Working from home was relatively rare prior to the pandemic that took hold in 2019. Now there is a big push for return to office (RTO) work. Most notably, Trump has mandated RTO for all federal employees. Is this a smart move?
Remote Work Studies and Statistics
A study by Great Place To Work found that most people reported stable or even increased productivity levels after employees started working from home.
Owl Labs found that 83 percent of remote workers felt they were equally productive, if not more, than when they were physically in an office.
A 2019 study by Airtasker found that remote and in-office employees perform equally well, and 65% of remote workers reported feeling more productive away from the office.
According to activtrak.com, remote workers are 35-40% more productive than employees who work in a traditional office.
Work conducted remotely includes 40% fewer mistakes than work done at the office.
Work-from-home employees save an average of 72 minutes a day that would otherwise go to commuting — and give 40% of that time back to their employers.
Companies requiring employees to return to the office may face a smaller talent pool for open positions. Over time, this could hinder their ability to compete.
So Why Mandate RTO?
Some companies believe that in-person work can lead to increased productivity and focus, as opposed to the potential distractions of working from home.
Companies have invested heavily in office space, and empty desks represent a sunk cost. Returning to the office aims to justify these investments by maximizing office use.
Many leaders believe that in-person work strengthens company culture, boosts employee engagement, and facilitates better collaboration and mentorship.
Some leaders believe that in-person interaction can improve employee morale and engagement, potentially leading to higher retention rates.
Some argue that the lack of social interaction in remote work can lead to isolation and decreased employee well-being, which in-person work can help mitigate.
The Downside of RTO Mandates
Returning to the office after a period of remote or hybrid work presents several challenges. Here’s a breakdown of key challenges.
Employee Resistance and Discomfort
Many employees have grown accustomed to the flexibility of remote work and may resist returning to the office, especially if it means a loss of autonomy and control over their work-life balance.
Salaried employees especially, who are hired to “get the job done” regardless of the hours required, may resent the office “time clock” mentality.
The prospect of commuting can be a significant deterrent for some employees, who may have valued the convenience and the time saved by not commuting.
Commuting costs money, often including paying for parking, vehicle maintenance, fuel, tolls, insurance, or bus and train fare.
Many people find driving in rush hour traffic stressful.
With the promise of remote work, people may have taken positions too far to commute to an office and be reluctant to move.
A lack of clear communication and a well-defined return-to-office plan can lead to anxiety and uncertainty among employees.
Some employees fear that returning to the office will mean the permanent end of remote work opportunities, which can lead to a decline in morale.
Adjusting to a New Work Environment
After a period of remote work, employees may need to adjust to the dynamics of in-person collaboration and teamwork.
Companies may need to invest time and effort in fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture that supports both in-person and remote work.
It’s important to manage employee expectations regarding the new work environment and ensure that it meets their needs and preferences.
Managing Expectations and Communication
It’s crucial to proactively address employee concerns and anxieties regarding the return to the office.
Open and transparent communication is essential to ensure that employees are informed about the return-to-office plan and have a clear understanding of expectations.
Companies should actively solicit feedback from employees to ensure that the return-to-office plan is effective and meets their needs.
I found no research supporting RTO full-time for improving financial performance or firm values. On the other hand, companies with flexible work arrangements, including part-time remote schedules, are 21% more profitable than fully in-person companies.
In addition, organizations offering more flexibility can attract top talent who are uninterested in rigid RTO policies or are more distant geographically.
It seems successful companies need to allow for both in-person and remote work options.
This may include modifying or updating their technology infrastructure to support both.
In addition, companies may need to develop an employee culture that values both options.
Even with reduced days in an office, employees have greater flexibility in work-life balance, reduced commuting times, and lower personal expenses.
A perceived loss of control over how one spends one’s time can significantly impact mental health, potentially leading to or exacerbating conditions such conditions as anxiety and depression.
Anchor days and weeks mandate employees to be in the office on designated days or weeks while allowing remote work for the remainder of the time.
Business Insider data suggests that, given an option, employers most commonly choose Tuesday for workers to come in. According to Bloomberg, Mondays are popular WFH days for project-based people. Fridays, too, are popular but for opposite reasons. (It’s easier to end early and enjoy the weekend sooner if you’re already at home).
But when all is said and done, it is the employer’s choice.
There’s no law that mandates employers to offer remote work options at all.
Even if offered, they do not have to be offered to all employees, nor are employers required to treat all employees the same regarding remote work.
Employers are free to set policies and make decisions based on their specific business needs, which can include factors like job function, team dynamics, and operational requirements.
However, employers must avoid discriminatory practices. They cannot allow remote work for certain groups while denying it to others based on protected characteristics (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, etc.).
If an employee with a disability requires remote work as a reasonable accommodation, employers are generally obligated to provide it, unless it would cause an undue hardship.
And once again, communication is key: clear communication about remote work policies and the reasons behind them can help avoid misunderstandings and potential complaints—or lawsuits!
Of course, the employee can also simply quit and try to find work with a more flexible company!
Bottom Line: Except in rare cases, an employee is required to work in the office if and when the employer mandates. Suck it up, Buttercup.
A few days ago, I learned from former classmates that my high school sweetheart had died suddenly the day before. I had not seen Bill or heard from him in more than ten years, but I found his obituary online and was immediately swept back in time to my childhood in a small Ohio town, where most of us were classmates and childhood friends from first grade through graduation.
My Childhood Friends
Research has proven the importance of childhood friendships for social and emotional development. But my focus here is more personal, on the importance of childhood friendships for me. I believe these observations hold true for other adults as well.
My childhood friends and I share a unique history and understanding of each other’s lives. We knew each other’s parents, siblings, activities, achievements, and (sometimes) failures.
In a broader sense, we shared music, movies, TV, major news events, and cultural icons.
These shared experiences bring feelings of familiarity that make so many of us enjoy high school reunions.
Some experiences are shared with only one other. With the death of my high school sweetheart, that reflection of me—that mirror—is gone forever. No one else knew me—or could ever know me—in quite the same way.
Similarly, only one friend was present when I learned to ride horses bareback or tried playing chess and decided it wasn’t for me. The retelling is thin, lacking the intensity, thrill, frustration, and laughter. There’s a reason people say, “You had to be there!”
Sheer proximity guides some of the most intense childhood memories. Because I was seated behind her in first grade, I may be the only one of our classmates who remembers Mary Jane peeing her pants in first grade. (The teacher, who thought too many kids were requesting bathroom passes, denied her.)
Friendships require shared interests, activities or tasks—something to bring people together. Bill was a long-distance runner and captain of the track team. I was the statistician for the track team, and we often sat together on the bus to and from away meets. We started going steady and ended up being voted class sweethearts senior year.
By the Numbers
Adults report that, most frequently, their friends are coworkers. Among children most share school, farm chores, sports, music, or other extracurricular activities. Research indicates that children usually have lots of friends, typically 10 to 20.
Friendships become more selective during adolescence, averaging 5 to10 close friends. In adolescence, friendships become more intimate, with the sharing of personal thoughts and feelings as well as time.
Young adults usually experience a further decline in the number of close friends, averaging around 3 to 5, and are likely to be lasting, meaningful connections.
When childhood friendships last a lifetime, they provide a sense of stability and consistency in one’s life.
Sharon, who was my best friend from first grade until we went to separate colleges, has never lived near me since then. But whenever we manage to visit, it’s like we were never apart: we immediately talk freely about matters of family, health, spouses, or social concerns—i.e., anything and everything. I can always count on her. And I believe our mutual comfort is rooted in our shared history.
When childhood friends remain close for a lifetime, they are an important source of support and companionship, even in old age.
Although childhood friendships can last a lifetime for some, others fade due to changing interests, life circumstances, or personal growth.
Some make a distinction between friends of the road and friends of the heart. The former are intense and important until changes like those above separate them. The latter are the ones that last forever, regardless of changes and distance.
Both leave traces in our heats and in our memories.
Bottom Line: Even when they are over, friendships are never completely gone.
Sometimes the appeal of fan fiction includes fabulous dance numbers!
For the last several months my preferred escapist reading has been variations on Jane Austen’sPride and Prejudice. What’s the appeal?
Well, for one thing, I enjoy seeing the varied ways a writer can use Pride and Prejudice as a starting point for so many related but different stories!
In addition to dodging social pitfalls, the Bennets must dodge hordes of the roaming undead.
One of the Bennet daughters is an heiress.
Mr. Bennet dies and the women must make their way by working, sometimes for their Uncle Gardiner, sometimes as companions.
Lydia marries someone other than George Wickham.
Jane marries someone other than Charles Bingley.
Elizabeth is a widow, often with a child.
Mary Bennet marries Collins, and Charlotte Lucas marries someone else entirely.
Elizabeth and Darcy become trapped alone together in a flood and must marry because of the “compromise.”
Elizabeth and Darcy first meet in their teens and reunite years later.
Minor characters shift personalities, behaviors, and support.
Jane Austen characters from other novels make an appearance.
Longbourn is not entailed.
Mrs. Bennet dies; Mr. Bennet remarries and has an heir.
Elizabeth is kidnapped.
Darcy saves Elizabeth’s life and vice versa.
The events of the story are mere background in the lives of the Bennets’ servants, who are dealing with their own problems.
And what makes these stories most comforting is that, whatever happens to other characters or the plot, Darcy and Elizabeth always end up together.
The Kindle Store offers literally hundreds of these stories, to buy or borrow. They come up when a user searches the store for Pride and Prejudice variations. These novels are a version of fan fiction (also known as fanfiction, fan fic, fanfic, fic, or FF).
A fan-made movie poster for a cross-over fic casting the characters from BBC’s Merlin in the roles of Pride and Prejudice by ls311 on deviantart
Fan fiction is fiction created by fans—(duh!)—typically in an amateur capacity, that is based on an existing work of fiction, using their characters, settings or other intellectual properties but not authorized by the original creator(s).
Sometimes fan fiction is based on real life celebrities or politicians.
Fan fiction can range from poems and short stories to novel-length works and can be based on various media, including books, movies, TV shows, comics, video games, music videos, board games, and more.
Fan fiction allows fans to explore their favorite characters, settings, and storylines in new ways, often continuing canon narratives, exploring alternate universes, or creating original stories within the established framework.
Stories based on popular TV shows like “Supernatural” or “Only Murders in the Building”.
Stories based on books like “Harry Potter” or “Twilight”.
Stories based on movies like “Star Wars” or “Avengers”.
Stories inspired by other forms of media (such as the language learning app Duolingo).
Poetry and song lyrics reflecting characters or elements of a story
Fan fiction websites, such as Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, and Wattpad, attract millions of daily page views, and many social media users share or discuss fan fiction on Tumblr, Discord, Instagram, and TikTok .
While fan fiction often uses copyrighted material, it is generally considered fair use because it is a transformative work, and the original creators are unlikely to take legal action. One must be more cautious when writing variations of more modern works. For works out of copyright, such as Pride and Prejudice, this is never a problem.
Jane Austen’s Fandom
One of the earliest film adaptations, in 1940, starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier
Jane Austen fan fiction, or JAFF, is a very popular and thriving genre, with numerous published and unpublished works, and has seen an increase in popularity since the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. As I said at the beginning, I greatly enjoy Pride and Prejudice variations.
There are numerous published Austen-inspired novels, with Pride and Prejudice being the most popular source of inspiration, accounting for at least 900 published books. The number of unpublished stories on various JAFF sites at least doubles that number.
Modern adaptations of Austen’s works, including “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” have also drawn in new audiences, including those who may not have read the original novels.
My particular escapist reading is rooted in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but whatever your taste, there’s surely fan fiction out there for you!
“Despite its ties to the Internet, fan fiction is nothing new. English-language fan fiction can be traced to the 18th century. Jonathan Swift’s satiric novel Gulliver’s Travels (1726) inspired some of the earliest fan fiction, including a series of poems by Alexander Pope. In one such piece, Pope imagined Gulliver’s wife bemoaning her adventurer husband’s long absence and his uninterest in her upon his return, accusing him of infidelity during his journeys: “Not touch me! never neighbour call’d me slut! Was Flimnap’s dame more sweet in Lilliput?” (britannica.com)
Because it is, by definition, “derivative,” fan fiction often gets less respect than other fiction. However, many successful traditionally published authors have written fan fiction, including Meg Cabot.
Orson Scott Card, though he says he hates fan fiction, has published “fanfic” at some point in his career.
Author Neil Gaiman inspires fan fiction, and he’s also written it. His novel Good Omens (1990), written with Sir Terry Pratchett, has nearly 50,000 entries on Archive of Our Own. Gaiman’s story “A Study in Emerald” (2003) imagines a crossover between the worlds of Conan Doyle and H.P. Lovecraft, creating a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery with a supernatural twist. In 2004, members of the World Science Fiction Convention named it the year’s best short story.
“Early fan fiction, like its contemporary counterparts, could be bolder and more sexually explicit than its source material. Henry Fielding wrote a sensual fan fiction of Samuel Richardson’s sentimental novel Pamela (1740). Amusingly titled Shamela (1741), it reimagines Richardson’s protagonist without the burdensome virtue of chastity. Similarly, in the 19th and 20th centuries the works of Jane Austen and Arthur Conan Doyle became popular fodder for fan fiction writers, who may have wondered, What happened between the lines of the original stories?” (britannica.com)
Fan fiction shows up in unexpected (by me) places. For example, Biblical fanfic is (could be) a thing. Some in the fan fiction community have gone so far as to call apocryphal writings or Dante’s epic poem The Divine Comedy (c. 1308–21) “biblical fanfic.” Although people generally consider religious literature to be a unique genre, in the Internet age, The Divine Comedy has inspired its own fan fiction, including more than 150 related works on Archive of Our Own. On Fanfiction.net, the Bible has inspired about 4,000 fan pieces.
The huge number of Sherlock Holmes fans inspired the Baker Street Journal (1946), a fan magazine that published a mix of scholarly writing and fan fiction. Ellery Queen’s “My First Meeting with Sherlock Holmes” was one of those. Actually, according to britannica.com, Queen was also a fiction, created by authors Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee. (Dannay and Lee also launched Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in 1941, which still publishes crime fiction.)
Harry Potter has inspired more than twice as many stories as any other fandom. In second place is the anime Naruto.
Among TV series, the BBC’s Sherlock, which has had only four seasons, generated 29,000 works of fanfiction per season. That’s almost 30% more than the runner up, Teen Wolf, which averages a little more than 20,000 stories per season over six seasons.
Big fandoms tend to be older ones (for example Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Supernatural).
Illustration of Star Wars: Rogue One characters in the roles of Pride and Prejudice by Blooming Cyre
Although books often generate fan fiction, here are 5 famous books generated by fanfiction:
Many people write and read fanfic for many reasons.
Fan fiction fosters a sense of community among fans who share an interest in the same media. In addition to exchanging direct contact details, fans can join online communities, Discord servers, subReddits, Tumblr clusters, zine boards, etc. with other fans of similar media. Some fans even set up conventions and local meet-ups.
Some writers use prompts from other fans as writing practice. For example, Sherlock fans will challenge each other to write 221B “drabbles.” They try to tell a story in 221 words, ending with a word that begins with the letter B (in honor of Holmes and Watson’s shared flat at 221B Baker Street). Other prompts include chain stories, collaborations with illustrators, retelling scenes from the point of view of a background character, resetting a story in one’s hometown with local slang, experimenting with first or second person narrative, and just about anything else one might imagine.
Other reasons fans write their own stories:
A lesbian young adult romance in which a young Pittsburgh writer is magically transported to meet the Bennet sisters
As a chance to explore and share interests, such as setting the story in a particular historical setting or having characters exploring niche hobbies
Providing representation the fan writer feels is missing, whether self-insertion or widening the role of minorities overlooked by the original author
Correcting perceived plot holes, factual inaccuracies, or underdeveloped characters
Simply making the story turn out the way the fan writer would have preferred!
Bottom Line: If you ever wish you could change a story’s ending or hate to cut ties with particular characters, the solution could be fan fiction. Ditto if you just want to avoid too much news!
People typically feel relaxed and calm when they do things that stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing them to let go of tension and stress. When the bad vibes threaten to overwhelm you, consider the following suggestions to return good vibes to your life!
Sounds Can Promote Relaxation
Listening to calming music can promote good vibes. Such music typically features slow, soothing melodies, minimal percussion, and soft instrumentation such as piano, guitar, and strings. The tempo is generally slow, and the volume is often kept low to create a peaceful atmosphere.
Nature sounds, such as ocean waves or rain, rustling leaves, chirring of insects.
Gentle ambient noise, such as a fan or “noise machine.”
Sights
If you feel the craziness closing in, your eyes can help restore your good vibes!
Water is key: Looking at water, especially calm bodies like a lake or a quiet ocean, can significantly lower heart rate and blood pressure, inducing a meditative state.
Natural patterns: Fractal patterns found in nature, like the branching of trees or the ripples on water, can be particularly soothing.
Wide open spaces: Expansive landscapes with open horizons can promote a sense of peace and tranquility.
Activities
There are steps you can take to improve the vibes in your life, some easier than others.
Deep breathing: Focusing on slow, deep breaths is a highly effective way to activate the relaxation response in the body. It’s a simple and effective way to reduce anxiety and anger.
Heat: Taking a warm bath or applying heat to tense muscles can induce relaxation.
Physical activity with low intensity: Gentle stretching, yoga, or walking can help release tension in the body.
Get into nature. Nature is calming because it provides a sensory experience that engages multiple senses with sights, sounds, and smells that are often repetitive and predictable, which can help to reduce stress, lower heart rate, and promote relaxation. Being in nature essentially acts as a distraction from daily worries and allows for a sense of connection to something larger than oneself. Many of these benefits come to gardeners. There is also something called the biophilia hypothesis: research suggests humans have an innate connection to nature, which can lead to feelings of well-being when exposed to natural elements.
Keep a journal. It provides a safe place to express and process your thoughts and emotions, allowing you to gain clarity, release pent-up feelings, and reflect on experiences, often leading to a sense of reduced stress and anxiety.
Get creative. Creativity often leads to a sense of self-expression, reduced stress, and a feeling of control over your inner world, essentially providing an outlet to process and release tension. Creativity can put us in a flow state, meaning we become focused with optimal attention on a task or activity. This is sometimes called being “in the zone.” When we are in the zone, it can feel euphoric, and we become more mindful and relaxed.
Mind Games
The phrase “mind games” tends to evoke images of power-hungry bosses or abusive ex-partners. However, you can also play mind games with yourself to encourage healthy practices!
Mindfulness practices: Meditation and other mindfulness techniques help to quiet the mind and become more aware of the present moment, reducing stress.
Relaxing imagery: Can help calm down angry feelings.
Being grateful: Practicing gratitude can reduce cortisol, the key stress hormone. You can record your gratefulness in a journal.
Visual imagery: Imagining peaceful scenes or calming scenarios can help to distract from worries and promote relaxation.
Environment
The outside impacts the inside. By the same token, surrounding yourself with good vibes has a powerful impact on mental well-being.
Warm environments are more relaxing than cold ones.
Color palette: Soft, muted colors like blues, greens, and pastel shades are generally considered calming.
Limit clutter in your personal environment.
Limit your exposure to negative stimuli, such as disturbing news.
Habits
On their own, small habits may not make much difference. But when you practice them regularly, you may find an appreciable improvement.
Regularly engage in positive social interaction: Spending time with loved ones or engaging in pleasant conversations can promote feelings of well-being and reduce stress.
Sleep: Getting enough sleep is important for thinking clearly and controlling negative emotions. To sleep better, you can avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bed.
Nutrition: Eating well is a key part of maintaining calm. See below.
Physical activity: Exercise can help you feel calmer.
Routines: Having a consistent morning routine can reduce decision-making and stress.
For many the mention of February immediately brings thoughts of Valentine’s Day, Valentine cards, whether to send them, and to whom.
A Hallmark History
For many Americans, Hallmark has become synonymous with Valentines. Founded by 18-year-old Joyce Clyde Hall in 1910, Hallmark Cards is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the U.S. They got into the Valentine act in 1913, and began producing their own designs in 1916.
Hallmark offers approximately 1,400 Valentine designs in their catalogue. Valentines are their second biggest seller, after Christmas cards. Before Valentine cards, there were Valentine love letters.
Saint Valentine
The Catholic Church has sainted at least three men named Valentine or Valentinus, two executed on February 14 of different years. I prefer the Saint Valentine who was a 3rd-century Roman priest executed for performing secret weddings in defiance of the emperor’s orders. (Claudius II believed that unmarried men made better soldiers because they had nothing to lose, so he outlawed marriage for young men.) Legend says this St. Valentine wrote a farewell note to his jailer’s daughter, signing it “Love, from your Valentine.”
Writing Valentines
Subsequently, the imprisoned Duke Charles of Orleans wrote the earliest existing Valentine love letter to his wife in 1415. Then followed, in 1477, love letters from Margery Brews to her future husband, John Paston, which contain the first known use of the term “Valentine” in written English.
People exchanged formal messages of affection in the 1500s. Sending handmade cards was popular throughout the 1700s and continued through the 1800s. Europeans exchanged love notes, often decorated with lace and ribbons.
In 1797 London, printed Valentine’s Day cards, to be hand-colored by the buyer, appeared. They featured hearts (the traditional seat of emotions), flowers, Cupids (the Roman god of love), and lace. Because popular science of the day held that the avian mating season began in mid-February, many cards also featured birds as a symbol of the day.
Today, the holiday has expanded beyond romantic partners to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Even schoolchildren exchange Valentines now.
The latter is a relatively new development. As best I could find, around the 1950s school children began exchanging Valentine’s Day cards in large numbers in the United States. It has since become a popular school tradition. When I was in elementary school, each student brought a cardboard shoe box, cut a slit in the top, decorated it, and hoped to find cards from classmates, the more the better.
My Funny Valentine
A current Hallmark ad reads, “Shop Valentine cards for all the people you love— spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and best friends. Find funny Valentines…”
Unlike Valentines for classmates, humorous Valentine’s Day cards are nothing new. “Vinegar Valentines” originated in the Victorian era (the last 65 years before 1900) as mocking or comic Valentines. These cards were often insulting and could be sent to anyone the sender disliked, including landlords, salespeople, employers, and adversaries. The tone ranged from gentle to aggressive. They typically insulted a recipient’s physical appearance, character traits, or lack of a romantic partner. They sometimes mocked specific professions. These “comic” Valentines often included grotesque drawings that caricatured common stereotypes. As with all things Valentine, they have evolved.
Valentines by the Numbers
To the annoyance of many, Valentine’s Day has become highly commercialized. According to an article in Business Insider, Hallmark is among nine companies that turned Valentine’s Day into a national economic engine. (Others include sellers of jewelry, flowers, and chocolate.) According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans were expected to spend approximately $25.8 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2024. Though not all that money goes for cards, according to a 2023 National Retail Association survey, 40% of Americans planned to send cards.
Valentine’s Day celebrations in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Valentine’s Day is popular in at least 24 countries. Worldwide, the Greeting Card Association estimates that about one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year. Guatemalans celebrate many varieties of love on Valentine’s Day, exchanging cards with friends and family. Many Germans exchange heart-shaped gingerbread cookies. The Japanese split the celebration into two days: women give Valentines to men on February 14th, and men return the favor on March 14th.
In the Philippines, February 14 is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are common on that day. Are cards for these celebrations two-fers, wedding and Valentine? Heads up, Hallmark!
Bottom Line: Giving Valentines may be a centuries-old tradition, but it’s still going strong!
Especially in winter, hot drinks have a special appeal after skiing or shoveling or when the heating system is on the fritz. And sometimes just for the pleasure of it.
In areas without easy access to safe drinking water, many people prefer to boil all water. Having a hot drink can be a convenient excuse to boil water before drinking it.
Here, for your consideration, are hot drinks galore, from the routine, tried and true to the truly exotic.
Water-Based Drinks
I have a friend who drinks plain hot water, but she is surely in the minority. Putting aside coffee and tea for separate consideration, here are a few ideas for variations on hot water that don’t even need recipes.
Simple additives like a squeeze of lemon, a little sugar, molasses or honey, or some other favorite flavoring such as vanilla, blackberry syrup, etc.
Consider heating un-carbonated flavored water.
Herbs, spices, and supplements can make for a very refreshing and sometimes medicinal beverage when mixed with hot water.
And then there is herbal “tea,” made with water and anything other than Camellia sinensis or Camellia taliensis leaves, such as rooibos, chamomile, or peppermint. This is very convenient, given that there are many varieties commercially available.
Broths and bouillons: water heated with cubes or paste flavored as vegetable, chicken, beef, or whatever.
Coffee-Based Drinks
Coffee isn’t singular. There are over a hundred different types of coffee plants, but only four main types of coffee beans that are commercially produced: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. Arabica and Robusta beans are the most popular, making up well over 90% of the market.
The first consideration is black or with various additives. Popular additions include milk of whatever sort, cream, creamer, whipped cream, ice cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, sugar, sugar substitutes, flavored syrups, or other sweeteners.
A thorough examination of coffee-based drinks is clearly beyond my purpose here. Suffice it to say, the Folgers website alone lists the following:
Espresso, 7 versions
Espresso with coffee, 4 more versions
Cappuccino
Mocha
Lattes, 2 versions
Breve
Macchiatos, 2 versions
Cortado
Dirty Chai
Dalgona
Dessert Coffees, 5 versions
Turkish Coffee
Cuban Coffee
Galão Coffee
Antoccino Coffee
Hot Tea
And then there is real tea, made of leaves from the Camellia plant. Aside from water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. There are roughly 1500 types of tea, categorized into a few main types:
Black tea, a fully oxidized tea that can be dark amber to black in color. Some types of black tea include Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon, and Pue Yunnan.
White tea, a naturally oxidized, non-processed tea that has a floral and fruity aroma. Some types of white tea include Pai Mu Tan and Yin Zhen.
Green tea, a tea that is minimally oxidized to retain its natural green color and fresh flavor. Green tea may have health benefits such as boosting heart health and lowering cholesterol.
Oolong tea, a distinct tea varietal native to Taiwan and Fujian province in China, has properties somewhere between green and black tea. It is a semi-oxidized tea, best steeped for 2–3 minutes at a temperature of 195°F.
Pu-Erh tea gets its smoky, earthy flavor from extended fermentation. After drying in the sun, pu-erh leaves are rolled into a pile and left to ferment for several months, then steamed, compressed, and dried again.
At Oh, How Civilized!, tea and coffee sommelier Jee Choe has provided recipes for a number of hot drinks. Some of these are not tea, in the strict sense, but they don’t clearly fit anywhere else in this blog.
Ginger spice
Pumpkin spice chai latte
Hot citron tea
Decadent chai latte
Easy chamomile tea latte
London Fog (Earl Grey tea latte)
Decadent hojicha latte
Matcha hot chocolate
Decadent Earl Grey hot chocolate
Easy matcha latte (using green tea powder)
Chocolate mint tea latte
Milk tea
Rooibos tea latte (this “red tea” is a South African herb)
Quick and easy Moroccan mint tea
Jujube ginger tea (jujube is a Chinese red date)
Juice-Based Hot Drinks
At its simplest, just heat your favorite juice, such as orange, apple, prune, or whatever.
Hot lemonade (hot water with honey and a bit of lemon) has been a common treatment for sore throats and stuffy heads for centuries.
Hot apple juice is not terribly popular, but its unpasteurized and unfiltered cousin, apple cider, is a very popular hot drink in the fall and winter.
Simply mixing boiling water with a bit of fruit preserves or compote makes a type of hot juice drink, warming and mildly sweet.
Or fancy it up a bit, for example, tomato juice with a dash of Worcestershire, or prune heated with a bit of lemon peel.
Milk-Based Hot Drinks
While some drinks already mentioned might arguably be lumped in with “milk-based” hot drinks, the ones that follow are undoubtedly so.
There is the classic, pure cup of hot (dairy) milk, especially appropriate for nighttime because it contains tryptophan. The brain uses this essential amino-acid to build both serotonin and melatonin, compounds that help us relax and prepare for sleep. Although the amount of tryptophan is small, don’t discount placebo effects, plus the effects of warmth and a full stomach!
Now there are numerous non-dairy milks available: soy, oat, almond, cashew, macadamia, pea, quinoa, rice, and maybe others I don’t know about. Consider these alone or in the options listed below.
Plus 2 recipes for steamers and 2 for sweet drinks
Looking farther afield, you can find recipes like hot spiced vanilla custard milk (at The Peasant’s Daughter).
Hot Cocoa and Chocolate
Last but not least, hot chocolate and hot cocoa!
Last because you probably thought of it immediately; not least because it’s such a favorite. The basic questions are, with or without marshmallows, with or without a sprinkle of chocolate or cinnamon on top. Beyond that, what are your favorite flavorings? Peppermint? Maple?
Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are technically two different drinks! Mixing hot water or milk with cocoa powder and sugar will give you hot cocoa, which is what most of us in America think of. However, melting solid chocolate and mixing it with hot milk will give you hot chocolate, a thicker and richer beverage.
If you need a recipe, consult any cocoa tin, any comprehensive cookbook, or go online. Or, for a very simple recipe, you could just heat pre-made chocolate milk.
Try Mexican hot chocolate, with cinnamon and chili powder. Or, for a French variation, melt chocolate with cream until it is barely liquid enough to drink.
For a lighter take on hot chocolate, consider steeping cacao husks. Martha Washington reportedly enjoyed an infusion of roasted cacao husks with her breakfast!
Hot Alcoholic Drinks
Here again, recipes are everywhere in cookbooks and online. And you might note overlap with some of the preceding categories!
Hot toddy is a wintertime favorite. The classic hot toddy is made with hot water, sweeteners like honey or sugar, whiskey (often bourbon), and a stick of cinnamon or star anise.
Another popular wintertime drink is mulled wine. Mulled wine is dry red or white wine heated and spiced with cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks, often with oranges.
Because of the lack of pasteurization, apple cider and perry (cider made from pear juice) ferment and become alcoholic very easily. Hot Buttered Spiked Cider, besides the title ingredients, uses dark brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, rum, orange peel, and cinnamon stick.
Spiked hot chocolate or a hot peppermint patty
Bailey’s hot chocolate
Amaretto coffee
Irish coffee
Spanish coffee
Hot buttered rum
Ginger bourbon
Cinnamon and tequila
Apple brandy hot toddy
Whiskey chai
Gaelic punch, using young Irish whiskey
Sake
Bottom Line: There are myriad ways to drink yourself warm from the inside out, not to mention warming your fingers as well. Go for it!
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?
