Seven facts about Santa's reindeers

Eight little reindeer beside Santa's sleigh, 

Getting hitched up - to be on their way.
The first one said, "We can't be late,"

The second one said, "Christmas won't wait."

The third one said, 'The sleigh's full of toys....."

The fourth one said, "For all the girls and boys."

The fifth one said, '"I'm ready to fly...."
The sixth one said, "Across the evening sky."
The seventh one said, "Look, it's starting to snow."
The eighth one said, "I think it's time to go."
"
Ready?" asked Santa. "It's almost Christmas Day."
And off they all flew - - up, up, and away!

One of my most popular posts around Christmas is: How many reeindeer does Santa have?
I therefore decided to come up with some more fun facts on reindeer.

1.) The names of Santa's reindeer are from the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas", more commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas," written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1823.

2.) Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzer, Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeers shed their antlers around Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are likely not male, but female or castrati.

3.) Rudolph's story was originally written in verse by Robert L. May for the Montgomery Ward chain of department stores in 1939, and published as a book to be given to children in the store at Christmas time. According to this story, Rudolph's glowing red nose made him a social outcast among the other reindeer. However, one Christmas Eve Santa Claus was having a lot of difficulty making his flight around the world because it was too foggy. When Santa went to Rudolph's house to deliver his presents he noticed the glowing red nose in the darkened bedroom and decided it could be a makeshift lamp to guide his sleigh. He asked Rudolph to lead the sleigh for the rest of the night, Rudolph accepted and returned home a hero for having helped Santa Claus.

4.) Norwegian scientists have hypothesized that Rudolph’s red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

5.) Reindeer have large hooves that spread apart as they walk on the snow. They act like snowshoes and prevent the reindeer from sinking in the snow! Have you ever tried walking with snowshoes?  These special hooves also help them look for food beneath the snow.  The tendons in their hooves create a clicking sound when they walk.

6.) Reindeer have an excellent sense of smell. Because food is scarce in the Arctic, reindeer use their great sense of smell to detect food buried deep beneath the snow.

7.) Reindeer are excellent swimmers.

7 tips for better communication with your tweens and teens

Any parent of a tween or teen will know things change when the hormones kick in at puberty. If you throw an international move into the mix it does not make it easier. We may talk using words, but our looks, gestures and actions and even our silences all convey messages to our children.

At the end of the day, you know your child better than anyone, and you are best placed to help him/her. Below are some pointers to guide you on your way.

These tips are especially useful if you lead a mobile lifestyle, as having meaningful chats with your child during times of transition will help deepen your relationship, meaning you’ll both feel stronger.

1. Listen more than you talk
As philosopher Epictetus once said, "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

2. Empathize with the child and his/her message.
Avoid giving instant solutions to your child. Advice can come later, when/if they ask for it.

3. Show acceptance
Clearly communicate acceptance of the child and what they are trying to say.

4. Talk with your child, rather than at him/her
Facilitate a two-way conversation, rather than giving a lecture. Children of all ages want to be understood, not preached to. They are also far more likely to take your advice on board if they have felt included in the conversation.

5. Request, don’t demand
Requests are best made in a simple, positive, one- or two-step process. Do not demand, ask kindly and with respect.

6. Treat your child as an equal
Communicate with your children at eye level, rather than from above. Take a seat together, or crouch down with young ones. This way the communication is both less threatening and more supportive. Going for a ride in the car together can work wonders!

7. Discuss change openly
If you are raising children who are growing up outside of their parents’ home culture(s) make sure you discuss each move with your child and prepare them for it.

It’s also crucial to remind your teen that friendship and love are never gone; their loved ones from a previous country or school are always there. Your teen can still communicate via email, Skype, telephone. Encourage him/her to take advantage of online technology.

.. and never forget... you lead by example!

7 facts about Switzerland’s illegal immigrants

There has been a great deal of talk about illegal immigrants lately but what is the situation like in Switzerland? Did you know there were 76,000 illegal immigrants or sans-papiers living in this country in 2015?

1. Most arrive undeclared or on tourist visas
Across the country, 63% slipped over the border without declaring their presence or entered on a tourist visa. In French and Italian-speaking Switzerland this percentage rose to 78%.
A further 19% stayed on illegally after their asylum applications had been rejected, and another 18% stayed after their B or C permits expired.

2. The largest percentage comes from latin America
43% came from south and central America, mainly for economic reasons. Ecuadorians, Bolivians and Peruvians were well all represented.
The next largest group (24%) came from eastern european countries outside the European Union, then Africa (19%) and Asia (11%). North America and Australia (2%) made up the rest.

3. The vast majority are single
68% were single or lived in Switzerland while their families lived abroad. The percentage of singles rose to 80% in German-speaking Switzerland and fell to 51% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland.

4. Most stay less than 10 years
Only 19% had lived in Switzerland for more than 10 years. Most had been in the country for between 5 and 10 years (35%), 1 and 5 years (25%) or less than 1 year (21%).

5. Most work in private homes
Across Switzerland, 53% worked for private households. This percentage rose to 71% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, falling to 47% in German-speaking Switzerland.
Construction (18%), hotels (16%) and agriculture (5%) employed most of the others.

6. There are more women than men
51% were women. This fits with the high number working in private homes caring for children or helping out with household chores. The percentage who were women rose to 62% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, regions which also showed the highest rates of undocumented private domestic workers. The report says the broken school day in Switzerland, where children come home for lunch, is a likely driver of demand for child care workers.

7. Many are well educated
While the largest group had only school education (41%) a surprising number had professional training (37%) or a tertiary qualification (22%). Those in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland appeared to be the best educated. 84% had education beyond school. In German-speaking Switzerland only 49% did.

For the entire document "Les sans-papiers en Suisse en 2015" by the Secrétariat d’Etat aux migrations (SEM) click here: https://www.sem.admin.ch

A simple 5 min. morning routine

The mornings are becoming darker by the day. In two days autumn will begin and soon the sun will be rising after us.

Take five minutes to recharge and refresh after your long slumber, it will awaken your inner drive and - hopefully - motivate you to tackle your day more easily. This routine can be done before you even leave your room, so go ahead and let the sun shine in your heart if not your room.

1.) Turn off your alarm (30 seconds): Place your alarm out of reach, away from your bed, so you have to get up to turn it off. Smile as you walk, which releases hormones that create happy feelings. Tell yourself it's going to be a good day — out loud!

2.) Let in morning light (10 seconds): Wake up with some natural light, it will instantly elevate your mood and send the signal to your brain that it's morning.

3.) Do a sun salutation (one minute): Spend one minute moving your body. You can do jumping jacks, sit-ups, or a body-energizing sun salutation.

4.) Meditate on your day (one minute): Take one minute to visualize your day and imagine how meetings will go, the things you need to remember, and happy outcomes of important conversations and interactions with others.

5.) Be grateful (30 seconds): Say out loud what you're grateful for. Starting the morning on an appreciative note sets you up for a day of caring, understanding, and thoughtfulness.

6.) Make your bed (one minute): Tidying your bedroom psychologically gets you motivated to leave your room. And it's so nice to come home to a bed that's already been made. Use any extra time to pick up clothes or clear side tables.

7.) Sing along! (remaining 50 seconds): Turn on a wake-up song and sing along as you dance out of your room. Singing releases endorphins, which naturally elevate your mood and energize your body.
You're all set for your day — and ready for anything!

7 interesting facts about Santa's reindeer

Eight little reindeer beside Santa's sleigh, 


Getting hitched up - to be on their way.

The first one said, "We can't be late,"


The second one said, "Christmas won't wait."


The third one said, 'The sleigh's full of toys....."


The fourth one said, "For all the girls and boys."


The fifth one said, '"I'm ready to fly...."

The sixth one said, "Across the evening sky."

The seventh one said, "Look, it's starting to snow."

The eighth one said, "I think it's time to go."

"
Ready?" asked Santa. "It's almost Christmas Day."

And off they all flew - - up, up, and away!

One of my most popular posts around Christmas is: How many reindeer does Santa have? I therefore decided to come up with some more fun facts on reindeer.

1.) The names of Santa's reindeer are from the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas", more commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas," written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1823.

2.) Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzer, Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeers shed their antlers around Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are likely not male, but female or castrati.

3.) Rudolph's story was originally written in verse by Robert L. May for the Montgomery Ward chain of department stores in 1939, and published as a book to be given to children in the store at Christmas time. According to this story, Rudolph's glowing red nose made him a social outcast among the other reindeer. However, one Christmas Eve Santa Claus was having a lot of difficulty making his flight around the world because it was too foggy. When Santa went to Rudolph's house to deliver his presents he noticed the glowing red nose in the darkened bedroom and decided it could be a makeshift lamp to guide his sleigh. He asked Rudolph to lead the sleigh for the rest of the night, Rudolph accepted and returned home a hero for having helped Santa Claus.

4.) Norwegian scientists have hypothesized that Rudolph’s red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

5.) Reindeer have large hooves that spread apart as they walk on the snow. They act like snowshoes and prevent the reindeer from sinking in the snow! Have you ever tried walking with snowshoes?  These special hooves also help them look for food beneath the snow.  The tendons in their hooves create a clicking sound when they walk.

6.) Reindeer have an excellent sense of smell. Because food is scarce in the Arctic, reindeer use their great sense of smell to detect food buried deep beneath the snow.

7.) Reindeer are excellent swimmers.

TCK resolutions

Welcome back and Happy New Year to all my readers.

To kick-start 2013 I decided to post 7 questions rather than a bunch of resolutions. The questions do not have answers attached because they are open to any interpretation or reply. There is no right or wrong answer in this game. Just be yourself ... that is what really counts!

What do Yoko Ono, Carlos Fuente and Barack Obama all have in common? A shared cultural identity based on similar upbringings: they are Third Culture Kids.

Third Culture Kids spend their developmental years in a fusion of multiple cultures, typically growing up in countries different from their parents’ "passport country". Children growing up in this fusion of cultures exhibit elements of their parents’ cultural background as well as facets of their immediate cultural surroundings, thereby creating their own "third culture".

Here a seven things every TCK should know:

1. How do I learn to recognize and develop fully the gifts I received from this TCK experience?
2. How can I make and maintain friendships with non-TCKs and TCKs?
3. How do I sort out who I am and where I belong when I can’t get past the feeling of belonging “everywhere and nowhere?”
4. How do I deal with the grief I still feel from long ago losses of country and friends?
5. How do I stop restlessness, and the cycles of separation and loss I continue to create for myself because I can’t seem to stay in one place more than 2-3 years?
6. How can I not forget and lose my past while moving towards the future?
7. How do I deal with the loneliness I sometimes feel, even when others are around?

More fun facts about Christmas

With all the stress and expense of Christmas it's easy to forget that its supposed to be fun. I've put together some fun facts to get you in the mood for merriment.

Mistletoe
Kissing under the mistletoe, our favourite sprig of green leaves and white berries, dates back to a 17th century English custom. At that time, a berry was removed every time a kiss was made, which meant there were no kisses when there no berries. We seem to have since forgotten about the berry removal - allowing us to fully concentrate on the kissing!

Long before it was used as a "kiss encourager" during the Christmas season, mistletoe had long been considered to have magic powers by Celtic and Teutonic peoples. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes in order to bring themselves good luck and ward off evil spirits.

Holly, Ivy and Greenery
In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of winter, when ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the winter winds. Boughs of holly, believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter, were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten the mood during the long, dreary winter.

Legend also has it that holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth. The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood he shed.

Poinsettia
A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828. Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations. One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. Though the other children mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch. The bright red petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant.

Christmas Card
The Christmas card, probably the most popular way to express holiday sentiments, was started in England in 1843. The first Christmas card was printed in the United States in 1875 by Louis Prang, a Massachusetts printer. By running nationwide contests for the best Christmas designs, Prang helped launch Christmas cards into a multibillion dollar industry.

Christmas tree
The decorated Christmas tree can be traced back to the ancient Romans who decorated trees with small pieces of metal during Saturnalia, a winter festival in honour of Saturnus, the god of agriculture.

Did you know that Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.

Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus was the patron saint of children, thieves and pawnbrokers.

Gifts
If you received all of the gifts in the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', you would receive 364 presents.

7 Facts about Christmas

“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ”
Mary Ellen Chase

Take a peek at a list of fun facts about how the most important holiday of the year is a celebrated around the world! Did you know that...?

XMAS
In Greek, X means Christ; that is where the word “Xmas” comes from!

Christmas World Records
The world’s largest Christmas present was the Statue of Liberty. The French gave it to the US in 1886. It is 46.5 meters high and weights 225 tons!

“Green” Christmas
It can take up to 15 years to grow an average-sized tree of 6-7 feet or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7!

Christmas Songs
Bing Crosby ‘s ‘White Christmas’ was released in 1942 and is considered to be the best-selling Christmas song of all time!

Christmas Statistics
1 in 10 – The number of the presents received that will be broken by the New Year
7 in 10 – The number of dogs that get Christmas gifts from their owners
33 – The average amount spent per person on last-minute purchases
25 – The percentage time spent in queues when Christmas shopping
832 – The number of homes Santa visits every second to deliver all his presents
5340 – Average number of times Visa Cards are used every minute during Christmas time

2010 Average Budget for Christmas Presents
SWITZERAND: 547 € - USA: 520 € – UK: 474 € – GERMANY: 270 € – ITALY: 325 € – FRANCE: 366 € – SPAIN: 383 € –  NETHERLANDS: 206 €

Traditional Christmas Sweets
SWITZERLAND: Tirgel (Honey biscuits), Brunsli (Chocolate biscuits), Zimtsternli (Cinnamon Stars)
FRANCE: Buche de Noel (a Génoise or other sponge cake, baked in a large Swiss roll pan)
USA: Pumpkin Cake (with cinnamon and ginger, frosted with cream cheese frosting)
SPAIN: Nougat (made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts)
HUNGARY: Beigli (roll of sweet yeast bread with a dense, rich, bittersweet filling)
ITALY: Panettone (is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan)
SWEDEN: Pepparkakor (heart-star and goat-shaped gingerbread biscuit)
UK: Christmas Pudding (steamed pudding, with dried fruit and nuts, usually made with suet)
PORTUGAL: Pain Perdu (French toast made with bread and eggs, milk, sugar and cinnamon)
GERMANY: Lebkuchen (large cookies made of honey)