Category Archive: Trivia

Rudolph is Actually a Girl . . . and Other Fun Christmas Facts!

Categories:

Entertainment, Family Fun, Trivia

December 12, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

While you are busily checking things off your Christmas to-do list, we thought you might enjoy knowing a little bit more about some of the more popular traditions and folklore that make Christmas fun and so enjoyable.  Here’s our list of little known Christmas factoids–some of which may actually surprise you!  Happy Shopping–and by the way, there’s still time to get that special Christmas costume sent straight to your doorstep–don’t wait another minute, because procrastinators often end up on Santa’s naughty list!

  1. Santa’s Reindeer are Probably Female.  Male reindeer shed their antlers during late November to early December.  Since Santa’s reindeer are generally depicted with antlers, one could easily assume then that his reindeer are all female, including beloved Rudolph.  You chick’s rock!
  2. Old What’s His Name?  Santa has many aliases and depending on just where you are in the world, Santa may be known by a different name.  In France, Santa is known as Père Noël.  In Holland, you might find the old dude known as St. Nicholas or Sinter Klaas.  Father Christmas is what you would call Santa Claus in England.
  3. Oh Christmas Tree! The whole idea of the Christmas tree actually comes from an ancient medieval tree that was used as part of a play during the Advent season.  The Paradise Tree, as it was then known, was used while reenacting the story of Adam and Eve.  An evergreen tree was decorated gaily with apples, symbolizing Eve’s temptation. 
  4. Feliz Navidad! Poinsettias account for 88% of all plant life purchases made during the Christmas season.  This traditional Christmas foliage originated in Mexico; and was brought to the United States for the first time by Joel Poinsett in 1829.
  5. Santa Loves Books!  Rumor has it that Santa Claus’ favorite reads include, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss, “The Polar Express”, by Chris Van Allsburg, and “The Gift of The Magi” by O’ Henry.
  6. Let it SNOW!  Santa loves to visit all children, but he definitely dresses for the snowiest climates on earth.  What cities are notoriously snow-packed? Valdez, Alaska; Blue Canyon, California; Mount Washington, New Hampshire and Marquette, Michigan– all of these places average above two feet of snow each December!
  7. X Marks the Spot. Some people don’t like to use the abbreviation X-MAS as a substitute for the word Christmas, thinking that it might be a bit of a sacrilegious abbreviation.  The truth is that the first letter of the word Christ in Greek is chi, which is the same as the Roman alphabet letter X.
  8. What Happened to the North Pole?  It is rumored that Santa Claus may actually be living in Rovaniemi, Finland!  You can actually visit Santa Claus there and see him in his workshop along with his loyal crew of elves, who are busily at work making lots of Christmas toys.
  9. The Holly and The Ivy: Wreaths are a big part of ancient custom dating far back into history.  The Druids believed that Holly was a magical plant.  Wreaths were formed out of this evergreen in a circular shape in order to symbolize eternal life.  This shape took on deeper significance to Christians when Jesus Christ was crowned with a wreath of thorns.
  10. Christmas Smooches!  Everyone loves the tradition of mistletoe!  The ancient Celts thought that mistletoe was a magical plant that had special powers, including increased fertility and other healing abilities.  Folks from long ago put mistletoe throughout their homes in hopes that the mystical properties of mistletoe would keep evil spirits at bay and bring health and well being to all that lived within their residence.
  11. Bring on the Sweet Treats!  The most popular seasonal Christmas treats include:  Candy Canes, Gingerbread, Pumpkin Pie, Homemade Fudge, Frosted Sugar cookies and Toffee.  We’re pretty sure you can add a few of your own special goodies to this list, too!

The final countdown to Christmas has begun, but there still is time to get those last minute costumes, accessories and decorations to make your celebration extra special with lots of added Christmas sparkle and festive spirit.  But you had better hurry–like the first Christmas snowfall; these special seasonal items will soon just melt away!

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Calling All Vampire Lovers

Categories:

Movie Themes, Trivia, Vampires

April 16, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

Vampires

What’s up with vampires? Yes, they are apparently immortal.  And yes, they can be very intoxicating as well as ridiculously sexy for something that is thought to be thousands of years old.  But what is the real appeal of these monstrous, yet surprisingly charming and elegant beings?  What is our obsession with bloodsucking vampires anyway?  Here are a few reasons why we think vampires have their own fascinating terror-tory.

Vampires are oh so cool:  When you were a kid, you may have tied one of your mom’s towels around your neck in order to play “superhero” or perhaps even a “vampire” now and then.  A cape made you feel powerful and yes, it likely added to your cool quotient as well. Today’s vampire costumes are so much more realistic.   The old-fashioned traditional Vampire garb never seems to lose its appeal or fashion appropriateness, either; the Vampire himself is absolutely okay with his timeless, caped sense of style.

Vampires are simplistic:  No fancy gadgets, slick cars, complicated weaponry or fanfare of any kind is needed in this guy’s world.   The vampire’s appeal is in his simple, yet mesmerizingly deadly allure. Using his eloquent charm as his bait, the vampire so easily lures in his victims with little else ever being necessary.  The modus operandi of the vampire is simple, but oh so potent.

Dark Shadows is the latest in a series of long awaited vampire themed movies and is sure to be a big hit amongst vampire loving fans.

Vampires are a bit misunderstood:  We all can relate a little to the slightly withdrawn persona of the Vampire.  Many of us feel alienated, isolated, a bit different and lonely at various points in our lives.  The vampire, in his solitary existence, perhaps speaks out to parts of us that we ourselves can genuinely understand.  The Vampire has to survive on his own without a support group of friends, his self-reliance always being there to sustain him.

Vampires are powerful:  Not in an Incredible Hulk or superhero kind of way, mind you–but the vampire’s power is in his brains rather than in his brawn.  Living for thousands of years on a blood only diet has given him a certain degree of physical strength, but his ability to outwit humans and to be mentally strong is his absolute strong suit.  Vampires are known to be telepathic and to be somewhat telekinetic as well which also illustrates their ultimate mental prowess.

Vampires are the ultimate bad boys:  Women have been helplessly falling for bad boys for centuries and the Vampire has capitalized on this sexy and captivating dynamic, using it to his fullest advantage.  The vampire is suave, mysterious and debonair–yet at the same time he possesses deadly power and ultimate danger.  The vampire’s allure is undeniable and so very perilous–yet little can be done to stop his victims from falling down the slippery slope into his carefully crafted web– where of course, impending doom ultimately lies.

This summer brings with it a whole new onslaught of Vampire themed thrillers that are likely to lure, tantalize and mesmerize audiences everywhere.  Dark Shadows is the latest in a series of long awaited vampire themed movies and is sure to be a big hit amongst vampire loving fans.  Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton, is a dark comedy featuring the long imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp).  After being buried alive for nearly two centuries, Barnabas finds himself inadvertently freed into the modern world, smack in the year 1972.  His once grand estate has fallen into near ruin and his descendants have done little to fare much better for themselves.  It falls upon Barnabus now to assist his somewhat dysfunctional posterity who have found themselves in need of his very special form of protection.  Dark Shadows will be released in theaters May 11, 2012. 

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Titanic Rising – The Unsinkable Film Resurrects Itself in 3D

Categories:

Current Events, Historical, Movie Themes, Trivia

April 9, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

The epic film “Titanic” hits theatres for its second go around this week.

The epic film “Titanic” hit theatres for its second go around last week, which marks the 15-year anniversary of the film as well as the 100-year anniversary of the actual Titanic disaster.  The film, which retells the story of one of history’s biggest tragedies at sea, has been reinvented this time in a 3D format to further punctuate the intense action, excitement and adventure that were found as part of the original film. And of course, there are some terrific early 1900′s period costumes in this film too. Not a fan of 3D?  Not to worry, the movie will also be released in its regular format as well. 

To get you really excited about the rerelease of Titanic as well as to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the original Titanic sinking, we thought it would be fun to share some interesting Titanic facts as well as trivia tidbits.

  • If the Titanic were built today, it would cost over 400 million dollars.  Back in 1912, the cost of a first class ticket to board the Titanic was approximately $4,700, which in today’s dollars would be roughly the equivalent of $50,000!  In other words, to ride this ship you needed to be, in a word, loaded.
  • It cost over 200 million dollars to make the movie “Titanic”; prior to the rerelease it had grossed approximately $1,843,201,268 dollars.  That figure is now likely to increase substantially!  Looks like that initial 200 million dollar outlay may have been money well spent.
  • Although it is a commonly repeated rumor, no one actually ever claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable.  (Okay, now you tell us…)  The truth is that an article written about the ship was a little misquoted, as it only said that once the watertight doors were shut, the ship would be “practically unsinkable.”  Not quite the same thing.
  • The tradition of breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow of a ship before its first sailing was unfortunately overlooked before the Titanic set sail.  (Uh oh…)
  • The lookouts in the crow’s nest of the Titanic were not equipped with binoculars.  Had binoculars been used, they may have seen the iceberg in time to avoid impact.  As it was, by the time the iceberg was spotted, it was only about 30 seconds until impact.  Sadly, the last minute effort to turn the ship only made the iceberg hit the starboard side of the bow, rather than have it hit it head on.  Had the ship hit the ice head on, perhaps it would have only suffered minor damage. 
  • After impact, the Titanic took 2 hours, 40 minutes to sink. 
  • The Titanic carried only 20 lifeboats, as it was thought the ship looked too cluttered with the full amount necessary to rescue all the passengers that would be on board.  The total rescue capacity of the 20 lifeboats was 1,178 but only 711 were rescued.   Even if all the lifeboats were filled to capacity, 1,023 persons would have been left behind.  To make matters even more tragic, however, many of the lifeboats were not filled to their full capacity, which further exacerbated the death toll taken in the catastrophe.  Perhaps the crew initially did not realize the magnitude of the situation and set some lifeboats afloat in the icy sea before they were completely filled.
  • As a reverent gesture, it was James Cameron’s original intent to not have any song playing before, during or after the film.  James Horner and Will Jennings secretly wrote “My Heart Will Go On” and had Celine Dion record the demo.  This song went on to win the Academy Award for the “Best Original Song” and has since made its mark as one of the most overplayed songs in all of history.   

Sail on out to find Titanic 3D (for a limited time only) in a theater near you!

You can view the official Titanic 3D movie website link here.

Titanic 3D – Official Trailer

 

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Spring Has Sprung!

Categories:

Easter, Trivia

March 19, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

Spring Has Sprung!

You’re feeling it.  The daylight hours are definitely longer and finally the sun is setting much later in the day.  You’ve likely experienced some warmer days as well, and perhaps springtime flowers are blooming in a place near you.  Birds are building their nests and the hope of a post-winter thaw looms closer than ever!   Here are some fun facts and trivia about spring to help get you excited about yours!

  • The Vernal Equinox occurs on March 21.  This is the day when daylight and nighttime hours are nearly the same, approximately 12 hours each.  This occurs when the earth’s position in its orbit around the sun places the equator in a direct line with the sun. 
  • A bee must collect pollen from approximately 2 million flowers in order to make honey the equivalent of a one-pound comb.    Speaking of honeybees and pollen, bees actually have a preference when it comes to the flowers they choose.  Their faves seem to be the yellow and blue posies, no one really knows why.
  • Spring Fever is completely legit.  If you are feeling more energetic due to the onset of spring, you are not alone.  Scientists have proven that as daylight increases and the weather warms up, the body makes less melatonin (which makes you sleepy) and more serotonin (which makes you feel good).  These hormonal fluctuations actually will cause a form of mild giddiness, jubilance and a surge of energy that may be noticeable to some; it’s not your imagination.  If you are feeling an uncontrollable urge to do your spring cleaning or are unusually amorous, it may be an after effect of these hormonal ebbs and flows, just go with it, it’s completely normal.  You may also find yourself getting fewer colds and flu bugs as well.  Warmer weather decreases the onset of these annoying maladies– say a fond farewell!

  • Birds must learn to sing.  It’s completely true.  Although birds are born with the natural ability to sing, they must be taught the bird songs that are indigenous to their own species.  The only way for them to do this is through hearing other like birds sing these complex songs.  Interestingly enough, it’s very rare for a bird to be able to learn the songs of another species of bird.  The Mockingbird is well known as the great imitator amongst birds, and seems to easily learn and sing the songs of other varieties of birds, but this is apparently a unique talent.
  • Kids grow twice as fast in the springtime as they do during the other months.  If yours suddenly seem to be sprouting rapidly upward, don’t be surprised!  It seems logical, too, that kids are likely hungrier because of this phenomenon.  If food is also disappearing around your place at a very rapid pace, then yes, it must be spring!
  • Most popular U.S. Spring Break getaways: Beach: Miami, Key West, South Padre Island, Myrtle Beach, Maui Mountain/Ski Vacations:  Jackson Hole, Aspen, Lake Tahoe, VailFamily Trips: Washington DC, New York, Orlando, San Diego

Enjoy the longer days, the long-awaited winter thaw, and the warmer weather  Finally, spring is in the air!

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Hail To The Chief! Strange Presidential Trivia

Categories:

Patriotic, Political, Politics, President's Day, Trivia

February 13, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

President Lincoln

Strange Presidential Trivia

With the President’s Day long weekend right around the corner, as well as the GOP primary elections heating up, in honor of all things presidential we’ve compiled some bizarre as well as interesting factoids about our elected presidential leaders, both past and present.  They say that truth is stranger than fiction–we think you will absolutely agree!

John Adams-It is said that John Adams and his family wandered aimlessly for hours before finally figuring out how to find their way to their new home, The White House.  (Perhaps a map was in order?)

Thomas Jefferson-When old Tom wrote his own epitaph he failed to even mention his time as president.  (Apparently it wasn’t a big enough deal…)

William Howard Taft-Weighing in at well over 300 big ones, President Taft holds the distinction of being the heaviest man to ever be the United States president.  Sadly, Taft once got stuck in the White House bathtub.  To avoid a repeat of this embarrassing gaffe, a new (and 4 times larger) bathtub was installed.  (It’s likely too, that this was prior to the Presidential physical fitness program!)

William Henry Harrison-This president, considered by many to be one of the most long winded when it came to giving speeches, gave one of the longest inaugural addresses in history, in spite of the fact that he was standing outside in very inclement weather without a coat or hat.  He died of pneumonia about a month later.  (Didn’t your mother warn you about not taking your coat?)

James Buchanan-When the Prince of Wales visited the White House with a ginormous entourage of people; President Buchanan was actually forced to sleep out in the hallway! (No respect…whatsoever…)

Grover Cleveland-President Cleveland enjoyed answering incoming phone calls to the White House himself. (That’s one way to screen your own calls…)

Woodrow Wilson-Enjoyed raising sheep for their wool during his stint in the White House. (so baaaad)

Warren G. Harding-President Harding had the distinction of having the biggest Presidential feet–rumored to be a size 14.  (But at least he didn’t get stuck in the bathtub…)

Calvin Coolidge-President Coolidge absolutely refused to use the telephone during his Presidential term. (Can you say paranoid?)

Herbert Hoover-President Hoover was known to donate his entire salary made as President to charity. (awwwwwesome.)

Harry S. Truman-This musical president was known to rise long before dawn each day to practice the piano for about 2 hours. (Such inspiration to budding politically inclined musicians everywhere!)

Gerald Ford-Gerald Ford’s former jobs include being a fashion model and also working as a Yellowstone park ranger. (Strike a pose…with bears…)

Jimmy Carter-President Carter was considered an expert speed-reader and was purported to be able to read approximately 2000 words per minute. (War and Peace in 60 minutes flat…)

Barack Obama-President Obama was known as O’ Bomber during his high school basketball days.  Obama is also known for collecting Spiderman memorabilia as well as Conan the Barbarian comic books.  (Now there are some interesting allies…)

Want more?  Here are a few tidbits of trivia on the GOP candidates:

Mitt Romney-Was named Mitt after his father’s cousin named Milton Romney.

Newt Gingrich-Was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1995.

Rick Santorum-Karen Santorum, Rick’s wife, wrote a book about etiquette for children.  (And mother’s everywhere are still grateful…)

Ron Paul-During his career as an OB/GYN he delivered more than 4,000 babies.  He enjoys gardening and growing his own crops when he is at home in Texas. 

 

Be sure to check out our collection of President’s Day costumes and accessories.

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