Hello and happy holidays! Let’s dive into some fascinating stories and traditions about the holiday season. We’ll explore a quirky calendar change in the 1500s, discover holiday traditions at the White House, and learn why childhood memories can be so tricky to remember. Let’s get started!
Did you know that in 1582, some people in the Netherlands had a super short December? They jumped straight from December 14th to Christmas Day! This happened because Europe was switching from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, which meant dropping a few days to fix some timing issues. The provinces of Brabant and Zeeland made the switch early, while others waited until around 1700.
The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, was a big improvement over older systems but still wasn’t perfect. Over time, it caused holidays like Christmas and Easter to drift away from their intended seasons. To fix this, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582, and many countries, like Spain, Italy, and France, made the switch by skipping 10 days in October. However, Great Britain waited until 1752, and some Eastern European countries waited until the 20th century!
The White House is famous for its holiday celebrations, with many traditions that have evolved over the years. Today, it’s common to see 20 to 30 Christmas trees there, but back in 1889, President Benjamin Harrison had just one. Some say Franklin Pierce was actually the first to have a Christmas tree at the White House.
President William H. Taft changed things up by placing a tree outside for everyone to enjoy. Theodore Roosevelt, who didn’t like the idea of Christmas trees, had his son Archie sneak one in! A newer tradition is the cranberry tree in the Red Room, started in 1975, featuring about 200 real cranberries.
Gingerbread has been part of White House holidays since 1929, thanks to First Lady Lou Hoover. The first gingerbread house appeared in 1969 during Richard Nixon’s presidency. Presidents have also enjoyed involving children in the festivities, like Andrew Jackson’s indoor snowball fight and Theodore Roosevelt’s Winter Carnival with 500 kids!
Holidays often bring back memories, but childhood memories can be mysterious. People have studied them for a long time, and the age of our earliest memories varies. Most adults can’t remember anything from before they were 18 months old, but some recall events from when they were three or even eight years old.
Research shows that our earliest memories are usually emotional, like an injury or a sibling’s birth. Scientists think we lose many early memories due to rapid brain development. However, some people have highly superior autobiographical memory, meaning they can remember every day of their lives!
Studies suggest that children remember better when their parents ask for lots of details when telling a story. In one study, researchers showed a box to 46 children and asked them about it years later. Only a few remembered, and those who did had parents who encouraged them to talk about it.
Ever wonder why we often end the year with “Auld Lang Syne”? The song’s lyrics started as a poem by Robert Burns in 1788, inspired by older Scottish poems. George Thompson later set the words to the tune we know today.
Guy Lombardo helped popularize the song in the United States with his New Year’s Eve concerts from 1929 to 1976. “Auld Lang Syne” has been played during significant events, like the Christmas truce of World War I. The song is about reconnecting with friends, which is a wonderful way to start the new year.
Thanks for exploring these holiday stories and traditions with us. Remember, as they say, don’t forget to be awesome!
Explore the history of calendars by creating a timeline. Research the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar and illustrate how different countries adopted the new system. Use colorful markers and paper to make your timeline visually appealing. Share your timeline with the class and discuss how these changes affected holiday celebrations.
Imagine you are the President of the United States. Design a new holiday tradition for the White House. Consider what decorations, activities, or foods you would include. Create a poster or digital presentation to showcase your tradition and explain why it would be meaningful. Present your ideas to the class and vote on the most creative tradition.
Gather in a circle and share one of your earliest holiday memories. Describe the event in detail, focusing on the emotions and people involved. Listen to your classmates’ stories and discuss why certain memories stand out more than others. Reflect on how these memories shape your current holiday experiences.
Learn the lyrics and melody of “Auld Lang Syne.” Research its origins and significance in different cultures. Perform the song as a class, and discuss how music can bring people together during the holidays. Consider writing your own verse about friendship and new beginnings to add to the song.
Research holiday traditions from different countries and create a presentation or display. Include information about the history, customs, and foods associated with each tradition. Share your findings with the class and discuss the similarities and differences between these global celebrations and your own holiday experiences.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello, happy holidays! Welcome to the MentalFloss video. We start today with a short story about how a couple of Dutch provinces had an extremely short holiday season in 1582. Then we take it to the White House to learn about some long-standing holiday traditions, and we discuss childhood memories and why they’re so easy to forget. All that and more in today’s scatterbrained episode. Let’s get started!
If you love the month of December, you might be surprised to learn that a few centuries ago, some Dutch people had a very short one. In 1582, a couple of Dutch provinces jumped right from December 14th to Christmas Day. Around this time, much of Europe was switching from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, which meant they had to drop a few days. The provinces of Brabant and Zeeland had an extra short December that year. Most of the other Dutch provinces stayed with the Julian calendar until around 1700.
Julius Caesar was responsible for the Julian calendar, which went into use in 46 BCE. The calendar was an improvement over the old system, but it was still slightly off the actual length of the year. This discrepancy meant that days were shifting in relation to the seasons over time, which was frustrating for Christians because Christmas and Easter were starting to fall out of their intended seasons. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII created a papal bull to switch to a new calendar, and countries were also standardizing around January 1st as the new year.
Not everyone wanted to follow the papal bull, leading to a confusing period in Europe where crossing country lines could mean you were suddenly 10 days ahead or behind. Other places that made the shift in 1582 included Spain, Italy, and most of France, but they skipped 10 days in October rather than December. Great Britain waited until 1752 to start using the Gregorian calendar, while some countries, especially in Eastern Europe, waited until the 20th century.
The holidays are a big deal at the White House, with many long-standing traditions and some new ones too. Nowadays, it’s not surprising to have twenty to thirty trees at the White House, but back in 1889, there was only one. Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have a White House Christmas tree. Some sources claim that Franklin Pierce was actually the first. William H. Taft mixed up the tradition by putting a tree outside of the private living quarters for public enjoyment.
Theodore Roosevelt tried to avoid putting up a tree because he didn’t like the practice, but his son Archie snuck one in. A newer tradition starting in 1975 is the cranberry tree in the White House’s Red Room, which is a small tree with about 200 real cranberries glued onto it. Gingerbread has been part of White House holidays since 1929 when First Lady Lou Hoover put cookies on a Christmas tree. In 1969, the White House’s first gingerbread house was displayed during Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Many presidents have enjoyed involving children in the festivities, like Andrew Jackson, who orchestrated a snowball fight inside the White House for his kids and grandkids. Theodore Roosevelt hosted a Winter Carnival with five hundred children in attendance. President Harrison even played the part of Santa for his grandkids. Children are actually the reason White House Christmas parties started at all. In 1804, year-old Susannah Boylston Adams was staying with her grandparents, John and Abigail Adams, so they had a Christmas party.
Now, presidents host about 20 parties every holiday season, which involves a tradition known as the photo line, where guests wait to take a quick photo with the president. Some people use this moment to make suggestions about what the president should do. In 1979, Jimmy Carter became the first president to recognize Hanukkah, lighting the first national menorah in Lafayette Park. Many presidents after that lit menorahs during Hanukkah, but it wasn’t until George W. Bush that a menorah was lit inside the White House.
Finally, there’s a retired White House tradition, the New Year’s reception, which occurred on January 1st from 1801 to 1932, with a few skipped years. It was an open event where people could line up outside the White House, whether they were government officials or regular citizens, but they had to be prepared to wait a while.
With the holidays comes reminiscing, so let’s talk about memories. Childhood memories are mysterious, but we do know a little about them because people have been studying them for a long time. The age of our earliest memories varies a lot from person to person. It’s generally safe to assume that adults won’t remember anything from when they were 18 months old or younger, but some have memories from when they were three, while others might not remember anything earlier than when they were eight years old.
Research has shown that typically, a person’s earliest memory will be a meaningful emotional one, such as an injury or a sibling’s birth. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why we lose so many of our early memories, but some believe it has to do with rapid developments in the brain. Thankfully, there are people with highly superior autobiographical memory, a small group of about a hundred individuals who can accurately remember every day of their lives.
Studies show that children have better recall when their parents ask for a lot of elaboration and detail when telling a story. In one study, researchers showed a box to 46 children and observed their interactions with it. When prompted to talk about it years later, only one-fifth of the kids remembered, and those who did tended to have parents who encouraged discussions about the box.
We’ll finish up with a big question about New Year’s: why do we often end the year listening to “Auld Lang Syne”? The lyrics started as a poem written in 1788 by Robert Burns, who drew from other 18th-century Scottish poems. A man named George Thompson put Burns’ words to the song we know today.
Many credit Guy Lombardo for the holiday tradition, as he held New Year’s Eve concerts from 1929 through 1976, bringing the tradition of “Auld Lang Syne” to his concerts in the States. The song has historical significance outside of his concerts, being played during significant events like the Christmas truce of World War I.
The song’s meaning is about reconciling with friends, which is a great way to start the year. Thanks for watching Mental Floss, made with the help of all these wonderful people. And as they say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Holidays – Days of celebration or remembrance that are often marked by specific traditions and activities. – During the holidays, families often gather to celebrate and remember important events in history.
December – The twelfth month of the year, often associated with winter holidays and celebrations. – In December, many people around the world celebrate various cultural and religious holidays.
Calendar – A system for organizing and dividing time into days, weeks, months, and years. – The calendar helps us keep track of important historical dates and events.
Traditions – Customs or beliefs passed down through generations, often forming a part of cultural or family celebrations. – Many families have traditions that have been practiced for generations, such as special meals during holidays.
Memories – Recollections of past experiences or events that are stored in the mind. – Studying history helps us understand the memories of people who lived in different times.
Childhood – The period of life when a person is a child, often remembered for its simplicity and innocence. – Many people have fond memories of their childhood, which can shape their understanding of history.
Emotional – Relating to feelings or expressions of strong emotions. – Learning about historical events can be an emotional experience, as we connect with the struggles and triumphs of people from the past.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – Conducting research on historical events helps us understand how they have shaped the present.
Song – A short piece of music with words that is sung. – Songs from different eras can provide insight into the emotions and thoughts of people from that time in history.
Reconnecting – Restoring a connection or relationship that was lost or weakened. – Reconnecting with historical roots can help people understand their cultural heritage and identity.
