Showing posts with label christmas links 2023. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas links 2023. Show all posts

Christmas Links #24

 
‘I cried for hours’: the moments people realised truth about Father Christmas:
"Suspicions start to become aroused around the age of eight, shows psychology study."

"The Hallmark and Lifetime networks are known for their prolific output of made-for-television holiday movies each year. Even in the age of streaming, they bring in impressive cable television ratings, perhaps aided by how easy they are to leave on while, say, baking several batches of gingerbread for a tree lighting ceremony."

"Thirteen years after a theatre opened, its first full-scale pantomime has been "worth the risk", it said."

"The festive favourite that’s also incredibly divisive…"

"Ed Emberley has been drawing and making art for children's picture books for six decades now. Some of his work include instructional drawing books, inspired by his belief that everyone can learn to draw."

"More than 21,000 people have signed a petition calling on a bishop to intervene in the row after the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, in the Avellino hamlet of Capocastello di Mercogliano, features what appears to be two mothers, rather than just Mary and Joseph."

"If you’re exhausted from that radio station on your presets that flipped to all-Christmas the day before Thanksgiving and has been playing nothing but Mariah, Wham!, Brenda and Burl ever since, here’s a tonic: 40 great holiday songs you probably haven’t heard."

"Christmas time is upon us, and though children loathe getting new clothes for gifts, they best put on that new itchy sweater or slide on those unwanted socks. Or else risk being eaten alive by a giant cat, at least according to Icelandic folklore."

"Over a dozen celebrities got into the giving spirit with the Los Angeles Mission on Dec. 22 for the non-profit’s 87th Annual Christmas Celebration."

"Do you remember the "Christmas Bells" advertisement for Hershey's Kisses that debuted in 1989 and that has been aired—with minor changes in 2012 and 2020—every holiday season since? In the ad, Hershey's Kisses, arranged into the shape of a Christmas tree, become handbells as they play "We Wish You A Merry Christmas.""
on Sunday, December 24, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #23

 
Last Christmas scores Christmas number one, beating Sam Ryder and Mariah Carey:
"Wham!'s Last Christmas has been crowned this year's Christmas number one, 39 years after it was first released."

"Christmas trees without the dreaded needle drop? Researchers are growing them now."

"The pair talk training, festive traditions and bringing joy and happiness to people at home on Christmas Day."

"A ghost story for Christmas."

"From festive TV to presents and food, Guardian correspondents round up Christmas traditions across the continent."

"In Gulatingslova, the law of the Gulathing law province in Norway, there are strict rules for the brewing of ale before Christmas."

"Nigella's recipes from her 2023 BBC Christmas Special are inspired by local ingredients from both the Dutch and Indonesian culinary cultures of Amsterdam, creating dishes that are both simple and celebratory to make our Christmas deliciously do-able and joyous!"

"The British Medical Journal’s Christmas edition publishes sincere research about zany topics."

"Christmas 2023 could be America's least snow-covered in at least 20 years. Meteorologists consider a white Christmas one in which there is at least one inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning."

"From IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE to ELF, I've curated a collection of scripts that should inject some holiday spirit into your screenwriting education."
on Saturday, December 23, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #22


Mystery of Raphael masterpiece may have been solved by Bradford-made AI:
"Algorithm concludes most of Madonna della Rosa was by renaissance master – but not the face of Joseph."

"This week: some notable Christmases, and some festive maps. But first: sorry, I’m going to get soppy on you."

"It is a much loved festive film - and for one cinema It's a Wonderful Life is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving."

"Maria Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" has been the soundtrack of the holiday season for nearly 30 years.  Why has this song become a rare modern Christmas hit?"

"We continue our countdown of your picks for the greatest Christmas comic tales with the new (and award-winning) Christmas origin of Ace the Bat-Hound."

"Birmingham prison was opened in 1849, prior to that criminals were sent to Warwick to suffer their punishment."

"With roots dating back to the 13th century, Gryla is not to be messed with."

"Hotel prices and tourism numbers are up as New York City goes through its first holiday season with new rules that ban nearly all Airbnbs and other short-term rentals."

"Whether you’re spending the festive period by yourself or with people that don’t make you feel seen or supported, Christmas can be a time that exacerbates feelings of loneliness. Here’s what you can do to ease them."

"As the sun sets on the narrow streets of Africa’s largest informal settlement, children hurry to change from daily clothes into pointe shoes and other ballet gear."
on Friday, December 22, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #21


"When I started this set of articles about flash frames, right back at the beginning of the year, I never thought it would end up taking five parts to tell this story properly. In particular, I never really wanted to get into the nitty gritty of endless Young Ones repeats."

"Researchers suspect euphoria and intimacy of season may be behind spike in cases."

"Christmas has finally come home: In a sweet, new YouTube video, Darlene Love reunites with David Letterman and Paul Shaffer for the first time in nine years to resume a longtime holiday tradition that capped off the Christmas episodes of Letterman’s late night talk shows for 28 years."

"Between all the new gadgets being opened, video games being downloaded, and Premier League matches to watch, the UK's broadband networks will be under extreme pressure to deliver over the festive period."

Mickey, Disney, and the Public Domain: a 95-year Love Triangle:
"On January 1, 2024, after almost a century of copyright protection, Mickey Mouse, or at least a version of Mickey Mouse, will enter the public domain. The first movies in which the iconic mouse appeared – Steamboat Willie and the silent version of Plane Crazy – were made in 1928 and works from that year go into the public domain in the United States on New Year’s Day 2024."

"A former church in Ohio houses what's believed to be the world's largest privately owned collection of Christmas movie memorabilia."

"A popular "Santa's letterbox" in Coventry has been stolen and the owner has called for it to be returned."

"So I can now say that I’ve seen Santa with Muscles. That was not a thing I could have said two days ago. It was a better time, then. A more innocent time. I reflect sadly on what I’ve lost in the interim. Brain cells, certainly. A bit of sanity (And you all know the kinds of movies I indulge in. I have none to spare). The will to live."

"And other strange evergreen decor evolutions, from retro-kitsch to glow-in-the-dark."

"The day after Christmas, my family gathered around a bare branch stuck into the sand of a Cape Cod beach with boxes of stale crackers, cereal, and pretzels to celebrate what my mom had dubbed “Seagull Day.”"
on Thursday, December 21, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #20



"The Victorian era was not as dusty and monochrome as we think; a new exhibition and a research project, Chromotope, explores a wave of chemical breakthroughs that brought colour to the people."

"It’s the most ... romantic time of the year?"

"Thieves have stolen the lights from a Christmas tree, leaving a village heartbroken."

"Elaborate food boards may not be practical, but some say that's not the point."

"A children’s Christmas party in Belfast with lots of fancy goodies and balloons."

"Crazy expensive dried citrus, cheap sh*t, a system of waste and compost as a natural fertiliser and political act...but is compost also spiritually nourishing?"

"If holiday music seems designed in a lab to get stuck on repeat inside your head for all of December, well, it kind of isall of December, well, it kind of is."

"At a recent NOAA workshop, another participant gifted all of us these wonderful “hard hat” float ornaments. The perfect blend of nerdy oceanography and 3-D printing."

"For astronomers peering into the depths of the universe, Christmas came a little early this year."
on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #19


"Analysis: many Christmas babies have traditionally carried a key sign throughout their lives of when they were born in the form of their name."

"Here's a selection of mildly-concerning vintage Christmas meals that you can make yourself this holiday season. With so many food items to choose from, it can be overwhelming to make up your mind."

"In this video, I connected some christmas electric toys to the WANPTEK DC power supply using wires. I continuously applied increasing voltage to the toys, starting from 5V and going up to 30V."

"The early music ensemble of the Folger Shakespeare Library offered a compelling Christmas program at St. Mark’s Episcopal."

"Dozens of runners dressed as Santa have raced along a beach to try to catch a Christmas pudding."

"At the outbreak of war in 1939, the BBC evacuated its newly-formed Radio Drama Company of actors, led by Val Gielgud, to Worcestershire."

"Brilliant festive photographs recently unearthed from our archives."

"The most popular Christmas movies seem to come primarily from the Forties."

"Professor complains that show’s Oxbridge bias is even more pronounced in Christmas specials and calls for public debate."

"The 68th Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Malmö, Sweden in May 2024."
on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #18

 
How to avoid food poisoning this Christmas – and the dreaded freezer burn:
Successfully storing and cooking your Christmas meat is just the beginning. Freezing your leftovers without ruining them is almost as vital.

"Here are some creepy AF Krampus cards from Christmas past. These cards, part of a genre called "Krampuskarten", are far from your run of the mill Hallmark holiday cards."

"A project from an anti-discrimination creative arts organization pairs LGBTQ+ youth in need of help with donors willing to give it."

"This tradition melds literary and holiday pleasures into a single event."

"In the latest TV Legends Revealed, find out whether How the Grinch Stole Christmas originally had a bank commercial mixed into the iconic special."

"Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas? Well, the chance of that dream becoming reality may be increasing - but only for some."

"It was something of a Christmas ritual at Hunter S. Thompson’s Colorado cabin, Owl Farm."

"The Homemade Eggnog Recipe from Mount Vernon (and the Story Behind It)."

"John O’Donnell has been enjoying receiving Christmas cards for the first time in his life."

"But how many gifts?"
on Monday, December 18, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #17

 
Bye-bye booze! Five ways to have a fun, fabulous, totally dry Christmas:
"Many people want to enjoy the festivities without drinking – but come up against relentless pressure. Here is how to resist temptation."

"A print-only recipe of mine from back in the day. First published in the Bury Free Press (and editions) Christmas section, December 2018."

"A family in Kentucky had a surprise when a baby owl was discovered nestled in their Christmas tree - the bird had gone unnoticed for several days."

"In November 1996, my parents took my brother and me to the city that neighbored our small town to do some shopping, a task I loathed."

"Tim Burton’s superhero classic is Christmas rom-com you don’t realize is a Christmas movie or a rom-com."

"A former cashier who filed the suit claims she quit her job after reporting the revelry and enduring threats and vandalism."

"It doesn’t matter how you try to buy that next console, movie, toy, or meal, it’s all bad."

"Baphomet is a pagan idol, and I fail to see how it is scarier than the Johnson's outdoor Christmas decor, which features Santa Claus landing a helicopter atop an inflatable manger scene."

"How a whip-wielding butcher became St. Nick’s sidekick."

"Are you muddling through somehow or hanging a shining star upon the highest bough?"
on Sunday, December 17, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #16

 
Isle of Man dogs set to take part in return of special nativity play:
"Border collies and cockapoos are preparing to take part in a special canine version of the nativity."

"A chip shop is selling battered sprouts this year, but why stop there? Our intrepid writer throws every element into the fryer, with surprising results."

"Billions of people across the globe look forward to celebrating Christmas on December 25. And for many of the celebrations, Christmas trees play a key role. Before being decorated with ornaments and lights around, and encircled with presents below, many Christmas tree traditions begin outdoors. Individuals and families flock to tree farms and national forests to choose their favorite balsams, spruces, pines, or firs. And they will contribute to the more than 25 million Christmas trees harvested in the U.S. each year."

"Christmas comes but once a year, so this week’s film quiz offers 30 festive movie questions to make your spirits bright."

"While a pantomime is the usual theatrical treat for the season, for the Stuart monarchs Christmas and especially Twelfth Night were marked with extravagant performances known as masques, which were intended to personify the values of the Jacobean and Caroline courts, but which – for their enemies – came to represent a corrupt and decadent crown."

"Last weekend, a DJ caused a stir in Britain after playing the hit Wham! song "Last Christmas" at a soccer game in front of about 60,000 people."

"The worst thing you can do if you have left your Christmas shopping to the last minute is panic."

"The artificial tree was likely purchased from the now-defunct high street chain, Woolworths, in the 1920s."

"CBC Director Geoff LeBaron looks back on 124 years of both constancy and change, and announces a change of his own."

"A flock of hungry jackdaws has begun eating the giant Christmas straw goat erected in Gävle, Sweden, raising the prospect of it getting severely damaged even if no one manages to set fire to it."
on Saturday, December 16, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #15

 
All Grown Up! – The Finster Who Stole Christmas:
"In 2001, Rugrats had the honor of being the first Nicktoon to make it 10 years. The path to that honor was not a smooth one as the show had effectively been cancelled in 1993 with the third season."

"It was just a cup of steaming mint tea – but when it spilled into my lap and onto my seat, the enormous blisters were inevitable."

"A Christmas market has been criticised for not capturing the festive spirit of previous years."

"In the U.S., holiday season customs can range from the cozy to the confounding, like sharing a kiss under the poisonous and parasitic plant, mistletoe.  Around the world, the traditions are as diverse as the countries in which they originated. From flying fists to crispy chicken wings, here's a look at some of the interesting ways in which people celebrate the Christmas season and beyond."

"In 1930, Mexico's President Pascual Ortiz Rubio had the intention of creating a love for national symbols and traditions an answer to a new kind of invasion through culture by our northern neighbours."

"The GCHQ Christmas Challenge returns, and this year's is our toughest yet!"

"It’s officially the holiday season and Hallmark’s Christmas present to viewers is a promise to make more “queer-forward” festive films in 2024."

"The Epic Game Store holiday giveaway has officially started! For those not in the know, this is a period where Epic is giving away games daily for about two weeks, though it seems this first one is an exception, lasting the regular 1 week. Let's see what we got!"

"A few years after the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests started a Christmas tree farm, Nigel Manley, who oversaw the operations, began noticing some interesting developments among the rows of fragrant balsam and Fraser firs lining the land."

"If there is anyone who could match Ebenezer Scrooge’s greediness, it’s Lex Luthor. The arch-enemy of Superman is as stingy as the Man of Steel is generous. This makes it all the more fitting that Luthor should get his own personal reenactment of A Christmas Carol."
on Friday, December 15, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #14

 
"Giving subscriptions as a present helps the culture sector plug its finances and saves money too."

"The Library of Congress has unveiled its annual list of 25 movies to be added to the National Film Registry. The films selected each year are noted for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage."

"On a cold night in Hungary’s capital, shoppers at one of Europe’s most famous outdoor Christmas markets browsed through food stalls of steaming local specialties and sipped from paper cups of hot mulled wine. A holiday light show played on the façade of the St. Stephen’s Basilica."

"When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek in 1966, he envisioned a secular future for the Earth, but the series has acknowledged Christmas many times."

"In The Georgians, Penelope J. Corfield explores every aspect of Georgian life – politics and empire, culture and society, love and violence, religion and science, industry and towns. In this blogpost, she takes us through some of the Georgian origins and innovations in familiar festive traditions. How were these traditions formed by their Christmases past? And how did they help form Christmases future?"

"People living in a block of flats said Christmas had been spoilt as they cannot have a plastic tree in their foyer unless a caretaker is present."


"Deck the halls, etc."

"A little Christmas present from me to you. Download and make Christmas Cottage for free."

"The estate of Dr. Seuss is obviously no stranger to playing the intellectual property maximalist, having appeared on our pages many times in the past. But more specifically for this post, the estate has also, ironically enough, been more than happy to stomp on the Christmas joy of others in favor of jealously guarding its IP when it comes to The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."
on Thursday, December 14, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #13


How Much Does the Chipmunks’ Christmas Song Earn Every Year?
"Ross Bagdasarian Jr., son of the characters' creator, discusses the Christmas tune's rich legacy. (Spoiler: the track's revenue can buy Alvin a lot of hula hoops.)"

"Caernarfon Round Table's mobile Santa's grotto is on a journey through Gwynedd throughout December. North Wales Police say those responsible face being "added to the naughty list"."

"White Christmas begone! The yuletide canon in Australia is expanding – and it’s full of small-time crims, dysfunctional families and sweltering summer shenanigans."

"The organisers of a festive light trail have apologised for an email error that meant many people arrived at the event only to find it had been cancelled."

"In a quiet West Virginia community, the racist extremist group VDARE opened its house to the local “normies” to spread some holiday cheer."

"BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Bethlehem is normally at its busiest at Christmas but this year war has scared away tourists and pilgrims from the Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, leaving hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops deserted."

"Analysis: From 1948 a special scheme delivered thousands of Christmas turkeys from Irish families to relatives in Britain."

"O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, you always make me so sneezy!"


"Got a relative who’s hard to buy for? Photo books make a fantastic gift, and the beautiful selection below is sure to delight the geography lover in your life."
on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #12

 
"Track written by Russell T Davies is raising money for Children in Need and will feature in festive TV special."

"I’m a big fan of Doctor Who, and it’s a flag that I fly happily and have done for decades, even during the dark periods when the show wasn’t strictly speaking “cancelled”, but certainly wasn’t in production."

"In 2023, the cost of a first-class stamp exceeded £1 for the first time in history. Fifty years ago, as the price reached 3.5 pence, the House discussed the rising cost of stamps and its potential impact on the sending of Christmas cards. This briefing summarises the debate from 17 October 1973."

"Autonomous electric wheeled bot designed to meet demand for last-mile parcel deliveries this festive season."

Roasting broccoli whole is a more enchanting way to eat your trees:
"Broccoli looks like a tree — or trees, depending on how you cut it."

"Northamptonshire theatres that were forced to temporarily close this year said the new pantomime season would be crucial for financial security."

"The worst isn’t the screams or the snow or the mind-numbing blare of “Night on Bald Mountain“ on repeat. It’s the cowbells: a rusty jangle that means the Christmas monsters are coming."

"Music-Map draws proximity clouds of bands and musicians similar to your faves; the methodology has something to do with AI. The picks are both obvious and odd: cannily uncanny, as such things often are."

"A Christmas tree at The Piece Hall fell victim to this weekend's stormy weather."

"For Lightscape, a pagan-inspired show that just happens to open during the holidays, the garden installed more than a million L.E.D. bulbs."

"Prometheus is a film about hope. Yes, hope. The theme is clearly that of humanities’ search for their creator, but in the end, through the symbolism and conversations offered by the film-writer collaborating with the director, this film offers to its viewers hope of something greater than our pety, ego-centric selves."
on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #11


 Bingley: Grandparents' joy at do-it-yourself Santa's grotto:
"Grandparents who created a Santa's grotto are expecting hundreds of children to their home this year."

"It is vital to do some basic safety checks on Christmas toys this year, ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports."

"Sex Education star Gatwa, 31, made his first appearance on Doctor Who during the last instalment of the 60th anniversary episodes."


"What happens when a Christmas tree farm plays a pivotal role in protecting the local watershed? A conservancy group in Wisconsin is transforming the farm into a preserve to protect its ecosystem."

"There are many pitfalls to buying presents, from seeking an instant reaction to a fear of sentimentality. But a few simple psychological principles can help you make better choices."

"No longer filled with bad jokes and plastic toys, the most covetable crackers contain treats your guests will treasure."

"The barnyard animals that have non-speaking parts in the nativity scene should not be overlooked this festive season."

"Hating Christmas is OK, actually. Normal, even. But every December, it hits me all over again."

"Anyone reading the blog last Christmas (or even just following me on one of the social media platforms I used at the time) likely remembers my big project last year."
on Monday, December 11, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #9


 Christmas supplies at risk as Panama Canal suffers drought:
"One of the world’s most prominent trade routes, the Panama Canal, is facing the worst-ever drought on record - prompting fears that Christmas deliveries could be at risk."

"A 200-year-old tradition could come to an end when a Sheffield pub hosts its Christmas carol concert on Boxing Day."

"This holiday season, many Americans will be decorating Christmas trees, lighting Hanukkah candles, building gingerbread houses and savoring time with family and friends."

"Not only has Geoff Stonebanks decked the halls of his home in Seaford, he’s decked 32 Christmas trees and pretty much every surface you can lay your eyes on."

"Forget pricy imported flowers and plastic wreaths, there is plenty of inspiration in the garden – and from British-grown blooms."

"Gifts are personal. Gift guides are not."

"For scores of cable-television purists across the country, Hallmark has established itself as something of a feel-good pharmacy, its shelves lined with pills and potions in the form of holiday-moored movies helmed by Lacey Chabert and a slew of sexless soap stars."

"Royal Mail have released its Christmas survey results."

"These moss balls move in unison, and researchers are okay with not knowing why."

"Christmas may be just around the corner, but there's still time to spice up your festive dinner with a traditional Christmas pudding recipe from the history books.  Here, Richard Fitch, Historic Kitchens Manager at Historic Royal Palaces, reimagines a Victorian recipe that you can make at home just before Christmas day."
on Saturday, December 09, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #8


"Merseyrail customers can make the most of travel around the Liverpool City Region this Christmas, as trains will be running every day over the festive period, except for Christmas Day."

"That is cauliflower."

Schoolgirl determined to help after mum's heartbreaking words at foodbank:
""Libbie Claus" has set up a massive Christmas operation this year to get gifts to children."

"If you ask me what movie I put on first thing in December to get in the holiday spirit I’ll tell you right away that it’s White Christmas. The 1954 musical is a classic for a host of reasons: the sparkling dialogue, the incredible dances with Vera Ellen, the comedy of Danny Kaye, the fantastic costumes by Edith Head, and the indelible voices of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney."

"The beloved Christmas music created and performed by American Jews."

"M. R. James (1862-1936) is the writer of ghost stories, both the acceptable literary standard-bearer for them and actually pretty bloody radical. In his youth, James saw an inexplicably horrible face through a gap in a fence."

"In 1885, in his house on the south coast of England, high on a fever and cocaine, Robert Louis Stevenson—thus far best known for Treasure Island, and still some distance from a famous author—scrawled down the original Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in just three days, declaring it the best and most important thing he’d ever written."

"See how the leaders of the free world and their families have decked the halls."


"A couple who put a shark sculpture in their driveway say they will decorate it for Christmas after it became a local landmark."
on Friday, December 08, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #7


"A COUNCIL which has axed all but one Christmas tree in the community it covers has been branded “Grinches”."

"There might be even more lore about the Star Wars Holiday Special than about the Star Wars universe itself. Aired once in November 1978 on CBS and then locked away beyond the reach of legitimate viewing, it sends Chewbacca back to his home planet to visit his family: his wife, Malla; his father, Itchy; and his son, Lumpy. (Yes. Lumpy.)"

"A Christmas grotto threatened with closure has been spared after councillors voted for it to stay open."

"Shops have reported record sales ahead of Christmas, with top prices paid for turkeys until late in the day. Elsewhere, there was busy trading generally with toy spending up 6% (mainly mechanical and educational toys) and the commercial success of the season being men's cosmetics."

"Half of Shakespeare’s plays would have been lost without it – and it is now among the most valuable books in the world."

"An end-of-Empire chiller, Lot No. 249 stars Kit Harington, Freddie Fox, Colin Ryan, John Heffernan, James Swanton, Jonathan Rigby and Andrew Horton."

"From how we shopped to festive celebrations."

“I think they heard a rumour.”

" A Christmas beer made from green peas and marinated red cabbage has become a festive hit in Iceland. Made by a small Reykjavik brewery, the recipe is inspired by Iceland's Christmas dinner."

Once upon a time, Tiffany commissioned Andy Warhol to illustrate a series of colourful greeting cards. Capturing the joy and whimsy of Christmas, these were offered each December from 1957 until 1962, the year Warhol debuted his iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans.
on Thursday, December 07, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #6

 
An early Christmas present for the Eighth Doctor:
"She's back – and it's about time! India Fisher returns today for three brand-new full-cast audio dramas from Big Finish Productions."

"England’s oldest Christmas market has been scrapped after last year’s “massive success” left city leaders worrying over public safety.  A record 320,000 people visited Lincoln’s Christmas Market in 2022, the same year the event celebrated 40 years as the country’s longest-running festive market."

"What's the best Christmas gift you ever received? You probably didn't have to think about it; you knew it in your bones. Today, we're talking about the actual, tangible gift you found waiting for you under the tree and still think about it from time to time."

"The 1958 holiday classic was first released when she was just 13 years old."

"A pub has been reusing the same 77-year-old Christmas decorations in its public bar for more than 60 years."

"The festive season wasn’t always about mince pies and wanton consumerism. In fact, ancient folklore was more O Holy Fright than O Holy Night."

"This holiday season ERIKS Industrial Services is taking a step forward by foregoing the traditional indoor Christmas tree and planting a Norwegian spruce outside their Oldbury site."

"Dear Miss Manners: Over the years, I’ve maintained a special fondness for the act of writing and addressing Christmas cards to about 50 friends (old and new) and family members. I find taking a moment to think of valued relationships, even if only once a year, to be heart-warming and restorative."

"After getting loose on Sunday, the animals wandered on to the A11, forcing police to temporarily close the road in both directions for around two hours."

"In the early 1900s, Vienna-based surgical instrument maker Erwin Perzy was asked to create a bright surgical lightbulb, but instead, he invented the snow globe."
on Wednesday, December 06, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #5


 BBC Radio Merseyside: Sing Along with Santa:
"Fancy a little sing along with Santa this Christmas?  Then gather your loved ones for a very special event at BBC Radio Merseyside!"

"A break over the holidays is the perfect time for a lot of things: seeing your family, catching up with friends, eating a ton, reflecting. But most important of all, it’s a great time to watch a lot of TV, including the episodes made specifically for this time of year."

"Festivus is here! Which means it’s time to unbottle any pent-up anger to confront whatever or whoever has gotten under your skin this year – and later this month the Tampa Bay Times will publish these grievances."

"The Belvedere is one of the Georgian Quarter's many great pubs."

"Real talk: how does Santa get down the chimney? Mac Barnett has been wondering since he was a little kid."

"From making the perfect present to finding the cheapest way to send it, here’s how to spread festive cheer on a budget."

"A Christmas grotto that was built without planning permission could be ordered to be taken down by a council."

"'A very Mary Christmas'- Richard Slee reports on Tudor Christmas celebrations at Portsmouth's historic dockyards."

"Jen Hogan: And yet the complicated and complex operation of household appliances and in particular the lowly washing machine, remains a mystery to them."

"NI’s leading retail and leisure destination, The Junction, is on the lookout for NI’s most playful pup as it looks to appoint an official doggie toy tester in the run up to Christmas."
on Tuesday, December 05, 2023 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #4

 
My Block, My Hood, My City lights up King Drive for the holidays
"The group "My Block, My Hood, My City" mobilized a small army of volunteers to light up King Drive for the holidays Saturday."

"NPR's Asma Khalid asks Palestinian Christians Munther Issac and Tamar Haddad about their efforts to convince American lawmakers to support a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas."

Handpicked festive music for every Christmas occasion!

"The department store boasts its own grotto for pets to have some festive face time with Santa … and business is brisk."


"Julian Pettifer reports on the Christmas angel decorations that hung in London's Regent Street in 1960, and how they found their way to Regent St, Mansfield. Introduced by Kenneth Allsop."

"People have always used the holiday season to celebrate and delight in the wonders of Christmas, from singing carols to decorating the home, to gatherings with family and friends, and drinking hot cocoa and egg nog. Most who celebrate would also add watching classic Christmas movies to that list."

"There are many ways to celebrate in the winter besides just Christmas and Hannukkah."

"When it comes to decorating for Christmas, there are no set rules - but how early - or late - do people start to trim their tree?"

"It's a fairly unremarkable station at first glance, but it's inspired a chilling Christmas tale."
on Monday, December 04, 2023 0 comments Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)