Downtown Decorations, Inc. Donates Giant Wreath to US Air Force in Afghanistan

We couldn't be more excited to show off this picture - it truly is our favorite gift of the holiday season. This year, Downtown Decorations, Inc. donated a giant 6ft lit and decorated wreath alongside other decorations to the men and women of the 908th Expeditionary Force of the US Air Force. The wreath was shipped to Fort Bragg, CA and then went directly to the base in Afghanistan. Thank you to all of our men and women in uniform that are allowing all of us to celebrate a safe and joyous holiday.

Check out the photo and press release below:

SYRACUSE COMPANY DONATES DECORATIONS TO TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

National Holiday Décor Company Headquartered in Syracuse Brings Holiday Cheer to Air Force Members Stationed in Afghanistan

For the past 5 years Downtown Decorations, Inc, a Syracuse based commercial holiday decoration company, has been giving back during the holiday season – particularly to the men and women in uniform serving overseas. This year, Downtown Decorations was pleased to provide the men and women of the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, the flight wing that flies the massive KC-10 airborne refueling tankers, some very much needed holiday decorations. On December 15, 2011 a shipment of holiday decorations including the flagship item: a 6ft lit, and decorated, giant artificial wreath took off from Syracuse, NY stopping first to be consolidated at Fort Bragg, CA, prior to reaching its final destination of Kabul, Afghanistan.

This year was particularly special to Downtown Decorations as they were able to donate decorations to a squadron that has recently come under command of a close family friend to the Peterson family, owners of Downtown Decorations, Inc. Company President Ted Peterson says, “This year was particularly tough in deciding where and who exactly to donate to. A young man that was best friends with my son growing up and through the years is now serving in Afghanistan – it’s like having a son over there. […] giving back is something we have always placed a great deal of importance on – these men and women bravely risk their lives, and sacrifice time away from their friends and family to protect our nation, and our values – providing them some comfort during the holidays it the absolute least that we can do.”

Noteworthy national clients include: US Army, See’s Candy, Pyramid Management, General Growth Properties, Simon Property Group, City of Los Angeles, CA, City of Augusta, GA, City of Stamford, CT, City of Anchorage, AK, City of Oklahoma City, OK, City of Columbus, OH, City of Providence, RI, Tanger Outlets, and the Government of the Turks and Caicos.

Other noteworthy décor projects locally include: Destiny USA, The giant 12ft wreath hung annually on the front of University hospital, décor at University Hospital, décor at Golisano Children’s Hospital, décor at Community General Hospital, and décor at the CNY Philanthropic Society, Village of North Syracuse, Village of Manlius, and the Village of Baldwinsville.

Noteworthy local banner clients include: Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College, Village of Cicero, and the Valley Historic Society.

Attached picture depicting the members of the 908^th Expeditionary Squadron around the donated wreath from Downtown Decorations is sole property of Downtown Decorations, Inc. Downtown Decorations, Inc. grants explicit permission for use of this press release and photo in all publications.

About Downtown Decorations:  Downtown Decorations, Inc. is a leading national provider of commercial and municipal holiday decorations as well as light pole banners. Incorporated in 2003, Downtown Decorations is a private corporation headquartered in Syracuse, NY globally serving municipalities, retail centers, universities, corporations, hotels, casinos and event venues.

"Before" photos of a recently completed Decor Consultation - Check back in Dec. 2012 for the "after" shots

Step 1 to a Successful Decor Program: Expert Consultation

Each year we sell tens of thousands of products and packages to thousands of customers around the US and the globe. However, the sale is actually one of the final steps in a much longer, strategic process that requires the skilled expertise of industry leading sales and design consultants.

Of course, if you need 200 blue LED bulbs or 1 14ft artificial Christmas tree or even 26 12ft tall fiberglass nutcrackers for the front of your office building - we are here to help. But, where what we really love to do it to put our expertise and trend leading reputation to work. Our designers and graphic artists are literally the best in the industry - they have been specifically recruited for their vision, experience, and reputations. In fact - the majority of commercial and municipal holiday decorations you see in the nation's cities and shopping malls have been designed by the experts that work at Downtown Decorations. As such, we pride ourselves in providing a unique service - absolutely and completely free of charge - comprehensive design consultation. As part of the consultation process we will:

• Analyze your current decor
• Discuss decor you have implemented in the past
• Discuss your objectives
• SWOT analysis of your venue in terms of decor implementation and impact
• Discuss your goals (fiscal, impact, visual, PR, etc...)
• Discuss and review your demographics and their expectations
• Discuss and review tourism as applied to your location
• Discuss and analyze your budget to allow for proper suggestions
• Discuss trending products
• Discuss services to accompany current decor items and future suggested decor items 

So, as we had said - we are more than happy to sell you exactly 250ft of light line - but our true talents are our abilities to provide you with a custom decor solution that not only meets your needs and preferences but also your budget - all the time - shattering your expectations.

We look forward to providing you outstanding expert decor consultation!

Calhoun, Georgia Sphere Tree by Downtown Decorations

Perhaps one of our most creative and unique decor items of 2011. Congratulations to Calhoun, GA on their purchase - the tree is beautiful! If you are in the South East US or are traveling through Georgia this holiday - swing by the court house to see the tree - stunning both day and night!

Check out the article in the Calhoun Times: http://www.calhountimes.com/view/full_story/16779597/article-New-downtown-tree-resembles-one-in-Dublin?

Stunning Sphere Tree

Check out this years quickest growing trend in Christmas Trees. Called a "Sphere Tree" these trees are just as much as an artistic sculpture as they are Christmas Trees. Stunning during both day and night - the Sphere Tree is the perfect choice for anyone looking to provide an extremely unique and noteworthy look to their venue.

Contact Downtown Decorations for more details on creating a custom "Sphere Tree" for your venue!

12ft Giant Wreath - Finished, installed, and in Action!

So, remember the other day - a few posts down - we put up some pictures of the initial assembly of a 12ft giant wreath? Well as promised - here is the final, installed, 12ft giant wreath adorning the front entrance to one of the US's largest grocery retailers. We always enjoy working with the committed, passionate, and caring team at Wegmans Foods.

7 Christmas Inventions and Their Surprising Origins

7 Christmas Inventions and their Surprising Origins

By Ilya Leybovich

Have you ever wondered where Christmas lights, candy canes and other holiday mainstays originated?

Here we look at the history of some of the most enduring holiday-season inventions.

Some of our favorite holiday products, from decorations to toys, have surprising origins. Ever wondered where tinsel comes from (and why we drape it over trees)? Or have you ever asked yourself when people started to wrap their presents in paper? Learn the history of these and other interesting holiday inventions.

Where Christmas Lights Come From

People first began putting lights on their Christmas trees in the 17th century by attaching small candles to the branches using wax or pins, according to the Great Idea Finder. As a result, most people didn't put up their lights until Christmas Eve due to the risk of fire. The first electric Christmas lights were developed by Edward Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison's, in 1882. Johnson hand-wired 80 red, white and blue lights and wrapped them around a rotating evergreen.
In the 1900s, department stores began using elaborate Christmas tree light displays to attract customers, but the practice wasn't popularized domestically until 15-year-old Albert Sadacca, whose family produced novelty illuminated birds, started selling multicolored lights that were already strung together in response to a tragic fire in 1917 caused by lit candles. Sadacca's business, the NOMA Electric Company, went on to become the world's largest Christmas lighting company until 1965.

The Story of Tinsel

Tinsel, the thin sparkling strands we drape over Christmas trees, first appeared in Germany around 1610 and were originally thin strips of material extruded from real silver. According to WiseGeek.com, silver looked good but tarnished quickly and was soon replaced by other sparkly metals. Tinsel was first placed on Christmas trees to accentuate the glow of lit candles, and only the wealthiest people could afford entire garlands.
Advances in manufacturing eventually resulted in cheaper aluminum-based tinsel, and by the early 20th century most consumers could afford tinsel garlands, as well as individual pieces of tinsel known as icicles. By the 1950s, the use of tinsel garlands and icicles nearly overshadowed the use of Christmas lights.

The Delicious Origins of the Candy Cane

Although there are numerous legends about the origins of the candy cane as a religious symbol, the first historical mention of this holiday treat came from Germany in 1670, when a choirmaster bent sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd's cane to hand out to children, according to the Great Idea Finder. The first reference to candy canes in America was in 1847, when a German-Swedish immigrant in Ohio used them to decorate a spruce.
The original canes were entirely white, and it wasn't until the 20th century that the colorful red stripes were added. In the 1920s, cracker businessman Bob McCormack began making candy canes as Christmas treats for the community in Albany, Georgia, pulling, twisting, cutting and bending them by hand. In the 1950s, McCormack's brother-in-law invented a machine to automate the process. Later, McCormack's descendants developed packaging advances that enabled them to ship the fragile canes around the world and turned their company, Bobs Candies Inc., into the world's largest candy cane producer.

Adhesive Tape and Wrapping Paper

In 1923, while working at 3M, inventor Richard Drew developed one of the most practical items for the office, home and holiday season: adhesive tape. According to MIT's Inventor of the Week archive, the first prototype had adhesive on the sides but not down the middle, and when it fell off a car in a trial run, a frustrated worker told Drew, "Take this tape back to those Scotch bosses of yours and tell them to put more adhesive on it!" The name stuck, and Scotch Tape — the world's first transparent tape, made with resins, rubber and oil — was born.
According to entrepreneurial blog Biz in a Boxx, people have been wrapping gifts since paper was first invented circa 105 A.D., but the practice didn't become popular until around the 1920s. Before then, gifts were typically wrapped in tissue paper or plain brown paper until printing technology improved and paper could be colored, decorated and folded in mass volumes. Hy-Sill Manufacturing Inc. was the first U.S. gift-wrapping company. Hallmark entered the market in 1917, selling large pieces of wrapping paper for $0.10 a sheet.

The Truth Behind Rudolph

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer wasn't part of Santa's original sleigh-driving team. In fact, he isn't mentioned in Christmas folklore at all. Rudolph was actually invented in 1939 by a Montgomery Ward copywriter named Robert May who was tasked with creating a Christmas story the department store chain could give away to customers as a promotion, according to Snopes.com. Drawing on elements from the "Ugly Ducking" fable and his own experiences as a child, May crafted a story about a misfit with a glowing red nose who manages to prove himself to his peers. After considering names like Rollo and Reginald, May finally settled on Rudolph.
Millions of copies of the Rudolph story sold in the 1940s, and May eventually secured the character's copyright for himself, producing a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon, a bestselling song and a television special that remains a perennial favorite. However, the story familiar to us today is slightly different from May's original version, in which Rudolph grew up in a reindeer village rather than the North Pole, had a loving family and was discovered when Santa Claus came to drop off gifts at his home.

History of the BB Gun

The 1983 film classic A Christmas Story revolves around Ralphie Parker's mission to obtain the elusive Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. The BB gun, or air rifle, has remained a rite of passage for generations of kids, but its history is somewhat surprising: it originated at a windmill. In 1886, the Plymouth Iron Wind Mill Company in Michigan was struggling to convince farmers to switch from wooden windmills to an iron alternative. According to InventHelp.com, inventor Clarence Hamilton created the first air-powered rifle for the company to distribute as an incentive to purchase their windmills. An odd thing happened — the giveaway, a gun known as the Daisy Rifle, proved more popular than the windmill. As windmill sales declined, demand for BB guns skyrocketed. By 1889, the Plymouth Iron Wind Mill Company changed its name to Daisy Manufacturing Company and began manufacturing and selling BB guns full time. Decades later, children like Ralphie Parker were still pining for their very first air rifle.

Published on 12/14/2010 by IMT on Thomasnet, http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/2010/12/the-origins-of-7-holiday-inventions.html?WT.mc_t=nlimt&WT.mc_n=124&channel=email

Serving those, that serve us all!

When we were contacted by a large fire department in New York State, we knew that we had to do everything that we could to assist them. Bravely and courageously serving us day in and day out, it was our pleasure to provide them with a completely custom designed and produced holiday display. Check out Santa with his reindeer in this stunning holiday display.

Another Happy Client in Texas - let us know if you recognize!

Can you name the center? Showcasing some great interior banner decor for one of the NE's largest and most popular malls...

Some great interior decor banner shots from a local mall and very happy client - can you name the center?

Remembering our Men and Women in Uniform Through Banners

Check out the press release on our latest round of banners celebrating "hometown heros." Ask us about what it means to set up a "hometown hero" program in your hometown and the incredible importance it plays in remembering our men and women in uniform.

Nice Note From a Very Happy Client - Thanks again Lori - We Love Wilburton!

THEY ARE HERE!!!! 

Kathy,

   The wreaths arrived abour 15 minutes ago and Ronnie is ecstatic!   He & his crew are unloading "even as we speak!"
    Thanks for all of your help in getting them here.

    HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!   (You have made ours terrific!)

Lori

Lori Chrestman

Executive Assistant

City of Wilburton

300 West Main Street

Wilburton, OK  74578 

Update! Final ornamentation of Giant 12ft wreath from last week - stunning!

Check out the following posts to see some of our latest shots taken while we attended ICSC NYC 2011

We just wrapped up the International Council of Shopping Centers Annual Conference in NYC. Another great year - our hats go off to the entire ICSC team for organizing another great conference. While we were down in the city we happened to stumble upon some great decor and some of DDI's very own products - check out the following posts to see more! We will post more throughout the next few days.

Our Favorite Product of 2011 - Oversized Fiberglass Ornaments Have Really Taken Off in 2011!

Large Figurines in Rockefeller Center

Giant Oversized Mini Lights - Wow! Amazing Custom Project!

Festive Decor from Radio City Music Hall in NYC

Rockefeller Center Tree and Supplmental Decor (Tree lighting and figurines)

A great concept new for this year - with scattered strobes throughout the tree

Oversized 12ft tall Fiberglass Nutcracker!

Wow - A Giant 12ft Wreath!

Would it fit on your front door? This 12ft monster was a custom, "last minute" project for one of the Northeast's largest and most prestigious food retailers. Thought it was easy to assemble a 12ft wreath? The answer is no - taking multiple team members the process goes as follows:

1. Frame fabrication
2. Garland fabrication
3. Lighting is added to the garland
4. Garland is then attached to the frame
5. The wreath is raised and lowered, tested, double tested, and triple tested to ensure integrity, safety, and visual appeal
6. Ornamentation using desired ornamentation pattern
7. Final testing
8. Disassembly
9. Packaging
10. Transport
11. Final delivery at client location
12. Installation
13. One more round of testing
14. Wreath is enjoyed by all!

Intial round of testing and lighting placement - overseen by the senior account executive on the project

Jayson Siano - Epitomizing Customer Service in One Short Paragraph

Customer Service is key - At Downtown Decorations we employ a customer centric model that focuses in on providing our clients and prospective clients with the absolute highest levels of support and customer service - unparallelled in the industry. Jayson Siano epitomizes this model and the same approach that Downtown employs. As an industry leader we 99.9% of the time will have the product, package, solution, or design concept perfect for you - if we don't, we will consult specialty experts and will work to oversee the complete success of the project utilizing the best and brightest minds possible. Please read Jayson's thoughts below...

Sabre offers its tenant representation services nationwide, he added, but enlists the help of local experts when dealing with areas outside of its primary region. “A large corporation will pass [a client] off to their local office, with no retail expert in it, to try to keep it in-house; we’ll refer that client to the best retail professional in that market,” Siano said. “Our clients will ask us to go outside of our boundaries because of the level of service we provide – they feel they’re not going to get that same service elsewhere. But if we don’t have the right support in those local markets, we’re not going to operate there. We won’t take an assignment that we can’t service to the best of our ability.”

Excerpt and quote published in Dealmakers magazine (CRE specific industry magazine with the latest real property transactions and news). Quote by: Jayson Siano, Managing Principal, Sabre Real Estate Group of NYC.