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Brought to You By

In our series Brought to You By, we dive into the stories behind ordinary seasonal items: that grill you fire up for the Fourth of July or the fruitcake that you dig into (or regift) over the holidays. Where did they come from, and why did they become so popular?

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What's greener: a real Christmas tree or a fake one?

by Tony Wagner
Dec 24, 2019
It depends! The Christmas tree a potent symbol not just for the season but for the sustainability of many things we buy.
It's not easy being green.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Selling Christmas all year long

by Katherine Wiles
Dec 19, 2019
How do you keep a store with a long off season in business? Make it more than a place to shop.
Bronner's Christmas Wonderland says it gets 2 million visitors a year.
Courtesy of Bronner's Christmas Wonderland
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How "The Nutcracker" became a holiday classic

by Tony Wagner
Dec 13, 2019
Tchaikovsky's ballet is a holiday institution and a big cash cow for dance companies. But it wasn't always that way.
"The Nutcracker" wasn't always a holiday tradition.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, brought to you by Macy’s immigrant staff

by Jana Kasperkevic
Nov 25, 2019
Here is how the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade came to be.
A giant Peter Rabbit balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Jon Levy/AFP via Getty Images
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Candy corn's agricultural past

by Katherine Wiles
Oct 30, 2019
Whether you love it or hate it, candy corn is synonymous with Halloween. We take a dive into the triangular, tri-colored candy's history.
Brach's produces about 7 billion pieces of candy corn each year.
Courtesy of Brach's
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How we ended up with the "fun-size" candy bar

by Katherine Wiles
Oct 25, 2019
To understand fun-size candy, we must first understand full-size candy.
Full size candy bars are a commitment.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Summer brought to you by: Song of the summer

by Marielle Segarra
Jul 19, 2018
What is really means to be the song of the summer.
CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images
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It's not the holidays without 40 college football bowl games

by Andy Uhler
Dec 29, 2017
Right?
Wide receiver Darreus Rogers of the USC Trojans celebrates after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 52-49 to win the 2017 Rose Bowl on Jan. 2 in Pasadena, California.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
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These days, the holiday magic happens in warehouses

by Reema Khrais
Dec 14, 2017
With online shopping now a $400 billion industry, fulfillment centers and warehouses are central to the season.
During the holiday season, orders to consumers nearly double at AMS Fulfillment Services, a company located outside of Los Angeles.
Reema Khrais/Marketplace
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Christmas has always been about consumption

by Hayley Hershman
Dec 8, 2017
And if you feel like the holiday used to be better, you're not alone.
Flanders says it's what we consume around Christmas that's changed over the years.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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