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by guest blogger, Elmer Prather
My most recent puzzle is a 1000-piece titled Christmas Puppies by Robert Giordano. Before I spend time putting a puzzle together, I must have a connection to it. My connection to this puzzle is my love for Christmas and puppies. This puzzle has both bases covered in that the scene in the puzzle has twelve puppies in a room filled with Christmas decorations. I am also into photography and I believe that every photo tells a story. When I see the picture of the puzzle I am putting together I try to imagine the story the artist was trying to tell.
I am going to try to describe the story I imagined the artist had in mind in this puzzle. I saw a beautiful Christmas scene with twelve puppies each a different breed who are cute and cuddly. They appear to be a happy group of well-groomed dogs. Some of them look like they might get into a little mischievous behavior if the occasion came up. I felt that the owners of these pups must be at home because there is a gas fed log fire burning in the living room fireplace.
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| "Christmas Puppies" 1000pc assembled & photographed by Elmer Prather |
It is not Christmas day yet because there are gifts on the floor that are still being wrapped. One of the pups has a strip of red ribbon in his mouth. This ribbon is going to be tied in a bow for a present once it is wrapped in the spiraling red and green Christmas paper laying on the floor. Two of the pups have small bows decorating their forehead. This scene is a far cry from the first recorded Christmas celebrated in Rome on December 25th, 366 AD. There were no Christmas trees, decorations, warm cookies, or snow on the very first Christmas celebration in Rome. Speaking of gifts, Christian believers received the greatest gift of all on the day that Jesus Christ was born.
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| Nothing to see here! There may be one mischievous pup in the crowd! |
The large Christmas tree sitting in the corner of the room has been tastefully decorated with Christmas ornaments. Since all the tree is not visible in the puzzle picture, I was not able to determine if a star had been placed on the top of it. Stars placed on Christmas trees symbolize, according to Christian belief, the Star of Bethlehem, also known as the Christmas Star. This star revealed the birth of Jesus to the Biblical Magi and subsequently guided them to the town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The pups seem well behaved and do not seem interested in taking the ornaments off the tree. The two who are taking a nap are sleeping in a new Americana wooden snow sleigh. They must live in the Northern part of the United States because the owners would need a lot of snow to utilize the sleigh. There are doggie toys laying on the floor where the puppies can have ready access to them. The room is filled with Christmas displays so the owners must love Christmas as well as their pups.
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| Maybe after this cute photo, the owner is going to have some tea - we see the kettle is on! |
Except for the two napping puppies, the others look as if they are posing for a photograph. Perhaps they are posing for a picture to be used for Christmas Cards to be sent to the owners’ friends and family. Christmas cards started in the Victorian era with the first card being sent and received in 1843. The first Christmas card was received by Sir Henry Cole who set up the Public Record Office which evolved into today’s Post Office. They were designed by his artist friend, John Horsley, who was given the idea of creating Christmas cards by Cole, to help encourage more people to use postal services. The first card depicted a family celebrating and enjoying a Christmas feast. The tradition took off and now millions of Christmas cards are sent around the world during the Christmas season. Some Christmas cards today have Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas greetings.
Merry Christmas to all,
Elmer Prather
Canton, Georgia
U S A
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| "Christmas Puppies" 1000pc puzzle by Robert Giordano |
In Canada, recently purchased at these Preferred Retailers:
In the USA, click here to see the puzzle (in 1000pc and 500pc)!