NOVEMBER 2024 | West Coast Region Newsletter

CA: Ice Rinks and Holiday Music Abound, Rooted in Ancient Traditions - Christmas decorations go back many centuries and not surprisingly they are deeply rooted within ancient traditions and religious symbolism. The first Christmas celebrations were likely marked by evergreen plant derived decorations. These would include such things as holly, ivy, and mistletoe, all of which convey the idea of eternal life and were believed to be spiritually beneficial. The tradition of decorating with greenery was especially popular in medieval Europe, and by the 16th century, the first Christmas trees started to appear mainly in Germany.

GLOBAL: The North China Plain, Beijing, the captivating capital city of China, has a remarkable and storied history that stretches well over 3,000 years. Originally known as Ji, it was founded during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046–771 BC) as nothing more than a tiny humble settlement. Its unique location on the outer fringes of the North China Plain make it a highly desirable political and cultural hub.

GLOBAL: NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, is known for its mission to track everything in the sky in order to provide threat warnings, but did you know that it also tracks Santa and his reindeer every year? For the past few years, the NORAD Santa website has been publicized across the Internet, and visitors to the website can start enjoying the digital festivities on December 1st. Once the site is live, children and adults from around the world can enjoy playing Christmas-themed games and viewing the map. The tracking of Santa starts on December 24, and viewers can watch Santa fly around the world, delivering presents to all the good little boys and girls.