Category: Education

Merry Christmas!

Debbie Roney Smith on

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate, and an equally joyous day to those who don’t! Do you know how fast Santa Claus would need to travel to drop presents off for every child in the world? Well…

…according to Arnold Pompos of Purdue University, Santa would have to travel a total of 160,000,000km(farther than the Earth to the Sun!) to visit the approximately 200 million children in the world. Father Christmas would need to travel at a speed of 4,705,882km/h. While this is far slower than the speed of light, it would still be more than fast enough to vaporize Kris Kringle via air resistance. Luckily, St. Nick has a magical sleigh and a team of highly-skilled reindeer to help him out! 

Christmas Eve-ntful Facts!

Debbie Roney Smith on
Saint Nicholas Church, Austria

Today is Christmas Eve! Take a look at these three fun facts about the night before Christmas:

  1. The traditional Christmas carol “Silent Night” was first performed in the Austrian village of Oberndorf on Christmas Eve in 1818. It was performed for the public at a midnight mass in the Saint Nicholas parish church.
  2. You might already know that the astronauts on the Apollo 8 mission of 1969 were the first humans to orbit the Moon but did you know that it was broadcasted live on Christmas Eve?! 
  3. Celebrating Christmas Eve has been a tradition almost as long as the Christmas holiday itself. This is historically linked to the history of Christian public worship beginning at sunset with the ringing of bells; therefore, a celebration of Christmas would begin, literally, on the Eve of Christmas. Also, jingle-bells!

Winter Solstice 2020

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is Midwinter! Also known as the winter solstice, this is a biannual event that occurs once in each hemisphere. The solstice occurs when Earth’s poles have reached their maximum tilt away from the Sun. Today’s solstice is occurring in the Northern Hemisphere, so we will have the shortest day of the year and the longest night. Since the solar year(the time it takes to see the sun reappear in the same spot on earth) is not the same as a year in the USA (365 days), the actual date and time of the winter solstice can change and doesn’t always fall on December 21st. Interested in identifying the exact time of the winter solstice at your home? This year, the solstice is occurring at 10:02 Universal Time (UTC); visit Earth Sky’s website to find the time in your location by translating your time zone.

Jackson County Public Library Hosts Online Storytime

Debbie Roney Smith on

Jackson County Public Library is adapting to these trying times with online storytime. On Wednesdays at 10 a.m. on Facebook, Miss. Peggy will be hosting Storytime. The first December date is tomorrow, December 9th! Visit the Jackson Public Library’s Facebook upcoming events page HERE to participate, find more details, or decide on specific dates.  

GivingTuesday2020

Debbie Roney Smith on

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday! GivingTuesday was brought to life in 2012 with the idea of encouraging people to do good. In the past eight years, it has “grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.” source Now, GivingTuesday is an annual event held each year on the Tuesday after the U.S.A. Thanksgiving celebration. This year, it falls on December 1st! It’s held the same day for participating countries. Want to celebrate GivingTuesday? All it takes is kindness; you can give your voice, time, money, goods, and/or advocacy to support the communities, causes, and people in your life. 

Visit the official Giving Tuesday website for more information HERE. 

Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving!

Debbie Roney Smith on

The United States of America, or at least the area that would become the U.S.A., first called for a national day of thanksgiving to celebrate victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. However, it didn’t officially become a sanctioned holiday until 1863, thanks to the efforts of author Sarah Josepha Hale (you might know her from the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb”). 

Here’s a fascinating story you can share this year to wow people with the breadth of your knowledge!

Image having 26 elephants worth of extra turkey!!!

In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons overestimated demand for Thanksgiving turkey and had over 260 TONS of extra frozen birds. In the end, an employee came up with the idea to order 5,000 aluminum trays, devise a new turkey meal, and use an assembly line of workers to put together the meal on the trays. And thus the first frozen TV tray dinner was created! It was such a hit that the next year, 1954, the company put the TV trays into production and sold 10 million turkey tray dinners. Nowadays, the global frozen food market size is valued at approximately $291.3 billion (as of 2019).

National Day of Mourning is For Honoring

Debbie Roney Smith on

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving as well as the National Day Of Mourning! The Day of Mourning has been observed annually since 1970 on the fourth Thursday in November. This year, 2020, this annual support rally is going to be held the same day as Thanksgiving. The National Day of Mourning rally is organized by the United American Indians of New England (UAINE). The UAINE is an autonomous, Native-based organization focused on confronting racism and fighting for the freedom of people who were imprisoned for political reasons. Their Day of Mourning rallies not only bring new perspectives and fondness for Native American culture but also bring about positive social changes such as revisions on how American history is portrayed.

From the UAINE Facebook Page

To celebrate and observe the National Day of Mourning, consider learning about the various complex, rich cultures of indigenous nations in what is now the United States. Looking for somewhere to start? Visit the First Nations Development Institute website HERE. Or consider using the Native Land Digital interactive map (click here!) to learn more about territory awareness. Or visit the UAINE official website HERE. 

Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class

Debbie Roney Smith on

The weather is starting to cool down, and it’s the perfect time for soup! Bodacious Shops is hosting a Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class this Wednesday, November 11th at 6 p.m..

There will be different soups and salads to make and eat throughout the evening including: Shrimp & Crab Chowder, Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Soup, French Onion Soup, Roasted Fall Harvest Soup, Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing with Chopped Eggs, and Fruit, Cheese, & Nut Salad with Apples & Pears.

Interested in participating? Be sure to dress comfortably as you will likely get messy while cooking, leave your wrist/finger jewelry at home, and look forward to a three-course class with a light appetizer, main course, and dessert! Beer and wine are also available for those of age. For further details on the class including safety precautions, visit Bodacious Shops’ event page HERE. 

National Parents as Teachers Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

National Parents as Teachers Day is today. Observed annually on November 8th since 2001, it was originally put forth by The Parents as Teachers Centre in Missouri in the 1970s; Missouri educators had witnessed children starting kindergarten with various levels of school readiness in correlation to their parental involvement. Now, National Parents as Teachers Day recognizes the parent educators as well as the organizations that offer parents’ education services across the country. During this trying time, existing amongst the global pandemic, more parents than ever are fulfilling the role of parent and teacher for their children. Parent educators give parents of young children support and information so all children can learn, grow, and develop to realize their full potential. 

Book Lovers’ Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

Book Lovers Day has been observed annually on the first Saturday of November which falls on November 7th this year! Additionally, the holiday is celebrated annually on August 9th. Books are so good, they get double the love!

Read some fun facts about reading and books below!

  • Children learn 4-12 thousand new words each year through reading (on average). 
  • One tree can produce approximately 50 books.
  • In the USA, 57 books are purchased per second on average.
  • Reading helps reduce stress, keeps the brain sharp, can aid in sleep, and increases empathy.