Facts about pencils

Last week, we had a wonderful time expressing gratitude for items and experiences that begin with the letter O. Today, we’d love for you to join in by sharing something you are thankful for that starts with the letter P. Your contributions would really help create a warm spirit of appreciation and reflection. Thank you!

I appreciate Pencils and all they bring to my creativity. What about you? Is there something you’re grateful for that starts with the letter P?

✏️ Sharp Minds & Scribbly Magic: Fun Facts About Pencils

Whether you’re sketching rocket ships, solving math puzzles, or doodling your dream pet unicorn, pencils are your pocket-sized creative sidekicks. But did you know these everyday wonders have a rich history and some quirky secrets?

Let’s sharpen our knowledge with some pencil-perfect facts!

Japan Holiday Traditions

Christmas in Japan 

Who loves to learn about other countries' Christmas and holiday traditions? It is good to know how others celebrate the holiday season, too! Today, I will tell you about Japan's holiday season.

Have you ever heard that in Japan, people eat Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) instead of turkey for Christmas dinner? Yep, that is correct. They go to KFC and have a big chicken dinner and other side dishes. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan. However, some people in Japan still celebrate on December 24^th and 25^th. KFC’s busiest day of the year in Japan is December 24^th. KFC gets so busy in Japan around the holiday season that people sometimes preorder their holiday meals so they do not have to wait in a long line.

 

What does your holiday meal consist of?

 

Facts about the holiday season in Japan:

1. The KFC chicken dinner tradition started in 1974 in Japan. The first Kentucky Fried Chicken appeared in Japan in 1970. It took four years for the tradition to start. Their slogan was Kentucky for Christmas!

Merry Christmas in different languages

Merry Christmas

Do you want to learn how to say Merry Christmas in other languages? Here in America, we say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, but there are many different ways of saying it in many different languages worldwide.

 

Ways to say Merry Christmas in a different language:

1. Feliz Navidad is Spanish for Merry Christmas. Navidad is celebrated in Spain between December 4^th and January 6^th every year.

Facts about Christmas Trees

Christmas Tree Facts

"Remember, you're never too old to learn something new!"

Let me tell you a little about the Christmas tree and where it originated. Did you know that evergreens have been used to celebrate the winter season long before Christ was born? In the Bible, Jeremiah 10:1- 5 states that a tree should be decorated. The modern-day Christmas tree started in Germany around 1531. The tree was an evergreen tree known as a paradise tree. The trees were decorated with apples to celebrate the Garden of Eden.

 

Facts about the Christmas tree:

1. The Roman Empire was among the first people to celebrate Christmas. Although it was not called Christmas, it was actually called Saturnalia. The Romans would decorate trees and have a big feast in honor of the God of Saturn. The celebration of Christmas by the ancient Romans started around 336.  

Facts about Owls

Last week, we celebrated the power of gratitude for items and experiences beginning with the letter N. Today, we invite you to share something you are thankful for that starts with the letter O. Your contributions can inspire a deeper spirit of appreciation and reflection.

I'm filled with gratitude for the enchanting world of owls! They are such fascinating creatures. What about you? What’s something you’re thankful for that starts with the letter O?

🦉 Whooo’s That? Exploring the Mysterious World of Owls

Facts about Rudolph

 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Facts

Weirdly, a reindeer has a nose that shines bright red and can light up the night sky while guiding Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. Did you know that Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer first appeared 1939 in a booklet for a Chicago area in Montgomery Ward? Yep, that is right!! Montgomery Ward asked one of their copywriters, who at the time was Robert L. May, to write a story they could hand out to their customers during the holiday season. That is where Rudolph started his journey to the cute, fun Rudolph we know and love today.  

 

Who is your favorite reindeer?

 

Facts about Rudolph and his creator:

1. Robert L. May is Rudolph’s creator. He created Rudolph in 1939.

2. In 1939, Montgomery Ward Department Store sold over 2 million copies of Robert L. May’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer book during the holiday season.

3. Sometime around 1947, the CEO of Montgomery Ward gave Robert L. May the rights to the book he had written for them. Also, in 1947, Maxton Publishers published Robert L. May’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Poem book just in time for the holiday season!

4. Robert May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, was a songwriter. Robert May asked his brother-in-law to write a song about Rudolph, and he did. Gene Autry sang Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which became number one on the charts during Christmas in 1949.

5. Robert L. May wrote two sequels to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The first is Rudolph’s Second Christmas, and the second is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Shines Again.

6. On Sunday, December 6, 1964, the animated movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer aired on NBC for the first time. It has been airing for 57 years this year (2021).

7. On November 6, 2014, Rudolph was honored by the United States Postal Service. They issued four stamps that featured characters from the 1964 animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie.

 

Can you share a fact about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with us?

 

Books about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer:

1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May

2. Rudolph's Second Christmas by Robert L. May

3. Rudolph Shines Again by Robert L. May

Parents ensure books are child-friendly before reading them to their/children.

 

Facts about Candy Canes

Candy Can Facts & Trivia

 

In what year was the candy cane first introduced to children? (A.) 1871 (B.) 1670 (C.) 1542 (D.) 1847

Legend states that the first candy cane was a straight white sugar stick. A choirmaster in Germany bent them into the shape of a candy cane. They were then handed out to all the children during a ceremony in hopes that it would keep them quiet during the show in 1670.

 

Facts about the candy cane:

1. August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, was a German-Swedish immigrant who, in 1847, decorated a Christmas tree (Blue Spruce) with candy canes and paper ornaments. He was the first person in the United States to put candy canes on a Christmas tree. The candy canes were plain white.