The evolution of decorating the outside of a house or business at the holidays started years and years ago with Christmas trees having candles on them.

We now know that’s not the safest of traditions.

Edward H. Johnson, a peer of Thomas Edison, is credited with bringing electric lights to a Christmas tree in 1882.

In 1900, businesses strung lights inside to frame their windows. With electricity being so expensive, this was not something the average person took part in.

It took until 1930 for most homes to use electric lights instead of candles on trees.

Rockefeller Center first had lights on its famous tree in 1931.

Now all sorts of things — inside and out — are brightly lighted this time of year.

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By Jim Krajewski, Reno Gazette-Journal

We asked several prominent area athletes what is on their Christmas wish list this year. Answers ranged from the outrageous (a Porsche Panamera, which starts at $90,000) to the sublime, but the over-riding theme was that gifts aren’t necessarily what matters most. Many local sports types simply want to spend time with family and friends.

Minden’s Karen Stoffer, a pro stock motorcycle racer on NHRA circuit, gave some perspective on how her family gets at the meaning of the holiday.

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By Jen Watkins, Park Record

More than 50 elite snowboarders from around the world took to the slopes in Breckenridge, Colo., in the Slopestyle Mens Finals at the Winter Dew Tour, but it was a pair of teens who secured the top spots on the podium.

Tyler Flanagan (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Sage Kotsenburg (Park City), both 16, landed the first and second spots respectively Dec. 20 at the first of three Dew Tour events. Twenty-one-year-old Eric Willett (Breckenridge, Colo.) finished third.

“It was kind of crazy,” Kotsenburg said. “My two almost-best friends were all on the podium.”

The teens beat out elite snowboarders including the top two qualifiers, Torstein Horgmo and Mikkel Bang. Kotsenburg described Horgmo and Bang as “Norwegian snowboarding gods” and said even he was surprised at the final results.

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By Lindsey Sine, USSA

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — It was a Christmas come early for Jeret “Speedy” Peterson (Boise, ID) and Lacy Schnoor (Draper, UT) as they flipped and twisted their way to a nomination for the U.S. Olympic Team in aerials at Olympic Trials in Steamboat on Christmas Eve.

“I can’t believe that I’m going to go to the Olympics and I can’t wait to represent our country. I hope I go out there and do well,” Schnoor said.

Schnoor laid out a double-full, full, which is two flips with two twists on her first flip and one on her second, and full, double-full, which is a full twist on her first flip and two twists on her second. The double full full, however, happened to be a jump she had only first landed on snow a day prior.

“That was my fifth one on snow ever, so I am so glad I landed it,” Schnoor said. “The first one yesterday – I was nervous, but I’m actually more comfortable doing that trick than full double full, so I’m glad I did it and I’ll be happy to continue doing it.”

Backing up Schnoor on the podium was second place finisher Ashley Caldwell (Lake Placid, NY) who only made the U.S. Team a week ago after her success at U.S. Selection events.

“It hasn’t really set in yet. I was surprised to be that far ahead, but I’m just excited to be here and hopefully later in the season I’ll make it to the Olympics,” Caldwell said. “I knew that I was maybe coming, but I found out officially three days ago.”

The young athlete grew up as a gymnast and has only been training aerials for the past three years, but says the sport is a good fit for her.

Following up Peterson in second was Dylan Ferguson (Amesbury, MA) who was totally satisfied with what were two spectacular competition jumps for him.

Fans can tune in to watch the excitement of Olympic Trials Dec. 26 on NBC at 11:30am Pacific time.

2010 Olympic Trials Steamboat Springs, Dec. 24, Aerials

Men

1. Jeret Peterson, Boise, ID, 258.21

2. Dylan Ferguson, Amesbury, MA, 231/23

3. Ryan St. Onge, Winter Park, CO, 206.74

4. Nevin Brown, Streetsboro, OH, 201.63

5. Scotty Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA, 196.05

6. Matt DePeters, Hamburg, NY, 166.94

Women

1. Lacy Schnoor, Draper, UT, 177.83

2. Ashley Caldwell, Lake Placid, NY, 174.57

3. Emily Cook, Belmont, MA, 168.14

4. Jaime Myers, Boise, ID, 141.91

5. Jana Lindsey, Black Hawk, SD, 128.38

6. Allison Treleaven, Fort Wayne, IN, 95.38

By Lenita Powers, Reno Gazette-Journal

The United Way of Northern Nevada is making an end-of-the-year desperate appeal to Northern Nevadans for donations after its annual campaign came up millions of dollars short because of layoffs and home foreclosures.

“We are calling upon those in the region who might be able to give a donation in any amount to help the United Way fund the critical programs that help the growing number of people in need,” Greg Krause, chairman of the United Way board of trustees, said Wednesday.

Nevada’s high unemployment and home foreclosure rates severely impacted the amount of discretionary income individuals and corporations have been able to give during the United Way’s annual workplace donation campaign, Krause said.

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Christmas Day is not a holiday for those in the garbage business — at least for South Tahoe Refuse. So, put your trash out like usual. The same goes for New Year’s Day.

Last-minute shoppers might think about stuffing stockings with lift passes or season passes. Click here for today’s ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Not sure what to do with all that used wrapping paper?

If you live on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, South Tahoe Refuse says put it in the blue bag for it to be recycled.

Don’t burn it. The fire departments warns that the paper gets the flue too hot and can cause a chimney fire.

Sho Kashima may have been born in El Paso, but he is clearly more comfortable in ski boots than cowboy boots.

The 23-year-old is vying for a spot on the U.S. mogul team.

Home resort: Heavenly Mountain Resort

Sho Kashima

Why did you choose this resort?: I moved to Tahoe when I was 4, and Heavenly was right in my backyard. My dad had a job there, and that’s why we moved to Tahoe. Heavenly has been really supportive throughout my career on the U.S. Ski Team.

How often are you in Lake Tahoe?: 6-8 times a year now because of competitions/training.

When you aren’t training and competing where can we find you and what would you be doing?: There’s not much downtime, I feel like I’m always going. I’ll rarely have time to myself when I’m not doing anything. I like playing Xbox if I have nothing else going on.

After you win gold in Vancouver, what is your next goal? Hopefully, that’s the case! I’m actually not sure what I’ll be doing in the future. I’d like to finish up school and hopefully some opportunities open up so I can have a nice career after my career in skiing.

How long have you been participating in your sport? I’ve been skiing since I was 4 years old. I started skiing competitively in moguls when I was 11.

Who inspires you most and why? My family and friends. They give me so much support, and I’d love to make them proud by having a lot of success. I owe my community so much, they’ve been awesome.

Your life is devoted to an event that is over in minutes, how do you prepare for that thrill of victory or agony of defeat? It’s hard to think about. I know my event is over in about 20 seconds, but I’ve been training most of my life to be where I am now. I’m really only prepared for the thrill of victory in my head, I never want to be prepared to fail. All I can do is keep training and competing hard, and ski my best runs, and keep improving my skiing no matter what I’m ranked in the world. Even if I become the best skier in the world, I will have room to improve somewhere.

Anything else you would like to add? My twitter: shotime2010, I usually update that once a day.

Santa has decided that Lake Tahoe is so beautiful that he is going to spend Christmas Eve night cruising on the Tahoe Queen out of South Lake Tahoe. He is letting all of the children cruise and dine for free.

Call 800-23-TAHOE for reservations