Christmas on a Great Street

The glitzy street has been ranked among the Top 10 in Frommers World's Best Holiday Lights: 10 Decorated Cities and Lonely Planet's Top 10 Christmas Markets of the World.  

Orchard Road was also recently ranked the most beautiful avenue in the world by French agency Presence. 

The Christmas Tree

The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago when St Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. In anger, St Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time.

CHRISTMAS TREE TRADITION HAS ANCIENT ORIGINS
King Tut never saw a Christmas tree, but he would have understood the tradition which traces back long before the first Christmas, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture with the Springfield Extension Center.
The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrived, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life's triumph over death.
The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a fest called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one's journey through life.
Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and place evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.
Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring.
Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions.

FROM GERMAN SPEAKING COUNTRIES

In German speaking countries most of the Christmas customs, songs, pine trees and hand blow glass ornaments originated.
It is interesting how these traditions traveled around the world. Most probably England was the 1st country outside central Europe. Queen Victoria often visited relatives in Germany in the town of Coburg and while there she fell in love with a young Prince Albert. After they got married they returned to England to raise their family.
The tree that Price Albert provided his family was admired by all in England. It was decorated in the finest of hand blown glass ornaments. Since everyone liked the Queen they copied her Christmas customs including the Christmas tree and ornaments.

A F.W. Woolworth brought the glass ornament tradition to the United States in 1890. From 1870's to 1930's, Germans made the finest molds for making ornaments with nearly 5,000 different molds at the time. At the turn of the century there were over one hundred small cottage glass blowing workshops in Europe. Today only two respected German factory teams are capable of producing ornaments to the precise specifications of the Christopher Radko collection.
During the hay day of turn of the century ornament making, almost all ornaments were made in Lauscha, a small town nested in the Thuringian mountains. After the war, however, glass ornament production declined. Many of the craftsmen left for West Germany. Quantity rather than quality, was the Communist management philosophy. Some old molds fell into disrepair and many others were left to collect dust or were lost.In the 1960's it was fashionable to have an Aluminum tree and all the same shape and color ornaments. Many threw away the old ornaments from Germany. It was in the 1980's that Christopher Radko brought back the old art of making the glass ornaments for all to enjoy."
From the book "Christopher Radko, The First Decade"

Advent, Advent ein Lichtlein brennt.....

...erst brennen 2, dann 3, dann 4,..............dann steht Santa Erich vor der Tuer .......

Ho, ho, ho, ho

What would be the start of advent without a celebration at the Wuerstelstand. And because of the cooler weather we had to have Gluehwein.

Santa Erich (Miraculix the Druid) brewed his secret mixture of wine and herbs

Our chemist Dr. Claus (one of the elves) was Santa Erich's helper

" I hope it doesn't explode.........."
Locals stunned about what's happening now at crazy Ang Moh's kiosk

Santa Erich's elves

Best Muffins in Town

The upcoming festive season is one of the sweetest in a calendar year. If you're too busy to bake yourself just get cookies or a variety of muffins from Erich's Backstube. The muffins are moist and tasty and most affordable.

Check out this video:

Filmed by Reinald S.; cut by: Frank N. Furter

Can you believe it?

Streets are being transformed into a candy land dripping with gumdrops, liquorice, candy canes and jelly beans.

Strolling along Orchard Road yesterday many activities there reminded my that the most festive season of the year is just around the corner and 2008 is in its final stage.

I do understand that the Xmas lights on Orchard take some to set up to be ready for the official "light up" on November 15, but is it really necessary for shopping centres to being ready before the official start, already in 1st week of November ? I doubt it!

It seems to become earlier every single year. Are shops that desperate for business or are they just "Kiasu" (as we say here) a Hokkien adjective literally meaning, "afraid of losing" since everyone wants to be first to catch customers attention which will lead into sales.

Ngee Ann City Christmas Tree, already lit up up since last week.

Christmas market in Ngee Ann City.

I hope shops together with Singapore Tourism Board one day will think about the way decorating the city and shop windows, getting away from the boring "same old, same old" and have more artistic decorations instead, "unique" as the Singapore slogan to attract more tourists for Xmas shopping.

I saw a beautiful example from Paris, where the theme is "Nordic fairytale, a world of ice and magical Christmas lights"! Beautiful I must say, and obviously a big hit with tourists - and locals!

It's Christmas Time! At Least According to Shops

Ho, ho, ho, ho!
This is the sound many of us have been waiting for since 11 month, although for some it might have been to fast because another year went by way too quick .
Anyway we can't help it and from tonight on it is official. The lights are up: It's Xmas Time.
Well not everywhere yet. If you're wondering, Erich's stall (not in Bethlehem, but Chinatown) is not behind this year but he will only have the decoration up probably next Sunday, for him being a real Austrian this is the actual start of the Christmas season over there.
However his Christmas bakery - @ Backstube- is very busy already preparing hampers for the customers. You will find the order form online soon. So please come back and check out Erich's Xmas Promotions.