The Differences Between European Dragons, Chinese Dragons

The Differences Between European Dragons, Chinese Dragons 

According to a collection of books by a Greek author Claudius Aelianus, dragons could grow to 180 feet long and had a very long lifespan.

Dragon King Statue

The legend of the Dragon has been around for centuries.
 There are two main groups of Dragons that come from two distinct cultures.

The first group is the European Dragon

The first group is the European Dragon, influenced by European folk traditions which are strongly derived from Greek and Middle Eastern myths.
European Dragons typically have wings and are more reptilian in form. 
Although they still have serpentine features.
European Dragons are usually shown in a malevolent form, although there are exceptions like that of the "Red Dragon Of Wales"
European Dragons often are shown living underground, in a cave.
European Dragons are not known to fly usually, although we usually show them flying.

Dragon with Globe Table Lamp

The second group of Dragons is the Chinese Dragon

The second group of Dragons is the Chinese Dragon, it has counter parts in Eastern Asia, such as Japan,Vietnam and Korea.
The Chinese Dragon is typically in serpentine form, shown in artifacts dating back to the 16th century B.C.
The Chinese Dragon at one time was associated with the emperor and is the highest ranking animal on the Chinese Animal Hierarchy.
The Chinese dragon is the only one of the mythological animals that represents the Chinese calender, this year is the year of the water dragon.

Dual Dragon Plaque


The two groups of Dragons have influenced each others evolution through the centuries  via cross contact with each others cultures, as we travel from one country to the next.

No Evil Dragons

The Chinese Dragons Most Notable Influence Is On The Japanese Dragon

The Japanese adopted a version of the Chinese Dragon in the 9th century A.D. and it  spread through Buddhism.
The Japanese Dragon is derived from stories of dragons from their own culture and are intertwined with the stories from China, Korea and India.
The Japanese Dragons typically are long serpents shown with 3 claws. 

Dragon Incense Burner

European Or Chinese Dragons In The End Its All Just 

Dragon's are a legendary mythological representation of a reptilian creature or that of a serpentine creature or a combination of the both.
Dragons can have some legs or none.
They may have a row of dorsal fins or have wings.
Some Dragons are fire-breathing, while some are poisonous. 
Some Dragons have scales for skin, while some have feathers like birds do.   In the Middle ages Dragon's started being depicted with legs making them look more like a Lizard.

Fire Dragon Statue

There are many different stories and legends around the world, depending on the part of the world you may be in will dictate the stories and legends you may encounter.
Throughout history many cultures around the world have beliefs that Dragons are very spiritually significant to their religions.
 Many Asian cultures still do revere the dragon as the representatives of the primal forces of nature, the universe and religion.
There are beliefs that Dragons had magical powers typically related to rain, rivers or wells.
 Dragons are believed to be symbols of wisdom and wiser than man.
It is even believed  by some cultures that dragons taught man to talk.

JADE-FIRE GEODE DRAGON 

The blood of the dragons is said to be beneficial in some cases, it may give you skin that is more durable like armor.
Dragons blood is also said to be poisonous or acidic.
Dragons have been shown as symbols of sin as well as a force fighting against man.
In more modern times Dragons have influenced games like D&D.
Some people think that the reason that we have dragon myths is because dragons are actually dinosaurs that died out in the last Ice Age.
In The end European or Chinese Dragons are both very cool to collect and they are an important part of our mythological history. 


UNTIL NEXT TIME:

Before you go please take part in my poll "Whats you 

favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

Happy Holidays!!        Happy Holidays!!

ALL OF THESE Dragons ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST  HERE AT ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS!!! JUST CHECKOUT THE LIST AT THE SIDE OF THIS POST UNDER THE ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS PROUDLY OFFERS: LIST OR FOLLOW THE LINKS UNDER EACH PICTURE YOU CAN PAY SECURELY WITH PAYPAL. FREE SHIPPING FOR CHRISTMAS

  PLEASE ALLOW 12-21 DAYS FOR SHIPPING

SHIPPING AVAILABLE FOR THE 48 CONTINENTAL STATES ONLY

NO P.O. BOXES. RETURNS ARE ACCEPTED FOR 15 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY.

Christmas shopping for a COMPUTER or PERIPHERALS : WHAT should you consider?

BLACK DRAGON COMPUTER SPEAKERS

When buying a computer you must consider not only the quality of the internal components, but also the external ones that make the entire multimedia experience possible.

Computer peripherals, from printers to web cams, are an important part of our lives and activities, if not the most important one, depending on our needs and habits. When you are faced with the situation in which you have to choose peripheries, consider a few aspects before making your move: utility, price/quality combination and purposes they should serve.

Ask these questions if you are looking to buy a computer for someone on your Christmas shopping list:

• Is this going to be used for a business? If the answer is yes then you will want a computer that comes with the latest features available,like software for accounting and presentation purposes. You will more than likely want a desktop. You will want it to have as much hard drive, ram as possible at the very least. Price is dependent on your budget, but you should be able to get a really nice set-up for 6-9 hundred dollars from most retailers if you purchase a stock system. Stock means that these computers are built in mass quantities for sale by retailers like Wal-mart, Best Buy, Meijer's and many others.Today it is quite possible to go to one of these retailers and puchase a computer right off the shelf without special ordering a system that can handal the demands of most small businesses. Keep in mind that there is some software that you would have to buy and install if you choose to buy stock instead of custom, if you require more than Microsofts Exel or Word programs to run your business. 
• Is this going to be for the whole family? You may want to consider buying a desktop instead of a laptop or tablet. Again it comes down to your budget, but in this case you have only to decide if you want the family computer to be mobile or not.
• How fast is the processor? All processor speeds are measured in Mhz and Ghz, in todays world the average speed is about 2 Ghz. Without confusing you just remember that the higher the number that faster the processor and that Ghz is faster than Mhz.
• How much hard drive should you get? In my opinion, due to the size of the programs that we use today versus 10 years ago, you should have at least 500 GB. The more the better. If you have a home full of Teens than you will understand, they are saving music and other downloads all the time,its not going to take long and you will be needing an external hard drive. The thing to keep in mind when it comes to hard drive size is that the higher the GB the better. Its more common today to find stock computers on sale with the average hard drive size being at least 500 GB. I know that you are wonder which is more TB or GB, answer is, TB it takes 1000 GB to equal 1 TB.
• How much memory should you get? Just to make it clear memory and ram are the same, neither one of them is for storing your files permanently. That's the hard drives job .The memory listed on the side of a box is like a chock board that your computer uses to keep files that it thinks you might use based on the programs or files you are using or have open. If you don't have enough memory your computer will run slow and freeze up quite often. Yes just like it would if you had a virus or the like. You need a computer that has at least 2 GB to really be able to multi-task without a lot of freeze ups. I recommend that you purchase a computer with no less than 4 GB of memory.
• Which Operating system should You get? I don't know what windows 8 is like but I know from my own experiences that windows Vista sucks, and windows XP is not bad but windows 7 is great. I don't know anything about the Mac Os's, so all I can say is I would get the newest OS whether its for a Windows based computer or a Mac.
• Are their any peripherals included? Do you need a web cam, micrphone or speakers ? You should be able to have these included on most laptops and tablets, desktops are a little bit different. When you are shopping for a desktop computer you will find that the less it cost you the less peripherals are included.

What about a keyboard or mouse?

The keyboard and the mouse come first in computer-user relationship and they also add a touch of personality to your personal computer. Browse for complete sets that can include even a mouse pad and try to assort them with the color and shape of your computer case. Nowadays the optical and wireless mice are the best choice, so buying a wireless multimedia keyboard can be of use also.

• Wireless keyboards and mice are more affordable today then ever before. There are less wires making for less clutter around the space where you are using a computer. I would recommend that you choose wireless and save little bit of money if your are purchasing a desktop. If you are purchasing a laptop you may find it easier to have a wireless mouse.

What about a printer?

Relying on these criteria, when we buy a printer we must think of why we are buying it. For example if it is meant to be an office printer and it will be mostly used to print out contracts and objectives, then the best choice is an all-in-one printer that can print, scan and have the functions of a fax machine at the same time. If however we want a home printer mostly to get copies of our digital photos then considering a color printer is a must and maybe we should think about making it a laser one.

•  The best printer that you can get for for the money is a color-laser printer, but it will cost you more. If you value the quality of your family than spend the money, otherwise a good old inkjet printer will do just fine.

What about web cams or micro-phones?

Communication with loved ones is done through the internet often. Then why not making it perfect by buying a web cam to assure a real time conference between us? Also, we will need a microphone to be able to hear and see at the same time the loved one and then we can talk as if he or she was in the room with us.

• Most laptops and tablets have them built-in, desktops on the other hand require that you buy them separately. I recommend buying these if you are purchasing a desktop. But if you buy Dragon Software with the headset included you could eliminate the need for the speakers that I would like you to buy and increase your teens chances of getting better grades on their book reports at school. No I don't sell Dragon software nor do I have any financial gains to be made should you buy Dragon Software, I just wanted to help you find a product that can serve you in multiple ways.

There are many types of computer peripherals out there: external hard drives, speakers from tiny to extremely large, real 5.1 systems, scanners, card readers for our digital camera and many more. All we have to do is to make of list of the uses we need our PC to have and then go shop for the according peripherals for each purpose. Whenever they can be combined you will want to so you may avoid taking up a lot of space.

I am not a professional computer Technician, nor do I claim to be, although I am capable of building my own system part by part. I just wanted to share with you some of the things that you should think about as well as help you understand what's what when it comes to computer speed and storage space. 

    UNTIL THE NEXT POST 
                                            HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR THANKSGIVING AND/OR CHRISTMAS THEMES HERE AT ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS!!! JUST CHECKOUT THE LIST AT THE SIDE OF THIS POST UNDER THE ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS PROUDLY OFFERS:YOU CAN PAY SECURELY WITH PAYPAL.

PLEASE ALLOW 12-21 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.

SHIPPING ONLY AVAILABLE FOR 48 CONTINENTAL U.S. STATES.

NO P.O. BOXES.  RETURNS ACCEPTED FOR 15 DAYS FROM DATE OF DELIVERY. 

A New Look With A Ocean Theme For Christmas

A New Look With Ocean Theme For Christmas

Playful Dolphins Accent Table
(119.95 plus 7%sales tax Free Shipping)

 So today I have been debating just what the heck to bring to you today. I came up with some very nice Items that locally I know of some retailers that are offering these products for a bit more than I am this Christmas.

While I was at it though I decided to change the look of this blog. What do you think? Honestly, after all it is you that I want to at least stop by every once and a while, and yes hopefully you make a purchase, but suggestions are just as good.

So lets get Started. This Playful Dolphins Accent Table could help you add that special touch to a room in your home by using it to create a themed room based on the ocean. You could buy a couple of these along with this Rowboat Curio Cabinet Set to display your nic-naks that you value.

ROWBOAT CURIO CABINET SET
(99.95 plus 7% sales tax, Free Shipping)

   

These Rowboat Curio Cabinets will fit in great with an ocean themed room, but than its a theme that I am suggesting that you create. So if you don't have any nic-naks that fit you might consider adding some thing like these collectible model ships.

PASSAT SHIP MODEL
(29.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)


 The Passat Ship model will let your imagination sail away with you while you are relaxing in your ocean themed room. Its highly detailed and stunningly authentic.
 Not to highly priced this should be a nice nic-nak for this room.

 The Mini-May Flower Ship Model is not only a reminder of how this Great Country was founded, but it also is a great treasure to include in this ocean themed room.
 As well as it is just in time to remind us of Thanksgiving coming next week. 
Not too far behind is Christmas.
 Are you starting to get any gift ideas for Christmas?
 What about ideas to jazz up a rooms home decor?

 MINI MAYFLOWER SHIP MODEL
(12.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)
Next you need a mirror in this room so that you can see how you look after you wake up, since you found this room so relaxing that before you knew it....
This Lighthouse Oval Mirror will fit right in with this theme. 
Its beautifully crafted framed on a clear blue day with a lighthouse in the foreground. 
This would be just as wonderful in a bedroom or the bathroom or maybe in a foyer some where in your home.
 Although this piece of home decor is fit for just about any place in the home, I think it is a nice touch to this ocean themed room, almost like it was made for this room. 

Lighthouse Oval Wall Mirror
(29.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)


Next Lets add some light in this room. First piece of lighting we can put in here is actually a piece of garden decor. 
This Solar Powered Lighthouse stands 19 inches, so it should fit nicely in an area where it would get some sun light during the day.
What I like about this solar powered lighthouse is it will fit right into the ocean theme that we are trying to create for this room, its solar powered.
 Which is pretty nice because you can add some light into this area without the cost of electricity, awesome these days.
So you can save some money while lighting this room, but the other cool feature is that this also runs off of  AAA battery power.
 Therefore you can say that this lighthouse will not affect your light bill cost  for this room.

Solar Powered Lighthouse
(49.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)

The next piece that we could included to help us light this ocean themed room is this beautiful Rattan Styled Palm Tree Lamp  . 
This lamp is just the right piece of home decor to help us create an oceanic vibe for this room.
 It should help us to imagine that we are setting on a beach in the Bahamas.
Real rattan rope is used in the creation of this lamp for the trunk of the palm tree and the lamp shade. 

 Rattan Styled Palm Tree Lamp

(49.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)

This next lamp also should help us to further increase the oceanic theme of this room as it too is a Palm Tree Lamp.
But this lamp has some monkeys gathered around the trunk of this palm tree.
 Now our room is so far away from the Christmas themes that we normally are focused on during this time of year, we can truly kick back and relax.
Which maybe just the thing that you need the most if  you have been out shopping for thanksgiving next week.

Palm Tree Lamp
(39.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)

Next I found a neat piece of home decor that will add a little humor to this oceanic theme. 
This indoor fountain would actually make a nice gift for christmas or any time and could fit into almost any home decor theme.
The Thirsty Sea Captain Fountain depicts your typical silver screen type of a sea captain putting away a bottle of rum.
He sets on the shelf or table top and is sure to stir up some laughter, conversation.
Looks like he has really had a rough time out fishing the ocean, doesn't he?

THIRSTY SEA CAPTAIN FOUNTAIN
(39.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping) 


The final piece that I think that we should to this ocean themed room, will help us to keep from getting in trouble because we lost track of the day.

SEAFARING WALL CLOCK
(39.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping)

But than again this Seafaring Wall Clock will more than likely not help us stay out of trouble, but its quartz movement should be a nice final touch to this oceanic themed room.
Its detail includes a compass clock dial and rope knots for the numbers on the clock face.
This is a excellent piece of home decor to add to this oceanic themed room.
Although it would probably fit in just about any room of your home.
Whether you are thinking about Christmas gifts or maybe redecorating a room, everything I have shown you here is available. 
All of it together would only cost $680.00.
But  don't forget, here at ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS, haggling is welcome. 
Just E-mail me with an offer.
I hope that you are starting to find some of the ideas that I have shared with you at least amusing. 

UNTIL THE NEXT POST 
 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR THANKSGIVING AND/OR CHRISTMAS THEMES HERE AT ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS!!! JUST CHECKOUT THE LIST AT THE SIDE OF THIS POST UNDER THE ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS PROUDLY OFFERS:located UNDER the Novelty Collectibles Dragons, Eagles,Dolphins,Clocks tab YOU CAN PAY SECURELY WITH PAYPAL.

PLEASE ALLOW 12-21 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.

SHIPPING ONLY AVAILABLE FOR 48 CONTINENTAL U.S. STATES.

NO P.O. BOXES.  RETURNS ACCEPTED FOR 15 DAYS FROM DATE OF DELIVERY. 

Try Making Your Christmas Decorations Instead Of Buying Them

Try Making Your  Christmas Decorations Instead Of  Buying Them

SNOWFLAKE HANDCRAFTED ORNAMENT

If you are like many other individuals, you enjoy Christmas.  With Christmas comes gifts’, spending quality time with family while putting out your Christmas decorations.  While everyone loves to get Christmas gifts and spend time with their family, there are others who are most excited about decorating for Christmas.  In a way, putting up Christmas decorations symbolizes the upcoming Christmas holiday season.  Perhaps, that is one of the reasons why decorating for Christmas is enjoyed by so many.

SENTIMENTAL ANGEL ORNAMENTS

Led-Light Holiday Tree

When it comes to decorating for Christmas, different individuals use different methods.  Perhaps, the most popular method is buying Christmas decorations from the store or online from retailers like myself, then hanging them or displaying them in their homes.  In addition to buying store bought decorations, there are other individuals who make their own Christmas decorations and then hang or display them. If you are preparing to decorate your home for Christmas, you may be wondering which decorating method you should use. Honestly, the decision is yours to make; however, you will find that each method has a number of advantages and disadvantages.  

 BLUE SNOWMAN ORNAMENT BOX SET

One of the most popular ways that most individuals choose to decorate their homes for Christmas is by purchasing store bought decorations. These store bought decorations can include items such as a Christmas tree, Christmas lights, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas lawn decorations, and Christmas kitchenware.  Perhaps, the wide variety of different decorations that can be purchased online or from a storefront retail location is the greatest benefit to buying your decorations. While it is possible to make your own Christmas lights or Christmas kitchenware, it is time consuming and you need to have special skills to do so. 

In addition to the selection of Christmas decorations that you have to choose form, when buying store bought Christmas decorations, you will also find that buying pre-made Christmas decorations saves time.  Shopping online is the best way to save time, as well as money, when buying Christmas decorations. As nice as it may be to make your own Christmas decorations, it is a time consuming task, especially if you have never made your own Christmas decorations before. 

Red Christmas Ball Ornament with Dangling Beads

So far, it may seem as if you can benefit the most from buying store bought Christmas decorations, but it is important to note that you can also benefit from making your own decorations.  Perhaps, the greatest advantage to making your own Christmas decorations is that you can make what you want.  Since you know every inch of your home, you likely know what will look good in one area and what will look good in another.  If you are looking for a particular Christmas decoration, such as a Christmas painting, and you are unable to find it, you may be able to make your own. While it will take some skill and time, it is almost always worth it to get exactly what you want.

Happy Holidays' Sign

          MEDIEVAL TRIPLE CANDLE STAND 

 Another advantage to making your own Christmas decorations is that, as previously mentioned, you can make whatever you want, however you want to.  When most of us think of homemade Christmas decorations, we tend to think of decorations that were created from scratch. The reality is that you can make your own decorations with existing Christmas decorations or traditional craft items, if you want to. For instance, you can easily make your own Christmas table centerpiece by using a glass bowl or large candle holder, artificial flowers, sand, or even Christmas lights.  Despite the fact that you did not make each piece of the decoration yourself, you altered it enough whereas it can be considered a homemade Christmas decoration.

The overall goal of decorating for Christmas is to bring the Christmas spirit into your home and spending quality time with family .  In all reality, that is the most important thing.  It really shouldn't matter whether you choose to make your own Christmas decorations or buy them; the same goal will be accomplished.

                                  Happy Holidays see you again tomorrow!!

ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR THANKSGIVING AND/OR CHRISTMAS THEMES HERE AT ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS!!! JUST CHECKOUT THE LIST AT THE SIDE OF THIS POST UNDER THE ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS PROUDLY OFFERS: LIST AND YOU CAN PAY SECURELY WITH PAYPAL.

PLEASE ALLOW 12-21 DAYS FOR DELIVERY. 

SHIPPING AVAILABLE FOR 48 CONTINENTAL U.S. STATES.

NO P.O. BOXES.  RETURNS ACCEPTED FOR 15 DAYS FROM DATE OF DELIVERY.  

A Fairy Merry Christmas 2012 pt. 2

A Fairy Merry Christmas 2012

Orchid Fairy Table Lamp


Today for A Fairy Merry Christmas 2012 I am going to share the lighter side of the Fairy Figurine Gifts and Collectables that I have to offer you for those on your Christmas gift List in 2012 that collect Fairy Figurines, but not those like the Gothic Fairy Figurines or the Medieval Fairy Figurines.This group of Fairy Figurines does not share in the dark nature for which their counter parts the Gothic or Medieval Figurines. These Fairies share an array of bright pastel colors versus the dark purples and shades of black that the Gothic Fairies or the Medieval Fairies that I shared with you in a Fairy Merry Christmas 2012 pt.1

The first Fairy Figurine that I think would fit into this group of Fairies is pictured above, the Orchid Fairy Table Lamp (Cost: 69.95 49.95 plus 7% sales tax andFREE SHIPPING), as you can see she does not project the same dark mysterious vibe that her Medieval Fairy or Gothic Fairy does. I think that she has a more inviting and welcoming vibe because she is painted with lighter colors and to top it off the lamp shade being white adds to the bright nature of this Fairy Figurine. She should be a very nice gift this Christmas, or anytime of the year. The Orchid Fairy Table Lamp should be a nice collectors piece to start a collection with or just to enhance a Fairy Collection.

Forest Magic Figurine



Next Up is the Forest Magic Figurine (19.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping), you Can see She is a very happy Fairy with her Unicorn enjoying Mother Natures Gift of life. This Fairy Figurine is painted in bright pastel colors, set in a spring setting. The Forest Magic Figurine should be a nice Christmas Gift to give to any little girl or Fairy Collector on your Christmas Shopping LIst in 2012.

 Moonlight Fairy Light 

Next up is The Moonlight Fairy Light (24.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 Shipping.). This Fairy lamp is going to be the talk of all of your little girls friends this Christmas. They will all want this Fairy Figurine Lamp to be one of their Christmas Gifts that they are able to ad to their Fairy collections in 2012. This little Fairy lamp is highly detailed and painted with bright inviting colors to help welcome the night.

Twin Fairies Oil Warmer

Last but not least is the Twin Fairies Oil Warmer pictured above
(19.95 plus 7% sales tax and 5.95 shipping.) will be a wonderful Christmas Gift this year for any Fairy Collectors or you might have some one on your Christmas shopping List that collects incense and fragrance related collectables. Whether You do or not this Fairy Figurine Oil Burner is highly detailed and beautifully painted wiht bright pastel colors.


I hope that this helps you find the type of Fairy Figurine that you may have on your Christmas Shopping List in 2012. Whether it be a Gothic Fairy Figurine or the Medieval Fairies, we have you covered here at ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS for the Christmas 2012 Gift Shopping season.

 I hope that you enjoy these gift ideas that I have brought you today. 

Until Tomorrow Have Fairy Merry Christmas and 

Happy Holidays see you again tomorrow!!

ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR THANKSGIVING AND/OR CHRISTMAS THEMES HERE AT ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS!!! JUST CHECKOUT THE LIST AT THE SIDE OF THIS POST UNDER THE ZIGGYS COLLECTABLES-N-GIFTS PROUDLY OFFERS: LIST AND YOU CAN PAY SECURELY WITH PAYPAL.