Local News

Young Observers: Mid-December Issue

Say hello to Rhett, a beautiful grey-nosed pitbull. He is sweet and lively at the same time, and he always adores long walks to let off some steam. His leash manners could be compared to a king’s, and he is bound to be your star pupil. (Fun Fact: pit bulls used to be mascots for the U.S Army.)

Photo courtesy of OC Animal Care.

Rhett is an enthusiastic student and has learned by heart how to sit, stay, shake, come, lie down, and we think he might be potty-trained. He is known for his adoration of good tummy rubs. Give him one and he’ll be your friend furever. Rhett is the perfect mixture of warm, cozy snuggles, and brisk, energetic walks. Rhett will appreciate a home with adults or kids above the age of 15 who will give him belly rubs.

Think Rhett might make a great addition to your family? Call (714) 935-6848 to set up an appointment today. ANIMAL ID: A1730000. Visit https://www.ocpetinfo.com.

Endangered Animal Trivia

Q: When is it estimated cheetahs will die out?

A: It is estimated that over the next 15 years, the number of cheetahs will decrease by 53%. There are only 7100 cheetahs left. These popular felines are dying because of climate change, hunting by humans, and habitat destruction, and cheetahs have a low rate of reproductive success, which means they have a harder time than other animals trying to reproduce.

Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated by billions of people all over the world. Roughly 93 percent of Americans acknowledge this holiday along with others in 159 different countries. Although it is widely celebrated throughout the world, each country puts their own flair to Christmas.

Many of us put up Christmas trees, decorate our houses with festive decor and give gifts to each other, but that is not exactly how other countries and cultures celebrate. In fact, the meaning of Christmas varies immensely between different groups of people. Here are some of the many ways people celebrate Christmas around the world.

Let’s start our journey around the world in the Philippines. Every year right before Christmas, citizens hold a Giant Lantern Festival. People compete to make the best lantern for the festival, and the finished products do not disappoint. These 20-feet wide lanterns reflect the upcoming holiday season and are vibrant, intricate, and absolutely beautiful when lit up.

Our next stop is Colombia, which hosts another amazing display of lights. This time, however, it is in the form of candles. In an event known as Little Candles’ Day, Colombians light up many candles and paper lanterns around their house to not only commemorate the beginning of Christmas, but also to honor the Virgin Mary.

Heading a bit northeast, people in Austria have a deeper, darker meaning of Christmas. The good children still receive nice gifts like we do in the U.S. However, the naughty ones get a visit from a satanic demon by the name of Krampus instead. People dress up as this beast every year to scare little kids with various items such as bells or chains. If you plan on visiting Austria during Christmas time, make sure you have been on your best behavior recently.

Finally, we head over to the island country of Japan. The Japanese do not consider Christmas to be a major holiday, but they do have a tradition that may be the most unique of them all. Every year on the big day, they indulge in a rather large KFC meal. That’s right: Kentucky Fried Chicken. Locations in Japan have their own festive menu from which people can order Christmas-themed foods for this tradition.

So, we may be used to the “standard” tradition of spending time with family, decorating houses and giving gifts, but each country celebrates Christmas (if they even celebrate it at all) in their own unique fashion.

With 2022 right around the corner, Spotify released its annual “Spotify Wrapped” for a personalized summary on listeners’ music habits throughout the year. Featuring a gallery of elements including an individual’s top songs, a blended playlist between two parties, an interactive game, a unique playlist customized to each listener, an audio aura and numerous others, Spotify makes it easy to share results on other social media platforms. But of the countless features gathered in the Wrapped experience, this year’s fan favorite, Audio Aura, stands out from the rest.

Based on two moods that best represent a user’s listening habits, Spotify assigns a corresponding hue out of six — purple, green, pink, orange, yellow and blue. In addition to its unique summaries, the audio streaming platform celebrates artists such as Bad Bunny who topped Spotify charts as the most-streamed artist across the globe, with Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake and Justin Bieber following closely behind. End the year with a long-awaited moment, and stay festive with Spotify’s 2021 Wrapped.

To learn more about your Audio Aura, check out: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-12-01/what-the-world-streamed-most-in-2021/

1) Did you know that December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC which began in March? The winter days following December were not included as part of any month.

2) People who are born in December are said to live a healthy and long life. According to a study in the Journal of Ageing Research, December babies tend to live longer in general. December is also the rarest time to be born.

3) National Cookie Day was on December 4th!

4) Kwanzaa, a cultural holiday that celebrates African heritage and identity, starts on December 26 and ends on January 1st.

5) December in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to June in the Southern Hemisphere.

6) The first day of winter, December 21 or 22, is the shortest day of the year and the longest night, called winter or southern solstice in the northern hemisphere.

7) Christmas trees were first used by ancient Egyptians and Romans.

8) Santa Claus was known as Sinterklaas in Dutch and did not always wear red clothes.

9) One of the most popular songs this month is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” which has 195 million views on Youtube.

10) Christmas trees usually grow for close to 15 years before they can be sold.

Source: https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php