Christmas as we know it largely emerged during the Victorian era, but do you know which traditions originated in the… Read more True or False: Victorian Christmas Traditions
Category: Origins
Who Was Saint Nicholas of Myra?
Tonight is Saint Nicholas Eve! I’m sure you know that the legend of Santa Claus begins with this early Christian… Read more Who Was Saint Nicholas of Myra?
The History of Red River Cereal
Last night Andrew texted me this article about Red River Cereal. I can’t remember ever eating the iconic hot cereal,… Read more The History of Red River Cereal
Who Was John McCrae?
With Remembrance Day coming up on Friday, it seems like a good time to take a look at a famous… Read more Who Was John McCrae?
Timeline of Seven Literary Awards
I’m toying with the idea of printing out a list of Newbery Medal winners and seeing how long it takes… Read more Timeline of Seven Literary Awards
12 Things to Know About the Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath: approximately 900 km with over 400 km of side trails,… Read more 12 Things to Know About the Bruce Trail
The Polish Soldier Tree
Yesterday we went on a short hike on the Bruce Trail and saw autumn leaves, fungi, a blue jay feather,… Read more The Polish Soldier Tree
The History of Labour Day vs. May Day
It’s a week early, but let’s talk about Labour Day… Why in North America is Labour Day in September rather… Read more The History of Labour Day vs. May Day
Did You Know? Mr. Tambourine Man
Pop quiz: which is the original version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” – Bob Dylan’s or the Byrds’? Bob Dylan began… Read more Did You Know? Mr. Tambourine Man
Six Corn Questions Answered
Friends of ours are harvesting their sweet corn this week, which made me think about looking up some historical info… Read more Six Corn Questions Answered
The Surprisingly Long History of Waffles
I had no idea that waffles originated in Ancient Greece! Here’s what else I learned (admittedly from Wikipedia.) Obelios The… Read more The Surprisingly Long History of Waffles
The False Claims of Puzzle Writer Sam Loyd
I’ve been reading A.J. Jacob’s latest book, The Puzzler, aloud to Andrew. The subtitle is “One Man’s Quest to Solve… Read more The False Claims of Puzzle Writer Sam Loyd
Summer Solstice Celebrations in History
I just learned that Midsummer’s Day (also St. John’s Day) is always June 24, while the summer solstice falls between… Read more Summer Solstice Celebrations in History