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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Sledding Vs. Sleighing…What’s The Difference?

Whenever you see a snow-covered hillside, that means one thing: it’s sledding time! Or is it sleighing time? Or maybe tobogganing time? Or what about bobsledding time? Which is it? What’s the difference between them all?

Originally a Dutch word, a sled (or “sledge” as British folks refer to it) is any equipment used to navigate ice or snow while moving downhill. Sled bottoms usually have runners, but they could also have smooth bottoms.

The Dutch word “sleigh”, however, is different: a sleigh is simply a sled on runners that’s pulled by either horses or reindeer (like Santa’s preferred method of transportation). The key is that you aren’t using a sleigh unless you’re being pulled by some sort of animal.

Then there’s the French-Canadian word toboggan, which is a narrow sled made of lightweight wood that has a curved-up front which makes it easier to traverse difficult landscapes. Oh, and toboggans don’t usually have bottom runners.

But then, what about a bobsled? Isn’t that related? Actually, yes it sort of is. A bobsled is a sled with added steering capabilities (such as a steering wheel). Unlike sledding or sleighing, however, bobsledding is actually an Olympic sport.

Now’s the time to start prepping your cold weather transportation needs, before we get the first real snow of the winter. May I recommend starting & sticking with the humble sled? The simplest method is usually the best method.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email ([email protected])!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Hang A Pickle On The Christmas Tree?

Everyone has their own Christmas traditions, but not everyone’s are the same. Some folks open presents after breakfast, some people hang stockings up for their dog, some display homemade decorations…and then there are some folks who hide a Christmas pickle ornament in their tree. What is that all about?

The tradition, which is believed by many to have originated in Germany, surrounds placing a glossy green pickle ornament somewhere on the tree. Then, the first child who finds the pickle on Christmas morning not only gets a year of good luck, but also a special gift. The problem is that the vast majority of Germans have never heard of this tradition. A 2016 survey by a German newspaper found that 91% of German households had no idea about Christmas pickles or what they were intended to represent.

The culprit for this misplaced tradition turned out to be…clever marketing by the retail chain Woolworths. When they began importing German ornaments in the 1890s, some happened to be in the shape of a pickle. So, they created a legend behind it. This was no ordinary ornament, they said, it was a pickle steeped in the customs of an exotic land. 100 years later, in the 1990s, ornament artisans began re-sharing the pickle story, touting its green color as blending so well with the tree that a reward should be given to the child who finds it, in honor of their keen observation. And we Americans, who love ourselves a good legend, ended up embracing the tale.

It was only in the mid-1990s that an actual prominent German ornament manufacturer called Lauscha Glass Center started making the ornaments, and only after one of their workers came back from a trip to Michigan where they saw Christmas pickles adorning trees there. So, if you’re looking for something different to do this season, consider hiding the Christmas pickle. Because, whether you consider it a German tradition that few Germans have actually ever heard of, or the pinnacle of a successful American marketing ploy, it’s still fun.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Bah! Humbug!” Really Mean?

Ever heard the phrase, “Bah! Humbug!” around Christmastime & wonder what it means? The most famous examples of the phrase come from Charles Dickens’s timeless 1843 tale, A Christmas Carol, in which the curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge regularly proclaims “Bah! Humbug!” when referring to Christmas. Since Scrooge particularly hates the otherwise happy holiday, it’s easy to assume “Humbug!” is just a way to convey dislike or disdain for something. It’s certainly how humbug is used most often nowadays. For example, anyone who refers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as “not real cinema”, you might say they have a bah-humbug attitude. But the term humbug didn’t originate with ol’ Scrooge. And, in fact, he actually meant something more specific than just “I hate Christmas!” when he said it.

While its true origins aren’t clear, “humbug” first showed up in an issue of The Oxford & Cambridge Monthly Miscellany back in 1750, where it seemed to have been trendy slang coined by the cool kids of the era. While it was slang, humbug was used widely enough that its definition is clear. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, humbug refers to a “hoax; a jesting or befooling trick,” as well as “any thing which is not really what it pretends to be,” such as a sham or fraud. Over time, however, folks began using humbug to just mean general nonsense on the whole.

Scrooge repeatedly calls Christmas “humbug” because he thinks Christmas tricks people into feeling joyful & grateful when they have nothing to be cheery about or thankful for. Scrooge also believed society uses Christmas as an excuse to wrangle money out of wealthy people like him, which is why he refused to donate to a Christmas collection for the poor. Shortly after, Scrooge complains about having to pay his clerk, Bob Cratchit, for an entire day off, calling it “a poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every 25th of December!”

Basically, old Scrooge considered Christmas a financial & emotional scam on a global scale. But, at least WE know that’s not true. Right? Christmas is whatever you make of it, which hopefully will be the polar opposite of a humbug, each & every year…and this Christmas, especially.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Kiss Under The Mistletoe?

Mistletoe is a strange plant. Certain varieties are poisonous, with their toxic white berries being able to cause a variety of digestive issues. It’s also a parasitic plant, attaching itself onto other trees to steal their water & nutrients. Mistletoe seeds are then dispersed by birds that eat its berries, allowing the plant to grow on branches high above the shade, all while freeloading on other trees’ sunlight. So, why do we kiss under bunches of a cunning, toxic plants each Christmas?

Third-century Christians integrated mistletoe into their celebrations as the religion spread across Europe. But the ritual actually predates Christianity, going all the way back to the Norse god Baldur. The 2nd son of Odin, and the god of truth and light, Baldur was so beloved by the other gods that they wanted to protect him from all the dangers of the world. So, his mother, the goddess Frigg, got fire & water, iron & all other metals, stones & earth, trees, sicknesses & poisons, and from all 4-footed beasts & birds of the air, to swear oaths that they would never harm Baldur in any way. With those oaths, the beautiful god was supposed to be invincible. So, what does that have to do with mistletoe? I’m getting there…

There was a large gathering held later on, where stones, arrows, and flame were all thrown at Baldur to test his might. None of the attacks worked, and Baldur walked away unharmed. Well, the mischievous Loki, who was jealous of Baldur’s powers, set out to find the one thing that might hurt him. And Loki eventually found that goddess Frigg forgot to ask the lowly & forgotten-about mistletoe to not to harm her dear son. Ultimately, Loki used a mistletoe dart to murder Baldur, right there in front of all the other gods who loved him so dearly. Nice guy, Loki!

Frigg was, of course, devastated, as any mother would be. And her tears are said to have become the berries of the mistletoe plant. It was then decreed by the Norse gods that mistletoe would never again be used as a weapon, and that the goddess, Frigg, would place a kiss on anyone who passed under it.

So, even all these many years later, that’s why we hang mistletoe underneath our doorways around the holidays: so that we never overlook its power ever again.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Do Kids In Other Countries Leave Cookies & Milk For Santa?

Most families that celebrate Christmas here in the US leave out cookies & milk for Santa & carrots for his reindeer. But is that a worldwide habit? What do other countries provide as snack food for Santa? Well actually, the big guy doesn’t spend his entire 24-hour present-delivery schedule eating only cookies & milk.

Santa actually starts his trek down under in Australia. And what better way to kick off the holiday than with an ice-cold beer?! There’s always a beer (and sometimes cookies & milk). But the beer is key!

Then, it’s a long flight from Australia to Sweden, so kids leave out coffee for Tomte, as St. Nick is called there.

Santa’s probably hungry again by the time he makes it to Denmark, which is why kids there leave out rice pudding. Santa needs his carbs for energy, after all!

In The Netherlands, kids don’t leave Santa treats. They leave treats for his horse, Sinterklaas, like carrots, hay, and water. I guess the reindeer don’t fly everywhere.

In France, Santa gets biscuits, while his reindeer get carrots. French kids leave these treats in their shoes & in the morning they’re replaced with small toys.

In the UK, Santa gets mince pies, which are basically meat pies, that are hearty, delicious, perfect after all the sweets during the early part of his journey.

Once he heads over to Ireland, Santa gets to tip one back once again, as the Irish leave out a pint of Guinness for Mr. Kringle. (Which hopefully means Santa’s upgraded to a self-driving sleigh to avoid drinking & driving for his trip over the ocean!

And in Chile, Santa has rum-filled sponge cake to look forward to once he reaches South America, which sounds like the perfect way to round out his night.

Whatever kind of cookie you leave out for Santa, I’m sure he’ll love & appreciate them. Just don’t forget the milk.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

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