Tag: Holiday Market

Town with Christmas decorations, Pennsylvania holiday traditions, Burkholder

Burkholder Explores Ways to Get into the Holiday Spirit

Written by Burkholder on December 7, 2022. Posted in Blog, Landscape Ideas & Design.

The holiday season is in full swing, and many homeowners and residents around Main Line are looking for ways to get into the holiday spirit. Many families will be playing festive songs or baking cookies together to feel more joyous. Watching holiday-themed movies is also a tradition during this time of year. Other families like to get into the holiday spirit by shopping for gifts, picking out Christmas trees, and decorating their homes. Those are all activities and events you and your loved ones can look forward to and help get you into the holiday spirit.

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Listen to Holiday Music

Playing holiday-themed songs is a great way to make your home feel more festive and warm during the chilly winter. From modern pop to traditional choirs, Christmas music helps enhance the winter atmosphere. In addition, music is a must if you invite friends and family for a holiday gathering. If you or your family have personal favorite Christmas songs, go onto a music app like Spotify or Apple Music and make your own playlist. Or you can choose from hundreds of other playlists that include various holiday songs based on specific themes like carols, genres, and periods.

Bake Cookies

Food is always a favorite way to get into the holiday spirit, especially sweet treats. The holidays are an excellent time for you and your family to try some new recipes in addition to tried-and-true favorites. Look up cookie recipes online, and if you find one that catches your attention (or looks delicious), jot the recipe down and try making it. You might also consider putting a new twist on traditional family recipes and pair your treats with hot chocolate or other festive drinks. Baking with your family and sharing cookies with your friends or neighbors helps everyone enjoy the holidays.

Visit Local Holiday Light Displays

Another activity is to visit local tree-lighting displays or shows. This could be at a local park or neighborhood, with many trees decorated or lighted structures of Santa and his reindeer, snowflakes, and other iconic holiday imagery. “Lightseeing” can be a fun way to spend time with family, help you get into the holiday spirit, and get everyone excited for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Have Holiday Movie Marathons

With the cold, snowy weather of Christmas time, relaxing and watching Christmas and other classic holiday movies with family is one of many ways to get into the holiday spirit. Here are just a few of our favorite holiday movies that make for a fun, memorable time during the Christmas season:

A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Story
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
It’s a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street

Other suggestions, such as the Rankin/Bass animated specials (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman) and the Charlie Brown Christmas special, are fun for children (of all ages!) These films help reinforce that the holidays are about giving and caring for others, making them excellent choices for getting into the holiday spirit.

Go Shopping

The winter holidays are excellent times for shopping, and many families use shopping and decorating to help get into the festive spirit. Shopping for gifts enables you to embrace the holiday spirit: giving to others and showing how much you care for them. So when you go out shopping, buy gifts that your friends and loved ones will cherish and appreciate for years to come, and help spread holiday cheer.

Christmas Tree Shopping & Decorating

One of the most memorable parts of any holiday is picking out the perfect Christmas tree and decorating the tree with family. The tree acts as a festive seasonal centerpiece for your home, and usually, everyone joins in on the fun. Hang your favorite ornaments and tree lights, and decorate your home with other items, such as wreaths and lights, to create a more festive atmosphere in and around your home. Having your home decorated outdoors and indoors is an excellent idea if you intend to have guests over.

Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market for One of the Best Ways to Get into the Holiday Spirit

For more ways to get into the holiday spirit, visit the Burkholder Holiday Market. Our market has various unique, thoughtful, and festive gifts, along with Pennsylvania-grown Christmas trees. We also have fun, family-friendly events such as visits from Santa and his reindeer, face painting, and fun local food vendor visits. So come in, find your gifts and Christmas tree, roast a few marshmallows, and enjoy a memorable holiday shopping experience.

Varied wall decor at the 2019 Burkholder Holiday Market

Fun Holiday Things to Do in Main Line PA

Written by Burkholder on November 15, 2022. Posted in Blog, Landscape Ideas & Design.

As 2022 comes to a close, many families around the Main Line area are looking for fun holiday things to do. The Main Line area has many events for you and your family to enjoy during the holidays. For example, you can go shopping for fun gifts and experiences, enjoy holiday lighting and decorations at a botanical garden or conservancy, or visit an art gallery. Below are details about some fun holiday events in Main Line, PA.

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Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market

One popular event around the Main Line is our annual Holiday Market. Many residents in our community look forward to the shop during the holidays to find beautiful gifts for friends and family and to buy a Christmas tree or other holiday swag. Children also have fun at our shop thanks to family-friendly events such as face-painting and visits from Santa Claus and his reindeer. The holiday market also features local food trucks on weekends, and complimentary beer and wine for adults 21 and over. Burkholder’s Holiday Market provides a fun, family-friendly shopping and community experience.

Longwood Gardens Christmas Display – Philadelphia and the Countryside

Other fun holiday things to do this year include visiting light shows and displays. Longwood Gardens will hold a Christmas festival with displays from November 18, 2022,

to January 8, 2023. Their horticulture artists use plants to create an extraordinary collection of floating floral designs like festive trees, gardens, light displays, treehouses, and more. In addition, Longwood Christmas will feature live music, from holiday carolers to organ players and bells, to help guests get into the holiday spirit.

Wild Lights at the Elmwood Park Zoo

From November 18 – December 30, 2022, Norristown’s Elmwood Park Zoo will turn into a winter wonderland, with millions of LED lights and decorations illuminating 16 acres of land. The zoo will also feature live entertainment for people of all ages.

Deck the Alley: Elfreth’s Alley Historic Holiday Home Tours

Deck the Alley, a holiday fundraiser, returns as one of the many fun holiday things to do in the Philadelphia area, specifically a historic street, Elfreth’s Alley, on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Attendees can glimpse what life was like inside many 18th and 19th-century houses. In addition, the event will also have craft demonstrations, carolers, and historically-costumed performers for entertainment. Proceeds go to the Elfreth’s Alley Association preserve the National Historic Landmark of Elfreth’s Alley in Philadelphia.

Holiday Garden Railway and Nighttime Express at Morris Arboretum

The annual Holiday Garden Railway is a mini-winter wonderland in the historic Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania. Families can see model trains travel over a quarter-mile-long track through tunnels and bridges, and replicas of beloved Philadelphia landmarks dotting the landscape. The event will take place on select Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from November 25 – December 30, 2022.

Visit Burkholder Brothers’ Holiday Market

Are you looking for more fun holiday things to do in Main Line, PA? Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market. Our market has a wide selection of unique, thoughtful gifts, from figurines to holiday-themed pillows. You can also find fresh, locally-grown Christmas trees for purchase. We also host family-friendly events, such as roasting marshmallows and visits from Santa. So sip hot chocolate, find memorable gifts, and have a unique experience at Burkholder this holiday season.

Find Unique Holiday Gifts at Burkholder’s Holiday Market

Written by Burkholder on December 13, 2021. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

Have you ever tried to find unique holiday gifts for your friends and family? We all have had that same experience, struggling to find the right gift for a friend or family member. That person may seem to already have everything, making finding a unique gift challenging. You might just be unsure of what precisely that person likes. We all want to give unique, thoughtful gifts. For many people, the best gifts speak to their personalities and enhance the holiday mood. If you do want to find just the right gift this holiday season, the Burkholder Holiday Market has ideas for you.

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Holiday Decorations

Decorations make great unique holiday gifts due to the sheer variety available, both in the types and designs of decorations. Figurines and ornaments can both add holiday cheer to any home and some can be used all year round. Pillows are especially ideal gifts for the winter season. And wall décor is great for those who like interior decorating and design.

Figurines & Ornaments

Are you buying presents for an animal lover or a nature lover? If so, our holiday market has a variety of figurines of all sorts of animals. These lovely figurines make great stocking stuffers and will bring life and joy all year round, even when the holidays are over. If you are buying gifts for someone who loves to decorate the Christmas tree (or trees!), then ornaments are the way to go. Brightly painted wooden ornaments add a pop of color to any tree. You can even put ornaments like figurines into decorative containers so that they can be used as decor all year.

Pillows

Pillows always make thoughtful gifts. Our pillows come in different sizes and designs. We have bigger pillows with fun holiday sayings or smaller ones with subtle, elegant designs of snowflakes and deer, and everything in-between.

Wall Décor

Wall décor and is also fun and adds character, spreading holiday cheer throughout our homes. Burkholder’s holiday wall décor includes framed wooden plaques, metal worked items, and fabric decorations. The variety of textures, shapes, and designs will give people plenty of options for unique holiday gifts.

Nature & Plant Holiday Gifts

When people are coming up with gift ideas, nature and plant gifts tend to get overlooked. However, if you happen to be buying a gift for a nature lover or someone who loves to work on landscaping outdoors, small potted trees are great gifts. Your friends and family can decorate the tree with some holiday ornaments, and the recipient can later plant the tree in the spring. We also sell Christmas tree decorations.

Wreaths and Garlands

Speaking of decorations, people can enhance the fresh scent of evergreen from the Christmas tree by buying other evergreen decorations. Hand-made wreaths for the door, garlands for the mantle and stair rails, and swags for the walls all make wonderful gifts that add a lot of holiday charm to one’s home. These accessories last for months, so recipients can keep them in their homes to enjoy the evergreen fragrance well into the spring.

Finding a gift for someone during the holidays that is unique and fits the person’s personality can be a challenge. But with Burkholder’s Holiday Market and a little bit of time and thought, anybody can find that perfect gift.

Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market for Unique Gifts

Browse the Burkholder Holiday Market to find gift ideas for whoever is on your Christmas list,. We have many unique holiday gifts to choose from, and we are serving complimentary wine or beer to our visitors over 21 years old. We also have food trucks and bonfires for marshmallow roasting and even visits from Santa and his reindeer! So come in, have a drink, roast a marshmallow, and enjoy a memorable holiday shopping experience.

What Goes Into Growing Christmas Trees

Written by Burkholder on November 29, 2021. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

With the Christmas season here, and our lot filled with fresh-cut trees, our plant health care team thought our visitors might be interested in learning what is involved in growing Christmas trees. Many people may think that growing a Christmas tree is the same as finding any other tree in their yard or at a park. But the truth is, Christmas trees require particular care. So here is the process of growing the ideal Christmas tree.

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Planting & Growing Christmas Trees

Growing a Christmas tree takes a lot of time and labor. Like other plants, Christmas trees require the proper conditions that will encourage healthy growth and lower the risk of health issues as much as possible. For example, growers need to remove weeds, and the soil has to have the proper pH balance and be fertile enough for the seedlings. All of these issues need to be ironed out in advance of actually planting the tree seeds. In addition, growers need to plant the tree at the correct depth: If the trees are planted too deep, the root structure will struggle to expand and send nutrients to the tree. If they are planted too shallowly, the roots may be damaged by hot or cold temperatures and dry soil conditions.

The next step is to take care of and maintain the tree’s health. Growing Christmas trees takes a long time: up to 3 years for a transplanted seedling to establish a sound root system and around 8 to 10 years to grow to a good size. And like other plants, Christmas trees are susceptible to numerous issues that affect their health, ones that people need to look out for as the tree grows.

Christmas Tree Health Issues

Pests and diseases can cause issues for Christmas trees and the people who grow them. One of the more common diseases is Phytophthora, a fungus-like organism favored by wet, saturated soils with poor drainage. When soil is too moist, certain fungus spores can germinate to produce swimming spores that infect Christmas trees and other plant roots. Affected trees initially have single branches (usually ones low on the tree) with needles that change to yellow and red-brown and remain on the tree. To prevent root rot, growers need to purchase clean, healthy tree seedlings and ensure the planting sites have suitable conditions.

Another issue that can affect Christmas trees is Swiss needle cast. Swiss needle cast is a fungal disease that results in the second or third-year needles on the lower branches of the tree yellowing or browning. The fungus typically infects trees in the summer, develops, and spreads over the fall and winter, eventually resulting in the needles dropping around late summer.

Keeping Christmas Tree Health Issues in Check

Much care is involved in growing Christmas trees. Growers need to keep a close eye on their trees and the growing fields to detect any issues early. If a grower notices any problems, they need to take specific measures depending on the situation, such as applying fertilizer and pest control. Growers also need to trim the branches to promote that classic Christmas tree shape.

Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market for Fresh Cut Christmas Trees

If you are looking for a fresh tree this holiday season and prefer a local vendor to traveling hours to a farm that is growing Christmas trees, visit the Burkholder Holiday Market. Our holiday market offers freshly cut Pennsylvania-grown Christmas trees, such as Douglas firs and Fraser firs. We also have unique gifts for sale, and special events like bonfires for marshmallow roasting and even visits from Santa and his reindeer! Visit our holiday market today and get your beautiful Christmas tree.

Choosing and Care of Christmas Trees

Written by Burkholder on November 22, 2021. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

Around 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are sold each year, and those households buying trees want their trees to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. An essential part of keeping holiday decorations beautiful is the thoughtful choosing and care of Christmas trees. By choosing the right tree and adequately caring for it, you can have a classic, festive Christmas tree for the holiday season. Here are some tips for choosing and caring for your Christmas tree.

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Choosing a Christmas Tree

If you have ever been to a Christmas tree farm or retail lots, you may know how hard choosing one can be. You have many species to choose from, and each one will have a unique appearance. So which one should you pick? Here are a few tree species that make for great Christmas trees.

Fraser Fir

The Fraser Fir is a popular species for Christmas trees in the U.S. Fraser Fir trees have strong, sturdy branches that turn slightly upward, great for holding heavy ornaments. In addition, the tree has soft, dark green needles and a mild, pleasant fragrance. Finally, the Fraser Fir trees tend to have compact shapes and sizes, so transporting them to your house is easier.

Douglas Fir

Another excellent choice for your Christmas tree is the Douglas Fir, the most popular Christmas tree species for decades. Similar to the Fraser Fir, the needles are soft, and the tree has a sweet fragrance. The needles themselves vary in color depending on the variety of Douglas Fir, ranging from yellow-green to blue-green. Branches are flexible, and the bark is thick and durable.

Tips on the Choosing and Care of Christmas Trees

Another major part of the holidays is caring for your Christmas tree. Of course, we all want our Christmas trees to maintain their appearance over the holiday season, so care is needed to help them stay healthy and beautiful. Christmas trees require special, daily care to keep up their health and appearance. We have a couple of tips for the choosing and care of Christmas trees and their place in your home.

Choose a Good Spot

Before you go out and pick a tree, make sure that you have a good spot picked out. Ensure your tree will be away from heat sources, such as heat vents, radiators, or wood stoves. Being away from heat sources prevents the tree from drying out too quickly, which leads to needle dropping and potential fire hazards. Tall trees may need to be secured with wires to the walls or ceiling for support.

Measure Your Space

Once you have a good location in your home for your Christmas tree, measure the height and width of the space your tree will occupy. Then, make sure you take a tape measure when you pick out fresh Christmas trees. This way, you will find a tree that fits appropriately in your home. You may also want to pack a blanket or tarp and rope to secure the tree to your car, if necessary.

Give Your Christmas Tree Enough Water

After you and your family have brought your tree home, place the base of the tree inside a large container or bucket of water. The tree needs to absorb water to maintain a long lifespan, and warm water is absorbed faster than cold. Warm, plain tap water is ideal for helping your tree be healthy for as long as possible.

Your stand needs to hold the trunk and contain enough water for your tree’s size. Depending on how big your tree is, your stand may need to be larger or filled more often. To know the water level your tree needs, use a quart of water for each inch of trunk width at the base. So if your tree’s trunk is 4 inches across, the stand should hold at least 4 quarts, or 1 gallon, of water.

Visit Burkholder for All of Your Holiday Needs

Find the ideal Christmas tree and form memories with your family at our holiday market! When you pick your fresh Christmas tree, pick up some festive holiday gifts, share some family fun by roasting marshmallows and sipping hot chocolate, and even get an early visit from Santa. Visit our holiday page for special event dates, or contact us.

5 Pennsylvania Holiday Traditions to Celebrate This Christmas

Written by Burkholder on November 15, 2021. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

The Christmas season in Pennsylvania is one of the best times of the year. The beautiful snow, twinkling holiday lights, and delicious food make the winter a wonderful time. And some of our old, enduring traditions make celebrating the holidays in the Keystone State special. From the light shows and home light displays to the feasts on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, our traditions are a great way to celebrate the season with our friends and family. Here are some unique Pennsylvania holiday traditions that we look forward to celebrating.

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Decorating Homes & Trees with the Moravian Star

While many Pennsylvania families decorate their homes with traditional Christmas stars, some choose to decorate with a Moravian star instead. The Moravian Church has a long history in Pennsylvania (going back to 18th-century German settlers), but the star is a little more recent.

The first Moravian star originated in the 1830s at the Moravian Boys’ School in Niesky, Germany, likely a geometry lesson or project. The Moravian Church adopted the star as an Advent symbol, which continues to have significance in the Moravian-founded communities of Bethlehem and Nazareth.

Moravian stars typically have 25 or 26 points and are hung in windows or above porches. The Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem has a 6-foot star for the bell tower, a gift from the Moravian Star Factory in Herrnhut, Germany. Some stars can even have up to 100 points.

Hanging Upside-down Christmas Trees

Pennsylvania holiday traditions hardly get more unique and interesting than this one. Pennsylvania has a rich history of German immigrants, and one practice those immigrants brought over was hanging their Christmas trees upside-down. The reason? Some believe that the tradition was started to save space in small homes or as even a religious origin.

Historians believe that upside-down Christmas trees prevented mice from eating the ornaments. This is because Pennsylvania Dutch tree ornaments were often edible, such as cranberries or the “snitz,” a dried apple garland.

Today, most people’s homes are free of mice, yet some Pennsylvanians still hang their trees upside-down. If you are looking for a unique way to add the holiday spirit to your Christmas tradition, hanging your tree upside-down may do the trick.

Hiding the Christmas Pickle in the Tree

Another unique Pennsylvania holiday tradition has equally unique origins. Some Pennsylvanians hide a pickle ornament in their Christmas trees and challenge family and friends to find the pickle. Whoever finds the pickle first earns a reward, such as opening the first present on Christmas day or good luck for the following year.

The origins of this tradition are a mystery. The common belief was that the Christmas pickle originated from a game in Germany. Other origins suggest that the tradition came from Camp Sumter during the American Civil war, or a Victorian-era tale. Regardless, plenty of children in Pennsylvania look forward to being the first to find the pickle in the tree and to receiving a special gift from Santa Claus.

Setting Up a Christmas Village, or “Putz”

We have all seen one of these setups, as a miniature village is one of the most iconic Christmas displays of the holiday season. Christmas villages, like many Pennsylvania holiday traditions, came from the Moravian church and early Moravian settlements. These miniature decorations began with a traditional nativity scene, but have become more elaborate arrangements.

A Christmas village is also called a putz, from the German verb putzen, which means “to clean” or “to decorate.” Christmas villages became popular after World War II, especially porcelain and ceramic villages. While this tradition has become more popular across the U.S., gathering around to build a Christmas village will always be a special occasion in Pennsylvania.

Celebrating Second Christmas

A unique trait among Pennsylvanians is that we look forward to Second Christmas. Second Christmas is a custom, German in origin, which takes place the day after Christmas, December 26. While many holiday traditions originate from religious practices, Second Christmas is secular. The first documented mention of Second Christmas was on Dec. 27, 1808. The custom was mentioned in “Volksfreund,” a German-language publication in Lancaster, PA. Many Amish still celebrate Second Christmas today, as do other Pennsylvania families.

Visit the Burkholder Holiday Market for Unique Gifts

To help celebrate your Pennsylvania holiday traditions, visit the Burkholder Holiday Market. We have a variety of unique, thoughtful gifts to choose from, and we are serving complimentary hot chocolate, wine, or beer to our weekend visitors. Come in, find your fresh cut Christmas tree, have a drink, roast a marshmallow, and enjoy a special holiday shopping experience.

Last Minute Gift Ideas from Burkholder Brothers

Written by Burkholder on December 15, 2020. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

With the year winding down, some people may be scrambling for last minute gift ideas. We suggest that you consider what the person for whom you are buying does every day or what their interests are. Some people may want gifts for their homes, such as wall or furniture décor, while others are more interested in edible gifts. Certain electronics or technologies that make one’s life more convenient or enjoyable also make for thoughtful ideas. Here are a couple of different ideas for last minute gifts, some of which can even be found at our Holiday Market.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas from Burkholder Brothers

Written by Burkholder on December 1, 2020. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

Picking out the perfect gift for the holidays can be challenging, both for presents under the tree and those found in stockings. Thankfully, we have a couple of stocking stuffer ideas that will be sure to spread some holiday cheer. Fun, thoughtful figurines or ornaments that speak to a person’s interests and style are always good choices. Small metal and fabric wall décor items are also good options, as are candles. As long as your gifts come from the heart, your recipient will appreciate them.

Unique holiday gifts available at the 2019 Burkholder Holiday Market

4 Great Things about the Holiday Season

Written by Burkholder on November 25, 2020. Posted in Landscape Ideas & Design.

As the weather gets cold and snowy and the end of the year approaches, we get to enjoy all of the great things about the holiday season. Coming together with friends and family is always a joy, and the holidays are a prime time to spread cheer and give back to our communities and those less fortunate. Many people are excited to finally partake in their favorite Christmas traditions, including decorating their homes to create a warm, festive atmosphere. Here are a few of the many things residents of Main Line communities look forward to during the holiday season.