As with almost everything Christmas, Germany is the founding country that nearly all seasonal decor originates. Back in the 1600s and likely even before, German’s would add fruits and nuts to trees once their leaves fell off to symbolize the promise of spring to come. Then in 1605, a fur tree was brought inside and adorned with paper roses, candles, nuts, and fruits, which was groundbreaking, beginning the tradition we’ve come to replicate. Early ornaments were made out of whatever items the families had available to them, which promoted creativity no matter the financial perspective. Before lights, trees would be decorated with candles and bits of foil to reflect the room lighting, making the tree sparkle from any angle.

I have always felt that if you surround yourself with things you created with your own hands, your life will be more enjoyable. At most, you need a chunk of wood, an axe, a sharp knife, and a curved bladed knife (a hook knife). And from those simple tools, you can make endless possibilities of useful, lasting, and beautiful objects. Maybe even gain some peace of mind.

Conversation can be valuable in many ways. It is a daily necessity for life and an enjoyable pastime amongst friends and family. Conversation shapes how you grow up, how you talk and interact with people, and how you ask your wife what she wants for dinner. The art of having a good face-to-face conversation is slowly dissipating as the world becomes more technology-driven.

Mars Dune Alpha is a 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center. It is going to be one of the first simulations of what life could be like on Mars. They will be running three one-year-long simulation missions in a 3D printed mock-up of what a Mars habitat would be like. The simulation will be as close to life on Mars as they can make it.

In 2000, Frederik Braun was inspired by a railway model shop which provoked a rush of childhood memories. He reached out to his twin brother Gerrit and said, "We are going to build the world's largest model railway." Gerrit realized his brother was serious after receiving numerous enthusiastic and exhausting calls with new ideas. Although there would be tremendous technical and financial challenges, overall, they agreed, the project should be possible. They brought in a business partner, Stephan Hertz, and began spending their time substantiating their mutual dream and committing themselves to this risky adventure.

Swedish musician Martin Molin has taken an open-source approach to his project, Marble machine 2000. Everything Martin develops comes from a place of: "Here is the problem" and "How do we fix it?" Those ideas can be a mash-up of ideas submitted by fans of this project. No matter the solution, ideas, drawings, assembly are all there for everyone to view and access.

"I like to think that my art can help change people's perspective from trash being something that has no value to something that has a big value."- Thomas Dambo

Born in Odense, Denmark, in 1979, Dambo has always been drawn to art. While enrolled in Denmark's Design School Kolding, he began to use recycled materials to produce birdhouses and has made over 3,000.

In the modern era, it's no longer required for our brains to store overflowing amounts of knowledge, compared to centuries ago when there was not the luxury of finding any answer within a few keystrokes.

This cultural change raises a dilemma— how can our brains get stronger if we aren't hitting the "mental gym" as much? 

Tesla was the first company to bring attention to the electric vehicle market, causing large car companies to follow suit. Companies like Ford, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, and Chevrolet have released their version of electric cars or hybrid vehicles. Although electric vehicles typically cost more, most people prefer the simplicity of plugging it in at home and not paying for gas every month. Electricity can be cheaper than gas in most circumstances, and in the long run, it can save you more money in your travels than your typical electric vehicle.

Proof Eyewear, started in Idaho in 2010 by three brothers from a milling family who wanted to build an eco-friendly wood consumer product to give back to the community. Since then, the company has continued to grow and expand, going from their garage to a globally recognized company within a few short years. Proof stands on three principles: heritage, sustainability, and giving back.