Thursday, December 17, 2009

The Holiday Post 2009: Opening Salvo

We made it to another holiday season here at The Itinerant Librarian. After the upheaval at the end of 2008, I can say that 2009 was slightly better. I am hoping based on that that 2010 will be an improvement. 2009 also marks the fifth year of putting together these holiday posts. I enjoy finding the links and things for my three readers, and I hope people enjoy it. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, Festivus, or some other secular holiday, or nothing at all, may it be a safe and peaceful time for your family and you.

For reference purposes, here are the links to holiday posts: 2005, 2006, 2007 (three part extravangaza), and 2008, which also had three parts--the serious post, the funny post (well, to me at least), and the reader's edition.

As in previous years, I am just putting the links to things I have found in broad categories:

Santa Claus


Traveling and getting there

Sharing the spirit of the season

Miscellaneous Tips

Trivia and other stuff

  • I can always count on the Census Bureau to provide something cool for this time. They have put together a series of facts for the 2009 Holiday Season. This is part of their Facts for Features series. For example, did you know that 16.6 billion is the number of cards, letters and packages the U.S. Postal Service will deliver between Dec. 1 and Christmas this year? Now you do. Also, according to the document, the busiest mailing day is set for Dec. 14, and Dec. 16 will be the busiest delivery day.
  • PNC Financial Services once again does their feature on the Christmas Price Index. You can watch the video on the website and read more about how they figure out the CPI.
  • A little academic humor. If you happen to be a graduate student, especially a grad assistant working for a tyrannical professor, Jorge Cham of the PhD Comic reminds you of the "Professor-Approved Holidays."
  • A few interesting items from the Mental Floss blog. First, "6 Christmas Firsts." Next we have "9 Holiday Characters From Around the World." Some of you may recognize Krampus, who did a recent appearance in The Colbert Report. And many people make it a point to watch the perennial Christmas classic movie It's a Wonderful Life. Here then is "The Quick 10: It's a Wonderful Life" with some trivia about the film.

I have found many other fun things, so feel free to come back for more holiday posts, including our summary of 2009. Sure, CNN and those other guys can tell you the usual news summary. I am doing something different, but you have to come back to find out.

Happy Holidays!


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