Join me every day around 4:20pm for the Daily Dee-straction!
We’ll cover something you didn’t know about OR something you did know about and are about to find out MORE about! If you missed it, here is this week’s round up!
Dec 11 – Yule Goat
Did you know… In Scandinavian countries, a popular Christmas decoration is the Yule Goat?? I had never heard of that! That’s because in Norse mythology, the two goats pulled Thor’s flying chariot the same way reindeer do Santa’s sleigh. On top of that, there’s also a festive tale that focuses on an invisible Yule goat that checks in on holiday prep before the big day. Similar to Elf on the Shelf I’m assuming?? So it’s common to see a straw Yule Goat on the Christmas tree or even Giant Yule goat structures popping up in major Scandinavian cities around Christmas time! We don’t have yule goats here on the island, but we definitely have goats on the roof, does that count?
Dec 12 – Elephants and Christmas Trees
Did you know… an Elephant would LOVE your Christmas tree? Apparently, unsold trees get sent to zoos so that it can be fed to a hungry elephant. Zoos around the world, including The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, accept evergreens, which are enjoyed by the giant herbivores as a seasonal snack.
Dec 13 – Dunder and Blixem
Did you know… some of Santa’s famous reindeer originally had different names? In the 1823 poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas (or more famously known as “Twas the night before Christmas) which originally introduced the world to Santa’s reindeer called Donner and Blitzen Dunder and Blixem, which is the Dutch way of referring to “thunder and lightning.” Dunder and Blixem! I kind like those names better? Did you know there’s also A WHOLE OTHER SET OF REINDEER NAMES? L. Frank Baum’s story The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1902) includes a list of ten reindeer, none of which match those in A Visit from St. Nicholas. Santa’s principal reindeer are Flossie and Glossie, and he gathers others named Racer and Pacer, Reckless and Speckless, Fearless and Peerless, and Ready and Steady.
Dec 14 – Santa’s Names
Did you know… Santa has more than 30 different names around the world??? In Hungary, for instance, he goes by Mikulás (ME-KOO-LASH), while those in Brazil refer to him as Papai Noel (Papay Nuel) . He’ll also answer to SANTA KEROSIH (Key-Ro-Say) in Japan, Julenisse ( YULE-NEES-eh) in Norway, and Père Noël in France. Or in my language Polish, Mikolai (Mi-Ko-WHY). Those are just a few of Kris Kringle’s 30-plus international monikers. How do you say Santa in YOUR language?
Dec 15 – How long would it take Santa?
Did you know… Scientists have calculated that for Santa to deliver presents to every home in the world, he would have to travel at a speed of approx 8million km/h! Santa would have about 42 hours to complete his task due to international time zones and other things. During this time, he has to travel from house to house, depositing gifts, snacking on a cookie or two, and of course, remaining completely undetected.For this to be possible, Santa would have to stop at each household for only 300 microseconds (that’s 0.0003 seconds!). How he does it, we’ll never know!!
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