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HAPPY RAINFOREST DAY: June 22

6/4/2023

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY
On June 22 every year the world sets aside this day to learn about the rainforests and to acknowledge their importance.

According to Nationaltoday.com, “World Rainforest Day aims to encourage people to learn more about rainforests and join efforts to protect and preserve these forests for generations to come. Rainforests have been disappearing and taking the rich diversity of flora and fauna with them because of increasing deforestation and climate change. World Rainforest Day was instituted to halt this disappearance by reminding people of the importance of rainforests.”

WHAT IS A RAINFOREST?
A rainforest is a region with a thick, evergreen canopy of tall trees in areas of constant precipitation. The canopy is a stratum of branches and leaves on the highest trees. The canopy can be about 100 feet above the ground or more, and is not the location where most plants and animals live.

Image Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/borneo Image source: https://emozzy.com/Daintree
Rainforest/

LAYERS OF THE RAINFOREST

Emergent layer ►

The Canopy ►
The Understory ►

The Forest Floor ►

In many places in a rainforest the sunlight does not reach the ground, which is overgrown with a tangled growth of vines, shrubs, and small trees, often called jungles when the leaf canopy is lost or thinned. This is where we find most of the plant and animal species of the rainforest.

Tropical rainforests have an annual precipitation of between 98 inches (over 8 feet) and 177 inches (14 feet 9 inches) per year but it isn’t seasonal, but year round. Precipitation varies for temperate rainforests where the rainfall is seasonal.

Scientists agree that nearly half of the Earth’s plants and animals live in rainforests. Many of them are vulnerable and can survive only in this habitat.

WHERE ARE RAINFORESTS LOCATED?
Rainforests are found on every continent in the world except Antarctica. However, some are temperate rainforests

Rainforests of the World
Image Source: https://scienceworldbiomes.weebly.com/tropical-rainforest.html

Tropical rainforests are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, typically between 10°N and 10°S of the Equator, where temperatures stay near 82°F throughout the year.

Temperate rainforests are located in temperate regions between the tropics and the poles with high rainfall of more than 55 inches per year and average temperatures between 39 and 54°F. These rainforests may receive moisture from fog and snow as well. While tropical rainforests have little differentiation between seasons, temperate rainforests have seasonal variations.

They can exist in very small areas, if the environment is correct. When visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, I learned that the plume of spray from the waterfall, which is over a mile wide on the Zambezi River, creates a small rainforest of about 600 acres growing alongside and opposite the falls.

Rainforest along the rim opposite the falls
Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org/Victoria,_Zambia

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RAINFORESTS?
In the past, it was generally believed the most important factor about rainforests was their contribution to the world’s oxygen supply (sometimes called “turn over”). Today, while there stills seems to be general agreement among scientists that the rainforests are of importance to the world, there is a definite split between those experts who believe in a much higher contribution of the world’s oxygen generated by rainforests than others.

Emozzy.com indicates that, “Rainforests are responsible for 28 percent of the planet’s turnover, sometimes misnamed oxygen production, [4%] by managing them through carbon dioxide photosynthesis and breathing.”
ttps://emozzy.com/top-10-largest-and-popular-rainforests-in-the-world/

However, Sarah Sambolich, NBC Naturalist, writing for a 2014 publication in Newportbay.org, states, “There is a misconception that the rainforests contribute significantly to the oxygen we breathe. In reality, the animals and microscopic life living in the rainforest consume most of the oxygen. As a result, the net production of oxygen by the rainforest or any forest is actually close to zero.” newportbay.org/ask-a-naturalist

She goes on to point out that the belief that 20% of the Earth’s oxygen supply is contributed by rainforests is incorrect and notes that the Amazon rainforests has been plagued by fires that reduce the oxygen supply for the ecosystem.

One of the most important worldwide functions is the rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and increase local humidity. Rainforests play an important role in stabilizing the climate and maintaining the water cycle.

On a more local scale, they also protect against flood, drought, and erosion, and are a resource for food, medicine, and other products.

THE BIGGEST TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

Forest of the Amazon (South America)
Size: 2,250,000 square miles
Type: Tropical
Location: Brazil (60% of forest), Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia,
Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana

Image Source: La Historia con Mapas Image Source: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/

Image Source: https://emozzy.com/Amazon/

The Republic of Congo (Africa)
Size:                    687,262 square miles
Type:                   Tropical
Location: Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central
                            African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea

Image Source:lahistoriaconmapas.com/ Image Source: https://emozzy.com/Amazon/

African forest elephant in Lekoli River, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of the Congo.
Image Credit: Photo / Getty
Image Source: nzherald.co.nz/world/the-congo-rainforest

Australiasia Region
Size: About 303,000 square miles
Type: Tropical
Location: Australiasia is a bit confusing. It is billed as the third largest rainforest, but exactly what area it includes depends on the source you are using.

One group of references describe it as non-contiguous rainforests in a region incorporating New Guinea, Northeastern Australia and strings of smaller islands that used to be connected to one another during the Ice Age. One variation to the non-contiguous group also indicated New Zealand.

The other definition is a contiguous rainforest on the island of New Guinea, which is split into two territories: The eastern half is part of Papua New Guinea, and the western half is part of Indonesia. This island covers about 303,000 square miles.

Image Credit: Posnov / Getty Imag.
Image Source: mapquest.com/
amazing-rainforests-inaustralia/ ►

The Daintree Rainforest (approximvately 463 square miles in size) on the north-east coast of Australia is part of the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest. It is thought to be 6-10 times older than those found in the protected areas of the Amazon and have stood for 150 million years.

The ecosystems of the Daintree Rainforest are some of the most complex on Earth. Its plant diversity and structural complexity is unrivalled on the arid Australian continent.

Unfortunately, the UNESCO protected area does not extend to all of the Daintree with residential development, climate change and invasive plants and species all a threat.

Sundaland Rainforest
Size:                    197,000 square miles
Type:                   Tropical
Location:   Malay Peninsula on mainland Southeast Asia and the nearby islands
                            of Sumatra, Java and Borneo. It spans several countries: Indonesia,
                            Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore.

Sundaland (also called Sundaica or the Sundaic region) probably will not be show on your home atlas. It comprises the portion of South-eastern Asia which was a larger land mass for the last 2.6 million years during ages when sea levels were lower. It includes Bali, Borneo, Java, and Sumatra in Indonesia, and their surrounding islands.

Image Source: sites.google.com/a/lincoln.edu.gh Image Source: novasutras.org/sundaland/

Between 2002 and 2019, Sundaland lost the largest share of the world’s primary forest cover. Borneo has lost 15% of those forests, and Sumatra has lost 25%.

WHAT IS CAUSING THE LOSS OF THE RAINFORESTS?
The loss of almost every habitat in the world is primarily due to the growth of the human population and our lack of environmental conservation in the process of growth. In the past we might have written that last off to ignorance but that it no longer an excuse.

The main causes of loss of rainforest are:

● Agriculture, including unsustainable agriculture and pastoral farming.

●Logging, including illegal logging and logging for valuable trees like mahogany.

●Mining, including mining for natural resources such as iron ore, copper, tin, aluminium, manganese and gold.

● Industrial development.

● Large dams

It is not hard to see where and why the conflicts occur. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

JUST SAYIN’ !
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/world-rainforest-day/
https://www.bioexplorer.net/world-rainforests.html/#11_Khao_Sok_National_Park_Asia
https://www.livescience.com/largest-rainforests-in-the-world#New%20Guinea%20Rainforest
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundaland
https://scienceworldbiomes.weebly.com/tropical-rainforest.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/save-the-plankton-breathe-freely/

https://emozzy.com/top-10-largest-and-popular-rainforests-in-the-world/#:~:text=Top%2010%20Largest%20Rainforests%20in%20the%20World%201,8%208.%20The%20Island%20of%20Borneo%20More%20items

https://www.bioexplorer.net/world-rainforests.html/#:~:text=Top%2014%20Rainforests%20in%20the%20world%201.%20Pacific,Congo%20Rainforest%20%28Africa%29%208.%20Sapo%20National%20Park%20%28Africa%29

https://www.atlasandboots.com/travel-blog/largest-rainforests-in-the-world/#:~:text=The%20largest%20rainforests%20in%20the%20world%201%201.,Forests%20Size%3A%20222%2C100%20km%202%20...%20More%20items

PHOTOS
https://novasutras.org/earths-three-green-hearts/sundaland/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borneo_rainforest.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/782993085199870523/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cataratas_Victoria,_Zambia-Zimbabue,_2018-07-27,_DD_04.jpg
https://sites.google.com/a/lincoln.edu.gh/biodiversity-hotspots-lcs-ess/sundaland
https://novasutras.org/earths-three-green-hearts/sundaland/
https://www.lahistoriaconmapas.com/
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/405
https://www.getyourguide.com/amazon-rainforest
https://www.twinkl.co.th/resource/t2-g-022-tropical-rainforests-world-map
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/kids/elementary/401.html
http://animalplantsrainforest.blogspot.com/2011/12/four-layers-of-rainforest.html
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-rainforests
https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8DF40J-TX7yv-FaSUTCb5_TVUCUx4QBA-NARAkE4GTCdvy-utgXiKEvU_qYRdXqui3yjfY0_p60bg6GBkC19hcHDsfVEVaFt3fNMvhMZfkMwVCjGmwdL-SFYljCWDde5CbPwFuzBE1-IaSNlnhW0A2TYRPNPfQyHA0TTKvUURjCaLDhgLV06b1JD5EIxRSVuwd2V0BA&u=aHR0cHMlM2ElMmYlMmZ3d3cu
https://www.getyourguide.com/-l145846/-tc190/?cmp=bing&campaign_id=434111532&adgroup_id=1251244854682616&target_id=dat-2330002578451843%3Aloc-190&match_type=b&ad_id=78202963710333&msclkid=73c1da513ff01e14e20abe269d47ce34&loc_physical_ms=77160&feed_item_id=
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/borneo-rainforest-plant?c3apidt=71700000071414271&gclid=e5f902822a9a167053de66f589ad381c&gclsrc=3p.ds&kw=%2Fsearch%2F&msclkid=e5f902822a9a167053de66f5
https://newportbay.org/ask-a-naturalist-do-phytoplankton-produce-more-oxygen-than-a-rainforest-if-so-does-the-oxygen-they-produce-go-into-the-atmosphere-or-does-it-just-remain-dissolved-in-the-ocean/#:~:text=There%20is%20a%20misconception%20that%20the%20ra
https://www.internetgeography.net/topics/where-are-tropical-rainforests-located/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/amazon-rainforest-fire
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/the-congo-rainforest-is-losing-its-ability-to-absorb-carbon-dioxide-thats-bad-for-climate-change/ELHHO2N3RA72X77MLTRXBEP4U4/?c_id=2&objectid=12314071

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WORLD DRACULA DAY: May 26

5/1/2023

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THE ORIGINAL NOVEL
Although Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula” has been reknowned since it was published in 1897, World Dracula Day wasn’t created until 2012 by the Whitby Dracula Society. The day has been celebrated annually world-wide since then.

Abraham (Bram) Stoker (1847-1912) ▼
◄ Christopher Lee Image Source: https://www.biography. Movie: Horror of Dracula, 1958 com/authors-writers/bram-stoker

Why?

Because “Dracula” is one of the most famous Gothic literary works in the world, and the day celebrates the cultural importance that Bram Stoker’s novel has had over the last century.

Ironically, the author, Bram Stoker ‒ born in Dublin, Ireland ‒ while on vacation in a town named Whitby (North Yorkshire, England), found the name Dracula in the public library and, according to one reference, assumed it means devil in Romanian. The Whitby Dracula Society Facebook page says the novel was inspired by the Gothic architecture of Whitby Abbey combined with Transylvanian folklore.

Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England   Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England
Image Source: https://www.bing.com/images/      Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia
search?view=detailV&ccid   .org/w/index.php?curid=124664624

The novel is presented in an epistolary style, the plot being narrated as entries in personal journals and diaries, letters, and newspapers articles. “It tells the story of a solicitor called Jonathan Harker who visits Count Dracula at his castle in the Carpathian Mountains in order to help him purchase a house near London. While there, Harker discovers Dracula’s vampirism and manages to escape the castle alive after Dracula himself flees to England and plagues the town of Whitby. Manhunters, led by Abraham Van Helsing, hunt down Dracula and kill him in the end.”

The novel was well received, although many critics found it too frightening and too risqué. The Inquiriesjournal.com says “Dracula” is not just any “piece of cult-spawning” fiction “but rather a time capsule containing the popular thoughts, ideas, and beliefs of the Victorian era that paints an elaborate picture of what society was like for Bram Stoker’s generation.” http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/

The character Count Dracula has subsequently inspired 43 sequels and thirty different film versions of the story, although Dracula himself rarely appears the same way twice. He has evolved with the society around him. His physical traits, powers and weaknesses have morphed to suit cultural and political climates from the Victorian era to the Cold War. Count Dracula continues to be a work in progress.

The American edition of the original "Dracula" came out in 1899, and it has been translated into nearly every language including Icelandic. However, it was not published in Romania until 1990. That seems a little weird.

Bram Stoker didn’t make a fortune from the novel. When published in 1897, it cost six shillings. Today, a first edition would cost a collector in the neighborhood of $8,000. Stoker didn’t earn any royalties for the first one thousand sales of “Dracula”, but it has never been out of print since it was published. https://nationaltoday.com/world-dracula-day/

COUNT DRACULA ’S CASTLE
While the character Count Dracula was inspired by the real historical figure Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, the castle that is Dracula’s fictional Transylvania abode, called Bran Castle ‒ BraN Castle not BraM ‒ is located in Romania, tucked away in the Carpathian Mountains near the city of Brasov.

This famous medieval castle sees over 800,000 visitors each year and is a must-visit attraction when visiting this part of the world. It was originally built as a wooden lookout tower in 1212 a.d. when the Teutonic Knights kept an eye on trade routes in the area that were often under threat.

The wooden castle was destroyed by the Mongols in 1242 but was later rebuilt in stone in the 14th century. The first documented records a castle in this location are dated 1377.
King Louis I of Hungary gave permission for Saxon settlers to build this castle with their own funds as a defense against the Ottoman Empire. It later became a prominent strategic fortress and customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia.

This was around the time that Vlad Tepes was a Prince of Wallachia and many believe that he had a connection with Bran Castle. However, Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, never set foot in it, and it is merely a rumor that Vlad Tepes visited only once. https://www.npr.org/templatesRomanian

Bran Castle, Romania
Image Source: https://www.bing.com/Bram

Queen Marie of Romania made significant improvements to the castle in the 19th-century and made it a royal residence. She lived here until her death in 1938. Her daughter, Princess Ileana, resided there afterward and established a hospital at Castle Bran during World War II.

After the Russians took over Romania, the country fell to the Red Army and converted to Communism. Michael I of Romania abdicated the throne, and Princess Ileana and the Romanian royal family were exiled from the country in 1948. Bran Castle then became a museum.

Princess Illeana only returned to Romania in 1990. The family finally was able to take back their legacy in 2005. In 2009, the castle was owned by Archduke Dominic of Austria-Tuscany, but it was recently sold to an architect from New York.

VLAD TEPES, PRINCE OF WALLACHIA ‒ "VLAD THE IMPALER"
The historical namesake of Count Dracula, “was not a vampire, did not drink blood, and didn't worship the devil,” but he was pretty scary without all that. Unfortunately, he did many unthinkable things and probably wracked more misery, discontent, and death than any real vampire might have.

Vlad Tepes (Vlad III) was born in 1431 to a noble family at the point in history when the Christian Holy Roman Empire was fighting with the Muslim Ottoman Empire. Wallachia was caught in the middle. (Wallachia is now a region of Romania named Muntenia). Vlad Tepes’s father, Vlad II Dracul (which references say means ''dragon''), was a member of the secret order of the dragon, created by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire ‒ although some say it was Vlad Dracul who founded the order.

One theory is that Dracula means ''son of Dracul''. Some references claim the name Dracula is literally translated in Gaelic as Drac Ullah meaning "bad blood", while other subscribe to the original story that it means “devil” in Romanian. Other translations say the “Devil” in Romanian is damerla or daly..

Vlad Tepes lived his adult life in Wallachia, which is not even in Transylvania. There were periods when he was in imprisoned with his younger brother in Pest and Visegrad [in Hungary].

Wallachia in the 1400’s
Image Source: https://travelgudier.com/wallachia/

There was a great deal of bloodshed in this part of the world in the mid-thirteenth century involving the Ottoman Empire, Hungry, Wallachia, and the Transylvanian Saxons. Vlad took captives to Wallachia and had them impaled in public. During his reign, impalement was his favorite method of execution, which resulted in his moniker “The Impaler”.

While many have deemed Vlad III a just ruler and a realistic tyrant who punished criminals appropriately, local legends and German and Slavic folklore include tales such as the burning of the lazy, the poor, and the lame, and the execution of a woman who had made her husband too short a shirt. So, at least among some, he was regarded as everything evil, cruel, and bad, which is his primary connection to the fictional Count Dracula, the vampire. That’s it!

◄ Image Credit: Ambras Castle portrait of Vlad III (c. 1560),
reputedly a copy of an original made during his lifetime
Image Source: https://worldcometomyhome.blogspot.com/vlad-impaler.

WHY “DRACULA” IS IMPORTANT IN LITERATURE
The novel “Dracula” is set in the Victorian era and depicts popular beliefs and values of the strongly conservative times when Stoker penned the novel. The role of women in this society was quite limited, and any topic related to sexuality was verboten. The norm was to encourage an overall chaste and modest lifestyle, and the resistance of inevitable temptation was glorified. Social standards were strict for both men and women, but men enjoyed many more freedoms than females including the role of male superiority. The general idea prevailed that women who failed to resist temptation were possessed by evil, the work of Satanic powers. There was also a fascination with the occult and supernatural.
http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/bram-stokers-dracula

● “Dracula” incorporated many ideas and inferences that challenged Victorian mores, shocked and intrigued readers. It presented ideas that carried the shock factor into the next century.

● The novel’s main influence is that it placed the vampire at the centre of popular culture, in part because of the popularity which resulted in many new versions and new stories, plus films on TV and cinema.

● Although Bram Stoker didn’t invent the vampires or the surrounging myths, he more or less defined the rules and nature of the phenomenon with his own inventions, such as the vampire’s fear of crucifixes, of garlic, of running water, that it has no reflection in mirrors, that it can turn into a bat, that its blood sucking will turn victims into vampires, and several other rules. These are features we still find in modern vampire stories, although the rules are sometimes subverted by, for example, a vampire protagonist being able to overcome the crucifix phobia.

Dracula can't see his own reflection in the mirror because he is a reflection of the culture around him. Ever since Bram Stoker penned Dracula in 1897, the vampire's image has been a work in progress.

● Critics have classified “Dracula” as a genre novel but it falls into so many of their categories – vampire literature, horror fiction, gothic novel, invasion literature, crime, mystery, the supernatural – that categorization is problematic. It is much more than that – a fine novel, dealing with Victorian sexuality, British culture, and more, and, moreover, it is a significant addition to the novel genre in its own right.

● Stoker’s personification of Count Dracula is unique in that he is seen in the story as a person as well as a vampire, with his own looks, character, and motivations. The descriptions ‒ physical, demeanor, emotional ‒ are both chilling and captivating, resulting from Stoker’s excellent attention to telling details.

If you have seen one of the movies or read one of the books, most probably you haven’t read the original book. You should!

JUST SAYIN’

Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/world-dracula-day/
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11688859
https://www.npr.org/2008/03/21/88416912/in-dracula-a-metaphor-for-faith-and-rebirth
https://thirdeyetraveller.com/visit-draculas-castle-romania-bran-castle/
romaniatourism.com/dracula-legend.html
https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/vampire-history
https://www.livescience.com/24374-vampires-real-history.html
https://www.livescience.com/40843-real-dracula-vlad-the-impaler.html
https://blog.continentalcurrency.ca/vampires-transylvania/
https://hoiabaciu.wixsite.com/project/about?lightbox=dataItem-ji4m2faz2
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/poenari-castle-vlad-the-impaler
https://mybestplace.com/aroundtheworld/en/hoia-baciu-haunted-forest-of-mystery-in-transylvania/
http://horrorfuel.com/2018/01/15/supernatural-natural-hoia-baciu-forest/
http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1678/bram-stokers-dracula-a-reflection-and-rebuke-of-victorian-society
https://travelgudier.com/wallachia/
https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/bram-stoker
https://worldcometomyhome.blogspot.com/2017/11/romania-vlad-impaler-1431-147677.html
https://www.insider.com/dracula-movies-tv-shows-actors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_the_Impaler
https://study.com/academy/lesson/draculas-influence-on-pop-culture-literature-the-modern-vampire.html
https://atmosphericlights.com/was-dracula-real-separating-fact-from-fiction/

https://myliterature.net/faq/how-is-dracula-important-to-literature/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDracula%E2%80%9D%20is%20considered%20to%20be%20one%20of%20the,way%20that%20made%20them%20seem%20like%20real%20creatures.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5434726#:~:text=The%20Romanian%20government%20today%2C%20handed%20back%20the%2014th,prince%20did%20once%20stop%20by%20for%20a%20visit.

https://www.npr.org/2008/10/30/96282132/defining-dracula-a-century-of-vampire-evolution#:~:text=Dracula%20gradually%20became%20the%20most%20significant%20work%20of,all%20that%20was%20threatening%2C%20powerful%2C%20alluring%20and%20evil.

https://atmosphericlights.com/how-stoker-constructed-the-character-of-dracula/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20Bram%20Stoker%E2%80%99s%20description%20of%20Dracula%20is%20both,of%20the%20most%20iconic%20characters%20in%20horror%20literature.

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FATHER OF THE CLICHÉ

3/31/2023

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AND THE WINNER IS…
Ah, Ha! At last, the Literary Police have rooted out the culprit. It is now time for the Father of the Cliché to take his punishment. William Shakespeare, please stand up and face judgment!

“Most Influential Writer in the English Language”

“TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE”
[Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3]
William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April,1564 – 23 April, 1616) was the English playwright, poet and actor who is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, his career began in London as an actor. He was soon renowned as a significant playwright and poet as well, and his influence on the English language has extended far beyond that time period and straight into our modern age.

Wm. Shakespeare’s Birthplace – Stratford-upon-Avon
Now a private residence
Image Source: dreamstime.com/stock-photos-stratford-shakespeares-birthplace

Shakespeare, known as the “Bard of Avon” or just “The Bard”, wrote and/or collaborated on 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other works, some of uncertain authorship. All of these have been translated into nearly every language in the world. Most of his works were written between 1589 and 1613.

Even after four hundred plus years, and the advent of some pretty great writers, he remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

Shakespeare has a special knack for bringing to the surface the inherent human weaknesses that drive most of his writings. The best of his tragedies exhibit these well. In addition to his impact on writing and the handling of content, his works contributed significantly to the standardization of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

EVERYONE HAS A PAST
Everyone and everything has a past, including the English language.
Ever since the first remnants of spoken language appeared somewhere around 50,000 years ago, languages have diverged into various veins which have since evolved into the 6,500 languages we have today.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, English “really took off” in the 5th century when three Germanic tribes [the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes”] crossed the North Sea and invaded Britain. Up until that point the inhabitants of Briton spoke dialects of the Celtic language. The invasions drove many of the Celts north to what is now Scotland, Wales, and Ireland where dialects of the Celtic language survived.

● Old English
Old English developed during the period between the 5th and the 11th centuries, beginning with the invasion of the Germanic tribes. Throughout the 8th to 10th centuries, England experienced invasions from Viking tribes, ending with the (French) Norman invasion of England in 1066.

The word England and English originated from the Old English word Engla-land, literally meaning “the land of the Angles” where they spoke Englisc. Old English is largely unintelligible to speakers and readers of modern English. For Example:
“Fæder ure şu şe eart on heofonum, si şin nama gehalgod” translates to ““Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”, the first line of the Lord’s prayer. shortform.com/blog/evolution-of-english-language/

Old English gradually supplanted the old Latin and Celtic influences in England. Interestingly, the latter linguistic traditions left few personal or place-names today have Latin or Celtic antecedents.

● Middle English
Norman French, not English, was the language of the ruling elite in England for centuries after the Norman Conquest. Largely left to its own devices, English developed organically during the Middle Ages. Although Middle English suffered from lack of standardization, it is when English developed many of its more recognizable features.

By the mid-14th century, English had reasserted itself as a language of government and law, due to the fact that the political links between England and France were severed over the course of the centuries. Moreover, there was a shift in the character of written English. Although Medieval English dialects could vary widely even across short distances, the language was becoming more standardized. That process was long and uneven, but the spoken language started to sound more like the present-day English language.\

● Early Modern English
The changes in the English language during this period occurred from the 15th to mid-17th Century, and signified not only a change in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar itself but also the start of the English Renaissance.

The printing press, first introduced in England by William Caxton in 1476, allowed Early Modern English to become mainstream. The printing press was key to standardizing the English language through distribution of the English Bible.

“ALAS, POOR YORICK”
THE BARD ARRIVES
Onto this scene bursts one William Shakespeare. At the time William Shakespeare did most of his writings [1589 thru 1613], the English language was undergoing serious changes due to contact with other nations through war, colonization, and the likes. No dictionaries had yet been written and most documents were still written in Latin.

These changes were further cemented through Shakespeare and other emerging playwrights who found their ideas could not be expressed through the English language currently in circulation. Thus, the “adoption” of words or phrases from other languages were modified and added to the English language, creating a richer experience for all concerned.
The Bard is credited for having contributed 1,700 words to the English language because he was the first author to write them down. At least as many phrases, and probably more, originated in his works and expressed ideas in new ways.

Where ever they came from, Shakespeare wrote down new words and phrases and was able to share them with the general public through the theater. They stuck and many became popular. Over the last four hundred years English speakers and writers have used them ad infinitum.

GRAMERCY! THOU DOTH QUOTETH SHAKESPEARE
Without realizing it, you probably quote Shakespeare more often than you believe. English speakers can’t hold a conversation without a quote or two. Take a look at the abbreviated list of words and phrases that Shakespeare was first to conceive of, say, use in a particular form, use with his particular meaning, and so on. And the most important thing, he wrote them down and communicated them.

As well as inventing completely new words, he used existing words in inventive new ways. For example he was the first person to use 'friend' as a verb, as well as 'unfriended’ (Twelfth Night) and from 'gloom' he invented the word 'gloomy' (Titus Andronicus).

The following is an abbreviated list of words and phrases Shakespeare coined in this plays. They are in no particular order.

● all that glitters isn’t gold
● all the world’s a stage
● archvillian
● as good luck would have it
● assassination
● at one fell swoop
● a tower of strength
● a foregone conclusion
● a tongue in your head,
● a laughing stock
● a sorry sight
● a stony-hearted villain
● bloody-minded|
● a blinking idiot
● by jove
● barefaced
● be all and end all
● be that as it may
● bedazzled
● been hoodwinked
● been in a pickle
● belongings,
● break the ice
● breathe one’s last
● brevity is the soul of wit
● but me no buts
● catch a cold
● cold-blooded
● cold comfort
● clothes make the man
● danced attendance on your lord and master
● disgraceful conduct
● dog will have his day
● dead as a doornail
● eyesore
● eaten out of house and home
● elbow room
● eventful
● fair play
●fancy-free
● flesh and blood
● flaming youth
● foregone conclusion
● for goodness sake
● fool you, for it is
● foul play
● frailty, thy name is woman
● give the devil his due
● good riddance
● gone in the twinkling of an eye
● green eyed monster
● had short shrift
● heart of gold
● heartsick
● hot-blooded
● housekeeping
● inaudible
● in a pickle
● in stitches

● it smells to heaven
● it’s Greek to me
● it is all one to me
● it is high time
● knitted your brows
● lackluster
● laughed yourself into stitches
● leapfrog
● lie low
● live long day
● lived a fool’s paradise
●long-haired
● made a virtue of necessity
● manager
● method in his madness
● mind’s eye
● ministering angel
● more sinned against than sinning
● more in sorrow than in anger
● mum's the word
● naked truth
● neither a borrower nor a lender be
● neither here nor there
● o lord
● one fell swoop
● outrageous fortune
● pitched battle
● primrose path
● played fast and loose
● seen better days
● send me packing
● slept not one wink
● stood on ceremony
● strange bedfellows
● swagger
● the course of true love never did run smooth
● teeth set on edge
● that is the long and the short of it
● the devil incarnate
● the lady doth protest too much
● the milk of human kindness
● the game is up
● the truth will out
● the world’s your oyster
● to give the devil his due
● to budge an inch
● tongue-tied
● towering passion
● too much of a good thing
● till the crack of doom,
● tut, tut!
● uncomfortable
● vanished into thin air
● what the dickens
● wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
● witching time of the night
● without rhyme or reason
● your wish is father to the thought
● There's method in my madness
● Wild-goose chase

Granted, the above is far from a complete list of clever phrases coined by the Bard. However, many of these phrases meet the definition of clichés, yet only nine of them appeared on a list of 681 clichés writers should never use. Stunned, I collapsed, but recovered sufficiently to type, “Maybe the Literary Police are wrong!” Mayhaps not all our clichés come from Shakespeare.

How many cliché phrases can you pick out of the list? No insult intended to the list of clichés I used, but c’mon. How can the phrases “Clothes make the man,” “In one fell swoop,” or “Strange bedfellows” not be cliché?

An Elizabethan play Elizabethan Theater - Image Credit: Artist J. Beaven:
Image Source: pinterest.com/pin/17310779793801123/ Image Source: bookpalace.com/acatalog/info_BeavenTheatreLL.html

“SOME HAVE GREATNESS THRUST UPON 'EM."
To put things in context, remember that in Elizabethan England the live stage was the mass entertainment of the people. That’s important for two reasons. First, because these plays were considered by the more elite population as low-brow and rather crude, sort of like mud-wrestling, and definitely not considered high art. Yet Shakespeare wrote for those who were educated and those who were not. The educated would understand his subtle jokes about politics, the court, and the double entendre of the more common words with sexual meanings. The “groundlings” appreciated the more vulgar jokes.
And indeed, Shakespeare’s uncensored plays were rife with “sexual language full of innuendo and rudeness” and the commoners loved it. rsc.org.uk/shakespeare/language/slang-and-sexual-language

Second, theater was the only source of public entertainment of this sort, and to keep the customers coming, the playhouses needed a lot of playwrights and new material all the time. The playwrights had plenty of competition. Not being “high art”, plays were disposable. Scripts belonged to the play houses which had little motivation to make copies for someone to flitch. Often playwrights collaborated on scripts for the theater and might not get credit for their work.As early as 1598 Shakespeare was lauded by others for his work and his reputation as a playwright and poet grew. Even His greatest contemporary rival, Ben Johnson, praised his comedies but took issue with his tragedies. While he received a large amount of praise, Shakespeare was certainly not revered in his lifetime, and others claimed he “wanted art”, meaning he lacked skill.

Image Source: historyanswers.co.uk/shakespeares-first-folio

Because of the publication of Shakespeare’s “First Folio” ‒ a collection of his plays‒ published seven years after his death (1623), the Bard had a huge advantage over his peers whose works have largely been lost to posterity.

“BEWARE OF JEALOUSY: IT IS THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER”
“Around 230 years after Shakespeare's death, doubts began to be expressed about the authorship of the works attributed to him. Proposed alternative candidates include Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. Several "group theories" have also been proposed.

All but a few Shakespeare scholars and literary historians consider it a fringe theory, with only a small minority of academics who believe that there is reason to question the traditional attribution, but interest in the subject, particularly the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship, continues into the 21st century.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare

JUST SAYIN’ !
□
Sources:
https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-phrases-shakespeare-invented-2985087#:~:text=The%20Most%20Popular%20Shakespearean%20Phrases%20A%20laughing%20stock,Merry%20Wives%20of%20Windsor%29%20A%20sorry%20sight
https://www.bardweb.net/content/ac/shakes-peers.html#:~:text=The%20publication%20of%20the%20First%20Folio%20in%201623,a%20genre%20and%20Shakespeare%27s%20relation%20to%20his%20peers.
https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/a-brief-history-of-the-english-language/
https://www.thoughtco.com/events-history-of-the-english-language-1692746
https://www.thoughtco.com/top-shakespeare-quotes-2833137
https://www.languagetrainers.com/blog/shakespeare-still-has-it-10-words-he-invented-which-we-still-use-today/#:~:text
https://nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespeare-phrases/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare
https://englishliterature.education/william-shakespeare/#:~:text
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare/language
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare/language/slang-and-sexual-language
https://theshakespearean.com/educational-resources/lesson-plans/the-language-of-shakespeare/#:~:text
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-the-english-language-is-shakespeares-language/
https://www.teck-translations.com/how-shakespeare-changed-the-english-language/
https://www.shortform.com/blog/evolution-of-english-language/
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-stratford-shakespeares-birthplace-image1890493
https://writers.com/how-to-avoid-cliches-in-writing#:~:text=
https://www.bardweb.net/content/ac/shakes-peers.html#:~:text=
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/life-and-times/critical-reputation/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/947.William_Shakespeare
https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/2-million-copy-of-shakespeares-first-folio-discovered/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/10-of-shakespeare-s-most-famous-quotes/ar-AA15spbK#:~:text=What%20are%20Shakespeare%E2%80%99s%20most%20fa

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GRANNY MYTHBUSTER is “MAD FOR PLAID”

3/3/2023

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Anderson (m) Bruce of Kinnaird (a) Campbell Dress (a) Campbell Dress (m) Gordon Dress (a) Gordon Dress (m) Macdiamid

Updated 03/03/2023 / Originally posted 2018

MAD FOR PLAID
March is the month designated month to celebrate the textile pattern “plaid”. Primarily associated with Scottish culture, Tartan — or plaid, as it is called in North America — is a particular twill weaving pattern of multicolored and crisscrossing horizontal and vertical bands, i.e. two sets of stripes at right angles. An individual tartan - with its color palette and stripe widths - is called a “sett”.

This pattern, a fall and winter wardrobe staple, is found today all over the world. Although it is claimed by some that plaids originated as a way to distinguish Scottish clans in battle, when I traveled in Scotland, a guide explained that Clan plaids were really the product of the 19th century mercantile industry. An advertising ploy!

What a buzz kill!

I assumed the "Clan Plaid" story is what most people believe, so I put on my Granny Mythbuster disguise to find out. Digging up the origins of traditions and languages is never short and sweet. And, as a general principle, never believe what a tour guide tells you.

IT IS WHAT IT IS…MAYBE
If you look up the words tartan and plaid on merriam-webster.com/dictionary/, these are the definitions you will get.
● “tartan (n)
1.= a plaid textile design of Scottish origin consisting of stripes of varying width and color usually patterned to designate a distinctive clan.
2a.) = a twilled woolen fabric with tartan design
2b. = a fabric with tartan design
2c. = a garment of tartan design.”

● “plaid (n)
1. = a rectangular length of tartan worn over the left shoulder as part of the Scottish national costume.
2 a. = a twilled woolen fabric with a tartan pattern
2 b. = a fabric with a pattern of tartan or an imitation of tartan.
3a. = TARTAN sense 1 [Don't ask me. I have no idea what this means]
3b. = a pattern of unevenly spaced repeated stripes crossing at right angles.”

In other words, a Tartan is a pattern and a Plaid is a piece (usually large) of tartan cloth.

IF YOU ARE SCOTTISH…

“Plaid” Means "A Blanket"
In North America we often – mistakenly-- use the term plaid to mean tartan. The word plaid -- derived from the Scottish Gaelic word plaide, which means blanket – is a tartan cloth worn over the shoulder as a kilt accessory or a plain blanket such as one would put on a bed.

◄ Soldiers from a Highland Regiment circa 1744.
Image Credit: image scanned from “Clans and Tartans,
Collins Pocket Reference”
Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47104132

The earliest written use of the word plaid is a 1510 entry in the account of the diocese of Dunkeld, referring to an expense of two shilling for dying four ells of “pladis”. An "ell" was a length of 37.2 inches.

According to Danny Lewis, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/, the word “Plaid only replaced tartan once the patterns became popular with British and American textile manufacturers who would recreate fabrics that looked like tartans, but without centuries of symbolic meaning embedded in their clothing.”

“Tartan” Means A Pattern
The word tartan means a woven fabric made of crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors; alternating bands pre-dyed threads woven with warp and weft at right angles to each other. This creates a distinctive pattern of squares called a sett.

Diagram of weaving a tartan plaid
Source of Images: bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Gotc0Gfp&id

In North American we not only use the word plaid to mean the pattern -- instead of tartan -- , but the term no longer applies only to woven cloth.

EARLIEST ORIGINS OF TARTAN WEAVE
Even though evidence of the Celtic tartan dates back to the 3th century, the oldest example of a tartan fabric goes back at least 3,000 years. It was found buried with the remains of “Cherchen Man,” a 6 foot tall mummy of Caucasian descent found in Turkestan in the western Chinese desert. The man was found buried wearing a red twill tunic and tartan leggings, the earliest example of tartan ever discovered.

Source of Images: eternalcivilizations.blogspot.com/2019/cherchen-man

According to the textile historian E. J. W. Barber, the Hallstatt culture of Central Europe, which is linked with ancient Celtic populations and flourished between the 8th and 6th centuries BC, produced tartan-like textiles. Other finds have been made in Europe and Northwestern China.

Cherchen Man/ Ur-David -- mummy found in Cherchen, located in current Xinjiang region of China. The mummy is a member of the group known as Tarim mummies.

Image Source: economist.com/china/2012/fast-and-loose

SCOTTISH TARTANS
The earliest documented tartan in Britain, known as the "Falkirk" tartan, dates from the 3rd century AD. It was uncovered at Falkirk, Scotland, near the Roman-built Antonine Wall. The fragment of tartan cloth was stuffed into an earthenware pot containing almost 2,000 Roman silver coins. It is now in the National Museum of Scotland

Remains of the only original Falkirk tartan – Image Credit: Fickr-
Image Source: oldest.org/culture/tartans/

Registered “recreation” of the Falkirk tartan - Image Source:tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails

So this pattern of weaving has existed in Scotland since the third century, and I assume it was used, along with others, through the centuries. The original goat-like sheep of ancient Scotland provided the fibers from which wool fabrics were made. The sheep were black, brown, or white. Thus, the early tartans were made of combinations of these colors.

Presumably, weaving skills were passed down from mother to daughter, and over time a particular design came to be associated with a specific district and possibly with an individual clan. Eventually, these local patterns became synonymous with the regional clans scattered throughout Scotland,

At some point, weavers began to dye yarn, which resulted in new or at least brighter patterns. Even then, the dyes, which come from local and accessible plants and minerals, likely determined the colors and still identified the wearer of a tartan to the district.

Image Credit and Source: By derivative work:
Celtus Scottish soldiers in service of Gustavus Adolphus,_1631.j
ttps://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5042497

SCOTTISH CLAN TARTANS - IT’S ALL POLITICS
Like everything, it’s all politics. Clan Tartans as we know them today are thought to originate in Scotland in 16th century. In 1703, Martin wrote A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, in which he noted that the tartans could be used to distinguish inhabitants of different regions. That was the beginning of a more formal recognition of a clan association with a particular tartan.

At that time, tartan designs were produced by local weavers for local tastes using the dye materials of the local area. The patterns and colors were the choice of the weaver and people picked and wore those based on personal preference.

During the Scottish Rebellion of 1745, tartan was used in the uniforms of the leading Scottish military troop, The Royal Highland Regiment, or the Black Watch. The green and dark blue patterns became strongly associated with rebellion. However, depictions of the Battle of Culloden in 1746 show the monarchy’s forces battling against the clansmen, all wearing different tartans.

David Morier's An incident in the rebellion of 1745. Black Watch Tartan-ancient

After Scottish forces were defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the monarchy adopted the Dress Act of 1746, banning tartans (except for British military uniforms) for nearly a century. By the time the law was repealed, tartan kilts were no longer the ordinary dress of the highlands. The tartan kilt was, however, adopted as the symbolic national dress of Scotland, which revived interest in tartans and one’s Scottish heritage.

According to Wikipedia – who agrees with my tour guide in Scotland – the clan tartans date no earlier than the beginning of the 19th century. They are an invented tradition.

THE "BOTTOM" LINE
“The clashingly exuberant history of tartan’s history is a jumble of fact with outrageous fiction. Nearly everything you think you “know” about tartan was invented, then furiously believed until fact seemed pale and unsporting in comparison.”

According to Wikipedia – who agrees with my tour guide after all – the clan tartans date no earlier than the beginning of the 19th century. They are an invented tradition. Nonetheless, today the Tartans represent the pride the Scottish have in their ancestral warrior clans, family, and Gaelic culture … the pattern, the idea of tartans in the abstract.
It’s all about what it means!

And speaking of “bottoms”, the topic of “underwear beneath the kilt” -- so often a cause for humor -- is a relatively modern development. In the past men wore nothing. This is still true of several Scottish regiments, apart from some sentries and dancers, on whom the kilt might fly up. Most other people wear shorts or pants, according to personal taste."
http://www.kinnaird.net/tartan.htm

JUST SAYIN’
□
2023 Sources
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tartan
https://eternalcivilizations.blogspot.com/2019/01/cherchen-man-cherchen-man.html
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/539024649135050696/
https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/history-tartan-falkirk-mod-1488081
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=1146
https://www.oldest.org/culture/tartans/
https://www.ibtimes.com/what-do-scots-wear-under-their-kilts-lot-nothing-2428643

Photos only
Scanned from “Clans and Tartans, Collins Pocket Reference, George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire, Harper Collins, Glasgow 1995 ISBN 0-00-470810-5., Public Domain.”
https://www.pinterest.com/annbharrison/men-in-kilts/
http://www.theconomist.com/china/2012/fast-and-loose

2018 Sources: [Some no longer available]
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/brief-history-plaid-180957342/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan
https://psmag.com/social-justice/that-plaid-tho
https://startupfashion.com/fashion-archives-history-plaid/
http://www.kinnaird.net/tartan.htm
http://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/tartan-pattern-book/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid
http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/chinacherchen.htm
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/plaid
https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2015/10/plaid-tartan.html

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MEET THE PLAYERS: Top Black Classical Musicians

2/3/2023

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Not long ago my book club chose to read The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb ‒ himself a black classical violinist ‒ about a young black boy, Ray MacMillian who falls in love with classical music and playing the violin. However, Ray is a black kid with a beat-up, cheap school rental. Teachers won’t give him attention because he’s black, and they don’t believe that he can possibly master classical music.

In an interview, Slocumb states that only 1.8% of the classical music performers, directors, and composers are black and about 25% are other people of color. That intrigued me. Statistics can be deceiving, and I wondered how that number compared with other professional endeavors.

After all, 67% of all players in the NFL are black. That fact by itself says one thing. If you add on other pieces of the picture – the facts that there are no black owners, and there was only one general manager, Ozzie Newsome, who became an NFL team's first black General Manager in 2002, one gets a different impression. Now add on the fact the Newsome is now an Executive Vice President. What does that mean?

A different perspective, indeed.

CLAWING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP
Studies show that only about 2% of practitioners of any profession manage to claw their way to the top of the hierarchical heap. Being someone who scrambled to reach a higher level in my own profession, I can attest that women have to work harder, longer, and be twice as good as any man to have the same position. I’m white, so I can only imagine how much harder it is for blacks and other people of color.

Another part of the equation is the size of the heap we’re talking about. When it comes to just classical musicians, conductors, and composers – that is, excluding all the support and other staff involved in classical music – the total number of people is, undoubtedly, smaller number than the total number of people in some other professions, such as scientific researchers… which one survey puts at six million. Granted, there are many fields of research, but there are also various fields of classical music to pursue… but I doubt the total is anywhere near six million. Unfortunately ‒ or maybe fortunately, since my math is more than rusty ‒ I do not have the numbers to do the math.

But there is no doubt that prejudice is still alive and well and still making it much harder for people of color to break the chromium [the hardest know metal] ceilings. Yet there are those who are doing in anyway, despite the odds. Meet the top players in today’s classical music, taken primarily from: https://www.dandelionchandelier.com/2022/02/22/top-black-classical-musicians/ .

CONDUCTORS

Roderick Cox
The 2018 recipient of the Sir George Solti Conducting Award, Roderick Cox, is at the very top of the list of classical musicians today. Originally from Macon, Georgia, he has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and many other musical groups.

Image Credit: Roderick Cox. Courtesy Photo.
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

2022 includes debuts with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Seattle and New World Symphonies, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Malmo, Kristiansand and Lahti Symphony Orchestras. He is also the founder of the Roderick Cox Music Initiative. It is an organization that provides young musicians of color with the funding necessary to provide instruments and instruction on their paths to success.

Tania Leόn
A composer and conductor of considerable acclaim, Tania León and her signature sound can be found throughout the world of classical music. As a conductor, she has performed with the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus de Marseille, and the Symphony Orchestra of Johannesburg – among many others.

Tania León speaks at the premiere of her piece “Stride,” commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
Image Credit: Chris Lee/Courtesy New York Philharmonic
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

Her work has been commissioned and performed by groups such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony. Her opera Scourge of Hyacinths, based on a play by Wole Soyinka, has been performed twenty times across multiple continents.

Jonathon Heyward
The 2020 recipient of the Sir George Solti Career Assistant Award, Jonathon Heyward is a conductor to watch. Originally trained as a cellist and chamber musician, Heyward has gone on to appear as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Dudamel Coducting Fellow.

Image credit: Jonathon Heyward. Courtesy Photo. (cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

CELLISTS

Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Though only twenty-one years old, Kanneh-Mason garnered global acclaim when he performed a cello piece and the royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Susses. After winning the 2016 BBC Young Musician Competiton, Kanneh-Mason went on to release two albums, and to play with many of the most renowned orchestras around the world. He is currently a full-time student at the Royal Academy of Music.
Image Credit: Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Courtesy Photo. (cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

He comes from a talented family and all of his six siblings share his exceptional musical talents. In December 2019 they all played as a family on stage at the Royal Variety Performance, amazing the audience with Vittorio Monti’s Czárdás. Sheku made his New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall that same month in a program he shared with his sister Isata.

VIOLINISTS

Daniel Bernard Roumain
Both a composer and a violinist, Daniel Bernard Roumain is a household name in the world of classical music, having appeared everywhere from American Idol to the Sydney Opera House. He is known both for his prowess as a musician, and also his work as an activist.

Image Credit: Daniel Bernard Roumain. Courtesy Photo. (cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

Not only has he composed countless award-winning pieces, receiving recognition for his artistry across genres, but he has also made his mark by serving on the Board of Directors for the American League of Orchestras, and the advisory committee for the Sphinx Organization.

Jessie Montgomery
A violinist and composer, Jessie Montgomery was raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the child of a musician. A recipient of the Leonard Bernstein award, she is a chamber musician and an educator, as well as a former composer-in-residence for Sphinx Virtuosi, the touring company of the Sphinx Organization.

Image Credit: Jessie Montgomery. Courtesy Photo. (cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

Her work has been commissioned by prestigious orchestras across the country, including the New York Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony. In 2021, she was named the Mead Composer-in-Residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Ashleigh Gordon
As well as being an internationally regarded violist, Ashleigh Gordon is also the co-founder of Castle of Our Skins. It is an organization devoted to supporting and celebrating black artists, past and present, through both education and performance.

Image Credit: Ashleigh Gordon. Courtesy Photo. (Cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

Based out of Boston, they are a major voice in classical music, and Gordon is the leading force behind them. She herself has performed in festivals throughout the United States and Europe, making her recognized equally as a talented musician and as a voice for social change.

Aaron Dworkin
A giant in the world of classical music, President Barack Obama made Aaron Dworkin his first appointment to the National Council on the Arts. A MacArthur Fellow, Dworkin is an author, artist, and violinist, and an educator and a dean for the University of Michigan’s School of Music.

Image Credit: Aaron Dworkin. Courtesy Photo (cropped)
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

He is also the founder of the Sphinx Organization, a Detroit-based group that aims to use diversity in art as a method of transforming people’s lives.

COMPOSERS

Jonathan Bailey Holland
Perhaps one of the best-known composers in the classical world, Jonathan Bailey Holland's legendary music has been commissioned by ensembles across the United States, including by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Image Credit: Jonathan Bailey Holland. Courtesy Photo.
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

A native of Flint, Michigan, Holland was awarded a commission by the Isabells Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston to compose a piece inspired by John Singer Sargent’s dance-inspired painting, “El Jaleo.”

Notably, he served as the first composer-in-residence with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, from 2018 to 2019. His pieces draw inspiration from many genres, including jazz, hip hop, and other classical works.

PIANISTS

Damien Sneed
From piano and vocals, to composition and conducting, to working with icons like Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder – it seems like Damien Sneed has done it all. Winner of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, he’s also known as the founder of the Chorale Le Chateau – a group that performs vocal interpretations of Renaissance literature.

Image Credit: Damien Sneed. Courtesy Photo (cropped).
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

Most recently, Sneed embarked on a 36-city North American tour titled, “We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The tour coincided with the 35th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

VOCALISTS AND OPERA SINGERS

Julia Bullock
A classical singer originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Julia Bullock has completed residencies with the San Francisco Symphony and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Image Credit: Julia Bullock. Courtesy Photo
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

A soprano, Bullock is a founding member of the American Modern Opera Company and has also starred in numerous operas herself, including Le Nozze di Figaro and The Magic Flute. Alongside Joyce DiDonato and Jakub Józef Orliński, Bullock starred in a new production of Handel’s Theodora at Royal Opera House in the beginning of 2022. She also released a debut solo album later that year.

Lawrence Brownlee
Tenor Lawrence Brownlee has been universally praised as one of the stars of the current opera scene. He has starred in numerous performances, including The Barber of Seville, La Cenerentola, and Donizetti’s La Favorite.

Image Credit: Lawrence Brownlee. Courtesy Photo
Image Source: dandelionchandelier.com/top-black-classical-musicians/

You can regularly find him performing with the most prominent opera houses all over the world. For the 2021-22 season, he debuted as Platée in Rameau’s opera “Platée” with the Opera National de Paris.

JUST SAYIN'
Sources:
https://www.dandelionchandelier.com/2022/02/22/top-black-classical-musicians/
https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/black-musicians-pioneering-in-classical-music/#:~:text
https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/black-composers-who-made-classical-music-history/
https://www.nateholdermusic.com/post/12-black-female-classical-composers-you-need-to-know
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:African-American_classical_musicians
https://www.nateholdermusic.com/post/12-black-male-classical-musicians-you-need-to-know
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_women_in_classical_music
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/people-global-african-history/black-composers-and-musicians-classical-music-history/

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FATHER OF THE CLICHE

1/6/2023

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AND THE WINNER IS…
Ah, Ha! At last, the Literary Police have rooted out the culprit. It is now time for the Father of the Cliché to take his punishment.

William Shakespeare, please stand up and face judgment!

“TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE”
William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April,1564 – 23 April, 1616) was the English playwright, poet and actor who is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, his career began in London as an actor. He was soon renowned as a significant playwright and poet as well, and his influence on the English language has extended far beyond that time period and straight into our modern age. He has been called by many a scholar and linguist, “Most Influential Writer in the English Language.”

Wm. Shakespeare’s Birthplace – Stratford-upon-Avon
Now a private residence
Image Source: dreamstime.com/stock-photos-stratford-shakespeares-birthplace

Shakespeare, known as the “Bard of Avon” or just “The Bard”, wrote and/or collaborated on 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other works, some of uncertain authorship. All of these have been translated into nearly every language in the world. Most of his works were written between 1589 and 1613.

Even after four hundred plus years, and the advent of some pretty great writers, he remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

Shakespeare has a special knack for bringing to the surface the inherent human weaknesses that drive most of his writings. The best of his tragedies exhibit these well. In addition to his impact on writing and the handling of content, his works contributed significantly to the standardization of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

EVERYONE HAS A PAST
Everyone and everything has a past, including the English language. Ever since the first remnants of spoken language appeared somewhere around 50,000 years ago, languages have diverged into various veins which have since evolved into the 6,500 languages we have today.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, English “really took off” in the 5th century when three Germanic tribes [the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes”] crossed the North Sea and invaded Britain. Up until that point the inhabitants of Briton spoke dialects of the Celtic language. The invasions drove many of the Celts north to what are now Scotland, Wales, and Ireland where dialects of the Celtic language survived.

● Old English
Old English developed during the period between the 5th and the 11th centuries, beginning with the invasion of the Germanic tribes. Throughout the 8th to 10th centuries, England experienced invasions from Viking tribes, ending with the (French) Norman invasion of England in 1066.

The words England and English originated from the Old English word Enga-land, literally meaning “the land of the Angles” where they spoke Englisc..

Old English is largely unintelligible to speakers and readers of Modern English. For example: “Fæder ure şu şe eart on heofonum, si şin nama gehalgod” translates to “Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”, the first line of the Lord’s prayer. shortform.com/blog/evolution-of-english-language/

Old English gradually supplanted the old Latin and Celtic influences in England. Interestingly, the latter linguistic traditions left few personal or place-names today have Latin or Celtic antecedents.

● Middle English
Norman French, not English, was the language of the ruling elite in England for centuries after the Norman Conquest. Largely left to its own devices, English developed organically during the Middle Ages. Although Middle English suffered from lack of standardization, it is when English developed many of its more recognizable features.

By the mid-14th Century, English had reasserted itself as a language of government and law., due to the fact that the political links between England and France were severed over the course of the centuries. Moreover, there was a shift in the character of written English.

Although Medieval English dialects could vary widely even across short distances, the language was becoming more standardized. That process was long and uneven, but the spoken language started to sound more like the present-day English language.

● Early Modern Middle
The changes in the English language during this period occurred from the 15th to mid-17th Century, and signified not only a change in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar itself but also the start of the English Renaissance.

The printing press, first introduced in England by William Caxton in 1476, allowed Early Modern English to become mainstream. The printing press was key to standardizing the English language through distribution of the English Bible.

“ALAS, POOR YORICK”
Onto this scene bursts one William Shakespeare. At the time William Shakespeare did most of his writings [1589 thru 1613], the English language was undergoing serious changes due to contact with other nations through war, colonization, and the likes. No dictionaries had yet been written and most documents were still written in Latin.

These changes were further cemented through Shakespeare and other emerging playwrights who found their ideas could not be expressed through the English language currently in circulation. Thus, the “adoption” of words or phrases from other languages were modified and added to the English language, creating a richer experience for all concerned.
The Bard is credited for having contributed 1,700 words to the English language because he was the first author to write them down. At least as many phrases, and probably more, originated in his works and expressed ideas in new ways, and old words with new meanings.

Where ever they came from, Shakespeare wrote down new words and phrases and was able to share them with the general public through the theater. They stuck and many became popular. Over the last four hundred years English speakers and writers have used them ad infinitum.

GRAMERCY! THOU DOTH QUOTETH SHAKESPEARE
Without realizing it, you probably quote Shakespeare more often than you believe. English speakers can’t hold a conversation without a quote or two. Take a look at the abbreviated list of words and phrases that Shakespeare was first to conceive of, say, use in a particular form, use with his particular meaning, and so on. And the most important thing, he wrote them down and communicated them in his plays..
.
As well as inventing completely new words, he used existing words in inventive new ways. For example he was the first person to use 'friend' as a verb, as well as 'unfriended’ (Twelfth Night) and from 'gloom' he invented the word 'gloomy' (Titus Andronicus).

The following is an abbreviated list of words and phrases Shakespeare coined in this plays. They are in no particular order.

● all that glitters isn’t gold
● all the world’s a stage
● archvillian
● as luck would have it
● assassination
● at one fell swoop
● a tower of strength
● a foregone conclusion
● a tongue in your head,
● a laughing stock
● a sorry sight
● a stony-hearted villain
● bloody-minded|
● a blinking idiot
● by jove
● barefaced
● be all and end all
● be that as it may
● bedazzled
● been hoodwinked
● been in a pickle
● belongings,
● break the ice
● breathe one’s last
● brevity is the soul of wit
● but me no buts
● catch a cold
● cold-blooded
● cold comfort
● clothes make the man
● danced attendance on your lord and master
● disgraceful conduct
● dog will have his day
● dead as a doornail
● eyesore
● eaten out of house and home
● elbow room
● eventful
● fair play
●fancy-free

● flesh and blood
● flaming youth
● foregone conclusion
● for goodness sake
● fool you, for it is
● foul play
● frailty, thy name is woman
● give the devil his due
● good riddance
● in the twinkling of an eye
● green eyed monster
● had short shrift
● heart of gold
● heartsick
● hot-blooded
● housekeeping
● inaudible
● in stitches
● it smells to heaven
● it’s Greek to me
● it is all one to me
● it is high time
● knitted your brows
● lackluster
● laughed yourself into stitches
● leapfrog
● lie low
● live long day
● lived a fool’s paradise
● long-haired
● made a virtue of necessity
● manager
● method in his madness
● mind’s eye
● ministering angel
● more sinned against than sinning
● more in sorrow than in anger
● mum's the word

● naked truth
● neither here nor there
● o lord
● one fell swoop
● outrageous fortune
● pitched battle
● primrose path
● played fast and loose
● seen better days
● send me packing
● slept not one wink
● stood on ceremony
● strange bedfellows
● swagger
● the course of true love never did run smooth
● teeth set on edge
● that is the long and the short of it
● the devil incarnate
● the milk of human kindness
● the game is up
● the truth will out
● the world’s your oyster
● to give the devil his due
● to budge an inch
● tongue-tied
● towering passion
● too much of a good thing
● till the crack of doom,
● tut, tut!
● uncomfortable
● vanished into thin air
● what the dickens
● wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
● Wild-goose chase
● witching time of the night
● without rhyme or reason
● your wish is father to the thought

Granted, the above is far from a complete list of clever phrases coined by the Bard. However, many of these phrases meet the definition of clichés, yet only nine of them appeared on a list of 681 clichés writers should never use.

Stunned, I collapsed, but recovered sufficiently to type, “Maybe the Literary Police are wrong!” Mayhaps not all our clichés come from Shakespeare.

How many cliché phrases can you pick out of the list? No insult intended to the list of clichés I used, but c’mon. How can the phrases “Clothes make the man,” “In one fell swoop,” or “Strange bedfellows” not be cliché?

An Elizabethan play Elizabethan Theater
Image Source: pinterest.com/pin/17310779793801123/ Image Credit: Artist J. Beaven -- Image Source: bookpalace.com/acatalog/info_BeavenTheatreLL.html

Not being “high art”, plays were disposable. Scripts belonged to the play houses which had little motivation to make copies for someone to flitch. Often playwrights collaborated on scripts for the theater and might not get credit for their work.
Image Source: historyanswers.co.uk/shakespeares-first-folio

As early as 1598 Shakespeare was lauded by others for his work and his reputation as a playwright and poet grew. Even His greatest contemporary rival, Ben Johnson, praised his comedies, although he took issue with his tragedies.

Because of the 1623 publication of Shakespeare’s “First Folio” ‒ a collection of his plays‒ published seven years after his death, the Bard had a huge advantage over his peers whose works have largely been lost to posterity.

"BEWARE OF JEALOUSY: IT IS THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER”
Around 230 years after Shakespeare's death, doubts began to be expressed about the authorship of the works attributed to him. Proposed alternative candidates include Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. Several "group theories" have also been proposed.

All but a few Shakespeare scholars and literary historians consider it a fringe theory, with only a small minority of academics who believe that there is reason to question the traditional attribution, but interest in the subject, particularly the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship, continues into the 21st century.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare

JUST SAYIN’ !
□
Sources:
https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-phrases-shakespeare-invented-2985087#:~:text=The%20Most%20Popular%20Shakespearean%20Phrases%20A%20laughing%20stock,Merry%20Wives%20of%20Windsor%29%20A%20sorry%20sight
https://www.bardweb.net/content/ac/shakes-peers.html#:~:text=The%20publication%20of%20the%20First%20Folio%20in%201623,a%20genre%20and%20Shakespeare%27s%20relation%20to%20his%20peers.
https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/a-brief-history-of-the-english-language/
https://www.thoughtco.com/events-history-of-the-english-language-1692746
https://www.thoughtco.com/top-shakespeare-quotes-2833137
https://www.languagetrainers.com/blog/shakespeare-still-has-it-10-words-he-invented-which-we-still-use-today/#:~:text
https://nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespeare-phrases/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare
https://englishliterature.education/william-shakespeare/#:~:text
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare/language
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare/language/slang-and-sexual-language
https://theshakespearean.com/educational-resources/lesson-plans/the-language-of-shakespeare/#:~:text
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-the-english-language-is-shakespeares-language/
https://www.teck-translations.com/how-shakespeare-changed-the-english-language/
https://www.shortform.com/blog/evolution-of-english-language/
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-stratford-shakespeares-birthplace-image1890493
https://writers.com/how-to-avoid-cliches-in-writing#:~:text=
https://www.bardweb.net/content/ac/shakes-peers.html#:~:text=
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/life-and-times/critical-reputation/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/947.William_Shakespeare
https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/2-million-copy-of-shakespeares-first-folio-discovered/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/10-of-shakespeare-s-most-famous-quotes/ar-AA15spbK#:~:text=What%20are%20Shakespeare%E2%80%99s%20most%20fa

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MORE UNIQUE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

12/23/2022

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Every country has their own traditions related to their religious celebrations. Following are a few with unique Christmas traditions. Many traditions are centuries old, but some new ideas catch on quickly and become new traditions within a few years or decades.

REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA
“Feliz Navidad” - [Spanish]
“Bon Nadal" - [Occitan and Catalan]
“Felibres Nadal” - [Aranese]

Catalonia was part of Spain but the 2006 Statute of Autonomy adopted by the Spanish government gave Catalonia the status of a semi-independent, self-governing Republic, but always under the laws of Spain. There are two Christmas traditions that are unique to Catalonia and the Aragon region.

● Tió de Nadal [The Christmas Log]
One of the most important Christmas traditions in Catalan culture is the Tió de Nadal [Christmas Log], also known as simply Tió or Tronca. The tradition dates back many centuries to the time when logs were burned in the fireplace to give light, shelter and warmth. The tradition of placing a log in your house to burn during the holidays somehow evolved into Tió de Nadal.

The contemporary Tió is a hollow wooden log with eyes, nose, and mouth painted on one end. He wears a red barretita, a traditional 19th century hat worn by men. It also has two or four stick legs and a big smile. Starting on the 8th of December, the day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Catalonian kids place the Tió in the house, cover it with a blanket and give it something to eat it every night during the month.

The whole point of this process is to make Tió warm, feed it and basically take good care of it until Christmas day. The parents usually replace the Tió for a bigger one from time to time making it look like it is growing. On Christmas day, the fully grown Tió is then placed in the center of the room, and children gather around it, singing songs and hitting the log with sticks. If they “do good job”, they get their presents.

● The Cagener [The Pooper]
A somewhat disrespectful tradition in Catalan Christmas culture is the Pooper. Basically a figurine to be hidden somewhere in the nativity scenes, the Caganer is a figure of a Catalan man, wearing traditional Catalan clothes, squatting with his trousers around his ankles and taking a poop.

◄Typical small figurine for nativity scene
Image source: pinterest.com/301881981267185779/

However, these figurines have become very popular and you can find a replica of almost anyone you can think of, including Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth. There are also full scale or larger statues put up in malls and other public places.

COLUMBIA
“Feliz Navidad” [Spanish]

● Día de las Velitas
In Colombia, Día de las Velitas [Day of the Little Candles] initiates the Christmas celebrations on December 7. The streets, houses, and other buildings are decorated with lanterns and candles to begin the festive season.
Image Source: soycolombiano.com/dia-de-las-velitas

COSTA RICA
“Feliz Navidad” [Spanish]

Costa Ricans hit the beach in December and celebrate Christmas with exuberance. Bright lights and festive music fill the air as the country becomes even more vibrant. At the center of the celebrations are the traditional nativity scenes called “Portals.” Small toys and fruit are commonly laid in front of Portals as a small offering.

● Festival of Lights
The highlight is the Festival of Lights in the form of a parade with dancers, bands, and floats, all glowing with lights.

◄ Image Source: costaricantimes.com/costa-rica-christmas

CZECH REPUBLIC
“Veselé Vánoce" [Czech]

● The Shoe Toss
Feeling lonely this Christmas? Czech women use this Christmas ritual to see what lies in store for their love life in the coming year. .Standing with their backs to their front doors, unmarried ladies toss their shoes over their shoulders. If one lands with its toe pointing towards the door, the woman will supposedly get married within the next 12 months.

● Finding a Star in an Apple
A typical household scent at this time of year comes from the baking of štrůdl, strudel, a home-made cake consisting of apples and cinnamon. With all those apples around, it is tradition, upon finding a star at the center of an apple, to believe you will have good health in the coming year.

Image Credit: Pixabay, author: 743976.
Image Source: discoverwalks.com/czech-christmas-traditions

FRANCE
“Joyeux Noel!” [French]

● Nativity Scenes
The French go "Creche Crazy," and are wild about Nativity scenes. You find them everywhere. In addition to the usual figures, all sort of other people [called Santons] are present, such as the baker, the street sweeper, the butcher, street vendors, and so on.

Crèche filled with figures Americans cannot recognize! The santons of Provence include not only the Holy Family, the Magi and the shepherds, but the whole village who has come to worship the Baby Jesus!
Image Source: confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/french-nativity-sceneor

● Shoes on the Harth
On Christmas eve, children put their shoes on the hearth for Santa to fill.

● Le Réveillon / New Year's Eve
In addition to the Christmas Eve banquet called Le Réveillon, the French traditionally have 13 desserts to symbolize Christ and the 12 apostles at the last supper.

GERMANY
“Frohe Weihnachten!” [German]
“Froehliche Weihnachten!”

● Advent
Advent, which starts four Sundays before Christmas, is the beginning of the holiday season for Germans. An Advent Calendar is used as a countdown to December 25. It is often a: wreath of fir tree branches with four advent candles or a fir branch decorated with 24 decorated bags or boxes hung from it, each marked with the day and holding a small present. The Advent calendar tradition supposedly dates back to the 1850s.

● Shoes outside
German children leave a shoe outside the house on December 5th which is then filled with sweets overnight. Naughty children awake to find a tree branch in the shoe instead!

● Hiding A pickle
It's a very old Christmas Eve tradition in Germany to hide a pickle (of the ornament variety) in the branches of the Christmas tree. In the morning, the child who finds it first gets a special gift from Santa, while the first adult traditionally gets good luck for the coming year.

ICELAND
“Gleðileg jól!” [Icelandic]

Christmas in Iceland is known as "Yule" or "Jól" and originated as the ancient winter solstice celebrations which were absorbed into early Christian tradition. Yule includes New Year through Epiphany.

● Jólakötturinn, The Yule Cat
Children in Iceland are warned that if they don’t finish their work on time or don’t behave, they will be stalked by Jólakötturinn, the enormous Yule Cat, who eats children [and sometimes adults] who don’t receive any new clothes before Christmas night.

This legend has its roots in a time in the middle ages when Iceland had established itself as a producer of wool cloth. First, it was common for households to have a large furry cat [probably to control rodents]. Second, everyone needed warm clothing due to the weather. Third, wool production was vital to the economy and everyone in the household had to work hard to make the wool cloth. Image Credit: PBC
Image Source: boredpanda.com/icelandic-legend-yule-cat

Christmas gifts during this period were sparse and usually consisted of a piece of wool clothing, and even that was possible only if everyone completed the work on time. Hence, the legend was born and has carried on through the centuries.
Jólakötturinn is not a nice kitty!

● The 13 Yule Lads
The 13 Yule Lads are the sons of Grýla, half ogre and half troll. And she is very bad news. Grýla and her family live high in the mountains with a huge furry cat. [You guessed it… the Yule Cat!] Around Christmas time, when the food supply is running low, she sends her 13 lads down the mountain and into town to look for children who misbehave.

The first lad leaves twelve days before Christmas, and each day another lad goes down to the town, until on Christmas day all thirteen have arrived. The first lad then returns up the mountain with bags of misbehaving children. Each day, one of the brothers returns home until on January 6, they have all arrived with their bags of naughty children. [Presumably, the ogress and the cat have also been hunting during this time.]

Then Grýla takes the children out of the bags and cooks them alive in a huge caldron, making a stew. The family eats the stew for the rest of the cold season.

The tale got so scary that in 1746 the Icelandic government stepped in and parents were officially banned from frightening their children with tales of the Yule Lads and their gruesome family.

Today Grýla and the 13 Yule Lads have been reinvented as mischievous benevolent Christmas icons.

Imag Sourcee: meer.com/en/thirteen-yule-lads

ISLE OF MAN
“Merry Christmas”

The languages spoken on the Isle of Man are English and Manx English. Manx English [also called Anglo Manx] differs widely from any other dialect of English. However, Manx English is in decline, so most people would Merry Christmas.
Location map – Isle on Man ►
Image Credit: Cnbrb [Public Domain]
Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?
● Hunting the Wren
Originally Hunting the Wren was quite a blood thirsty Christmas ritual, where gangs would scour the countryside looking for the tiny "sacred" birds to trap and kill it as a sacrifice, before it was plucked and buried in the local church with much pomp and ceremony. The feathers were spread around for good luck.

In 2022 it is a more humane activity. Instead of hunting the wren by beating the bushes, people go around in groups making noise with sticks and singing. The wren is represented by an artificial bird which is the centerpiece for a "bush" which consists of two wooden hoops placed on top of a pole, covered with ribbons and evergreens. The pole is carried from house to house. The theory as to why the wren is targeted for 'revenge' is that it's the reincarnation of an enchantress who lured Manx men to their deaths. The good luck feathers have been replaced by ribbons.

● Eating Raw Whale Skin With Blubber And Moldy Birds
Sounds totally yucky, but this moldy birds isn't some dead turkey that's been left in the trash to decay. Moldy bird is a great delicacy in Green-land called Kiviak, and it is the centerpiece of the Christmas feast.
Image Source: travelfoodatlas.com/kiviak-greenland-inuit-delicacy

Kiviak is made with a small bird called an auk which has been preserved in the hollowed-out body of a seal, buried for several months, and then eaten once it's decomposed. Still sounds yucky, but what do I know.

Another treat on the menu is mattak, made from the skin and blubber of a whale and usually eaten raw, although sometimes it is deep-fried and munched on with soy sauce.
Suaasat is a barbecued caribou soup includes berries and apples with a crisp topping making for the sweet part of the feast.

IRELAND
“Nollaig Shona” [Galic]

Ireland celebrates Christmas in the same way people in the UK and US do, but still have some of their own traditions.

● Meat Pie and Guinness
On Christmas, instead of leaving out milk and cookies for Santa, its tradition to leave out meat pie and a glass of Guinness.

● A Morning Swim
Dublin celebrates Christmas morning with a swim in the sea. The 40 Foot in Sandycove near Dublin is the area where hundreds of brave swimmers dive into the freezing waters all for the sake of charity.

Image Source: globalexperiences.com/christmas-around-world

● Women’s Christmas
Holidays celebrations come to an end on January 6, called Little Christmas or Women’s Christmas. Men take over the household duties for the day, while women go out with their friends and family to celebrate. On the same day, the tree is taken down, and the decorations are put back into storage.

MEXICO
“Feliz Navidad” [Spanish]

● The Night of the Radishes / Noche de Rábanos
On December 23, The Night of the Radishes, an annual Christmas time event, is held in the city of Oaxaca, not far from Mexico City. Here artists display statues and scenes carved out of radishes and compete for prizes. The carvings may be anywhere in size from a small figurine to nativity scenes of all sizes, to figures and scenes bigger than life. .

Part of the fun is being able to watch craftsmen at their work, showing the skill needed for such carvings. The contest now attracts more than 100 competitors and thousands of visitors.

Credit for Images: Getty Images
Sources of Images: theculturetrip.com/mexico/festival-of-radishes/

The tradition of holding an yearly radish carving competition dates back to 1897 when Oaxaca City’s mayor, Francisco Vasconcelos, decided to make the contest part of that year’s Christmas market, which sold traditional flowers, herbs and ingredients for holiday dishes as well as decorations for the home. Because radishes had always been integral to Oaxaca’s Christmas cuisine as both an essential ingredient and a decorative garnish, the radish contest was seen as a fun way to promote local agriculture. Everyone loves it.

NEW ZEALAND
“Meri Kirihimete!" [Maori]

Even though Christmas comes in the summer in the southern hemisphere, the European traditions of the Christmas trees, snow, and Santa Claus, are familiar but have local twists. The native Maori have influenced some of the Christmas traditions. Notice how the gingerbread cookies mimic Maori Haka dancers with fierce expressions.

Image Source: postkiwi.com/2007/gingerbread-haka/ Image source: thinglink.com/1098832104315158529

Haka is a Māori war dance that was traditionally saved for the battlefield. The action-packed dance is a display of strength and pride, which includes powerful stomps of the feet, wide eyes and the well-known tongue poking.

NORWAY
“God jul” [Norwegian]

While Norway is predominantly a Christian country, Christmas wasn’t celebrated here until about the 10th and 11th centuries. Before then, people celebrated yuletide in the middle of the winter, and drank beer in honor of the Norse gods, waiting for the warmer weather to return.
● Advent
Advent is a preparation period before December 25 which starts four Sundays before Christmas. On the first Sunday before Christmas, people light the first purple candle which represents hope. On the second Sunday of Advent people light the first and the second purple candles, which represent love and peace. On the third Sunday of Advent, people light the first and second purple candles and then the pink candles. These represent joy. On the fourth Sunday, the first three candles and the fourth white candle are lit, representing Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

● The Nisse
A nisse [nisser = plural] is a mythological creature from Scandinavian folklore, similar to a garden gnome or a goblin. According to tradition, they are present in farmhouses where they act as guardians of those living there and even occasionally help with house chores.

They were believed to be the ‘soul’ of the first person living in the property, and are described as small creatures resembling old men with long beards and red conical caps. Today, they have been assimilated into Christian culture in Scandinavia and appear in Christmas tales, decorations, and cards. Santa Claus, known in Norwegian as Julenisse, is himself a sort of nisse.

Image Source: target.com/s/norwegian+gnomes
● Lille Juaften
December 23, Norwegians celebrate Lille Julaften, or Little Christmas Eve, a time when the family comes together to clean and decorate the house and tree. Ornaments include heart-shaped Christmas baskets filled with goodies, paper chains, and On Norwegian flags, pepperkakehus, or gingerbread houses, which Norwegians refrain from eating before the end of the Christmas season. Julaften [Christmas Eve] is the main day of celebration for Norwegians.

RUSSIA
“с Рождеством” [Russian]
"S rozhdyestvom Hristovym” [Congratulations of the birth of Christ!]
The Soviet Union suppressed the practice of Religion in Russia. Since it was banned, Christian people didn’t partake of the religious part of Christmas -- or did so secretly in their homes -- but they ingeniously incorporated many of the traditions into New Year’s celebrations.

Today, Christmas in Russia is most widely celebrated on January 7 because the Russian Orthodox Church adheres to the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. Preceding the Russian Orthodox Christmas, New Year's Day is on January 1 and is often considered the more important holiday.

● Ded Moroz / Father Frost
The Russian Santa Claus is named Ded Moroz, or Father Frost. On New Year's Eve, he places presents for children under the New Year tree [as opposed to a Christmas tree].

He is accompanied by Snegurochka, a snow maiden said to be his granddaughter. He carries a staff; dons a red, blue, silver, or gold coat lined with white fur; and wears valenki, traditional felt boots made of wool. Unlike Santa, Ded Moroz is tall and thin—and instead of traveling via sleigh, he gets around Russia by taking a troika, a vehicle led by three horses.

Typical depiction of Father Frost and granddaughter
Image Source: shutterstock.com/search/father-frost?c3apidt=

SLOVAKIA
“Veselé Vianoce” [Slovakian]

● Loksa Pudding Tells Fortunes
In Slovakia and parts of Ukraine it is traditional to have pudding at Christmas. So far nothing unusual. However, the dessert is said to have guessing skills. The oldest member of the family throws the Loksa pudding onto the ceiling with a spoon; the more it sticks, the happier it will be for the family in the next year

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
"Geseënde Kersfees" [Afrikaans]
"UKhisimusi omuhle" [Zulu]
“Krismesi emnandi” [Xhosa]
"Le be le keresemese e monate" [Sotho]

Similar to New Zealand and Australia, Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. Most of the Christmas traditions are based on Dutch and British heritage from the time the area was settled in beginning in the mid-sixteen hundreds.

The Republic of South Africa has population of 55 million inhabitants of diverse cultures, religions, origins, and languages, of which Bantu-speaking people number 35 million. Only some are originally from that area; others have come from other regions. Some of the major ethnic South Africans include Zulu, Basotho, Venda, Xhosa.

● Picnics and Bar-B-Que
Some people start the morning with a church service, while others get straight to opening their Christmas presents. After the morning of activities, friends and families gather together for a Christmas lunch or dinner, followed by some backyard games like cricket, or a well-earned nap!

● Santa’s sleigh is drawn by Giraffes, not reindeer.

Image Source: Image Credit: Dan Cross,Durban interaksyon.philstar.com/christmas/ Source of Images: ▲ sapeople.com/christmas-in-cape-town ▲

● Crispy Caterpillars
Rather than pass around the cheese board on Christmas Day, South Africans choose to snack on caterpillars from the Emperor moth.

Image Source: dailymail.co.uk/Deep-fried-caterpillars

SPAIN
“Feliz Navidad” [Spanish]

● National Lottery
The Christmas celebrations begin on the 22nd of December with Spain’s National Christmas Lottery which has been held every year since 1812. The winning numbers, which are contested for by millions, are sung by children in a televised performance.

● The Three Kings
In Spain Christmas has nothing to do with Santa Claus. Instead it is the Three Kings or the Three Wise Men (Reyes Magos - Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar) who bring the presents to well-behaved children at Christmas time. On the night of January 5th you’ll likely see massive Three Kings parades through towns and cities as families and friends get together to mark the occasion.

SWEDEN
“God Jul" [Swedish]

● Festival of St. Lucia
In Sweden the Christmas festivities start with the St. Lucia ceremony on December 13, the Winter Solstice on the old Julian calendar. Image Source: lehighvalleylive.com/lucia_fest

The youngest girl in each family dresses in white with a red sash and wears a crown of evergreens with tall candles attached to it. Small children now use battery candles, but real ones are used after about 12-years-old.

Originally Catholic, St. Lucia was a young saint from Italy who became convicted for illegal witchcraft. In Sweden, she is celebrated in December in the form of young girls dressing up as her and singing to an audience at schools, work places, and nursing homes.

UKRAINE
"З Різдвом” [Ukrainian]

Ukrainians actually have two Christmases. One on December, 25, which is Catholic Christmas, and another one is on January, 7, which is Orthodox Christmas.

● Decorating With Spider Webs
The Ukranian custom of adorning the Christmas tree with a fake spider and web is believed to bring good luck and stems from an old tale. According to ancient folklore, there once was a widow living in her cramped, cold hut with her children. One day, a pinecone dropped from the tree outside and took root. The children, excited by the prospect of a tree for Christmas, tended the seedling and made plans about how they would decorate the tree. Poverty was a way of life for the small family, and when Christmas approached, the widow knew that they would not be able to decorate the tree. The children and the widow accepted their fate and went to bed on Christmas Eve, the tiny tree branches bare.

The household’s spiders heard the children’s sobs and spun intricate webs on the tree. On Christmas morning, the children cried, “Mother, mother wake up and see the tree. It is beautiful!” She rose to find that during the night a spider had spun its web around the fragile branches. As the rays of the sun crept along the floor and silently climbed the tree, the glow touched the threads of the web turning each one into silver and gold, and, as the story goes, from that day forward the widow never wanted for anything. The Ukranian custom of adorning the Christmas tree with a fake
Image Source: spider and web is believed to bring good luck.
ssjosephandcabriniparish.weconnect.com/

VENEZUELA
“Feliz Navidad” [Spanish]

Some traiitions are centuries old, others take hold very quick.
● Roller Skating To Church
In the capital city there is a popular tradition involving large number of people roller skating to the early morning church services throughout the Christmas period. The city even closes the roads off specially to allow for the unconventional commute.

.According to Hispanic Culture Online, children are put to bed earlier than normal the night before to give them enough strength to wake up and attend the Mass. Afterwards, those who attended apparently all go out, eat tostados and drink coffee.

Image Credit: Getty Images
Image Source:
thesun.co.uk/christmas-traditions

WALES
“Nadolig Llawen” [Welsh]

● Mari Lwyd / Y Fari Lwyd
The ancient custom of Mari Lwyd is used to mark the passing of the darkest days of midwinter.The Mari Lwyd is a wassailing folk custom from South Wales which entails the use of an eponymous hobby horse made from a horse's skull mounted on a pole and carried by an individual hidden under a sackcloth.

This tradition was first recorded in writing in 1800, described as a Christmas tradition performed by groups of men who would accompany the horse on its travels around the local area. The makeup of such groups varied, but all typically included an individual to carry the horse, a leader, and individuals dressed as stock characters such as Punch and Judy.

The men would carry the Mari Lwyd to local houses, where they would request entry through song. The householders would be expected to deny them entry, again through song, and the two sides would continue their responses to one another in this manner. If the householders eventually relented, the team would be permitted entry and given
Image Source: marilwyd.wordpress.com/2016/ food and drink.

Look around. The world has so many interesting things to offer.
"MERRRY CHRISTMAS" from SAN DIEGO, CA, USA

JUST SAYIN'!
Sources:
https://www.smallworldfs.com/en/blog/hispanic-christmas-traditions#:~:text=For%20Spanish%20speaking%20countries%20Christmas%20is%20especially%20important,Colombia%20they%20all%20celebrate%20Christmas%20with%20different%20traditions.
https://www.globalexperiences.com/blog/christmas-around-world
https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g4933/christmas-traditions-around-the-world/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/1960812/christmas-traditions-strangest-world/
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/norway/articles/how-to-celebrate-christmas-in-norway/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Lwyd
https://marilwyd.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/welcome/comment-page-1/
https://clrn.org/lifestyle/the-8-strangest-christmas-traditions-in-the-world/#:~:text=The%20strangest%20Christmas%20customs%20in%20the%20world%201,probably%20especially%20scared%20of%20cats.%20...%20More%20items
https://www.expatica.com/fr/lifestyle/holidays/christmas-in-france-871680/#:~:text=Christmas%20in%20France%3A%20a%20guide%20to%20French%20Christmas,...%208%208.%20Table%20decoration%20...%20More%20items
https://www.tripsavvy.com/russia-christmas-traditions-1502306#:~:text=Christmas%20Traditions%20in%20Russia%201%20Russian%20Christmas%20Religious,Christmastide%20...%205%20Christmas%20Gifts%20From%20Russia%20
Photos and more
http://www.soycolombiano.com/dia-de-las-velitas-tradicion-en-colombia/
https://www.costaricantimes.com/watching-the-costa-rica-christmas-festival-of-lights/58200
https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/10-czech-christmas-traditions-that-you-will-love/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalonia
https://staybarcelonaapartments.com/blog/catalan-christmas-traditions-barcelona/
https://widowcranky.com/2017/12/15/el-caganer-catalan-tradition/
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/events/2010/12/lucia_fest_at_muhlenberg_colle.html
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2019/05/20/the-haka-new-zealands-fearsome-dance-of-war/
http://www.thinglink.com/scene/1098832104315158529
https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2018/12/25/141150/look-christmas-day-celebrations-around-the-world/
https://www.globalexperiences.com/blog/christmas-around-world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_English
https://isleofmanhotels.com/hunt-the-wren-ancient-manx-tradition-celebrated/
https://www.transceltic.com/blog/isle-of-man-annual-hunt-wren-performed-torrential-rain
https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-uniquely-oaxacan-festival-night-of-the-radishes/
https://www.renestance.com/blog/meet-the-santons-a-french-traditional-nativity-scene/
https://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-french-nativity-sceneorsantons-de.html
https://ssjosephandcabriniparish.weconnect.com/blog/view/trivia-ukrainian-christmas-tree-ornament
https://travelfoodatlas.com/kiviak-bizarre-greenland-inuit-delicacy
https://www.target.com/s/norwegian+gnomes?ref=tgt_adv
https://christmasgenius.com/christmas-in-greenland-xmas-traditions/#:~:text=Other%20Greenlandic%20traditional%20Christmas%20activities%20that%20people%20maximize,Ice-fishing%202%20Dog-sled%20races%203%20Greenland%20cultural%20
https://vidviday.ua/blog/en/ukraine-traditions-holidays/#:~:text=Ukrainian%20Christmas%20traditions%20Ukrainians%20actually%20have%20two%20Christmases.,follow%20regularly%20are%20Christmas%20dinner%25

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SCARY CHRISTMAS STORIES

12/16/2022

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Christmas is a joyous time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The season is for love and sharing, gratitude, traditional foods, enjoying time with our families, and general good will to all.

In recent years, we have gone a bit overboard with presents for children [some very expensive ones] whether or not they have been well behaved during the year. I doubt that very many will find a lump of coal or a potato in their Christmas stocking.

But it hasn’t been that long ago that not every Christmas story was about giving and receiving gifts, laughing elves, prancing reindeer or even penny-pincher Scrooge..

In fact, some old world Christmas stories are very scary
and have been used to scare children into behaving.

SCARY CHRISTMAS STORIES FROM ICELAND

JÓLAKÖTTURINN, THE YULE CAT
Children in Iceland are warned that if they don’t finish their work on time or don’t behave, they will be stalked by Jólakötturinn, the enormous Yule Cat, who eats children [and sometimes adults] who don’t receive any new clothes before Christmas night.

Clothes? A big cat? That doesn’t sound too scary. “Besides,” you ask, “How could a cat eat a child?”

Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat - Image Credit: PBS
Image Source: boredpanda.com/icelandic-legend-yule-cat

Well, Jólakötturinn is bigger than your house, so it’s not a problem. And it’s said, he eats only once a year at Christmas time. On Christmas night he roams the countryside and towns and peeks through the windows searching for anyone who hasn’t received new clothes for Christmas. Then he stalks those he finds, captures, and eats them. He is not a friendly kitty.

This legend has its roots in a time in the middle ages when Iceland had established itself as a producer of wool cloth. First, it was common for households to have a large furry cat [probably to control rodents]. Second, everyone needed warm clothing due to the weather. Third, wool production was vital to the economy and everyone in the household had to work hard to make the wool production successful.

Christmas gifts during this period were sparse and usually consisted of a piece of wool clothing, and even that was possible only if everyone completed the work on time. Hence, the legend was born and has carried on through the centuries.

The threat waned in modern time although the people of Iceland traditionally still gift clothing on the fifth day of Christmas to appease the Yule Cat.

The fame of the Jólakötturinn was renewed in the 1930s when poet Jóhannes úr Kötlum, who wrote of the enormous Christmas Cat, “People know not where he came from / Nor to what place he went.” Written references to this legend date to the 18th century; before that it was passed by word of mouth.

THE THIRTEEN YULE LADS
The 13 Yule Lads are troll brothers from Icelandic folklore who were troublemakers and committed obnoxious or evil mayhem every night during the time they were in the town. Their pranks weren't totally evil, but they came from vary evil family. They were the sons of Grýla and her troll husband, Leppalúði.

Grýla, often depicted as an evil witch, is very bad news. Half troll and half ogre, she is a gross, massive giant. Being a creature of legend, her description varies, but she has horns, a huge nose, cloven feet, and at least fifteen tails, each of which holds 100 bags with 20 children in each. Spoiler Alert!

Grýla the witch Grýla the troll
Image Source: pinterest.es/pin/138133913548763043/ Image Source: mentalfloss.com/gryla-christmas
-troll-iceland#

Grýla and her family live high in the mountains with a huge furry cat. [You guessed it… the Yule Cat!] Around Christmas time, when the food supply was running low, she sent her 13 lads down the mountain and into town to look for children who misbehave.

The first lad, Stekkjastaur the Sheep Cote Clod, leaves twelve days before Christmas December 12, and each day another lad goes down to the town, until the 13th lad, Kertasmikir the Candle Beggar, arrives on Christmas day. The first lad then returns up the mountain with bags of misbehaving children. Each day, one of the brothers returns home until on January 6, they have all arrived with their bags of naughty children. [Presumably, the ogress and the cat have also been hunting during this time.]

Stekkjastaur the Sheep Cote Clod, Kertasmikir the Candle Beggar
Image Source: icelandwonder.com/the-13-yule-lads/

Then Grýla takes the children out of the bags and cooks them alive in a huge caldron, making a stew. The family eats the stew for the rest of the cold season.

Yuk! What an awful thing to tell children!

The tale got so scary that in 1746 the Icelandic government stepped in and parents were officially banned from frightening their children with tales of the Yule Lads and their gruesome family.

Since then the lads have gotten their act together and, in recent times, they are just mischievous creatures pulling harmless pranks, such a slamming door, eating all the yogurt in town, and other annoying but harmless antics. They go around visiting the children and bringing gifts and goodies to eat..

Even Grýla has been modified and is now presented as a witch who protects mistreated children. She's now depicted in statues and Christmas installations all over Iceland, but in many cases, she retains at least a little of her scary vibe.

THE EUROPEAN TRADITION
Another category of Scary Christmas Stories actually predates the birth of Christ ‒ apparently even then parents had to invent monsters to intimidate their children into good behavior ‒ but the original legend was subsumed by the Christian culture sometime in the middle ages, at least in the territories once held by the Holy Roman Empire and the other cultures affected by Roman occupancy. [Remember, the Holy Roman Empire is not the same as the Ancient Roman Empire -- which took in a much greater territory -- but Germany, Italy, and much of central Europe.]

The general gist of the legend is that a companion accompanied Saint Nicholas throughout the territory when he made his Christmas rounds. These companions consist of related characters stemming from the original legend but bearing different names.

They act as a foil to the benevolent Saint Nickolas who brings gift to good children, while the companion’s purpose is to punish naughty children. The name of the character varies depending on what part of the territory you are in and some are darker and more malicious than others. The Holy Roman Empire
Image Source: shutterstock.com/holy-roman-empire

SCARY STORIES FROM THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE

KRAMPUS
Krampus [whose name comes “krampen” the Germanic root for "claw"] is one of the oldest and darkest companions of Saint Nicholas. Before Christianity spread, Krampus was thought to have been part of pagan rituals for the winter solstice. According to legend, he is son of the Norse god of the underworld, Hel.

Krampus Krampus
Image Source ranker.com/terrifying-christmas-figures/ Image Source: terrorhousemag.com/krampus/

He is described as a demon-like beast, half goat and half man, with horns, black or brown hair all over its body, one foot and one cloven hoof, and a long pointed tongue. He carried a bundle of birch sticks. He often has chains all over his body which he drags along with him to find naughty children. Some parts of the legend claim that Saint Nicholas keeps him chained up except at Christmas time.

While St. Nicholas was out rewarding nice children by leaving presents, Krampus was beating the naughty ones with his birch branches. In some cases, he is said to drag them off to his lair and beat them again or eat them.

While originally a pagan legend, with the spread of Christianity, Krampus became associated with Christmas and Saint Nicholas despite efforts by the Catholic Church to squelch the connection. He became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and people sent Krampus Christmas Cards like those below.

Image Source: Source of center and right images:
thevintagenews.com/krampus-christmas-devil snapfish.com/Christmas/Cards

In some locations in Europe, Krampus’ popularity is discouraged. Krampus celebrations are encourage in other countries. In the 1930s, Austria banned Krampus for being so terrifying he frightened the children. Today, a toned-down version of Krampus is part of the popular Christmas markets in Austrian urban centers. In these more tourist-friendly interpretations, Krampus is more humorous than fearsome.

KNECHT RUPRECHT
In parts of Germany, the anti-St. Nick is Knech Ruprecht and, according to some references, is also known as Farmhand Rupert or Servant Robert [no explanation of where that came from].

He looks like a cross between a shepherd and a wild man with a long beard wearing a hooded brown cloak and carrying a big stick. And he just might have horns. There are stories about how Knech and St. Nick got together. One is that Knech was a rescued by St. Nicholas as foundling and was raised by him.

The most interesting myth is that one day, when Saint Nicholas arrived at an Inn, he found that the innkeeper had killed three boys and stuffed their bodies into a pickling barrel. St. Nick brought the boys back to life and punished the innkeeper by making him work beside him as Knecht Ruprecht for eternity. https://germangirlinamerica.com/who-is-knecht-ruprecht/

In Germany, Saint Nicholas comes around on December 5 and brings treats, and on Christmas Eve, the Christkind brings presents. On December 5, Knecht’s duty was to go around asking kids if they could pray. If they could, they got treats of fruit, candy, and gingerbread. Those who couldn’t, he beat with a bag of ashes so they would remember the reason for the celebration is the baby Jesus, not presents.

A variation on the theme is that Knecht and St. Nicholas went house to house together, and there checked in a big book whether or not the devil had written anything about the child. Then the child would have to recite h/her prayers for Knetcht. Those they knew their prayers got goodies from St. Nicholas. The children who didn’t, got a lump of coal or a switching from Knetcht, or worse, put in his sack and carried away.

There was a time when some parents actually acted this out and had someone come to the door dressed as Knecht and then carry the child away in a bag. Dark times!

BELSNICKEL
The companion Belsnickel [also known as Belschnickel, Pelznickel, Bell Sniggle and a variety of other names] is, according to folklore, a crotchety, fur-clad figure in Southwestern Germany. He made it across the pond with the Dutch immigrants and continues to exist in the Pennsylvania Dutch and Brazilian-German communities.

On a scale ranging from Santa Claus as we know him today as the kindest and the child-eating Krampus as the worst, Belsnickel falls in the mid-range. Not too good but also not too bad.

Source of Images: christmasisawesomeandsoshouldyou.blogspot.com/belsnickel

He resembles Santa in looks and in some communities he is thought to be Saint Nicholas himself rather than a companion, despite his ragged furs cloak, dirty clothes, and mean demeanor. He is a more recent myth based on the older servant of St. Nicholas, none other than Knecht Ruprecht. He also carries switches to beat naughty children.

Unlike Krampus and Knecht, Belsnickel does not accompany Saint Nicholas but instead visits children by himself and combines both the threatening and the benign aspects which in other traditions are divided between the Saint Nicholas and the companion figure. Even though he may be scary and his function is not specifically punishing bad behavior. If the children have been obedient, he gives them treats as rewards, and he is loved and feared in equal parts by children. As long as you behave, he is like the traditional Santa Claus.

THE PERCHTEN / PERCHTA THE WITCH
The Perchten is described as a dual-gendered spirit who appears during the 12 day of Christmas [December 25 thru January 5]. The female part if called Schonperchten [Beautiful Perchten] and on the other we have the male and aptly named Schiachperchten [Ugly Perchten]. The images are, presumably, the male part of the spirit because they certainly aren’t beautiful.

The Perchten Perchten Festival - Austria
Image Source: fotocommunity.de/photo/perchten Image Credit: Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters]
Image Source: avax.news/pictures/114374

Consistent with other versions of the legend, Schoneperchten gives treats to the good people of the world, while the Schiachperchten punishes the bad.

The terrifying part of this character is that, when it passes by you, you can never be sure which part of the spirit you will be facing.

However, when it comes to folklore, nothing is simple and the characters seem to merge and weave in and out of various myths and legends. According to Otherworldlyoracle.com/ the Perchten are either evil spirits or were originally the spirits that drove away the evil ones. It’s a custom in Alpine regions for men to dress as Krampus-looking monsters and mimic the Perchten by parading through the streets and driving away Christmas ghosts.

The spirit or spirits seem to be derived from an older belief, that of the greatly loved Germanic goddess Berchta [also called Perchta and other names] who was the leader of the Perchten and the goddess who protected babies, children, and women. Some historians believe she was worshiped by ancient Alpine celtic tribes before the time of the Germanic tribes.

As happened with many mythological creatures and ancient beliefs, Berchta, gift-giver, guide and protector of babes, domestic goddess of spinning and women, was nearly stomped out when the Church rose to power. One of the Church’s major tools of conversion was fear. Soon Berchta/Pertcha became an ugly, crooked-nosed, belly-slitting witch [whose consorts were the dreaded demons, the perchten] who captured children and ate them.

It didn’t take long before Perchta was turned into competition with Krampus as the worst Christmas demon around.

The Goddess Berchta [Perchta] The Demonized Perchta - Image Source:
Image Source: bing.com/images/search?view=Berchta theloreyouknow.tumblr.com/perchta

PARTIAL LIST OF NAMES BY LOCATION
Dark and threatening companions include:
Knecht Rupecht in Germany
Krampus in Austria
Parkeji in Slovania
Friuli in Croatia,
Krampusz] in Hungary
Klaubauf in Bavaria
Pelzebock; Befana; Pelznickel; Belzeniggl; Belsnickel in the Palatinate [and also Pennsylvania, due to Pennsylvania Dutch influence]
Schmutzli in Switzerland
Rumpelklas; Bellzebub; Hans Muff; Drapp; and Buzebergt in Augsburg.

Less malicious companions include:
Zwarte Piet or Black Pete in Netherlands and Flanders -
Schmutzli in Swiss folklore - [schmutz meaning dirt]
čert [Devil] and anděl [Angel] in Czech Republic
Rubbels in part of France and German-speaking Lorraine and Hanstrapp
Père Fouettard in Northern and Eastern France [Father Slapper]

Let's be grateful for plain old Santa Claus!
JUST SAYIN’ !
□
Sources:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/1960812/christmas-traditions-strangest-world/
https://mountainmanliving.com/2021/12/16/jolakotturinn-the-icelandic-christmas-cat/
https://www.pinterest.es/pin/138133913548763043/
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https://terrorhousemag.com/krampus/
https://www.ranker.com/list/the-10-most-terrifying-christmas-figures/molly-mahan
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krampus
https://blog.redbubble.com/2012/12/the-history-of-the-krampus-card/
https://mysteriawords.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-folklore-of-krampus.html
https://germangirlinamerica.com/who-is-knecht-ruprecht/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/748301294321457364/
https://www.pretty-attitude.com/blogs/news/55347845-the-story-of-knecht-ruprecht
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https://www.grunge.com/282226/the-untold-truth-of-christmas-witches/#:~:text=The%20creepy%20tales%20got%20so%20bad%20that%2C%20in,Christmas%20justice%20to%20Italian%20children%20Eleonora%20Gianinetto%2FWikimedia%20Commons
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-thirteen-yule-lads-icelands-own-mischievous-santa-clauses-180948162/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas#:~:text=The%20companions%20of%20Saint%20Nicholas%20are%20a%20group,gift-bringer%2C%20threatening%20to%20thrash%20or%20abduct%20disobedient%20children.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/04/the-story-of-krampus-the-horrific-christmas-devil-santas-horned-helper/?chrome=1&A1c=1
https://otherworldlyoracle.com/berchta-goddess-women-children-perchten/#:~:text=The%20Perchten%20are%20either%20evil%20spirits%20or%20were,through%20the%20streets%20and%20driving%20away%20Christmas%20ghosts.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=cST82gno&id=E96C3F514A8A58363001B850A84269C9C7B7602E&thid

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ODD AND UNUSUAL EVENTS WHICH ARE STRANGE, MYSTERIOUS, OR JUST PLAIN WEIRD

12/9/2022

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Isn’t it annoying when something weird happens and experts some up with an explanation that sounds plausible, but it could be something else… and you’re never going to know for sure?

Strange and mysterious events happen every day, many of which we hear about on the news, most we don’t. Can these just be random events? Coincidences?

Many times scientists or psychologists can explain them. Often strange and mysterious events are natural phenomenon which our science hasn’t caught up with yet. Think about how many things were unexplained during the Middle Ages. Then, people turned to magic rather than science to attempt to understand. Humans always want to understand, and making up things is better than nothing.

Today, we are still in the dark about many things, but the basis of science has put into place a foundation upon which we, at least, can built plausible theories. In the mean time, it’s fun to read about unusual unexplained things. Some are just goofy, although unexplained – probably because no one wanted to do the work. Others are more serious. Prepare to be annoyed.

THINGS THAT GO SQUEEK IN THE NIGHT
Some events are just goofy, mildly unusual, or fairly easy to understand.

● Dog Turns Into Llama
In 1982, a man woke up to find that his dog had been replaced by a llama.

● Crocodile in England
In 1985, residents of Alnwick, England, were startled when a 20-foot-long crocodile was found swimming in their local river. If you come to Alnwick Prison Gardens, you can meet the statue of an ill tempered policeman who tragically lost his first true love to a crocodile on their honeymoon.

Unable to forget the memories, he entered a semi-catatonic state and never came out of it. However, another source implies he had a second wife, which throws the catatonic state into question. [My guess: this is a PR "myth" inspired by the 1985 incident, if there really was one, to promote tourism to the Prison Gardens.]
◄ Constable Croc
Image Source: alnwickgarden.com/constable-croc/

● Unusual Birth
In 1992, an Oregon woman gave birth to twins - one was normal, and the other had two heads. [This is an easy one. Triplets, and two of the fetuses didn’t separate. It was probably twins and one single fetus.]

● Don’t’ Throw Bicycles in the Canal!
The last time the City of Manchester, England, provided bicycles for rent, the authorities literally had to tell people not to throw rental bikes in a canal. [No explanation needed. People are inconsiderate and stupid a lot of the time.]

● Dancer Entertains Lion
In the Bronx (New York City) a woman jumped into the lion enclosure, and danced. She even tossed money to the lion. [Sounds like drugs or mental illness to me.]

● London’s First Escalator to Underground
When the first escalator in the London Underground was put into service in 1911, the public had doubts about its safety. It is a long way down in a relatively snug space.

As the story goes, to reassure the people, the Underground’s one-legged employee William “Bumper” Harris was enlisted to ride up and down. The apparent message was that if a one-legged man could do it, anyone could. Other sources indicate there are doubts about whether or not Bumper actually existed, but he is commemorated with a small figurine in the
First London Escalator - ▲ Image source:   London Transport Museum.
greatwesternstar.com/post/the-first-escalator   Peter Freuchen - ▼ Image Source:
  cracked.com/image-pictofact-7399-weird-world

● Arctic Explorer Burried by Avalanch
Peter Freuchen, an Arctic explorer, miraculously did not die when he was buried by an avalanche in 1929. Most folks in this situation wouldn’t make it out, but Freuchen found a crude but successful way to save himself from death. He made a sort of dagger out of his own frozen feces and used it to dig himself out of the snow. He lost several of his fingers, but he made it out alive.

● Inuit Village Disappears
“A small Inuit village in Canada was known by fur trappers who would pass through it occasionally. But in 1930, something weird happened; a fur trapper named Joe Labelle entered the island's premises and didn't find a single person there. In fact, 7 sled dogs were found dead from starvation in a grave that looked like it was man-made. A search was conducted to find the missing people, but not a single body was found.”
boredpanda.com/mysterious-unexplained-stories-history
● The Porpoise Grave
On a very small island in the English Channel, a team of archaeologists working there found what they believed to be a 14th-century grave. Upon excavation, they were stunned to find the remains of a porpoise instead of a human. No one knows why the body of an aquatic creature was placed in the grave in the 14th or any other century..

● The Ghost Ship
This photo was taken by Jason Asselin as he was filming a music video on Lake Superior. This strange shimmering silhouette which resembled a large ship stayed in sight of the film makers for half an hour, then disappeared. ▼ Jason never found out what it was.

Image Credit: Jason Asselin
Source of Images: boredomtherapy.com/unsolved-mysteries

● Teleportation in Russia
This was believed to be a case of teleportation by those who witnessed the event ▲ in 2012. If you look closely, you can see a figure in a white overcoat standing directly behind the large truck. Apparently, the person had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, leading people to believe they teleported from another location.

THINGS THAT GO BIG BOOM IN THE NIGHT
Some of these so-called mysterious events are serious disasters, at least for the people involved.

● Spontaneous Human Combustion
The case of Mary Reeser has never been completely explained. In 1951, Mary Reeser’s landlord notified the police after she discovered the doorknob of one of her tenants was burning hot. When police entered the St. Petersburg, Florida, apartment, they found a pile of ashes, the remains of a chair in which Mary Reeser had been sitting. Her backbone, part of her left foot (still wearing a slipper) and her skull which had shrunken “to the size of a teacup” [according to those present] were all that was left of her.

Image Source: boredomtherapy.com/unsolved-mysteries Image Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Reeser

The shrinkage was unusual enough to be noted by official investigators although shrinking of the skull is not a regular feature of alleged cases of spontaneous human combustion, which was the suspected cause of the fire.

Florida officials sent a formal letter to the FBI. "We request any information or theories that could explain how a human body could be so destroyed and the fire confined to such a small area and so little damage done to the structure of the building and the furniture in the room not even scorched or damaged by smoke." [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Reeser]

The ultimate conclusions was that Mary had had been incinerated by the wick effect. She used sleeping pills and was also a smoker. Also, the floor was concrete and there was nothing near the chair. The FBI hypothesized that she fell unconscious while smoking and set fire to her nightclothes. They indicated that once a body starts to burn there is enough fat to keep the fire going, sometimes resulting in almost complete combustion of the body.

● Dyatlov Pass Incident
Between the 1st and 2nd of February, 1959, a group of 9 seasoned hikers disappeared in the Ural Mountains of Russia. [There had been 10 to begin with but, at one point, one of them became ill and left the group to return home.]

The night of February 1, this experienced trekking group from the Ural Polytechnic Institute set up their camp on the eastern slope of Kholat Syakh Mountain. During the night, something happened that caused these nine hikers to free themselves from their tent by cutting it open and fleeing from their camp inadequately dressed for the heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures.

A short time after their disappearance, a massive search party was organized. The searchers eventually found the bodies of all nine of the hikers.

Image Credit: Unnamed members of Russian search party 1959
Image Source: santafeghostandhistorytours.com/

The Dyatlov Pass Hiking Group
Yuri Doroshenko left the group before the incident and save his life.
Image Source: exonews.org/tag/dyatlov-pass-incident/

At the time, Soviet authorities determined that six of them had died from hypothermia and three killed by physical trauma. One victim had major skull damage, two had severe chest trauma, and another had a small crack in the skull. Four of the bodies were found lying in running water in a creek, and three of these four had damaged soft tissue of the head and face. Two of the bodies had missing eyes, one had a missing tongue, and one had missing eyebrows. Several had suffered skull fractures. High level of radioactivity was found on their clothing and several seemed to be sunburnt.

Of course, there were a number of theories proposed about how this had happened. One was that an incident such as infrasound ‒ sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility ‒ an infrequent natural phenomenon which causes acute panic attacks. Another theory proposed that the deceased were killed accidently by parachutes mines detonated by the Russian Military.

Speculation included animal attacks, hypothermia, an avalanche, katabatic winds, or several of these possibilities combined. However, the official investigation concluded that a "compelling natural force" had caused the deaths. Not much of an answer.

Fifty years later, in 2019, the Russians reopened the investigation. In the resulting 2020 report, the investigators concluded that the hikers’ deaths were due to an avalanche. According to Wikipedia, “Survivors of the avalanche had been forced to suddenly leave their camp in low-visibility conditions with inadequate clothing, and had died of hypothermia. Andrey Kuryakov, deputy head of the regional prosecutor's office, said: ‘It was a heroic struggle. There was no panic. But they had no chance to save themselves under the circumstances.’"(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident)

Scientists from the top two Universities in Europe suggested in 2021 that a type of avalanche known as slab avalanche could explain some of the trekkers' injuries. When stronger snow overlies weaker snow, it is called a slab. Or as Karl Birkeland puts it, “A slab is when you have something sitting on top of nothing.”
[ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/212_fall2003.web.dir/Sarah_Schlichting/Slab.html]

A slab avalanche occurs when the weak layer lies lower down in a snowpack, with other layers of compressed snow on top. When the avalanche is triggered, the weak layer breaks off, pulling all the layers on top of it down the slope. These layers tumble and fall in a giant block, and move very quickly.

A mountain pass in the area was later named "Dyatlov Pass" in memory of the group, even though the incident happened almost a mile away. A prominent rock outcrop, located closer to the campsite, now serves as a memorial to the group.

● The Kentucky Meat Shower
This incident occurred over a very short period of time ‒ only several minutes between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on March 3, 1876 ‒ when a woman named Mrs. Crouch was making soap on her porch in Olympia Springs, Kentucky.

Chunks of red meat measuring approximately 2 by 2 inches, with at least one being 4 by 4 inches, fell from the sky in a 100-by-50-yard area. The meat looked gristly, according to Mrs. Crouch. The exact type of meat was never identified, although according to the first report in Scientific American, two men who tasted it judged it to be lamb or deer. Several reports suggested it was beef, lamb, deer, bear, horse, or even human.

In an article written for the Sanitarian, Leopold Brandeis identified the meat as Nostoc, microscopic single-celled organisms that contain no nucleus (a cyanobacteria). Nostoc are some of the oldest living organisms on earth, first appearing 3.5 billion years ago. His theory that the substance was Nostoc was based on the fact that Nostoc expands into a clear jelly-like mass when rain falls on it. Actually, there was no rain immediately before or after the meant shower.
◄ Actual samples collected from the meat shower

Image Credit: Scientific American
Image Source: allthatsinteresting.com/kentucky-meat-shower

In an article written for the Sanitarian, Leopold Brandeis identified the meat as Nostoc, microscopic single-celled organisms that contain no nucleus (a cyanobacteria). Nostoc are some of the oldest living organisms on earth, first appearing 3.5 billion years ago. His theory that the substance was Nostoc was based on the fact that Nostoc expands into a clear jelly-like mass when rain falls on it. Actually, there was no rain immediately before or after the meat shower. Nostoc blooming on the ground, a possible explanation for the meat shower.
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons
Image Source: allthatsinteresting.com/kentucky-meat-shower

He sent samples to the Newark Scientific Association where two samples were re-identified as lung tissue from either a horse or a human infant, three as muscle, and two as cartilage.

The favored theory was that the substance was vomited up by vultures. These bird will vomit as part of making a quick escape and also as a defensive method when threatened. The flattened, dry appearance of the meat chunks as the result of pressure. Nine days later, on March 12, 1876, a similar incident occurred in London. This material was described as red "corpuscles" with a "vegetable" appearance. The phenomenon was reported by Scientific American, The New York Times, and several other publications at the time.

● Dog Suicides at the Overtoun Bridge
The Overtoun Bridge in Dumbarton, Scotland, was constructed in 1895. Ever since the bridge was built the locals believe it to be a place of paranormal activity. There are various stories about strange things that have happened there, but the most puzzling is that of the dog suicides.

In the 1950s and 1960s, rumors were again stirred up when it was realized that dogs had started leaping to their deaths from the top of the Overtoun Bridge. Since that first notice, as many as 50 dogs been recorded as having plunged to death from the bridge. Alarmed, the locals called in a canine psychologist, a veterinarian behavioral specialist, and even a psychic were called upon to shed some light on this gruesome trend, but none of them had any answers.

The behavior specialist, Stan Rawlinson’s conclusion was because dogs have no decision making ability, suicide was not possible. He backed that up with information about dog eyesight, saying dogs can’t gauge where the edge of the bridge is. The people didn’t like that answer.

Overtoun Bridge, Dumbarton, Scotland
Image Source: ststworld.com/overtoun-bridge/

After more investigation Researchers found that dogs were jumping off the bridge on a clear day from the exact same spot and all the dogs belonged to the long snouted breeds (dolichocephalic) such as German Shepherd, Scottish Terrier, Doberman, etc.

Dr. David Sands, animal behaviorist, suggested that the particular odor of certain small animals, particularly minks, under the bridge, lured the canines to pursue the animals by jumping off the bridge. However, no such animals were ever found under the bridge.

To date, approximately 600 canines have tried to leap to their deaths. Those that succeed fall fifty feet onto a jagged rocky surface below. Eyewitnesses also say that if a dog ails in its first attempt, it returns to the edge to jump for the second time.

In 2022, it is now against the law to walk dog on bridges in southern Scotland.

JUST SAYIN’!
□
Sources:
Dyatlov Pass Incident
https://www.santafeghostandhistorytours.com/DYATLOV-PASS-PICTURES-DEATHS.html
https://exonews.org/tag/dyatlov-pass-incident/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=W4Cgft3Y&id=74
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/avalanche

Goofy, mildly unusual, or fairly easy to understand
https://www.cracked.com/image-pictofact-7399-weird-world-12-bizarre-events-that-shouldnt-have-happened-but-did
https://boredomtherapy.com/s/unsolved-mysteries-in-history?as=799&bdk=0
https://unbelievable-facts.com/2017/08/mysterious-unexplained-events.html
https://boredomtherapy.com/s/unsolved-mysteries-in-history?as=799&bdk=0
https://www.boredpanda.com/mysterious-unexplained-stories-history/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_meat_shower
https://www.factinate.com/things/42-facts-historys-bizarre-events/https:/www.factinate.com/things/42-facts-historys-bizarre-events/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_disappeared_mysteriously:_1990%E2%80%93present#:~:text=Since%20the%201970s%2C%20many%20individuals%20around%20the%20world,and%20dates%20of%20their%20deaths%20remain%20a%20mystery.
https://www.livescience.com/11345-top-ten-unexplained-phenomena.html#:~:text=Top%2010%20Unexplained%20Phenomena%20The%20Taos%20Hum.%20Some,beasts%20called...%20Intuition.%20Whether%20we%20call%20it%20

Kentucky Meat Shower
https://theturfgrassgroup.com/turf-care/nostoc-a-green-jelly-growing-on-your-lawn/
https://allthatsinteresting.com/kentucky-meat-shower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_meat_shower
https://www.boredpanda.com/mysterious-unexplained-stories-history/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

Dog Suicides
https://meaww.com/a-mysterious-bridge-in-scotland-where-600-dogs-have-jumped-off
https://allthatsinteresting.com/overtoun-bridge
https://boredomtherapy.com/s/unsolved-mysteries-in-history?as=799&bdk=0
https://www.ststworld.com/overtoun-bridge/

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CHARITIES? BAH! HUMBUG! Handling Requests for Charitable Donations

11/25/2022

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Today the mailman delivered six more requests for charitable donations. I added them to the pile of 45 that I’ve received since November 1. Generally, I don’t count these; I simply sort out my favorites and try to send a donation to at least one or two per month.

But this is getting ridiculous! Today’s four included two from the same charity. I realize that the Christmas and fall holidays are the time when most charities depend on good will and holiday spirit to accumulate contributions, but I don’t need five letters, a nickel, or address labels to get me to donate to one charity. One request will do, thank you very much..

How many trees does this destroy? How many pieces of paper end up in the solid waste facilities? At what point does the average American middle class bill-payer either go nuts or start dumping all the solicitations into the trash?

More important, how much of the donation goes directly to pay for the administration, PR, and mail campaigns for the charities, and how much goes to funds the on-site services and equipment needed?

THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING TO CHARITY
Don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly not bad-mouthing legitimate charities or making charitable donations. I personally believe that all of us have the responsibility to care for and assist people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Nor am I giving anyone a lecture on how, when, or if they make charitable donations or how good it can make them feel. Giving is a personal decision and nobody else’s business.

RESOURCES ARE SCARCE FOR EVERYONE
Limited resources work both sides of the equation. The resources charities depend on are inadequate to address the needs. The needs are real and endless, and will continue to be. Charities will never have enough, and they have to fight for every dollar. When I was in charge of the San Bernardino County Office of Community Development, the county distributed federal funds for projects to assist low-income persons and communities. The charitable groups were, and still are, fiercely competitive because they have to be. [I found they weren’t hesitant to undercut each other in the process, either.]

In most cases, charities do important work and warrant public support for their efforts. In fact, part of the problem is that they are nearly all worthy. [By “nearly all”, I mean only that there are some that are simply not viable, and there are scams.]

Therein lays the problem for the average middle-class family. Their resources are also limited, and many families struggle to make ends meet just as the charities do.

Every average family that makes donations, however big or small, however often, has to decide which of the many organizations to give their hard-earned dollars to and how much they can afford. I often wonder if the practice of deluging the middle-class with so many demands can lead to frustration, causing at least some people to not make any contributions at all.

AMERICAN GIVING
Fortunately, Americans tend to be empathetic and give generously to the causes they choose.
Bank of America partnered with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to produce the 2021 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households* which provides insight into the charitable habits of affluent households. They found nearly 90% of affluent households gave to charity in 2020, similar to previous years, meaning that in spite of the economic situation in 2020, affluent families continued to be as giving as they had been in better economic times.

[*Affluent households in the study have a net worth of $1 million or more, excluding the value of their primary home, and/or an annual household income of $200,000.]

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION DOLLAR
While some donors may not care, the majority of middle class contributors would like to get the most out of their contribution dollars. They care about percentage of funds which go to administration, including advertizing, vs. the percentage that actually carries out the services.

Here’s the thing. Despite the number of watch dog and reporting organizations all over the internet who are supposed to rate charities and guide the donors in wise decision making, it was practically impossible to obtain any statistics about the charities’ spending practices. At best there are ratings giving up to four stars for the best. Maybe with more diligence, I could find what I was looking for, but it is not something a person can do quickly or easily. [If there are, let me know where.]

Although there is no standard percentage requirement for administrative costs, typical nonprofits spend from 15 to 40 percent of revenue on administrative costs. Other sources say, on average, 75 percent goes to programs. While there are some legitimate reasons for differences, depending on the nature of the charity, 15 to 40 percent is a big spread. When I was administering federal programs, the guidelines usually held agencies to 15 percent administrative costs.

BEFORE DONATING
Advice on checking out charities always begins with determining the causes you care about. Most people already know due to personal circumstances, friends, relatives, and areas of interest.

● Search online for the charities addressing the causes you care about.
You undoubtedly know what some of the charities and non-profits are, but there might be others you don’t know about that would interest you.

● Check them out online.
Search the charity name followed by these words [one at a time]: “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” “fraud,” or “scam.” If you find bad reviews, maybe there are better organizations.

●Check out the charity’s website.
Does it give you details about the programs you want to support or how it uses donations? How much of your donation will go directly to support the programs you care about? If you can’t find detailed information about a charity’s mission and programs, be suspicious.

● Use one of these watchdog organizations to help you research.
All these links were live and correct when I checked them in October, 2022.

• Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance at https://www.give.org/search
• Charity Navigator at https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1887
• CharityWatch at https://www.charitywatch.org/top-rated-charities
• Candid at https://candid.org/about
• Guide Star at https://www.guidestar.org/

● Find out if the fundraiser and/or charity is registered.
Some states require that charities register with the state regulator. Check to see if the fundraiser or charity soliciting your dollars are registered with your state’s Charity regulators.
https://www.nasconet.org/resources/state-government/

● Check if the donation will be tax deductible.
If this is important to you, confirm that the organization you’re donating to is registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt organization. Look up the organization in the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search.
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search

[I can’t imagine a legitimate charity that hasn’t registered with the IRS for tax exempt status. Charities do not want to pay taxes.]

The correct tax status for a non-profit charity is a 501(c)(3). If you donate to a 501(c)(3) organization, you may deduct the donation from your taxes. And by the way, a 501(c)(3) may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities, and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates, local or not.

● Don’t Be Taken In By The Designation “Not-For-Profit”
Although the terms “nonprofit organization” (NPO) and “Not-For-Profit organization” (NFPO) are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same, and neither is a charity. There are key distinctions between the two types of enterprise.

A key one is their purpose. Nonprofits must offer some social benefit and provide goods or services. Not-for-profits need not have such an orientation and may exist simply to serve their membership rather than society at large, such as a health club that only serves its members. These organizations have the tax code status of 501(c)(7).

NonProfit and Not-For-Profit organizations may be tax exempt under the Tax Code 501(c)(7) provisions but they may or may not provide any social benefit. While these organizations may solicit donations, the contributions are not tax deductible. [Taken directly from: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/not-for-profit.asp]

HANDLING TELEPHONE SOLICITATIONS
Charitable calls are allowed under the FTC regulations, even if you are on the FTC Do-Not-Call Registry. If you wish to be listed on the FTC Do-Not-Call Registry or just want to report a call, go to: https://www.donotcall.gov/

However, there are rules that apply to calls that are allowed for charity solicitations.

● Don’t Let Anyone Rush Or Intimidate You Into Making A Donation.
The first rule of thumb is not to let anyone rush or intimidate you into making a donation. Both legitimate charities and scammers try to rush you so there isn’t time to think it over.

While one source I read advises that “Real charities will give you time to mull over the decision to donate,” many genuine organizations write in their printed material “Respond by” and give a date.

I understand that charities, like businesses, have to budget for the coming year, and the more they know about their revenue stream, the more effective the budgeting. However, this bugs me!

[I also dislike those who try to force you into committing an amount, usually by saying something like “The average donation is fifty dollars. Can I put you down for fifty?”]

● Don’t Trust Your Caller ID.
Another rule of thumb is not to trust your caller ID. They lie! Technology has smoothed the way for scammers, and the caller ID can be faked easily from anywhere in the world. Often such calls appear to be from some local utility.

● Be Aware of the Legal Requirements for Charity Solicitations.
• No calls permitted before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (your time),
• They have to tell you the exact name of the charity, and that they are calling to seek a donation,
• The caller ID must be truthful.
• The caller cannot lie about the answers to the following questions. [see “Ask Questions” below]

● Ask Questions.
Solicitors must be truthful when answering your questions, including:
• Charity’s address (web and mail),
• Whether or not you can get a receipt for your donation,
•The fundraiser’s connection to the charity,
• The mission or purpose of the charity (details, including where),
• Whether a donation is tax deductible,
• How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charity’s programs,
• The charity’s affiliation with the government.
• If the organization lobbies to support legislation and/or endorses candidates for any public office.
If the caller unable or unwilling to answer any of these questions, beware.

● If The Fundraiser Says You Already Pledged, Check.
They may say — in a phone call or a mailer — that you already pledged to make the donation, or that you donated to them last year. They think that means you’ll be more willing to donate.
● Listen carefully to the name of the charity and write it down.
Some scammers use names that sound a lot like other charities to trick you. Research before you give. The “Cancer Fund of America” is not the “American Cancer Society”.

● Watch out for sentimental claims with few details.
Be suspicious if you hear a lot of vague sentimental claims, but don’t get specifics about how your donation will be used and how the dollars are distributed.

● Don’t donate with a wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency.
Anyone asking you to donate this way is a scammer.

● Don’t donate money to a charity that is pressuring you for cash.
If something feels fishy about the situation, like if a representative is really pushy about you donating money, then you should definitely hang up or end the conversation. You don’t have to give money to people who won’t let you think about the decision first.

●Sweepstakes winning in exchange for a donation? Nope.
If someone guarantees you’ll win a prize or contest if you contribute, that’s a scam. You won’t win anything, and your donation money will go to a scammer.

● Keep an eye out for red flags.
Watch out for an unrecognized organization name, a vague mission statement, or an overly energetic person asking for money. If something seems off or out of the ordinary, such as the caller getting hostile about the questions, you should definitely be wary.

DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITATIONS
If someone is at your door asking for money for a charity, you should probably just say no unless it is the Girl Scout living across the street or someone you know and can reasonably trust. You can’t be sure where the money is going, and donating to organizations that come to your door is not good. If you encounter a situation like this, you should definitely be wary of donating. You don’t have to give money to people knocking on your door, and you don’t have to give money to overly pushy people.

CHARITY ROBO CALLS
Charities are not allowed to make robocalls. If you get an illegal robocall, hang up. Don’t press buttons to be taken off a call list or to talk to a live person. It might lead to more unwanted calls. Instead, go to https://www.donotcall.gov/.
Learn more about robocalls at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/robocalls

THE BEST AND THE WORST
I started out hoping there would be lists of best and worst charities, but a few hours of research took care of that. There are many factors which have to be taken into account in determining best and worst, and by themselves, those words are too vague to be useful. In addition, most of the listings of best charities were in categories according to cause: those that help pay bills, medical research, those that help pay medical bills, animal welfare, charities that address world poverty, and so on. The worst ones listed I’d never heard of and haven’t sent me solicitations.

Below I list a number of websites that provide a variety of lists, more as examples than anything else, but it does not even begin to cover the variety of non-profits and charities that exist. I also include some listings that show ways the cost issue can be broken down which demonstrates some of the considerations in that assessment.

TAKE AWAY
This speaks to the advice that encourages people to research the charities based on what causes they are interested in and deciding in advance, before receiving letters and phone calls.

P.S. By the time I finished this, I had put all but four of my favorite children’s charities in the trash.

JUST SAYIN’!
□
Note 1: Partial List of best charities by limited categories [various sources]
Best Animal welfare charities: https://impactful.ninja/best-animal-rescue-charities/#:~:text
Charities that help with Bills:                           https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-bills/
Non-Profits that help with funeral costs: https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-funeral-costs/
Charities/help w/medical equipment costs:    https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-medical-equipment/
Charities/ help with home repairs:                  https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-home-repairs/
Charities you should know about:                   https://nonprofitpoint.com/different-types-of-charities/
Charities/ help with legal costs: https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-legal-fees/
10 best Christian charities:                              https://nonprofitpoint.com/best-christian-charities-to-donate/
10 best Jewish charities:                                 https://nonprofitpoint.com/jewish-charities-to-donate-to/
Charities/ help with hospital bills:                    https://nonprofitpoint.com/charities-that-help-with-hospital-bills/
Best Medical Research Organizations:   https://blog.charitynavigator.org/2018/09/americas-10-best-medical-
                                                                              research.html

Note 2: A way to consider percentages going to programs
[Taken from: https://www.wristbandexpress.com/content/health-charities-ranked-spend-afflicted/?gclid]

The 10 Health Charities That Spend The Most Per Afflicted Person
1. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: $9,089.022. ALS Association: $2,037.08
3. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: $342.29
4. Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation: $316.40
5. Muscular Dystrophy Association: $227.72
6. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: $199.96
7. National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: $199.74
8. National Multiple Sclerosis Society: $128.64
9. Alzheimer's Association: $49.14
10. American Cancer Society: $45.19

The 10 Health Charities That Spend The Least Per Afflicted Person
1. American Tinnitus Association: $0.012. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: $0.04
3. National Osteoporosis Foundation: $0.06
4. American Liver Foundation: $0.23
5. Lewy Body Dementia Association: $0.81
6. National Kidney Foundation: $1.05
7. Arthritis Foundation: $1.10
8. National Organization for Rare Disorders: $1.50
9. Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Foundation: $1.72
10. Cerebral Palsy Foundation: $2.03

The 10 Health Charities With The Highest % Of Total Expenses Spent On Programs
1. American Kidney Fund: 97.3%2. AIDS United: 92.9%
3. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund: 92.1%
4. Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation: 88.7%
5. National Organization for Rare Disorders: 88.0%
6. National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: 87.9%
7. Kidney Cancer Association: 87.8%
8. Breast Cancer Research Foundation: 87.5%
9. American Lung Association: 87.2%
10. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: 83.2%

Sources:
https://givingforgood.org/goodness-journal/7-benefits-of-giving-to-charity
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/giving-charity
https://charitydonationfoundation.org/views-opinions/
https://daily.sevenfifty.com/5-ways-to-manage-requests-for-charity-donations/
https://blog.fundly.com/donation-requests/
https://hopegain.org/our-programs-2/
https://community-foundation.org/1-2-3-easy-ways-to-check-out-a-charity/
https://nonprofitpoint.com/the-worst-charities-to-donate-to/
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1887
https://charity.lovetoknow.com/Check_Out_Charities#:~:text=7%20Easy%20Ways%20to%20Check%20Out%20Charities%201,With%20Federal%20and%20State%20Departments%20of%20Justice%20
https://www.privatebank.bankofamerica.com/articles/2021-bank-of-america-study-how-affluent-households-gave-back-in-2020.html?cm_mmc=GWIM-USTrust-_-MSN-PS-_-donations-to-charity-_-Philanthropy_Study&gclid=fc111afb51c8138f6abc79bc0b5466ba&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclki
https://consumer.ftc.gov/all-scams
https://prairieecothrifter.com/2011/11/donations-charity-important.html#:~:text=Here%20are%20just%205%20good%20reasons%3A%201%20Help,people%20makes%20you%20feel%20good.%20...%20More%20items
https://prairieecothrifter.com/2011/11/donations-charity-important.html#:~:text=Here%20are%20just%205%20good%20reasons%3A%201%20Help,people%20makes%20you%20feel%20good.%20...%20More%20items
https://www.moneycrashers.com/benefits-charitable-giving-donations/
The households in the study have a net worth of $1 million or more (excluding the value of their primary home) and/or an annual household income of $200,000.
https://www.wristbandexpress.com/content/health-charities-ranked-spend-afflicted/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI45PBi-nn-gIVtI1bCh04Dw7FEAAYBSAAEgJbTfD_BwE

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