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Fun Facts about Christmas Songs & Carols

Posted on December 17, 2013 by kejohns323 Posted in Pop Culture .

Take a break from decking the halls and dreaming of a white Christmas with every card you write to check out these fun facts from around the internet on the popular seasonal music:

Fun Facts about Christmas Songs & Carols

Christmas carols and Christmas songs are used interchangeably, and there’s nothing wrong with that, because carols are basically just festive songs. Some have religious context, but not commonly used in formal church services until Saint Francis of Assisi incorporated them. The word carol comes from Greek and old French with meanings relating to songs accompanied by dance.
The Grand Hotel mentioned in “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas” is believed to be in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
“Carol of the Bells” is a Ukranian carol. It was first performed in December of 1916 at Kiev University.
The “five golden rings” line of “The Twelve Days of Chrismas” do not refer to jewelry, but instead ring-necked birds! It was also written to help Catholic children in England remember their articles of faith during Catholic persecution. (interpretations can be found here) And each item of the song would cost about $114,000 this year according to NPR.
“Jingle Bells” was actually written for Thanksgiving.
Huffington Post claims “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” is the most annoying Christmas song ever. (“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” is on my list!)
According to Business Insider, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the most popular song ever (even as a ringtone).
“Silent Night” has had the most appearances on music charts. Some stories about the song basically say that this song was played on a guitar for a church service when the organ broke. In 2011, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared it an “intangible cultural heritage”

Rockin’ at A Slammin’ Winter Jam

Posted on January 2, 2013 by kejohns323 Posted in Music .

Christmas is over and New Years has just past, but it’s still the most wonderful time of the year! Why, you ask? Because it’s Winter Jam season! Winter Jam is a concert series for the biggest names and some of the up-and-coming acts in the Christian music industry. Since its formation in 1995, this tour has been a wildly popular event! In fact, stats from Pollstar ticket sales show that last year’s Winter Jam outpaced attendance for all other tours in the first quarter, including Cirque du Soleil – “Michael Jackson: The Immortal,” Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, The Black Keys, Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley! For one thing, the ten dollar admittance fee at the door might be one attribution to that. It’s probably the cheapest and most awesome show anyone could attend. No ticket required!

Winter Jam 2013’s lineup includes tobyMac, Jaime Grace, Red, Matthew West, Newsong, Sidewalk Prophets, Jason Castro, Royal Tailor, OBB. Capital Kings, and speaker Nick Hall. The tour kicks off January 4^th, in Charleston, West Virginia and tours the eastern United States till the end of March. (Click here to find a tour stop near you!)Be sure to get to your venue as early as you can as it will very likely be a very packed house! If you’re a part of Jam Nation, you get free and early admission to a show and so many more VIP perks!

Ten dollars upon arrival for ten awesome music acts (and one speaker)…One night of great music with an even greater message… something for all of your friends and family to enjoy…What ‘s not to love about the Winter Jam Spectacular?! After rockin’ around the Christmas tree and with Dick Clark in Times Square, why not some more rockin’ at a concert near you?

Claudia Varosio Prints – Perfect For The Film Enthusiast

Posted on May 17, 2012 by kejohns323 Posted in Art, Movies, Pop Culture, Style .

Are you a movie buff or know someone who is? How about a film enthusiast? Claudia Varosio is your new best friend. She has a line of original, unofficial movie posters, pop culture prints, and more. Her style emulates comic art and maintains strong use of vibrant color in every piece. Her collection spans from the classics of the nineteen-twenties to some of today’s well-known titles. Her work is very popular, having been featured in Newsweek and Esquire publications. To date, she has made over four thousand sales from her ETSY shop, and has received nothing but positive feedback! Even one of her pieces, the David Bowie Paper Doll print, is on the front page of ETSY.

Claudia Varosio was born in Italy, and is an artist by hobby. Much of her work is hand-drawn, and inspired after she watches a film or reads a book. As inspiration she cites Saul Bass, comics Tomine and Clowes, and poster art and artists from the sixties and later.

Take note of her shop policies before your purchase. Varosio is based in London, England, which means international shipping can take anywhere from one to four weeks and tracking is not included. However, she can be flexible if an order is needed sooner. PayPal is her preferred method of purchase.

Prints and posters from Claudia Varosio will make a nice addition to your living space, or a great gift for the film enthusiast you know!

Rockin’ at a Slammin’ Winter Jam

Posted on January 2, 2012 by kejohns323 Posted in Music .

Winter Jam 2013’s lineup includes tobyMac, Jaime Grace, Red, Matthew West, Newsong, Sidewalk Prophets, Jason Castro, Royal Tailor, DBB. Capital Kings, and speaker Nick Hall. The tour kicks off January 4^th, in Charleston, West Virginia and tours the eastern United States till the end of March. (Check here to find a tour stop near you!) Be sure to get to your venue as early as you can as it will very likely be a very packed house! If you’re a part of Jam Nation, you get free and early admission to a show and so many more VIP perks!