80 km) south-southwest of Cleveland, 35 mi (56 km) southwest of Akron and 30 mi (48 km) west of Canton. The population was 27,232 at the 2020 census. It is the largest in Wayne County, and the center of the Wooster micropolitan area. Wooster has the main branch and administrative offices of the Wayne County Public Library, and is home to the private College of Wooster. fDi magazine ranked Wooster among North America's top 10 micro cities for business friendliness and strategy in 2013.
A candy cane is a cane-shaped stick candy often associated with Christmastide, as well as Saint Nicholas Day. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint, but the canes also come in a variety of other flavors and colors.
Christmas lights are lights often used for decoration in celebration of Christmas, often on display throughout the Christmas season including Advent and Christmastide. The custom goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolized Christ being the light of the world. The Christmas trees were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany.
A gingerbread house is a novelty confectionery shaped like a building that is made of cookie dough, cut and baked into appropriate components like walls and roofing. The usual base material is crisp gingerbread, hence the name. Another type of model-making with gingerbread uses a boiled dough that can be moulded like clay to form edible statuettes or other decorations. These houses, covered with a variety of candies and icing, are popular Christmas decorations.
Christmas ornaments, baubles, globes, "Christmas bulbs", or "Christmas bubbles" are decoration items, usually to decorate Christmas trees. These decorations may be woven, blown, molded, carved from wood or expanded polystyrene, or made by other techniques.
The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration ; in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday.
A Christmas decoration is any of several types of ornamentation used at Christmastide and the greater holiday season. The traditional colors of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Gold and silver are also prevalent, as are other metallic colours. Typical images on Christmas decorations include Baby Jesus, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, and the star of Bethlehem.
Szaloncukor is a type of sweet traditionally associated with Christmas in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. It is a typical imported and adapted Hungarikum. It is assumed that almost the whole quantity consumed in Romania are of Hungarian production, as Romanian chocolate production decreased substantially after the fall of communism. It is usually made of fondant, covered by chocolate and wrapped in shiny coloured foil, then hung on the Christmas tree as decoration.
Charles W. Follis, also known as "The Black Cyclone," was the first Black professional American football player. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. On September 16, 1904, Follis signed a contract with the Blues, making him the first Black man contracted to play professional football on an integrated team. He was also the first Black catcher to move from college baseball into the Negro leagues.
Christmas pyramids are Christmas decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the Ore Mountain region of Germany, but which have become popular internationally. They comprise a decorated pyramidal outer frame with candle holders and a central carousel with a rotor at the top which is driven by warm air from the lit candles. The carousel is decorated with nativity scenes and other Christmas figures such as angels and wise men, as well as worldly motifs such as mining folk and forest scenes.
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story is a children's book written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Lisa Brown. An irate latke at Hanukkah escapes from being cooked in a hot frying pan. He runs into various Christmas symbols who are all ignorant and uneducated about the customs of Hanukkah. The latke attempts to educate these characters about the history and culture surrounding the Jewish holiday, but his attempts are always in vain and he runs away from each encounter in a fit of frustration.
Pleated Christmas hearts are Danish, Norwegian, and north German crafts, commonly used as Christmas ornaments.
Christmas in Hungary is celebrated with traditions similar to those found in other Central European countries as well as customs unique to the region.
"Christmas in the Car" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the animated comedy series Bob's Burgers and the overall 53rd episode, and is written by Steven Davis and Kelvin Yu and directed by Bernard Derriman and Jennifer Coyle. It aired on Fox in the United States on December 15, 2013.
The Legend of the Christmas Spider is an Eastern European folktale which explains one possible origin of tinsel on Christmas trees. It is most prevalent in Western Ukraine, where small ornaments in the shape of a spider are traditionally a part of the Christmas decorations.
Christmas in France is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. Christmas is celebrated as a public holiday in France on December 25, concurring alongside other countries.
The Wisconsin State Capitol Holiday Tree, previously known as the Wisconsin State Capitol Christmas Tree is a decorated pine tree that is placed at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and decorated with ornaments on a specific theme made by school children across the state. The tree is on display throughout the Christmas and holiday season. The tradition began in 1916 and continues to this day.
Christmas traditions include a variety of customs, religious practices, rituals, and folklore associated with the celebration of Christmas. Many of these traditions vary by country or region, while others are practiced virtually identically worldwide.
Podłaźniczka, polazňička is Polish and Slovakian Christmas decoration. It was usually made of the top of a conifer tree turned upside down, which was then decorated with tissue paper, candies, apples, nuts, typical Polish świats, or of straw. This decoration was then hung over the Vigil table or in a corner. It was supposed to bring luck and prosperity to the household. Podłaźniczka originates from the tradition of połaźnik.
In 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral gave sugar sticks to his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Crèche ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into the shepherds crooks. In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small pine tree with paper ornaments and candy canes.
