Author: Lisa Mungovan

An e-sports tournament in Japan, had a surprising winner. 92-year-old Hisako Sakai, took the top spot in the Tekken 8 final. The Care eSports Association held the tournament for senior citizens, ranging in age from 73 to 95. You’re never too old to play sports, especially if you can sit in a comfy chair.

What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Today is Cookie Exchange Day, so organize a sweet swap. Bake a batch of special treats, to trade with others. Make sure you save a few from your special batch for yourself. But you never know; you might end up with a new favorite cookie after the exchange!

Today is Date Nut Bread Day. No silly, you aren’t supposed to date a nut. It’s a sweet bread full of dates and nuts. People in Egypt and the Middle East have been cultivating dates, a fruit that grows on palm trees, for 6000 years. You should bake some delicious bread today!

Today is Crossword Puzzle Day. What’s a 4-letter word, for not making your bed? L-A-Z-Y spells lazy. It’s ok today though, because it’s also Don’t Make Your Bed Day. With the time you save, write a tiny tale, for Short Story Day! Stories make great holiday presents. Don’t lose it in your messy bed!

Today is Flashlight Day. Some flashlights have hand cranks, so you don’t need batteries! You can also use the flashlight on your phone, or a headlamp for hands-free exploring. Your flashlight will come in handy, for Look On The Bright Side Day. No matter how bad things seem, always find something good about it!

Fans of Dr Who, a tv show that started in 1963, know all about the Daleks. Today is Dalek Remembrance Day. Pretend you’re a Dalek, by moving slowly and chanting, “Exterminate! Exterminate!” When you’re finished terrifying everyone, celebrate the ancient festival of Yule, by having a bonfire with a Yule log, and feeding the trees.

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in Earth’s Northern Hemisphere. The sun’s maximum elevation will be at its lowest, meaning the period of darkness is longest. Starting tomorrow, the days will gradually get longer. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the summer solstice!

Sometimes extreme cold gives you a runny nose. Cold-induced rhinitis can cause your nose to drip a cup of fluid a day! When you inhale, your nose has to make the air warm and wet to avoid irritating your lung cells. Secretions create humidity, but sometimes your nose just makes more than necessary.

Tomorrow morning before dawn, the Ursid meteor showers will be at their peak, streaking out of the Big Dipper. They’ll dwindle away by the 26th, but starting December 28th, the Quarantids will start appearing in the night sky. You can catch them until January 12th.

The World Snow Sculpting Championships, will take place next month in Stillwater Minnesota. Snow-sculpting teams from 16 countries, will carve massive works of art during a week-long festival. Last year’s top 3 teams came from Mongolia, Mexico, and Taiwan. Practice your snow-sculpting skills, and maybe someday you’ll compete in the world championships too!