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Top 5 Christmas Decor Ideas to surprise Your Guests

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Did you know that 90% of people in America celebrate Christmas in one way or another, even if they aren’t Christians? Simply put, it’s hard to resist the beauty and wonder associated with the holiday. Not only is it a time to get together with loved ones, but it’s also a great reason to go all out with your decorations. Are you wondering what kind of decor can really elevate the season to be as jolly as possible? Keep reading to learn about 10 Christmas decor ideas that will make an awesome impression on your guests. 1. Festive Mittens Everyone knows and loves the warm and cozy look of Christmas stockings. They can be almost as difficult to resist peeking inside as the glistening gifts under the tree. While these decorations are a classic staple of every mantel, it can also be fun to mix things up this year. Instead of stockings, you can opt for cute mittens. You can buy them already made or you can sew your very own creations if you know your way around a needle and thread. Instead of...
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History of Christmas Decorations

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When Were Christmas Decorations First Used?   Christmas decorations can be traced back to over 2,500 years ago in ancient Rome. During a pagan festival called Saturnalia, homes were decorated in wreaths and evergreen boughs, and a giant feast was held where gifts were offered to the gods. We may not offer dolls, candles, and caged birds to gods in order to live through winter, but many customs from Saturnalia are still found in our Christmas celebrations today. This includes lighting up trees, putting wreaths on our door, and drinking way too much eggnog! Who Invented Christmas Decorations? Whether it’s hanging a wreath on the front door or threading a string of lights through the tree, there are many ways to celebrate the holidays. Here is a fascinating history of some of your favorite Christmas decorations! Christmas Trees Historians aren’t sure where exactly the Christmas tree came from, but most point to pagan traditions in Germany. The story goes that a missionary sacrificed a...
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Demosthenes

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 Greek statesman and orator Demosthenes, (born 384 BCE, Athens [Greece]—died Oct. 12, 322, Calauria, Argolis), Athenian statesman, recognized as the greatest of ancient Greek orators, who roused Athens to oppose Philip of Macedon and, later, his son Alexander the Great. His speeches provide valuable information on the political, social, and economic life of 4th-century Athens. Heritage and youth Demosthenes, a contemporary of Plato and Aristotle, was the son of a wealthy sword maker. His father died when he was seven, leaving a large inheritance, but the boy’s unscrupulous guardians took advantage of their position, and when he came of age Demosthenes received very little of his estate. His strong desire to sue his guardian, Aphobus, in the courts, coupled with a delicate physique that prevented him from receiving the customary Greek gymnastic education, led him to train himself as an orator. He also studied legal rhetoric. In his Parallel Lives Plutarch, the Greek historian and bi...
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15 Ancient History Facts You Definitely Didn’t Learn In School part 1

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From China and Egypt to Rome and Greece, these ancient history facts are too raunchy, outrageous, and weird for any textbook you've ever read. 1. Ancient Romans used urine as mouthwash. Urine contains ammonia, which is one of the best natural cleaning agents on the planet. 2. There are more pyramids in one small area of Sudan than in all of Egypt. The Meroë pyramids of the Sudanese desert were also built for royalty — between 2,700 and 2,300 years ago — for the Nubian kings of Kush. The empire of these pharaohs stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to present-day Khartoum. 3.  The ancient Sword Of Goujian — despite being buried for over two millennia — is almost completely preserved. Found in a damp tomb in Hubei, China in 1965, the sword (thought to belong to King of Yue) is still razor sharp. 4.  An unknown ancient civilization brought stones 150 miles to help build Stonehenge. An early European people known only as the Bell-Beaker civilization likely moved the bluestones whi...
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Delhi Durbar

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 Definition The Delhi Durbar was a spectacular public event held in India to commemorate the accession of a new British monarch to the title Empress or Emperor of India. Three Delhi Durbars were held: 1877, 1903, and 1911. The event involved military processions, elephants, and magnificent carriages, as well as a host of rulers of the Indian princely states paying homage to the British Crown in recognition of its sovereignty over large parts of the subcontinent. Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901) did not attend the 1877 Delhi Durbar in person but was represented by the viceroy. Similarly, in the 1903 durbar, another viceroy represented King Edward VII (r. 1900-1910). The 1911 durbar was the most spectacular of all as King George V (r. 1910-1936) attended the event in person.                                                             ...
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Aeneas

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  In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas is a Trojan prince and the legendary founder of the Romans. He is the son of Anchises, a member of the Trojan royal family, and the goddess Aphrodite/Venus. Aeneas was one of the few Trojan heroes who escaped the siege of Troy. Afterwards, Aeneas embarked on a seven-year journey most famously recounted in the Aeneid by the Roman poet Virgil (70-19 BCE). The Romans created a link between their history and the famous Trojan War by associating a hero from the war with Romulus. They chose a hero whose fate was unknown – Aeneas, a prince of Troy. Around 500 BCE, it became a standard narrative that Aeneas was able to escape burning Troy and made his way to Italy, where he established the Roman people. Aeneas' birth story is told in the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite. The hymn recounts how Aphrodite influenced the love affairs of the gods. Even mighty Zeus was not immune to Aphrodite's powers, having many love affairs with mortal women. Zeus decided to gi...
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