First Annual Christmas in July Festival - July 2009

Our own Santa Claus poses with Kitchen Kettle Village's mascot, Yummie, as they stroll the grounds of the festival.

A snapshot of part of the festival grounds, prior to opening.

Quality craftsmanship was the hallmark of the vendors offering Christmas-themed merchandise.

Christmas antiques were offered for sale. Visitors were able to take home a Christmas childhood memory - a plastic Santa, 1950's color wheel, an ornament that perhaps hung on Grandma's tree...

Frosty, keeping it cool in July, with a friend.

PA German Scherenschnitte (cut paper) art stood side by side with locally-crafted Amish quilts.

Santa had fans of all ages.

Colonial art form theorem painting, presented by sandra Coldren.

It was a red hot Red Hat Christmas in July as we greeted the ladies of the Red Hat Society!

Collectors showcased vintage and antique Christmas items for sale.

Locally-made fabric art gave the festival a taste of Lancaster County.

Live music was provided by Narrow Road (shown) and Brother Bob and Friends.

There was quite an array of arts, crafts and collectibles from which to choose. Thirty eight vendors attended the first festival.

Tinsmith Karen Hurd offered both practical and decorative art for sale.

The booths were both colorful and nostalgic.

Artisans such as Al Moeser demonstrated their craft for the festival crowds.

Next year's festival will be held the second Saturday in July. Check out the web site - www.NationalChristmasCenter.com - for details next Spring.

Video of Christmas Museum

Come enjoy our newly renovated Christmas gift shop. Now offering Byers Choice carolers, scented candles, vintage-inspired ornaments and handcrafted, made in the USA Snow Children, in addition to the ever-popular Old World Christmas glass ornaments.

a quick video tour of National Christmas Center

Christmas in July Festival

We're gearing up for our first annual Christmas in July Festival, to be held Saturday, July 18, 2009, from 10 am until 6 pm. More
information is available here , along with applications for food vendors and arts and crafts vendors.
Musical groups "Narrow Road" and "Keldon Hearts" will be performing live throughout the day. Check out the link for all the latest information!

Keldon Hearts (left)

and Narrow Road (below)

From where did Santa's reindeer come? And how did Rudolph come to join them?

What’s the story with the reindeer? Where did they originate?

Authors and businessmen are at the bottom of Santa’s ungulate fixation. Washington Irving’s “A History of New York” has Saint Nicholas riding on a horse with a wagon. Fifteen years later, in 1821, a poem called “Santeclaus” provided the jolly one with a sleigh drawn by a single reindeer.

The venerable “The Night Before Christmas” added depth to his reindeers by giving them names and describing the way in which Saint Nicholas (who was an elf at this point) shimmies out of houses. And – no joke – a controversy still exists as to whether “Donner” or “Donder” is the true name of the seventh reindeer. (Senator Robert J. Dole (R-Kansas) allegedly called for an investigation on this extremely critical issue.)

So it was. For over a hundred years, Santa had eight reindeers. Then, in 1939, a Chicago-based chain of department stores gave him a ninth. The company asked one of their copywriters to write a Christmas story as a promotional gimmick.
Robert L. May’s Rudolph was not actually the offspring or even a distant cousin of Santa’s existing reindeer, he was from an “ordinary” reindeer village outside of the North Pole (read: the wrong side of the tracks). And unlike Johnny Marks’ famous song, Rudolph was very much loved by his parents, and only minimally subjected to ridicule.

Moreover, he wasn’t hand-picked by Santa because of his shiny nose. Santa discovered him by accident, when he noticed the glow under the red-nosed reindeer’s door while delivering presents to his house – aw, even animals get gifts!
Weatherman Claus had noticed the fog earlier in the evening and, feeling that it would lead to delays and accidents, gave Rudolph the rags-to-riches story his nose deserved. Upon their successful return home, Santa said, “By YOU last night’s journey was actually bossed. Without you, I’m certain we’d all have been lost!”
(Auhtor Unknown)

How many different ways can you spell "Belschnickle"?

Belschnickle is the PA German version of Santa Claus. Through the years, as people have handed down stories of this gift giver - who has sweets and nuts for good children and a switch on the bottom for the naughty children - the name and spelling has changed to reflect local dialect and pronunciation. The following is a partial list of spellings we've seen.

How do YOU spell Belschnickle?

Belsnickle
Bellschniggle (Philadelphia Gazette, 1827)
Belsh Nickel (Annals of Philadelphia, 1830)
Belschnikkle (1839, Columbia, PA /1840, York, PA)
Peltznikle
Belsnickling
Bell Sneekling (1853, Harrisburg, PA)
Belschnicol
Peltz Nickle (1861, York, PA)
Bell Schnickel
Pelze Nicol
Pelznickle
Peltznickle
Pelz-Nickel
Belznickel
Bells-Nickle
Bell-Snickle
Beltzsnickle
Belsnickler/Pelsnickler (Shenandoah Valley, VA)
Pelse
Belsnicklin
Pelsing
Bells-Snickle
Pelze Nicol (“fur-clad Nicholas”)

National Christmas Center's version: