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Say what you want about summer vacation, but for me winter holidays are the most exciting part of the  whole entire year. After all, in the summer I am usually already pretty relaxed. Even if I have to work, there is plenty to do in my off time. I can go swimming, hiking, camping, and even play sports. In the winter, however, the weather is awful all the time. It is cold, dark, wet, and miserable. A winter holiday is the best way to unwind from all of this. It is the best way to make the winter bearable.

Most people have a type of winter vacation that they prefer. Nowadays, the most popular winter holidays seem to involve traveling to a warm destination. Going to Hawaii, Maui, or some other tropical paradise is a great way to let go of those winter blues. On the other hand, a lot of people would rather take a ski trip. Rather than looking at the winter holidays as a time to escape the cold, dark weather, they find ways to enjoy it. Going to a ski lodge can be great recreation, and everyone enjoys relaxing by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa in the evening.

I like to switch it up. I usually go in for winter holidays in different years. That way, I never fall into a routine. Last year, for example, I went off to Hawaii. It was a little bit crowded there because of all the other tourists, but there was still enough beach for everyone. I went swimming, snorkeling, sailing, hiking along the miles and miles of oceanfront beaches. I even got to swim with sea turtles! That is why this year, I’m going to an Austrian ski lodge for my winter holidays. Although part of me is going to miss the tropical vacation I had last year, another part of me looks forward to this trip as an even greater adventure. After all, skiing is quite a thrill!

If you have the ability to set your own schedule, you should try to take your winter holiday during a time when other people won’t be traveling. After all, airline tickets, hotel prices, and other costs of holiday travel go sharply down when you are willing to take your trip during the off-season. Waiting until just after Christmas and New Year’s is a great way to experience cheap holiday travel to uncrowded destinations.

It’s only fitting that since Santa Claus has the magnificent capability to
visit homes around the world in a single night that more than one place would
claim to be his home. It’s common belief that Santa hails from the wintry North
Pole, but folks in Finland will also tell you that Santa calls that country his
home. To prove it, the Finns will even invite you to visit Santa in his workshop
before Christmas or during the year and talk with Santa Claus as he and his
elves busy themselves for their end-of-year Christmas expedition around the
globe.
The popularity in America today of the images and legend of Santa Claus
can be traced to the poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ that was written
by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822. In that poem, Moore described St. Nicholas as a
jolly fellow who flew from house to house in a sleigh pulled by reindeers and
waited for children to go to bed on Christmas Eve before he came down the
chimney to deliver Christmas presents for them.
Following the distribution of that poem, the popular magazine Harper’s Weekly
published cartoons by Thomas Nast between 1863 and 1886 that depicted Santa as a
cheerful fellow with a large round belly and long white beard who wore a bright
red suit that was trimmed with white fur. In those cartoons, Santa also held a
sack, which was filled with toys for boys and girls, over his shoulder. The
cartoons also showed Santa reading letters from good boys and girls, working in
his workshop with his elves, checking his list to make sure he had all the
required toys and even showed his wife, Mrs. Claus.
The tradition of Santa Claus was brought to America however by Dutch colonists
who settled in New York City, which was called New Amsterdam at the time.
The real St. Nicholas is said to be a minor saint from the 4th Century with a
reputation for generosity and kindness that gave rise to legends of many
miracles that he performed for the poor and unhappy. One of the stories about
the legend of St. Nicholas is that he saved three poor girls who were sisters
from being sold into a life of slavery or prostitution by their father.
According to the legend, Santa Claus provided the girls with a dowry so that
they could get married.
The legend of St. Nicholas led to hundreds of people being devoted to him and
consequently thousands of European churches became dedicated to him. After the
Reformation period however, widespread practice and worship of St. Nicholas
disappeared in European countries that were Protestant, except in Holland where
the legend of St. Nicholas continued. St. Nicholas was known as Sint Nikolaas
but that was later corrupted to Sinter Klaas.
Dutch colonists took this tradition of Sinter Klaas to New York City where it
was adopted using the Englist name of Santa Claus. Over time, the Dutch legend
of the kindly saint was combined with old Nordic folktales about a magician who
punished naughty children and rewarded good ones with presents to give rise to
the stories that now exist about Santa Claus.
The red and white-trimmed suit of Santa Claus is believed to be the colors that
the original St. Nicholas worebecause red and white were the colors of the robes
worn by traditional bishops. It is also believed that the Coca Cola Co. played a
role in what is regarded as the popular look of Santa Claus today through
paintings by artist Haddon Sundblom that were placed in some of the company’s
advertisement between 1931 and 1964.

If you own a swimming pool, it can be quite easy to notice a leak.  Once you have opened your pool for the year, you can easily spot a leak by the water gushing out.  Where the leak is coming from though, may be an entirely different story.  Sometimes it may be easy to tell, although other times it can be a bit more complicated.

The first thing you need to do, is make sure that the water you see or notice missing is actually a leak.  Even though you may think it’s a leak, it could be something else.  Basically, there are three causes of water loss with swimming pools – plumbing leaks, shell leaks, and evaporation.  You should make sure you know the cause of the leak before you go any further.  Sometimes, what you think is a leak could be water lost from splashing – which can easily happen if you have a lot of people diving in your pool.

Evaporation is a common cause of water loss, and there is a way that you can determine if your loss of water is indeed evaporation.  To find out, take a large container then fill it full of water and put it on the first pool step.  Next, remove some water from the container sitting on the first step, so that the water in the pool and the container are the same level.  Now, let the container sit there for a few days, with no one using the pool during the entire time.

When you check back in a few days, the levels should be the same.  If they have gone down any, then you know that evaporation from the sun is to blame.  If the water that you have in the pool has dropped a great deal more than what you have in the container, you’ll know that you have a leak in your pool.

If you think that the water is going down to a pool leak, you’ll first need to find where the leak is coming from.  You should always start looking near the pump and the filter.  Along the way, if you happen to notice any wet areas or damp areas, you should trace the water back and see if you can locate a leak.  In most cases, the leak will turn out to be a connection with one of the pipes.

If it isn’t a pipe, then it could be a problem with the shell.  If you have an aboveground pool, simple look for the hole where the water is coming out of and repair it.  On the other hand, if you have a pool that is below ground, it can be a bit more complicated.  You can try inspected the shell in the pool, or checking surrounding areas.

Sometimes, no matter how hard you look, it can seem almost impossible to find where the leak is coming from.  Keep in mind that if it is the shell, you should always leave it to a qualified professional to fix the problem.  Shells for underground pools especially can be very tough to fix, and even harder if you know very little about swimming pools.

In most cases, locating and repairing a leak with your swimming pool is more or less just eliminating causes until you find the right one.  Once you have located the problem and know what is causing it, you can decide on whether or not to do the repair yourself or to call a qualified professional and have them do the repair for you.

Although above ground swimming pools may be cheaper to buy, easier to install, and cheaper to operate, a lot of people prefer to have in ground pools.  In groung swimming pools provide you with a lot more room to swim, and a lot more space.  Those of you who have families or a lot of friends who love to swim, would greatly benefit from having one of these pools.

In ground swimming pools are long lasting, as they are designed with cement on the sides and along the bottom.  They are a bit more expensive than above ground swimming pools, although they are more than worth the money you spend.  Depending on your needs, you can have your in ground pool built to your liking, such as a shallow end for kids and a deep end for diving.

Installing an in ground swimming pool will take a bit more time than above ground pools, which only take a few hours.  To install an in ground pool, the contractor will need to dig a hole in the ground, then set up the framework outside of the hole.  Once this is finished, he will pour some sand in the bottom of the this hole, then set the liner up.

With in ground pools, you’ll have a few different types of material that you can select for the liner.  The most common and preferred is vinyl, which is also the most attractive.  Vinyl liners are also better for winter as well.  If you live in an area that is well known for winter, you may want to go with a vinyl liner for your swimming pool.

Fiberglass and concrete are also excellent liners as well.  Fiberglass liners are constructed in a factory from fiberglass reinforced plastic then worked with until it resembles a really large bathtub.  Unlike vinyl liners, you won’t need to replace fiberglass.  In the end, you can save a lot of money and time by using a fiberglass liner.

Concrete liners are also great, and are one of the most common ways to line your in ground swimming pool.  If you are using concrete, you can also have your pool custom poured, giving you the design you want.  Concrete lasts for years and years, and like fiberglass liners, it doesn’t need to be replaced.  You can also add to the look of this liner as well, by using tile or finishing the concrete liner with plaster.

In ground swimming pools are great for families who love to swim, or those who want to have the biggest swim pool possible.  Even though they take a lot of time to build and cost a lot of money, they are more than worth it in the end – when you walk outside and see what you have with your own eyes.

When most of us think of summer and hot days, the first thing that comes to mind is a swimming pool.  A swimming pool provides relief from hot summer days, and gives us a chance to simply relax, enjoy ourselves, and take in some exercise.  Although they are mostly common with hot summer days, swimming pools are also great indoors as well, providing year round swimming.

Indoor swimming pools have become very popular over the years, especially in gyms and other facilities such as the YMCA.  At a gym or YMCA, indoor swimming pools are a great way to cool down after weight lifting or a great way to get in some cardio exercise.  Unlike outdoor swimming pools, you can use an indoor pool year round – without having to worry about the weather.

If you don’t like to join gyms or if you find the locations of indoor swimming pools to be crowded, you may be interested in having an indoor pool at home.  This is very possible these days, due to indoor pools being more affordable than ever.  The first thing you’ll need to do before you can get one though, is make room for it.  If you don’t have the space to store a pool inside, you may need to add a room onto your home to put the pool in.

If you have the money to spare, an in ground indoor swimming pool will provide you with plenty of room to swim laps and have a lot of friends over with plenty of room to spare.  This may cost a lot of money though, which rules it out for many of us.  You’ll also need a big room for this type of pool as well, as it can cover a lot of space.

If you don’t have a lot of money to spare, you can use an above ground pool instead.  You’ll still need to room to store it, or you can again add on to your home.  Adding on to your home will help to raise the overall value of your property, which will be a major plus later on down the road if you decide to sell your home.  Indoor swimming pools hold a lot of value, especially if you have it constructed yourself.

When you have your swimming pool set up indoors, you’ll need to have a professional do everything.  Although you may think you can do everything yourself, it will prove to be a bit more complicated than you may think.  Professionals know exactly what they are doing, and won’t have any problems at all.  They will also do all of the work for you, and contact the necessary officials to make sure that your indoor pool conforms with state and local laws.

In more ways than one, an indoor swimming pool can provide you with a lot of fun and excitement year round.  Indoor pools have a lot of benefits, also providing to be great for those who have back trouble or other medical ailments.  Even though the pool is indoors, you can also invest in a heater for your swimming pool and keep the water a certain temperature whenever you decide to jump in and take a swim.

You can find everything you need for an indoor swimming pool online or through your local swimming pool supply store.  If you need to add on to your home first, you may want to contact a carpenter first.  Once you have everything you need and you get your indoor pool finished, you’ll be amazed with the results.  You’ll be able to go swimming anytime you like, day or night – in the privacy of your own home.

With several different swimming pool designs and equipment out there, thinking in terms of safety can be very confusing.  From different swimming pool liners to buying different toys, you surely have a lot to choose from.  You can always ask questions at a local supply shop to find out more, as the experts there can surely help you.  There are a lot of needs with swimming pools, especially when you get everything you need.

The first thing to do when inspecting your swimming pool is to figure out your average depth.  Your average depth will help you determine your swimming pool capacity.  You can figure out your average depth by adding the deep end to the shallow end, then dividing by 2.  The average depth tells you a lot about your swimming pool, including the design and capacity.  Once you know your average depth, you can pretty much buy any accessory you need without any problems.

Your design of swimming pool will help you in choosing the best cover for your swimming pool.  There are a few covers to choose from, most of which vary from season to season.  You can use different covers for summer, spring, and winter, each one offering you something different in terms of protection.  Nearly all supply shops have a lot of covers to choose from, and as long as you know your design – you can further inspect your pool and select the right cover.

Once you know your average depth and capacity for your swimming pool, you can move on to other inspections.  The liner is next, as it protects the quality of your water.  A liner will maintain the pH level of your water, and help prevent algae from forming and growing.  When you inspect your pool to select a liner, you should think in terms of material.  Most are plastic or vinyl, and can provide you plenty of attraction along with great protection as well.

With your swimming pool, you’ll also need to think and inspect your swimming pool in terms of safety.  If you have a belowground swimming pool, you should always remember that it can attract a lot of visitors.  Due to this fact, you should always have someone watching the pool, or an adult around at all times who can swim.  Or, you can simply use a locking gate that surrounds your pool to keep people out of it when you aren’t around.

Another area of swimming pools that most people find enjoyable are the toys and accessories.  The more must have accessories and toys are goggles, as they will help little children protect their eyes from the chlorine.  You can also find several different types of floats as well, as they are fun to lay on and also help kids stay afloat.  Swimming belts and water wings are great as well.  If you have thought about adding toys to your pool, you should always look around and shop for the best prices.

Inspecting your swimming pool can be fun, although it is something that you simply must do.  You can inspect in terms of maintenance as well, although you’ll need to inspect your pool before you buy any type of equipment or other things for you pool.  When you visit your local pool supply store you’ll need to know different things, which is the reason for inspecting.  Inspecting your swimming pool doesn’t take a lot of time – yet it is something that you simply must do if you want to get the best out of your swimming pool.

The beauty and relaxation provided by a swimming pool is nothing short of spectacular.  On a hot day, a pool can be a blessing.  On the other hand, a swimming pool can also be a headache if it isn’t cared for properly.  Swimming pools require a lot of maintenance, including time and money.  No matter what type of pool you have, you’ll need to perform regular maintenance on it.

By owning a swimming pool, you assume the task of keeping your pool clean and safe for yourself and anyone who swims in it.  Maintaining your pool doesn’t have to be a hard task or consume a lot of time, if you know what you are doing.  If you follow the advice of a professional and perform regular maintenance on your pool, you’ll keep it healthy year round.

To put it bluntly, you should check on your chemical balance from time to time, and make sure that the water is safe for swimming.  You’ll need to ensure that you keep debris out of your pool, and that the water remains healthy.  If you filter your water on a frequent basis, you can keep the chemicals moving about and keep the water safe for swimming.

The weather outside and how often you use your pool will greatly contribute to the condition of your water.  If you don’t have your chemicals balanced properly, the sun can quickly turn your water to a green, musty color.  If you live in an area that is known for hot weather, you’ll need to make sure that you keep your chemicals properly balanced at all times.

A swimming pool will naturally attract leaves, insects, dust, hair, and other forms of debris.  No matter what you do about it, you can never prevent things from getting in your water.  If you don’t clean your pool on a regular basis, the pollutants that get in the water can lead to bacteria and algae, which will quickly destroy your water.  If you sanitize and clean your pool on a regular basis, you’ll help to keep it clean and free from bacteria and algae buildup.

If you don’t have the time to clean your pool yourself, you can always leave it to a professional.  Professional pool cleaners don’t come cheap, although they will clean your water and your pool, and ensure that your chemicals are properly balanced.  You can schedule a time for a cleaner to do his job, normally once a week or so.  Once you have started using a professional, you may find his services great and never want to go back to cleaning your pool yourself.  With the help of a professional – you can rest assured that your pool will stay clean year round.

Buying a swimming pool can be quite a difficult decision indeed, especially when you are trying to decide between an in ground pool or an above ground pool.  Each one has something to offer you and your family, although there are also differences, which you should know before you make that final decision.

The shape with your pools is important.  In ground pools come in oval, kidney, and square shapes.  Above ground pools on the other hand are only available in round or oval If you have a large family or a lot of friends who like to swim, you’ll want to get a shape that can support a lot of swimming.

Size is also important, especially for families.  Above ground pools are much smaller than in ground pools.  Pools that are in the ground are a lot bigger, and offer you several different sizes to choose from.  They cost a lot more than above ground pools though.  Above ground swimming pools use less water, although they will also limit what you can do in your pool.

If you like to dive, you’ll have to get an in ground pool.  Above ground pools can’t have diving boards, as most are only 6 foot deep.  This isn’t a good diving height, which is why you won’t be able to dive with an above ground pool.

Buying an above ground pool will save you a ton of money.  The money that you save, can be used to add to your pool area, such as a deck or privacy fence around your pool.  If you choose to buy an in ground pool, you’ll spend a lot of money.  You won’t need a deck though, as they are easily accessible.  If you add a privacy fence to your in ground pool, it won’t have to be near as high as it would with an above ground pool.

Installation is also a consideration with your pool.  You can normally install above ground swimming pools by yourself with little to no help, in a few hours.  In ground pools on the other hand, take several days to install and they must be done by a professional. This can get costly as well, racking up a hefty bill before you realize it.

Making that final choice really comes down to what you hope to get from your pool.  If you need a lot of space or want to swim laps, an in ground pool is your best choice.  If you need a smaller pool for yourself or your kids, an above ground pool would suffice.  The choice is entirely up you though, and what works best for you.  If you are on a budget or don’t have a lot of money to spend – you would be better off going with an above ground swimming pool.

To extend the swimming season after summer has come and gone, many people are turning to swimming pool heaters.  A heater is great to have, especially with colder days.  If you’ve thought about buying a heater for your swimming pool, there are probably a lot of things that you’ve found yourself wondering.

When using a pool heater, you can adjust the temperature of your pool water to virtually any level that you are comfortable with.  The recommended temperature for a pool is 78 degrees, although most people prefer to have their water just a bit warmer, around 80 degrees.  The choice is up to you, as you can’t really go wrong with either of the two.

During the year, the sun can only get your pool water so hot for a somewhat brief period of time.  When summer ends and things start to cool off, your heater can help you make swimming last longer.  If you live in the north, you can actually double your swimming season.  Those living in warmer climates, such as Arizona and California can actually triple the amount of swimming by using a heater with their pool.

Even though you may be using a swimming pool heater, you should still invest in a swimming pool cover as well.  A cover can help to protect against loss of heat from the pool, holding the heat of water inside the pool instead of letting it out.  The fact is, a good cover that has plenty of insulation can actually reduce the amount of heat loss you experience with your water.

There are a few different types of heaters available, although gas fired heaters running off LP gas seem to be the most common.  Heaters such as this are easily the least expensive to buy, and also the cheapest to run over time.  Oil is another way to heat your pool, and it is common in areas that you are unable to buy gas fired heaters.  Other pools choose to run off electricity.  Electricity is a great way to heat your pool, although it can easily be the most expensive to run and take the most amount of time to properly maintain.

Last but not least, there’s the solar pool heater.  Solar heaters may sound like the ideal way to heat a pool for some, simply because it uses the sun to heat, helping to save money.  Even though it may sound like the ideal way to heat a pool, it actually has quite a few disadvantages when you compare it to other types of heaters.  You’ll discover one flaw when you go to purchase one – you’ll see that they cost nearly half the amount of your swimming pool!

Even though solar powered heaters sound the best, they truly aren’t.  To get the most out of a solar powered heater you’ll need to have large electric pump, which can cost you quite a bit of money.  The pump delivers the water from your pool to the solar panels, which will in turn heat up the water.  Once you have finished setting up a solar powered heater, you’ll have invested thousands in it – which makes it something you should really try to avoid.

In the world of swimming pool heaters, gas fired heaters remain the best and most cost efficient ways to heat a swimming pool.  These heaters can be found locally, or on the Internet.  They won’t cost you a lot of money to purchase, and they are very user friendly.  Even if you are new to pool heaters – you won’t have any trouble using your new gas fired pool heater.

Even though swimming pools are mostly though of as enjoyment, exercise, and relaxing on hot days, they are also a great way to enhance the value of your home.  If you’ve thought of selling your home or just enhancing the value, a swimming pool may very well be a wise investment.

In ground pools are a great way to add to the value of your home.  They may cost a lot of money, although they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, and they also give you the most versatility.  You can choose to have a shallow end for children and those who are learning to swim, then add a deep end on the other side for diving boards and lap swimming.

Above ground swimming pools on the other hand are much cheaper, although they require a deck and privacy fencing for those who want their privacy.  Adding a deck around your above ground pool will raise the value of your home as well.  Even though above ground pools aren’t that deep, they are great enjoying yourself on a hot day, or just getting out there and splashing water with your family and friends.

Instead of going with a swimming pool, you can also choose a hot tub.  Hot tubs cost quite a bit of money, although they are an excellent way to relax.  Hot tubs have been well known over the years to enhance the value of property.  You can relax in a heated hot tub with your other half, or just let your kids relax in the tub with non heated water.

Even though a hot tub is a great investment, most people looking to add value to their home choose to go with an in ground swimming pool.  In ground pools cost the most money, adding instant value to your home.  If you are planning to install an in ground pool, you should pay very close to the location, as this will impact the value.  Normally, in ground pools work the best and bring the most value if they are installed behind your home, with a fence going around them.

Keep in mind, that installing an in ground pool will take quite a bit of time.  It also involves digging up your yard, which is why you want to select a location for it where nothing runs under the ground.  When your contractor looks at your property before installing the pool, he will go over that sort of thing with you.  Once the pool is installed and everything is set up, you should have your home appraised and see what the value is.  Truth be told – you may find yourself simply amazed at just how much value a pool can add to your home.