Good morning, Nancy. How fun. I have thoughts on # 1,3,4,&5. # 2 is tough. Thinking of a time period, but I am probably way off. Will look for clues to either confirm or send me off thinking some more!

Cynthia

Well, thinking is where I was sending you - lol. #2, oddly, coincides with the publishing of a book whose story is now intertwined with the holidays, for many. That probably won't help with the year, but it might get you to an era, perhaps!!

Nancy.

Hmmmm, think I know #4 :) and have a guess for #5. The rest are a blank.

Annette

Annette, if you are thinking close to home for #4 you would be wrong - instead think about Ariel.

As to #5 - there is controversy, as with everything it seems, in Washington. The White House had its first Christmas tree in 1889, when Benjamin Harrison was President. Depending on which sources are consulted, the White House never had a Christmas tree until the 1850s or 1889. There are two claims to the "first" genuine White House Christmas tree. President Franklin Pierce is said to have had the first indoor Christmas tree at the White House during the 1850s, variously reported as 1853 or 1856. Others claim the first tree was during President Benjamin Harrison's administration (either in 1888, 1889, or 1891). First Lady Caroline Harrison helped decorate the tree, which was installed in the second floor oval parlor today's Yellow Oval Room. There is an 1880 reference to President Tyler in the 1840's hosting a children's party at which there was a Christmas tree with gifts.

Nancy.

I know none of these. Will be waiting for you to post the answer. Doubt I will even get any with the clues but will be reading along and maybe.

Hmmm, were there clues there, Nancy? If so, I need to reread! My initial thought for #5 was a wartime prez, but upon further reflection, I am thinking not. Now I am completely unsure.

I have two choices in mind for the first stamp. Chances are, both are wrong. Hohoho. The more I think, the less sure I am. Sigh.

I did put our candles in the windows today, so I am making progress, I guess. Also went to the annual souk at the Palestine Center. I am now fully stocked with the best olive oil you can imagine. I may actually have to cook something. ;)

Cynthia

#1, musically speaking, will help you get your kicks.

#2 - well, let's see - we'll get you to the book perhaps, which was made into one of my favourite, must-see movies of the season. Actually, it was made into a movie several times, but I am a child of the 50's, so only one is my favourite.

#3 - I think this is where Annette was going with #4

#5 - hmmm...what to say about this guy. I know he is one of Cynthia's historic faves, if memory serves me correctly.

Does this help?

Nancy.

Yikes. I suspect #2 has to do with Alastair Sim? He is my favorite, anyway, so thinking Victorian era!

Had an idea for #1, but now have no idea. Was it also the last state to make MLK Day a holiday? Of course, that doesn't go with your clue at all really.

#3...close to home for you? :)

#4. Sort of obnoxious the way Americans are always chanting we're number 1 about something, but may be true here?

#5. Was heading elsewhere with a wartime prez before I decided he would not have done that since he tried so hard to keep morale up, but perhaps a relative? He is a favorite of mine!

Cynthia

Okay may know 3, 4, and 5 if Cynthia and I are interpreting the clues correctly.

1. ?????
2. ?????
3. Canada
4. I thought Canada but I guess I was wrong
5.Teddy R?

Annette

1.
2. If the book is Dickens's A Christmas Carol it would be sometime in the 1840s or 1850s. I read a biography of Dickens this year and that is as close as I can come.
3.
4. US
5. Teddy Roosevelt

Kind of busy yesterday and didn't check in here. I'll have to pass on this one.

TM

1. Arizona? Hawaii? Utah? Surely not California? I thought your kicks clue might mean Route 66.

2. Going with Dickens, too. Maybe 1850?

3. I was thinking Germany at first and then maybe some Scandanavian country like Norway or Finland which extend to the polar region, but your clues (?) made me decide on Canada

4. US

5. TR

Such fun questions. Can't wait to see the answers.

Cynthia

OK, well more and better clues were needed, but I was babysitting the oven trying to bake cookies.

1. The last state to declare Chrismas was: OOOOOOOOOk - la- homa!! An Oklahoman businessman Cyrus Avery is known as the "Father of Route 66". Perhaps I should have said they should have done it sooner? It was only during the mid 1800's that states in the US began making Christmas a legal holiday, with Oklahoma being the last state to do so in 1890.

2. The commercial Christmas card as we know it originated in London in 1843. That winter, Sir Henry Cole, a civil servant who helped organize the Great Exhibition and develop the Victoria and Albert Museum, decided he was too busy to write individual Christmas greetings to his family, friends and business colleagues. He asked his friend, the painter John Callcott Horsley, to design a card with an image and brief greeting that he could mail instead.
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Oh yes, and little novella named A Christmas Carol was published. It met with instant success and critical acclaim. You may have heard of it!!

3. Canada, eh? Yes the first Christmas stamp was issued by Canada in 1898 - it's not as Christmassy as you might imagine.
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4. It's Denmark - yes, Denmark!! By 2008 Christmas tree production in Denmark totalled around 9 million trees and Denmark was one of Europe's largest producers of natural Christmas trees. By far the most popular species grown in Denmark is the sought after Nordmann fir. Most of the Danish Christmas tree crop is exported to Germany, along with Britain, France and the Netherlands. In 2008, importers paid between 85 and 90 kroner (11-12 euros, 14-15 dollars) for each Danish Christmas tree, this represented a 10 to 20 percent increase over 2007. Ariel, btw, is the Little Mermaid, a nod to Copenhagen's most famous statue.

5. This is a weird one. The White House Christmas Tree, also known as the Blue Room Christmas Tree, is the official indoor Christmas tree at the residence of the President of the United States, the White House. The first indoor Christmas tree was installed in the White House sometime in the 19th century (there are varying claims as to the exact year) and since 1961 the tree has had a themed motif at the discretion of the First Lady of the United States.
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I can't even find my original source for this, as my computer crashed on me. However, here are the fact according to Wikipedia: As stated, there were years where no indoor White House Christmas tree was installed at all. It was at one time noted that the Christmas tree was un-American, being a German tradition, and all!! It is verifiable that there was no Christmas tree in the White House in 1902, 1904, 1907, and 1922. The lack of a tree in 1902 was due to the fact that President Theodore Roosevelt had not ordered one by December 23. In fact, in all but one year that there was a Christmas tree in the White House in the Roosevelt years, it was due to the efforts of Archie Roosevelt, TR's 5th son. In fairness, it seems, the tree was not banned, just not that important to the elder Roosevelt. Additionally, other presidents never displayed a tree in the White House. First U.S. President George Washington held office at a time when there was no White House, thus it is impossible for him to have displayed a tree there. There is no evidence that Abraham Lincoln ever displayed a Christmas tree in the White House. In 1922 First Lady Florence Harding's illness led to a more subdued Christmas celebration at the White House and no Christmas tree.

So there you go, some fun, silly Christmas trivia. Just something to help get you in the mood!!

For Cynthia and Bobbie:

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Thanks for playing - see you all next week. Now off to see Cynthia's question!!

Nancy.

Thanks for the stars and info, Nancy. Denmark! Amazing that small country is such a big exporter of Christmas trees. Got the Little Mermaid reference but didn't carry it far enough. And completely missed the Route 66 clue and even that wouldn't have got me to OK.

Hope to remember these tidbits and work them into Christmas party conversations.

Well, how about that! Denmark and Oklahompa. Never would have come up with those! Never knew an Oklahoman was responsible for Rt 66! Still wouldn't have gotten it with your sooner reference probably, although it would have been a good one.

You gave me TR, so don't deserve stars. I think maybe one for all my close guesses! Haha.

Thanks for the fun.

Cynthia