Tis the season to get into the Christmas spirit, and what better way to do this than to look at Christmas themed patents.

After a long and hot summer, many will be wondering if it will snow this Christmas. If it does snow then you may be excited to learn that an inventor has come up with a device to help make and throw snowballs.

Granted US patent US 8302585 describes a combined snowball forming and launching device. The patent states "as anyone who has participated in a snowball fight knows, it takes time to gather and form snowballs, and the speed at which one can throw is limited by the length of one's arm" and there "exists a need in the art for a device that facilitates the forming and throwing of snowballs". The inventors have overcome these problems by combining a mechanism which compacts snow to form a snowball and has an elongated section which helps gather and throw the snow; thereby helping a user to improve their snowball game.

If you don't get enough snow to use the above invention, then maybe you can still make a snowman using US patent US 8549726, which describes a frame for building a snowman using a minimal amount of snow. The invention comprises a lightweight frame covered in a cloth mesh which allows snow to stick to its surface. Therefore, a snowman can be constructed by coating the frame in only a thin coating of snow. A further advantage is that there is no need to lift heavy snowballs and the snowman can be built relatively quickly. The patent also describes decorative parts such as coal eyes and a carrot nose which can be attached to the frame.

Leaving food and a note for Father Christmas and his reindeer on Christmas Eve as a thank you for delivering presents is a famous Christmas tradition. However, on the odd occasion, Father Christmas may miss the food and note, as he may be too preoccupied delivering presents to all of the well-behaved children across the planet. This can be very disappointing for a child who has made the effort to leave out food and a note, as they may think that Father Christmas has not received their gesture of thanks.

To solve this problem, US patent application No. US2002/0128081 discloses a kit for supplying reindeer food to Santa's reindeer as well as a thank you note. The kit includes reindeer food which may be placed in a container by the children on Christmas Eve, before they head off to bed. Then, early on Christmas morning, a parent can inspect the container to see if Father Christmas has remembered to take the thank you note and the food for his reindeer. If not, and the food and note are still present, a parent may then use a key feature of the invention: the hoof print maker. The hoof print maker simulates hoof prints, providing the illusion that the reindeer have entered the premises and taken the food. The food and note may then be removed by the parent and the fake hoof prints laid down.
A child, from seeing that the food and note have gone and noticing the hoof prints, will immediately assume that Father Christmas has visited and has taken the food and note. They can then enjoy Christmas knowing that they have thanked Santa.

Many offices around the country, including ours here at Haseltine Lake, get into the festive spirit by decorating the office with Christmas decorations. Christmas cheer can be brought into an office through many items: tinsel, fairy lights, festive seat covers etc. However, an often over looked item, when it comes to Christmas decorating, is the water dispenser. But no longer.

PCT application WO2013/138301 describes a water cooler cover resembling Father Christmas. As the application comments, a water cooler alone does not immediately convey a human. However, features of the water cooler can be highlighted by a cover or body to give the water cooler a new and altogether different appearance.

By developing a Santa hat (54 on the image above), and beard (56 above) for a water cooler, the water cooler is transformed to resemble Father Christmas. Thus, this usually standard piece of office décor is brought into the Christmas spirit.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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