Ten words on the holiday season
Sufganiyot
An oil fried jell doughnut that is eaten in celebration of Hanukkah.
“Though I love sufganiyot, its 300 calories make me hesitate to gorge myself with them.”
Winter Solstice
The longest night of winter (Dec 25), inspiring people to celebrate holidays of hope like Saturnalia and Christmas.
“On the Winter Solstice, the Earth’s till in its axis is at its extremity.”
Odin
The Norse god of Death that supposedly rode an eight-legged horse through the air- a reminiscence of Santa Claus- many portraits of Odin have a striking resemblance to Santa.
“The Norse worshiped Odin as the chief god of the hunt, warfare, and death.”
Ho-Ho-Phobia
The fear of a portly, bearded man with a red coat and black boots.
“My Ho-Ho-Phobia makes me scared of the Santa Claus in the mall.”
Maccabee
The Jewish rebel army that defeated the Syrians, whose celebration of their victory materialized the holiday of Hanukkah.
“Judas Maccabeus was the leader of the Maccabee army who won over the Greek Syrians in about 160 B.C.E.”
Scrooge
The famous character of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, literally meaning a miser or penny-pincher.
“A asked for donations from my owner, but he refused me, the scrooge.”
Epiphany
A Christian holiday on Jan 6, technically the official day you’re supposed to take down your Christmas decorations.
“On Epiphany, our family argued over who was to take down the Christmas lights.”
Wassailing
The root of caroling, going door-to-door wishing neighbors a long and prosperous life.
“My friends and I went wassailing on Christmas.”
Mistletoe
Actually a poisonous, parasite shrub, mistletoe has been used for decoration and hold sthe long-standing tradition of kissing the person under it.
“Every Christmas, I hang a wreath of mistletoe over my doorway.”
Shunt
The “second net” that connects the electric wire under the filament, completing the circuit even when a light bulb burns out.
“Our father’s Christmas lights didn’t have shunts and the entire strand went out, forcing us to search for the bad bulb for hours.”
Sufganiyot
An oil fried jell doughnut that is eaten in celebration of Hanukkah.
“Though I love sufganiyot, its 300 calories make me hesitate to gorge myself with them.”
Winter Solstice
The longest night of winter (Dec 25), inspiring people to celebrate holidays of hope like Saturnalia and Christmas.
“On the Winter Solstice, the Earth’s till in its axis is at its extremity.”
Odin
The Norse god of Death that supposedly rode an eight-legged horse through the air- a reminiscence of Santa Claus- many portraits of Odin have a striking resemblance to Santa.
“The Norse worshiped Odin as the chief god of the hunt, warfare, and death.”
Ho-Ho-Phobia
The fear of a portly, bearded man with a red coat and black boots.
“My Ho-Ho-Phobia makes me scared of the Santa Claus in the mall.”
Maccabee
The Jewish rebel army that defeated the Syrians, whose celebration of their victory materialized the holiday of Hanukkah.
“Judas Maccabeus was the leader of the Maccabee army who won over the Greek Syrians in about 160 B.C.E.”
Scrooge
The famous character of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, literally meaning a miser or penny-pincher.
“A asked for donations from my owner, but he refused me, the scrooge.”
Epiphany
A Christian holiday on Jan 6, technically the official day you’re supposed to take down your Christmas decorations.
“On Epiphany, our family argued over who was to take down the Christmas lights.”
Wassailing
The root of caroling, going door-to-door wishing neighbors a long and prosperous life.
“My friends and I went wassailing on Christmas.”
Mistletoe
Actually a poisonous, parasite shrub, mistletoe has been used for decoration and hold sthe long-standing tradition of kissing the person under it.
“Every Christmas, I hang a wreath of mistletoe over my doorway.”
Shunt
The “second net” that connects the electric wire under the filament, completing the circuit even when a light bulb burns out.
“Our father’s Christmas lights didn’t have shunts and the entire strand went out, forcing us to search for the bad bulb for hours.”