Social media algorithms, artificial intelligence, and our own genetics are among the factors influencing us beyond our awareness. This raises an ancient question: do we have control over our own lives? This article is part of The Conversation’s series on the science of free will.
Many of us believe we are masters of own destiny, but new research is revealing the extent to which our behavior is influenced by our genes.
It’s now possible to decipher our individual genetic code, the sequence of 3.2 billion DNA “letters” unique to each of us, that forms a blueprint for our brains and bodies.
This sequence reveals how much of our behavior has a hefty biological predisposition, meaning we might be skewed towards developing a particular attribute or characteristic. Research has shown genes may predispose not only our height, eye colour or weight, but also our vulnerability to mental ill-health, longevity, intelligence and impulsivity. Such traits are, to varying degrees, written into our genes — sometimes thousands of genes working in concert.
Most of these genes instruct how our brain circuitry is laid down in the womb, and how it functions. We can now view a baby’s brain as it is built, even 20 weeks before birth. Circuitry changes exist in their brains that strongly correlate with genes that predispose for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They even predispose for conditions that might not emerge for decades: bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.
There are also other ways our life stories can be passed down through generations, besides being inscribed in our DNA.
“Epigenetics” is a relatively new area of science that can reveal how intertwined nature and nurture can be. It looks not at changes to genes themselves, but instead at the “tags” that are put on genes from life experience, which alter how our genes are expressed.
One 2014 study looked at epigenetic changes in mice. Mice love the sweet smell of cherries, so when a waft reaches their nose, a pleasure zone in the brain lights up, motivating them to scurry around and hunt out the treat. The researchers decided to pair this smell with a mild electric shock, and the mice quickly learned to freeze in anticipation.
The study found this new memory was transmitted across the generations. The mice’s grandchildren were fearful of cherries, despite not having experienced the electric shocks themselves. The grandfather’s sperm DNA changed its shape, leaving a blueprint of the experience entwined in the genes.
This is ongoing research and novel science, so questions remain about how these mechanisms might apply to humans. But preliminary results indicate epigenetic changes can influence descendants of extremely traumatic events.
One study showed the sons of US Civil War prisoners had an 11% higher death rate by their mid-40s. Another small study showed survivors of the Holocaust, and their children, carried epigenetic changes in a gene that was linked to their levels of cortisol, a hormone involved in the stress response. It’s a complicated picture, but the results suggest descendants have a higher net cortisol level and are therefore more susceptible to anxiety disorders.
Of course, it’s not simply the case that our lives are set in stone by the brain we’re born with, the DNA given to us by our parents, and the memories passed down from our grandparents.
There is, thankfully, still scope for change. As we learn, new connections form between nerve cells. As the new skill is practiced, or the learning relived, the connections strengthen and the learning is consolidated into a memory. If the memory is repeatedly visited, it will become the default route for electrical signals in the brain, meaning learned behavior becomes habit.
Take riding a bike, for example. We don’t know how to ride one when we are born, but through trial and error, and a few small crashes along the way, we can learn to do it.
Similar principles create the basis for both perception and navigation. We make and strengthen neural connections as we move around our environment and conjure our perception of the space that surrounds us.
But there’s a catch: sometimes our past learnings blind us to future truths. Watch the video below — we’re all biased towards seeing faces in our environment. This preference causes us to ignore the shadow cues telling us it is the back end of a mask. Instead, we rely on tried and tested routes within our brains, generating the image of another face.
You probably won’t notice that Albert Einstein’s face is the back side of a mask, rather than the front, because our brains are biased towards seeing faces in our environment.
This illusion illustrates how difficult it can be to change our minds. Our identity and expectations are based on past experiences. It can take too much cognitive energy to break down the frameworks in our minds.
Elegant machinery
As I explore in my latest book published last year, The Science of Fate, this research touches on one of life’s biggest mysteries: our individual capacity for choice.
For me, there’s something beautiful about viewing ourselves as elegant machinery. Input from the world is processed in our unique brains to produce the output that is our behavior.
However, many of us may not wish to relinquish the idea of being free agents. Biological determinism, the idea that human behavior is entirely innate, rightly makes people nervous. It’s abhorrent to think that appalling acts in our history were perpetrated by people who were powerless to stop them, because that raises the specter that they might happen again.
Perhaps instead, we could think of ourselves as not being restricted by our genes. Acknowledging the biology that influences our individuality may then empower us to better pool our strengths and harness our collective cognitive capacity to shape the world for the better.
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<span>The strong showing of unity is testament to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who has worked relentlessly to keep all EU nations in the loop</span> </figure>
European Union ambassadors were convening to start assessing the massive free-trade deal that the bloc struck with Britain, which should begin next week when the acrimonious Brexit divorce process finally comes to an end.
After the deal was announced on Thursday, EU nations already showed support for the outcome and it was expected that they would unanimously back the agreement, a prerequisite for its legal approval.
Speedily approving the deal is essential, as a transition period in which Britain continues to trade by EU rules despite its Jan. 31 departure runs out on New Year’s Day
The British parliament is expected to approve the deal in the coming days, but the agreement must be applied provisionally, as the European Parliament can only give its consent next month at the earliest. There, too, approval is expected.
The strong showing of unity is testament to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who has worked relentlessly to keep all EU nations and the groups within the European Parliament in the loop of developments throughout the torturous negotiations.
It took more than three years of wrangling before Britain left the bloc’s political structures in January. Disentangling the two sides’ economies and reconciling Britain’s desire for independence with the EU’s aim of preserving its unity took months longer.
The two sides claim that the 2,000-page agreement protects their cherished goals.
Britain said that it gives the UK control over its money, borders, laws and fishing grounds, while the EU said that it protects the EU’s single market and contains safeguards to ensure that Britain does not unfairly undercut the bloc’s standards.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that although the UK would become a “third country,” it would be a trusted partner.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that it was a “good deal for the whole of Europe, and for our friends and partners as well.”
Leaders around the continent were quick to herald the accord. Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin — whose EU member state would have been hard hit by a no-deal — said that the accord was the “least bad version of Brexit possible.”
BRUSSELS (AFP) – From January 1 British and EU citizens will be confronted with the reality of Brexit as the transition period ends and borders that were done away with decades ago return.
From that date, Britons will be treated by the EU as ”third country” nationals, no longer enjoying freedom of movement to work, study or retire across the European Union.
Britain in turn will process EU nationals at its borders as it does other non-UK passport holders.
EU citizens proving residence in Britain, or Britons already living in a European Union country, will theoretically retain their rights under a Withdrawal Agreement struck in late 2019.
Tourists will see some immediate changes — apart from the fluctuating coronavirus restrictions already crimping travel — but both sides have agreed that travel will be visa-free, as long as the other side keeps it that way.
But the EU will stop British passports being used in its automated e-gates, potentially meaning longer queues at manned passport booths.
Britons must hold passports still valid for at least six months and will be limited to EU stays of 90 days in a rolling 180-day period.
They will also need to show travel insurance coverage, sufficient funds and a return ticket on request.
Europeans entering Britain can use a national ID card until October, after which only passports will be accepted, for stays of up to six months.
EU passport holders will be able to continue using British e-gates under current guidance.
Those with criminal records may be banned and non-European family members of a European may need a visa, depending on nationality.
The UK treats Irish citizens separately from other EU nationals under a bilateral arrangement dating back nearly a century that allows continued freedom of movement between Britain and Ireland.
Europeans will be able to keep using EU pet passports as long as rabies vaccines are up to date. Britons however must see a vet to prepare their pets for travel a month before their trip to an EU country.
The EU-UK deal reached Thursday has set out the visa requirements for business travellers, the details of which are yet to be made public.
In the EU, Britons attending conferences or meetings likely will be exempt from visas where they do not receive payment or provide services.
However, for other UK business travellers, including posted workers and the self-employed, a visa and/or a work permit may be imposed in line with each individual EU country’s laws.
There will also be tax and social security considerations.
Certain services or company ownership in those countries may be off-limits to non-EU citizens or residents or those lacking national licences, and customs declarations may be needed for goods brought in.
In Britain, EU citizens with a job offer will be required to prove English-language skills and a minimum salary, dependent on whether the position is skilled (26,500 pounds, equivalent to 29,600 euros or $35,000) or a shortage occupation (20,480 pounds, 22,800
euros).
From January, EU students going to Britain will need a visa for courses longer than six months, and will have to pay steeper tuition fees — four times as much for degrees such as medicine or MBAs at prestigious universities.
That hefty burden may force many European students to choose EU institutions — some of which are free — over British ones, which UK universities fear will blow a big hole in their finances.
They also say they are already being shunned for research projects led by EU universities.
According to UK parliament research, there were 143,000 EU students in British universities in the 2018 to 2019 school year.
International students have made Britain the second-most popular education destination after the US, and they injected £25.8 billion (29 billion euros, or $34 billion) into the UK economy in 2015.
British students will be excluded from the Erasmus+ programme offering subsidised exchanges to EU countries.
British students wanting to go to EU universities will encounter higher fees in some countries as well as visa requirements that in many cases will curb their right to work.
For the estimated 1.3 million Britons living in the EU and the more than four million EU citizens living in the UK before the end of the transition period, their rights to stay are protected under the 2019 Withdrawal Agreement.
Those wanting to emigrate elsewhere in the EU after January 1 will find a very different situation.
Britons, for example, have long favored Spain, France, Germany and Italy to set down new roots as workers or retirees.
But the end of freedom of movement will see them having to jump through the same hoops as other ”third country” nationals, which often include health insurance, income and language requirements.
Even Britons settled under the Withdrawal Agreement will no longer have automatic rights to move to a different EU country, and will face national immigration laws if they want to do so.
Britain, for its part, is bringing in a points-based system from 2021 that will make it significantly harder for Europeans to move there.
Age, English language ability, funds and the requirement to pay a health surcharge will all be evaluated, with caps on some of the immigration channels.
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Solid Rock Baptist Church, 1337 E. Fifth St., will feature their Happy Hour Bible Study at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The teacher and expositor will be Vanilla Marie Chillow. The menu will come from the subject: “Jesus Calls Phillip and Nathaniel” taken from John 1:43-51. For more information, call 409-983-7654.
Solid Rock Baptist Church, 1337 E. Fifth St., will sponsor an Usher’s Workshop and Conference Worship Service during the 11 a.m. Sunday morning worship service. The presenters will be the members of Usher Board No. 3.
The church is practicing the social distance recommendations given by Gov. Greg Abbott n his minimum standard health protocols checklist for churches and places of worship. For more information, call 409-983-7654.
Solid Rock Baptist Church, 1337 E. Fifth St., will present their New Year’s Eve Worship Service at 10 a.m. Dec. 31. The New Year’s Eve Message will be delivered by the Rev. Richard Keaton Nash.
The church is practicing the social distance recommendations given by Gov. Greg Abbott in his minimum standard health protocols checklist for churches and places of worship. For more information, call 409-983-7654.
Solid Rock Baptist Church, 1337 E. Fifth St., will present their New Year’s Day First Fruits Worship Service at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1.
The New Year’s Day Message will be delivered by the Rev. Robert Earl Collins of Road Way To Glory Ministries in Groves.
The church is practicing the social distance recommendations given by Gov. Greg Abbott in his minimum standard health protocols checklist for churches and places of worship. For more information, call 409-983-7654.
Religion announcements must be submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday to appear in the Saturday publication. Announcements may be emailed to [email protected] or sent to Port Arthur News, 2349 Memorial Blvd. Please provide a contact number to The News in case questions arise.
Nothing elicits quite the same amount of joy as a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. It may seem like it’s always been tradition for families to hang ornaments, tinsel, and lights from evergreens, but those festive firs have only become a Christmas custom stateside in the last couple hundred years. In fact, many cultures, countries, and centuries shaped the way our Christmas trees look today. If you’re a holiday history buff, keep reading for some of the most amazing Christmas tree facts we could find. They’re sure to make you feel merry and bright! And for some fascinating regional holiday activities, check out 20 Ways Christmas Is Celebrated Differently Across the U.S.
Christmas trees used to hang like chandeliers in Poland.
upside down tree christmas tree facts
Don’t be alarmed if you see a tree hanging upside down from the ceiling. This trend actually originated in medieval times, according to The Spruce. Legend goes that a Benedictine monk used the triangle shape of the inverted tree to explain the Holy Trinity to pagans. But the idea really took off in the 1900s in Poland with podłazniczek, a custom where Polish people decorated the branches with fruit, nuts, and ribbons, then hung the tree from the ceiling! And for festive trivia to share with family, check out 55 Fun Christmas Facts to Get You in the Holiday Spirit.
2
Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with spider webs.
christmas shaped christmas ornament
While it sounds ominous, this tradition is actually rooted in a heartwarming folktale about a poor widow who found a Christmas tree for her children. However, she had no money to decorate it, so on Christmas Eve, she went to bed crying. That night, spiders heard her tears and proceeded to cover the tree with delicate, glistening webs. Some versions of the story say the webs actually turned into silver and gold, while others say they merely looked like precious metals—either way, the widow felt rich come Christmas morning.
“Spiders have always been considered ‘good luck insects’ in Ukrainian tradition,” Lubow Wolynetz, folk art curator at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City, told Today. In honor of this, many Ukrainian families decorate their trees with silver and gold cobwebs and spiders today.
3
Thomas Edison’s colleague was the first to put electric lights on a Christmas tree.
Christmas lights with bokeh. White garlands close-up
Some people say Thomas Edison himself did this, but let’s not let Edison take more credit than he deserves. It was actually his colleague and friend, Edward Johnson, who first thought of putting electric lights on a Christmas tree instead of the traditional candles, according to the Library of Congress. However, the first bulb-lit tree did stand in Edison’s power plant in Manhattan in 1882, set on a rotating box so that passersby could see all 80 blinking red, white, and blue lights. No one had seen anything like it.
One of the first tree-decorating traditions involved setting firs on fire.
Christmas Eve traditions, things you should never store in your attic
One of the first Christmas tree-decorating ceremonies involved adorning a fir tree with paper flowers, singing and dancing around it, and then—brace yourself—lighting the entire thing on fire. According to The New York Times, that all took place in the town square of Riga, the capital city of Latvia, in 1510. (Although Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, claims it was the first to celebrate in 1441.)
At that time in northern Europe, Christmas celebrations looked very different than they do today. The festivities ran from the end of November until the New Year, but the dazzling spectacle of our Christmas trees today would likely be just as much of a shock to them.
5
Early Romans were the first to celebrate with firs.
christmas tree decorating tips
Evergreen trees have been synonymous with Christmas for centuries. Early Romans used evergreens to decorate their temples for Saturnalia, a festival they celebrated in December. When Christians began associating the birth of Christ with these previously existing winter holidays, they picked up on the evergreen tree as a symbol of eternal life, explains Dixie Sandborn of Michigan State University Extension.
These days, the most popular Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, balsam fir, and white pine. However, in the early days before everyone settled on firs and pines, some Europeans used cherry or hawthorn trees as their Christmas greenery, according to Sandborn. The appeal of these trees was in their flowers. If you cut off a branch, brought it inside, and set it in a pot of water, it would flower just in time for Christmas.
7
Americans buy upwards of 30 million Christmas trees a year.
christmas tree facts
According to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), 25 to 30 million live trees are harvested annually from a crop of about 350 million trees in farms across the United States. The total land needed for all those farms comes to 547 square miles—about twice the size of the greater Chicago area. Fortunately, these farms help preserve green space, and they also employ about 100,000 Americans each year. (Alternatively, as the NCTA point outs, most artificial trees are made in China.)
Christmas trees are farmed in all but three states in the U.S.
christmas tree decorating tips
It’s a commonly held myth that Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states. According to a map published by NBC, there are no tree farms in New Mexico, South Dakota, or Wyoming. In fact, the country gets most of its trees from Oregon and North Carolina, the two states with the largest production of Christmas trees.
9
Christmas tree farms are sustainable.
Christmas tree farm in the snow
Concerned about the impact getting a fresh tree may have on the environment? Don’t be. As Green America points out, the vast majority of cut Christmas trees come from tree farms, which “generally plant about two trees for every one they cut.” If it’s important to you to support a farm that doesn’t use chemical pesticides, you can search Local Harvest for organic tree farms.
10
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree idea came from construction workers.
christmas tree rockefeller center
The huge holiday spectacle at Rockefeller Center in New York City has humble beginnings. According to The New York Times, the tradition started during the Great Depression in 1931, when construction workers put up a mere 20-foot tree in the plaza and decorated it with paper garlands, strings of cranberries, and tin cans. Today, a Norway spruce no taller than 100 feet is chosen every year, trucked into Manhattan, propped up in the plaza, and topped with a Swarovski crystal star that weighs more than 9,000 pounds. Look how far she’s come!
London’s Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is an annual thank-you gift from Norway.
christmas tree with green lights at trafalgar square in london at night
London has its own arboreal tradition: a huge Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. This tree is a thank-you gift from Norway. Every year since 1947, the people of Oslo have selected a 50- to 60-year-old spruce tree to cut down and ship to London as a way of showing gratitude to England for supporting Norway in World War II. In turn, Londoners decorate the tree in traditional Norwegian style, with vertical strings of lights descending from the star on top.
12
Australian Christmas trees are the world’s largest parasites.
gold flowered trees in Australia
If you’ve heard the phrase “Australian Christmas tree,” you might imagine a fir tree on the beach, or possibly one in the ocean Down Under. However, the plant that Australians call a “Christmas tree” is actually an aggressive, hemiparasitic type of mistletoe. This parasite is believed to be the largest in the world, with its roots stabbing victims up to 360 feet away! It looks nothing like a conifer, but its yellow-orange flowers bloom around the holidays, hence the name.
13
The first artificial Christmas trees were made of dyed goose feathers and wire.
winter decorations
If you prefer an artificial tree, you’re not alone. It’s a cheaper and lower maintenance option, giving parents and pet owners one less thing to worry about during the holidays. Artificial trees date back to the 1880s, when Germans looking to offset deforestation made the first ones from dyed goose feathers held together with wire. Since then, people around the world have made fake trees out of aluminum, cardboard, and glass, although most artificial Christmas trees sold today are made out of PVC plastic.
14
The largest artificial Christmas tree cost $80,000 to construct.
Christmas tree with shopping bag with flag of Sri Lanka
In Colombo, Sri Lanka, a 236-foot tall tree made of scrap metal and wood broke the Guinness World Record in 2016 for the world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree. The tree was surrounded by some controversy during construction—the local Catholic archbishop thought it was a waste of money (about $80,000) that should have gone to charity—and it ultimately didn’t stay up for long. It was dismantled in 2017 when folks realized it looked more like a rocket than a fir tree.
15
New England Puritans banned Christmas trees in the late 17th century.
Puritans historical facts
In 1659, the court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony formally banned any Christmas celebrations aside from a church service, which included the “heathen tradition” of hanging decorations. Christmas trees drew looks of scorn in America for nearly two more centuries, before German and Irish immigrants finally normalized decking the halls.
16
Queen Victoria popularized the Christmas tree.
Victoria, Albert, and the Royal Family gathering around the Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle in 1848
Though strict religious attitudes about Christmas trees had finally begun to soften by the early 1800s, it wasn’t until Queen Victoria and the royal family were sketched next to the household fir tree in 1848 that they truly became popular in the English-speaking world. Having grown up with a German mother, Victoria associated Christmas with evergreens decorated with oranges, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. The former colonies admired British royalty so much that Christmas trees finally became fashionable in America.
17
Germans believe it’s bad luck to put up your tree before Christmas Eve.
christmas tree near a fireplace
In order to avoid bad luck at Christmas, some Germans believe you should erect your Christmas tree no sooner than Christmas Eve (or sometimes the 23rd) and take it down no later than Twelfth Night (Jan. 5). In some predominately Catholic countries—Ireland, Italy, Argentina, etc.—the tree goes up on Immaculate Conception Day (Dec. 8) and comes down on Epiphany (Jan. 6), though some Catholics extend that to Candlemas (Feb. 2), according to Italy Magazine. However, everyone can agree that you should definitely not put your tree up before Halloween (or in America, before Thanksgiving).
18
The Vatican didn’t get a Christmas tree until 1982.
vatican christmas tree facts
The Christmas tree was one tradition that the Catholic church snubbed for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until 1982 that Pope John Paul II, already known as a bit of a reformer, brought a Christmas tree into the Vatican to sit beside the traditional Italian Nativity crib. Today, Catholic liturgy includes a prayer for officially blessing your tree.
19
The White House evergreen goes in the Blue Room.
white house christmas tree facts
The official White House Christmas tree sits in the circular Blue Room, and every year since 1961, the first lady has been in charge of selecting the theme and decorations for the tree. But this custom hasn’t always been without controversy—in 1899, many people urged President William McKinley to forgo the “un-American” display because of its German roots, according to The Washington Post. It’s even said that President Teddy Roosevelt banned Christmas trees for environmental reasons, but in fact, he displayed a tree for three of his eight Christmases in the White House.
20
The National Christmas Tree stayed dark in 1979.
National Christmas Tree at night with Capitol in the background
It was a surprise to onlookers when, during the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington D.C. in 1979, only the star at the top lit up after President JimmyCarter‘s daughter Amy threw the switch. The president then announced that the normally resplendent evergreen would stay otherwise dark throughout the season in honor of the Americans being held captive during the Iran hostage crisis. “We will turn on the rest of the lights when the hostages come home,” President Carter said, as reported by The Washington Post. (The hostages weren’t freed until January of 1981.)
21
One Florida city makes an annual Christmas tree out of 700 tons of sand.
The world’s only 35-foot-tall tree made from 700 tons of sand in West Palm Beach, Florida
Every year West Palm Beach, Florida, boasts that it has the world’s largest Christmas tree made entirely of sand: 700 tons of the stuff go into making “Sandi,” a 35-foot peak strung with lights and topped with a star. During the month-long Holiday in Paradise celebration, kids are invited to explore Sandi-Land, a free attraction that includes musical shows, miniature golf, and more family-friendly events.
22
Americans make Christmas trees out everything from lobster traps to hubcaps.
a christmas tree made out of lobster traps and buoys in front of a Maine seafood shack on a snowy day
Some towns across the United States make Christmas trees out of materials even more unique than sand. For example, Baltimore, Maryland, is home to a tree made out of hubcaps, according to Travel + Leisure. And exactly 154 lobster traps comprise the 40-foot-tall Lobster Trap Tree in Rockland, Maine (pictured here). Meanwhile, Junction, Texas, displays a tree made of deer antlers; Chandler, Arizona, turns tumbleweed into a glittery Christmas tree each year; and fittingly, Lynchburg, Tennessee, makes a tree out of Jack Daniels’ whiskey barrels.
23
There are 500 chapters of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club.
Hallmark store front
In 1973, Hallmark launched its Keepsake Ornament tradition. Each year, the company releases a new collection of Keepsakes—some with traditional holiday imagery, some pop-culture themed—and collectors clamber for them. (8,500 designs and counting!) According to Hallmark’s website, there are 500 local chapters of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club, which theoretically involves a lot of scouring Ebay and arranging trades.
24
Christmas trees cause 160 fires every year.
christmas tree with candle on it
Between 2013 and 2017, Christmas trees caused an average of 160 household fires each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Collectively, those four years of Christmas tree fires resulted in $10 million in property damage and three deaths. To avoid becoming a statistic, firefighters recommend watering your tree daily, and—whether your tree is real or artificial—you should keep any heat sources at least three feet away, throw away any damaged lights or frayed wires, and unplug the lights when you go to bed at night or leave the house.
25
Tinsel used to contain lead when actual silver proved too pricey.
tinsel
People have used metallic tinsel to decorate their Christmas trees since at least the 1800s. The shiny strips of metal reflect light, allowing for a sparkling tree even in candlelight. Originally, only the rich could afford tinsel, since it was made out of actual silver. Copper and aluminum became substitutes, but neither was ideal. According to The Atlantic, after World War I, tinsel makers settled on lead as the metal of choice, even though there were already inklings that it could be poisonous. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the Food and Drug Administration banned household products made of lead.
26
Christmas wreaths were first used to celebrate Advent.
holiday decor
Plant-based wreaths go back to ancient times, where they were usually worn as crowns. But we have 16th-century Germans to thank for applying the wreath to Christmas traditions. They used Advent wreaths—set flat on a table—with four candles around the edge to count down the Sundays until Christmas.
27
Catalonian children have a “Christmas log.”
Tió de Nadal christmas tree facts
There’s more than one way to celebrate Christmas with a tree. In the Catalan region of Spain, many celebrate with a Tió de Nadal, or “Christmas log,” which is also sometimes called Caga Tió, or “poop log.” Starting on Dec. 8, the family puts out a hollow log (usually with a funny face and a red hat), and each day, the children take turns “feeding” it with dried fruit and nuts. Finally, on Christmas Eve, the children whack the log with sticks until it “poops” the treats back out. Guess that’s one way to keep kids entertained?
28
Popcorn garland is a truly American tradition.
popcorn garland christmas tree facts
All it takes is some popcorn, cranberries, a needle, and dental floss to make your very own homemade Christmas tree garland. Though Germans traditionally decorated their trees with cookies, nuts, and fruit, Americans in the 1800s adapted that custom to long strings of popcorn and cranberries. While it’s unknown exactly why popcorn was chosen—likely because it was inexpensive—cranberries are perfect, since their waxy coating keeps them from spoiling quickly. If you want to try it yourself, just make sure you use day-old popcorn, which breaks apart less easily than fresh kernels.
29
Christmas trees take nearly a decade to grow.
christmas traditions
Your average six- to seven-foot Christmas tree takes between eight and ten years to grow, according to CNN. Along the way, it will be sheared to keep its conical shape for easier decorating. For every tree that’s cut down, farmers usually plant up to three seedlings. Of the approximately 2,000 seedlings planted per acre, about one-half to three-quarters will make it to maturity.
30
Christmas trees are recyclable.
A discarded christmas tree sitting on the curb
When the holiday season comes to an end, be sure to recycle your Christmas tree. Obviously, recycled trees can be turned into mulch or compost, but that’s not the only option. Old Christmas trees can be buried to prevent soil erosion, sunk in a body of water to create a refuge for fish, or shredded and placed on hiking paths to keep the trail marked and the ground stable. They can also be donated to elephants for food at a sanctuary in Tennessee! But if you’re elsewhere in the country, check out this link to find a tree recycling center near you.
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Friday warned Turkey that a heavy jail sentence imposed on journalist Can Dundar harmed both human rights in the country and Ankara’s relations with Brussels.
A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced the exiled former editor-in-chief of the respected Cumhuriyet daily to more than 27 years in jail on espionage and terror charges. Can Dundar fled to Germany in 2016 after a failed coup the Turkish government blames on US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.
“The European Union has repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns about continued negative developments as regards the rule of law, fundamental rights and the judiciary in Turkey,” a statement issued by the EU’s external affairs arm said.
BRUSSELS European Union member state ambassadors spent Christmas Day being briefed on the Brexit deal struck late Thursday with the United Kingdom in what was the first step by Brussels to prepare the document for provisional approval by Jan. 1, 2021.
Sebastian Fischer, the spokesperson for Germanys current tenure of the rotating presidency of the Council of EU, tweeted: EU member states will now start a preliminary review of the draft texts of the different Brexit deal agreements.
This exercise will take a few days as the core agreement on EU trade and cooperation already comprises 1,246 pages of legal text.
The EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier began to brief the EU delegates just a day after the deal was finally agreed.
European sources said those taking part in the brief thanked Barnier and his team for their work since the 2016 Brexit referendum and highlighted the importance of having remained united throughout the process.
The members asked the European Commission for time to study the text and for a list of the most important measures member states should adopt to be ready on Jan. 1, when the UK will become a third-party country for good.
They also requested that 5 billion set aside in the EU budget to protect member states most exposed to the economic damage Brexit entails be put on offer quickly.
Barnier acknowledged that Brexit was a loss to both sides of the negotiating table, but insisted that the deal found was reasonable and protected EU interests.
EU Ambassadors praised Michel Barnier and the EU negotiation team for their resilience and steadfastness under intense pressure during the Brexit negotiations with the UK, Fischer added in a tweet.
The German presidency penned a letter to the European Parliament informing of the EUs intentions to apply the new deal provisionally on Jan. 1 before it is put before MEPs during a plenary session slated for Jan. 18-21.
According to diplomatic sources, the provisional application of the deal will also allow for a complete democratic scrutiny of the accord on the part of the European Commission and Parliament before it is fully ratified.
The European Parliament had planned to ratify a deal before the end of the year, but the date was pushed back as an agreement only came late on Christmas Eve.
The UKs main opposition Labour Party has signaled it would back the Brexit deal struck by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meaning it should have few issues gaining approval in the House of Commons.
The UN say millions have been left displaced, impoverished, traumatized and suffering personal loss. To make matters worse, a dwindling economy, the coronavirus, rising food insecurity and malnutrition, are causing the overall number of people in need to soar.
Subsidized bread and gasoline is in short supply – despite both having doubled in price since September.
Three million people receive aid
On a positive note, food distribution is underway to reach more than three million of the neediest people.
The UN has stressed the need for a nationwide ceasefire, substantive constitutional drafting and a wider effort to address the full range of issues, with actions to build confidence and movement.
The picture is also bleak in Iraq, where the World Bank expects poverty to rise sharply as its oil-dependent economy shrinks – the country is in talks with the IMF for support.
The fast-track ratification of the post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the European Union got underway on Christmas Day (local time) as ambassadors from the bloc’s 27 nations started assessing the accord that takes effect in a week.
At Friday’s exceptional meeting, the ambassadors were briefed about the details of the draft treaty, which is believed to be around 1250 pages long, by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
They are set to reconvene again on Monday and have informed lawmakers at the European Parliament that they intend to take a decision on the preliminary application of the deal within days.
While voicing their sadness at the rupture with Britain, EU leaders are relieved that the tortuous aftermath of the Brexit vote had come to a conclusion in Thursday’s agreement about future trade ties.
All member states are expected to back the agreement as is the European Parliament, which can only give its consent retrospectively as it can’t reconvene until 2021. British lawmakers have to give their approval, too, and are being summoned next week to vote on the accord.
Both sides claim the agreement protects their cherished goals.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it gives the UK control over its money, borders, laws and fishing grounds. The EU says it protects its single market of around 450 million people and contains safeguards to ensure the UK does not unfairly undercut the bloc’s standards.
Paul Grover/AP
The Brexit deal is a big win for Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson hailed the agreement as a “new beginning” for the UK in its relationship with European neighbours. Opposition leaders, even those who are minded to back it because it’s better than a no-deal scenario, said it adds unnecessary costs on businesses and fails to provide a clear framework for the crucial services sector, which accounts for 80 per cent of the British economy.
In a Christmas message, Johnson sought to sell the deal to a weary public after years of Brexit-related wrangling since the UK voted narrowly to leave the EU in 2016. Although the UK formally left the bloc on January 31, it remains in a transition period tied to EU rules until the end of this year.
Without a trade deal, tariffs would have been imposed on trade between the two sides starting January 1. Both sides would have suffered in that scenario, with the British economy taking a bigger hit at least in the near-term, as it is more reliant on trade with the EU than vice versa.
Olivier Hoslet/AP
European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier, left, carries a binder containing the Brexit trade deal during a special meeting of Coreper at the European Council building in Brussels, on Christmas Day.
“I have a small present for anyone who may be looking for something to read in that sleepy post-Christmas lunch moment, and here it is, tidings, glad tidings of great joy, because this is a deal,” Johnson said in his video message, brandishing a sheaf of papers.
“A deal to give certainty to business, travellers and all investors in our country from January 1. A deal with our friends and partners in the EU,” he said.
Though tariffs and quotas have been avoided, there will be more red tape because as the UK is leaving the EU’s frictionless single market and customs union. Firms will have to file forms and customs declarations for the first time in years. There will also be different rules on product labelling as well as checks on agricultural products.
Despite those additional costs, many British businesses who export widely across the EU voiced relief that a deal was finally in place as it avoids the potentially cataclysmic imposition of tariffs.
“While the deal is not fully comprehensive, it at least provides a foundation to build on in future,” said Laura Cohen, chief executive of the British Ceramic Confederation.
One sector that appears to be disappointed is the fishing industry with both sides voicing their discontent at the new arrangements. Arguments over fishing rights were largely behind the delay in reaching an agreement.
Virginia Mayo/AP
Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU in a referendum in 2016.
<
p class=”sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph”> Under the terms of the deal, the EU will give up a quarter of the quota it catches in UK waters, far less than the 80 per cent Britain initially demanded. The system will be phased in over 5 1/2 years, after which quotas will be reassessed.
“In the end, it was clear that Boris Johnson wanted an overall trade deal and was willing to sacrifice fishing,” said Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations.
The French government, which had fought hard for fishing access, announced aid for its fishing industry to help deal with the smaller quota, but insisted that the deal protects French interests.
The president of the French ports of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, Jean-Marc Puissesseau, said no matter what is in the Brexit trade deal, life for his port will become more difficult because “there will no longer be free movement of merchandise”.
Some 10,000 jobs in the Boulogne area are tied to fishing and its seafood-processing industry, he said, and about 70 per cent of the seafood they use comes from British waters.
<
p class=”sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph”> “Without fish, there is no business,” he told The Associated Press.
TOPSHOT – Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he holds a remote press conference to update the nation on the post-Brexit trade agreement, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on December 24, 2020. – Britain said on Thursday, December 24, 2020 an agreement had been secured on the country’s future relationship with the European Union, after last-gasp talks just days before a cliff-edge deadline. – Paul GROVER/AFP via Getty Images
Pressure is growing on Boris Johnson to delay Parliament’s ratification of the UK-EU trade deal until next month and allow Tory Brexiteers sufficient time to scrutinise the legal text.
Conservative MPs in the European Research Group were becoming “anxious” on Thursday afternoon at the Government’s delay in publishing the full legal text, according to sources within the group.
There are now five days to go until the Brexit transition period must, by law, end at 11pm on December 31. Mr Johnson has confirmed his plan to push the legislation, which gives legal effect to the trade deal, through both the Commons and Lords in a single day next Wednesday.
However, Mark Francois, chairman of the ERG, told The Telegraph: “It seems incongruous that Parliament should have to ratify what is, after all, an international treaty at breakneck speed next week if the European Parliament can now do so at their leisure until the end of February.”
He said this disparity between the time offered to the two sides’ parliamentarians was “made worse” by the fact the legal text was still not available for pro-Leave legal experts to pore over in the UK. The draft treaty and associated Brexit agreements stretch to 1,246 pages of legal text.
Andrew Bridgen, Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, meanwhile called outright for the Prime Minister to rethink the plan for MPs to be recalled next Wednesday to rush through the legislation.
He suggested the trade deal could be provisionally applied to avoid a “no-deal” cliff edge on January 1, but insisted MPs be granted time to examine and debate the agreement before formally having their say.
“I would prefer a provisional vote this week so the treaty can start on the December 31 at 11pm, and then both our Parliament and the EU Parliament had several weeks to study and debate, followed by a confirmatory vote,” he said. “Because a Treaty is for decades, not just for Christmas.”
His suggestion mirrors a plan in place for the EU to process the deal. MEPs have already declared that there is not enough time to discuss and ratify such a complex agreement before the end of the year.
In coming days the leaders of the EU 27 member states will therefore ratify and “provisionally apply” the deal until the EU Parliament votes on it later in January.
On Christmas Day morning EU Ambassadors met in Brussels to be briefed on the contents of the deal by Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator.
European officials meanwhile worked through the day to prepare legal documentation.
Earlier this week the ERG, which boasts a membership of about 70 MPs, announced that they would reconvene a panel of lawyers to scrutinise the UK-EU agreement.
The so-called “Star Chamber” of legal experts was first assembled to review Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement in March last year.
Sir William Cash, a qualified solicitor as well as the MP for Stone, will resume the chairmanship. His views are held in esteem by ERG colleagues, with some privately warning that Mr Johnson’s deal must pass the “Bill Cash test” if they are to back it.
Bill Cash MP – Heathcliff O’Malley/The Telegraph
In a joint statement, Mr Francois and David Jones, deputy chairman of the group, urged Downing Street to publish the legal text of any agreement “as soon as possible”.
Acknowledging that the deal would be “highly complex”, they said: “The Star Chamber will scrutinise it in detail, to ensure that its provisions genuinely protect the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, after we exit the transition period at the end of this year.
“It is intended that the Star Chamber, which will include some amended members (as some previous participants now serve in Government), will undertake its examination as expeditiously as possible, before providing its conclusions on the merits of the deal, which we will aim to make public before Parliament reconvenes.”
Tory MP Sir John Redwood, another veteran Eurosceptic, also ratcheted up pressure on Mr Johnson over the deal, warning on Twitter: “Any UK/EU Agreement must put us in full control of our laws, and needs an exit clause we can use without EU permission.”
Under the terms of the agreement, a formal review of the system can only take place after four years. At that juncture, if the UK or EU does not believe the system is working, they can nullify the deal and trade on World Trade Organisation terms.
The Brexiteers’ “Star Chamber” was named after the court that sat in the Old Palace of Westminster between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. Composed of judges and privy councillors, it grew out of the medieval king’s council as an addition to the common-law courts.
The current “Star Chamber” convened in March last year to pore over Mrs May’s withdrawal deal, and was made up of eight MPs from across the Conservatives and Democratic Unionist Party. These included Dominic Raab, now the Foreign Secretary, and Suella Braverman, currently Attorney General.
Sir Bill delivered a blow to Mrs May when, after scrutinising the legal meaning of her deal, he concluded he could not support it.
The panel also publicly questioned her right to delay the UK’s planned exit from the EU beyond the original departure date of March 29.
