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So he's going to pester you, this holiday season, with questions about all that goes on and all that he sees and hears. You need to have a few obscure facts at hand, to dazzle and distract him with, as you rush from mall to mall. You might even catch him off-guard, and zing him before he has a chance to challenge your intellect.
For instance, as he unwraps his umteenth candy cane of the season (no, it's probably not good for him, but it keeps him occupied), you can hit him with this:
The candy cane was invented in the late 1600's, by a German choirmaster, who wanted to keep the children at his Christmas services quiet. Originally, these were straight sticks of sugar candy, but the choirmaster made them in the shape of a shepherd's staff as an homage to the season.
We all hear the music of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" at Christmas, but the only section most of us can name is the "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy". So what is a sugar plum, anyway? Well, in 17th century England, the word "plum" was used to describe just about any dried fruit, which was considered a delicacy. Adding sugar made it an extra special treat for children, and given on rare occasions, such as Christmas.
Speaking of plums, another traditional English Christmas dish still served in many places today is plum pudding. Originally it was a soup made with beef, mutton, and dried plums (or prunes), but later, the meat and the prunes were removed, raisins were added, and it was turned into a cake. Today, plum pudding is really a form of raisin cake.
Another Christmas dish which isn't what it sounds like is mincemeat pie. Again, it was originally a pie made with meat-minced-and spices. But, over time, the meat was replaced with fruit. But the name stuck.
Your son probably doesn't know (yet) that the song, "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" was originally written as a song to teach children to count. But many of us have forgotten why there are twelve days to Christmas. It's a Christian tradition that the Wise Men arrived to worship the baby Jesus, twelve days after his birth-the first "expert" acknowledgement of the Messiah.
While we're on the subject, your son may want to know, at some point, just what swaddling clothes are-and why the baby Jesus was wrapped in them. Since ancient times, most cultures have used some form of swaddling-or long pieces of cloth-to wrap newborn babies, to restrict movement and keep them warm, a way of approximating conditions of the womb, in order to keep newborns comfortable. Today, flannel and receiving blankets have replaced swaddling cloth.
You're on a roll, now, tossing out these Christmas tidbits effortlessly, as you drive to the next store to continue your shopping. Your son is in the back seat, silently amazed at your knowledge of All Things. You glance in the rearview mirror to catch the admiration on his face, and-
He's sound asleep. But he must have nodded off, totally impressed. You almost want him to wake up-there's so much more. And you know it all.
My grandpa, who’s a Quaker, used to disapprove of the fact that I ventured into marketing, but he’s coming round to my way of thinking, even at the grand age of 92. He is suspicious of marketing (in his mind - a term synonymous with extracting money from a gullible party, for the benefit of corporate greed) and doesn’t believe in profit, even though profit itself is not a bad thing.
I bring this issue up because in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s going to be Christmas soon and as usual any company which can exploit Christmas as a commercial theme is doing so. But before we exchange our Christmas wreath for cynicism on our front door, sometimes marketing can be beneficial and the creativity in marketing campaigns can be enjoyed by the consumer.
Take for instance (but not for instant) Starbucks Coffee Company, no longer is it just a coffee company! If you’re still refusing to do your Christmas shopping online, marketing executives at Starbucks have come up with a few ideas so that you can break the shopping up with interludes of Gingerbread Latte, Eggnog Latte or Toffee Nut Latte ( ). You could even come back after the shopping and have a Chocolate Mint Bliss or Mint Chocolate Chip Frappuccino. If Marketing brings Gingerbread Lattes, then it’s got to be a good thing.
It’s not just the high street shops which are getting festive. Online stores are getting into the Christmas spirit too, even finance companies; the traditional residences of Scrooge type characters. Moneynet, a personal finance information research specialist, has brought out a Christmas finance guide ( ), with a range of money-saving tips to help the innocent consumer navigate their way past loan sharks who feed on the financial difficulties of certain families, particularly at Christmas.
But lets not dwell on the doom and gloom, lets think about the children, what’s marketing doing for them? Well… the Early Learning Centre has developed a special Christmas section ( ) on its website to inspire parents, grandparents and relatives with ideas of suitable gifts for the children. If your daughter is more into Stevie Wonder than Golden Wonder, then she might be impressed with the Pink Keyboard And Stool; though remember, musical toys last for years not just for Christmas, it’s your sanity at stake.
But Christmas isn’t just for the kids, it’s for the “big kids” too. Justtoys is a site which sells toys for parents, buying toys for their children. If my parents are reading this, or even my colleagues, I quite fancy the Radio Control Dalek which offers seven phrases triggered by buttons on the remote control, 360 degree on the spot rotational movement and the Dome and Eyestalk move from side to side as it moves. Beats slippers and writing paper any day.
Marketing and commercial competition has also made a fantastic choice available on the internet and it gives us ideas, when we’ve run out of inspiration ourselves. So whilst we need to remain sceptical about advertising, there are some advantages to profit investment …
… and Starbucks Chocolate Mint Bliss is one of them.