Here's Why Some People Decorate Their Christmas Trees with Spiders

December 14, 2021

Tip of the Day

A long crooked candlewick isn’t just a fire hazard, it wastes your candle. Trim the wick back to ¼ inch every few hours of burn time to extend the life of your candle up to 25%.

Happy Tuesday! The Christmas Holiday is drawing closer and we have some fun holiday-centric articles in today’s newsletter like the history of Christmas trees in the U.S. and why some people decorate their Christmas tree with spider ornaments.

And if you’re still working through your holiday shopping list we have some great suggestions for hot-sauce obsessed friends, your pals that love wine, and even affordable Dyson air-wrap alternatives.

For folks stocking up their game cabinets before entertaining this holiday, the popular party game Throw Throw Burrito is on sale as part of the Exploding Kittens publisher sale at Amazon today. (For more great game recommendations check out our recent list of recommended games.)

Water cooler trivia? You know it wouldn’t be one of my newsletter openers without some. Even though most of the U.S. isn’t experiencing artic-blast levels of chilly winter weather this year, here’s a very chilly bit of trivia for you. On this day in 1911, explorer Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole. Amundsen was a legend in polar exploration having previously been part of the team that was the first to spend the whole winter in Antarctica. I like sparkling snow and winter weather but not that much.

– Jason

If you celebrate Christmas, you likely have a Christmas tree somewhere in your house right now (and if not, it’s time to get a move on!). But do you know why you have it, or where the idea came from? We were curious how this tradition started stateside, and here’s what we found out. Read More »

Ever seen a spider-shaped Christmas ornament at a gift fair or thrift store? Although done up with gold, silver, and sparkling jewels, these ornaments might seem like strange choices for post-Halloween holiday decor. However, there’s actually a fascinating cultural history behind the spider as Christmas ornament. Read More »

For some people, hot sauce is a way of life, not just a condiment. If there’s someone in your life who douses everything in a fiery sauce, there are some unique Christmas presents out there just for her! Read More »

French presses are among the most well-known and well-loved types of coffee makers.
Read More »

Convenient as electronic coffee makers might be, many coffee lovers find that they don’t beat the taste of a cup of joe made with a pour-over coffee maker.
Read More »

Regardless of age, location, or occupation, millions of people drink coffee as part of their daily routine.
Read More »

When buying a gift for someone who loves wine, opt for something more unique than just a bottle. These gifts will enhance the wine drinking experience—and they’re fun. Read More »

Those going out of town for the holidays likely know to unplug their appliances and turn their heater down. There’s one more thing you should do before you head out. Read More »

You went to the store and snagged all the bags and gift wrap you need to finish up presents. Turns out, though, that you forgot bows. Good thing there’s a hack for that. Read More »

» 📅 Why It’s So Hard for U.S. Workers to Ask for Time Off

» 📺 What Made a TV Show Great in 2021?

When you walk into a Costco or Walmart, you’re expecting to see high ceilings. After all, that’s a lot of inventory. But what about those home decor, beauty, or clothing stores that feature the same high ceilings? Read More »

TikTok isn’t the only place to find out what the upcoming food trends are. Thanks to Yelp, you can get a sneak peek into what’s coming for 2022. Read More »

More than any other streaming service, Netflix has gone all-in on original Christmas content, including some hidden gems. Combine those with a few classic Christmas titles, and Netflix has plenty of holiday movies worth watching. Here are the 10 best. Read More »

The billion-dollar corporations are fighting in public again! YouTube TV warns customers that it may lose over 17 Disney-owned channels, including ESPN and ABC News, due to a dispute over distribution renewal fees. On the bright side, YouTube TV will cost $15 less if it loses Disney-owned channels on December 17th. Read More »

It’s true that most of the people who use Adobe’s powerful suite of creativity software are professionals, but that doesn’t mean that you need to be one to use it. In fact, Adobe just released Creative Cloud Express to make edits and more easy and approachable. Read More »

Arcade1Up’s Infinity Game Table keeps improving all the time, thanks to recent additions like Pandemic and Clue. And as promised during the table’s Kickstarter, Arcade1Up is ready to release another big board game addition. Ticket to Ride will arrive on December 15th at $9.99 for a limited time. Read More »