Salem Happenings

Entertaining Your Kids Before the Big Game

If you’re a sports fan living anywhere in New England, there’s a very good chance that you already have plans tomorrow afternoon. In fact, if you’re a football fan, you’re probably already well aware that it’s that fine time of year again when the hopes and dreams of devoted fans everywhere can be realized or dashed in a few fleeting moments. Now, I am, of course, talking about the playoffs because every game could be the last game of the season for your team. However, if your kids are not football fans and/or you’re desperately looking for a way to entertain your kids before the Patriots game tomorrow (perhaps in the hope that they will actually let you sit and enjoy the game), the Coolidge Corner Theatre may have exactly what you’re looking for.

This is because the Coolidge Corner Theatre is hosting a special event entitled “Fantastic Journeys: Animated Shorts from Children’s Film Festival Seattle 2015” from 10:30 A.M. to approximately 11:45 A.M. tomorrow (Saturday, January 16, 2016). This event, which is intended primarily for younger children, will give you and your kids the opportunity to watch 11 animated short films from the Children’s Film Festival in Seattle. These films, which range from 2 to 12 minutes long, come from all around the world, and include animated shorts from countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the United States, and more. For more information on Fantastic Journeys and/or or to order tickets for the event, please visit the Coolidge Corner Theatre website.

Photo credit: DixieBelleCupcakeCafe via Foter.com / CC BY-ND

The Snowflake Festival: Embrace the Winter!

Winter may have gotten off to a late start, but it appears that the colder weather has finally arrived. In fact, this past Christmas was certainly one of the warmest Christmases that I can remember, but the warmth of the holiday season now appears to be past (both figuratively and literally.) Now, I will admit that it’s certainly not as cold as it could be (as it’s been somewhere in the 30s or 40s), but it’s certainly not the 60 to 70 degrees that it had been for months in the Northeast. As a result, if you’re not quite ready for the winter to arrive in force, you may be looking for something to ease your way into the spirit of the season. Fortunately, if that is indeed the case, the Brookline Arts Center may have exactly what you’re looking for.

This is because the Brookline Arts Center is hosting their annual Snowflake Festival from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, January 9, 2016.) This festival will allow you and your family to watch a number of artistic demonstrations, participate in two free workshops, and help the center create a community art project that will be donated to a local charity. The two free workshops at the festival include a bangle-making workshop that will teach you to make your own copper and brass bracelets and a Monoprint Workshop that will show you how to use printmaking and oil painting to create a truly original piece of art. For more information on the Snowflake Festival, please visit the Brookline Arts Center’s Events page.

Photo credit: yellowcloud via Foter.com / CC BY

Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but it definitely seems like this last year has been a lot crazier than most. I’ll admit that it could be the fact that two of my best friends both ended up heading off to California (well, one has moved already and the other will be moving in the next couple of weeks); the fact that my wife and I are trying to sell our condo and remodel her mother’s house at the same time; and/or the fact that we’re still trying to do all of the volunteer work that we typically do in spite of all the extra chaos. Of course, it could also be all of the horrifying things that have happened in the world this year because it really seems like every time you turn around, there’s someone somewhere trying to hurt someone. However, even though this year has definitely had its up and downs, it hasn’t been all bad. The economy is starting to look a little better, a new Star Wars movie came out and it doesn’t have Jar Jar (which should be enough in itself for fans everywhere to rejoice), and with the beginning of a new year, there’s always hope for a brighter future. As a result, I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you, your friends, and your family a happy new year, so Happy New Year and may your year be better than the last!

Photo credit: Chrismatos ♥90% OFF, sorry via Foter.com / CC BY

Last-Second Christmas Gift Ideas

It seemed like a good time to take a break from some of the lengthier blog posts since today is Christmas. However, if you’re looking at the gifts under the tree and you just realized that you forgot to get something for one of the gamers on your Christmas list, fear not. It just so happens that the annual Steam Holiday Sale is going on right now, so if you don’t have a gift ready for the gamer you love (or, at least, like), all you have to do is fire up your computer and pick from one of the thousands of games that are currently on sale for up to 90% off on Steam.

And, if you forgot to get a gift for someone who isn’t a gamer, all hope is not lost. In fact, if you’re desperately looking for a last-second idea, you may want to try one of the suggestions from 2013’s or 2014’s post on last-minute shopping ideas:

Last-Minute Christmas Ideas from 2013

Last-Minute Christmas Ideas from 2014

Photo credit: blakespot via Foter.com / CC BY

Superstitions and Their Origins: Part V

I don’t know about you, but it certainly seems like Christmas snuck up on everybody this year. In fact, we’re exactly one week away from the holiday, and it’s still warm enough in the Boston area to be the beginning of fall. However, Christmas is, indeed, almost here, so what better way to finish off the 13 Superstitions and Their Origins than with some superstitions about Christmas Trees.

12. Christmas Trees and Spring: It is important to make sure that your Christmas tree is well decorated because if you forget to decorate the tree, the spring may forget to come.
Origin: The roots of this superstition actually date back to long before Christmas trees even existed because it is actually based off another superstition that has existed since ancient times. A number of ancient cultures believed that greenery such as evergreens, holly, ivy, mistletoe, and pretty much any other plant that was green could be used to ward off evil and bring new life. As a result, it became a common practice for people to use greenery, especially winter greenery, to decorate their homes in the hope that it would protect their families from harm and encourage the plants to come back a little sooner in the coming year. In fact, this superstition is where the tradition of Christmas trees originated because the very nature of evergreens (the fact that they are “ever green”) made them the ultimate plant to protect the home and bring the spring back. Over time, the origins of this tradition were eventually forgotten in most households, but the tradition itself and the widespread need to make sure that each home is well-decorated with greenery has endured.

13. Taking Down the Christmas Tree: It is bad luck to take a Christmas tree down on any day other than the 6th of January and, once you take it down, you should burn it to avoid misfortune in the coming year.
Origin: This superstition actually has some interesting roots that become rather obvious when you stop and think about it. If you look at a calendar and you count the days from Christmas to January 5th (counting Christmas and the 5th), you will notice that there are exactly 12 days. These are actually the 12 Days of Christmas, which run from the 25th of December (Christmas Day) to the Eve of Epiphany (a Christian feast day, which is also known as Three Kings’ Day.) This means that the 6th of January would be the 13th day, and since 13 is a particularly unlucky number, many people believed it was a good idea to take the tree down before the celebration had reached a full 13 days. This also helped to ensure that the celebration of Christmas continued until Epiphany, but it didn’t interfere with life afterwards (because many people felt that 12 days of merrymaking was really enough.)

However, with all of these Christmas trees coming down at the same time, there would have been huge piles of trees that would have been difficult for individuals without modern equipment to dispose of. As a result, in order to prevent a large amount of work and waste, it became a tradition to burn the trees to dispose of them and generate some much needed heat for at least one night during the cold winter months. Burning the trees would also eliminate any of the evil spirits that might be attracted to them because it was believed that the strange spirits and creatures that inhabited the forests that the trees were originally taken from might return to inhabit them.

Photo credit: silver marquis via Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Works Consulted

“Christmas Superstitions.” The Holiday Spot. The Holiday Spot Network, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

“Christmas Superstitions.” Superstitions Online. Superstitions Online, 13 Dec. 2009. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Laura. “Christmas Superstitions About Trees.” Christmas Lore. Simply Smarter Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Christmas tree.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Twelfth Night (holiday).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Superstitions and Their Origins: Part IV

With Christmas only two weeks away, I figured it was a good time to discuss some of the superstitions surrounding the holiday. As a result, if you’ve ever wondered why we hang mistletoe, where this Krampus guy came from, or why some people feel it is necessary to give gifts to carolers, then you’ve come to the right place.

9. Mistletoe: It is bad luck to refuse a kiss from anyone that has asked you for a kiss while you’re standing under mistletoe.
Origin: There is some question as to exactly when the association between mistletoe and kissing first appeared, but there is no question that mistletoe has been associated with fertility since ancient times. In fact, the Ancient Celts believed that mistletoe could be used in a number of rituals to cure infertility and strengthen the body. This belief stood the test of time quite well, as the idea that mistletoe could somehow make people healthier was extremely popular throughout the Middle Ages. However, it wasn’t until the mid-1800s (long after people started to use mistletoe to decorate their homes) that the working class of England started to use mistletoe in an interesting game.

You see, kissing games like spin the bottle are not actually a new thing. They have been around for quite some time, but the way that society views these games has changed drastically over the years. Originally, kissing games were seen as an acceptable form of courtship or, in other words, a way for two people to get to know each other a little better without getting themselves into too much trouble. As a result, these games were typically viewed as harmless fun, and many people believed that they might even help young people find their future spouses. Kissing games were extremely popular during the Victorian period, which took place from 1837 to 1901, and it should, therefore, come as no great surprise that a plant that had long been associated with fertility, vitality, and all of the other things that go with those attributes, would become the perfect excuse for a kissing game.

10. Krampus: While Santa brings gifts to children who have been good around Christmas time, Krampus comes to punish children who have not been very nice.
Origin: Krampus has been growing in popularity very quickly in the United States and the world as a whole. In fact, Krampus has appeared in artwork, cartoons, comic books, movies, video games, television shows, and a whole lot more. However, even though Krampus is suddenly becoming a mainstream phenomenon, the legend of Krampus has actually been around since at least the 1600s and creatures like Krampus can be traced all the way back to ancient times. Enkidu in the Epic of Giglamesh, the beast that King Nebuchadnezzar becomes in the Book of Daniel, the Devil himself in virtually every depiction, and a number of other similar figures that resemble beasts or wild men have regularly been used as a means of frightening people into behaving in a certain manner.

Krampus is, of course, no different, as this hairy, devil-like beast with horns and hoofs originally started as a counterpart to St. Nicholas who would deal with all of the children that didn’t deserve gifts. The people of Austria, Italy, Germany, and many other alpine nations regularly told their children to behave or Krampus would steal them away in the night and commit no end of horrible acts to them. These stories were eventually incorporated into widespread parades and celebrations that carry on to this day. These celebrations, known as krampusnacht or Krampus Night, take place on December 5th (the day before the Feast of Saint Nicholas) and feature people dressed up as devils, wild men, and all manner of evil creature. Yet, even though these celebrations and the legends of Krampus began centuries ago, Krampus is becoming ever more popular as more and more people disenfranchised by the over commercialization of Christmas look for alternatives to some of the more traditional celebrations.

11. Carolers and Gifts: It is bad luck to let a caroler or a group of carolers leave without first offering them a gift.
Origin: Christmas caroling has existed in one form or another since the time of the Roman Empire, but the tradition of giving gifts to carolers didn’t actually appear until the mid-1800s. During the reign of Queen Victoria (also known as the Victorian period), it became a common practice for small groups of people to go wassailing by singing or, in other words, go door-to-door singing in order to spread good cheer and wish their neighbors well (wassailing has existed for millennia, but singing wassailers weren’t very common until the 1800s.)

However, some of the neighbors that these carolers sung to felt that they had to give the carolers something to reward their kindness. As a result, many neighbors began to share some of their food, drink, or money with the carolers as a way to pay for their songs, and this eventually became a tradition. In fact, the song “Here We Come-A-Wassailing” is actually about this tradition and the carolers’ hope that they may receive a gift in exchange for their good wishes. The idea that it is bad luck to let a caroler leave without a gift is ultimately based on this tradition, and it is very similar to the idea of stiffing a bellhop, a valet, or another similar individual who might consider you to be a cheapskate.

Want to learn more about superstitions and their origins? Check back next week for the final part of 13 Superstitions and Their Origins!

Photo credit: ekelly89 via Foter.com / CC BY

Works Consulted

“Christmas Superstitions.” Superstitions Online. Superstitions Online, 13 Dec. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Cooper, James. “The History of Christmas Carols.” whychristmas?com. James Cooper, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

“Who’s Krampus? The XMAS Devil.” Krampus.com. Krampus.com, 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Oloffson, Kristi. “Christmas Caroling.” Time Magazine. Time Inc., 21 Dec. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Christmas carol.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Krampus.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Mistletoe.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Ritual of oak and mistletoe.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Victorian era.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Superstitions and Their Origins: Part III

Have you ever heard of a Christmas Crow? Well, if you haven’t, don’t worry. You’re not alone. In fact, I had never heard of a Christmas Crow until I started researching superstitions for this series. However, there is in fact an interesting superstition (if you can call it that) related to crows and gifts, and if you would like to know more about this superstition and some of the other superstitions surrounding these black-feathered creatures, all you have to do is keep reading.

6. Crows and Gifts: Some people believe that if you feed a crow and treat it kindly, the crow will actually reward you by bringing you small gifts (especially around Christmastime.)
Origin: It’s not completely clear when the association with crows and gifts first appeared, but it is most likely a modern development. In fact, while some ancient cultures believed that crows were divine messengers, most cultures did not view crows in a very favorable light (see the other two superstitions in this post for more on the reputation of crows.) However, there were some cultures, including the Ancient Greeks, which believed that crows and ravens could actually bring good luck, and this belief may have served as a foundation for the “Christmas Crow”.

The belief that crows will actually reward you for being kind to them is probably a more recent development though because there is no clear reference to crows giving gifts before the late 1900’s, and the association between crows and gifts appears to have really taken hold within the last 5 to 10 years. Yet, the strangest thing about this superstition and the thing that really has given it a life of its own did not occur until this year because the truly bizarre thing about this “superstition” is that it may actually be true. Research has indicated that the American Crow is an extremely intelligent animal that has a fascination with shiny objects and the ability to distinguish different humans from one another based on their facial features. As a result, it wouldn’t be a problem in the least for a crow to pick up some shiny objects and bring them to a human that had been kind to the crow in the past. In fact, it has actually happened.

You see, an 8-year old girl in Seattle, who used to regularly drop her food on the ground outside by accident (like most young children) acquired quite the fan club. A group of crows that really liked all of the food that she dropped began to wait around her house for her to come home so that they could eat any food that she spilled. Eventually, the young girl, enjoying the attention from her newfound friends, began to deliberately feed the crows on a daily basis, and the crows became so attached to the young girl that they would leave a shiny bead, an earring, a piece of metal, a polished rock, or another similar trinket each time they took the food that the girl left. The most amazing thing, however, is that the crows actually recovered a camera lens cap that the young girl’s mother lost in an alley across town, washed the lens cap in the bird fountain, and left it for the young girl and her mother to find.

7. Crows and Bad Luck: A single crow is considered to be bad luck (especially near a church), but more than three crows is considered to be an extremely bad omen. In fact, some believe that the closer the crows are to your home, the more likely it is that someone near you is about to die.
Origin: Crows have been considered to be the harbingers of war, death and darkness since ancient times. In fact, the Celts, Danes, Greeks, Romans, Swedes, and just about everyone else thought that these black birds were bad luck and a sign that death was on its way (either due to the belief that the crows were a bad omen or due to the belief that they were the very servants of death themselves.) A lot of the fear surrounding crows comes from the fact that crows are hard to see at night (they have dark colored feathers after all), and they’re not very picky about what they eat. This is because crows are actually a carrion bird, so they have no problem eating something whether it is alive or dead and decaying. As a result, their rather creepy eating habits, their dark appearance, and their tendency to eat the crops of hardworking farmers have earned them a reputation as creatures of death and disaster.

8. The Crow’s Caw and Murder: A single crow flying over a house, a single crow inside a house, or a crow cawing is considered to be a sign that someone nearby may be about to suffer a violent and/or unexpected death, especially if the cawing seems to be coming from far away.
Origin: As I mentioned above, crows have been associated with death since ancient times largely because of their dark appearance, their somewhat unusual taste in food, and the level of devastation they can cause to crops and livestock (which may, in turn, lead to the death of the people the farms serve through starvation.) However, the crow’s association with murder actually arose sometime during the 15th century when a number of scholars began to create specific terms to describe specific groups of animals. The term used to describe a group of crows was actually a murder, and while the exact origin of the term is unknown, it was probably related to the crow’s reputation as a harbinger of death. According to the Word Detective, the origin of the term may have also been related to the level of intelligence that crows have shown as they are considered to be incredibly intelligent animals capable of using tools, capable of using past experiences to anticipate behavior, capable of recognizing specific humans by their facial features, and capable of communicating their past experiences to other crows at a later time by cawing. If there were ever an animal (other than a human of course) with the skills necessary to carry out a murder, it would be a crow.

Dying to learn more about superstitions and their origins? Part IV of 13 Superstitions and Their Origins will appear next week!

Photo credit: wolfpix / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Works Consulted

Morris, Evan. “Murder of Crows, etc.” The Word Detective. Evan Morris. 22 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

Nosowitz, Dan. “Seattle Girl Befriends Neighborhood Crows, Making Bird Lovers Everywhere Jealous.” Audubon.org. National Audubon Society, 2 Mar. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

Sewall, Katy. “The Girl Who Gets Gifts from Birds.” BBC News. BBC. 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Corvus (genus).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 3 Dec. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

Superstitions and Their Origins: Part II

Unless you’ve spent the last month locked in a deep, dark hole, you’re probably already well aware that today is Black Friday. Black Friday is, of course, the day after Thanksgiving when most businesses start actually making a profit for the year (and, therefore, move out of the red ink used for a loss into the black ink used for a gain.) However, Black Friday is also another name for Friday the 13th, which makes it a perfect time to continue this five-part series on superstitions and their origins.

3. A Baker’s Dozen: A baker’s dozen refers to 13 items even though a dozen typically refers to 12. Some believe that the reason for this is that bakers used to give the 13th loaf to customers as a way to bribe the devil and keep him away.
Origin: People have distrusted businesses, traveling merchants, and pretty much anyone who has ever tried to sell them anything since bartering was first invented. However, bakers were traditionally amongst the individuals who people distrusted the most because it was easier for them to cheat their customers. All they had to do was simply make each loaf of bread a little smaller, and they would make more money by giving their customers less food. As a result, many countries have had strict laws since ancient times dictating exactly how much a loaf of bread should weigh. The problem is that some of these laws were extremely strict and required bakers to pay substantial fines or even forfeit some of their body parts if they failed to meet the minimum requirements even once.

As a result, many bakers decided that it was simply safer to give the customer an extra loaf of bread than risk losing an ear, a hand, or his or her life savings, and this practice was actually codified by one of the major baker’s guilds in London, the Worshipful Company of Bakers, during the middle ages. Of course, some bakers resented the fact that they had to give more food to their customers just to make sure that they didn’t suffer financial or physical harm, and they may have made some references to giving the “devil his due.” This led some people (probably bakers) to refer to a baker’s dozen as the “devil’s dozen”, and while there is a pretty good chance that there were some bakers who said that the extra loaf was to keep the devil away, they most likely meant it in the figurative sense (i.e. keeping the authorities who would fine them or sever their body parts away) than the literal sense (i.e. the actual devil).

4. Knocking on Wood: Knocking on wood is believed to protect you from harm if you’ve said or done something to jinx yourself.
Origin: While the exact origins of the superstition are unknown, the practice of knocking on wood has existed in some fashion since ancient times. In fact, the Ancient Celts, Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Japanese, and a number of other ancient cultures all believed in some sort of tree spirit that would offer protection to those who respected the trees and forestlands. As a result, the custom may have begun as a way for people to chase away evil spirits by scaring them out of the trees and/or a way to ask the good forest spirits for their blessing. However, the expression, “knocking on wood” didn’t actually come into common use until the early 19th century, and it may, therefore, have a more practical origin (although, you never know, appeasing the forest spirits could be a pretty practical reason for the expression to exist as well.)

You see, prior to the mid 1800’s (and even somewhat afterwards), firearms were typically muzzle-loaded or, in other words, loaded from the barrel of the gun. This meant that an individual had to load the ammunition and the gunpowder very carefully in order to make sure that the gun didn’t fire prematurely (while it was aiming in their general direction or the direction of one of their compatriots) and to make sure that the gun would ultimately fire in the way that it was intended to fire. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always easy to get the gunpowder to sit correctly in these front-loaded weapons, and many people (especially during the U.S Revolutionary War) attempted to correct this issue by knocking on the stock of their rifle. The hope was that by knocking on the stock of the rifle, which of course was made of wood, they would be able to make the gunpowder settle more evenly and avoid all of the potentially life-threatening issues that could result from too much powder on one side of the weapon. This practice of “knocking on wood” to ensure that each weapon fired correctly may have played a part in creating or, at the very least, reinforcing the notion that knocking on wood can protect you from harm.

5. Wishbones: If two people take opposite ends of a wishbone, make a wish, and separate the wishbone, the person that ends up with the longer part of the bone will have his or her wish granted.
Origin: The exact origins of the superstition surrounding wishbones, like many superstitions, is certainly up for debate. However, even though there is some debate about exactly when and where the superstition surrounding wishbones originated, most historians agree that the superstition originated hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago in Europe (possibly in Ancient Italy.) The belief that wishbones might have special powers appears to have arisen from a common practice that was quite popular during the medieval era, but actually dates back to ancient times – alectromancy. Alectromancy, which is also known as alectryomancy or Rooster Divination, is the practice of using the bones of birds or the patterns that birds make to predict the future. Many people, especially in Ancient Italy and Rome, believed that they could use the patterns that birds form in scattered grain or the patterns formed by scattering the bones of sacrificed birds to identify thieves, predict the weather, and predict the outcome of major battles.

In fact, the Ouija board that we all know and love or loathe, is actually based on a common practice in alectromancy in which a person would draw a circle and divide it almost like a pie. The individual would then draw a letter on each piece of the pie-like circle and place some grain on each letter. This would allow the diviner to place a bird in the center of the circle so that he or she could record each of the letters that the bird pecked at and use these letters to make his or her prediction. Some historians believe that this practice was so popular that people began to seek out the bones of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other birds so that their powers of divination could be used even after the bird’s death.

Dying to learn more about superstitions and their origins? Part III of 13 Superstitions and Their Origins will appear next week, and if you missed the first part of the series, you can find it here.

Photo credit: David Meurin / Foter.com / CC BY

Works Consulted

“A Brief History.” The Worshipful Company of Bakers Website. The Worshipful Company of Bakers, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Hiskey, David. “Why A Baker’s Dozen Is 13 Instead of 12.” Today I Found Out. Today I Found Out, 10 Sep. 2010. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Davis, Marcia. “Wishbone Myth Has Long History.” Knoxville News. Journal Media Group, 19 Nov. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Padden, Kathy. “Why Do We Knock on Wood?” Today I Found Out. Today I Found Out, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Soniak, Matt. “Why Do We Knock on Wood?” Mental Floss. Mental Floss, Inc., 16 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Soniak, Matt. “Why Do We Wish on the Turkey’s Wishbone?” Mental Floss. Mental Floss Inc., 24 Nov. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

“The Baker’s Dozen.” List of Phobias. Did You Know?, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Alectryomancy.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Dozen.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 Nov. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Furcula.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 20 Aug. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Knocking on wood.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Oct. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “List of tree deities.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 20 Sep. 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Your Boston Accent: Love It or Lose It?

Do you park your car in Harvard Yard or do you pahk your cah in Hahvuhd Yahd? If you’re from anywhere in the vicinity of the Boston area, you’ve probably heard this phrase or some version of it at some point. In fact, it’s pretty much a guarantee that someone somewhere will ask you to demonstrate your Boston accent like you’re a trained chimpanzee whose sole purpose is to amuse the person who probably has an accent thicker than you do. Unfortunately, when you are presented with this question, you really only have two options: get mad and refuse or say the phrase. However, if you would like to shock and awe all of the people who ask to hear your accent, you may want to consider either learning to eliminate your accent (which will really shock them when you say the phrase in a way they are totally not expecting) or you can embrace your Boston heritage and brush up on your accent (thereby making sure that your accent is wicked pissa).

First, if you would like to lose your accent, you may want to consider taking a course at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE). This is because the BCAE is offering a course entitled “Lose Your Boston Accent” from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, November 21, 2015). This course, which is primarily designed for actors and other professionals who may need to speak in a more generic dialect, will teach you to pronounce your r’s, pronounce certain vowel sounds differently, and lose some of the Boston slang we’ve all come to know and love. For more information on the Lose Your Boston Accent course at the BCAE, please visit the Boston Center for Adult Education’s website.

If, on the other hand, you would like to embrace your heritage and really work on improving your accent, there’s no better way than spending some time in the city itself. And, if you would like to spend some time in the city itself and enjoy everything Boston has to offer, you may want to check out Boston CityPASS. Boston CityPASS is a program that will allow you to buy a booklet of tickets to some of the most popular museums in Boston at an extremely discounted price. In fact, this program will allow you to get tickets to four attractions, including the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, the New England Aquarium, and either the Harvard Museum of Natural History or the Skywalk Observatory for a single fee that’s pretty close to half the price you would normally pay to get into all four museums. For more information on the Boston CityPASS program, please visit the Official Boston CityPASS website.

Photo credit: Bert Kaufmann / Foter.com / CC BY

13 Superstitions and Their Origins: Part I

Friday the 13th, a day that many people dread, is upon us yet again. However, many people don’t actually know why Friday the 13th strikes fear into the hearts of so many (including some of the people that actually fear it.) Fortunately, if you’re one of the people who has always wondered why today has earned its reputation or where all of the other superstitions we all know and love (or loathe) come from, this five-part blog post series is here to help you learn exactly that.

1. Friday the 13th: Friday the 13th is considered to be the unluckiest day on the calendar, and many people believe every manner of horrible thing will happen when a Friday falls on the 13th.
Origin: Fridays and the number 13 have been considered to be unlucky since ancient times, but prior to the Middle Ages, Friday the 13th was largely considered to be just another day on the calendar. In fact, some believe that the reputation associated with the day was ultimately formed when King Philip of France ordered his men to arrest and torture the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. The arrest and torture of a renowned group of holy knights certainly made Friday the 13th a day that would live in infamy. However, it really wasn’t until long after the middle ages, in the early 1800’s, that people began combining their fear of the number 13 (also known as triskaidekaphobia) with their fear of Fridays (which doesn’t have an official name, but if you really need one, it would probably be something like paraskeviphobia or friggaphobia).

These fears stem from a number of different beliefs that can be traced back to the dawn of Christianity, including the belief that there were 13 people present at Jesus Christ’s last supper, Jesus was crucified on a Friday (Good Friday), and Eve offered Adam the fruit from the forbidden tree on a Friday. Friday was also the day that people were typically executed in a number of countries throughout the ages (including ancient Rome), and legend has it that a rope needs to be twisted 13 times to make a hangman’s noose. These beliefs and traditions coupled with both old and modern tales like the Canterbury Tales and the Friday the 13th films have led to an ever-growing fear of Friday the 13th, which is known as paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.

2. Black Cats: A black cat crossing your path is considered to be extremely bad luck, and some believe it may even be an indication that you’re not going to have the best of times in the afterlife (fire and brimstone anyone?)
Origin: The reputation of cats has had a roller coaster ride throughout the millennia, as the beliefs and superstitions surrounding these cute, furry, little predators has changed with each passing era. The ancient Egyptians believed that cats were divine creatures sent to protect the people from evil, and, to some extent, cats actually did. Rats were a huge problem for the ancient Egyptians, so little creatures that instinctively hunted and exterminated the rodent population were certainly appreciated and probably seemed like a gift from a higher power. However, the reputation of cats as god-like creatures took a turn for the worse when Christianity appeared on the scene and the early Christians began distancing themselves from other belief systems, including the beliefs of the Egyptians.

In fact, by the middles ages, the reputation of cats had been completely turned on its head, as they were believed to be demons in disguise, servants of witches, or actual witches who had taken on animal form. Black cats were especially feared because not only were they quiet and sneaky creatures, but they were also hard to see. This combined with the fact that wise, old women (who were often accused of witchcraft at the time) had a tendency even back then to feed stray cats made a black cat crossing your path seem like a sure sign that the devil or one of his servants was out to get you. It is important to remember, however, that black cats are really only seen as bad luck in certain cultures because some cultures, including the Japanese and the Scots, believe that a black cat may actually be a sign of good luck.

Dying to learn more about superstitions and their origins? Part II of 13 Superstitions and Their Origins will appear in a couple of weeks (after next week’s regularly scheduled post).

Photo credit: pedrosimoes7 / Foter.com / CC BY

Works Consulted

Harris, Tom. “How Friday the 13th Works.” HowStuffWorks.com. HowStuffWorks, a division of Infospace, LLC, 7 June 2003. Web. 12 Nov. 2015

Cohen, Jenny. “Friday the 13th: History of a Phobia.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, LLC, 13 May 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Noreen. “Why Black Cats Are Considered Bad Luck.” Today I Found Out. Today I Found Out, 10 Sep. Web. 12 Nov. 2015

“Paraskevidekatriaphobia.” Macmillan Dictionary. Macmillan Publishers Limited, 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2015

Welsh, Chris. “A Black Cat Crossing Your Path.” TimelessMyths. TimelessMyths, 20 Oct. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015

Wikipedia contributors. “Friday the 13th.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.