400 Artisans from Eugene’s Saturday Market welcome you to
Holiday Market
Fine Handcrafted Gifts
International Food Court
Live Entertainment
Open Nov. 22-23, Nov. 28-30, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-14, Dec. 20-24
Open 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Dec. 2410:00 am to 4:00 pm
In the Exhibit Hall at the Lane County Fairgrounds at 13th & Jefferson in Eugene^
Free Admission Free Parking
www.holidaymarket.org or 541-686-8885
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www.eugenesflowerhome.com
485-3655
yi i
Rudolph, a ball
and Hons Kons
• New Year s ball
The original ball lowered in Times Square
on New Year’s Eve in 1907 was made of
iron and wood, and it was decorated with
100 light bulbs. The modern New Year’s
ball is made of Waterford crystal, covered
with 696 light bulbs, 96 strobe lights and
90 rotating pyramid mirrors.
• The popular poinsettia
Poinsettias were first introduced into this
country in 1828 by the U.S. ambassador to
Mexico, Joel Poinsett. Poinsettias are now
grown in all 50 states and represent over 85
percent of potted plant sales during the holi
days. More than $220 million worth of poin
settias are sold during the holiday season.
• A tree of lights
In 1949, the tree at Rockefeller Center was
strung with 7,500 bulbs. This year, more
than 25,000 bulbs will be strung on the
tree — nearly 5 miles of lights.
• The tree tradition
The first American mention of a
Christmas tree was in 1747, and it was
n’t a tree at all — it was a wooden pyra
mid covered with evergreen boughs and
decorated with apples. More than 34 to
36 million Christmas trees are now pro
duced each year in the United States.
The industry employs more than
100,000 people, and more than 1 mil
lion acres of land have been planted
with Christmas trees.
• Artificial trees
Artificial Christmas trees were on the market
by 1900. They were available by mail from
Sears, Roebuck and Company, and cost 50
cents for 33 limbs or a dollar for 55 limbs.
Most artificial trees are now manufactured in
Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong and contain non
biodegradable plastics and metals. They
usually range in price from $200 to $2,000.
• Holiday mail
The first Christmas card, created by a
London businessman, was printed in
England in 1843. Three years later, the first
commercial Christmas cards were available
to the public. One thousand cards in all were
produced and they were an instant success.
The holiday season is now the busiest time
of the year for the U.S. Postal Service. Last
year, more than 20 billion cards, letters and
packages were sent, prompting the USPS to
hire nearly 40,000 temporary workers and
put thousands of additional trucks, trains
and planes in service.
• The origins of Rudolph
In 1939, an advertising employee at the
department store Montgomery Ward wrote the
story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for a
store promotion. That year the store gave
away 2.4 million copies of the story. Ten years
later, Gene Autry recorded the song “Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Since then it has
sold more than 80 million copies.
SOURCE: http://www.familyeducation.com
Wrong message reigns
during holiday months
This column, in part, is inspired by Emerald
columnist Joe Bechard's tirade on the Thanksgiv
ing holiday ("No thanks.", ODE Nov. 26). Now
that the cultural obstetrician is closing up shop (in
Aaron Shakra
Notebooks of DJ Serpentine
other words, graduating), I'd like to continue
along his path of investigative consumption. I
mean, journalism.
Christmas, I'll be honest — I don't really know
what it is. I mean, 1 know when it is and that I've
celebrated it, but where I'm from (in chronologi
cal order: New Hampshire, California and Ore
gon), it's never been about the birth of Christ. Ihe
most frequent question I hear repeated is, "What
do you want for Christmas?"
Let's begin with Santa Claus. He seems to have
been perverted into a symbol for an increasingly
obvious form of American religion called "con
sumption." If he ever had any significance, it has
long since departed. Actually, it's almost like 'ol
Saint Nick has been replaced by a militaristic red
and-white uniformed overweight man delivering
material goods to pacify the hearts, minds and
bodies of the masses.
And what's the deal with Christmas trees ? I sup
pose they fill some sort of need for warmth and
nostalgia during these cold winter months. Far be
it for me to attack people's attachments of mean
ing, but does it really make sense to have an in
dustry where you grow fields of trees each year,
Turn to SHAKRA, page 3C
017731
V.I.P. Taxi
• 24 hour local and airport service.
• 20% discount to airport with reservation.
• 10% student discount around town.
• group rates available.
• “One of the lowest rates in Eugene & Springfield.”
484-0920
Indoor Rock Gym
9,000 sq. ft. of climbing
STUDENT SPECIALS
• 10 Punch Pass
$59 without gear rental ($75 reg.)
$89 with rental ($105 reg.)
• 3 Month Pass
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$139 with gear rental ($165 reg.)
Expires 1/15/04. Please present UO/LCC student ID.
401 W. 3rd • Eugene, OR 97401 • (541) 484-9535