Christmas Stuff to Educate and Amuse

CHRISTMAS REPORTS BELOW - SCROLL DOWN

Santa Claus's reindeer are traditionally named Dasher, Dancer,

Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.

The Original Eight Reindeer

According to the famous poem

"A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore,

the original eight reindeer are:

Dasher: Known for his speed and agility, he leads the pack.

Dancer: Graceful and lively, he adds rhythm to the team's flight.

Prancer: Proud and elegant, he prances through the snowy skies with poise.

Vixen: Mysterious and spirited, she brings energy and excitement.

Comet: Fast and bright, often associated with shooting stars.

Cupid: The symbol of love and joy, spreading warmth during the cold season.

Donner: Derived from the German word for "thunder," he brings powerful strength.

Blitzen: Meaning "lightning," he is swift and electrifying in action.

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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

In addition to the original eight, Rudolph is often included in the team. He is famous for his glowing red nose, which helps guide Santa's sleigh through foggy weather. Rudolph was popularized by the 1939 story and song of the same name, making him a beloved character in Christmas lore.

These reindeer have become iconic symbols of Christmas, representing the magic and joy of the holiday season. Each reindeer has its own unique personality and story, contributing to the festive spirit associated with Santa Claus and his sleigh rides on Christmas Eve.

Science proves Santa's reindeer are actually all female

As Christmas quickly approaches and our ears fill with the sounds of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," it is impossible to ignore the festive spirit surrounding the year-end.

And one Twitter user, Cat Reynolds, has given us even more reason to celebrate.

She posted that all of Santa's reindeer - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph - are female, an observation that immediately went viral.

READ MORE HERE

Reindeer, also known as Caribou in North America, are remarkable animals with unique adaptations and cultural significance.

General Information

1. Habitat: Reindeer re native to the Arctic tundra and boreal forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada. They are adapted to cold climates and can be found in both tundra and forest environments.

   
   

2. Physical Characteristics: Reindeer are the only deer species where both males and females grow antlers. Males can have antlers that grow up to 1.4

3. meters long and can weigh over 250 kilograms. Their fur is thick and can change color with the seasons, ranging from brown in summer to whitish in winter, providing excellent insulation.

4. Diet: These herbivores primarily feed on lichens, especially during winter when they dig through the snow to find food. In warmer months, they eat grasses, leaves, and shoots from trees like birch and willow.

Behavior and Migration

4. Migration: Reindeer are known for their long migrations, which can cover up to 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) annually. They travel in large herds, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands, to find food and suitable breeding grounds.

5. Reproduction: The rutting season occurs in autumn, where males compete for females by locking antlers. After a gestation period of about seven and a half months, females typically give birth to one calf.

Cultural Significance

6. Domestication: In some cultures, particularly among Indigenous peoples in Scandinavia and Russia, reindeer are domesticated and herded for their meat, milk, and fur. They play a crucial role in the livelihoods and traditions of these communities.

7. Unique Abilities: Reindeer have the unique ability to see ultraviolet light, which helps them spot predators and food in their snowy environment.

   These fascinating facts highlight the adaptability and cultural importance of reindeer, making them a unique species in the animal kingdom. Whether in the wild or as part of human culture, reindeer continue to capture our interest and admiration.

Pictures capture stunning home Christmas display - with more than 150k lights

WATCH HERE

Tesco torn apart over new name for Christmas cake - 'we're doomed'

Story by Tom Layton

Angry comments flooded social media as customers noticed the chain's 'Top Iced Fruit Cake' and 'Merry mince pies' did not have the word Christmas in their name this year.

READ MORE HERE

I had Wetherspoons' Christmas dinner and two words sum it up'

Story by Matt Jackson

READ MORE HERE

Video shows Dome Christmas Tree which requires over half a million lights to shine

WATCH HERE

Global Traditions & Folklore

• Japan’s KFC Obsession: Since a successful 1974 "Kentucky for Christmas" campaign, eating KFC has become the primary holiday tradition in Japan. Orders are often placed weeks in advance.

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• The "Defecating Log": In Catalonia, Spain, families "feed" a log called Caga Tió for two weeks before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, they beat it with sticks until it "poops" out small gifts and candies.

• Broom Hiding in Norway: A superstitious tradition involves hiding all brooms on Christmas Eve to prevent witches and evil spirits from stealing them for "joyrides".

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• The Yule Cat of Iceland: Icelandic folklore features Jólakötturinn, a giant, terrifying cat that prowls the country and eats anyone who hasn't received new clothes to wear for Christmas.

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• Spider Web Decorations: In Ukraine and parts of Eastern Europe, trees are decorated with artificial spider webs. This comes from a folktale about a poor widow whose tree was decorated by spiders with shimmering silk that turned to silver. 

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Historical & Scientific Oddities

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• Christmas was Illegal: In 1644, the English Parliament officially banned Christmas celebrations, viewing them as wasteful and non-biblical. The ban lasted until 1660.

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• Jingle Bells Wasn't for Christmas: Written by James Lord Pierpont in the 1850s, the song was originally titled "One Horse Open Sleigh" and intended for Thanksgiving.

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• Santa’s Speed: Scientists have calculated that for Santa to visit every child on Earth, he would have to travel at roughly 650 miles per second and visit 822 homes every second.

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• Mince Pies Once Contained Meat: Historically, mince pies were savory and filled with meats like mutton, beef, rabbit, or even pigeon before evolving into the sweet fruit-filled treats of today.

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• The Smallest Card: In 2017, scientists created the world’s smallest Christmas card. It is so tiny (200 million times smaller than a stamp) that it is invisible to the naked eye. 

• Poland’s 12-Dish Feast: The traditional Christmas Eve meal, Wigilia, consists of 12 meat-free dishes representing the 12 apostles.

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• Sweden’s Rice Pudding Almond: In Sweden, a single almond is hidden in the rice pudding (risgrynsgröt). Whoever finds it is said to be the next person in the family to get married.

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• Germany’s Stollen: This dense fruit bread is shaped with a ridge down the center to symbolize the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

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• Candy Cane History: Legend suggests candy canes were invented in 1670 by a German choirmaster to keep children quiet during church services. They were originally all white; the red stripes were only added in the early 20th century.

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• Sugar Plums: These famous treats contain no actual plums. In the 1600s, "plum" was a generic term for any dried fruit.

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• Animal Crackers: First introduced in 1902, the string on the box was originally designed so they could be hung as ornaments on Christmas trees.

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• Nutrient Facts: Despite their bad reputation, 80g of Brussels sprouts contains more vitamin C than an orange. ( Give me an orange any day...)

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• Food Waste: In the UK alone, approximately 10 million turkeys are purchased for Christmas, but over 260,000 are thrown away annually.

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Modern Statistics

• Break-up Season: Data from social media suggests that the two weeks leading up to Christmas is one of the most common times of the year for couples to break up.

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• Caloric Intake: The average person consumes approximately 6,000 calories on Christmas Day—three times the recommended daily intake. 

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52 Interesting Christmas Facts for a Festive Trivia Night

Mistletoe isn't as romantic as you think.

Not everything you thought you knew about Christmas is true and much of it is a modern invention.

READ MORE HERE

On January 6, about 20 minutes after JetBlue flight 1721 took off for Jamaica, an elderly woman began having trouble breathing.

A nurse sitting nearby rushed to her aid, but nothing seemed to work. That's when Matthew (one of John's partners) realized the gravity of the situation and intervened. He quickly alerted John when the woman stopped breathing completely. The two men worked together, using the plane's oxygen bottles and airbags, to create what they needed to keep her alive. They administered oxygen to her for 45 minutes, right there in the aisle, while the plane made an emergency landing in Fort Lauderdale, just as Matthew and John had advised the crew.

Watching my husband and his friend in action was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. It's what they do for a living saving lives, but seeing it up close was something else entirely. What touched me most was the number of people who were praying and supporting them the whole time. It reminded me that, at the end of the day, we're all human. And when someone's life is on the line, we come together because life matters to us all.

50 YEARS MORE LIFE

This story reminds me of a girlfriend I had years ago whose Mother was a nurse. At the funfair one tme a man had a freak accident and received a huge electric shock, right in front of her Mother, and dropped like a pack of cards. His heart had stopped. Instanty she as there, realised what had happened, and couldn't get his heart going again with normal CPR and reached into her bag for her nail file, made a cut in his chest and massaged his heart with her bare hands and brought him round. The ambulance arrived and he was taken away and she got on with her day.

Some time later this young man ( late 20's ) came to thank her at the hospital where she worked and she admitted after,- that she didn't have a clue who he was until he told her, as she has not even noticed his face - but had concentrated on helping him medically. She knew what needed to be done and got on with it and stepped back after and - to her - it was just another day - but to the young man, it was another 50 years - or more - of life, and all thanks to this one nurse off duty at the funfair.

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We had just said goodbye to our beloved 12-year-old dog,

and I was heartbroken. My kids were too, and I

made one request—let’s adopt a female dog (since I’m the only girl in the house, even the cat is male).

But my older son looked at one pup and said, “Mom, I want him.”

I hesitated. “But he’s a boy, and we agreed on a girl,” I said.

“I know, Mom, but he’s the one I want,” my son replied.

We brought him into the visiting room. Seeing how gentle he was—especially with my younger son—I couldn’t say no.

Part of his calmness was due to a respiratory infection, but once he was treated, he became a playful, loving pup. Vet bills added up with treatment for the infection and allergies, but every penny was worth it.

Today, he has grown into a smart, loyal dog who is protective of his two boys and an irreplaceable part of our family. Sometimes, the “right” dog isn’t the one you planned for—it’s the one that chooses you.

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A wife arrived home after a long shopping trip, and was horrified to find her husband in bed with a young, lovely thing.

Just as she was about to storm out of the house, her husband stopped her with these words: "Before you leave, I want you to hear how this all came about. Driving home, I saw this young girl, looking poor and tired, I offered her a ride. She was hungry, so I brought her home and fed her some of the roast you had forgotten about in the refrigerator."

Her shoes were worn out so I gave her a pair of your shoes you didn’t wear because they were out of style.

She was cold so I gave her that new birthday sweater you never wore even once because the color didn’t suit you.

Her slacks were worn out so I gave her a pair of yours that you don’t fit into anymore.

Then as she was about to leave the house, she paused and asked, "Is there anything else that your wife doesn’t use anymore?"

"And so, here we are!"

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