Is there a difference whether we give a “gift” or a “present?” That is today’s Mundane Mystery. Th two words came from different language families. Gift comes from the old German root word for “to give.” It refers to the act of giving but also to the thing being given. The term “present” was from…
One of the most festive drinks this time of year… delicious eggnog. But where did that silly name come from? Eggnog is a beverage that originated back in medieval Britain times. They would make it as a hot, milky, ale-like drink made with egg and figs. Legend has it that the “nog” comes from “noggin,”…
It’s that time of year, we’ve all heard the song “please bring us some figgy pudding… please bring us some figgy pudding…” but what exactly is figgy pudding? Would I even want it? It actually does sound kind of tasty. It’s a rich boiled pudding cake made with flour, suet, figs, and other dried fruit.…
Christmas is around the corner, the holiday season is here. That means you’re probably shopping nonstop lately. But why is “red” the color every store decides to use for decorations and ads this time of year? There have been research studies done by the retail industry which show that consumers spend more money when they…
I don’t know about you but I always think of spiders full grown or in eggs. Never as babies. But obviously they have to grow up into adult spiders. So what does one call a baby spider? The official name for spiders that have yet to reach maturity yet is “spinderlings”. How adorable! Maybe that…
Whether you’re listening to the song or watching the classic movie you’ve probably assumed in your head that Rudolph is either a boy or a girl. But which one is true?! According to science Rudolph is actually female. A few professors at Edinburgh University have said that Rudolph cannot be a male because female reindeer…
I know you’ve thought about before while sitting in the drive-thru at a Taco Bell… “how much would it cost to just buy this place?” Luckily, I looked it up for you. If you want to own a Taco Bell franchise it will cost you $1.5 Million. So if you have an extra mil and…
As you have most likely heard by now there is a new COVID-19 variant, which now been detected here in the U.S. out in California. The name is a little strange though, Omicron. It was named after the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. When it comes to how to pronounce it, there’s multiple ways. Here’s…
We’ve almost reached the 12 Days of Christmas and this article has been making the rounds on the internet today. How much would it cost to buy everything mentioned in the song? If you wanted to buy everything from “The 12 Days of Christmas” it’s going to cost you over $41,000. Crazy! This is actually up…
Tomorrow morning is the annual Macys Day Thanksgiving Parade. When you pour yourself some coffee plop down on the couch and get your turkey day started by watching giant Balloons float down NYC streets. The mundane mystery today…. what happens to those balloons after the parade? Back in the early 1920s when the parade first…