What you might not know about Valentines Day!

February 14th, Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is one of the oldest and most celebrated holidays in the world. The holiday, was named after numerous early Christian martyrs named "Valentine". Valentines Day became associated with "romantic love" in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle Ages, when the tradition of "courtly love" was flourishing.

One legend has it that one "Valentine" actually sent the first 'Valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl who may have been his jailor's daughter that visited him during his confinement. It is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. These stories emphasize the appeal of Valentine as a sympathetic, heroic and of course a romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

February 14 was also recognized as the beginning of the birds' mating season, which has added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should also be a day for romance.

The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Americans began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

In modern times Valentines Day is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending a Valentine's card as well as by presenting flowers, music, or offering confectionery.

Today people exchange many different things representing symbols of their affection for each other including Romantic Gifts and Music from Mannheim Steamroller.

Billboard ranks Mannheim Steamrollers Christmas Extraordinaire in the top Ten "Best Music of the Decade"

Billboard magazine released it's "Best of the 2000s" music list, revealing it'sselection of the top artists, songs and albums in the United States from 2000 to 2009. Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire is listed inthe #6 position for Best Christian Music Album of the Last Decade.

Mannheim Steamroller Holiday/Christmas
Giveaway for our Social Friends!

Thanks again for all the entries and great stories.
Below you'll find the randomly selected winners of our 1rst Social Giveaway.
12/21/2009 

An American Christmas with Mannheim Steamroller

Mannheim Steamroller’s “An American Christmas” created by Chip Davis, is an original radio program that celebrates the history and customs of everyone’s favorite holiday...Christmas. Chip Davis narrates these spell binding stories that recount the real meaning and magic of Christmas traditions, accompanied by the unique musical sounds of Mannheim Steamroller's truly unique Christmas music.

You’ll learn how the Christmas tree became a festive symbol of the season, why we hang up holiday stockings and even where that dreaded fruitcake tradition began.

“An American Christmas” is twelve hours of magical holiday stories that begin at noon Christmas Eve on the WestStar Talk Radio Network, home of The Kim Komando Show.

The program runs through midnight Christmas night, and is preceded by “The Twelve Days of Christmas” – daily holiday vignettes based on “An American Christmas”.

Find your radio station

Apple iTunes Offers Free LP Holiday Sampler

Apple is getting into the holiday spirit in the U.S. this Christmas by offering an iTunes LP Holiday song sampler for free. The sampler includes 20 tracks from several popular artists.

The downloadable album includes holiday songs performed by artists such as Amy Grant, Sarah McLauchlan, Mannheim Steamroller, Tody Keith, Weezer, Stephen Colbert, and more. Since the this Christmas Holiday album is being released in the  iTunes LP format, users will be able to see additional content such as song lyrics, photos, and more.

Apple's iTunes Holiday Sampler including Mannheim Steamroller is available as a free download at the iTunes Store now.

View Mannheim Steamroller itunes Store

Billboard #1 on the INDIE CHART this week!!
with Mannheim Steamroller
Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection 

CONGRATULATIONS to the fans and the fine folks at American Gramaphone on hitting

#1 on the INDIE CHART !!

#28 Top 200 (#45 LW)

#6 Seasonal Chart (#7 LW)

#1 New Age (#1 LW) – 6 weeks in a Row!

 Copyright © 2009 Nielsen SoundScan, a division of Nielsen Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved.

New Holiday Concert Series
Featuring Mannheim Steamroller at Universal Orlando

Want to know a great way to kick-off this Holiday season?
Join in with Universal Studios and Mannheim Steamrollers annual Christmas Celebration...More

Mannheim Steamroller Supports Feed the Children

Feed The Children, a Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization, delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty, or natural disasters.

Feed The Children is one of the world's largest private organizations dedicated to helping hungry and hurting people. Last year, Feed The Children shipped 133 million pounds of food and other essentials to children and families in all 50 states and in 34 foreign countries, supplementing more than 760,000 meals a day worldwide. Feed The Children has helped children and families in 119 countries around the globe.

Support Feed the Children by making a purchase of Mannheim Steamroller Music from Feed the Children. A portion of the proceeds will go to further a good cause.  Click on the support link and make a difference today. Click here to help support Feed The Children

2009 Feed The Children

PO Box 36, Oklahoma City, OK 73101

1-800-627-4556

Glade Limited Edition Fragrances
with Special Christmas Downloads

Mannheim Steamroller makes
Billboard's © #7 Holiday Christmas Albums
Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection 2 CD Set

Mannheim Steamroller moves into Billboard's No. 7 spot with their Christmas Holiday Album "Christmas: 25th Anniversary Collection". A music staple for the Christmas season for 25 years, Mannheim Steamroller takes a bow with their 14th entry.

The studio troupe's first Holiday Album dates back to it's December 21, 1984 release "Christmas". In this time span, no other acts have ever reached double-digits in chart appearances. Elvis Presley ranks second in that same time stretch with nine charted titles on the survey. It's quite an accomplishment these days in the music business, let alone at any time. Congratulations Mannheim Steamroller!

Mannheim Steamroller is celebrating a quarter-century of being America’s favorite Christmas music with this Anniversary 2-CD set. The Mannheim Steamroller Christmas - 25th Anniversary CD Collection, features a retrospective of 25 of the group’s most famous holiday classics.

The entire Christmas music industry was changed In 1984, when Chip Davis, founder of Mannheim Steamroller, recorded a Christmas album using the group’s signature mix of renaissance instruments with rock & roll beats. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas was a runaway hit and not only propelled  the group to become the biggest selling Christmas music artists in history, but also one of the top 50 biggest selling musical acts ever. Mannheim Steamroller has sold more than 35 million albums including the Fresh Aire series.

“I never imagined that the release of my Christmas album 25 years ago would continue to break records in 2009 and remain a holiday tradition all these years later.” said Davis. “The ever-changing music industry continues to bring challenges and surprises, and I look forward to the next 25 years in this dynamic business.”

In celebration of their milestone, Mannheim Steamroller kicks off a 58-city, 25th Christmas Anniversary Tour on November 12, 2009.   Grammy Award® winner Chip Davis will again direct and co-produce both the East Coast and West Coast tour ensembles of Mannheim Steamroller’s spectacular holiday shows.

Mannheim Steamroller Reviews

"This is Christmas Music at its best!" 

"Christmas music as it was meant to be... joyous and celebratory!" 

"If you buy one CD album for Christmas this year this is it! 

"We love playing Mannheim Steamroller while decorating our Christmas tree... It really makes the Christmas spirit come alive!"

"This is the must have Christmas Album of the year!" 

"If you love Christmas and you love music... even if you have never owned a Christmas music CD before, you owe it to yourself to get this one...
Mannheim Steamroller's 25th Anniversary Collection!"

"Mannheim Steamroller music has become a Christmas Tradition
with our family for the last 25 years"

"It wouldn't be Christmas without Mannheim Steamroller"