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| Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Happy New Year everybody! Well, it's been quite a year, hasn't it? Not one of the best years at all. In fact, it might have been the worst year in living memory. But still, a New Year dawns on us and with it, hope for a better future. So, with that in mind, our latest podcast episode deals with New Year's Eve traditions we both had growing up and a few unconventional ones from around the world!
What is a New Year Tradition you have?
2020 was the year that dreams came true for everyone, really, wasn't it? We look back on this fantastic year with a quiz of all the things that happened on both sides of the Atlantic. From the outbreak of COVID-19 to the time that we heard a vaccine was on its way! Listen to our latest podcast episode and play along!
What are some things from 2020 that you forgot happened?
For me, meeting Santa Claus in 1989 was a thrill beyond measure. The fact that Father Christmas, as he used to be known back in the old country, deigned to visit my playschool and hand out some random gifts to us was absolutely wonderful. He was there for an hour and he sat and talked to us about the magic of Christmas and what it truly meant and when we grew up, we would understand. In this new podcast episode, we're discussing our favorite toys we got from Santa Claus and giving our followers on Instagram a shout out too with their favorites.
What was your favorite toy you got from Santa??
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| A Royal Christmas Tree. 1840s. Public Domain |
The Christmas Tree is one of the western world's most time honoured traditions. Decorating the tree has become a ritual in both the United Kingdom and the United States and signals the true beginning of the Christmas season. Generally, the decorations are the same but there are some notable differences in the decorations on a Christmas tree in Britain and America. Indeed, back when they became popular thanks to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the 1840s, the practice was to put lighted candles on the tree. That was quickly discontinued after several trees burned down! Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out some of the differences in tree decoration!
What do you like to decorate your tree with?
Britain and America. USA and the UK. What do we have in common? Mostly the language of English. But there's plenty of words that are different or have different meanings in Britain and America. In this new podcast episode, we attempt to get to the bottom of why these spellings came to be and why we, as English speakers, determine which is the "right" spelling and which is the "wrong" spelling.
Which country do you think is the correct spelling of English words?
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| Public Domain |
The British Class System is highly regarded and very controversial. There are some who believe the working class, the middle class and the upper class are categories created by the media. There are those who are proud to be working class and some who hate being middle class and want desperately to be accepted by the upper class. In this new podcast episode, the class system in the UK is discussed along with the theory that there is a class system in the USA too and whether that is affection America's economic and social climate.
Do you agree with the class system in the UK?
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| Public Domain |
Britain during World War 2 is a subject that's been much covered in documentaries and articles, plus the many memories of those who served and lived during that time. When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939 many historians point to the aftermath of World War 1, or 'The Great War' as it is sometimes known, as the ultimate catalyst for the Second World War. But wartime Britain was very different to wartime in America. Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out more!
Would you have been able to remain upbeat during the Blitz?
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| Public Domain |
As President Roosevelt said exactly 79 years ago today, December 7th is a date that will live in infamy. The Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese is what precipitated the US to formally join World War 2 after maintaining a neutral stance towards the conflict in Europe. What was life like in the United States during World War 2? Were Americans subject to rationing? Well, we explore all that and more in this new podcast episode! It is generally believed that the average American citizen didn't have to suffer much hardship during WWII and, to a point, that is largely true. Listen to the new episode to find out more!
Do you have a relative who remembers World War 2 in the USA?
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| Image: Lit Hub. (CC BY 2.0) |
These days, with the internet connecting so much of the world, the world of fashion is kind of homogenized in the western world. When a trend emerges in a country, it's either quickly adopted or ridiculed by another. Back in the day, however. Fashions were reliant on a single person traveling to another country and coming back to England and popularizing it with the monarchy. If you could get your leather jacket seen by King George III, chances are he'd be wearing one the next day. Or eating it. He was insane after all. Have a listen to our new podcast episode to hear our thoughts on British fashion through the ages!
What is your favorite era of British fashion?
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| Public Domain |
Why does America still celebrate Thanksgiving? Especially since it's essentially the same as Christmas. You eat Turkey (or something else if you're Vegetarian) and all the trimmings, stuff your face with dessert. The only thing different is the opening of presents and the 24 hour marathon of 'A Christmas Story' on one of the channels.
So, is Thanksgiving really about thanks or is it just an excuse to eat a lot of food? To Brits who maybe unfamiliar with the concept of Thanksgiving, it's basically a Christmas lunch without crackers. That being said, the concept of crackers at Christmas. So, why even really bother with Christmas at all, America? You've basically had it at Thanksgiving. Just move the opening of presents to November!
Here's a question for you all. What would you get rid of? Thanksgiving or Christmas? If you had to get rid of one of them, which would be the one?
-Dominic
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| Image: Buy Nothing Project. |
In this new podcast episode, we're talking about a project that's close to Erica's heart, as well as how Black Friday was this year! The Buy Nothing Project aims to reduce waste, encourage recycling and create a neighborhood community that helps each other out. This group has been a source of encouragement through these dark 'Covid Ages' as Dominic likes to refer to this period!
If you would like to get involved, head over to buynothingproject.org and find a group for your area!
If you are already a part of the Buy Nothing Project, have you found it invaluable?
