Volume 3, Issue 24

OPEN DAILY ‘TIL

MIDNITE 716 434-6667

NOW SERVING BREAKFAST FROM 6AM - 10AM 15 Locust St. • Lockport, NY 14094

Of Niagara Region®

KalosHealth.org

e-mail: tidbitsofniagararegion@gmail.com website: www.tidbitsofniagararegion.com

TIDBITS® CELEBRATES THE

AUCTION

Curvy ’n Chic

WINTER SOLSTICE

by Kathy Wolfe

PERRY AUCTIONS VEHICLE & EQUIPMENT AUCTION

5300 LOCKPORT RD. • LOCKPORT, NY 14094 SATURDAY DECEMBER 29 AT 10AM OPEN FOR REGISTRATION & PREVIEW: 8AM

AUCTION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Support equipment: Sterling Dump Truck, Snow Pusher, Dump Trailer Recreational: Motor Homes, Camper, Snowmobiles

VEHICLES IN ALL PRICE RANGES - SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Vehicles are uploaded to our website: perryauctions.com as they arrive.

Check every day to see photos and details of the latest arrivals and current inventory.

AUCTIONEERS NOTE:

All advertised items are subject to redemption prior to the auction, and creditors on the spot approval. Payment by cash or credit card only.

Photos updated daily, and complete information: perryauctions.com.

Download your catalog Friday night December 28 for early reference of auction items

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This year, the December Solstice will fall on December 21, and will be the Northern Hemisphere’s shortest day of the year and the Southern Hemisphere’s longest day. It’s when the sun reaches its southern-most position as seen from the Earth, and the North Pole is tilted furthest away from the Sun. Follow along as Tidbits sets its sights on that event and other happenings that have occurred during this Solstice week over the years.

• The word “solstice” has its origins in the Latin language, translating “the Sun stands still.” At the moment of the solstice, the Sun does seem to stand still over the Tropic of Capricorn, then reverses its direction. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice is used as the start of the winter season. North of the Arctic Circle, there is no direct sunlight whatsoever, while south of the Antarctic Circle, there are 24 hours of daylight.

• On Christmas Eve, 1963, just 31 days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, New York’s Idlewild Airport was renamed JFK Airport in his honor. Idlewild, which opened in 1948, was named for the Idlewild Beach Golf Course, previous tenant of the property. Today, JFK is the sixth-busiest airport in America, handling more than 59 million passengers last year. turn the page for more…

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Volume 3, Issue #24

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To the ancient Greeks, it was the concept of hospitality, generosity, and courtesy shown to those far from home. To the botanist, it’s the effect of pollen on a seed. And to those in Ohio, Page 2 it’s the county seat of Greene County, a community about 21 miles (34 km) from Dayton.

• Xystus is an architectural term, referring to a long, covered portico, or main entrance, of ancient Greek gymnasiums. Here, athletes would exercise during inclement weather.

To the Romans, the xystus was the garden walkway in front of the porticoes, where they planted flower beds.

• Physicians are familiar with two unusual “X” words, xyster and xiphisterna. The xyster is a surgical instrument used for scraping bones, while the xiphisterna refers to the cartilage at the lower end of the body’s sternum, that long flat bone located at the center of the chest.

• The Greek word xanthos translates “yellow,” and several of our words use it for a prefix.

Xanthophyll is a yellow pigment found along with cholorophyll in green plants. Plants with yellow stems are xanthopous. To those suffering from the abnormal vision condition known as xanthopsia, everything they see seems to have a yellow hue.

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WINTER SOLSTICE (cont’d): • Lots of folks were on pins and needles on December 21, 2012, waiting for the world to end.

Some astronomers predicted the end of human civilization on that day based on the Mayan calendar. However, the Mayan calendar didn’t really end on that date, but rather it was the end of “Great Cycle of the Long Count,” a wheelshaped part of their calendar. After December 21, another “Long Count” began. Yet certain astronomers claimed that a galactic alignment of planets would produce a gravitational effect between the sun and a black hole at the center of the galaxy, possibly destroying Earth.

• On December 21, 1968, three astronauts – Frank Borman, James Lovell, Jr., both 40 years old, and 35-year-old Williams Anders – entered the Apollo 8 spacecraft and launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the first manned spacecraft to leave Earth’s orbit and reach the moon. Apollo 8 took 68 hours to cover the distance to the Moon, where it orbited ten times over the next 20 hours. The crew became the first humans to see the Earth as a whole planet and to view the dark side of the moon. On Christmas morning, the craft exited the Moon’s orbit and headed for Earth. On December 27, it splashed down in the Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii.

• Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh suffered from mental illness and severe depression his entire life, and on December 23, 1888, he cut off a large portion of his left ear with a razor.

He later painted Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear to record the event. Although revered today as the genius who created his famous sunflower series of paintings, along with Starry Night and Irises, Van Gogh lived much of his life in poverty and despair. He created about 2,100 works of art in just over ten years, yet during his short lifetime, he actually sold only one painting. Just 19 months after cutting off his ear, he took his own life at age 37.

• The world’s first successful kidney transplant took place at a Boston hospital on December (continued on next page)

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DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I love buying gifts for my pets at Christmas. My ex-boyfriend, however, says I spend too much money and that my dog and two cats don’t care that they’re getting presents. I still love doing it, though -- it makes me happy to see them in a new dog sweater or cat collar or playing with new toys. What do you think? -- Craig J., via email DEAR CRAIG: I think you answered the question yourself: It makes you happy to give gifts to your pets.

That should be all that matters -- as long as you’re not overspending. Paying the rent or the mortgage is still important.

The truth is, Americans are spending more on their pets this holiday than ever before. A new poll by St. Leo University found that, on average, pet owners plan to spend $237 on gifts this season. That’s way up from the same poll done in 2015, when pet owners said they would only spend about $98 on their pets.

Why the big uptick in spending? Maybe it’s the way we increasingly see pets as family members. Maybe we have a little more disposable income this year and want to buy pricier gifts that we wouldn’t have considered for our pets a few years ago. For example, the owner of a store I frequent has a small terrier that wears a different, stylish doggie sweater every day.

At any rate, it’s your choice how much to spend on your pets, no matter what others might think.

Readers, what New Year’s resolutions will you make for your pet? Let me know at ask@pawscorner.com or on Twitter @PawsCorner. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

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WINTER SOLSTICE (cont’d): 23, 1954, by a team headed by 35-year-old Dr. Joseph Murray, a surgeon and Harvard Medical School professor. Richard Herrick was 23 years old and had recently been discharged from the Coast Guard. He was welcomed home by his twin brother Ronald, who was told that Richard was dying of kidney disease. Because humans can live with just one kidney, Ronald donated a healthy kidney for this ground-breaking surgery. As a result, Richard lived eight more years. Over the next 20 years, about 10,000 kidney transplants were performed. Today, nearly 17,000 Americans undergo the procedure every year. The survival rate for the first year after surgery is more than 95%. Upwards of 80% are still alive five years later.

• Just two days after Christmas, 1932, New York’s Radio City Music Hall opened its doors at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan.

The plot of land, located in a formerly rundown area of the city, was originally intended for a new Metropolitan Opera House. But because a new building was too pricey for the opera to fund by itself, billionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr. stepped in, making the theater the cornerstone of his new Rockefeller Center complex. For 40 years, Radio City Music Hall functioned as a first-run movie theater and a site for large stage projections. It then adjusted to hosting concerts by famous musicians. With a capacity of nearly 6,000, Radio City is the world’s largest indoor theater, and has accommodated more than 300 million attendees since 1932.

• Christmas Eve, 1923 marked the lighting of the first outdoor national Christmas tree. President Calvin Coolidge lit the tree on the White House grounds, the first tree to be decorated with electric lights, 2,500 red, white, and green bulbs. The 48-foot-tall (14.6 m) balsam fir had been sent from Coolidge’s home state of Vermont. The lighting was followed by caroling (continued on next page)

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* Putting up new calendars? Before you toss your old one, be sure to look through it for important anniversaries, and cut out and save any pictures or art that might be reusable for craft projects. * Wrapping up your decorations is a snap with a visit to the recycling bin: egg cartons for ornaments, paper towel cores to wrap lights around, and newspaper for tinsel or lengths of fake boughs. * “Is your showerhead spraying in all directions?

There may be a buildup of mineral deposits blocking some of the holes. Here’s a good way to get that cleaned out, and it’s no scrub, mostly. Fill a plastic baggie halfway with a vinegar and water solution. Lift it up and put the showerhead into the vinegar. Then secure the bag over the pipe tightly using tape or a hair elastic. Let it sit while you’re at work or running errands. Then remove and run the shower normally.”

-- R.E. in Oklahoma * Do you use the clutter basket trick? As you clean your home, or just when tidying, carry a basket from room to room. Items that belong in another room go in the basket to be delivered to the right room along the way. * “Make your own coffee creamer with this easy recipe: Combine 1 can of sweetened condensed milk with 2 cups of whole milk and 1/3 to 1/2 cup flavoring syrup, available in the coffee aisle of your grocery store. Add a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract for additional flavor.” -- W.B. in New York * Use dry flour or cornstarch on a microfiber cloth for stubborn grease on stainless steel. It absorbs and buffs.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Tidbits® of Niagara Region

Did you hear about the family who got stuck on Peter Pan’s Flight for over 3 hours?

Apparently, their vehicle would nevernever land.

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RLOOTDOANWM Home of “Mission to Mars,” “Space Mountain,” and “Finding Nemo Voyage”

Solution puzzle on page 8

Published Weekly by:

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WINTER SOLSTICE (cont’d): led by the Epiphany Church choir and a U.S. Marine Band quartet, and a concert by the full band.

• The history of baseball changed dramatically on December 26, 1919, when Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for an unprecedented $100,000. After five seasons with the Sox and the completion of the 1919 season, Ruth demanded a raise from $10,000 a year to $20,000, about $212,733 in today’s dollars. When Frazee refused, Ruth said he wouldn’t play until he got the raise. Frazee’s response was the sale.

And so began the “Curse of the Bambino.” Up to that point, the Sox had been one of the most successful teams, with five World Series titles.

After the sale, the Yankees won seven American League pennants and four World Series championships, while it took 86 years before the Sox were Series champions again.

• Beginning in 1927, Time magazine has named a “Man of the Year,” renamed “Person of the Year” in 1999. However, on December 26, 1982, the magazine chose a non-human for the honor, with the cover reading “Machine of the Year.”

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slabwood • firewood • chunk wood all hardwood • saw dust • 1/2 to bushel peach crates Answers on page 7

New Scam Has You Pay With Gift Card 3rd Quarter 2016 Week 30

Christmas Chocolate These chocolate treats are so yummy, you’ll think your BEST holiday gift is enjoying a couple of these without guilt!

S’MORE CAKE BROWNIES 1. cups all-purpose 3 1 1/2 flour Sugar to equal 3/4 cup sugar, suitable for 2. substitute “Peter Pan’s Flight” baking 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa • 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 cup fat-free yogurt 1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3/4 cup water 1 cup miniature marshmallows 6 tablespoons purchased graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

person in history – 22 Awards and 59 nominations

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with butter-flavored cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar substitute, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, vanilla extract and water. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture. Mix gently just to combine.

3. Spread batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Evenly sprinkle marshmallows over top of partially baked brownies.

4. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and chocolate chips. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over top. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Place cake pan on a wire rack and let set for at least 10 minutes. Cut into 16 brownies. Makes 8 (2 each) servings. * Each serving equals: 170 Calories, 2g Fat, 4g Protein, 34g Carb., 352mg Sodium, 2g Fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fat (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

If you get calls from people claiming to be from the utility company or an alleged family member, or even the Internal Revenue Service, and they try to scare you into making immediate payment, it’s surely a scam.

One way to tell it’s a scam is if they insist you pay with gift cards, likely a Google Play or iTunes card.

This is a theft problem that has increased 270 percent since 2015.

It can be tempting ... especially if you’re told you’ve won something and only need to send a gift card to cover postage. You might be told that you missed jury duty and can post your bail with a gift card instead of being arrested. Or you might be told that you can get certain medical supplies that Medicare won’t pay for, or that you have a computer bug and they can fix it for you. There’s no end to the scenarios these thieves can think up.

Even if you fall for the scam, once might not be enough. Once they know how to manipulate you, they’ll come back again and again.

A note of warning: If you’re in a store buying a gift card and the clerk tells you it might be a scam, listen.

They see this all the time and they’re trying to help you. There are at least seven different gift card scams out there right now.

To learn more, go online to the Federal Trade Commission and see ftc.gov/giftcards. If you’ve paid for something with a gift card, let the FTC know. The FTC website has the phone numbers of many companies that issue gift cards, including Amazon, MoneyPak and Steam. Also go online to giftcards.com and read up on gift card scams. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

Answers on Page 7

Answers on Page 8

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

Page 5

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Either you love it or hate it! Tidbits serves up a slice of facts on fruitcake in honor of National Fruitcake Day on December 27.

• Fruitcake might be the butt of many jokes during this season, but it wasn’t always so. It was a delicacy to the ancient Romans, who made a mixture of barley, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins. During the Middle Ages when dried fruits became available, these were added, along with honey and spices. The Crusaders carried fruitcake with them to get them through their long journeys.

• During the 1700s and 1800s, it became a tradition to make fruitcakes for very special occasions, such as weddings and holidays. Fruitcake was always served at British teatime in the mid-1800s, and Queen Victoria served a plum fruitcake at her wedding to Prince Albert. The tradition was repeated at the wedding of PrinDisney Solution on page 8 cessDid you hear about the family who got stuck Diana to Prince Charles. That particular 1. Name the most visited theme park in all of fruitcake became famous when a slice was sold on Peter Pan’s Flight for over 3 hours?

Europe.

Apparently, their vehicle would never2. What part of Disneyland contains the “Big at an never auction house in 2016 for $7,500. The Thunder Mountain Railroad” and “Tom Sawyer land.

Island”?

2011 wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince 3. What is the name of the transportation system throughout Disneyland?

William continued the fruitcake custom. Un4. What ride beings in Space Port where guests board a rocket? married wedding guests during Victorian times Bacon French Toast Bake 5. Where would a visitor find “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” and “Peter Pan’s Flight”? placed a slice of the wedding fruitcake under ated on the Our gift to you: make-ahead French toast! d by Disney? their pillow in order to dream of the person they ride to hang 1 loaf challah or brioche bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick would marry. slices (about 1 pound) • Today’s fruitcakes are made with a high ratio 6 large eggs of fruit and nuts to batter, with just enough cake 2 cup half-and-half“What youngster has not dreamed of flying with Peter Pan over moonlit L OitO T D OThe AN WM batter toRhold together. result is a very 2 cup grated GruyereLondon, or tumbling into Alice’s cheese (about 8 ounces) Home of “Mission to Mars,” “Space heavy, dense, moist cake. A light fruitcake’s nonsensical Wonderland?”

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup Mountain,” and “Finding Nemo Voyage” -- Walt Disney 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon ingredients include light corn syrup, golden rai4 slices bacon, chopped sins, pineapple, and apricots, while a dark fruitey theme cake has darker ingredients – molasses, dark ure, Hasselhoff 7/17/52 1. Leave bread slices spread outDavid on rack or platter Vin Diesel 7/18/67 fruits like Disneyland raisins, prunes, dates, and cherries. ite that had at room temperature at least 2 hours or until slightly 1.

Paris Vikki Carr 7/19/41 nd’s parking Candied citron is a popular component, made Carlos Santana 7/20/47 2.

Frontierland stale. Grease 3-quart baking dish.

Jon Lovitz 7/21/57 3. thickThe Monorail 2. Arrange bread in prepared baking dish, slightly from peel of citrus fruit. It is placed in Selena Gomez 7/22/92 4.

Space Mountain overlapping. In large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half, Daniel Radcliffe 7/23/89 brine and fermented for several weeks, boiled, 5.

Fantasyland Gruyere, 1/4 cup maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 then candied in a sugar solution. teaspoon each salt and pepper until combined. Pour (continued on next page) all over bread in baking dish. With hands, press down on bread to submerge. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

3. Heat oven to 375 F. Remove plastic. Sprinkle bacon all over top of bread mixture. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden Looking for a natural weed killer for brown and set.

4. Drizzle withyour garden? White vinegar is an remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup and earth-friendly broadleaf before serving.effective Serves 10.

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT: To provide a one-time grant of money to help pay for life saving medical treatment for pets whose caring, responsible owners are not able to pay for the care their pet needs due to low income, personal crisis, or disaster. Payments will be made directly to the medical care provider.

All4PetsWNY does not cover exam fees, diagnostic testing (blood work, x-rays, etc.) vaccinations, or spay and neuter operations.

The 2003 census showed 65 million dogs and 77 million cats living in the US. The majority 3 today’s pet owners think of their pets as members of their family. They want to do everything “Peter Pan’s Flight” possible to give their pets a long, happy, and healthy life. Unfortunately, the cost of many modern life-saving operations is too steep to afford without insurance.

WHAT INSPIRED US TO START ALL4PETSWNY? We were made aware of a very sad situation. A mother and her young child brought their young and otherwise healthy pet for a treatable medical condition. After spending $800 trying to treat the animal with medicine, they realized surgery would be neccessary. The mother had a life ceived more Academy Awards and nominations than any other person in history – 22 Awards and 59 nominations threatening illness of her own and had just been informed her health care provider would no d 1969. longer cover her treatments. They could no longer afford to pay for the pets care and he was euthanized. We started All4PetsWNY to save lives, one at a time, and to help caring pet owners keep their pets in tough times.

AND

1.

2. of

HOW TO DONATE

If you’d like to donate to All4PetsWNY, please complete this form, and enclose it with your payment.

Name____________________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________________ City________________________________ State________________ Zip______________ Phone______________________ Email_______________________________ Amount Enclosed____________ Is your donation being made in memory of someone special?

If so, please complete the following: In memory or honor of_________________________ Mail to: All4PetsWNY • 900 Jefferson Rd. Suite 105 • Rochester, NY 14623 Fax: 585.292.6748 Donations can also be made via Pay Pal to: sozio.allpets.lmarie@gmail.com

Page 6

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

The Village

A Manufactured Home Community

6035 S. Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094

Tammy Lee-Kavney-ROSe Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Phone: 716-434-6241 Fax: 716-434-9634 Cell: 585-469-4597 Email: Villagehomes@gmail.com www.villagehomecommunityhomes.com

5665 South Transit Road • Lockport, NY 14094 Cell: 716.392.3520 Office: 716.434.8458 • Fax: 716.434.6589

Jeanie Swatsworth Russell Swatworth Jr.

tammykavneyrose@howardhanna.com HowardHanna.com

Park Managers

tammykavneyrose.howardhanna.com

BASEMENT WATERPROOFING DONALD A. YORK INC.

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Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Specialists 9720 Rochester Rd Middleport, NY 14105 phone: 716-735-3370 fax: 866-323-7402

Jeff Ulrich, President mobile phone: 716-622-9427 www.hydrofabwaterjet.com email: HydroFabrication@verizon.net

PETE HERRIVEN OWNER

716-735-4129

petes.garage@yahoo.com

PETE’S GARAGE

9966 ROCHESTER RD MIDDLEPORT NY 14105

TIDBITS OF NIAGARA REGION IS NOW ON FACEBOOK https://facebook.com/tibitsofniagararegion

King Petroleum Products • Fuel Oil • Gasoline • Diesel Fuel • Kerosene • Residential • Commercial • Metered Service • Burner Service • Automatic Delivery

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FRUITCAKE (cont’d): • Fruitcakes are saturated with liqueurs or brandy, then covered in powdered sugar, both which serve to prevent mold. Storing them in brandy- or wine-soaked linens, then placing in an airtight container prolongs their life. Cakes aged 25 years and longer are not unusual, and can still be eaten. In fact, a 106-year-old fruitcake was discovered last year, dating from a Norwegian expedition to Antarctica in 1811.

It was considered in “excellent condition” and “almost edible,” with just a very slight rancid butter smell.

• Two bakeries in the small town of Claxton, Georgia, population 2,400, produce more than 4 million pounds (1,814,369 kg) of fruitcake each year, leading the community to declare itself the “Fruitcake Capital of the World.”

• A pineapple fruitcake was part of the cargo on the Apollo 11 space mission. However, none of the astronauts partook of the treat, which is now the property of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. • Johnny Carson was famous for ridiculing fruitcake, saying, “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep passing it around.” The Urban Dictionary defines fruitcake as “a gross cake-like thing that consists of nasty spices, nuts, and dried fruit.” Another clever line by Jon Ronson was, “Friends are the fruitcake of life – some nutty, some soaked in alcohol, some sweet.”

• Manitou Springs, Colorado, has been home to the Great Fruitcake Toss on the first Saturday of every January since 1995, which “encourages the use of recycled fruitcakes.” The record for the longest toss is 1,420 feet (432.8 m), by a team of Boeing engineers who used a mock artillery piece fueled by compressed air to launch their fruitcake.

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716-628-8503 jerrysloosethreads@gmail.com Answers on Page 8

JEST I N TYME A S RTISAN HOPPE

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SHAAREY ZEDEK Apartments

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ADVERTISE IN TIDBITS

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

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EASON LOOKING S FO AS STM

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Tidbits® of Niagara Region

E’S ON

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In commemoration of the first publication of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Tidbits studies up the facts on this beloved poem.

• Clement Clarke Moore has long been purported to be the author of the poem, which was originally entitled “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

Moore was a professor of biblical and classical studies, especially ancient languages. In 1809, he published the lengthy two-volume Compendious Lexicon of the Hebrew Language. He composed several poems to his beloved wife Elizabeth, who died shortly after her 30th birthday, leaving Moore with seven children.

• The classic poem was first published on December 23, 1823 in a New York newspaper, the Troy Sentinel, submitted to the paper anonymously. There are differing theories as to who gave it to the Sentinel, one that the Moore’s housekeeper sent it, and another that a daughter of a local reverend overheard the poem recited when visiting the family in 1822, copied it down and sent it to the paper. Some historians say that Moore didn’t claim the authorship at the time because he considered it a less-thandistinguished work for a theological professor.

• Over the next several years, the poem reappeared a few times in newspapers, but then faded away. In 1837, 14 years after its first publication, Moore claimed ownership of the poem, admitting he had written it “not for publication, but to amuse my children,” and in 1844, he officially included it in an anthology of his work.

• In 1899, the family of Henry Livingston stepped forward with claims that their farmer and part-time poet great-grandfather had in fact composed the poem. They maintained that, according to family recollections, their ancestors recalled their father reading the poem to them at Christmas time, 1808, and that he in fact was the author.

TELL ‘EM YOU SAW THEM IN TIDBITS

Page 7

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When it’s time to dispose of your Christmas tree, go green! Contact your local recycling center to see if they offer services for mulching or chipping trees. This provides countless benefits to public outdoor areas, parks, and hiking trails, or as erosion barriers for sloped areas.

TIDBITS OF NIAGARA REGION IS NOW ON FACEBOOK https://facebook.com/tibitsofniagararegion

Barb’s Sweet Treats

Distinctive Chocolate Candies, Made Fresh Daily!

Holiday Chocolates Sponge Candy•Creames Nuts •Chews • Sugar Waffles Giant Cookies Novelty Candies

Wholesale & Retail 716-609-0931

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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES TO ADVERTISE CALL Differences

1. Lamp is missing. 2. Ear flap is smaller.

3. Sign is different. 4. Number is different.

5. Pocketbook is missing. 6. Wreath is missing.

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Page 8

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

Classified Ad Rates Cost is $15/week for the first 20 words.

Add $3 for each additional group of 5 words or less.

(24 words, $18... 26 words, $21, etc.)

All standard ads are printed in B/W Add $3 for color background. Add $5 for photo.

Email ad information to tidbitsofniagararegion@gmail.com Ads need to be in by noon on Monday to appear in following weeks paper.

Call 716-807-7729 to place ad as well.

Ring in the New Year With Eggnog Eggnog has been prepared and served during the holidays for hundreds of years. Upper-class Europeans served the drink to their holiday guests as a hot milk punch combined with liquor, usually wine or brandy. The traditional recipe traveled from Europe to America with the English colonists during the 18th century. President George Washington was very fond of eggnog.

PHOTO CREDIT: Depositphoto

While dairy products were plentiful in America, wine and brandy were heavily taxed. Since rum, which also (continued in next column)

MOre ANSWERS

For advertising rates call 716.807.7729

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

(cont’d): • One Livingston relative claimed that several of Henry’s children had seen the original manuscript on his desk, with notations and edits. But the family couldn’t produce the manuscript, saying it had been lost in a house fire.

• Several 21st-century literary professors analyzed the poem’s style, and compared Livingston’s with Moore’s. Some professors declared that there was no way Moore could have written the work, because the Christmas poem was completely unlike Moore’s usual structure and content. They argued that Livingston’s style and phraseology of his other works matched “A Visit from St. Nicholas” perfectly. Others contended that Moore was a grumpy and stodgy scholar of ancient Hebrew, who didn’t like children and couldn’t possibly have written a “light-hearted, child-friendly poem.”

• Livingston’s Dutch heritage was also brought into the argument, because the original poem listed two of the reindeer names as “Dunder” and “Blixem,” the Dutch words for Thunder and Lightning.

• However, the truth remains that the poem was published several times after 1823, and Henry Livingston did not step forward to claim authorship. There also remain four handwritten copies of the poem, signed by Clement Clarke Moore, including one that was sold for $280,000 in 2006.

• And so the controversy continues, one family’s word against another’s, with Moore getting credit for the classic until Livingston’s family can prove otherwise.

• The Chelsea District of Manhattan sits on an estate once owned by Moore’s father, an 18thcentury sea captain, who bought the land in 1750. Clement Moore donated the apple orchard to the Episcopal Diocese for a seminary, and developed the remainder of the estate into an upscale neighborhood.

Eggnog (continued) the microwave. You might want to make a double batch and use any extra eggnog as a flavoring for baked goods or coffee.

6 Eggland’s Best eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 quart milk Garnishes or stir-ins, optional* *Whipping cream, ground nutmeg, sherbet or ice cream, fruit juice, brandy or rum extract, peppermint sticks or candy canes, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate seeds and juice, maraschino cherries or chocolate curls 1. In large microwave-safe bowl, beat together eggs, sugar and salt until thoroughly blended. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. In a smaller microwave-safe bowl, cook the milk in the microwave on high or full power, about 3 minutes.

Stir and continue to cook on high power for another 3 minutes or until bubbles form at the edges of the milk.

3. Slowly stir 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Stir vigorously until the ingredients are well combined to bring both mixtures up to the same temperature and to avoid scrambling the eggs. Continue to add the hot milk, 1/2 cup at a time, until all of it has been combined. Stir vigorously after each addition.

4. Return the mixture to the microwave and cook on high for another 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Just before serving, pour the eggnog into a punch bowl or a pitcher. Garnish or add stir-ins, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 1 1/2 quarts, or 12 (1/2-cup) servings. *** Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her website is www.divapro.com. Recipes may not be reprinted without permission from Angela Shelf Medearis. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc., and Angela Shelf Medearis

Eggnog (continued) was called grog, was inexpensive, it became the traditional addition to eggnog. The name eggnog is thought to be a derivative of egg and grog.

While it was once believed that adding alcohol to eggnog inhibits or destroys bacterial growth, including salmonella, there really is no scientific data to support this claim. One of the best ways to ensure the safety and quality of your eggnog is to cook the ingredients and to use quality eggs.

Times have changed, and eggnog has conformed to modern tastes. You can find recipes for this holiday drink with and without alcohol, and commercially prepared recipes that use skimmed, low-fat or soy milk.

There are even brands of eggnog especially for vegans and for those who are lactose intolerant. While the recipes for this delicious drink vary, it’s still traditionally served during the winter as a way to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year.

TO ALL . . .

AND TO ALL, TIL NEXT WEEK Roger & Kathy Dickinson, Publishers

EASY EGGNOG This easy eggnog recipe cooks the eggs and milk in (continued in next column)

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