Pet photos with Santa

In many parts of Europe, today is the big gift giving day of the year, St. Nicholas' Day. It was this saint and his pity on 3 sisters that was supposedly the start of the Santa Claus legend, and in Europe he still appears dressed as a bishop, a much more imposing figure than our "jolly old elf" who inspires laughter.

Speaking of Santa, Bigger Girl helped Santa yesterday with the pet photos that raise money for our cat rescue each year. The gentleman who played the part, a real bearded Santa whose girth was not padded, told her stories that did keep her laughing. He claims to be no particular religion, but tells those who come to his door to preach their religion that he is a Druid. He has a cat he has trained to open the kitchen door, and he makes a big show of inviting them in, putting the cat in the kitchen, and every time it opens the door he talks to it and puts it back. He then explains that the cat is his "familiar" and he is a practicing Druid and talks to the spirits through his cat. They generally leave quickly after that.

The best thing about pet photos this year, said Bigger Girl, is that none of the pets lifted their legs on the elf (her part) this year.


Today is:

Constitution Day, Ireland, Spain

Day of Quito, Ecuador (founding of the city in 1534)

Independence Day, Denmark, Finland

Farmer's Day, Ghana

Miner's Day

National Gazpacho Day

National Mitten Tree Day

National Pawn Broker's Day

St. Nicholas of Myra's Day (patron of bakers, barrel makers, bootblacks, brides, brewers, children, dockworkers, fishermen, Greece, pawnbrokers, perfumers, Russia, Sicily, spinsters, thieves, travelers)

Thor's Day


Birthdays Today:

Andrew J. Howard, 1969
Andrew Cuomo, 1957
Peter Buck, 1956
Randy Rhoads, 1956
Steven Wright, 1955
Tom Hulce, 1953
David Ossman, 1936
Wally Cox, 1924
Dave Brubeck, 1920
Agnes Moorehead, 1906
Ira Gershwin, 1896
Lynn Fontanne, 1887
Joyce Kilmer, 1886
William S. Hard, 1870
John Singleton Mosby, 1833


Today in History:

The Mongols under Batu Khan occupy and destroy Kiev, 1240
Don Alfonso V of Aragon grants Barcelona the right to exclude Jews, 1424
Kepler's first predicted transit of Venus is observed, 1631
The first edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica is published, in Scotland, 1768
Harriet Tubman escapes slavery, 1849
The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery, 1865
The first crematorium in the Us begins operation, in Washington, Pennsylvania, 1876
London becomes the first city to license taxicabs, 1897
The Vanguard rocket, the first US attempt to launch a satellite, fails, 1957