Saturday, December 31, 2011

History of New Year's Eve Fireworks

New Year Fireworks : 2012 made of sparks. A photo path bengal fires Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The use of fireworks and other noise-making such as cheering and horn-blowing at midnight on the cusp of the New Year is an old semi-religious tradition.  People used to think that evil spirits were drawn to these particular celebrations, and the bright flashes of light and very loud noise-making would scare the evil spirits away.  For more information click here.

How do you spend your New Year's Eve?

Friday, December 30, 2011

Samoa Loses a Calendar Day


On the above map, Samoa is the red star in the center.
Photo courtesy MapQuest.com

Samoa is skipping December 30 and moving straight to December 31 in order to make a move west of the International Date Line.  This will put them in the same time zone with their other island-nation neighbors, with whom they do the bulk of their business.  Before this change, for instance, when it was Friday in Samoa it was Saturday in New Zealand, and when it was Sunday in Samoa it was Monday in New Zealand, so they lost two business days each week in which they could work together.  Samoa believes this will help their economy.  For more information click here.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Disk Music Boxes

Photo courtesy The Musical Box Society International

Photo courtesy AntiqueMusicBoxes.co.uk

I like antique disk music boxes.  I used to visit Rita Ford's Music Boxes shop when she was located in New York City, and enjoyed listening to the bell-like quality of the beautiful sound coming from these huge boxes, which can be as big as grandfather clocks.  Two of my favorite albums are recordings of Christmas music and opera music played on Rita Ford's disk boxes.  Not only do they produce beautiful music, but the wood boxes are quite beautiful too, with beautiful carving or beautiful inlay.

Disk boxes were popular at the turn of the 20th century, and quite affordable so many people had them in their homes.  The popularity didn't last long, however, due to the invention and subsequent popularity of the nickelodeon and the player piano, then the gramophone.

I knew that the huge disks were still being made in the mid-20th century, but had thought that they were no longer being made.  What I didn't know is that there has been a resurgence in the popularity of antique disk boxes, so much so that the disks are still being made and new boxes are now being made.

For more information about disk players and music boxes click here and click here and click here.

What is your favorite music box tune that you have heard?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

History of Snow Globes


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

No one knows who invented the snow globe, but they've been around since the early 1800's.  Early snow globes contained only water as the liquid and many still do, but in the 20th century sometimes glycerin began to be added to the water to slow down the falling snow and making the spectacle last longer.  For more information click here and click here.

My favorite snow globe that I own has an angel inside and a music box that plays Hark the Herald Angels.  What is your favorite snow globe that you have seen or owned?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

History of the Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope : mosaic Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The kaleidoscope was invented in 1816 by Sir David Brewster (1781-1868) of Scotland.  Brewster was a child prodigy, built a telescope at age 10, and entered the University of Edinburgh at age 12 where his primary studies were optics and the physics of light.  For more information click here.

I enjoy and have a few kaleidoscopes.  What do you collect?

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas in the Ukraine

Christmas In The Ukraine : Portrait of smiling little girl in the Ukrainian national costume at christmas tree
Photo of Ukranian child in traditional clothing, next to Christmas tree, courtesy 123rf.com

Although there are some secular Christmas celebrations on December 25, most in the Ukraine observe the religious Christmas celebration on January 7 according to the Julian calendar.  Some ancient pagan rituals are also observed, such as a mock battle between citizens and people dressed as monsters, representing a battle between good and evil in which the citizens are victorious.  For more information click here and click here.

What rituals do you and your family observe during this season?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Night Sky

Constellation Perseus : Constellation The Hero, rescuer of Andromeda (Perseus)  Stock Photo
Photo of constellation Perseus courtesy 123rf.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see the constellations Horologium and Perseus.  What a great way to spend a beautiful Christmas evening.  For more information click here.

What will you and your family do on Christmas evening?

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Poems

Reading Christmas Book : Vintage christmas scene of a victorian family. Shot in the antique castle 'Den Brandt' in Antwerp, Belgium (with signed property release for the Castle interiors).
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Nearly everyone knows that most famous of Christmas poems, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863).  Written in 1822, it's also known as A Visit from St. Nicholas.  Did you know that many poems have been written for Christmas?  Here's one I like that's new to me:

Christmas is a soft warm glow
Children playing in the snow
Decorations on the tree
Put on there by Mom and me
Candy canes red and white
A letter to Santa I did write
Sugar cookies in a row
Christmas is a soft warm glow.

I don't know who wrote this poem, but you can find this one and more written for children by going to this Christmas Poem website, (click here).  This website also has poems for lovers, funny poemsreligious poems, and more.

One of the things I enjoy doing on Christmas Eve is reading Christmas poetry.  What do you enjoy doing on Christmas Eve?

Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas in Puerto Rico

Roast Pig : roast pig Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Christmas celebrations in Puerto Rico are both religious and secular.  Religious celebrations last six weeks, ending January 6 with the Feast of the Three Kings who visited the Holy Family in Bethlehem.  On the eve of this feast children put grain and water under their beds to feed the camels of the kings.

The Christmas Eve celebration includes a big feast at midnight consisting of the favorite seasonal foods of roast pig, rice and peas, pasteles, and coconut pudding.  The favorite seasonal drink is coquito, which is made of coconut milk and white rum.  For more information click here.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

First Full Day of Winter

Snow : underwood covered by the snow
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Today is the first full day of winter in the northern hemisphere.  I thought that the temperature had to reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit before snow falls, but that's not true:  snow can fall when the temperature is in the 40's!  For more winter fun facts click here.

For fun things to do both indoors and outdoors in winter click here.

What's your favorite thing to do in winter?

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas in Guatemala

Tamales : Tamales
Photo of tamales courtesy 123rf.com

In the nine days leading up to Christmas in Guatemala, there are daily processions with religious statues, firecrackers, and people acting as the Holy Family.  At the end of the procession the Holy Family stops at a selected house, and asks for and is given shelter for the night.  Then everyone enjoys a feast, usually with the favorite food of the season, tamales.  At the end of the Christmas Eve procession a Christ-child figure is added to the manger, then everyone again celebrates then attends midnight mass.  Christmas morning is spent in worship, after which celebrating and feasting continues.  For more information click here.

How does your family spend the days prior to Christmas?

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas in Asia

Fried Chicken : fried chicken meal Stock Photo
Photo of fried chicken on Japanese dish courtesy 123rf.com

In the Philippines Christmas is a full-on religious holiday and an official holiday, with much celebration, feasting, and gift-giving.  In other East Asian countries there are public holidays during the Christmas season, but there are few who celebrate Christmas either secularly or religiously.  In Muslim countries, Christmas is neither an official nor unofficial holiday, but Christians who live there do celebrate Christmas with their churches. 

In Japan there is intense secular celebration with much gift-giving, and although many Christmas religious symbols are used in their secular celebrations, actual religious celebration is not wide-spread outside Christian communities. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is one of their favorite pieces of music during this season, and fried chicken one of their favorite foods. A friend who is Japanese has told me that the Japanese are very name-brand conscious, and that this is reflected in their Christmas gift-giving.  For more information click here and click here.

If you celebrate during the month of December, what do you celebrate and how?

Monday, December 19, 2011

Christmas in South America


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

South America is in the middle of summer during the Christmas season, so holidays can include fireworks, trips to the beaches for surfing and swimming, picnics, and barbecues.  While Christmas has been influenced by native traditions and U.S. and European customs, the majority of people celebrating Christmas in South America do so in a devoutly religious manner.  Nativity scenes are especially prevalent and important to South Americans.

There are separate celebrations that include feasts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and since the Christmas season extends through Epiphany there are religious celebrations and feasting on New Year's Day as well.  Some of the special Christmas-season foods are Christmas pudding, a special dessert cake called Pan de Pascua, roast pig or peacock, steak, turkey, and pies.  Special Christmas-season drinks are cola de mono or "monkey's tail",  fruit juice, cider, beer, and champagne.

For more information click here, and click here, and click here.

What Christmas traditions does your family observe?

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Boston Tea Party Fascinating Facts


Photo of painting courtesy AOC.gov

December 16 is the anniversary of the 1773 Boston Tea Party, so I've been following the blog, Boston 1775, more closely than usual for the past week.  Today's entry is a poem about the Boston Tea Party published in 1916, and written that year by a man who was in his 40th year of serving a sentence for a murder he had committed when he was 14. 

There is also a fascinating document posted in the blog that lists the types of tea that were on the ship, how many cases of tea there were, and how much the tea was worth. 

Boston, Massachusetts is filled with preserved sites important to American history.  If you've been there, what was your experience in visiting any of these sites?

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas Websites & Baking


Photo courtesy Coolest Christmas Present Cake (click here for recipe)


Photo courtesy Pastry Passion (click here to purchase one of these cakes)

Even though we have a large collection of Christmas cookbooks that we love, we thought we'd see what the internet had to offer this year.  The number of websites devoted only to Christmas is staggering, and the number of sites dedicated to Christmas baking is no less so.  Here are a few of our newly discovered favorites:

Christmas Baking = The home page contains many links to other Christmas sites.

Why Christmas = Written by a Christmas fan in England

All Things Christmas

A Magical Christmas

Christmas Ideas

Christmas Stock Images = Free Christmas Photos!

We'll still bake the Christmas cookies we were taught to bake when growing up:  cookies cut into shapes using Christmas cookie-cutters, then decorated with colored powdered sugar frostings.  We wanted to bake a cake in the shape of some Christmas object or symbol, so we've also decided to bake the cakes pictured above to see if we would like to add them to our Christmas baking repertoire.  We'll use a bundt pan for the wreath cake.  The ideas may seem obvious to you, but we hadn't thought of them and can hardly wait to see them on the sideboard. 

By the way, if you have celiac disease you can do like we do and use a flourless chocolate cake recipe for cakes and cupcakes.  For cookies we put a thin layer of flourless chocolate batter into egg-poaching rings or metal cookie-cutters on a cookie sheet, then bake as usual.

What's coming out of your kitchen this holiday season?

Friday, December 16, 2011

Christmas Giving


Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Boxing Day began about 800 years ago in the U.K., when churches would open their alms box on December 26 and distribute the contents to the poor.  Some churches still do this today.  Boxing Day has become an official holiday in some of the British Commonwealth countries, but many people don't know that the origin of the day was to help the poor.

We don't observe Boxing Day here in the U.S., but many families do take time to give to the less fortunate during the Christmas season.  When I was growing up, our family would go to the Social Services Office and get the name of a deserving family who would not be able to afford to celebrate Christmas.  We were given the names and ages of everyone in the family.  We shopped for groceries, toys, clothes, a tree, and decorations, then went home and wrapped the presents.  The family was told by Social Services that we would arrive on Christmas Eve morning.  When we arrived we helped put away the groceries, then set out Christmas cookies, hot chocolate, eggnog, and paper plates and cups.  We set up the tree, then helped the family decorate the tree.  We put the presents under the tree, then sat and chatted, and usually sang two or three carols with them before leaving. 

I assure you that as young children our Christmas Day meant so much more to us after having spent Christmas Eve mornings with such families.  As we opened our own gifts, we would imagine and talk about that other family's opening their gifts. 

I know many families who have similar Christmas traditions.  What do you and your family do for others during the Christmas season?

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Tonight: Fornax!

Play video of Hubble Ultra Deep Field visualization
Hubble photo of Ultra Deep Field in Fornax Constellation courtesy SOS.NOAA.gov

Fornax Constellation











Photo of the constellation Fornax courtesy Chandra.Harvard.edu

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you may be able to see the three-star constellation Fornax--unfortunately it will be an overcast, rainy night where I live, so I won't be able to see it.

The fornax is a chemical furnace, or combustion furnace, created by French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794).  He named the furnace after Fornax, the Ancient Roman goddess of bread and baking.  French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713-1762) created the three-star constellation in 1752, and named it Fornax in honor of his friend, Lavoisier.

Did you see Fornax tonight?  Have you seen it before?  What was it like seeing it tonight?

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

History of Christmas Carols


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

Carol or carole is a medieval word that meant "a celebratory religious dance with song".  Originally pagans in Europe celebrated with carols on the winter solstice, and gradually the singing of carols merged with the Christmas celebration.  Some believe that the earliest Christmas carols were written in the 14th century.  The general consensus is that at least the singing of Christmas carols became popular in the 14th century.  For more information click here and click here.

What is your favorite Christmas carole, and why?

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Christkind

Christkind bring gifts images
Photo courtesy Loadtr.com

One thing that Christmas celebrations around the world have in common is a gift-giver.  Most Christmas gift-givers are Saint Nicholas- or Santa Claus-type figures, but in Germany the gift bringer is called Christkind, which means "Christ child", and she's a little blond girl with angel-wings and a golden crown.  For more information click here and click here.

Who is the gift-giver in your country, and what is that person called?

Monday, December 12, 2011

Christingles


Photo of Christingle courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

Christingles are used in the U.K. and parts of Europe.  They are oranges with red ribbon wrapped around them, an area is carved out to place a candle, and four sticks with sweet-meats or candies are placed in it.  They are commonly used in services to raise money for people who can't afford to celebrate Christmas or other children's charities.  Click Here to read the touching story behind Christingles.

If you have made a Christingle, what did you put on the sticks?  How did you use it?

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Chrismon Ornaments


Photo courtesy Chrismon.org

Chrismons are Christmas ornaments with religious symbols on them.  They were created by Frances Kipps Spencer (1917-1990) of the Ascencion Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia.

If you make Chrismons or other Christmas ornaments, what do they look like?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Aries and Hydrus Tonight


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk


Photo courtesy ClipArtPal.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see two constellations:  Aries and Hydrus.  Aries was known as the Ram not only in Greek mythology, but also to the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians.  Hydrus was created by Dutch astronomers in the 16th century.  For more information click here and click here.

Did you see either or both of these constellations tonight?

Friday, December 9, 2011

Rare Bumblebee Rediscovered


Photo of Cockerell's Bumblebee courtesy Biology News

The Cockerell's Bumblebee, the rarest species of bumblebees in the United States, has recently been rediscovered.  Last seen in New Mexico in 1956, the bumblebee was recently seen in Cloudcroft, New Mexico by scientists from the University of California Riverside.  This bumblebee lives in an area of less than 300 square miles, which is the most limited range of any species of bumblebees in the world.

For more information, see the website of BiologyNews.com.

What bumblebees live in your area?

Thursday, December 8, 2011

My Favorite Beethoven


Public domain photo of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) painted by Willibrord Joseph Mähler (1778-1860) in 1815, two years after the premier of his 7th Symphony.

My favorite of all Beethoven's music is the second movement of his 7th symphony.  198 years ago today, December 8, 1813, this symphony premiered in Vienna at a charity concert benefiting wounded soldiers.   Beethoven began writing Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92 in 1811, 200 years ago, and completed it in 1812.  What I didn't know is that the second movement was encored at the first performance, and was so popular that it was often performed separately from the other movements.

Which is your favorite of Beethoven's compositions, and why?

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Frozen for Years...

Siberian slamander; side profile © Henk.Wallays@pandora.be
Photo courtesy ARKive

The Siberian Salamanders have an anti-freeze-like compound in their blood that allows them to survive in up to 50-degrees below zero Farenheit.  They can remain frozen for years, then thaw and begin breeding.  For more information, click here , and click here.

If you have seen a salamander, where did you see it?  Do you know what kind of salamander it was?

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Saint Nicholas Day


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive

Today, December 6, is Saint Nicholas Day in Eastern Europe.  In the morning of this day East European children receive gifts.  Last night, December 5, they dressed in angel and devil costumes and went caroling.  Most families have the traditional Tannenbaum, or German-style Christmas Tree, and light one of the four candles in the advent wreath each Sunday in December.  For more information, click here and click here.

If you celebrated Saint Nicholas Day, what did you receive and give today?

Monday, December 5, 2011

Look Up to See Triangulum!

Triangulum

Photo courtesy Scientific-Web

In tonight's sky in the northern hemisphere, you may be able to see the constellation Triangulum, which is Latin for triangle, the shape of this constellation.  It's one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy (90-168).  Ptolemy authored treatises on math, geography, and astronomy.  For more information, click here.

Did you see this constellation tonight?

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Council of Trent and Music

image photo : Music book
Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive

On this day in 1563, 448 years ago, the deliberations of the Council of Trent ended.  A result of the Counter-Reformation, the Council of Trent had a heavy impact on all art forms, in particular music, which became less polyphonic and more rhythmically simple. 

I won't go into all the implications the Council of Trent had on music, nor the supposed and actual interactions the composer Palestrina had with the Council of Trent, because I am familiar with all of this.  I will share, however, one of my favorite pieces of Counter-Reformation music, which is the Kyrie that Palestrina composed for his own funeral mass, Missa pro defunctis.  The most beautiful recording of this Kyrie I've ever heard is by Chanticleer, but I can't find one of their performances of this Kyrie on the internet.  Instead, click here for a performance by Capella Victoria Jakarta.

What is your favorite piece of music from this era, and why?

Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Tower of London


Photo courtesy FreeImages

The central White Tower in the Tower of London, a castle keep, was built by the Norman, William the Conqueror (1028-1087), to signify the power he had over the Anglo-Saxons he had recently conquered at the Battle of Hastings.  Crowned William I on Christmas Day in 1066, he was the first Norman King of England.  Lacking confidence in the strength of the local building materials, William imported Caen stone from Normandy and built the edifice on top of Roman ruins, another move to signify his power over the country.  For more information, see the Royal Armouries Museum website.

If you have been to the Tower of London, what is your favorite area?

Friday, December 2, 2011

18 New Planets!

jupiter_family.jpg (77244 bytes)
Photo courtesy FreeImages

Astronomers recently found 18 new planets orbiting stars, which is a 50% increase in the number of known planets.  For more information click here.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Animal with Transparent Eyelids!


Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

Beavers are found in North America, Europe, and Asia.  They can hold their breath underwater for 15 minutes, and have transparent eyelids that act like goggles!  For more information click here.