Monthly Archives: December 2016

Holly (Ilex) and ivy (Hedera helix) have been used as winter decorations since ancient times. Adorning homes with these plants freshened the air and their greenery reminded occupants of the coming spring. While the cold, dark days of winter turned … Continue reading →

During the fourth century, the practice of bringing evergreen trees indoors, during the dark days of winter, spread across Europe. In medieval Germany, the increase in Christianity gave rise to a new tradition.  Germans began decorating the trees with apples … Continue reading →

  The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (op. 71). The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” It was given its première … Continue reading →