The Candy Man Selling Sweets holds a basket overflowing with traditional Christmas crackers, clear toy candy and candy canes. The first chocolate store opened in 1657 in London, but its expensive chocolates allowed only the wealthiest to shop there. Street vendors often sold penny-candy which made the sweets more affordable for everyone. Price is no concern for these Children with Sweets as they fill their arms with their favorite confections!
On behalf of everyone at Byers’ Choice, I’d like to thank all of the people who participated in the Christmas Festival held at Byers' Choice Ltd. on September 29th & 30th. About 4,000 visitors from 35 states had a chance to see that great work can still be done in this country at an affordable price, by viewing a few of the last remaining American-based handcraft Christmas companies.
A highlight for me was the Design Your Own Caroler area. For the first time, we allowed people to pick out the colors, style of dress, head and accessories to design their own personal Caroler. One of our dressers would assemble their choices. It was wonderful to see some of the designs that were developed (maybe my mother has a few future apprentices out there!) and to see the dressers’ enjoyment in bringing someone’s special design to life right before their eyes.
The factory tours, the Christmas teas, demonstrations by other craftsmen, and a few special surprises from Joyce, all contributed to a weekend that we will remember fondly at Byers’ Choice for a long time.
The weekend went so well, that we are planning on breaking our every-other-year rule for events at the factory. (And next year will be our 30th anniversary). So please consider joining us September 27th-28th, 2008 for another weekend filled with fun, fellowship, and maybe a few surprises!
– Bob Byers
Event Highlights:
A Longaberger® craftswoman demonstrates the art of basket making,
guests enjoy a delicious Christmas Tea in the formal Byers' Choice Gardens,
and Caroler fans participate in the design of their own Caroler figurines.
Step 1: Choose Type
Start by choosing the type of Traditional Caroler
that you would like to design from these categories — Boys, Girls, Men and Women.
Step 2: Choose Caroler
Select one of the three styles available in the type of Caroler
that you chose (ex. Woman 1, 2 or 3).
Step 3: Customize Clothes
Next, customize your Caroler’s clothes.
Depending on the Caroler, choose from a variety of hats,
felts, plaids, scarves, pants, skirts and jackets.
Don’t forget to click the Save and Continue button.
Step 4: Choose Face
Have fun choosing the face of your Caroler — maybe one looks
like your brother, daughter, mother or best friend!
Step 5: Customize Face
Customize your Caroler’s face with your choice of hair and eye colors.
Click the Save and Continue button.
Step 6: Accessories
No Caroler is complete without a few accessories!
Choose from 20 different accessories including Christmas stockings,
wreaths, dolls, and baskets to name but a few.
Click the Save and Continue button.
Step 7: Summary
Congratulations! Your custom Caroler is now complete.
You may save this design and start designing a new Caroler
or you can proceed to check out — it’s that easy!
Christmas Illustrations
Fido’s Christmas Treat
In 2003, a new series of figures named “Christmas Illustrations” was introduced in response to Joyce’s interest in 19th century illustrations that were developed for greeting cards and advertisements around the turn of the century.
This year’s “Christmas Illustration” is a young child bestowing a tasty treat to his beloved dog, Fido, on Christmas morning. Fido’s Christmas Treat reminds us to share the spirit of Christmas with our friends and family on this special day and throughout the year.
Victorian Father Christmas
with Reindeer
Father Christmas was originally part of an old English midwinter festival, normally dressed in green, a sign of the returning Spring. This beloved figure has evolved throughout the ages to represent Father Time, King Winter, Kris Kringle and the most popular, Saint Nicholas.
It was not until the Victorian age that Father Christmas was truly revived as the spirit of Christmas. The Victorian Father Christmas was usually drawn as a jolly older gentleman in a long, hooded coat — the color of which could be red, blue, green or brown.
Our Victorian Father Christmas boasts a red velvet cape and brocade robe with gold trim. He carries a crook and sleigh bell and is joined by his trusty Reindeer, who wears matching
velvet finery.
Little Match Girl
The Little Match Girl’s story dates back to the 1800s. On a cold winter’s night, a poor little girl wanders the streets trying to sell a few matches to help her family. The Little Match Girl eventually succumbs to the cold of the night but is comforted while being raised up to heaven by images of her long-deceased grandmother. Although a sad tale, there is peace and joy in the story. It has been retold numerous times, in both books and movies, and remains a heartwarming reminder of the harsh life street children had in Europe before child labor laws were instituted, largely with the help of the Salvation Army. The story was originally told by Hans Christian Anderson, famous for the story of the Silver Skates.
Adults with Stockings
“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…” This is the famous first line of the story, A Visit from Saint Nicholas written by Clement Moore and illustrated by Thomas Nast. It is one of the first mentions of the use of a stocking as a Christmas tradition in America. As the story goes, “the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.” In our version of this Christmas tradition, not only are the children hanging their stockings, but their parents are hoping for a few treats as well.
