Its familiar opening chords bring us to our feet at the start of sporting events throughout the country. During the Olympics, we watch our nation’s top athletes proudly stand on podiums as it is being played in crowded arenas. We’ve heard its notoriously difficult notes sung – sometimes successfully and sometimes not – by celebrities,
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Oh, Say Can You See: The story of our national anthem
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Were Animals in the Manger on the First Christmas?
Most representations of Jesus’ birth show donkeys, cows, and sheep watching over the Holy Family and a camel or two arriving with the Three Kings. Artistic renderings may include animals that are native to the artist’s country. For example, an African artist might include a zebra or a giraffe at the manger scene. But what
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Guide to Vintage Christmas Decorations
Christmas decorating is about memory making. If you are a parent or a grandparent, you want to make Christmas special for the kids. If you are a young person, you may feel the holiday season hasn’t begun until Mom or Dad hauls out the boxes out of the attic or basement. No matter what your
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National Christmas Center Keeps Memories Alive
At the National Christmas Center, it is common to hear a grandfather whisper to a grandchild, “That’s the train I had when I was your age.”  Another visitor may gasp and say something like, “We had that ornament on our tree when I was a little girl.” “We make people happy here by taking them
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4 Amazing Nativity Set Traditions from Europe
There is perhaps no more meaningful way to celebrate the birth of Christ than by displaying a crèche. Since St. Francis of Assisi staged the first nativity scene in 1223, the idea of the Christmas crèche has spread throughout the world. Since the crèche is both a representation of faith and an art form, many
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How Fontanini Became the Most Famous Nativity Sets in the World
If you grew up with a nativity set in your home that was a family heirloom, chances are pretty good that is was a Fontanini Nativity set. The Fontanini tradition dates back to the late 1800s when company founder Emanuele Fontanini began creating crèche figures in the little town of Bagni di Lucca located in
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