You grew up Al Woods Colts Jersey , learning and loving the stories children are told at Christmastime, stories that have become a part of our cultural consciousness. And, now, your children are falling in love with the same stories. But you're at the age-finally-that when you hear the story of Rudolph or Frosty, for the zillionth time, you're asking yourself, "Where did this stuff come from?"

The childrens' Christmas stories we hear every year seem to have been around forever, but some of them are actually fairly recent inventions Johnathan Hankins Colts Jersey , in the timeline of Christmas history.

"Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" was, originally, purely a marketing tool. The Montgomery Ward chain of department stores used to buy coloring books, each year, and give them away to children, as a way of drawing parents to their stores. But in 1939, the chain decided that creating their own in-house books would save money Jabaal Sheard Colts Jersey , so a young Montgomery Ward copywriter, Robert L. May, was assigned the task of creating their new giveaway booklet for kids.

May decided on a Christmas-themed version of the old ugly-duckling story, about a misfit who grows up, ridiculed for his deformity-in this case, a bright red reindeer nose-but who ultimately proves to be a valued and helpful member of the community. May wrote the story in verse, and tested it on his own four-year-old daughter. He had a problem coming up with his hero's name, however-he tried Rollo and Reginald John Simon Colts Jersey , before finally settling on Rudolph.

The character was an instant hit with Montgomery Ward's customers and their children. But, it wasn't until 1949, when May's brother-in-law, songwriter Johnny Marks, developed the song we know today, that the popularity of Rudolph became universal. Gene Autry recorded it, and it's been the second-best-selling Christmas song (after "White Christmas") ever since.

A year later, in 1950 Jacoby Brissett Colts Jersey , Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson wrote the song, "Frosty The Snowman", after witnessing the enormous success of the Rudolph song. Up until this time, Christmas marketing had been largely directed at children through their parents, the holders of the purse-strings.

When "Rudolph" hit big, Rollins and Nelson decided to jump on the direct-to-kids bandwagon. They sent their song about the snowman with the magic hat to Gene Autry, who likewise figured a second shot at a Christmas hit-for-kids was worth a try. Frosty wasn't exactly the hero that Rudolph was, at least in the original song; he was just a snowman who liked playing with children Henry Anderson Colts Jersey , until it was time for him to leave or melt-though the subsequent animated adaptations of his story gave him more heroic dimensions. But Rollins and Nelson had a Christmas hit, and Gene Autry struck gold for a second time in as many years.

It may burst your holiday bubble to learn that your favorite childhood Christmas legends were invented for purely financial reasons, but look at it this way-in the middle of December, when you're busy with shopping lists and holiday travel plans, what better distraction is there for your kids, than the animated versions of the Rudolph and Frosty stories, on TV? Those marketers and songwriters knew what they were doing锟?p> Author's Resource Box
Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. For safe T.J. Green Colts Jersey , family-friendly games and activities visit the official Santa Claus Home Page.

Article Source:








PARIS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- French voters are preparing to return to the polling stations on Sunday to decide which of the two candidates will take the country's presidency for the next five years.


Unlike the neck-and-neck race in the first round of votes on April 23, the margin between centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-rightist Marine Le Pen in the runoff vote is estimated to be quite large, according to opinion polls.


Various polls released on Friday, the last campaigning day, estimate that Macron will win with 61 to 62 percent of votes, while only 38 to 40 percent will go to Le Pen.


A Harris Interactive survey for French television network LCP indicates Macron will garner 62 percent, and Le Pen 38 percent. The same figures were given by an Odoxa-Dentsu Consulting poll for Le Point magazine and a Elabe survey for BFMTV and newspaper L'Express.


Meanwhile Marlon Mack Colts Jersey , an Ipsos-Sopra Steria poll for France Televisions and Radio France also estimates a clear victory for Macron with 61.5 percent of voting intentions, against Le Pen with 38.5 percent.


The almost unanimous estimations have put pressure on Le Pen and her far-right party National Front (FN).


Although the polls are consistent with those conducted right after the first round, the margin between the two has indeed further widened after a final television debate, which many analysts have dubbed as "aggressive" and "inappropriate."


Media reported that many viewers were disappointed by the performance of both candidates, but a poll conducted afterwards showed that 63 percent found Macron more convincing, while 34 percent supported Le Pen.


Even her farther Jean-Marie Le Pen, co-founder of FN, said that he was not satisfied with the performance of his daughter in the debate in a radio interview on Thursday.


Le Pen was greeted by a hail of eggs on Thursday at a factory in Dol-de-Bretagne Tarell Basham Colts Jersey , where she had received a high score in the first round, and was heckled by protesters as she visited the cathedral in Reims.


However, it is yet too early for Macron and his En Marche! (On the Move!) party to be at ease.


If the abstention rate on Sunday is high, then Macron's victory would come with a narrower margin, making it difficult for the centrist to establish his authority to govern, several pollsters have said.


One of the frontrunners in the first round, far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon refused to endorse either of the can.