KWANZAA AND BOXING DAY

 For those celebrating today...

DECEMBER 26, 2024

 FOR THOSE OF OUR READERSHIP CELEBRATING TODAY...

DECEMBER 26, 2023

 FOR THOSE CELEBRATING TODAY...

KWANZAA AND BOXING DAY

 FOR THOSE CELEBRATING...

SUNDAY FUNNIES: PUN-CTUATION

 

Lee here.

I still have no idea who will be joining Piper D. Katt in the future, although there have been a few worthy candidates for the honor.

In any event, December 26 is both the start of Kwanzaa AND Boxing Day in parts of the world, so I hope that everyone celebrating has a good time.

Now then, let us discuss punctuation.

Among his other talents, Victor Borge had a great routine on the subject that you can see here.

Unfortunately this blog isn't really a verbal medium, so I will have to do it visually.

The basic signs are

Quotation marks. Either ' ', for repeating something somebody already said well after the fact, or " ", for quoting something recently said although nowadays a lot of people don't want to be quoted for legal reasons.

This is a colon : 

This is a semi-colon ;

It hasn't turned pro yet.

This is a comma ,

It's taking a pause to figure out what it wants out of life.

The hypen - – —

Regardless of length, like a colon, semi-colon or comma, it's used to separate words when necessary but needs more space because it won't stand up straight. 😉

And this is a period .

It puts a stop to everything, which sometimes is a good thing, but those situations have to be judged on an individual, case by case basis.

Punctuation is used EVERY day, but it must applied carefully.

For example: I love eating grandma and children.

The sentence should have actually been I love eating, grandma, and children.

No cannibalism involved.

Use Punctuation. It saves lives!

But even used properly, there are some odd moments. Like...

Hyphenated. Non-Hyphenated.

Oh, the irony. 😶

Now then, before we go, New Year's Eve is this coming Friday night, with Saturday the start of 2022.

Here's a friendly word of advice.

Just before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, make sure you raise your left leg.

That way you will start the New Year on the right foot.😉

So on that note♫ take care.

STAY SAFE!😷

And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—lh,jr.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 26, 2020

😎FUN FACT

While a popular novelty song, 1953’s I Want A Hippopotamus🦛 For Christmas by then 10 year old Gayla Peevey was never planned as a fund raiser for an Oklahoma City zoo.

FAMOUS FIRSTS: THE CHRISTMAS CAROL EDITION🥇

Having been inundated with Christmas🎄 music by some radio stations since before Veterans Day this year, let’s see if you know who sang which song first?

01. Frosty the Snowman⛄

02. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

03. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

04. Here Comes Santa Claus🎅

05. I’ll Be Home For Christmas

06. Jingle Bell Rock

07. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

08. Rocking Around The Christmas Tree🎄

09. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

10. Santa Baby

11. Santa Claus🎅 Is Coming To Town

12. Silver Bells

13. Sleigh Ride (as an instrumental)

14. Sleigh Ride (with lyrics)

15. White Christmas

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX🎁 and discover the results from the December 19, 2020 Puzzle Corner.

NUMBER PLEASE

Get ready! We ask the question, but the answer is just a number.

How many presents can Santa Claus🎅 put into an empty sack?

1. Then it wouldn’t be empty any more.😉

THE LETTER SHUFFLE

How many new words can you spell out of the letters in CHRISTMAS?

A, act(s), ah(s), aim(s), air(s), am, amiss, arc(s), arch, arm(s), art(s), as, ash, ass, at

Cam(s), car(s), cart(s), cash, cast(s) cat(s), char(s), chair(s), charm(s), chart(s), chasm(s), chat(s), cram(s)

Ha, hair, ham(s), harm(s), has, hat(s), hi, him, his, hiss, hit(s)

I, I’m, is, it, its, it’s, itch

Ma, mach, march, mart(s), mash, mass, mast(s), mat(s), match, math, mint(s),mirth, miss, mist(s)

Racism, racist(s), ram(s), rash, rat(s), rich, rim(s)

Sash, sat, scam(s), scar(s), scat, sham(s), shirt(s), Sir, sis, sit(s), smash, smart(s), stair(s), star(s), starch, stash, stir(s)

Tar(s), this, Tis, trash, tram(s), trim(s), Tsar

Besides the 135 words listed above, Chris, Christ, and Sam might be eligible, depending upon your position of counting proper names in a game like this. Other words might also be possible.

DECEMBER 26, 2019

REGARDLESS OF

HOW YOU

CELEBRATE

THE DAY...

ENJOY! 😀

KWANZAA/BOXING DAY 2018

For those celebrating either event today...

December 26-January 1

DECEMBER 26, 2017

DUAL HOLIDAYS TODAY, SO WHICH EVER ONE YOU CELEBRATE, ENJOY!

DECEMBER 26, 2016

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 26, 2015

FUN FACT
John Lloyd Wright, son of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, invented Lincoln Logs in 1916.

FAMOUS FIRSTS: THE CAROL EDITION
Many holiday songs, and multiple renditions of specific tunes, exist. But can you name the FIRST performer for each classic listed below?

01. Frosty the Snowman
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
03. Here Comes Santa Claus
04. Jingle Bell Rock
05. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
06. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
07. Santa Baby
08. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
09. Silver Bells
10. White Christmas
11. Sleigh Ride (as an instrumental)
12. Sleigh Ride (with lyrics)

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results of the December 19, 2015 Puzzle Corner.

REBUS
A line from a famous Christmas carol is represented in the image on the right.
Do you know what it is?

A (Keith) Partridge in a pear tree!

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you spell, using the letters within the word CHRISTMAS?

A, act(s), ah(s), aim(s), air(s), am, arc(s), arch, arm(s), art(s), as, ash, ass, at
Cam(s), car(s), cart(s), cash, cast(s) cat(s), char(s), chair(s), charm(s), chart(s), chasm(s), chat(s), cram(s)
Ha, hair, ham(s), harm(s), has, hat(s), hi, him, his, hiss, hit(s)
I, I’m, is, it, its, itch
Ma, mach, march, mart(s), mash, mass, mast(s), mat(s), match, math, mint(s),mirth, miss, mist(s)
Racism, racist(s), ram(s), rash, rat(s), rich, rim(s)
Sash, sat, scam(s), scar(s), scat, sham(s), shirt(s), Sir, sis, sit(s), smash, smart(s), stair(s), star(s), starch, stash, stir(s)
Tar(s), this, trash, tram(s), trim(s), Tsar

Besides the 132 words listed above, Chris, Christ, and Sam might be eligible, depending upon your position of counting names in a game like this. Other words might also be possible.

BOXING DAY/KWANZAA 2014

For those of our readership who either honor those in their employ...

Or begin the celebration of the seven core principles of

unity, self discipline, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith...

May your festivities be the brightest they can be!

KWANZAA/BOXING DAY (2013)

Depending upon where you live and what you care to celebrate, today is either the start of Kwanzaa (celebrating the seven principles of African tradition/reason: unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith)

AND/OR

Boxing Day, when servants and tradesmen usually received gifts from their employers.


            Of course, whatever your preferences, retailers also hope that you will frequent the start of their post-Christmas sales and spend more money, too.


In any event, The Free Choice E-zine wishes you the best of the holidays.