Holiday Gifts

You just can't go wrong with holiday gift baskets - who doesn't like food during the holidays...unless you're on a diet..but really whose on a diet during the holidays :) You can get them specifically crafted - each one uniquely and with the highest of quality making them fabulous gift - the perfect gifts for personal and/or corporate gifts. They are great for colleagues, office parties, clients, housewarming gifts...really for any occation!

The chrisian saint, Bishop Nicholas, turned into the american symbol for christmas - Santa Clause. It was the first Europeans that arrived in America that brought over this basically commercial activity. During the 16th century Protestant Reformation, St. Nicholas had a hard time. It was only in England where the religious folk traditions of Christmas were forever altered. The common folks simply adored St. Nick. He actually survived on the European continent as many people still put apples, sweet and nutes in shoes on the sides of bed, windowsill or before the fireplaces.

It was after the American Revolution that John Pintard who was an influential patriot and antiquarian, founded the New York Historical Society in 1804. It was there that St. Nicholas was promoted as patron saint of both city and society.
Washington Irving, in 1809, joined the society and on St. Nicholas Day and that year he published the satirical fiction, Knickerbocker's History of New York. It was there that there was numerous references to a jolly St. Nicholas character. It was not a saintly bishop but instead an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe!