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Whether you hop in your family “truckster” and head to the local lot or grab the tattered box out the attic, the Christmas tree is a vital part of celebrating America’s most beloved holiday. But if you just step back and think about the idea of bringing a living tree into your home, doesn’t it seem weird? I mean whose idea was this anyways? The honest answer is we aren’t completely sure when people started bring trees into their home to celebrate, but it was probably started in 8th century Germany. In fact, Germany is going to play a huge part on how we look at a modern Christmas trees. The modern Christmas tree is frequently traced to the symbolism of trees in pre-Christian winter rituals. The story of Saint Boniface cutting down Donar’s Oak illustrates the pagan practice. A later folk version of the story adds the detail that an evergreen tree grew in place of the felled oak, telling them about how its triangular shape reminds humanity of the Trinity and how it points to heaven Wooden pyramid trees were meant to be like Paradise Trees. These were used in medieval German Mystery or Miracle Plays that were acted out in front of Churches on Christmas Eve. In early church calendars of saints, December 24th was Adam and Eve’s day. The Paradise Tree represented the Garden of Eden. It was often paraded around the town before the play started, as a way of advertising the play. During the 16th century Renaissance, Germans began getting crazy with their Christmas trees. They started decorating the trees. They would hang candy, pictures, and other ornaments. Even Protestant reformer Martin Luther got in on the fun. It is believed that he added candles to the tree and created the first Christmas lights.  As the world began to grow and the Germans began to migrate they took with them their tradition. In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in 1816, and the custom spread across Austria. France even hopped on the tree train. The first French Christmas tree was introduced in 1840 by the Duchesse d’Orléans. The rapid globalization of the 19th century brought the German fun to America. Several cities and museums claim to be the place where the first Christmas tree was decorated. Windsor Locks, Connecticut, claims that a Hessian soldier put up a Christmas tree in 1777 while imprisoned at the Noden-Reed House. The “First Christmas Tree in America” is also claimed by Easton, Pennsylvania, where German settlers purportedly erected a Christmas tree in 1816. In his diary, Matthew Zahm of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, recorded the use of a Christmas tree in 1821, leading Lancaster to also lay claim to the first Christmas tree in America. August Imgard, a German immigrant living in Wooster, Ohio, is the first to popularize the practice of decorating a tree with candy canes.  Christmas trees are now in almost every home. Families everywhere embark on pilgrimages to find the perfect tree. The tree might be a real life fir, a plastic branched fake, or a fiber optic space age tree. However you decide to celebrate, please be safe. Check wires of your lights, inspect your fireplace and make sure your tree is well watered. The risk of house fires during the holidays increases dramatically.
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BY CAITLYN FITZPATRICK When you think of the holiday season, there are probably several things that come to mind. Besides the endless gift shopping, it’s the time of year to enjoy Christmas movies, seasonal treats, and, yes, plenty of wine. What can we say? It gives us that warm, fuzzy feeling. To guarantee you have a glass whenever you need, Vinebox has brought back its wine advent calendar.
Dubbed the Home for the Holidays box, it’s filled with its signature skinny cylinders with vino. You can expect a mix of reds and whites — and possibly even a surprise winter rosé! From France to Italy to Spain, the picks were curated from all over Europe, so you can feel like you’re on a chic vacation with every sip. As a sneak peek of what to expect, there’s a pinot noir from Francence’s Burgundy region, a tropical-scented chardonnay from the shores of Sicily, and trendy fruit-bomb wines from Spain, like classic Tuscan reds. Each day will be something different, so who knows — maybe you’ll find a new favorite variety that becomes your go-to. “We believe has the ability to bring friends and family together over a joyful, shared experience and we are honored to be a part of that with 12 Nights of Wine,” said Matt Dukes, CEO and co-founder at Vinebox. “This year, we’ve seen increased demand for at-home experiences, virtual tastings and gifting — so much so that we’ve sold out of every product this year. As a result, we are kicking off the holiday season earlier than ever before with this year’s wine tasting experience — Home for the Holidays — inspired by spending cherished holiday moments with close friends and family at home.” The limited-edition holiday box is available at Vinebox for $129 beginning on Sept. 28. Last year during the peak holiday season, the brand sold about 400 boxes a day, a PR rep confirmed to Best Products. So don’t be surprised if this sells out faster than you can say “Santa’s got a brand new bag.” CAITLYN FITZPATRICK News & Trends EditorAs the news & trends editor, Caitlyn covers the tastiest, coolest, and strangest products for BestProducts.com, as well as runs Best Products’ social handles; her work has also appeared in POPSUGAR and InStyle, among others. Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/  By |
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It seems that I am not the only person that goes to Texas Roadhouse just for their rolls…or should I say the butter that goes on the rolls!
Texas RoadhouseI spent many days there as a broke college student eating just rolls (super healthy, I know). But there has always been something SO special about their butter!
I have always thought that their butter could be put to better use than just their rolls (I felt the same way about Golden Corral’s butter).
I even confiscated some and took it home and added it to some mashed potatoes and good lord it was divine.
So leave it to Land O Lakes to bring us pretty much a replica of the most amazing butter in the world. Oh yes, they have done it again.
They have brought back the goodness of their cinnamon sugar butter spread!!!
You may have seen this in the past. It is one of their seasonal butter flavors. But the clicking of the light bulb in the brains of how much these two are alike are just now clicking! And now you have better bet it is ON. This is going on everything.
Rolls, mashed potatoes, toast, bagels, and waffles are just a few ideas off the top of my head, but I know there is so much more that can be done with this masterpiece!
The most recent viewings have been at Stop and Shop and Kroger so be sure to keep your eyes peeled and snag your own!
You can also order it from Walmart right now here! Hurry and get you some!!
If you do spot some, be sure to come back here and comment your finds!
Land O LakesAnd I will definitely need more ideas for what all I can use this butter for so you better comment below and give me some amazing ideas!!! I feel like I can do something with this and coffee…
Now if I could just figure out how to make the rolls from home…stay tuned for that!
Shared from https://totallythebomb.com/
ABOUT HOLLY WALKERHolly is married with two adorable kiddos. She loves crafting, playing video games and coming up with new Starbucks creations. She has an impressive 10 years under her belt and is a coffee master and barista championship winner! Want to see more from Holly? Follow her on TikTok and Instagram
Texas RoadhouseI spent many days there as a broke college student eating just rolls (super healthy, I know). But there has always been something SO special about their butter!
I have always thought that their butter could be put to better use than just their rolls (I felt the same way about Golden Corral’s butter).
I even confiscated some and took it home and added it to some mashed potatoes and good lord it was divine.
So leave it to Land O Lakes to bring us pretty much a replica of the most amazing butter in the world. Oh yes, they have done it again.
They have brought back the goodness of their cinnamon sugar butter spread!!!
You may have seen this in the past. It is one of their seasonal butter flavors. But the clicking of the light bulb in the brains of how much these two are alike are just now clicking! And now you have better bet it is ON. This is going on everything.
Rolls, mashed potatoes, toast, bagels, and waffles are just a few ideas off the top of my head, but I know there is so much more that can be done with this masterpiece!
The most recent viewings have been at Stop and Shop and Kroger so be sure to keep your eyes peeled and snag your own!
You can also order it from Walmart right now here! Hurry and get you some!!
If you do spot some, be sure to come back here and comment your finds!
Land O LakesAnd I will definitely need more ideas for what all I can use this butter for so you better comment below and give me some amazing ideas!!! I feel like I can do something with this and coffee…
Now if I could just figure out how to make the rolls from home…stay tuned for that!
Shared from https://totallythebomb.com/
ABOUT HOLLY WALKERHolly is married with two adorable kiddos. She loves crafting, playing video games and coming up with new Starbucks creations. She has an impressive 10 years under her belt and is a coffee master and barista championship winner! Want to see more from Holly? Follow her on TikTok and Instagram
There are all kinds of tacos out there, and we're happy to report banana pudding tacos can be added to that list.
Sure, banana pudding tacos don't sound particularly delicious at first, but once you really give them some thought, it's pretty easy to see the tastiness potential.
Josh Elkin, of the Recipe Champions blog, shared a recipe for the dessert tacos, and we have to say they look pretty dang amazing. Imagine smooth, sweet banana pudding combined with a crunchy vanilla shell. Starting to sound like the taco of your dreams yet?
In his recipe, Elkin uses simple ingredients to whip up the vanilla taco shells and the classic banana pudding -- complete with fresh bananas and vanilla wafers -- filling we all love. Plus, he tops them with whip cream.
Elkin uses pre-made ingredients too, so the prep time for four tacos is only 15 minutes with 20 minutes of cook time.
Ready to bite into a banana pudding taco? You can visit the Recipe Champions blog for the full recipe.
From Your Site ArticlesRelated Articles Around the Web
Sure, banana pudding tacos don't sound particularly delicious at first, but once you really give them some thought, it's pretty easy to see the tastiness potential.
Josh Elkin, of the Recipe Champions blog, shared a recipe for the dessert tacos, and we have to say they look pretty dang amazing. Imagine smooth, sweet banana pudding combined with a crunchy vanilla shell. Starting to sound like the taco of your dreams yet?
In his recipe, Elkin uses simple ingredients to whip up the vanilla taco shells and the classic banana pudding -- complete with fresh bananas and vanilla wafers -- filling we all love. Plus, he tops them with whip cream.
Elkin uses pre-made ingredients too, so the prep time for four tacos is only 15 minutes with 20 minutes of cook time.
Ready to bite into a banana pudding taco? You can visit the Recipe Champions blog for the full recipe.
From Your Site ArticlesRelated Articles Around the Web
We’d be lying if we said we don’t look forward to Applebee’s Drink of the Month. Who doesn’t want a cheap, seasonally appropriate sip after a long day? For Halloween last year, we had the Vampire, which came with a side of plastic fans. This year, there’s not one, but two giant cocktails that will have you feeling spooky (and tipsy).
The two haunted drinks, as detailed by our sister site Delish, are the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice. The names have you sold already, right? Wait until you hear what’s in each of them. The first is made with Bacardi Superior, a float of Midori, and topped with a gummy brain. The result is an ombre blue drink that looks almost too cool to drink.
Nexrt up is Dracula’s Juice, and it’s appropriately red with a white top. The frozen drink is made with Patrón Tequila, Bacardi Superior, wildberry, and margarita mix. Applebee’s describes it as part margarita and part daiquiri, so it’s just the thing we’re looking to sink our teeth into. Both of the drinks are served in the fast casual chain’s “Mucho” glass that looks like a big goblet, as if they couldn’t be more Halloween-ready.
Oh, and did we mention that the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice are just $5 each?! Happy Halloween to us indeed.
You don’t even have to wait until October to get your hands on the terrifying cocktails. You can get the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice drinks from now through Halloween. Make sure you leave room to try both, because they’re only around for long.
Have no fear if you’re avoiding restaurants right now. Select Applebee’s locations are offering the cocktails to-go, so there’s no reason not to add it to your order. Oh, and the chain has announced that you can order a dozen Double Crunch Shrimp to any steak entrée for $1. So it looks like surf ‘n turf and two giant cocktails are on the menu for tonight’s dinner!
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
The two haunted drinks, as detailed by our sister site Delish, are the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice. The names have you sold already, right? Wait until you hear what’s in each of them. The first is made with Bacardi Superior, a float of Midori, and topped with a gummy brain. The result is an ombre blue drink that looks almost too cool to drink.
Nexrt up is Dracula’s Juice, and it’s appropriately red with a white top. The frozen drink is made with Patrón Tequila, Bacardi Superior, wildberry, and margarita mix. Applebee’s describes it as part margarita and part daiquiri, so it’s just the thing we’re looking to sink our teeth into. Both of the drinks are served in the fast casual chain’s “Mucho” glass that looks like a big goblet, as if they couldn’t be more Halloween-ready.
Oh, and did we mention that the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice are just $5 each?! Happy Halloween to us indeed.
You don’t even have to wait until October to get your hands on the terrifying cocktails. You can get the Tipsy Zombie and Dracula’s Juice drinks from now through Halloween. Make sure you leave room to try both, because they’re only around for long.
Have no fear if you’re avoiding restaurants right now. Select Applebee’s locations are offering the cocktails to-go, so there’s no reason not to add it to your order. Oh, and the chain has announced that you can order a dozen Double Crunch Shrimp to any steak entrée for $1. So it looks like surf ‘n turf and two giant cocktails are on the menu for tonight’s dinner!
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
Candy just hits different around Halloween. That is a big component of the holiday after all, right? Hershey’s has a ton of new chocolates available this season, and now it’s going a step further by turning those creations into milkshakes, cookies, and more at Hershey’s Chocolate World.
The one creation that we can’t take our eyes off of is the Kisses Vampire Milkshake. Since the treat is inspired by the Vampire Kisses, which are brand-new this year, we can only assume that the base is made with strawberry ice cream with chocolate drizzle. It’s topped with what looks like chocolate whipped cream (!!!), strawberry drizzle, and the Vampire Kisses. One of these will certainly take care of any sweet tooth.
For the pumpkin lovers, Hershey’s has turned the Kit Kat Pumpkin Pie into a milkshake as well. From the picture, we can see that it’s topped with a piece of Kit Kat Pumpkin Pie, a graham cracker, whipped cream, and perhaps a little pumpkin spice. Whether you want to go the strawberry-chocolate route or stick with pumpkin, you’re bound to get into the Halloween spirit within the first sip.
The one creation that we can’t take our eyes off of is the Kisses Vampire Milkshake. Since the treat is inspired by the Vampire Kisses, which are brand-new this year, we can only assume that the base is made with strawberry ice cream with chocolate drizzle. It’s topped with what looks like chocolate whipped cream (!!!), strawberry drizzle, and the Vampire Kisses. One of these will certainly take care of any sweet tooth.
For the pumpkin lovers, Hershey’s has turned the Kit Kat Pumpkin Pie into a milkshake as well. From the picture, we can see that it’s topped with a piece of Kit Kat Pumpkin Pie, a graham cracker, whipped cream, and perhaps a little pumpkin spice. Whether you want to go the strawberry-chocolate route or stick with pumpkin, you’re bound to get into the Halloween spirit within the first sip.
Moving away from the milkshakes, Hershey’s Chocolate World has used the Reese’s Franken-Cup in a cookie, as well as in a s’mores. With the second one, you get graham crackers sandwiching gooey marshmallows and the peanut butter-chocolate treat. Yum! And don’t worry, they haven’t forgotten about the new Kit Kat Witch’s Brew. You can find the marshmallow-flavored candy incorporated in a cookie dough cup.
There are plenty of other sweet treats on the menu, but you know we had to highlight the Halloween-approved ones. After all, we’ve been waiting for the appropriate time to watch Hocus Pocus on repeat since summertime. You can check out the entire bakery menu at Hershey’s Chocolate World here. So … meet you in Hershey, Pennsylvania?
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
There are plenty of other sweet treats on the menu, but you know we had to highlight the Halloween-approved ones. After all, we’ve been waiting for the appropriate time to watch Hocus Pocus on repeat since summertime. You can check out the entire bakery menu at Hershey’s Chocolate World here. So … meet you in Hershey, Pennsylvania?
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
Gone are the days where you had to choose a single candy to go in your milkshake, because SONIC Drive-In has new Trick or Treat Blasts. The frozen dessert combines three treats that you’ll typically find in your bag after a long night of trick-or-treating on Halloween.
The Trick or Treat Blasts come in vanilla and chocolate varieties. Each one includes vanilla ice cream that’s blended with M&M’s Minis, Snickers bar pieces, and Oreo cookie pieces — the chocolate version also includes chocolate syrup. It’s like your favorite Halloween candy exploded into a frozen treat! So it all depends if you’re a vanilla or chocolate person, although there’s plenty of chocolate loaded into it anyway.
You can get the Trick or Treat Blasts at SONIC until Nov. 1 for a limited time. Maybe it’ll even inspire you to think up your own Halloween candy-inspired treats to make at home!
“The crunch of three different chocolate candy and cookie pieces combined with SONIC’s smooth and creamy, 100% Real Ice Cream work in perfect harmony to create a craveable and irresistible dessert,” Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development for SONIC, said in a press release. “By packing in bites of Halloween favorites in each spoonful, we’ve captured the thrill of digging into a trick or treat haul in one frozen treat, served SONIC style.”
SONIC has also announced that it is bringing back the Jr. Garlic Butter Burger. The beef burger is seared with creamy garlic butter and topped with American cheese, bacon, mayo, and grilled onions on a toasted bakery bun. It looks like we’ll be going all out with the garlicky burger and washing it down with a Trick or Treat Blast!
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
The Trick or Treat Blasts come in vanilla and chocolate varieties. Each one includes vanilla ice cream that’s blended with M&M’s Minis, Snickers bar pieces, and Oreo cookie pieces — the chocolate version also includes chocolate syrup. It’s like your favorite Halloween candy exploded into a frozen treat! So it all depends if you’re a vanilla or chocolate person, although there’s plenty of chocolate loaded into it anyway.
You can get the Trick or Treat Blasts at SONIC until Nov. 1 for a limited time. Maybe it’ll even inspire you to think up your own Halloween candy-inspired treats to make at home!
“The crunch of three different chocolate candy and cookie pieces combined with SONIC’s smooth and creamy, 100% Real Ice Cream work in perfect harmony to create a craveable and irresistible dessert,” Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development for SONIC, said in a press release. “By packing in bites of Halloween favorites in each spoonful, we’ve captured the thrill of digging into a trick or treat haul in one frozen treat, served SONIC style.”
SONIC has also announced that it is bringing back the Jr. Garlic Butter Burger. The beef burger is seared with creamy garlic butter and topped with American cheese, bacon, mayo, and grilled onions on a toasted bakery bun. It looks like we’ll be going all out with the garlicky burger and washing it down with a Trick or Treat Blast!
Shared from https://www.bestproducts.com/
Pumpkin spice is everywhere, and whether you love it or hate it- the seasonal treat is here to stay. Many people think there is a stigma of being “basic” if you like it, but if that’s the case I guess I’m happy being basic. I’ve found the most delicious Pumpkin Spice Gummy Bears available on Etsy, and I have to spread the good news. They taste just like pumpkin pie and for me that’s a big win in my book.
Description:
A fun fall treat for Gummy Bear lovers. Warm spices, make this gummy a taste treat. All the gummy’s are made with a splash of love.
4 oz package contains approximate 28 1″ Bears
Breana Ceballoshttp://www.nerdbot.com
Hi! I am the Managing Editor for Nerdbot.com I enjoy watching anime, learning about new things and keeping up with Nerd Culture. I love writing and hope to introduce people to things that they may not have known about before through my articles.
Shared from https://nerdbot.com/
A fun fall treat for Gummy Bear lovers. Warm spices, make this gummy a taste treat. All the gummy’s are made with a splash of love.
4 oz package contains approximate 28 1″ Bears
Breana Ceballoshttp://www.nerdbot.com
Hi! I am the Managing Editor for Nerdbot.com I enjoy watching anime, learning about new things and keeping up with Nerd Culture. I love writing and hope to introduce people to things that they may not have known about before through my articles.
Shared from https://nerdbot.com/
Carvel has partnered with Freeform in honor of its 31 Days of Halloween schedule. After all, Disney’s Hocus Pocus is going to be playing quite often — just how we like it! Now while you watch the movie all October long, you can enjoy Carvel’s new Hocus Pocus Shake.
The magic potion, aka the shake, is a mix of Carvel’s signature vanilla soft-serve and Oreo cookie pieces that’s topped with whipped cream and Halloween sprinkles. What makes it over-the-top special is that it’s served in a limited-edition 31 Nights of Halloween X Hocus Pocus cup, complete with cartooned pictures of the Sanderson Sisters.
“Carvel fans look forward to our holiday specialty shakes and we are thrilled to bring even more Halloween excitement to our shoppes this year with our Freeform collaboration,” Nicolle DuBose, chief marketing officer at Carvel, said in a press release. “The 31 Nights of Halloween Hocus Pocus shake is not only a delicious treat but the limited-edition cup only makes it sweeter for guests to enjoy as they watch their favorite Halloween movies!”
You can get the Hocus Pocus Shake from Sept. 28 through Nov. 1 at full-service Carvel locations and select express shoppes in California, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Virginia. Since we don’t want to get off the couch any more than you do during a Halloween-movie binge, you can order delivery through third-party services, including Uber Eats, which is offering free delivery on Carvel orders from Oct. 9 to 11.
Leave it to Carvel to bring together a few of our favorite things: ice cream, Oreos, Halloween, and Hocus Pocus.
The magic potion, aka the shake, is a mix of Carvel’s signature vanilla soft-serve and Oreo cookie pieces that’s topped with whipped cream and Halloween sprinkles. What makes it over-the-top special is that it’s served in a limited-edition 31 Nights of Halloween X Hocus Pocus cup, complete with cartooned pictures of the Sanderson Sisters.
“Carvel fans look forward to our holiday specialty shakes and we are thrilled to bring even more Halloween excitement to our shoppes this year with our Freeform collaboration,” Nicolle DuBose, chief marketing officer at Carvel, said in a press release. “The 31 Nights of Halloween Hocus Pocus shake is not only a delicious treat but the limited-edition cup only makes it sweeter for guests to enjoy as they watch their favorite Halloween movies!”
You can get the Hocus Pocus Shake from Sept. 28 through Nov. 1 at full-service Carvel locations and select express shoppes in California, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Virginia. Since we don’t want to get off the couch any more than you do during a Halloween-movie binge, you can order delivery through third-party services, including Uber Eats, which is offering free delivery on Carvel orders from Oct. 9 to 11.
Leave it to Carvel to bring together a few of our favorite things: ice cream, Oreos, Halloween, and Hocus Pocus.
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