CHRISTMAS 2009 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS HOSTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS CHOCOLATE! DISPLAYING YOUR CAROLERS PLUS: The Story of Santa Claus, Byers Family Christmas Traditions, Gingerbread Houses features CHRISTMAS 2009 On the Cover note from joyce It’s that time of year again! A time to really enjoy removing their Carolers 34 think about the holidays of the past. and other Christmas decorations from We cherish memories of traditions storage and reminiscing about the associated with these holidays and pleasant memories they evoke. Each pass them from one generation to one is special—a family member or another. They help to make us who we friend, a place visited, a celebration, a are and who we will become. tradition. The next step is to find the Traditions are the glue which bonds us perfect spot for each figure. Perhaps to our past and our future. the Children with Stockings and Santa and Mrs. Claus go on the mantel. For thousands of years, the end of The Chef could be in the kitchen with autumn and the beginning of winter the Bakerkins and a gingerbread 12 Days of Christmas have been a time for celebration. house. The figures that represent On the cover is an image of our When the harvest was completed, the family and friends can be put on risers newest member of the 12 days of Christmas series. Seven Swans A-Swimming followed Six Geese “...each Caroler has a unique personality A-Laying as the newest members in ...this is due to the fact that each 2009. Learn more about the lyrics to the song and our series inside. Caroler is completely handcrafted.” men gave thanks for the food they had on the table inside the front door to 8 gathered to sustain them through the greet guests. A few greens finish the winter. The winter solstice marked the look and they are ready to go. What date when days became longer with a could be easier? promise of the renewal of life. Today 2 Hosting for the Holiday 12 Ho, Ho, Ho these two celebrations have become We have been asked many times Joyce’s Tips for Holiday The Story of Santa Claus Thanksgiving and Christmas. why people bond with the Carolers. Hosting Success I think it is because, like people, each 21 “A Christmas Carol” Enough history—what shall we do this Caroler has a unique personality. This 6 Chocolate! A Tribute to the Great Christmas Classic year to make the holidays special? is due to the fact that each Caroler is The History of Chocolate completely handcrafted. The collective A feast with family and friends is in talents of at least twelve artisans have 27 Gingerbread! order. Thanksgiving offers an excuse 8 Twelve Days of Christmas A Celebrated Holiday Tradition touched each figure. The result is a to get out your favorite china, decorate special figure that speaks to you. Meaning Behind the Song the table, open a nice bottle of wine 30 Storing Your Carolers and cook more food than you could Wondering what to do with all of your Safely Storing Your Figurines Year Round ever possibly eat. What fun! This year, Byers’ Choice friends this holiday as always, I’m decorating my table with season? We hope this publication will 32 The Season of Advent beautiful fall leaves from my yard, a give you some fresh ideas. The most A New Twist on an Old-Time Tradition few gourds mixed with Pilgrim and important thing is to enjoy their company. Native American Carolers. 34 Christmas at the North Pole The Magic of Kindles™ Many people have told me that Thanksgiving weekend is when they start decorating for Christmas. They Joyce Byers, Founder & Designer Byers’ Choice Ltd. www.byerschoice.com 1 NO-HASSLE HOSTING Joyce’s Tips for Wine Santa Holiday Hosting Success • Start planning well in advance about the theme, guest list, food, drinks, etc. • Make a list and follow it. • The more guests that will be coming to your event, the simpler the menu and decorations should be. • Don’t expect your husband to be of much help unless he enjoys it. • Consider hiring a teenager to help with coats and other tasks. • Finals decisions on food and decorations should be made at least a week in advance. • Plan food that can be prepared and reheated in advance. • Don’t feel guilty about using prepared foods. • The day of the party is the time for last minute details. • Don’t take on cleaning the entire house—no one will notice. • Plan to have everything ready to go 1 hour before guests arrive. • RELAX—take a soothing bath. • Plan to be the first guest at your own party—arrive 15 minutes early. • Open a bottle of wine, take a sip and enjoy yourself. Holiday Hostess • Remember: Your guests want you to enjoy yourself and will follow your lead. 2 BYERS’ CHOICE LTD. 215-822-6700 JOYCE’S Display Tips Be sure to keep A trick to bring Carolers® to life is place. If you put a candle in your win- to bend them into realistic positions. dow at Christmas, adding a Caroler and your displays out The only sensitive areas are where the some greenery can make a warm and head and feet meet the wire armature. wonderful window display. of the sun if possible, Otherwise the bodies and arms have as prolonged been designed to be fully bendable. Use Carolers as the focal point for When creating a Caroler display, it exposure to the sun a centerpiece on the holiday table. helps to take into consideration their Place a wreath in the center of the heights, costume colors and characters will bleach the table and position the Carolers in the to help tell a story with the display. middle of the wreath keeping in mind colors in the I like to position them as if they’re that they should relate to each other or gathering and interacting with faces and fabrics. tell a story. You can spray artificial Woman Selling Holiday Flowers one another. snow on the wreath and weave festive ribbons through the arrangement. Taking the time Some ideas for displaying your Remember that, as the centerpiece it Keep in mind that these displays Carolers include: attaching Carolers will be viewed from all sides, you will be more successful if you use Victorian Carolers to display your to garland on top of doorways; cluster- should position the Carolers facing out an odd number of Carolers, vary the height of the figures, and try Carolers is not only ing them on top of mantels with green- in all directions so that everyone can ery, pine cones, and ribbon; or nestling see them. to contrast the color and texture personally rewarding, a few of them into evergreen swags or of clothing as much as possible. Acces- wreaths. A hallway table or nightstand sories like the picket fence, lamppost, it will generate For those who might like to incor- is the perfect place to add a touch or fireplace displayed in the right porate a family heirloom, you can grouping of Carolers can add warmth interest and of holiday spirit with a simple Caroler use platters, plates, bowls, or candle display. and charm to any area. enthusiasm among holders to enhance your display. A few branches of evergreens and holly your friends and Another idea is to use Carolers placed around the figures and tied to decorate your Christmas tree. with flowing red ribbons that cascade family. You can decorate the tree just using onto the table will surely help create Carolers, ribbons, garland, and bows to that wonderful Christmas spirit. help embellish the display. Artificial trees and wreaths work well because you can use the wired branches to wrap around and hold the Carolers in A display riser will create different 4 www.byerschoice.com heights in your Caroler vignettes. 20.5"W x 12.5"D x 14"H Coachman d e s Some say for a true test of strength, use your bare hands to break a chocolate bar into several pieces, then try to eat just one. s e r t s @ chocolate! t probably comes as no big surprise The first chocolate was introduced to Chocolate Tasting 101 that the greatest quantity of choco- the American colonies in 1755, but it I First, admire the beautiful colors on late is consumed in winter. Hot cocoa only took another ten years before the foil-wrapped chocolate Santa. is naturally the drink of choice after chocolate manufacturers came on the Now, quick, tear off the foil and bite a big snowball fight or a few runs scene. And while in Europe chocolate off the head. (It shouldn’t be too down the sledding hill, and what remained a treat for the aristocracy hard, it’s probably hollow.) Chew and Christmas stocking is truly filled unless for quite some time, in America it was swallow before attacking the midsec- it contains some of the children’s instantly a treat for the masses and, tion. Wait…that’s probably what favorite chocolate candy! And we as a drink, rivaled coffee and tea you’ve been doing all your life, and surely indulge in more chocolate in popularity. while it surely gives you great during winter because of its uplifting pleasure, maybe you really haven’t Molded chocolate did not appear on effect on our spirits. Scientists say been truly appreciating the incredible the scene until the late 1880’s. The first these happy feelings may be caused by flavors in all of that chocolate you’ve chocolate molds were made of metal the chemical effects of chocolate on been consuming over the years.