This is the most realistic Noble Fir in the world, professionally strung with the best lights available, guaranteed for life. Only available from Hammacher Schlemmer, the tree is molded from a live Abies procera, or Noble fir, considered one of the most desired holiday trees for its symmetrical branch pattern. The actual branches of a Noble fir were used in the polyethylene injection-molding process to replicate the exact growth patterns and distinct, short, wide, and rounded needle tips of the original tree. The natural look of the trunk is achieved by individually hand-applying resin over a tubular steel core, producing a wood-like grain and texture that mimics real bark. This tree's shape is so realistic, and its needles are so soft, that it was mistaken for a live specimen by tree farmers. Unlike other trees that have light strands which fail immediately when one bulb ceases to work, ours has strands of advanced integrated-circuit lights that withstand the failure or removal of multiple bulbs, ensuring bright, clear, reliable lighting year after year, backed by the rather famous Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee of Complete Satisfaction. All light strands are professionally strung, making the cords practically invisible against the branches, and an integrated 8' cord with a foot-pedal switch allows easy operation. Flame- and crush-resistant for years of use and storage, the PE needles on the tree are mixed with PVC tips to soften the overall look and feel of the tree and to add dimension to its layers. All branch hinges have metal pins for added strength at stress points, and the thick wire-gauge branch tips can support larger, heavier ornaments without sagging or drooping. It takes a mere 30 minutes to set up as each section unfolds like an umbrella (a helpful instructional DVD guides set up). Please specify Clear or Multi-colored lights.

Unlike trees found at ordinary tree stands that are already two to four weeks old, these Fraser fir trees are freshly cut within a day of order and carefully packed to retain freshness, then shipped in perfect condition to your door. Specially selected for Hammacher Schlemmer at a tree farm in North Carolina, each deep green tree has a full body, with shaped boughs that hold their needles, and a rich fragrance. To ensure timely delivery, order at least two weeks prior to the Monday of the desired week of delivery.

Happy Holidays! It is that festive time of the year again. Give thanks and send a jolly "Merry Christmas" this holiday season with one of our festive Christmas gift baskets. Our professional Christmas holiday baskets are packed with the freshest and most delicious holiday goodies which are perfect for all your gift giving needs. So whether you are looking for a festive gift for someone special in your life or professional quality xmas gift baskets for corporate clients or business customers, we have the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday wish list. Be sure to check out our new line of Holiday Wine Gift Baskets for the perfect gift! New for 2009 holiday season, we now offer Canada Delivery to all provinces in Canada on select holiday gifts.




Is there a perfect occasion for sending Wine Gift Baskets? Yes, anytime! Whether you are sending a special birthday, thank you, or anniversary gift basket, sending a wine gift basket is always a clever gift idea. Do you have the boss who seems to have everything? Impress them on those special occasions with stunning wine corporate gift baskets. Regardless of the occasion, an elegant and beautifully wrapped wine or champagne gift basket spilling over with gourmet cheeses, crackers and chocolates will leave a lasting impression.




>What is the perfect gift for any occasion? Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! For just about any holiday or event, a chocolate gift basket by The Gift Basket Pros will say that you cared to send the best. Select from Ghirardelli milk chocolate squares and brownies to chocolate mochas. Whatever the occasion, corporate meetings, sending a business thanks you, or just because, you can’t go wrong with the gift of chocolate. Indulge your chocolate senses with one of our most tempting gift baskets available! Our Ultimate Chocolate Gift Basket will make a one of a kind statement for corporate clients, business associates, or associate incentives. Filled with rich Ghirardelli chocolates, this gift will be perfect for sharing.

Light up your holidays with Thomas Kinkade's first-ever illuminated Christmas tree, available exclusively from The Bradford Editions. Beautifully recreating Mr. Kinkade's original works in 3D, this 15-inch high Christmas tree has 12 Victorian buildings and over 40 villagers, intricately hand-painted and nestled amongst sparkling "snow-covered" branches.
Horse-drawn carriages glide through the snow as villagers sled, skate, and make snowmen, awash in the warm glow of light from welcoming windows and a golden star tree topper! Look, there's the artist himself, by the skating pond, ready to capture the season's enchantment! This exclusive, limited-edition Thomas Kinkade collectible illuminated Christmas tree is the ultimate Christmas decoration for any Thomas Kinkade collector. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind Kinkade collectible - order now!

A Christmas decoration is any of several types of decorations used at Christmastime. The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Blue and white are often used to represent winter, or sometimes Hanukkah, which occurs around the same time. Gold and silver are also very common, as are just about any other metallic colour. Typical icons of the holiday include Santa Claus, Jesus, the star of Bethlehem, and the Christian cross. Typical winter icons include snowflakes, snowmen, icicles, and even penguins and polar bear.
The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the winter solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship. The English language phrase "Christmas tree" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. The modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th century though many argue that Martin Luther began the tradition in the 16th century. From Germany the custom was introduced to England, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the reign of Queen Victoria. Around the same time, German immigrants introduced the custom into the United States. Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments.


Since the 19th century, the poinsettia, a native plant from Mexico, has been associated with Christmas. Other popular holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus. Along with a Christmas tree, the interior of a home may be decorated with these plants, along with garlands and evergreen foliage. Potted pines used to be popular, however these need direct sunlight, and do very poorly as a houseplant. These often come with very inexpensive small ornaments (as shown at upper right), tied to the delicate branches with soft pipecleaners, and sometimes with a small light set (which was often too hot for the tree).

Wreaths are made from real or artificial conifer branches, or sometimes other broadleaf evergreens like magnolia (especially in the American South) or holly. Several types of evergreen or even deciduous branches may be used in the same wreath, along with pinecones and sprays of berries, and Christmas ornaments including jingle bells. A bow is usually used at the top or bottom, and an electric or unlit candle may be placed in the middle. Christmas lights are often used, and they may be hung from door or windows, and sometimes walls, lampposts, and light fixtures, or even statuary.

Glass Christmas Ball Ornaments

Glitz and glitter is what this set of 4 emerald green ornaments is all about. Measuring 67 mm, these dazzling baubles will delight you with dashes of gold, red and white against their glassy green backdrops. These festive orbs are the epitome of holiday elegance. Add them to your tree or give them as a memorable holiday gift.


Set of 4 Ornaments
67mm Each




Blue Butterfly Wall Decor

What is more delicate and ethereal, than the creature that inspired out blue butterfly wall décor figure? Just look at the lacy span of wings, spread wide to catch the light. The exquisite cut-out pattern shades from predominantly blue to pink, to the bronze of a setting sun. A striking piece displayed alone over a side table, or as the focal point of a grouping, surrounded by other figures or bracketed by wall sconces. Painted metal. 20.75 x 12.5 inches

Butterfly wall décor
Painted metal
20.75 x 12.5 inches

Christmas as we know it today is a Victorian invention of the 1860s. Probably the most celebrated holiday in the world, our modern Christmas is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions from around the globe.

Sweden - 'God Jul!'

Most people in Scandinavian countries honor St. Lucia (also known as St. Lucy) each year on December 13. The celebration of St. Lucia Day began in Sweden, but had spread to Denmark and Finland by the mid-19th century.

In these countries, the holiday is considered the beginning of the Christmas season and, as such, is sometimes referred to as "little Yule." Traditionally, the oldest daughter in each family rises early and wakes each of her family members, dressed in a long, white gown with a red sash, and wearing a crown made of twigs with nine lighted candles. For the day, she is called "Lussi" or "Lussibruden (Lucy bride)." The family then eats breakfast in a room lighted with candles.
Any shooting or fishing done on St. Lucia Day was done by torchlight, and people brightly illuminated their homes. At night, men, women, and children would carry torches in a parade. The night would end when everyone threw their torches onto a large pile of straw, creating a huge bonfire. In Finland today, one girl is chosen to serve as the national Lucia and she is honored in a parade in which she is surrounded by torchbearers.

Light is a main theme of St. Lucia Day, as her name, which is derived from the Latin word lux, means light. Her feast day is celebrated near the shortest day of the year, when the sun's light again begins to strengthen. Lucia lived in Syracuse during the fourth century when persecution of Christians was common. Unfortunately, most of her story has been lost over the years. According to one common legend, Lucia lost her eyes while being tortured by a Diocletian for her Christian beliefs. Others

Finland - 'Hyvää Joulua!'

Many Finns visit the sauna on Christmas Eve. Families gather and listen to the national "Peace of Christmas" radio broadcast. It is customary to visit the gravesites of departed family members.

Norway - 'Gledelig Jul!'

Norway is the birthplace of the Yule log. The ancient Norse used the Yule log in their celebration of the return of the sun at winter solstice. "Yule" came from the Norse word hweol, meaning wheel. The Norse believed that the sun was a great wheel of fire that rolled towards and then away from the earth. Ever wonder why the family fireplace is such a central part of the typical Christmas scene? This tradition dates back to the Norse Yule log. It is probably also responsible for the popularity of log-shaped cheese, cakes, and desserts during the holidays.

Jamestown, Virginia

According to reports by Captain John Smith, the first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in his 1607 Jamestown settlement. Nog comes from the word grog, which refers to any drink made with rum.

Germany - 'Froehliche Weihnachten!'

Decorating evergreen trees had always been a part of the German winter solstice tradition. The first "Christmas trees" explicitly decorated and named after the Christian holiday, appeared in Strasbourg, in Alsace in the beginning of the 17th century. After 1750, Christmas trees began showing up in other parts of Germany, and even more so after 1771, when Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited Strasbourg and promptly included a Christmas tree is his novel, The Suffering of Young Werther. In the 1820s, the first German immigrants decorated Christmas trees in Pennsylvania. After Germany's Prince Albert married Queen Victoria, he introduced the Christmas tree tradition to England. In 1848, the first American newspaper carried a picture of a Christmas tree and the custom spread to nearly every home in just a few years.

England - 'Merry Christmas!'

An Englishman named John Calcott Horsley helped to popularize the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards when he began producing small cards featuring festive scenes and a pre-written holiday greeting in the late 1830s. Newly efficient post offices in England and the United States made the cards nearly overnight sensations. At about the same time, similar cards were being made by R.H. Pease, the first American card maker, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, a German who immigrated to America in 1850.

Celtic and Teutonic peoples had long considered mistletoe to have magic powers. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes in order to bring themselves good luck and ward off evil spirits. During holidays in the Victorian era, the English would hang sprigs of mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways. If someone was found standing under the mistletoe, they would be kissed by someone else in the room, behavior not usually demonstrated in Victorian society.

Plum pudding is an English dish dating back to the Middle Ages. Suet, flour, sugar, raisins, nuts, and spices are tied loosely in cloth and boiled until the ingredients are "plum," meaning they have enlarged enough to fill the cloth. It is then unwrapped, sliced like cake, and topped with cream.

Caroling also began in England. Wandering musicians would travel from town to town visiting castles and homes of the rich. In return for their performance, the musicians hoped to receive a hot meal or money.

In the United States and England, children hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace

Christmas also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, is thought to have occurred between 7 and 2 BC. December 25 is not known to be Jesus' actual date of birth, and the date may have been chosen to correspond with either a or the winter solstice.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, Church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas for children. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between Saint Nicholas and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.