It’s that time again, to hear the conservative lament about the “War on Christmas.” Is this, as the New York Times has opined, merely in our imagination? I’d agree that the term “war” is a bit of an exaggeration. “Cultural skirmish” might be a better fit. No one has outlawed Christmas in America, but […]
Category: Culture
Happy Birthday, Finland!
Today is the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence from Russia. Just weeks after the Bolshevik Revolution, Finland broke free and thus avoided all the carnage that most of the former Russian Empire suffered. Finland may be a small country, but it’s got moxie. In the Winter War of 1939-1940, it fought back the mighty USSR […]
The Great Glass House
The Crystal Palace was one of the signature landmarks of Victorian London. It was built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, which showcased many of the wonders of the Industrial Revolution. After the Exhibition ended it was moved to a park on Sydenham Hill and remained there until it was destroyed by fire in […]
Ode to the Hat Pin by Arlys-Allegra Holloway
The hat pin has gone down in history as one of the most surprising, yet practical weapons at a Victorian woman’s disposal. As the amazing lovely hats of the period grew bigger, so did the hat pin, which could be artfully concealed among their ornate decorations. Some were up to thirteen inches long and resembled […]
Thanksgiving History – The Ragamuffin Parade
Over the years Thanksgiving has become associated with many traditions, including turkey, football, parades and of course Black Friday. Today I’m going to talk about the history of two of these. Last fall I was listening to NPR when I heard an interesting bit of trivia on “America’s Test Kitchen.” I don’t normally listen to […]
Lenin Was a Snowflake
2017 has been a year of important anniversaries. This month was the centennial of the October Revolution (by the old calendar), when the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the fledgling Russian Republic, after which it became the Soviet Union. The New York Times published a series of articles commemorating this revolution. Like many on […]
The Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma
In 1971, Paul Revere & the Raiders released the song “Cherokee Nation,” which bemoaned the loss of the Native American way of life. It was a major hit, but they should have sung about the Dakota or Apache because the Cherokee had already adopted white culture in the early 1800’s. They lived in houses, […]