Christmas Cheer Through Intellectual Property
Happy Holidays!
Advent wishes you happy holidays and a happy New Year. But before we get to the New Year, let’s appreciate the patents and trademarks that have made our Christmas that much more enjoyable!
Watching Bird Novelty Item US 5,037,347 A
You may know of “The Elf on the Shelf” but have you heard of Santa’s… watching bird?? This patent from 1991 introduced a little watching bird to people’s homes to report back to Santa how the children were behaving long before the little Elf started making his own rounds. The watching bird’s cage even included a message dispenser so that Santa could message the children personally.
The Santa Clause Detector US 5,523,741 A
How do you know when Santa has arrived to leave presents under the tree? This invention includes a Christmas stocking that illuminates and transmits sound when Santa has come down the chimney. The stocking is hung on the chimney with a decorative cord tied to the toe of the stocking housing the electrical circuit. The other end of the cord is secured to the other side of the chimney, so as soon as Santa passes through the threshold, he will pull the cord and activate the detector. This invention ensures that you never miss a visit from Santa!
Naughty or Nice Meter US2008/0299533A1
How does Santa know whether the children in your house have been naughty or nice this year? Have they brushed their teeth, cleaned their room, finished homework, gone to bed on time, and remembered to say “please” and “thank you”? This invention asks twelve questions that help calculate the level of naughtiness and niceness that Santa uses on his workshop.Even if it was thought for children, adults are not exempt from the naughty or nice meter, so watch out!
In 1881, John Zbornik of Iowa invented this Sleigh that could make Santa’s ride a lot smoother! This Sleigh allows for a smooth ride over the roughest roads without any jolts. For the short period of time that the Rudolph and the reindeer’s make a landing, Santa’s sleigh journey would be as smooth as if they were still flying across the skies.
Christmas Trademarks
Let’s not forget our favorite holiday tradition of watching movies and listening to Christmas music (sure, some of us start playing Christmas music since before Halloween). One of our favorite holiday classics is Home Alone. Did you know their popular phrase “Merry Christmas ya Filthy Animal” has been registered as a trademark with the USPTO? And whether or not you love Christmas music, you have surely heard Mariah Carey’s “All I want from Christmas is you.” This trademark has become associate with various of goods and services like jewelry, gift wrapping, and Christmas tree ornaments. Finally, one of the most popular trademark portfolios of the recent years is the now-classic “Elf on the Shelf” with over 50 related trademarks and a copyright on the book.
The Advent Team would like to wish everyone happy holidays.