According to a survey conducted in October 2022, flowers and plants, as well as beauty products, were some of the most unwanted gifts for Christmas in the United States. Specifically, over 40 percent of surveyed consumers in the U.S. said they would not want to receive presents such as these over the holidays.
Considering all the gift-giving occasions during the year—from birthdays to anniversaries, graduations to weddings, Hanukah and Christmas to Valentine’s Day, baby showers to bridal showers—surely all of us have received unwanted presents. Maybe not the things in the 2022 survey, but something that just doesn’t hit the spot.
But how could you not be delighted with a slobbery, half-chewed squeaky toy?
So what to do? First you give an exasperated sigh, or possibly an eye roll, even a scowl. And then?
Return
Easily done if your gift came with a “gift receipt,” especially if it’s an exchange for a different size or color. But often you can exchange for a totally different item, store credit, or even cash!
Regift
Nearly anything can be happily destroyed as a pet toy, though not always safely.
A choice of long standing. If you don’t do scented candles—or plaid neck scarves, or whatever—someone among your family, friends, or neighbors probably does. You can save it for the next gift-giving occasion, or just ask around for who might be interested. Your trash might be someone else’s treasure.
But be careful if you go this route. You don’t want to risk regifting an item in front of the original giver. Or worse—giving an unwanted item directly back to the original giver!
Redesign
Most easily done with clothes by adding or taking away. Trim, such as bows, ruffles, or lace are simple to change. Open the top of a knit cap and it becomes a neck warmer. Sweaters can become vests. T-shirts or sweatshirts can become undershirts by removing the sleeves. Jeans can become shorts. Etc.
Lots of suggestions are available online.
Repurpose
Ill-fitting socks become chia pets!
When you can’t think of anyone who might want a Christmas ornament of a skull wearing a Santa hat, consider turning it into a Halloween decoration—with or without changing the color of the hat.
Neckties can become headbands. Many cloth items can become quilt pieces, patches, appliqués, pillows, doll clothes. Particularly outrageous items can find a new home in the “dress-up box” for children or cleaning cloths.
Donate
The perfect destination for your boss’s three-volume autobiography
Charity shops are happy to take most good quality gifts. If they’re new, they’ll go for a higher price. Some shops now even log the items you’ve donated and send a letter a few weeks later telling you how much your gifts have raised.
Goodwill takes nearly anything, any time of year.
Libraries are almost always happy to have books, keeping some for their stock and some for the perennial sales tables.
Sell
An especially attractive option if you already offer things on eBay or similar sites. But if you are a novice, before taking the plunge, consider whether it’s worth your time and effort to list, package, and mail for a one-off.
And consider consignment shops! Some specialize (in clothes, for example, or glassware) but many are more varied in their offerings.
Recycle
An option depending on where you live and what the gift is made of.
Toss It
When all else fails, send it to the dump. It’s harsh, and some would say wasteful. But in my opinion, that’s better than cluttering your mental and physical space.
Bottom Line: It’s okay to get rid of gifts that aren’t adding value to your life: donate it, sell it, recycle it. Let go of stuff so you can focus on what’s important in your life. Most people won’t even notice, especially the people who care about you.
Worldwide, more people think about reindeer today than on any other day of the year! And here’s the scoop.
Rangifer tarandus saintnicolas magicalus
According to the Alaska Department on Fish and Game, Santa’s reindeer (R.t. saintnicolas magicalus) look very similar to common reindeer or caribou, but have many characteristics that distinguish them from the seven other common subspecies.
Santa’s reindeer possess the unique and remarkable ability to fly. A strenuous conditioning program developed by Mr. and Mrs. Claus enables them to travel great distances in a short time, provided they receive frequent carrot snacks.
My personal observation of reindeer in Norway has led me to conclude that Santa’s reindeer also have a much greater affinity for bells compared to common reindeer.
In most subspecies of reindeer/caribou, the adult bulls shed their antlers in late October. So, given the date of Christmas, all the males would have dropped their antlers. Female reindeer use their antlers to brush away snow to find food in the winter, and pregnant females usually retain their antlers until calves are born in late May.
In all reported sightings, the antlers of Santa’s reindeer appear extremely velvety and robust in late December. This has fired a debate over whether Santa’s reindeer are all female. Because there are no data on when or if Santa’s reindeer shed their antlers, some claim that males with antlers in winter is just another unique difference between Santa’s reindeer and regular reindeer.
The names of Dasher, Dancer, and the rest of Santa’s antlered reindeer are gender-neutral, also suggesting to me that they all could be female.
Rudolph’s Biology
In any case, Rudolf is a boy. Small bulls and non-pregnant cows shed antlers in April, and reliable sources claim that Rudolph was very young when he first started flying with Santa Claus.
When reindeer need to cool down, they can increase blood flow to their extremities, including their noses. Because the hair on their noses is finer and lighter in color than in other areas, their noses can appear red, just like a human with flushed cheeks. Though the bright glowing seems to be artistic license, Rudolph’s red nose was likely just a result of his healthy circulatory system!
There is a story abroad that Blitzen and Rudolph are father and son, who have a loving relationship. During Rudolph’s childhood, Blitzen worried about what others would think of his son’s red nose and became angry when people found out and ridiculed him. Perhaps that was Rudolph’s mother?
Old Santeclaus with much delight His reindeer drives this frosty night. O’er chimneytops, and tracks of snow, To bring his yearly gifts to you.
Two years later, in 1823, the Troy Sentinel published the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, commonly known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The poem featured eight flying reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh and, for the first time, identified each team member by name.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer began guiding Santa’s sleigh in 1939, when Robert L. May wrote the story of “the most famous reindeer of all” as a Christmas coloring book for his employer, the department store Montgomery Ward. The company gave away the coloring books as holiday gifts to children to entice their parents to visit and shop at the store. Before settling on Rudolph, May considered the names Rollo and Reginald!
In 1948, May’s brother-in-law Johnny Marks made the story into a song. It was featured in a cartoon shown in movie theaters, but wasn’t released as a stand-alone recording until 1949 when “The Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry recorded the song and its popularity soared. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is one of the biggest-selling Christmas songs of all time.
Leaving Fantasy Behind
Apart from Santa’s workshop, reindeer are a real thing. Humans domesticated reindeer in Eurasia over 2000 years ago. Today, depending on where you are, reindeer is a blanket name that includes both the domesticated and wild populations.
The scientific name for reindeer and caribou is Rangifer tarandus. The term Rangifer likely comes from the Old French word rangier for reindeer and the Latin word ferus, which translates to ‘wild’ or ‘untamed’.
Caribou live in the Arctic tundra and the boreal forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada. There are two types of caribou (reindeer)—tundra caribou and forest and woodland caribou.
Reindeer vs. Caribou
All caribou and reindeer throughout the world are considered to be the same species, and, excluding Santa’s reindeer (R.t. saintnicolas magicalus), there are 7 subspecies.
Migration
Though most people use the terms ‘caribou’ and ‘reindeer’ interchangeably to refer to the same species, migration is a key difference.
Tundra caribou are larger in numbers and migrate between tundras and forests areas every year. They migrate in massive herds that can reach up to 500,000 individuals. ‘Caribou’ describes members of the Rangifer tarandus species living in North America, who migrate these long distances. According to a study of the longest terrestrial migrations in the world published in Scientific Reports, reindeer and gray wolves were the only species that exceeded 621 miles (1,000 kilometers). With their remarkably long legs, North American reindeer can travel an average of 23 miles daily.
‘Reindeer’ describes wild Rangifer tarandus living in Europe and Asia or domesticated caribou in North America.
Wolves are the greatest natural predator of caribou. For thousands of years, they have followed migrating caribou herds, killing mostly the aged, injured, or weak animals.
Although the similarities between reindeer and caribou are numerous, the differences are enough that they are classified as two subspecies.
Domestication
Domestication is the other main difference between reindeer and caribou, and many of the distinguishing traits are thought to result from that domestication.
Both male and female reindeer and caribou grow antlers — a trait unique in the deer family — although female reindeer antlers grow larger than female caribou antlers.
Reindeer are shorter, stouter and more sedentary than their long-legged caribou cousins, and although reindeer may migrate within their grazing range, they do not migrate long distances between wintering grounds and calving areas as caribou do.
Caribou bulls are larger than reindeer bulls, but reindeer cows generally weigh the same as caribou cows.
Reindeer have thicker, denser fur than caribou, although both have hollow guard hairs that keep them warm.
Russian reindeer pulling a sled
The reindeer breeding season begins about two to four weeks earlier than caribou, which results in reindeer calves being born at the end of April, while caribou calves are born at the end of May.
The Value of Reindeer
The main product of reindeer herding is meat. However, skins, bones, and horns are important raw materials for making clothes and handicrafts.
Meat and organs such as tongue, kidneys, brain, heart and liver are an essential food source. In Alaska, and Canada reindeer/caribou are an important food source, particularly in native communities throughout the north.
Reindeer meat is eaten widely in Norway and Finland.
Tallow or fat is used in recipes such as Eskimo ice cream and was burned as a light source.
Hard antlers and bone are used to make utensils, tools, and decorative objects.
Hides are used for clothing, mukluks, blankets, mittens, tents, boat coverings, sleeping bags, house coverings, and insulation.
Reindeer milk is some of the richest and most nutritious milk produced by any terrestrial mammal. It contains an impressive 22 percent butterfat and 10 percent protein. (Whole cow milk contains only three to four percent fat, and human milk contains three to five percent.) However, reindeer can only produce up to two cups daily. In Nordic countries, people use the milk of farmed reindeer to make butter and a kind of sweet cheese.
Antler velvet has been used in medicine since at least 100 BC, according to a silk scroll found in a Han tomb in China. Today, velvet is still used as a medicinal ingrediant in several countries, including China, Korea, and Indonesia.
Hair is edible! This practice has saved some groups from starvation.
Fun Facts About Reindeer
Antlers
Both male and female reindeer grow antlers, unique among the more than 45 species of deer where only the males have antlers. The males use their antlers primarily to battle for females whereas the females use theirs mainly to defend food sources. Males’ antlers grow up to about 50 inches long while females’ can reach up to 20 inches,
Compared to their body size, reindeer have the largest and heaviest antlers of all living deer species. A male’s antlers can be up to 51 inches long, and a female’s antlers can reach 20 inches.
Unlike horns which are never shed, antlers fall off and grow back larger each year. Male reindeer begin to grow antlers in February and female reindeer in May.
Both sexes finish growing their antlers at the same time but shed them at different times of the year. Typically, males drop their antlers in the late fall, leaving them without antlers until the following spring, while females keep their antlers through the winter until their calves are born in the spring.
Fur and Hair
Reindeer have thick, wooly undercoats, with a top layer of longer, tubular hairs. The hollow shafts allow the hairs to trap air, providing insulation to keep the animals warm in frigid environments. The hollowness of their coats is also what gives them their white color.
That hollow coat hairs (along with big feet) make reindeer excellent swimmers. They’re often seen crossing the Yukon River—the third longest in North America, a half mile wide in parts—mid-migration. They swim across these rough, wide rivers and can swim three times faster than the average human, up to 6 mph — which happens to be Michael Phelps’s top speed! According to the National Park Service, researchers have recorded calves just a few months old swimming between islands a mile and a half apart.
Reindeer hair covers their bodies from their noses to the bottom of their feet (hooves). The hairy hooves may look funny, but they give reindeer a good grip when walking on frozen ground, ice, mud, and snow.
Reindeer are the only deer species to have hair completely covering their nose. Their specialized nose hair helps to warm incoming cold air before it enters their lungs. Their good sense of smell helps reindeer find food hidden under snow, locate danger, and recognize direction. Reindeer mainly travel into the wind so they can pick up scents.
Behavior
Reindeer eat mosses, herbs, ferns, grasses, and the shoots and leaves of shrubs and trees, especially willow and birch. In winter, they make do with lichen (also called reindeer moss) and fungi, scraping the snow away with their hooves to get it. Lichen is exceedingly high in carbohydrates and contains a fair amount of vitamins and protein. An average adult reindeer eats 9 to 18 pounds of vegetation a day.
Reindeer travel, feed, and rest together throughout the day in herds of 10 to a few hundred. In spring, they may form super-herds of 50,000 to 500,000 animals. The herds generally follow food sources, traveling south up to 1,000 miles when food is hard to find in winter.
Reindeer are the only deer species humans have managed to domesticate widely.
Caribou and reindeer are important to their ecosystems. In the tundras and forests, they help regulate vegetation and cycle nutrients through the soil to encourage growth.
Baby Reindeer
In yet another departure from the rest of the deer family, reindeer aren’t called bucks, does, or fawns. Instead, like cattle, a male is a bull (or in some cases a stag), a female is a cow and a baby is a calf.
Calf in Finland
Cow with calf
Females give birth to one calf each year. Calves can stand within minutes of being born. Within 90 minutes of birth, calves can run as fast as an Olympic sprinter. In a matter of hours, they can keep up with the herd. It isn’t abnormal for calves to run at speeds of up to 50 mph for 30-some miles a day during migration. That speed is only slightly slower than the pronghorn (top speed 55 mph), the second-fastest land animal in the world. This quick development helps the vulnerable young survive against predators like wolves, bears, and lynx.
Also an anomaly for the deer family, reindeer calves aren’t born with spots. According to Henderson State University, spots on a young deer are an adaptation for survival. Because other deer can’t run as fast as adults when they’re young, their spots help their mothers locate them if they’ve been outrun. When running from a predator, the spots break up the pattern of the rushing herd. However, reindeer calves can run as fast as their adult counterparts within hours, so they haven’t developed the adaptation.
Meat
Reindeer tastes like venison. It is popular in Scandinavian countries where it is served with sweet sauces most of the time. If you like venison, you will probably like reindeer. Both are available in many forms, some more gamy than others, and in both the back strap is the best cut.
Reindeer meat is very healthful. It has more vitamins and micro nutrients and less fat than pork or beef.
Reindeer meat is also an ethical choice for free grazing and a cleaner environment.
Reindeer meat is very popular throughout Europe, widely available in supermarkets and restaurants as steak, stew, ribs, jerky, sausage, soup, smoked, and fried.
Weird Deer
Caribou/reindeer hooves are large enough to distribute their weight, which helps them walk easily on snow and paddle through water. During winter, their footpads shrink and harden, the World Animal Foundation says, exposing the hoof rim so it can cut into ice and snow for traction. The hoof’s hollow underside also helps them dig through snow to reach lichens, their primary winter food source. In summer, the underside is spongy and soft to help them grip the earth.
Thanks to an intwined arrangement of arteries and veins in their legs, reindeer have a counter-current heat exchange. Like Arctic foxes and moose, this allows them to “recycle” their body heat rather getting cold feet standing in the snow!
Researchers at University College London discovered that reindeer are the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light. Their ability to see ultraviolet light helps the animals spot food and predators more clearly in the glaring light of the Arctic.
Reindeer in Danger
The involvement of young people in Norway and Sweden in raising and herding caribou is hindered by legislative acts, and the lack of pastures and economic opportunities hamper the growth of the industry.
Caribou are classified by the IUCN RedList as Vulnerable (VU). Prior to 2015, they were classified as Least Concern (LC). Caribou have experienced a population decline of 40% over the last three generations (21 to 27 years).
The numerous threats contributing to this decline include habit disturbance through human activity, hunting, predation, and climate change.
Bottom Line: There’s a lot more to reindeer than Christmas!
Reading, unless you’re reading aloud, tends to be a solitary past-time. However, watching movies based on or inspired by books can be a group activity. Watching movies inspired by Christmas books could be a fun way to combine the best of both worlds while visiting loved ones during the holiday season. So here, for your watching pleasure, is a selection of Christmas movies based on books.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Although not as old as some, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss) is definitely a Christmas classic. Three film adaptations of the story have come out, in 1966, 2000, and 2018.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The 2004 movie has had a mixed reception, but it appears that most people like the book.
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Clement Moore’s 1823 poem Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas is more commonly known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. There was a silent film version of the story made in 1905. The original plot is a secondary story in the 1974 film by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass—but then, most movies vary from the books. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) retains almost nothing of the original story except Santa Claus and his reindeer!
A Christmas Carol also inspired Philip Van Doren Stern’s 1943 short story The Greatest Gift. In 1946, Frank Capra produced It’s a Wonderful Life, loosely based on Stern’s story.
With its snowy setting and themes of overcoming winter, Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, is often included with Christmas stories. The story has been made into several films, ballets, operas, ice skating productions, television series, and animes. The 2013 Disney film Frozen is loosely based on the original Andersen story.
Terry Pratchett’s 1996 comedic novel Hogfather, though taking place in an entirely fantasy world, “begins on a midwinter festival bearing a remarkable similarity to your Christmas.” In 2006, the BBC adapted the novel as a four-hour miniseries.
Technically, Miracle on 34th Street shouldn’t be here, as the book by Valentine Davies and the movie came out simultaneously in 1947. But who wants to be technical? The film was remade in 1994.
And if you want still more movie options, go to imbd.com for 100+ Christmas movies based on books.
Of course, you should feel free to read the books instead—or even in addition!
As a writer, I enjoy playing with words. This is one of my favorite sesquipedalian word games. How many of the following songs can you name? Hint: they’re all Christmas songs.
Note: a title may occur more than once.
1. Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal to their faith.
2. Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds.
3. Nocturnal timespan of unbroken quietness.
4. An emotion excited by the acquisition of expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere.
5. Embellish the interior passageways.
6. Heavenly beings from exalted surroundings.
7. Twelve o’clock on a clement night witnessed its occurrence.
8. Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted, metallic resonant cups.
9. Small municipality in Judea southeast of Jerusalem.
10. Diminutive masculine master of skin covered percussionist cylinders.
11. Omnipotent supreme being who elicits respite to ecstatic, distinguished male personages.
12. Natal celebration devoid of color.
13. In awe of the nocturnal timespan characterized by religious consecration.
14. The first person nominative plural of triumvirate of far eastern heads of state.
15. In a distant location the existence of an impoverished unit of newborn children’s slumber furniture.
16. Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us.
17. Castaneous-colored seed vesicated in a conflagration.
18. Red man enroute to borough.
19. Frozen precipitation commence.
20. Quadruped with the vermillion proboscis.
21. Delight for this planet.
22. The dozen festive 24 hour intervals.
23. Bleached yule.
24. Singular yearning for the twin anterior incisors.
25. Righteous darkness.
26. Arrival time: 2400 hours; weather: cloudless.
27. Loyal followers advance.
28. Far off in a feeder.
29. Array the corridor.
30. Bantam male percussionist.
31. Monarchial triad.
32. Nocturnal noiselessness.
33. Proceed and enlighten on the pinnacle.
34. Query regarding identity of descendant.
35. Give attention to the melodious celestial beings.
Bottom Line: Is a song by any other name as melodious?
If you look for synonyms or associations, you find words like grime, dust, soot, smut, muck, mud, filth, sludge, slime, ooze, dross, scum, pollution, waste, smudges, stains, crud, yuck, grunge, and the list goes on. Dirt certainly has negative associations.
When one isn’t being literal? Well, there’s scandal, gossip, revelations, rumor(s), tittle-tattle, slander, libel, calumny, smears, lowdown, dope, poop. Yep, dirt has lots of black marks against it.
And that’s not even counting dirty words, dirty dancing, dirty jokes, dirty looks, dirty minds…
The slang meaning of “eating dirt” means to accept blame, guilt, criticism, or insults without complaint; to humble or abase oneself.
Is There Nothing Good About Dirt?
The obvious answer comes from growing plants: any gardener or farmer swears by good dirt.
Not so obvious: exposure to dirt and microorganisms can help train your immune system to fight off foreign substances and build resilience to illnesses.
What follows is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.
Dirt and bacteria in the environment help your immune system learn how to react to foreign substances.
Early exposure to microbes helps children develop regulatory T cells, which are white blood cells that control how the immune system responds to foreign invaders. Mycobacterium vaccae, a type of bacteria found in soil, can reduce inflammation and improve mood by influencing the release of serotonin.
Playing in mud can be beneficial for a child’s health.
Outside activities like mountain biking, camping, and hiking can help people come into contact with a diverse microbial ecosystem.
Don’t constantly clean an infant’s pacifier. A dirty pacifier can stimulate your child’s immune system.
Having a furry pet in the home, regardless of how clean the pet is kept, will introduce bacteria and pet dander into the atmosphere.
And Then There is Actually Eating Dirt!
Mud cookies in Haiti, by David Levene
Written accounts of humans eating dirt date back more than 2,000 years. For many people, all over the world, dining on dirt is nothing out of the ordinary. Now an extensive meta-analysis reported in the June, 2011 issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology helps explain why.
Dr. Sera Young and her colleagues analyzed reports from missionaries, plantation doctors, explorers, and anthropologists to put together a database of more than 480 cultural accounts of people eating dirt. According to this research, the most probable explanation for humans eating dirt (geophagy) is that it protects the stomach against toxins, parasites, and pathogens.
“The database shows that geophagy is documented most commonly in women in the early stages of pregnancy and in pre-adolescent children. Both categories of people are especially sensitive to parasites and pathogens, according to Young and her colleagues. In addition, geophagy is most common in tropical climates where foodborne microbes are abundant. Finally, the database shows that people often eat earth during episodes of gastrointestinal stress. It’s unlikely the intestinal problems are caused by the dirt itself because the type of clay people usually eat comes from deep in the ground, where pathogens and parasites are unlikely to contaminate it. Plus, people usually boil the clay before eating it.”
University of Chicago Press Journals. “Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 June 2011
In one 2017 study, 54% of pregnant women in South Africa ate dirt, and three-quarters of them ate more than 3 teaspoons per day.
Although soil is generally low in nutritive value, deficiencies in iron and zinc may play a role in why some people eat dirt. A 2023 study of children from Sri Lanka suggested that pica (eating things that aren’t food) could indicate a zinc deficiency because the average zinc levels in the children with pica were significantly lower than the average zinc levels in the group without pica.
Note: Eating dirt can be dangerous because soil may contain harmful substances like heavy metals, human waste, and parasites.
Numerous bacterial genera and species that produce antibiotics in vitro have been isolated from different soils. Actinomycetes, in particular Streptomyces species, have been the primary resource of clinical antibiotics and other therapeutics.
Immunologists and allergists in Europe are working on the so-called “farm effect.” Children raised on ecologically managed farms in Central Europe have much lower rates of allergy and asthma than urban children or those raised on industrialized farms. Almost everything points to microbes—in manure, in unpasteurized milk, in stable dust, on unwashed food and, yes, in the soil. How soil microbes and other farm microbes protect against allergic diseases is still a matter of debate.
Volunteering is a positive thing, as nearly everyone agrees. A volunteer benefits not just their community but reaps a range of benefits mentally, professionally, and personally.
Maureen Sullivan and Shirley Conn, American Women’s Voluntary Services (F. Palumbo, 1941)
Words associated with volunteering include:
Passionate
Reliable
Team player
Patient
Creative
Energetic
Positive
Willing to help
Compassionate
Organized
Why to Volunteer
So, if you volunteer, you are likely to enhance your image. But if your image is “fine,“ why bother? There are many more substantive reasons for people—even selfish people—to volunteer.
Social scientist have studied the phenomenon of volunteering for years, and the benefits are clearly documented for physical benefits, a range of mental and emotional positives as well as a sense of self-worth, and social networking.
Dr. Eric Kim, psychologist, has studied the connection between psychological well-being and physical health. One study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, followed people who volunteered at least two hours per week over a period of four years. According to Kim, “Our minds and bodies are rewarded when we give to others.” Study participants showed less chance of early death and also reduced “physical functioning limitations.”
Developing confidence: discovering hidden talents that may change the volunteer’s view of their own self-worth.
Learning new/valuable skills: opportunity to develop transferable skills applicable to any position, such as interpersonal communication, time management, leadership, delegation, communication, leadership and problem-solving.
Networking: volunteer work can demonstrate to those who may be in a position to recommend you to others or hire you for a paid position based on the kind of person you are (e.g. how you work with others, how you approach tasks, how you take initiative, how you manage your time).
Targeted volunteering gives you the opportunity to develop meaningful connections with professionals in your field of interest.
Career exploration: volunteering is also a great way to explore different career opportunities by engaging with professionals in a variety of fields to better understand your interests, likes and dislikes and determine which fields you might want to pursue further.
Other professional benefits:
Gaining professional experience
Expand your resume
Career advancement
Develop social skills
Mental Health Benefits
Mental health professionals agree that focusing on a cause outside of yourself has many benefits for mental health and well-being.
Interrupts tension-producing patterns.
Increase happiness: reduce stress, combat depression, anxiety and loneliness by releasing dopamine.
Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one’s fate, strengthen the immune system.
Physical health (by encouraging more physical activity)
Gratification of giving back
Meet new people/make new friends
Finding purpose
And bring fun into your life!
Benefits to Your Community
Community cohesion: assisting in uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal and building camaraderie through teamwork.
Personal growth and fulfillment: through working with local non-profit agencies, learn about the functions and operations of our government, gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.
Saving resources: volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on local improvements. The estimated value of a volunteer’s time in California is $26.87 per hour based on the Corporation for National & Community Service.
Cons of Volunteering
The constraints on time, funding, or manpower can make it tough for volunteers to hit their goals or create a significant impact. Such failures can cause the volunteers to lose faith in the cause or in the benefits of volunteering altogether.
In addition, you may also encounter resistance. Introducing new ideas or initiatives can face pushback, both from within the organization and the community.
Bottom Line: Weighing the pros and cons, even selfish self-interest supports volunteering.
The relationship between clothing and psychology has been studied for decades. The major point overall is that the relationship between clothing and psychology is bidirectional. Not only do our clothing choices reflect our identity, but they can also influence our thoughts and feelings.
Clothes can be a way to express ourselves without saying a word. As a form of nonverbal communication, clothes can reveal our inner emotional states to others—or hide them.
Mood
On a given day, clothes may be a reflection of one’s mood OR a projection of the mood we want people to think we are feeling. For example, someone who wears bright colors may be feeling outgoing and confident, or want to appear that way. Someone who chooses black may be reserved and serious, or want to seem so. Also, over centuries, dark and dull colors were the colors of mourning, sometimes required more than felt.
On days when we feel happy and positive, we tend to gravitate towards bright colors and playful patterns. Conversely, during times of sadness or anxiety, we may find ourselves reaching for comfortable and cozy clothing in neutral tones. Our clothing can become a reflection of how we are feeling.
Nostalgia
Certain clothing items can evoke nostalgia. As humans, we have an innate ability to attach emotions and memories to objects, including clothing that holds sentimental value or reminds us of a specific time or place in our lives. By definition, nostalgia means thinking of past happy moments filled with joy and warmth.
One reason certain clothing items hold strong nostalgic value is because they were worn during significant events or milestones in our lives. For example, a wedding dress, or a graduation gown that brings back memories of hard work and achievement.
The opposite is also true: some items of clothing or jewelry may bring back powerful memories of loss or grief.
Comfort
Physical comfort is essential for our overall well-being. When we wear comfortable clothing, we feel relaxed and at ease. It allows us to move freely, without restrictions or discomfort. Comfortable clothes can also boost our confidence as we don’t have to constantly adjust or worry about how we look. This sense of ease can positively impact our mood by reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Self-Perception
The clothes we wear can also influence how we feel about ourselves. Studies have shown that people tend to feel more confident when dressed more formally than when dressed more casually. When we feel confident and put together, it can positively affect our mindset and give us a sense of power and control. The explanation posited is that dressing in professional attire signals importance and authority, which can boost one’s self-esteem. This phenomenon, known as “enclothed cognition,” highlights the powerful impact clothing can have on our psychological state.
The saying “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” holds true in many professional settings. When we dress professionally, we are projecting an image of competence, credibility, and authority. Participants in a study paid closer attention and made fewer mistakes on a test when they wore white lab coats. Women in another study performed either worse or more variably on both athletic and cognitivetasks when required to wear clothing that draws attention to their bodies. This not only affects how others perceive us but also how they respond to us, as a competent authority—further boosting self-esteem and confidence.
Reflective and Affective Color
Color can both affect our emotions and reflect them. For instance, red is associated with passion and energy while blue represents calmness and stability. Our brains associate green with nature, growth, balance, and harmony while yellow represents happiness and optimism. These associations can shape how others perceive us based on the color of clothing we choose to wear.
The colors we choose to wear have a significant impact on our mood and behavior. This is because colors can evoke different emotions and feelings, making us feel happy, calm, energized, or even anxious. The psychology of color has been studied extensively, with research showing that certain hues can trigger specific reactions in the brain.
Personality for Color Preferences
Color preferences are related to personality traits.
Juliet Ju and Jung Hee Ha researched the relationships between personality and color preferences in 2022. Their research reveals a positive correlation between agreeableness and preference for yellow, light blue, and white, and a negative correlation between agreeableness and a preference for red. In addition, they found a positive correlation between conscientiousness and a preference for light blue and dark blue, and a negative correlation between conscientiousness and a preference for red.
Meanwhile, emotional stability was positively correlated with a preference for light blue, dark blue, and white, and negatively correlated with red and yellow. Finally, openness to new experiences was positively correlated with a preference for bright blue and white, and negatively correlated with a preference for orange.
This research found that color preferences significantly predicted all personality traits except extraversion. Agreeableness was significantly predicted by yellow, light blue, and white preferences. They found that the preference for light blue significantly predicted conscientiousness. Emotional stability was significantly predicted by red and light blue preferences. Openness to new experiences was predicted by green, purple, and white preferences.
Good to know if you are trying to manipulate the impression you are making!
Red is associated with passion, love, and power. It is a bold and intense color that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, making us feel more alert and energized. Wearing red clothing can also make us appear more confident and attractive. On the other hand, too much red can also lead to feelings of anger or aggression.
Blueis known for its calming effect on the mind and body. It is often associated with trust, stability, and intelligence. Studies have shown that wearing blue clothing can lower blood pressure and heart rate while promoting relaxation. This makes it an ideal color to wear during stressful situations or when you need to remain focused. FYI, overall blue is America’s favorite color.
Yellowis a bright and cheerful color that symbolizes happiness, optimism, and creativity. It has been found to stimulate mental activity and boost energy levels. Wearing yellow clothing can help improve your mood on days when you are feeling down or unmotivated.
Greenrepresents nature, growth, balance, and harmony. It has a calming effect on the eyes as it reflects most light wavelengths evenly. Wearing green clothing can promote feelings of tranquility while reducing anxiety levels.
Impact of Clothing Patterns
A study by George K Stylios, Meixuan Chen indicated that patterns on clothing also affect the mood and behavior of the wearer and the observer. In particular, repeating patterns increase theta brain waves, indicating people take more pleasure in these compared to non-repeating ones. People were also more excited by strong, intense patterns than weak or subtle ones.
So, if you want to attract attention, opt for an intense, repeating pattern. If you’re going for a calming but pleasant effect, wear something with a subtly repeating pattern. Clothing without any patterns tends to have less effect on the brain of the observer, which may be helpful for someone who wishes to be unobtrusive. Wearing an intense, non-repeating pattern will have a very strong, edgy effect.
Values and Beliefs
Values and beliefs can be revealed by clothing. A t-shirt or hat with a slogan will make an immediate statement about the wearer’s beliefs, but other signs may not be as obvious. For example, someone who wears clothing made from sustainable, eco-friendly materials might signal their commitment to environmental causes, while someone who chooses to wear clothing from a particular cultural tradition might be expressing their connection to that culture. In this way, the clothes we wear can serve as a visual representation of our beliefs and values.
Identity Reinforcement
We often choose clothing that reinforces our existing self-concept. If you see yourself as a creative individual, you might gravitate toward unique and artistic fashion choices. On the other hand, if you identify as a professional, your wardrobe may consist of business attire that reflects your dedication to your career.
Social Identity
We tend to dress in ways that align with the social groups we belong to or aspire to be part of. Subcultures, such as punk, goth, or hip-hop, often have distinct fashion styles associated with them. By adopting clothing related to a particular subculture, individuals signal their membership and allegiance to that group. It’s a way of saying, “I belong here.”
None of This is Infallible
It is important to recognize that clothing choice cannot definitively reveal a person’s personality. All of the points covered in this blog are based on group data, and individuals vary a great deal. So, while clothing can provide some clues, it cannot accurately define a person’s personality. Remember that quite a lot of personal fashion is determined by elements outside the wearer’s control!
Bottom Line: Clothing is more than just a practical necessity. Understanding the psychology behind our clothing choices can lead to greater self-awareness and a more intentional approach to the messages we convey through our attire. So the next time you stand in front of your closet, remember that your clothing choices are more than just fabric and threads; they reflect who you are and who you aspire to be.
There’s no denying that clothes are important. They are (arguably) the first thing people see when they see you—front, back, or sideways. People may infer a lot from your clothes, everything from socio-economic class to what you like. Are they accurate?
Sometimes. In my opinion, there are multiple factors that determine what one wears at any given time. Our clothing choices are not static; rather, they adapt to different circumstances. The way you dress for a job interview will likely differ from how you dress for a casual weekend with friends. Adaptability reflects our ability to navigate social situations effectively. We use clothing as a tool to project the desired image.
Factors Outside Yourself That Affect Clothing Choices
Socio-Economic Standing
As a child, I wore whatever my mother made for me, plus hand-me-downs from older cousins. Although places such as resale stores, Goodwill, and Ashland Christian Emergency Services may provide access to clothes one might not be able to afford otherwise, perfect tailoring, high fashion, and accessories such as fur just aren’t available to most working class/blue- or pink-collar people.
Accessibility
Related to socio-economic standing is the issue of what clothes a person is able to obtain and wear. Wealthy people can afford to have clothes tailored or even custom-made to fit, but everyone else is generally limited to what is available on the rack. Even trying to make or alter your own clothes requires skill, time, and materials. People with measurements outside the average often have to settle for what fits rather than what they like.
Though they have improved a bit in recent years, many clothing lines that cater to plus-size women still offer only dark colors, floral prints, boxy silhouettes, and outdated trends. Additionally, many brands simply scale up clothing designed for thinner bodies, making clothes that don’t fit at the shoulders and hips or don’t bend properly at the knees and elbows.
Exceptionally tall or short fashionistas face similar problems when trying to choose clothing. A friend who is very tall hates tunic style tops but often can’t find anything else long enough for her torso. Her equally tall husband generally settles for shirts too large in the shoulders because those are the only ones that don’t bare his navel. Another friend has to shop for footwear exclusively in the children’s section because those are the only shoes small enough for her feet.
Work
Although the line has blurred since the COVID restrictions made work-from-home and on-line-commuting common, most people can still look at their closets/dressers and identify which clothes are specifically for work—at least for Zoom meetings!
The most obvious work place attire is seen where uniforms are required: members of the military, nurses, fast-food workers, flight attendants, athletic teams, and the like.
But beyond such obvious uniforms, think about what you expect to see on a funeral director; priest, minister, rabbi, or mullah; fashion designer; orchestra member; member of Congress, etc. Although these (and many other) professions do not have a single uniform per se, nevertheless informal or even formal dress codes apply. At one time, when part of my job included overseeing secretarial and clerical staff who met the public, I told the employees (all female at the time) no cleavage, no pits, no crotch, and no jeans on the job.
Astronauts must wear clothing to keep them safe aboard a rocket ship or in the cold vacuum of space.
Some jobs require specific clothing styles for safety or convenience. Locksmiths need to wear shoes with steel toe caps and no laces where shards of metal could work their way inside. General contractors often wear cargo pants and utility belts with plenty of pockets to hold tools and materials. Anyone working in a kitchen is going to prefer shirts with closely fitting sleeves. People with particularly messy workplaces, such as auto mechanics and crime scene cleaners, may opt to wear a full-body coverall at work to protect their regular clothing.
Dress for Success
As jobs change, so does one’s clothing. As a college professor I wore tweeds, wool, boots, and almost no jewelry. For over ten years as an executive in association management and academic administration, I wore skirted banker suits, pearls, a moderate amount of gold jewelry, and two-inch heels with matching handbags and briefcase.
In late1970s and early ‘80s, John T. Molloy published many Dress for Success books. I suspect that his advice is outdated: today, I met with a female bank manager who wore slacks and a cable-knit sweater.
Still, the concept remains the same. Although the specifics vary, dressing for success is still a real thing. Proverbial wisdom says, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” And then there is this hint of who is striving: you can tell who’s on the way up by whose shoes are shined.
In Retirement/At Leisure
This is where one is likely to get the clearest insight into personal clothing preferences.
No longer dressing for paid work, I wear flat black shoes, comfortable pants, casual tops, and lots of silver jewelry (usually earrings, necklace, bracelet, watch, and multiple rings on each hand). Even so, I’m a little more formal for symphony, opera, or theater. Society still has expectations about what people ought to wear. Regardless of work status, what one wears to a worship service is very likely different from what one wears to a ballgame. (All of the following factors still apply.)
Geographic Location/ Weather/ Season
Not to belabor the point: what is necessary in upstate New York in winter isn’t appropriate in South Carolina, and what is worn in South Carolina is likely inadequate in upstate New York. And all of America tends to dress more casually than the rest of the world.
Just look at traditional national costumes from countries with varying climates and compare that with what is considered socially acceptable now. Along with lightweight fabrics, society is more likely to accept bared shoulders, shorts, open-toed shoes in hot, humid climates. Going to work in a sleeveless shirt and shorts would likely cause raised eyebrows in Norway. Wearing a fur-lined parka to the beach in Thailand might cause heat stroke!
Ceremonies and Celebrations
Think funeral, wedding, employee party, anniversary, baby shower, Halloween party… Again, this is pretty obvious, although it differs over time and by peer group—and personal preference!
In September of the same year, I attended the weddings of my oldest and youngest daughters. For numerous reasons, including geography, I wasn’t involved in the planning of either event. My husband and I gave each daughter a check (for the same amount of money) and said, “Do what you will.”
The older daughter’s wedding was held in an historic meeting house in New England and involved a white dress and veil, 6 attendants in matching dresses, a sit-down reception, and dancing. I wore a dress suitable for the mother of the bride.
The younger daughter was married in the back yard of the house where she and her soon-to-be-husband were living, with baskets of flowers nailed to railroad ties. He wore a tailored green silk suit and shirt; she wore a white, spaghetti-strap mini-dress, a circle of daisies in her hair, and platform sandals. The reception was an outdoor barbecue. The guests sported leather, chains, denim, and tattoos. I wore casual pants and top.
Note: people who dress to the expected norms tell us much less about themselves than the rebels who defy expectations.
Clothes for Functionality
Sometimes, fashion is the result of function, clothing and accessories that allow the body to move and perform in ways otherwise impossible. Think of a soccer player’s cleats or a fly fisher with a many-pocketed vest and rubber boots.
Medically Adapted Clothes
Some people choose clothes for medical reasons rather than fashionable ones, though the two can sometimes be combined. People who use mobility devices like wheelchairs or crutches might choose clothing that drapes nicely when seated or has no chance of tangling. Those who have attached medical devices, such as chemotherapy ports, insulin pumps, or colostomy bags can buy or adapt clothing that allows easier access these devices. Compression tights can help with circulation issues. Nursing mothers are likely to wear shirts, dresses, and bras designed to allow feeding access.
Eyeglasses straddle the line between accessories and medical devices. Though more than 4 billion people worldwide rely on corrective lenses, it is usually possible to choose frames of a shape, size, and color that reflects one’s personal style preferences.
People with sensitive skin and those who spend a lot of time outside have an increasing range of options for sun protection. Long-sleeved swimsuits and UV protective workout clothes share shelf space with wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and sunblock creams.
Hobby Clothes
The clothes you wear for your hobbies are likely very different from those you’d wear to work or an evening out with friends. If those hobbies are active ones, you may choose clothing that makes it easier to enjoy those hobbies.
A gardener wears gloves and sturdy pants for protection rather than fashion. A skier’s suit provides insulation but still allows movement. Leotards, running shorts, rock-climbing gloves, line-dancing shoes, and sweat bands all allow the wearer to move in comfort while enjoying their hobbies.
Clothesthat Enhance
Wearing a dragon’s wings allows small children to take flight, as everyone knows.
And then there are clothes that allow the wearer to surpass their previous athletic or artistic performance. A ballet dancer wears pointe shoes not for the sake of fashion but because they redistribute weight and support her foot while balancing on the tips of her toes. Weight lifters wear friction gloves and intra-abdominal pressure belts, allowing them to lift heavier loads without injury. A marathon runner and a hurdler will choose very different shoes for competition, as shoe designs can provide athletes with different advantages.
Competitive swimmers faced controversy at the 2008 Olympics for wearing Speedo’s LZR Racer suits. These suits provided swimmers with extra buoyancy, reduced drag, and muscle compression. Ultimately, competitive swimming advisory boards banned these suits, claiming they were the equivalent of “technological doping” for athletes.
Artistic Performance
Belly dancers typically perform in costumes that accent their hips.
Performance clothes often mix fashion with functionality, chosen not just for the way they look but for how they enhance the wearer’s movements. A Chinese long-sleeve dancer wears a costume with sleeves extended far past her fingertips to highlight the graceful movements of her hands and arms. Tap dancers and Irish dancers might choose sparkly socks and shoe buckles to draw attention to their fancy footwork. A harpist or flautist might wear sleeves that flutter attractively when they play their instrument.
When Clothes Get Truly Personal
Overall, despite external expectations, clothes can still be a form of self-expression.
Style Choices
Whether you opt for a bohemian maxi dress, a tailored suit, or a vintage band t-shirt, your clothing sends a message about who you are and what you stand for. According to the fashion industry, there are several basic style choices in American clothing, including the following.
Classic/ Traditional
Gabrielle Union
If you would describe your style as classic or traditional, you choose plain fabrics, or maybe a discreet pinstripe at most. You like clean and crisp fabrics that have some structure. You are drawn to timeless fashion, preferring to invest in quality fabrics and timeless styles rather than jumping on trends. A person with a classic style typically has a rather formal wardrobe and always look polished and put together. Matching and co-ordinated looks are your preference over those that incorporate bold colors and prints. Your jewelry and accessory choices are not overbearing; they compliment your outfits without being the focal point.
Natural/ Relaxed
Tilda Swinton
Feeling comfortable in your clothes is most important to you, and your easygoing nature tends towards more casual outfits. Simple lines and designs are your preferred choices over anything too detailed or fussy. In keeping with this carefree attitude, you tend to buy easy care, wash and wear garments. You prefer fabrics such as denim, cotton jersey, and lightweight knits. Your jewelry choices reflect your minimal look, and you tend to wear basic and durable accessories. Your footwear also is chosen for comfort. You are not a pattern lover, but choose a stripe or check and sometimes a tweed. You like some texture and also are attracted to the colors of nature. Lots of denim, khaki, and button-front styling.
Gamine—a smaller/shorter version of sporty/natural. The gamin woman looks great in pixie hairstyles and sporty/natural clothing styles.
Dramatic/ Edgy
Lupita Nyong’o
If you have a dramatic streak, you will like brighter colors, big bold patterns, or high contrast patterns, perhaps fabrics with shine or a more structural appearance. You may also like animal prints, large and spectacular accessories. Wearing the latest fashion takes precedence over comfort, and you are willing to give most new trends a go. This means your wardrobe consists of many different styles and one-off pieces ready to make a statement. Your look is striking and well-thought-out. Details such a lip color and eye-catching shoes provide the finishing touch to your look. Jewelry and accessories in shiny metal finishes or bold one-of-a-kind wearable art pieces compliment your statement-making looks.
Artistic/ Creative
Josephine Baker
If you have a creative personality you may like patterns that are more about ‘wearable art’, abstract prints, or mixtures of prints and patterns all in one garment. Your way of dressing is innovative and individualistic, and you aren’t overly influenced by current trends or traditional rules. You use your clothing choices to reflect your personality and put together unique and interesting outfits with items purchased from varied sources. Different colors, textures, and prints fill your wardrobe, and your jewelry collection is bold while your footwear and accessories are usually statement-making.
Romantic/ Feminine
Zoe Saldaña
Women with this style prefer floral prints, or nature inspired ones (such as butterflies, or plants). If your style leans toward the feminine and romantic, you will choose soft, floaty fabrics that drape over your body. You may like sequins and beading detail on clothes. You have a soft appearance and generally prefer flowing silhouettes and muted colors. Your clothing choices are pretty, and include details such as bows, ruffles, pleats, and lace. Even with simpler styles, you will most likely choose them in pastel colors or with decorative details. Your footwear and accessory choices are delicate and minimal with fine necklaces and ballet flats among your staples.
If you think of yourself as Romantic, you like dressing with lots of fullness and softness. You choose large plaids, large printed designs on fabrics, and large details (Women like large ruffles, lace and bows; men like baggy pants and full cut shirts & sweaters).
“Timeline of Spring Fashions” by a-little-bit-lexical
Your style is much more than clothes or accessories. It includes all the little things that you do to make yourself look and feel good, from hair style and makeup to nail care and grooming.
Bottom Line: Be aware of what you wear. Within situational contexts such as those discussed above, clothes can reflect your personality AND how you want to be perceived. They may reflect social status, current activity, as well as your current mood or mindset.
A person dies. The body is still there. Someone, somewhere, somehow must deal with the human remains.
Burial
Interment is a fine old tradition, as testified to by all the graveyards and cemeteries. Essentially, a burial is putting a body somewhere where it is likely to remain, usually undisturbed, into the foreseeable future.
In the ground
In a building: mausoleum, crypt, wall
At sea
FYI: Although, historically, graveyards were attached to churches and did not allow cremated remains, there is no functional difference today between graveyards and cemeteries.
In Ground Burial
The Mushroom Burial Suit, invented by Jae Rhim Lee, is threaded with mushroom spores to help the body decompose after burial.
In-ground burial usually means a cemetery and involves a funeral home/director who makes sure all requirements are met. It’s the sort of thing most of us are familiar with.
Except in California, Indiana, and Washington State, it is legal to bury a corpse on private property, although rules and regulation apply.
Obtain a permit for burial/transportation
Follow local regulations regarding zoning laws embalming, refrigeration, and burial depth
Get written approval. The local board of health and governing body may need to be notified in writing
The property must be under the control of deceased’s family
So called “green burials” are growing in popularity. Natural burial grounds, cemeteries, and preserves all bury without embalming, liners, or vaults, and use biodegradable containers, whether caskets, shrouds or nothing at all. A variety of entities own and operate these cemeteries: municipal governments, religious groups, individuals, nonprofits, for-profits, and others. Many use GPS units or non-native stone markers to mark grave sites rather than carved headstones.
In buildings, sometimes special requirements apply.
Most mausoleums require that a licensed funeral director has embalmed the body. Caskets must meet specific size requirements, and sometimes must have a self-sealing air valve.
Mausoleums are usually located in a cemetery or other place dedicated to the dead. They shouldn’t be noisy areas and should be well-maintained.
If you’re building a family mausoleum on private property, you must abide by local zoning rules.
Crypts are typically smaller than mausoleums and are often located in religious buildings or cemeteries. Owners often reserve crypt spaces for notable people.
Where space is scarce, people often turn to ossuaries for skeletal burial. After temporary burial in the ground (typically for a pre-determined period, such as ten years), a caretaker exhumes a corpse and transfers skeletal remains to a final—much smaller—resting place. Sometimes the bones go into an ornamental container; sometimes people display them in elaborate (if macabre) artwork.
Burial at Sea
People are still buried at sea, not just out of necessity but by choice—a choice growing in popularity.
The US Navy offers free burial at sea for eligible families of service members and veterans. The Navy performs such burials for an average of 1,500 cremated remains and 15 casketed remains per year.
Anyone can choose a burial at sea. The US Environmental Protection Agency has parameters for such burials and require a permit. The burial must take place at least three nautical miles from land. The ocean waters must be at least 600 or 1800 feet deep, depending on location. And the presiding entity must take measures to ensure that the remains sink rapidly and permanently.
Burning
The word cremation stems from the Latin word ‘crematio‘, meaning ‘to burn or destroy by heat’.
The form of body burning most common in the United Sates today is the modern cremation process, defined as the burning of a corpse using a column of flames at a temperature of around 1000 degrees Celsius in a furnace powered by natural gas or oil.
After the cremation procedure is complete, what remains are typically gray fragments including ashes from the cremation container and bone particles. Pulverizing these remains is typically the last step in the process.
Besides putting the cremains in an urn or box for burial or a place on the mantle, they can be
There are legal rules in many places that require a waiting period before cremation. This wait is also important for things like completing all the necessary paperwork.
Of all world religions, Islam opposes cremation the most strongly. Islamic teaching considers cremation to be an unclean practice.
Conversely, funeral pyres are an essential part of a Hindu funeral, which is why people still used traditional pyres in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.
Water “Burning”
So called “water cremation”—aquamation—doesn’t actually involve burning. An alkaline hydrolysis machine contains a single air-tight and water-tight chamber. The chamber holds approximately one hundred gallons of liquid. A technician places the deceased into the chamber, then seals it. The contents may be subjected to heat (199 to 302 degrees Fahrenheit), pressure, and/or agitation (varying with equipment) to ensure proper cremation.
At the completion of the process, bone fragments and a sterile liquid remain. The bone fragments, now called cremated remains or hydrolyzed remains, appear pure white in color. Because the process uses water, the last step of the process is thoroughly drying the remains before pulverization.
Aquamation results in approximately 32% more cremated remains than flame-based cremation and may require a larger urn. On the other hand, it has less environmental impact (less air pollution and less energy needed).
On average, aquamation is slightly more expensive than traditional cremation because of the expense of the machines used. Typically, water cremation costs between $2,000-3,000, while flame cremation costs around $1,100-2,000. A traditional burial can cost between $7,000-12,000.
Exposure
The Lakota Sioux, Mandan, Cheyenne, Ute, and Navajo tribes often practiced tree burial, constructing platforms like a scaffold or tree to bring the deceased closer to the sky. Animals consume the body, bringing the life cycle full circle–similar to a Zoroastrian or Tibetan Sky burial.
Vultures at a Tibetan Sky Burial
In the Tibetan Sky burial, a celestial burial master chops the human remains into pieces and mixes them with barley flour. Then, a body carrier takes the mixture high into the mountains and leaves them for vultures. Everyone involved smiles and sings throughout the process to help guide the dead from darkness to the next stage. Tibetans see sky burial as a last gift to the universe — a way to show the insignificance and the impermanence of our earthly lives.
A Zoroastrian Tower of Silence holds human remains high above the ground, removing any chance of contamination. After carrion birds have stripped the bones clean of flesh, nusessalars (ritual pallbearers) transfer any remaining bones to an ossuary, mix them with lime, and allow them to disintegrate and return to the soil.
Preservation
Mummification, ancient as it is, is seldom practiced today. Natural mumification may occur, such as of people lost in the desert, but very few people choose mummification.
However, some villagers in Papua New Guinea still mummify their ancestors today. They believe that spirits will roam the earth after death unless their descendants maintain the body of the deceased. After death, family members place the bodies in a hut and smoke them until the skin and internal organs have desiccated. Then they cover the remains in red clay, which helps maintain their structural integrity, and placed the mummy in a jungle shrine. Villagers bring the bodies down from the shrine for celebrations, and loved ones visit the mummies to consult with their ancestors.
Sunflowers preserved in liquid silicone oil, by Marc Quinn
Cryogenics is, essentially, the opposite of mummification. The motivation is to preserve one’s body (or body part, typically the brain) in the hope that in the future, science will be able to correct or heal whatever the person died of, and the frozen person can live again. Today, liquid nitrogen tanks hold approximately 500 people globally for preservation, the vast majority in the United States. Around 4,000 people are on waiting lists of cryonics facilities around the world.
If you record your consent in the donation register, you can specify which organs or tissue you would like to donate. Several factors determine whether organs or tissue are actually useable for transplant, like their quality and whether or not a donor died in a hospital.
The donor must die in a hospital to be able donate organs. Organs need a supply of oxygen-rich blood to remain suitable for transplantation. After death, doctors hook up the donor’s body to artificial respiration to keep the heart beating, so that oxygen-rich blood continues to circulate.
By contrast, tissue donation is often possible if the donor dies in a non-hospital setting.
Not all organs and tissue types are suitable for transplant. Organs eligible for transplant are the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, and intestines. The skin, bone tissue (including tendons and cartilage), eye tissue, heart valves and blood vessels are transplantable forms of tissue.
Even if you are a registered donor, transplant teams may reject your organs or tissue after your death for medical reasons, for instance if you:
Had blood poisoning (sepsis)
Had an active viral infection
Acquired a tattoo or piercing in the 6 months before your death
There is no general age limit on donation. Although the heart of an 80-year-old person would be too old for transplantation, their skin or corneas might still be suitable.
Medical Education
“Muscles of the back: partial dissection of a seated woman, showing the bones and muscles of the back and shoulder” Color mezzotint by J.F. Gautier d’Agoty, 1745/1746
Medical students use whole bodies for education. None of the tissue goes for transplant into a living person (which distinguishes whole body donation from organ donation). Physicians, EMS personnel, even dental healthcare professionals practice their skills through studying donated bodies.
Some specialized educational purposes require “fresh” bodies or parts. For example, plastic surgeons cannot use embalmed heads in the course of their education.
But typically, when a donated body reaches the end of its usefulness, it goes for cremation. Upon request, the family might then receive the cremated remains.
Science
Some medical conditions or circumstances of death can make a body unacceptable for scientific study. Depending on the nature of the research, these include:
Obesity/emaciation
Amputations
Unhealed open wounds
Contagious diseases
For example, real human bodies were/are necessary to calibrate crash test dummies accurately for impact tolerance. Similarly, the military studies effects of bullets and bombs.
Whole body donation is not possible after an autopsy has been performed.
At the Body Farm, students intentionally leave corpses out in the elements to study what happens as the body decomposes. The placement might expose the body to air, submerge it in water, bury it in a shallow or deep grave, allow access to scavenging animals, or any other circumstance. The goal is always the same: to simulate crime scenes so that students can document decay and learn to identify future victims (or the time and circumstances of their death).
Just as you can become an organ donor when you die, you can also choose to donate your body to the Body Farm. Medical examiners who cannot identify a corpse or locate next of kin are also primary providers of bodies to the facility. Since the inception of the Knoxville, TN lab, body farms have sprung up in Illinois, Texas , Colorado, Illinois, Florida, and North Carolina—and even exist outside the U.S. Facilities have opened in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom!
Bottom Line: Something will be done with your mortal remains. If you care, make provisions before you die, and tell your next of kin of your wishes!
People are funny, strange, and wondrous creatures! Just read on.
Hobbies
Estimates are that 400,000-500,000 people in the U.S,—more than 95% of them women—play Mah Jong with the National Mah Jong League card. Another 350,000,000 play thirteen versions of Mah Jong in Asia. Game experts have long recognized mah jong as the world’s most played game, with an estimated player base in Asia, Europe, and North American ten times bigger than poker.
Who are the most optimistic pet owners in the U.S.? Tortoise owners, because tortoises can live 80-150 years! (I couldn’t find a number specifically for tortoise owners, but approximately 18% of American households keep tortoises or turtles as pets.)
Only 1-2% of the U.S. population has gone skydiving at least once.
Rock climbing? It depends on what type of climbing you are looking at. Women are 59% of sports climbers, but only 39% of those in mountaineering, ice, and traditional climbing combined. Then there is indoor vs. outdoor climbers, and boulderers, each of which have different gender makeups.
Among U.S. households, 52% have at least one person, age 5 or older, who is currently playing a musical instrument. Two-thirds of Americans (66%) learned to play a musical instrument at some point in their lives. The most popular musical instrument is the guitar. The double bass is probably the least played instrument.
The average American spends only 19 minutes a day reading. The average number of books read by adults over the age of 65 is higher than any other age group, at around 20 books per year. Men tend to read non-fiction books more often than women.
Men tell more jokes professionally than women do. In the United States, 11.3% of stand up comedians are women and 88.7% of stand up comedians are men. Over an 11 year period, these percentages have shifted approximately 2% in favor of women. Systemic sexism in the industry (venue directors reluctant to book female comedians, backstage abuse, pay disparities, hostile crowds, etc.) are a bigger driver in this divide than any difference in innate funniness.
Research on liking and loving between engaged couples found that the men loved their partners more than they liked them. The women both liked and loved their partners.
Women survive famine and epidemics better than men. On the other hand, research has shown that women disproportionately suffer the impacts of disasters, severe weather events, and climate change.
One study found that men with longer ring fingers than index fingers had slightly longer penises. However, the common misconception that hand size predicts penis size has been widely discredited.
Research shows that women with larger breasts tend to have higher estrogen levels; breast size may therefore serve as an indicator of potential fertility.
Health
Approximately 60% of people are side sleepers. Only about 7% are stomach sleepers—which is fortunate, because stomach sleeping is the least healthful position.
A feel-good life is not necessarily a healthy one. Stress can be good for us. Stress is a powerful motivator. It can enhance your resilience and problem-solving skills, strengthen relationships, promote personal growth and self-improvement, and improve cognitive function.
Female pattern baldness affects about one-third of all women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). The chances of getting female pattern baldness increase with age.
Caucasians experience the most hair loss; people of Afro-Caribbean heritage tend to experience the next highest levels of hair loss, with Asian men having the lowest hair loss rates.
On average, male pattern baldness begins in the late twenties to early thirties. By the age of 50, approximately 50% of men will experience some degree of hair loss.
For both men and women, pattern baldness tends to cluster in families. Having a close relative with patterned hair loss appears to be a risk factor for developing the condition.
Outlook
Nationally forty-seven percent of Americans are either very or somewhat optimistic, while the other 53 percent are more inclined to be somewhat or very pessimistic about the future.
Speaking in a foreign language might change your decisions or the reasons for those decisions.
In addition, speaking multiple languages gives a person a sense of reality and identity that is separate from monolinguals and monoculturals.
US research published in the Journal of Consumer Research indicates bilinguals may unconsciously switch personalities depending on the language they are using.
The type of music you listen to affects the way you perceive the world. According to results from a 2014 study done by Laura Getz and colleagues, those with a higher perceived idea of stress and those with higher optimism preferred more upbeat and popular music. Both also used this kind of music for emotional regulation.
Wisco and Nolen-Hoeksema (2009) found that those who were already unhappy had more negative memory associations [to songs] than those who were not unhappy.
The food you make may not taste the same as the food someone else makes, despite following the same recipe. Minor differences in things like water hardness and oven temperature affect flavor, but the diner’s experience (happy or sad occasion, food presentation, level of hunger, speed of eating, etc.) also changes the taste of food.
Research indicates that those eating with others eat up to 48% more food than solo diners. This phenomenon is known as ‘social facilitation’.
Beyond urns, there are many options for ashes: made into jewelry, or different types of objects, such as glass art, sculptures, diamonds, keychains, or hunting bullets. You can even turn your loved one’s ashes into a vinyl album or get them tattooed into your own skin. Of course, many people choose to scatter cremains in special places.
Bottom Line: Whatever you want to know about human behavior or characteristics, someone has studied it and shared those answers online.
