1. Christmas trees were first lighted with actual candles, which presented a fire hazard. As a result containers filled with water

7. The shortened form Xmas for Christmas has been popular in Europe since the 1500s. It is believed to be derived from the

Greek word 'Xristos' which means Christ.

8. According to the National Confectioners Association, for 200 years candy canes were only made in the color of white and

it wasn't until in the 1950s that a machine was invented that could automate the production of candy canes.

9. The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day in England and it is a national holiday. Several stories exist for the

origination of the name. It is believed to have originated from the practice of boys who would be about collecting money in

clay boxes. Another thought is that the term is derived from a custom in the Middle Ages, about 800 years ago, when

churches would open their 'alms boxes' and distribute the contents to poor people on the day after Christmas. Alms boxes

are boxes in which donations of gifts and money would be placed. Yet another belief is that it comes from a custom of

masters giving their servants Christmas presents in boxes on the day after Christmas.

10. Evergreen trees had special meaning in winter to people, particularly in Europe, before Christianity started. Ancient

peoples would hang evergreen branches over their doors and windows because evergreens were believed to ward off

witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. For worshipers of the sun god, evergreen plants were a reminder of all the green

plants that would grow with the return of summer and the sun god being strong again.

11. In ancient times, many people worshiped the sun as a god in December because they thought winter occurred yearly

because the sun god had fallen into ill health. They therefore celebrated the winter solstice because it was a sign that the

son god would begin to regain strength and return to good health.

12. Legislators in Congress did business on Christmas Day in 1789, which was the first one to be observed under the country's

new constitution. The reason for the Congressional session was because it had become unpopular then to observe and take

part in English customs following the American Revolution. And when Christmas celebrations were barred in Boston

earlier in 1659 to 1681, it became a costly thing to be seen participating in any event or activity related to Christmas.

Anyone caught doing so had to pay five shillings.

Glaceau Vitamin Water

An increasing number of people are becoming more conscious of the amount of vitamin intake that their diet does or does not provide and the need for new products, including vitamin water, that provide a convenient method of obtaining more of the essential vitamins is constantly being sought. One extremely popular brand of vitamin water is Glaceau Vitamin Water. This vitamin water is a low calorie nutrient enhanced water. The vitamin water is available in a number of different flavours and provides an extremely healthy alternative to other high calorie drinks.

The Glaceau vitamin water was developed by J. Darius Bikoff who wanted a vitamin enhanced drink that had a pleasant flavour. Unlike a lot of other so-called health drinks, the vitamin water is not overpowering but has a higher vitamin content than traditional drinks. The vitamin water is essentially biologically better water that ensures that a person has a sufficient intake of certain vitamins and minerals.

Glacaeau vitamin water is an industry leader in enhanced water beverages and it is available in a wide variety of flavours including perform lemon-lime vitamin water, formula 50 vitamin water, defense vitamin water, vital-t vitamin water, endurance peach mango vitamin water, rescue green tea vitamin water, multi-v lemonade vitamin water, stress b lemon-lime vitamin water, revive fruit punch vitamin water, focus kiwi-strawberry vitamin water, essential orange-orange vitamin water, balance cran-grapefruit vitamin water, power-c dragonfruit vitamin water and energy tropical citrus vitamin water.

The actual vitamin and mineral content of Glaceau vitamin water varies depending on the type. Here are some of the specific nutrition facts for a number of the flavours of Glaceau vitamin water available:

Defense

Calories 50; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g; Total Sugar 13g; Protein 0g; Vitamin C 60%; vitamin B3 10%; vitamin B6 10%; vitamin B12 10%; vitamin B5 10%, Zinc 10%

Vital-t

Calories 50; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g; Total Sugar 13g; Protein 0g; Vitamin C 60%; vitamin E 20%; vitamin B3 10%; vitamin B6 10%; vitamin B12 10%; vitamin B5 10%

Stress b lemon-lime

calories 40, total fat 0g, sodium 0mg, total carbohydrate 9g, sugar 8g, protein 0g, vitamin B2 25%, vitamin B3 25%, vitamin B5 25%, vitamin B6 25%, vitamin B12 25%, vitamin C 60%, st johns wort 25mg, kava kava 25mg

Revive fruit punch

calories 50, total fat 0g, sodium 0mg, potassium 30mg, total carbohydrate 13g, sugar 12g, protein 0g, vitamin A 10%, vitamin B3 10%, vitamin B5 10%, vitamin B6 10%, vitamin B12 10%, vitamin C 60%, vitamin E 10%, gotu kola 25mg, American ginseng 25mg

Every type of Glaceau vitamin water is made using distilled water and all natural flavourings to ensure that the beneficial effects of the vitamin enhanced drink are maximised.

Water And Supplement Treats For Your Chinchilla

Like humans, chinchillas need water. Their water should be fresh and changed daily. This is crucial because if this is not followed, bacteria can grow and it would affect the chinchilla's health. It's not a good idea to have them drink from standing water in a bowl. They'll be sure to catch bacteria that way. Also, they may accidentally tip the bowl over and then you have a wet mess. A preferred vehicle for drinking water would be a water bottle. The bottle should be placed on the side of the animal's cage.

If you do use a water bottle, it should be cleaned thoroughly to avoid any germs or bacteria. Clean the entire bottle with hot water and have another one on stand-by. The chinchilla will drink the water more if nothing has been added to it. So, if you want your pet to drink plenty of water, it should stay as it is.

Since a pet chinchilla is special to their owner, it's not surprising that they would want to reward their animal with a treat. However, the owner must know that this can only be done in moderation. Too many of these can cause the animal's sensitive digestive system to go out of whack. Not only will they gain weight, their lifespan would be short-lived.

If you're going to give your chinchilla treat, give them raisins. This is something that chinchillas love to eat. They should only be given three to four raisins a week. If the chinchilla is a baby or a young one, half a chinchilla will do. Dried fruit, without sulfite preservatives, is fine. Examples of this are a blueberry, a grape or a tiny apple slice. If your chinchilla has diarrhea, you can give them wheat (spoon shredded size) or rolled oats minus the preservatives. Raw, black oil sunflower seeds that are used for feeding birds are good for the animal's outer coat. You should not feed your animal cabbage, corn or lettuce. These would be heavy on the digestive system.

When feeding them, the treats should be fed separately from anything else, including pellets. If you mix them, they will not eat the pellets and just go for the treats instead. If you give them something to gnaw on, let it be white pine or apple wood. These wood types are good for their teeth and won't cause damage. Pine boards can also serve as a bottom platform for a chinchilla's feet when they're walking on a wire mesh material in their cage. Any other type of wood may not be suitable for them.

Stay away from cedar, plum, plywood, cherry, fir, spruce and any other wood that can be harmful to their teeth. If you're not sure which wood type is good for them and which isn't, check your local pet store. They can assist you with your animal's needs.

If you have a young or expectant chinchilla, their diet will have to be altered from the normal regimen. If you're not sure on what to feed them, check with your veterinarian or chinchilla breeder to get more information. As you get acclimated to what your chinchilla needs, they can be assured of an uneventful and healthy lifestyle.

Water Gardens

There are many new trends surfacing in gardening, and water gardening is one of the main new interests. Water gardening can be in the form of waterfalls, ponds, fountains, all of which can be enhanced by rock work combinations and lighting, plants, and fish. Water gardening doesn’t have to be a pond or natural water source either, it can consist of just a plastic tub, basically anything that can hold water.

The most important thing to consider in water gardening is probably the spot chosen. Since plants and fish both need plenty of sunlight, places in direct light away from trees and bushes is the best place. This will also help prevent leaves and debris from collecting in the water.

When planning for a water garden first decide the size you want. This will depend on how much money you are willing to spend because water gardening can get expensive if you opt for a large garden full of plants, rocks, fish, and lights. Also consider the size of our property, and the amount of time you want to spend with maintaining your water garden.

When you choose what type of aquatic plants you wish to have, remember that the plants should only cover about half of the water. Plants can be free floating, submerged, or marginal. Which you choose is all a matter of personal preference. Some plants are good for their scent, some provide more oxygen than others and will keep the pool health, and some are just beautiful. Fish are not only nice to look at but they are also very beneficial. Fish help keep debris at a minimum and help in controlling larva and other insects.

One of the main difficulties in water gardening is keeping water clear of algae. Algae problems are usually caused from too many nutrients in the water from feeding fish too often or from over fertilizing plants. If ponds are made correctly and are maintained properly algae problems and control will be kept at a minimum.

All garden pools regardless of size will need maintenance throughout the year. With proper planning you can ensure a healthy balance between living and decorative features of a water garden that can almost care for itself with simple maintenance inputs from you.

You can get rid of algae by reducing on the nutrients that cause the algae by cutting back on feeding and fertilizing, planting more plants, installing a filter system, or replacing existing water with fresh water. There are some chemicals that can be used, like copper compounds, but overuse can kill plant life and fish.

Water gardening doesn’t take anymore time than regular gardening, but obviously isn’t near the same thing. You may be the type person who couldn’t grow a flower if you tried but would be excellent at water gardening. If you are looking for a way to occupy some time or to beautify your yard, water gardening is an excellent way.