Seasonal trivia....

 I know that you probably have many pre-holiday questions bubbling in your brain these days.  I know I do.  Happily, I have discovered answers for some of the most pressing, so here we go.  First of all, what's the difference between a caribou and a reindeer?  Surprise, there's no difference.  A caribou and a reindeer are the same animal.  So why not Santa and his eight tiny caribou?  It turns out that, in North America, the animal is called a reindeer if it's domesticated and a caribou if it's wild.  I took a ride in a sleigh pulled by a reindeer when I was in Lapland.  It was the absolutely coldest experience of my life.  Santa must have a really well insulated red suit.  

Here's another question I'm sure you're pondering: how did the cranberry get its name.  I do realize that cranberry relish is a thanksgiving dish, but it also works for Christmas.  History has it that Dutch and German settlers in North America came up with the name 'crane berry' because the plant's blossoms resembled the neck and head of a crane.  This was eventually shortened to cranberry. I'm not sure why.  That's only one letter less.  

Question number three - how fast does a snowflake fall from the sky on average?  You probably wonder that every time it starts snowing.  On average they fall between one and four miles per hour. Which, I guess, is why it looks like they are just innocently floating down.  However, don't get too complacent.  If they pick up water as they fall they can speed up to nine miles an hour.

And finally, why is it good to eat fried sweets during the holiday season?  It turns out that latkes, doughnuts, and other fried treats are popular during Hanukkah because they recall the old testament story of the miracle of the oil that, even when there was only enough oil for one day, burned in its lamp for seven days. Now I'm not Jewish and you may not be either, but I think it's fine to honor the traditions of other cultures.  So go ahead and eat those doughnuts.  On the other hand, I recommend that you skip the reindeer drawn sleigh ride.