Good morning!
The Golden Bear Gazette hopes you have had a fantastic week so far and are having a wonderful Friday! Only a few more hours till the weekend!
Here are this week's three biggest stories to keep you in the know:
When does "the most wonderful time of the year" actually begin?
Popular Thanksgiving foods this year
Veterans' Day celebrations in the U.S.
Does Christmas start on November 1?
The right time to start celebrating Christmas is widely debated. Some people feel the desire to put up the Christmas tree the day after Halloween, while others cannot fathom the thought of whipping out the decorations anytime before Black Friday.
So the question remains, when is the right time to begin winter holiday festivities?
The ancient peoples of Europe didn't put up Christmas decorations till the eve of the holiday. However, most people like to put up the tree at a much earlier date. For most Americans that date is the Friday after Thanksgiving or December 1.
Black Friday has a huge impact on the start of festivities. When all the Christmas decorations are on sale, it makes it much easier to begin the festivities. Corporate companies put out advertisements for holiday-themed merchandise in early November which convinces viewers that the holidays are coming up fast and they should get their merchandise fast or it will be gone!
However, if buying a real tree is the choice, experts recommend putting it up in December. The British Christmas Tree Growers Association says that trees can last up to our weeks if looked after properly.
According to some tradition, the decorations should go up at the beginning of the advent, which is four Sundays before Christmas. Other traditions dictate erecting the decorations 12 days before Christmas. In Roman Catholic tradition, the Christmas tree isn't put up until the afternoon of Christmas Eve--with the royal family polishing off their decorations on Christmas Eve.
Ultimately, the right time to put up the Christmas decorations is up to each individual person.
When do you believe the right time to start winter festivities is? The Golden Bear Gazette and BearTalk want to know! Fill out the poll below to see what fellow students think! Check out next week's episode of Bear Talk to hear the winning result.
Everyone has a favorite Thanksgiving food, what's yours?
According to a recent poll done by YouGov.com ranking the top dishes from the Thanksgiving feast, the classics are favored. According to 1,300 Americans the most popular Thanksgiving meal is America's classic turkey.
The respondents of the poll were asked to choose the better of the two dishes presented to them. The percentages show the number of times the meal won its mashup.
The top dishes included:
Turkey 83%
Mashed potatoes 78%
Stuffing or dressing 77%
Bread or rolls 74%
Ham 67%
Scalloped potatoes 66%
Sweet potatoes or yams 65%
Gravy 64%
Green beans 64%
Macaroni and cheese 62%
Corn 60%
Potato salad 57%
Cornbread 57%
Green bean casserole 57%
Salad 57%
Glazed carrots 54%
Beef 54%
Chicken 53%
Broccoli 53%
Deviled eggs 53%
Fruit salad 53%
Thanksgiving is such a widely beloved holiday and the typical cuisine isn't exclusive to turkey and mashed potatoes. Other international countries have different dishes that are as normal to them as turkey is to Americans.
The top ten diverse international dishes are:
10: Jamaican curried goat
(cubed goat meat squares, peppers, shredded coconut, curry powder, sour cream, arrowroot, clarified butter and red currant jelly)
9. Baklava
(nuts, butter, phyllo pastry, sugar and honey)
8. Salata de Varza
(cabbage, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper)
7. Tacos and Burritos
(cheese, beans, ground beef, shredded chicken, pork etc.)
6. Beans and Rice
(rice and red/black beans)
5. Tandoori Chicken
(plain yogurt, onions, garlic and herbs)
4. Couscous
(type of grain pasta)
3. Lo Mein
(fresh Chinese noodles, light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, bamboo shoots, cabbage, chicken broth and bean sprouts)
2. Doro Watt
(chicken, lime juice, hard-boiled eggs, chicken stock, dry red wine, ginger, cardamom, spiced or unsalted butter and berbere or chili powder)
1. Lasagna
(lasagna noodles, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, Italian sausage or ground beef, the makings for homemade tomato sauce and a truly authentic recipe)
Since the U.S. is a country largely inhabited by immigrants from all over the world, it makes sense that international dishes also have a place on our Thanksgiving tables!
What are the best places to honor Veterans Day?
Every year on November 11, Americans celebrate Veterans Day - a day that honors the men and women who have served and protected our country. Many locations around America have found creative and beautiful ways to respect these people who have given so much to the country.
Every year in Arlington, Virginia the Arlington National Cemetery hosts a Veterans Day poster competition where artists are invited to submit their rendition of history, legacy, and meaning that they believe supports the annual theme. The posters can be downloaded by anyone for printing.
On November 11 at 11:00 a.m., up to 4,500 spectators gather in the center of the city of Phoenix, Arizona to honor U.S. veterans. The parade is hosted by Honoring America's Veterans which is an organization focused on recognizing veterans through community events. Also in Arizona, high school students are offered the chance to participate in an annual Veterans Day essay competition. The winners receive various prizes including publication of their work.
New York is home to the largest Veterans Day celebration. Celebrities even join in on the annual broadcast coverage of the city’s Veterans Day parade, which includes 300+ marching units, 25k+ marchers, 30 floats, and 150+ vehicles. Viewers can even watch the parade at home.
Finally, in Tennessee programs including Operation Last Mile are hosting Veterans Day events to honor the holiday and people involved. Operation last mile is hosting a Veterans Day 5k on November 13. The 96th annual Veterans parade in downtown Knoxville is happening Thursday, November 11. The Anderson County 14th Annual Veterans Day Parade will be held on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, at 6 p.m. in downtown Clinton, TN.
America does a wonderful job of coming together as a nation to honor the people who fought and served for our country. The Golden Bear Gazette staff thanks all those who served!
What to Watch: BNN's coverage Thursday recognized a few MJHS families with veterans.
Good news of the week...
Every year hikers attempt to finish, or only hike parts of, the 2,000-mile hike that is the Appalachian trail. Hikers who attempt to hike in segments typically carry three days' worth of food and then run short on supplies.
However, there are people deemed "trail angels" that help the rest of the hikers out and ask for nothing in return.
Whether it is cooking barbecues sporadically around the trail for people to eat or leaving bags of snacks around the trail people have found ways to be kind and provide assistance to the rest of their fellow hikers.
In other news...
The Winter Semi-Formal is Dec. 4, 2021, and the theme is Winter Wonderland; white roses will be delivered this morning in second block.
MJHS MC JROTC attended the Lebanon Veterans' Day parade yesterday morning in honor of our Veterans and their service.
The second week of The Diary of Anne Frank begins tonight, tickets are $10 on Gofan.co
On Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 from 8:15-8:30 a.m., BearTalk is hosting an open mic in B118 for all teachers and students to stop by and share what they are most thankful for in preparation for Thanksgiving week.
TikTok hair might be older than you think.
Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 is National World Kindness Day so we encourage you to do a few random acts of kindness this weekend!
The BearTalk team wants to know what your favorite movies, songs and albums are. Tell them here.
Quote of the week...
We are not our best intentions.
We are what we do.
-Amy Dickinson
Have a BEARY great rest of your day and a wonderful weekend!
The Golden Bear Gazette is looking for new team members. If you're interested in becoming a writer or photographer, please fill out the form on our website under the JointheTeam tab.