Apps For Kids

Did you receive any presents over the holidays? Today is Thank You Note Day, so write an old-fashioned letter to say thanks! It’s also Whiners Day. You’re allowed to complain about anything, except for what you didn’t get for Christmas! The day was created to encourage people to be thankful for what you have!

Today is Candy Cane Day. For centuries, candy canes were peppermint-flavored, red-and-white-striped, sticks of candy. In recent years, the flavors have expanded to include fruit punch, cinnamon, and watermelon, with bright colors to match. Those seem fine, but you can also get mac-and-cheese, ham, pickle, rotisserie chicken, pizza, or clam candy canes! Yuck!

December 26th, St Stephen’s Day, is known as Boxing Day in many countries. It’s named for the Christmas box some employers give to their employees, or the donation box outside churches. In Ireland, it’s also the Day of the Wren. Straw-costumed Wrenboys parade through town, singing and dancing, and collecting money for charity.

Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? The week-long celebration of African-American culture, runs from December 26th to January 1st, with a feast on the 6th day. Red, black, or green candles are lit each night, to observe the 7 principles of Kwanzaa, which include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Christmas tradition says a star overhead marked the location where Jesus was born. The Bible describes how wise men followed a star to Bethlehem. Some people think the star was really a UFO! They also think Jesus was an alien who could shift shapes. Whatever you believe, have a wonderful holiday!

Today is Pumpkin Pie Day. Try making one from your leftover Halloween pumpkin! Just kidding, those are all rotten! It’s easiest to use pumpkin in a can, to make a fresh-baked pie. It’s also A’phabet, or No “L” Day. The ABC’s, minus the L, is Noel, another name for Christmas!

Today is Christmas, a festival celebrated by billions of people to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. We don’t know the date Jesus was actually born, but Christmas has been December 25th since the year 336. It is marked with gift giving and Santa Claus, Christmas trees and lights, church services, songs and gatherings.

A fisherman in Australia, thought he’d spotted a massive trout in the water. It turned out to be an oddly-colored platypus. The platypus had very light-brown fur, and a pink bill and feet. Because platypuses are the apex predator in the area’s rivers, the pink coloring won’t cause the animal any harm.

Scientists have discovered a new exoplanet, outside our Solar System. The planet, named PSR J2322-2650 b, has a unique helium-and-carbon atmosphere, might be full of diamonds, and orbits a type of neutron star called a pulsar. The star’s powerful gravity may have stretched the planet into its unusual lemon shape.

Everyone knows Santa’s sleigh, is pulled by reindeer. But did you know, that they’re all girls? Male reindeer shed their antlers in early December, so any reindeer that still have antlers on Christmas Eve, must be female. Of course, since they’re magical flying reindeer, I suppose it’s possible Santa’s crew doesn’t follow the rules.