William Penn wooed and won people from their troubled homes in the Palatinate and Upper Rhine in the middle of the 17th century. Since then, the Pennsylvania Dutch have been known for their love of good food, their large tables, and the heartiness [...]
In 1950, Santa Claus was banned from the Reading Christmas parade. Not that the city didn't believe in Santa. But the parade sponsors, the young men of the Reading, Pennsylvania, Junior Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Jaycees, wanted the observance to [...]
The mistletoe Americans are familiar with -- phoradendron serotinum -- grows primarily in the Southeast and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma. In swamps, it can be plucked off low-hanging branches by hand. It can sometimes be taken by ladder or by [...]
William M. Koziar, the creator of Christmas Village, began decorating his home and property in 1948 for the pleasure that he and his wife, Grace, and their four children derived from the unusual display. People appreciated and applauded the beauty of the Koziar's [...]
Richards' toy corner, located on the northeast corner of Front and Buttonwood, was probably the largest store devoted to toys ,year round, in the city. No "youngster" of whatever age, passing by 101 Buttonwood Street, could resist the enormous temptation to go inside [...]
