December SKI Tips

1. The popular song “White Christmas” was composed by Isiadore Baline. That was the original name of Irving Berlin who was a Jewish refugee from Russia.
2. Every time you lick a stamp you consume 1/10 of a calorie.
3. Christmas was outlawed in Massachusetts from 1659-1681. Puritans objected to Christmas because it included non-religious customs, wasn’t sanctioned by the Bible and was considered too Catholic.
4. Architect Alfred Butts translated his love of crossword puzzles into a board game called “Criss Cross Words”, later known as “Scrabble”.
5. The name hippopotamus means “river horse” and is often shortened to hippo. The closest relations of the hippo are cetaceans such as whales and dolphins.
6. As “stink bugs” make their way indoors with the cold weather, it is easiest to get rid of them by vacuuming. Avoid contaminating your vacuum with their stinky smell by placing a nylon sock on the vacuum tube. After you’ve collected the insects, tie up the sock and dispose of it in the trash or shake out in the cold where the bugs will freeze.
7. Water houseplants with tepid water. Cold tap water my shock them.
8. Hairspray works well to keep seed heads and dried flowers intact on wreaths and arrangements.
9. Pull back mulch from tree trunk and create a thin 2-3” deep donut over the root zone. A layer of mulch around the base can lead to girdling roots and insect, disease and rodent problems.
10. Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana is said to be the world’s first theme park.  Happy Holidays!