Quicksand

BY THE NUMBERS » SNOWMEN

122 Size, in feet, for the largest snowman (or snowwoman, in this case) ever built, in 2008, just a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty. Named Olympia, after the senior Senator from Maine at the time Olympia Snowe, the enormous figure towered over the town of Bethel, Maine and boasted two wreaths for her eyes, five red car tires for her lips, two 27-foot trees for her arms and a 100-foot long scarf. It took 13 million pounds of snow to make her.

1,585 The record number of snowmen built in one hour, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The event took place in Japan in 2015 with 600 participants making each snowman at least 3 feet high. Japan also holds the record for most snowmen built at one time. In 2003, the residents of Sapporo, Japan, built 12,379 snowmen and placed a candle in each one's belly for a spectacular nighttime display.

238The number of calories you can burn by building a snowman in an hour. It adds up to more burned calories than dancing and nearly as many as an hour-long bike ride. 1818The year residents of Zurich, Switzerland began blowing up a snowman to signal the start of spring. In their own version of Groundhog Day, on the third Monday of April, a snowman named Böögg, made of cotton and hay, is stuffed with dynamite, paraded through town and then placed on a 400-foot pile of scrap wood. The bells of the Church of St. Peter chime six times, representing the passing of winter, and then a pyre is lit under the snowman and people wait for the explosives to go off. According to legend, the shorter the combustion, the longer summer will be. Takes seeing a groundhog's shadow to a whole new level!

30The optimal temperature, in Fahrenheit, to make a snowman. It's at this temperature that snow has moisture but is still soft enough to shape and mold. Any colder and the snow will be too powdery to form correctly.

10KThe average number of snowflakes needed to make a standard sized snowman. The world's smallest snowman, however, didn't need nearly as many. Standing just 3 micrometers tall (about .003mm), the little guy was carved with a scanning electron microscope and made out of silica, not snow. The nose and arms were made out of tiny pieces of platinum.

LOOK, LISTEN & LEARN OUTER SANDBOX

The Great British Baking Show

You can routinely find us in our pajamas, eating ramen noodles and yelling at our television about a contestant’s Tarte Tatin being terrible, so we are happy that Netflix has found a way to make this festive. The special two-part holiday series is available on December 4, and brings us some beloved bakers from seasons past, zany antics from our favorite hosts AND is sure to leave you feeling like you got the ‘Hollywood Handshake.’ As Prue would say, “It’s worth the calories!”

Postable

Anyone who has ever committed to sending a holiday card knows the hardest part is often finding everyone’s addresses. Luckily this year we have started using Postable and now have a super easy way to keep track of everyone on our correspondence list. Our favorite feature on the site is obviously the handy address book (that also reminds you of birthdays and anniversaries) but we also adore the feature that lets us send everyone on our email list a current mailing address request AND gives us the ability to select a card, write a message and send it snail mail-style, all from the site.

Hark - The Holiday Music Podcast

If you’re like us and start continuously playing All I want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey the day after Halloween then this podcast will likely tickle your holiday music funny bone. Your hosts Ian and RJ hilariously rank and review EVERY Hanukkah, Christmas and winter song—even the bad ones. Especially the bad ones! And while we don’t always agree with their rankings, we do find their reasoning entertaining and are always happy to expand our holiday playlists!

ROAD TRIP!

Road trip! Beyond the boundaries of our little sandbox, there is much to see. Here are a few events worth checking out. For events with a more local flavor, check out moorechoices.net. And check with locales before heading out!

NOVEMBER 19 – JANUARY 16 Speedway Christmas Charlotte | charlottemotorspeedway.com

Channel your inner Ricky Bobby this holiday and fulfill your dream of driving the famed 3.75-mile course (albeit at a snail’s pace). What you’ll lack in speed you’ll make up for in sparkle with more than 4 million twinkle lights and various animatronics on display.

DECEMBER 26 Hip Hop Nutcracker Durham | dpacnc.com

If your musical style is more Crank that Soldier Boy and less Little Drummer Boy then this might be the holiday event for you. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a joyful and modern take of Tchaikovsky’s classic, sure to make even the most conservative Clara want to pop and lock.

JANUARY 18–19 Battle of Fort Fisher Kure Beach | historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/fort-fisher

Fort Fisher kept North Carolina’s port of Wilmington open to blockade runners supplying goods to Confederate armies inland. By 1865, it was the last remaining supply route open to Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. When Fort Fisher fell, after a massive Federal amphibious assault on January 15, 1865, its defeat helped seal the fate of the Confederacy. Enjoy live reenactments and guided tours during the two-day event.

QUOTES

“Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.”

– Victor Borge

“My New Year's resolution list usually starts with the desire to lose between 10 and 3,000 pounds.”

– Nia Vardalos

Health Tips

Switch Your Latte to Matcha Tea

Matcha is a tea plant that is covered 20–30 days before it is harvested to prevent it from coming in contact with direct sunlight. This practice boosts amino acid content, increases chlorophyll and gives the tea a darker green hue. Because matcha contains nutrients from

the entire tea leaf, the end result is a tea with much stronger caffeine and, more importantly, higher antioxidant levels. Matcha has been known to aid in weight loss, promote heart health and help protect the liver. So, your winter beverage will look festive and keep you healthy and energized for the holidays. comparatively lower in fat but have super high levels of protein. Because they are packed with vitamin C and B vitamins, they are a worthy inclusion in anyone’s diet. Now we know why Nat King Cole was singing their praises so enthusiastically in The Christmas Song!

Put a Pin in It

Acupuncture has been practiced in one form or another for several thousands of years. For many, the practice of acupuncture has been shrouded in

folklore and mysticism but the modernday application is much less primitive and has been known to successfully treat depression, anxiety, insomnia as well as help alleviate neck, back, shoulder, hip and muscle pain. Truth be told, you could stick a thousand needles in us and we wouldn’t even flinch if you told us it’d help with the anxiety of our motherin-law’s impending holiday visit!

Roasting Chestnuts On an Open Fire

Unlike many nuts, chestnuts are

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Tips on living a more sustainable life

The holiday season is a time for gifting toys, toys and more toys! But you may want to rethink your shopping habits if you’re planning on gifting a toy to a child in your life.

Recent research has found that plastic toys can contain more than 100 harmful chemicals. There are three chemicals that are most worrying: lead, phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).

Unfortunately, labelling schemes and regulations often differ from country to country, which can make it difficult for parents and caregivers to know what toxins a toy may contain, and at what levels.

The best option is one that’s healthier for kiddos and the planet alike—instead of gifting a plastic toy, opt for one made of natural materials, like wood or organic cotton. SP

DECEMBER 11 Ugly Sweater Beer Mile

Southern Pines 1m runsignup.com

FEBRUARY 26 Mardi Gras Miles

Southern Pines 5k, 1m fun run runsignup.com

APRIL 16 Pinehurst Triathlon

Pinehurst 750-meter swim, 20k bike, 5K run runsignup.com

Dr. A. Anthony Haro, III

Diplomate American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery Board Certified in Reconstructive Rearfoot / Ankle Surgery & Board Certified in Foot Surgery Fellow American College of Foot & Ankle Surgery Fellowship in Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgery

Dr. Amie L. Haracz

Diplomate American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery Board Qualified in Reconstructive Rearfoot / Ankle Surgery & Board Certified in Foot Surgery Fellow American College of Foot & Ankle Surgery

Dr. Kevin W. Schmidtke

Diplomate American Board of Podiatric Medicine Board Qualified in Foot Surgery Associate American College of Foot & Ankle Surgery

Specializing in Ankle/Foot Care & Surgery:

Ankle and foot disorders • Diabetic foot care • Arthritis Joint replacement • Bunions • Hammertoes Achilles & tendon injuries • Nerve pain Ingrown nails & nail problems • Ankle arthroscopy Sports injuries / fractures • Heel pain • Flat feet Corns & Calluses • Warts and wound care

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Since 2000