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 Waterford crystal is almost as famous for the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City, as it is for divine crystal home décor and glassware items. The magic of the famous ball of crystal and electric lights rising to great heights atop a pole on the One Times Square building is known worldwide. More famous than the ascension in the square is the descending, marking the coming of the New Year. While most mortals cannot afford to have such a large piece of lead crystal crafted for their home, Waterford can grace your Amish built china cabinets in some form or another.

Glass making in Ireland may have existed in Ireland as far back as the middle of the 13th century. Waterford Crystal, however, began in 1783; a creation of two brothers, George and William Penrose. The Penroses began manufacturing crystal in one of Ireland’s busiest ports, Waterford. The brothers became very important developers while also becoming the city’s principal exporters.

An interesting and influencing fact about the Penrose brothers and a prominent employee, John Hill, was that they were Quakers. In the early 1700’s Quakers began settling in Ireland’s Waterford community. Because of the values and high work ethics of this religious sect the Quakers emerged as important entrepreneurs and industrialists. Just like the Amish, the Quakers became trusted, both locally and internationally, for their honesty and integrity.

The Penrose bothers and Hill were known for producing crystal with a purity of color unseen in the world before then. Waterford was shipped worldwide to ports in Spain, the West Indies, New York, New England and Newfoundland. As successful as the lead crystal business was, the lack of capital and excessive taxation caused the business to fail within a century, leaving behind an unparalleled reputation that has lasted until today. Another century came and went and the company was resurrected in 1947. Still recovering from the ravages of WWII, a small glass factory was once again opened for business in Waterford.

Like the Amish descendants hold on to the same dedication to the purity of workmanship of their ancestors, the new owners of Waterford Crystal hold to the traditions of the same design inspirations and highest quality levels of crystal production possible. The product line has grown to include crystal products along with Waterford China, Waterford Table & Bed Linens, Waterford Stainless Flatware and Silver Gifts, Waterford Writing Instruments, Waterford Holiday Heirlooms, lighting fixtures and Waterford Crystal Jewelry.

Amish designed and built solid wood furniture and Waterford Crystal has become synonym for the finest quality furniture and crystal sought after by collectors and connoisseurs around the world. Like each piece of furniture, each piece of Waterford can easily be recognized by the signature. While the Amish signature is more a signature of quality, the crystal pieces are actually signed on the base with the word “Waterford”. Any Quaker inspired Waterford heirloom piece would be an added asset to your Amish tables or buffets.

Deep cleaning your kitchen for a fresh start to the New Year is not for wimps. You must be absolutely detached and ruthless, the focus on one thing - a clean, well thought out kitchen and pantry. Think of clutter as the enemy and you as the hero or heroine of your precious time and space. In a single day one of the most used and pivotal rooms in your home can be refreshed and repurposed.

EMPTY OUT THOSE CABINETS - If your kitchen table is big enough that is great, if not use the adjoining dining room table. Cover the table with your protective custom pads and a sheet or make padding from layers of sheets or blankets. Now pull everything out of your cabinets. Use the tables as a staging area to sort and organize. While emptying the cabinets review your findings. If it is trash then quickly put trash inside of dark trash bags. Why dark? Because out of sight is out of mind, and you are not tempted to pull out discards.

RECYCLE - Before beginning your purge find a local charity or a newly married couple to donate kitchen items to. These people would love donations of kitchen items; and emotionally if you know that you are parting company with your items for a noble reason it is easier to let go. Remember the old rule - If you have not used something in a year chances are you just will not use it. DONATE!

THE PLAN - Tackle one cabinet at a time to make the job less overwhelming. Start at the ceiling and move from one side of the room to the other. Next tackle the cabinets below the counter. Under the sink and the refrigerator should be last, since they are usually the hardest. Use the same method for the pantry as for the cabinets. Remember when organizing to try to combine like items and toss, toss, toss!

TRASH IT -

• Old cleaning supplies.
• Food six months old or more, unless there is a later expiration date, or unless you know there is no way you are ever using even by that date. Check any open boxes for bugs and freshness. If possible put them in plastic bins and label with dates and contents.
• Pots and pans and baking ware that you don’t use or have extras of.
• Pots and pans and baking ware that are in horrible shape, burned, warped, etc.
• Excess serving dishes and utensils. Think ahead and realize how many you would really need at your biggest gathering.
• If you store medicines in the kitchen follow the same rules as food. Check for expiration dates and throw out medicines that were not useful, or that you know you won’t use.

CLEAN IT - Wipe down empty shelves, doors and drawers. If it is needed, reline the shelves and drawers.

Clean all the appliances inside and out. This includes the refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, stove vent and hood, toaster oven, microwave, and even the coffee maker and espresso machine following the manufacturer’s suggestions.

Fill the sink with warm, soapy water to wash items that have picked up grime. When you are done then clean and detail the sink and faucet with a toothbrush. Clean the drains, disposal, etc. Pour baking soda in the drain for freshness and grind lemons in the disposal.

Dust any appropriate items.

Next vacuum from ceiling to floor, including all stove vents and a/c ducts.

Don’t forget to clean the windows.

Wipe down chairs and table, including the legs.

Finally sweep and mop the floor last.

Think you’re finished? Then go through the kitchen again. Check for unused spices and cookbooks you’ll never use again. If you look hard enough you can get rid of a few more items. Think of the fresh new life you can enjoy by purging, cleaning and organizing your kitchen for the New Year.

The beauty of Christmas, with its perfectly wrapped and coiffed tissue paper filled gift bags, is fading into last year’s memory, leaving you with the clean up. While having a pre-planned organizing system like a solid wood bookcase, shelving unit, armoire, cedar chest or trunk really expedites the clean-up, realize you should not even attempt to keep or organize everything. Some simple, green, earth and money-friendly ideas to help clean up Christmas, will help to make the season bright:

Think Like The Shakers: Recycle/Reuse Everything You Can!
You can choose to take that extra step and recycle all those cardboard boxes at a local recycling center or, better yet, save the paper, boxes and bows that are still in re-usable condition and use them again. Designating a drawer in your buffet, armoire or even a cedar chest can make a green gift wrapping center. Save money on next year’s gift wrapping and create less trash in the landfill.

Think Swap or Sell: Pre-loved Media!
Video games, DVDs, CDs, and good, old fashioned books make great items for swapping for different or selling for cash. Instead of forsaking those older media items to the back of your bookcases or shelves to collect dust, gather them up and take them to the local gaming store, used book store or consignment shop. Online auctions are also a great source for reselling these items.

Think Sharing Is Caring: Set An Example!
Even in a tough economy most kids get many new toys. Teach your children to keep life simple and uncluttered while teaching them to share. Explain to the child that before they can use their new treasures they must prepare their rooms for them. You can also include an important life lesson in sharing and moving past material possessions. With the kids do a sweep of the toy box:
1. Throw out all broken toys and immediately put in the outdoor trash bin.
2. Pack up all out grown toys for donation. Use dark bags so that the toys become invisible, thus less painful to part with.
3. Make a new home for the new toys and celebrate their arrival. Teaching thankfulness is another great life lesson.

Think Charitable: Donate!
Did you get a new wardrobe this season? Before searching for drawer space and hangers clean out those closets, reorganize and begin the New Year in order. Then donate your old clothes to an organization that uses the clothes or the profits to help those in need.

By living thoughtfully, preplanned and uncluttered you will be able to enjoy your home and life to its fullest. Christmas clean-up can be the start to an amazingly well organized and simplified New Year.

H olding a small tree or a branch the hooded belsnickle looks stern and judgmental as he travels from home to home for Christmas visitations. The symbolic Saint Nicholas figure known as a Belsnickle was known to leave a naughty child a whipping switch, very unlike the Santa Claus we have come to know and love. The figure of Santa Claus first made its appearance among the Pennsylvania Dutch in the mid 1820s. The early form was known as Kris Kringle, or his older name, Belsnickle. From the German, Belsnickle is a derivative of “Pelz-nickle”, or “Nicholas in Furs “.

The tradition of Der Belsnickel was brought to America when German immigrants arrived and was soon adopted by other early settlers. Traveling the 19th century Pennsylvania countryside, the Belsnickle rang his bell, seeking out good children to give gifts of cakes and nuts to. For the not so well behaved German-American boy or girl he would warn the child to be good or else they may be getting smacked with his dreadful rod.

Until about World War II, if a family was a member of the Lutheran or Reformed church, a child might expect a Christmas Eve visit from the Belsnickle. Sometimes the visits were not regulated to just Christmas Eve but would run for nearly two weeks, starting the week before Christmas and then continuing until the New Year.

Quite often the Belsnickle figure was played out by a family member wearing heavy fur, disguising his true identity. Belsnicklers often blackened their faces with charcoal to disguise themselves. The Belsnickle would then travel from house to house waving his switches in the air. The Belsnickle’s gifts of cakes or candy were thrown on the floor, but beware! If a child were lucky enough to be tossed a treat, deeming them a good child, they could not retrieve it in the presence of the Belsnickler or be “whacked” with a branch. The Belsnickle would ask to see each child, asking them if they had been good. If the parents had tattled beforehand he would admonish the child as a liar. The child could try to redeem themselves by reciting a Christmas poem or singing a song.

Just like the tradition of milk and cookies for Santa, it was customary to feed the Belsnickle. While not always a welcome guest in all homes, in most houses they were invited in. They would then unmask and identify themselves and receive doughnuts, molasses cakes and coffee, lemonade, or cider.

By the early 20^th century Belsnicklers began traveling in bands, like trick-or-treaters. Going quite boisterously from farm to farm shortly after dark, the visits would end before midnight. Over the years the Belsnickle transformed from a raucous and traveling punisher of small urchins into a much kinder figure. His bundle of switches became a soft miniature Germanic feather tree, or even better a bag of toys and gifts.

So as you nestle in to your cozy Amish built bed for a long winter’s Christmas Eve nap consider this - If the Belsnickle came to visit you would it be a cake or a switch he might leave?

 While winter 2008 is leaving all the global warming advocates a bit speechless homeowners are concerned about the unusual snowfalls and other bizarre weather conditions causing damage to their valued hardwood floors. While wisely protecting our investment in heirloom quality hard wood furniture is obvious, sometimes we take for granted the durability of our hardwood floors. The winter season, especially when you live in a climate unfamiliar to snow, ice and salt, can be very harsh on wooden flooring. Without proper care it is easy for the exposure to a long winter’s unforgiving elements to permanently dull the finish on hardwood floors. With enough water and moisture from melting ice and snow, floor boards can even suffer warping and gapping.

It is almost impossible to avoid all winter element exposure. It would be unrealistic to expect that the normal ins and outs of daily life cease when it snows. In fact, they may very well increase with the prospect of snow sledding, snow ball fights and snowman building. So, rather than laying in provisions for the winter and boarding up the house, here are a few simple steps any busy household can take to prevent costly damage and protect your wood floors this winter.

• DESIGNATE A WET AREA - Encourage everyone to leave their wet outer wear at the door. By setting aside a “mud room”, even if it is not actually a room, you will avoid trekking snow, which quickly becomes dirty water, all over the house.
• MATS - An ounce of prevention, or a few feet of good mats, is worth a pound of cure. Stop the slush and snow before it even gets past the threshold. Buy two sets and alternate them. Let one dry while the other saves the day.
• SHOE DRAINERS - By placing a low cost dish drainer by the door  you have created a safe zone for drying shoes, galoshes and boots. Place an absorbent towel on the mat underneath and place the wet foot wear in the drainer. In the morning you will find dry shoes and beautiful floors.
• SAY NO TO PAW PRINTS - Pets cannot help but track snow and slushy ice into the house. Train yourself to help pets to wait while you dry their paws with a towel. Keep a tub of baby wipes or towels and a spray bottle by the door. They will learn to love the extra attention.
• TIME IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE - If all of your work at the door has failed and salty, snowy footprints are splayed across your glorious hardwood don’t even waste time being upset - clean and dry the mess immediately. Use a gentle cleaner formulated for your flooring and then buff dry to avoid warping or dulling.

Elegant hardwood flooring create a glorious backdrop for solid hardwood Amish built home furnishings in every style but no backdrop can be glorious when damaged and dulled by winter’s harsh nature. By using a few steps to protect your hardwood flooring it will help to improve the longevity and insure that your investment lasts as long as your Amish heirlooms.