10 Random Facts - November 2020 Edition
Starting in the 1870's people started sending US President's turkeys for Thanksgiving. President Coolidge tried to discourage the practice in 1923 since the number of turkeys being sent was skyrocketing. The tradition resumed soon however, and he even started receiving other kinds of animals such as ducks, rabbits, and deer. One time he even got a raccoon which he kept as a family pet. Although some turkeys may have been pardoned before President George H.W. Bush he was the first to officially pardon one, starting a new tradition. He stated that the turkey looked "understandably nervous" before assuring everyone that this turkey wouldn't end up on anyone's table and that he was "... granted a presidential pardon as of right now."
2. If you love cranberry sauce, you're not alone.
Not everyone appreciates it, but I know I do. It's actually one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving and I'm guilty of eating some at other times of the year as well. Americans consume a lot of cranberries during the holiday but most of it is in jelly form. Approximately five million gallons of jellied cranberry sauce is purchased every year around Thanksgiving. To put that number in perspective it's almost enough to fill eight Olympic sized swimming pools. That's still baby stuff compared to the turkey action though. We eat about forty-six million turkeys around Thanksgiving, which is almost as many turkeys as there are people in Spain.
3. European hedgehogs don't really need to be afraid of snakes.
European hedgehogs belong to a specific group of animals that have developed an immunity to snake venom. The others in the group include opossums, honey badgers, mongooses, and pigs. These animals have proteins in their blood that neutralize and provide them with some natural immunity against snake venom. The hedgehog has an especially high resistance and can even prey on some venomous snakes since they can withstand a bite. They're only in danger if it's an extra poisonous snake.
4. Pumpkin pie used to look very different.
Consider the earliest "pumpkin pie" as an extremely primitive beta version of the pumpkin pie we now love. The Pilgrims used to hollow out the pumpkin and then add milk, honey, and spices before baking it. And just like that you had pumpkin pie. Before you try out this basic version of the classic, you should definitely try out roasted pumpkin seeds. They're very good and are also good for you especially if you're a man. It's been proven that pumpkin seed eaters have a lowered risk for prostate disorders. The pumpkin itself used to be considered a remedy for freckles and even snakebites. Take that European hedgehogs, we have pumpkins.
5. Those Thanksgiving calories are harder to get rid of than you may think.
The stats for how many calories you take in during your holiday meal are already daunting. The average American will consume about three thousand calories and one-hundred and fifty grams of fat during Thanksgiving. Those numbers are equivalent to six Big Macs from McDonald's. Aside from the biggest day for eating, you are more prone to gain weight already during the colder months because of high melatonin levels which increase your appetite. And your body craves what it needs so it might want you to eat denser foods since the body heats up as it metabolizes food. Even with all these winter related weight gain facts... the stuffing and cranberry sauce are worth it.
6. It's not just 'hibernation'.
It's common knowledge that some animals hibernate during the winter, most famously bears. But what you might not know is that in hot, dry climates things sometimes 'aestivate' or that some reptiles go through something called brumation. Let's rewind to the first one. Aestivation lasts for shorter amounts of time than hibernation, and it is where creatures like the African hedgehog or crocodiles find a safe, cool spot to become inactive. Since these animals live in hot climates it's hibernation but for an opposite reason. Brumation is when reptiles such as snakes and lizards find an unused borrow of some kind to wait out the cold since their body temperature depends on the environment. Also I'd just like to give a shout-out to dormice who can hibernate up to eleven months.
7. Plymouth, Massachusetts was not named after Plymouth, England.
It may make some sense that the Pilgrims would've named their settlement after the place in England that they set sail from but sadly it isn't true. Number one the Pilgrims probably had no attachment to Plymouth, England at all. The Separatists had lived exiled in Holland for ten years prior to their historical journey, and the rest of passengers were for the most part from the London area. Bad weather among other unfortunate happenings had kept them from successfully making the crossing on two other attempts, one in Southampton and one from Dartmouth, and that was the only reason they left from Plymouth in the first place. Secondly, the Pilgrim's didn't name Plymouth, Massachusetts anyway. Previous explorers to the region had dubbed it Plymouth first, and that was the name on the captain of the Mayflower's maps.
8. JFK was killed in November.
He passed away after being shot during a ride with his wife in a procession of cars. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead soon after. He made the fourth president to be assassinated, the previous ones were Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and William McKinley. An assassination attempt also went down in November back in 1605. This one was in the UK and was unsuccessful. The target had been King James I, and it was organized by a group of Roman Catholics lead by Guy Fawkes. The British still celebrate the fact that the plan was foiled, lighting fireworks and bonfires on the day every year.
9. Table manners greatly vary from country to country.
In fact I think it would be interesting to make an entire post about this but for now I'll just give you a few facts about various country's table manners. In America we try not to make loud noises at the table but in some countries it's a compliment to the cook. In Saudi Arabia burping is a compliment, and in Japan and Hong Kong slurping your noodles loudly shows the cook that the food was so good you couldn't wait to dig in. Another way to show you liked the meal in Japan as well as China and India is to finish everything on your plate down to the last grain of rice. Alternatively in Jordan, Cambodia, Egypt, and the Philippines it's more polite to leave some food on your plate, or it could be assumed you were hinting that the host didn't serve you enough food.
10. They're technically called "scout elves".
If you've been calling that little elf on top of your fireplace an "elf on a shelf", you've been mistaken. These little guys are specifically "scout elves", and are elves that were chosen for Scout Elf training school instead of being taught to make toys or complete other tasks. But sadly these little guys stay dormant until they are adopted and given a name at which time they gain their Christmas magic and are able to fly back and forth to the North Pole to report to the big jolly fellow himself. This wonderful tradition was brought to the world by a woman named Chanda Bell who was inspired to write the book by a tradition that her mother Carol had come up with when they were kids. My childhood definitely wouldn't have been the same without our family elf, Elfy. P.S. I know that this fact would've been better served for December's post but I'm already hyped for Christmas.
Comments
Post a Comment