Hosea Ballou

"Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of little children tends towards the formation of character."

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Today's Featured Article, Website or Blog:Be the Best Secret Santa Ever

Buying secret Santa gifts is, frankly, a pain in the neck. The more time you spend searching, the less confident you feel in your selection. After all, what can you get for a person you don't know all that well without breaking a fairly low price limit?Well, forget about joke secret Santa gifts. With these ideas, you'll be able to wow just about anyone: Be the Best Secret Santa Ever

Did you Know...

... that today is Convenience Store Marriage Day? In 1996, Myrtle Bond and Owen Jack Tate got married in the 7-Eleven store where they had met six months earlier when Jack stopped in for coffee and met Myrtle working there. Congrats to the couple!

 

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J.C. Watts

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught."

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Today's Featured Article, Website or Blog:Looking to Add a Personal Touch to Your Christmas Tree?

At one time in your life a teacher probably told you, "think outside the box." With these Christmas ornaments crafts, it's more fun and original to think inside the box! You can paint the outside of these ornaments, or use these Christmas ornament craft ideas and have a one-of-a-kind ornament hanging from your tree. Use these simple-step directions for fun kids Christmas ornament crafts that will allow you and your kids the creativity you crave: Looking to Add a Personal Touch to Your Christmas Tree?

Did you Know...

... that today is Maggie's First Word Day? Maggie, the youngest of the Simpsons, spoke her first word in the December 3, 1992, episode. Her first word (voiced by Elizabeth Taylor) was "Daddy."

 

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Top 10 Christmas Villains

(1970). As part of Santa’s supposed back-story, the Burgermeister was the mayor of the small village where Kris Kringle first passed out his toys. When the Burgermeister tripped on errant toy duck he banned toys. Even a brief flirtation with a yo-yo wasn’t enough to convince him to change his ways. By making Kris an outlaw he forced Santa to go down chimneys. See how important Christmas villains are? The Burgermeister was given life by venerable cartoon voice artist Paul Frees who also provided the voice for the other cartoon villain Boris Badenov.

9. Heat & Snow Miser

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Top 10 Worst Holiday Gifts

Everyone has vivid memories of the dreaded, yet seemingly always present, fruitcake. What are they? What are you supposed to do with them? No one really knows. In fact, there is no reliable information that they are even supposed to be eaten. Maybe the intent of this purported food stuff is decorative in nature.  Unfortunately, most fruitcakes have a stomach unsettling appearance.  Though one could argue the packages they come in are nice (remember when they use to come in those colorful, brown containers?). In reality, fruitcakes are one of those gifts that produce a smile when received but soon find its way into the trashcan when your guests have gone home.

9. Knitted Apparel

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Top 10 Santa Legends From Around the World

The Yule lads, or Yulemen, are a group of thirteen mischievous creatures that have largely taken the place of Santa Claus in the Icelandic celebration of Christmas. Their first major appearance can be traced back to the early thirties, when an Icelandic writer composed a short poem describing their role in the Christmas season. Since then they’ve gone through many different incarnations, from lovable gift-givers to annoying pests, and they’ve even been painted as bloodthirsty creatures that kidnap and eat children in the night.

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Top 10 Scary Santas

9. Santa Claus as Michael Myers from Halloween…with Rouge

I can hear the music to the movie Halloween when I see this frightening visage. The sheer terror in the little girl rivals anything Jamie Lee Curtis could act out.

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Top 10 Misconceptions About Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a celebration of culture and universal truths that transcend religious boundaries. While one could assert that there is a spiritual content attached to Kwanzaa, the celebration itself is not associated with any organized religion or deity worship. In the words of Kwanzaa’s creator, Dr. Karenga,

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