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The Christmas TimesTM, the Official E-Mail Newsletter of Family Christmas OnlineTM and Affiliated Sites
This newsletter is for people who like celebrating holidays, especially Christmas. It is produced in conjunction with the following web sites.
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In this Issue
Welcome to the October, 2013 issue of The Christmas TimesTM.
Yes, it's still a while before Christmas, but we have a number of announcements that we didn't want to delay, as well as some new features.
We will hopefully have more great Christmas resources to publish in the next several weeks, but we also wanted to publish reminders of resources that we already have.
Our most fun new feature is a new version of a classic Bea Potter Christmas story - "The Tailor of Gloucester." If the name "Bea Potter" doesn't quite ring a bell, think "Peter Rabbit." Until now, I thought that Potter's art was a little cartoonish, based on the printed books we read to our kids. Now we know that she sent many beautifully detailed drawings and paintings to the printer, but in 1902-1912, even the best printmakers could never achieve more than a very rough approximation of her artwork.
Sadly, all but a handful of Potter's drawings have been lost - in those days, getting a printed book that attracted buyers was the only important thing. But a number of Potter's original drawings and paintings for "The Tailor of Gloucester" have been recovered, and they show perspective, detail, and realism far beyond the versions that appeared in print. So we are glad to add this charming Christmas tale with the newly discovered art that will charm you even more than the story.
We've also added plenty of reminders - several reminders of the great resources on our sites, and one early reminder that this is the season for kindness, open-handedness, and charity in the best sense, no matter what artificial crisis the ratings-hungry talk show demagogues come up with this year.
Finally, please accept our wishes for a blessed and joyous 2013 holiday season. And please enjoy any time you can spend with your family in the coming months.
Topics discussed in this update include:
- Just Added! "The Tailor of Gloucester" by Beatrix Potter, republished with stunning "new" art from Bea Potter's original drawings.
- Thoughts About Halloween (Redux) - last months remarks about Halloween generated some great reader feedback.
- Christmas Train Day, 2013 - a "hold-the-date" announcement for anyone near Springfield or Cincinnati who wants to see lots of trains running in a Christmas-decorated setting.
- Hawthorne Trains Update - These charming collectible trains really ARE limited editions.
- World Series Trains - Red Sox commemorative trains are selling out fast. If you're a Card fan, don't worry, we can point you to a commemorative Cardinals train as well. All products are approved both by Major League Baseball and the player's union.
- Save Money and Create Memories With DIY Christmas Projects - Classic Christmas crafts and decorations with free downloadable patterns and instructions.
- Who Speaks for Christmas? - First published in 2011, we're republishing this early as a reminder that publicity-hungry broadcasters and politicians who use Christmas as an excuse to be obnoxious and rude to other people are obnoxious and rude, period.
Here is a "first" that we are delighted to offer in time for many readings before Christmas. In 1902, Bea Potter, the creater of "Peter Rabbit" retold a Gloucester folk tale that is similar to the Brothers Grimm story "The Cobbler and the Elves." In this case the magic involves a horde of helpful mice and a sneaky cat. You may even know the story. But you probably don't know the whole story. Several of Bea Potter's original drawings for this book have come to light, and they are far more attractive and detailed than the versions that have been printed for a century. Warne, Potter's publisher, has published these once, as The Tailor of Gloucester: From the Original Manuscript , but that version sold out almost immediately. (If you try to order it now, you're likely to get something else entirely, so order early in case you have to send it back and reorder from another vendor.)
We are glad to present the first online version in which Bea Potter's text is reunited with her amazing original paintings. Not only is it great for reading to children, but we've also included notes and further resources for adults who want to know more about the story behind the story.
To see this classic Christmas story with Bea Potter's original art, please click on the following link:
Last months' newsletter included some remarks about the bad and the good side of Halloween (yes, we found a "good side" or two). To my surprise, all of our reader feedback was very positive. But several of the responses were worth sharing as well. So we've expanded our musings on this misunderstood and much-abused holiday, including links to many family-friendly projects. After you've had a look, use the contact link at the bottom of that page to let us know what you think.
To see this article, click on the following link:
We're already planning our sixth annual Christmas-themed open railroad with lots of entertainment options for the whole family. Once again, if you're are going to be anywhere near Springfield, Ohio in early November, put November 9 on your calendar.
To learn more about our November 9 Christmas-themed open railroad, and a few other regional Christmas-themed railroad activities, please click on the following link:
Between 2002 and 2008, Hawthorne Village trains made heirloom-quality train collections featuring art and iconic images from Thomas Kinkade, Al Agnew, Disney, vintage Coca Cola Santas, the original Rudolph TV special, and many more. Not only were those trains attractive and highly collectible, they also used frames and motors from Bachmann, the world's largest manufacturer of model trains. Bachmann incorporated high quality into each chassis; they also provided a lifetime warranty on the locomotive. Sadly, in 2008, the mortgage fraud recession prompted Hawthorne Village to start ordering trains from another provider, whose trains are, frankly, not the same quality. I ordinarily wouldn't point that out, except that several of the most popular Bachmann-manufactured trains are still available as of October, 2013. Top-quality collectible trains like these have always been limited editions, but now they really are going to disappear, permanently, once the stock on hand has sold out.
I know this must seem like a hard sell. But every year we get e-mails from folks who waited too long to order a Hathorne Village collection and tell me that if I don't locate a set for them somewhere I will have ruined their Christmas. (It doesn't help when I try to point out that Christmas is about more than buying stuff for people.) But "unavailable" means you can't get them any more. It also means that I can't get them for you.
By the way, we have never gotten an e-mail from a customer who is disappointed with the product. I know I'm happy with the pieces I own. And, no, they're not for sale.
For more information on featured trains and towns, with links to other Hawthorne Village products, please, click on the following link:
  World Series Trains
Hawthorne Village has been making HO trains that commemorate Major League Baseball for years. At the moment, those are still available for both the Red Sox and the Cardinals. But the big news (big in more than one sense) is that this year Lionel introduced a handful of O gauge trains that commemorated a handful of Major Leage "major market" teams. No, my team isn't included, nor are the Cards. But the Lionel Red Sox trains are available now. They are selling so fast that it will be all I can do to get the word out before they are all gone.
The Lionel Baseball Trains have the largest steam locomotive they put in any train set and fantastic graphics. If you're a fan of the Red Sox, Cubs, Yankees, or Phillies, start at the followng link. (Some nice NASCAR-inspired trains are also shown there).
To see the Hathorne Village HO scale sports trains, which include the Red Sox, the Cardinals and the rest of the Major Leagues, as well as NFL, a bit of NASCAR and more, click the following link:
Save Money and Create Memories With DIY Christmas Projects - This is a good time to remind you that our affiliated sites have dozens of resources for inexpensively making your own Christmas decorations and heirloom-quality collectibles, including:
Making simple traditional paper Christmas tree decorations:
Making classic glittered cardboard Christmas houses with free downloadable patterns, graphics, and instructions.
Vintage-style wrapping paper patterns you can use for Christmas craft projects.
Making vintage-inspired accessories for all kinds of holiday displays and indoor railroads:
As the holiday season approaches, with all of its stresses, it may be time to think about what kind of person you want to be for the next six or eight weeks. It's not too early for a reminder to honor both Christ and Christmas by kindness, graciousness, and charity, even if the store you shop at doesn't use the "right" wording in its signs, or the underpaid seasonal worker trying to help you uses the wrong "formula" when she wishes you the best that the season has to offer.
Click the following link to go to that article:
Keep in Touch
Each month, we get more interest in this newsletter, in our Christmas sites, and in the Christmas traditions, ideas, and memories we discuss. We welcome your questions and comments as indicators of what we should be working on next (also, we always try to answer reader questions quickly). In addition, if you have any photos, tips, or articles you'd like to share with your fellow Christmas enthusiasts, please let us know.
Best Wishes! As always, our hope is that we can continue helping you and your family (as Dickens said of Scrooge):
Honor Christmas in your heart, and
"try to keep it all the year."
In the meantime, please keep in touch, and let us know what you'd like to see added or changed.
May God grant you joy and wonder every season of this year,
Paul and Shelia Race
http://FamilyChristmasOnline.com
http://CardboardChristmas.com
http://OldChristmasTreeLights.com
Click the following link to view our September, 2013 newsletter:
To return to the Family Christmas OnlineTM Home Page, click here.
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"The Tailor of Gloucester"
"Thoughts About Halloween (Redux)"
Christmas Train Day, 2013
Hawthorne Trains Update
Who Speaks for Christmas?