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December 18, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

OVER 4 MILLION

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This Tidbits examines ornaments used during the holidays. Some are historical, most beautiful, many breakable, and plenty just fun!

• One of the dictionary definitions for ornamental is: decorative: serving as a decoration and having no practical use.

• Historically it is said that the holiday tradition of decorating Christmas trees started in Germany. The first decorations were simple white candles followed by roses a bit later.

• In 1605, a groundbreaking moment occurred when a tree in Strasbourg, France, a city on the Rhine River near the German border, was brought inside for decorating. It was adorned with paper roses, nuts, wafers, sweets and lighted candles. After this, more trees were brought indoors and making ornaments became a family holiday tradition.

• Much imagination was used to come up with thoughtful and creative decorations, including cookies and painted eggshells. The introduction of tinsel in 1610 was a huge favorite, originally made with pure silver.

• One of the first Christmas trees in England was an 1840 Royal Family celebration when Queen Victoria included a tree in honor of her German-born husband Prince Albert’s heritage. Being the great influence that she was, many people wanted their own trees!

• Many of the ornaments in the early years of decorating trees were handmade from paper, cloth or even foods, such as cookies. Hand-stitched snowflakes were also very popular.

• Special items that emerged for decorating trees in America were cranberries and popcorn. Early Americans would string the readily available, colorful foods for trimming their trees.

turn the page for more!

Vol 1 Issue 49of the River Region

TIDBITS® TRIMS THE TREE

IT’S ORNAMENTALby Patricia L. Cook

Page 2 Tidbits® of the River Region

IT’S ORNAMENTAL (continued):• President Franklin Pierce was the first U.S. president to have a Christmas tree in the White House, in 1856. The first “national” Christmas tree erected was by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. However, the first “official” tree was not switched on complete with electric lights until President Calvin Coolidge moved the tree to its location near the White House in 1923.

• Up until the 1880s Christmas ornaments were mainly handmade by families and friends and given as gifts. Many were disposed of after a season. The only ornaments sold publicly were hand-cast lead and hand-blown glass German decorations.

• German entrepreneurs saw the possibility of a market developing for mass marketed ornaments in the early1880s.

• Lauscha, Germany became the hub of the glass ornament business and had many glass companies. For years they had been producing glass articles such as marbles and bottles and soon began creating glass molds for ornaments. Their first ornaments were molds of Christian saints, famous people, children, animals and more. These new ornaments were a huge success and were in demand. Nearly every family in the Lauscha area became involved in the business of making glass Christmas ornaments either in a home-based foundry or local factory

• Ornaments became highly prized possessions with the special touches of individual craftsmanship. Germany captured the world market for glass Christmas ornaments for many years.

• Another German city, Dresden, near Lauscha, started its own ornament businesses, different from the glass ornaments of their neighbors. The Dresden artists constructed brightly colored designs of birds, fish and other animals out of pressed and embossed paper. Their treasures were a hit as well; for weddings, birthdays and other occasions in addition to Christmas.

• As the decorations gained popularity in the United States, F.W. Woolworth, an early American mass merchandiser, began importing German glass ornaments in the 1880s. By 1890, he was reportedly selling approximately $25 million worth of the ornaments!

• When World War I broke out in 1914 many things, including sentiments toward purchases of Christmas ornaments, changed. There was a backlash against all things German. Sales and

production of German ornaments slowed, but only for a while.

• Also, Japan started producing ornaments on a huge scale in the 1920s and took a slice out of the ornament market that Germany held. The Japanese specialized in newer and more colorful designs. The Czech Republic also became known for their fancy Christmas ornaments and shipped many to the U.S.

• More than 250 million Christmas ornaments were being imported to America by 1935, mostly from Germany, Japan, and the Czech Republic. This was when U.S. businessman and German immigrant, Max Eckhardt, an importer of ornaments, knew that America needed to be producing, not just importing.

• Eckhardt and Bill Thompson of the F.W. Woolworth Company worked together to convince the Corning Glass Company of Corning, New York to enter the ornament market. Corning had been making thousands of light bulbs out of very thin glass using a “ribbon” glassblowing machine. The machine could produce 2,000 bulbs per minute! Eckhardt believed the machine could be altered to produce Christmas ornaments instead of light bulbs.

• Corning began trials with their equipment and employees, making ornaments in various shapes and sizes. Soon, it was clear they had the equipment and abilities for the job. Woolworth’s requested production of over 230,000 glass holiday items for their stores. In 1939 they began selling the American-made ornaments.

• By 1940, Corning Glass was producing nearly 300,000 decorations per day and shipping them all over the U.S. Corning actually sold most of their ornaments to Shiny Brite, a company owned by Max Eckhardt. Eckhardt’s business was so big, he had four New Jersey locations and his main office and display room in New York City.

• Eckhardt’s Shiny Brite factories continued making glass Christmas balls and decorations throughout World War II. They used innovative solutions when products were rationed. When metal paints and varnish were not available, the company would use lighter paints and cardboard instead of the usual metal tops and heavy paint.

• In the post-war era, Shiny Brite began using vibrant hues and used metal tops again for their ornaments. They were stamped to show that Shiny Brite ornaments were U.S.- made! The boxes were even marked “American made.” These are valuable collectibles today.

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For many people, a new year means new promises to live a healthier life. Losing weight is a common, but difficult, goal for many people. It’s easy to get frustrated when you don’t see results quickly or because you’re trying to do too many things at once. It is much easier to work on one or two new habits at a time. It normally takes 21 days to create and maintain a new habit. If you’re not accustomed to cooking a healthy meal at home, my recipe for Quick Italian Chicken With Toma-toes is a quick and easy way to prepare and enjoy a low-calorie meal in minutes. Here is a list of eight healthy habits. Choose one or two you would like to work on. Once you have made a new habit, adopt another one.1) Drink fat-free milk. For adequate calcium intake, 3 cups of milk per day is recommended. 3 cups whole milk -- 450 calories, 24 grams of fat3 cups 2 percent milk -- 363 calories, 14 grams of fat3 cups skim milk -- 258 calories, 1 gram of fat2) Use a smaller plate. It sounds simple, but it works! People who use smaller plates take and eat less food.3) Cover half of your plate with vegetables. Vegetables are packed with healthy nutrients and are generally low in calories.4) For protein, think lean. Choosing lean cuts of meat helps decrease saturated fat. Lean cuts of beef and pork have the words “round” and “loin” in their description. In poultry, white meat is leaner than dark meat. Always avoid eating the skin of poultry.5) Go light on the salad dressing. Salads are thought of as a “diet” food, yet two tablespoons of regular salad dress-ing can have 150 calories and 16 grams of fat. The same amount of a “light” variety has 60 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. Most salsa has no fat and very few calories.6) Eat at the kitchen table. We eat more when we are distracted. If you sit at the table with no television you

are less likely to overeat.7) Eat slowly. It can take 20 minutes for your body to register a sense of fullness.8) Eat the fruit rather than drinking its juice. Whole fruit is more filling and has fewer calories. 1 orange -- 60 calories, 3 grams of fiber1 cup orange juice -- 112 calories, less than 1 gram fiber(Additional information supplied by Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Barton County, University of Missouri Extension.)

QUICK ITALIAN CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES

2 teaspoons olive oil 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoons ground black pepper2 tablespoons Italian seasoning1/2 cup chopped onion2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14-ounce) can diced, Italian-style or fire-roasted tomatoes1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground cloves1/2 teaspoon sugar substitute or agave syrup1 small package baby spinach, broccoli slaw, shredded red cabbage or coleslaw

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the Italian Seasoning. Cook the chicken breasts on each side for 3 or 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.2. Remove chicken from pan, place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add onions, garlic and remain-ing Italian Seasoning to pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. 3. Add tomatoes, nutmeg or ground cloves, and sugar substitute or agave to the pan. Scrape bottom of pan to loosen any bits of food. 4. Return chicken and any juices that have accumu-lated on the plate to the pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until chicken is completely cooked through. Place equal portions of baby spinach, broccoli slaw, shredded red cabbage or coleslaw on each plate. Pour sauce over vegetables and place a chicken breast in center of each plate. Serves 4. Calories per serving: 180.

Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cook-books. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Dia-betic Cookbook.” Her website is www.divapro.com. To see how-to videos, recipes and much, much more, Like Angela Shelf Medearis, The Kitchen Diva! on Facebook and go to Hulu.com. Recipes may not be reprinted with-out permission from Angela Shelf Medearis.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc., and Angela Shelf Medearis

Healthy Weight-Loss Habits

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 4

* On Jan. 6, 1759, a 26-year-old George Wash-ington marries Martha Dandridge Custis. His-torical documents have revealed that Martha may not have been the great love of Washing-ton’s life. He wrote cryptic yet passionate love letters to Sally Fairfax, the wife of his friend George Fairfax.

* On Jan. 1, 1863, a farmer named Daniel Freeman submits the first claim under the new Homestead Act for a property near Beatrice, Neb. By the 1890s, many homesteaders found that farming 160 acres of such dry land was nearly impossible. At least half of the original homesteaders abandoned their claims.

* On Jan. 3, 1924, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his workers discover the solid-gold coffin holding the mummy of the boy-king Pharaoh Tutankhamen, preserved for more than 3,000 years.

* On Jan. 5, 1945, Japanese pilots receive the first order to become kamikaze, meaning “divine wind” in Japanese. Most of Japan’s top pilots were dead, but youngsters needed little training to take planes full of explosives and crash them into ships. At Okinawa, they sank 30 ships and killed almost 5,000 Americans.

* On Jan. 4, 1965, in his State of the Union address, President Lyndon Johnson lays out for Congress a list of legislation needed to achieve his plan for a Great Society. His list included the creation of Medicare/Medicaid, Head Start, the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.

* On Dec. 31, 1972, Roberto Clemente, future Hall of Fame baseball player, is killed along with four others when the cargo plane in which he is traveling crashes off the coast of Puerto Rico. At the end of September, Clemente had gotten his 3,000th hit in the final game of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

* On Jan. 2, 1980, in response to the Decem-ber 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pres-ident Jimmy Carter asks the Senate to post-pone action on the SALT II nuclear weapons treaty. Carter feared that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan could lead to the USSR gaining control over much of the world’s oil supplies.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Register to win at www.riverregiontidbits.com and click on “Tommy Tidbits”. Fill out the registration information and tell us how many times Tommy appears in ads in the paper for this week. From the correct entries, a winner will be selected. You must be 18 years of age to qualify. The gift certificates will range in value from $25 to $50 each week. Entries must be received at the website by midnight each Saturday evening or at PTK Corp, PO Box 264, Wetumpka, AL 36092.

This week’s winner receives $25 Gift Certificate from Style Connection Family Hair Care.

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:1. Sundown East,

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 6

1. Is the book of Athens in the Old or New Testament or nei-ther? 2. In 2 Kings, what prophet’s word caused Syrian soldiers to be struck blind? Gad, Jubal, Solomon, Elisha3. Where were Saul and Jona-than’s bodies nailed to a wall? Troas, Nob, Beth-shan, Sychar4. On fleeing from Jezebel, what prophet hid in a cave? Elijah, Nathan, Daniel, Amos5. What converts burned their books of magic? Philistines, Ephesians, Hittites, Canaanites6. In what book is the phrase “Holier than thou” found? 1 Kings, Ezra, Amos, Isaiah

1. When was the last time the Toronto Blue Jays made the playoffs but not the World Series?2. In 2012, Adam Dunn of the Chicago White Sox tied the mark for most career Opening Day home runs (eight). Who else holds the record?3. Name the first Heisman Trophy winner to later be named a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.4. In 2011, Tom Thibodeau tied the record for most victories by a first-year NBA coach (62). Who else holds the mark?5. When was the last time before 2011-12 that the Mon-treal Canadiens finished last in their conference?6. Name the last time before 2012 that Great Britain won an Olympic team medal in men’s gymnastics.7. Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson tied a record in 2012 for biggest victory in a Ryder Cup match. What was their margin of victory?

Athletes & Hypnosis Hypnosis or visualization in athletic competition has existed for decades. One of the earliest reports of sports hypnosis was in 1956, the Russians utilized hypnotists to assist athletes to develop mental clarity and visualization at the Melbourne Olympics. It took the U.S. until the mid 60’s to come on board and match mental skills with several countries. Every sports activity involves concentration, mental rehearsal and psychological approaches to overcome obstacles. Decisions and changes in physical movement must be performed instantly or subconsciously. Self-talk and feedback from coaches and others are types of sug-gestions that can bypass the analytical mind and have a constructive or sabotaging effect. There is no more powerful way to create drive for winning and stop loosing behavior than hypnosis.For local assistance and a free consultation, review www.hypnosisworksnow.com and call 334-213-0054

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1. In 1991, the Blue Jays lost in the American League Championship Series to Minnesota.2. Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Robinson.3. Roger Staubach won a Heisman (Navy, 1963) and a Super Bowl MVP (Dallas, 1971 season).4. Paul Westphal won 62 with Phoenix in 1993.5. It was 1939-40 season.6. It was 1912.7. Seven holes up with six to play.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:

1) Neither; 2) Elisha; 3) Beth-shan; 4) Elijah; 5) Ephesians; 6) Isaiah

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Make a holiday season breakfast extra special with this stuffed French toast recipe featuring oranges and fresh pecans, which are abundant this time of year. The whole family can participate in the preparation the night before, from beating eggs to spooning the cream cheese mixture into pockets in the French bread. When you wake up in the morning, just pop the dish in the oven, heat up the simple and mouth-watering orange-pecan maple syrup topping, and enjoy leisurely family time around the table.

EASY OVERNIGHT STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

1 8-ounce package low-fat or regular cream cheese, softened3/4 cup chopped pecans1/3 cup sugar3 tablespoons orange zest from a fresh orange1 large loaf French bread (day-old bread with a softer crust works best)6 eggs, beaten3/4 cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla extractMaple syrup for Pecan Maple Syrup (recipe follows)

First, read through the steps and choose appropriate jobs for every family member. Let’s begin!

To assemble:1. Blend the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the pecans, sugar and 2 tablespoons orange zest in a medium bowl.2. An adult or older child should cut the loaf into about 10 to 12 1-inch slices. Then cut an opening in one crust side of each slice, two-thirds the way down, to form a pocket. Tuck a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each pocket and press to close. Arrange in two rows in a 9-inch-by-13-inch greased baking pan.3. Combine the beaten eggs, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour over the bread, making sure it is soaked with egg mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

To bake and serve:1. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Remove foil and bake for 45 minutes until lightly golden. Serve warm Pecan Maple Syrup (below) drizzled over individual servings.Makes 5-6 two-slice servings.

Pecan Maple Syrup: Over low heat, warm the desired amount of maple syrup with the remaining chopped pecans and orange zest.***

(c) 2012 Donna EricksonDistributed by King Features Synd.

Just Heat and Serve Stuffed French Toast

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 8