7 December: Cypress

In the French Revolutionary Calendar, today is Cyprès or Day of the Cypress Tree. 10 facts about the cypress tree:

1. Cypress trees belong to the genus Cupressus. Depending on which source you use, there are anything between 16 to 25 or more species.
2. They typically grow 50 to 80 feet (15-24 m.) tall with some species reaching as much as 100 feet. They can grow 24 inches a year and the trunks can reach 20 to 30 feet (6-9 m.) in diameter.
3. Cypress trees are deciduous conifers. Conifer means they produce cones. Most conifers are evergreens, which don't lose their leaves in winter. Like them, cypress trees have needles for leaves but lose them in autumn, making them deciduous conifers.
4. Some cypress trees have knees. The knees are woody growths which grow around the tree, a few feet away. Scientists don't know what the knees are for, but have observed they appear when the tree is growing in swampy conditions. It's possible their purpose is to provide Oxygen to submerged root systems.
5. Unlike the fir, covered a few days ago, cypress wood is resistant to rot and can be used extensively in building. It has been used to build canoes, water pipes and houses. It is traditionally believed to have been the wood used to build Noah's Ark .
6. Some species of cypress hold on to their seeds in closed cones for years, only releasing them when a forest fire kills the parent tree. The seeds then disperse and re-colonise the area.
7. The genus was named for Cyparissus, a young man loved by Apollo, who was distraught when his pet deer was killed by hunters. Apollo is said to have turned Cyparissus into a tree to ease his grief. For this reason, the tree has come to represent grief and mourning.
8. Another reason is that these trees are often planted near cemeteries. This is partly because the roots usually grow straight down rather than spreading out, so they won't disturb the graves. They were said to represent death because, although they can live for hundreds of years, they won't regenerate if cut back too severely. Cypress was used to adorn homes when a funeral was taking place and was used to fumigate the air during cremations. It was used to make wreaths with which to decorate statues of Pluto, god of the underworld. It is popular in modern Israeli cemeteries, because its shape resembles a candle and therefore represents the immortality of the soul. In France, they were planted near graves – one tree for a child and two for a couple. Hence the phrase Dormir sous un cyprès, or “to sleep under a cypress” means to be dead.
9. In fact, in the 1980s French estate agents had to invent a new tradition in order to sell houses which had cypress trees nearby. When people arrived in Provence from Paris, looking for a holiday home, they were often put off properties which had cypress trees growing in the grounds because of the association with death. So the estate agents and tourist board put their heads together and invented an "old tradition" that in Provence, at least, it was lucky to have a cypress tree near your home.
10. Which might beg the question, if cypress trees had such a gloomy reputation, why did people plant them beside their house in the first place? They often planted three of them in a triangular arrangement. It might have been so that if they needed to replace a beam in their roof, they didn't have to go far to get the wood. There's also a tradition that they were a message to passers by about how hospitable the owner of the house might be. Three trees meant they'd be willing to offer a weary traveller a bed for the night; two meant they'd offer food and drink and one tree was the equivalent of a sign saying, "No unsolicited callers." Or it might have been a sign that the beams in the roof had had to be replaced a couple of times and so it might not be wise to spend too much time there!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

6 December: Pawnbrokers

Today is National Pawnbrokers Day, since it is the feast day of St Nicholas, the patron saint of pawnbroking. 10 things you might not know about pawnbrokers:

1. What is pawnbroking, anyway? A pawnbroker is an individual or business that offers secured loans with items of personal property used as collateral. The borrower can redeem the item within a contractually agreed amount of time, after which the pawnbroker is entitled to sell it.
2. It's one of the oldest forms of Money lending. The practice was known in Buddhist monasteries in China 1,500 years ago. Pawn shops in Europe began with the Medici family of bankers, when one side of the family split off and went into the pawnbroking business.
3. The three gold balls symbol of the pawnbroker is said to have originated from the Medici family crest. According to legend, one of the early members of the family killed a giant with three bags of rocks, which were incorporated in the family coat of arms as three gold spheres. Another theory is that they represent the three bags of Gold that their patron saint dropped down the chimney of a poor household so that the daughters cold get married.
4. Those in the industry sometimes joke that the three spheres mean “Two to one, you won’t get your stuff back.” However, around 80% of pawned items are redeemed by their owners. In fact, 80% of people who use pawn shops pawn the same items over and over again.
5. What kind of things do people pawn? The cliche of someone pawning their Wedding ring holds true – jewellery and especially gold rings, are the most popular items although anything valuable is fair game. What is unlikely to get a high price is electronic equipment, because it so quickly becomes obsolete. Pawn shop owners have to be conversant with different makes and models of computers, software, and other electronic equipment, so they can value objects accurately.
6. Pawnbrokers run the risk of ending up with stolen goods as it seems like an easy way to turn swag into cash. Of course, it's impossible to tell by looking at something whether it's stolen or not, so they have to be careful to keep records of everything they accept and might even ask for customers to provide fingerprints. Every so often they'll supply a copy of their inventory to the police who can check it against their list of stolen items.
7. Wealthy people whose fortune is tied up in property and are cash poor often make use of the pawn industry. Except the pawnbrokers they deal with brand themselves as "collateral lenders". In the USA, there are lenders who can legally charge interest of 240% a year. Even royalty have been known to pawn things. In 1338, Edward III pawned his jewels to raise money for the war with France. King Henry V did the same in 1415. Queen Isabella of Spain was said to have pawned her crown jewels in order to pay for Christopher Columbus's expedition in 1492. However, historians now say that isn't true, because by then, she had already pawned them to pay for the campaign against the Moors and to fund the Spanish Inquisition. What probably happened was that she pawned some smaller items which then encouraged other investors to pitch in.
8. There's even a reality show about pawnbrokers on the History Channel. It's called Pawn Stars and follows the fortunes of the Harrison family, who own Las Vegas’s Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Items they have been presented with on screen include a replica of the Batmobile, cannons, and the most expensive item in their shop which is a cigar box that belonged to John F. Kennedy. If you want that, it will set you back $125,000.
9. The word “Pawn” comes from an Old French word meaning “piece of cloth”, which can be traced back to the Latin “Pignus”, meaning “to pledge”. In Europe, Pawn shops are frequently referred to as the “Lombard”, in reference to the House of Lombard, a prominent lending family in medieval London. Colloquially, an item which has been pawned has been "hocked" or "popped".
10. Which brings us neatly to "Pop goes the Weasel", that old nursery rhyme. There are numerous versions though the best known lyrics are probably "Up and down the City Road, In and out the Eagle, That’s the way the money goes: Pop! goes the weasel." While nobody knows for sure what "Pop goes the weasel" actually means (it almost certainly isn't exploding mustelids) it may well have to do with pawn shops. The Eagle is a historic London pub; "weasel" could be Cockney rhyming slang for a coat (weasel and stoat), meaning that the song could be about somebody who spends all their money in the pub and has to pawn their coat.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

5 December: Martin Van Buren

Born this date in 1782 was Martin van Buren, 8th US President. 10 facts about him:

1. He was the first president to be born after the American Revolution, and therefore the first president to be born as a citizen of the USA.
2. He is the only president to date for whom English was a second language. His family and community spoke Dutch.
3. He was born in Kinderhook, New York, one of five children of a farmer and tavern keeper, and christened Maarten van Buren. As a young man, he worked in the tavern.
4. He was just 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and had reddish hair, which resulted in nicknames like “Little Magician,” “Sly Fox,” and “Red Fox of Kinderhook”.
5. Another nickname used by his supporters in the 1840 election was “Old Kinderhook”. They formed the OK Club and marched with placards marked OK. The expression, "OK", came into popular usage at about the same time as a result.
6. A less flattering nickname, "Martin van Ruin" was bestowed upon him by opponents during the economic depression called the Panic of 1837 which began during Van Buren's time in office. There was a run on the banks, many closed and people lost lost their jobs and their life savings. Van Buren didn't believe the government should do anything to help. This could well be why he only served one term and lost the elections in 1844 and 1848.
7. Another historic event which happened during his presidency was the rebellion of Africans on board the Spanish schooner La Amistad in 1839. His administration supported the Spanish government's demand that the ship and its cargo (including the Africans) be turned over to them, and even appealed against the Supreme Court's ruling that the Africans were legally free and should be transported home to Africa.
8. He blocked the admission of Texas as a state of the union, partly because of tensions with Mexico, which had been in control of Texas until 1836, but also because it was a slave state, which had many people in the north concerned that adding Texas would be part of a “slave-owner conspiracy”. Texas became the 28th state in 1845.
9. He was a widower when elected president. He'd married his childhood sweetheart and cousin Hannah Hoes in 1807 and had five children with her, but she died of tuberculosis in 1819 at the age of 35. Van Buren never married again, but neither did he mention her at all in his autobiography. “A gentleman of that day would not shame a lady by public references,” is the reason the White House’s website gives for this glaring omission. The duties of First Lady during his presidency were carried out by his daughter in law, Angelica Singleton.
10. He retired back to his home town of Kinderhook, where he'd bought a farm, and spent the rest of his days as a farmer. He outlived all four of his immediate successors: Harrison, Tyler, Polk, and Taylor; and saw more successors ascend to the Presidency than anyone else – eight of them, including Abraham Lincoln. Van Buren died in 1862 at the age of 79.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

4 December: Fir trees

In the French Revolutionary Calendar today is the Day of the Fir tree. 10 things you might not know about fir trees:

1. There are around 60 species of fir tree. They belong to the family Pinaceae and the Genus Abies. They are close relatives of the cedars.
2. The genus name is derived from the Latin "to rise", because they are tall trees, reaching heights of 10–80 m (33–262 ft).
3. The Douglas fir isn't technically a fir tree at all because it belongs to the genus Pseudotsuga, which means "false hemlock", because it isn't a hemlock, either. Here are a couple of facts about them anyway. The Douglas fir was named after David Douglas, a Scottish botanist who first studied it. Its leaves can be used to make pine needle tea, which has a citrussy flavour; they can also be used as a substitute for the herb Rosemary. According to Native American myth, the unusual pointed cone bracts of this tree are the hind legs and tails of mice who would hide in the cones to escape forest fires.
4. Firs typically prefer cool and moist environments. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mostly in mountainous areas.
5. Fir cones stand upright on the branches rather like candles, and disintegrate at maturity to release the winged seeds. Some species are popular as decorative garden trees, especially the Korean fir and Fraser fir, because they produce brightly coloured cones.
6. Fir wood, after logging, isn't very resistant to decay or pests, so the wood isn't suitable for use outdoors. It can be used for construction indoors where it's sheltered from the elements but outside it wouldn't last more than about 18 months. Fir wood is often used as pulp for plywood or Paper.
7. The Cherokee used Fraser fir resin as a dressing for fresh wounds, and also as a seasoning for other medicines.
8. In Ayurveda, Abies spectabilis is used as a cough suppressant.
9. Many firs are an important food source for caterpillars. Abies religiosa, or sacred fir, is the overwinter host for the monarch butterfly.

10. The best known use of a fir tree, however, is as a Christmas Tree. The

11. Nordmann fir, noble fir, Fraser fir and balsam fir are popular as Christmas trees. The Fraser fir has a strong scent while the Nordmann fir is popular because it holds on to its leaves and has a more subtle scent. Nordmann Firs are the most popular Christmas tree variety in Denmark and also a favourite in the UK.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

3 December: Olivia Name Day

Today is the name day for people called Olivia.

Olivia is a feminine given name in the English language. It is derived from Latin oliva "olive". The name occurs in England as early as the thirteenth century. Olivia has been the most popular given name to girls in the United Kingdom for four consecutive years.

Olivia de Havilland

1. Olivia: fictional character from William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. She is at the centre of the various plots, and has various suitors. This character first made the name popular in the 1600s.
2. Olivia Longott: American singer, known for being the first lady of hip-hop group G-Unit. She also appears on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York.
3. Olivia de Havilland: British-American actress. She appeared in 49 feature films including The Adventures of Robin Hood and Gone With the Wind. She was the oldest living and earliest surviving Academy Award winner until her death in 2020. Her younger sister was Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine.
4. Olivia: fictional Pig character in a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ian Falconer, inspired by Ian Falconer's niece, Olivia.
5. Olivia Colman: award winning English actress who has played various members of the Royal family including Queen Anne, the Queen Mother and the current Queen. She has appeared in numerous TV shows including Broadchurch and Fleabag. Though her name isn't actually Olivia. Her real name is Sarah Sinclair.
6. Olivia of Palermo: Christian virgin-martyr who was venerated in Sicily in the Middle Ages. After being tortured, she was beheaded and her soul "flew to the sky in the form of a dove".
7. Olivia: West Highland White Terrier dog actress best known for her roles in films like Widows and Game Night.
8. Olivia Newton-John: British-Australian singer, and actress. She has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She appeared the in the movie Grease with John Travolta.
9. Olivia Dunham: fictional character in the science fiction television series Fringe, created by J. J. Abrams, and portrayed by actress Anna Torv. Olivia is the series' protagonist, and was introduced as an FBI Special Agent, working for a multi-agency task force of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security called the Fringe Division, dealing with supernatural events that are linked to experimental occurrences.
10. Olivia Langdon Clemens: wife of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

2 December: 336

Today is the 336th day of the year. 10 things you might not know about the number 336:

1. There are 336 dimples on an American golf ball.
2. 336 Lacadiera is a large Main belt Asteroid. It was discovered by Auguste Charlois in 1892.
3. The Year 336 was a leap year starting on a Thursday, known at the time as the Year of the Consulship of Nepotianus and Facundus. This year saw the first recorded customs tariff in Palmyra. Pope Mark started building the basilica of San Marco in Rome, but died this year after an 11-month reign.
4. London bus route 336 runs between Thomas Lane and Locksbottom / Pallant Way.
5. 336 is one of the area codes for north-central and northwestern North Carolina.
6. 336 Brixton Road is a large building in London which currently houses four registered charities including We are 336 (affordable office space and opportunities for disabled people) and Block 336 (an art charity providing studio space). It is a brutalist style building dating from 1967, built as a warehouse but never used as such. It has been a bank computer centre and a conference centre before the charities moved in in 1985.
7. The A336 is a road in Hampshire which runs between the towns of Cadnam and Totton in the New Forest.
8. The Gibson CS-336 is a semi-hollow electric Guitar introduced in 2001. The back, centre block, and sides are carved from a single piece of mahogany.
9. In transport, it's a Russian Navy Submarine, K-336 Pskov, named after the city of the same name; an American sailboat the Hunter 336; and a small plane, the Cessna Model 336 Skymaster which first flew in 1961.
10. The Angel Number 336 is a message from the angels that all your material needs will be taken care of as you pursue your soul's purpose. There's no need to worry about money. The wealth and abundance you have worked for is on its way.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

1 December: Candles

In the French Revolutionary calendar, today was the Day of wax. Since 35% of the US sales of candles occur during the Christmas/holiday period, what better time to present 10 facts about candles:

1. The word candle comes from the Latin candēla, meaning torch, which is in turn from candēre, to shine. A candle maker is called a chandler. That derives from the Old French word “chandelier”, a type of light fitting which, before Electricity, would have used candles.
2. Candles have been around a long time. It's thought the first ones were made by the ancient Egyptians around 3000 BC. They made them from reeds dipped in fat. The Romans made candles similar to the ones we use today from around 500 BC. They would give them as gifts at the festival of Saturnalia.
3. Before Clocks were invented, candles were a handy way to tell the time after dark when a sundial would be useless. Notches in the candle would tell you the time. It was even possible to make a rudimentary alarm clock by sticking a nail in the candle at the required time so it would fall out and make a noise. The Song dynasty in China (960–1279) used candle clocks. Related to this idea are Advent candles, which are marked with notches marking the days from the start of Advent until Christmas. Typically they form part of a table decoration and are burned by the required amount after the evening meal.
4. The idea of putting candles on a cake originated with the Ancient Greeks, who would do it to make the cake look like a glowing moon in honour of of Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt and the moon. Candles on birthday cakes with one candle for each year of the person's life began in Germany in the 1700s at a celebration called a Kinderfest.
5. Candles today are made from paraffin wax. In the 13th century they were made from animal fat, or tallow. Chandlers would go from house to house collecting kitchen fat which would have been collected for that purpose. Needless to say, these candles were rather smelly. Beeswax became more popular because it didn't stink, but it was expensive so only the rich could afford them. Candles have also been made from spermaceti from sperm whales, and there is a type of fish called a candlefish, or Eulachon, which has such a high fat content that the whole fish could be used as a candle.
6. A candle works by drawing its fuel, melted wax, up the wick, which is today usually made from braided Cotton, by capillary action towards the flame. The flame warms the air around it, which rises and is replaced by cooler air. This is called a convection current and it's what gives a candle flame its characteristic shape. The process depends on gravity, so if you burn a candle in space it doesn't happen. NASA scientists have revealed that candles burned on the International Space Station would have spherical flames.
7. Several sources claimed that most people don't burn candles correctly. The most common mistake, it would seem, is not burning it for long enough the first time it's lit. The wax has a memory, so that if you don't let the candle burn until the wax has melted all across the top, it will only burn as far as it did the last time, and this is what causes a tunnel effect. The first time you light a candle, you should let it burn long enough for the whole top layer of wax to become liquid which takes about an hour for every inch wide the candle is. If the wick smokes, it means it's too long. The answer to that one is to put the candle out and trim the wick. It should be about a quarter of an inch (about 6mm) long. There is no truth in the rumour that freezing a candle before you light it makes it last longer, and it could damage the candle. Chances are you put them out wrong, too. Blowing a candle out is a no-no because it causes soot and smoke and you could blow hot wax into someone's eye. According to the European Candle Association, the best way to put out a candle is to use a candle snuffer, which puts the flame out by depriving it of Oxygen.
8. Candles feature in worship and celebrations in many religions. They play a major part in Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Candles are lit in front of statues of the Buddha to represent the light of his teachings. The Jewish Menorah features seven lights, each representing a branch of human knowledge. In Christianity, there are votive candles, which are lit to represent prayers. A votive offering is one that a person leaves at an altar for their god or gods, one they will not take away with them when they leave. Candles used in the Catholic church must contain at least half beeswax because the Bees which make it are virgins, just like the mother of God.
9. The 15m tall Peace Candle of the World was made in Oregon in 1971, outside Brock Candles factory. They covered an agricultural silo in 20 tonnes of red wax and inserted a wick down the centre. The factory burned down in 1990: bizarrely, the candle survived. It required a 60 foot match to light it. This is not, however, the tallest candle ever. Nobody has yet managed to beat the 24.38 metre-high candle made for the Stockholm Exhibition in 1897.
10. The SI unit, the candela, which measures the intensity of light gets its name from candles. It was based on an older measurement called candlepower. A standard candle, made to exact specifications, would emit light to the intensity of one candlepower. The historical candlepower is equal to 0.981 candelas.

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Themes 

Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.

Reasons not to read it

• It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
• Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
• It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
• There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
• Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
• Superheroes. Again.
• Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle