Monthly Archives: December 2018
HISTORY TIDBIT: NEW YEAR BABY PERKS
Nowadays, in some parts of the world, babies who are the first to be born into a community on January 1st get to be on TV, and have their pictures in the paper, and get a lot of neat baby stuff, courtesy of local merchants. Along with freebies for their parents. Siblings, if any, appear […]
TRIVIA TRAIL: CHRISTMAS TURKEY
Question: Did England’s King Henry VIII eat turkey? Answer: Yes. Or, at least, probably, as I doubt old Hal was one to forego the luxuries of life, and turkeys were brought to England from the New World during his reign. https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/turkeys
CHRISTMAS DEBATE TOPIC: PRESENT OPENING TRADITIONS
A seasonal topic for discussion could be the present-opening debate. Many who celebrate Christmas open them Christmas Day, with perhaps one present being allowed on Christmas Eve, Scandinavian kids open all of theirs on Christmas Eve. Additionally, Dutch children get their presents on St. Nicholas Eve (December 5th) and other European kids the next day, […]
CHRISTMAS LEGEND: TABBY CATS’ ‘M’s
The legendary Christmas ‘M’ on the forehead of tabby cats can be seen in the above photo of our grey tabby, Sprite, who was with us for seventeen years. We got her at the local flea market the day that someone there had a box of kittens to give away. The youngest of the next […]
CHRISTMAS TRADITION: CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
Our family did not follow this tradition because my father worked in the local flour mill and, greedy little children that we were, we put flour sacks at the end of our beds. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-legend-of-the-christmas-stocking-160854441/
CHRISTMAS TRADITION: CAROLLING
My mother grew up in a small village in Surrey, and, when still quite small, once went carolling with her friend, Cynthia. They didn’t go far though. Just into the study of Cynthia’s father, Major Charles Micklem, who gave them half a crown each for their efforts. (Big money back in the 1920s.) https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/carols_history.shtml
BOOK PROMOS: TIME TRAVEL – BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS
When looking for historical novels for ages ten and up (or even yourself), consider my Time Rose series available through Amazon, and bricks & mortar stores like Chapters/Indigo and Barnes & Noble. Or, time travelling into the future, my Side Trip duology, ages twelve and up.
TRIVIA TRAIL: REVOLUTIONARY STAR THESIS
Question: Scientists once thought there were no elemental differences between the Earth and the Sun. Who first proposed that stars were actually made up of an abundance of hydrogen and helium? Answer: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, in 1925, whose thesis met with derision at the time but has since been proven correct. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201501/physicshistory.cfm
Time Travelling With Kids 