Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
December 22, 2023
Dear Adams Friends:
As we approach the close of another year, I find myself filled with gratitude and reflection. Together, we have navigated challenges, celebrated triumphs, and demonstrated unwavering dedication to the success of the Adams Team and the spirit of camaraderie that defines us.
Absolutely, the milestones we've achieved are a testament to the dedication and hard work of each department. Despite the unique challenges that each department faced, the collaborative spirit that defines us has been a driving force behind our shared successes. It's this ability to come together, support one another, and work seamlessly as a team that sets us apart and allows us to overcome any obstacle in our path.
Our year began with the move to Adams, reshaping not just our physical spaces but also how we operate as a team. We've shared in personal milestones, sending children off to college, welcoming new grandchildren, celebrating weddings, and countless other joys that the Adams family allows us to share with one another.
As we turn the page on this year, let's carry forward the lessons we've learned and the bonds we've strengthened.
I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Eileen
'Twas the night before winter break, in the district so grand,
The administration office, bustling as planned.
Everyone was waiting for the clocks to strike three,
Knowing that vacation soon they would see.
The Executive Team were nestled all snug in their chairs,
With visions of schedules and budgets, handling affairs.
The papers were stacked on desks with great care,
In hopes that organization soon would be there.
The superintendent in his office, the heart of it all,
Had just settled down for a long winter's haul.
When out in the hallway, there arose such a clatter,
He sprang from his chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the door, he flew like a flash,
Opened it wide, his senses to hash.
The fluorescent lights gave a luster so bright,
Revealing a custodian, working in the night.
With mop and with broom, he cleaned every nook,
Ensuring the offices had a fresh, tidy look.
The superintendent, impressed by the sight,
Thanked the custodian for his hard work that night.
Back in his office, the superintendent returned,
To budgets and plans, his focus discerned.
He worked through the night, with dedication and might,
Ensuring the district ran smoothly and tight.
As the clock struck midnight, and the moon shone so bright,
The administration office was quiet and light.
The superintendent, with a job well done,
Closed up the office and turned off the sun.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his car,
To rest for a while, as the night sky afar.
And I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
"Happy winter break to all, and to all a good night!"
Christmas Fun Facts
Christmas wasn't always on December 25
While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the actual date of the big event is lost to history. There's no mention of December 25 in the Bible and many historians say Jesus was most likely born in the spring. Some historians posit the date was originally chosen because it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn with celebrating and gift-giving.
Gifts have both Christian and Pagan origins
Christians may have grown up learning that we give gifts at Christmas to mimic the presents the Three Wise Men brought the baby Jesus, but like so many other traditions, that also has its roots in Saturnalia. The pagans originally gave offerings to the gods too.
Evergreens are an ancient tradition
The tradition of Christmas trees goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians and Romans, who decorated with evergreens during the winter solstice to signify that spring would return. Evergreens reminded them of all the green plants that were to grow once the sun returned.
You can thank Prince Albert for your Christmas tree
Brew a steaming cup of tea when trimming your tree this year to pay homage to its origins. When Prince Albert of Germany got a tree for his new wife, Queen Victoria of England, the tradition really took off across the pond. A drawing of the couple in front of a Christmas tree first appeared in the Illustrated London News in 1848. After that, more and more folks starting following suit.
St. Nick was more generous than jolly
You probably already knew that the idea of Santa Claus came from St. Nicholas. The saint wasn't really a bearded man who wore a red suit; that look came much later. In the fourth century, the Christian bishop gave away his large inheritance to the poor and rescued women from servitude. In Dutch, his name is Sinter Klaas, which later morphed into Santa Claus.
Coca-Cola played a part in Santa's image
Before Coca-Cola decided to use his image for advertising, Santa looked more spooky than jolly. Then, in 1931, the beverage company hired an illustrator named Haddon Sundblom to depict the jolly old man for magazine ads. Now, kids see visions of sugarplums instead of having Santa-themed nightmares.
Hanging stockings started by accident
Legend has it we hang stockings by the chimney with care because one year a poor widowed man didn't have enough money for his three daughters' dowries, making it difficult for them to marry. Generous old St. Nick dropped a bag of gold down their chimney one night and into the freshly washed stockings the girls had hung by the fire to dry. After that, the tradition stuck!
Rudolph was a marketing ploy
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 when the Montgomery Ward department store asked one of its copywriters to create a Christmas story for kids that the store could distribute as a promotion. In the first year alone 2.4 million copies were distributed and late in 1949 Gene Autry recorded the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". The adorable movie featuring the island of misfit toys and Herbie the elf hit the airwaves (and our hearts) in 1964.
The eight tiny reindeer have had lots of names
Rudolph was almost named Rollo or Reginald and his crew also had lots of other names. They've previously been called Flossie, Glossie, Racer, Pacer, Scratcher, Feckless, Ready, Steady and Fireball.
Christmas wreaths are religious symbols
The custom of bringing evergreens into the home began in the 16th century among northern and eastern Europeans, primarily Germans, as a means of cleaning up the Christmas tree and making it more uniform. Instead of throwing out cut-off greens, people wove the excess into wreaths.
However, the religious significance is that the circular shape and evergreen material of the wreath represent eternal life. The circle, which has no beginning or end, "symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul and the everlasting life we find in Christ."
"Jingle Bells" was originally a Thanksgiving song
Turns out, we first started dashing through the snow for an entirely different holiday. James Lord Pierpont wrote the song called "One Horse Open Sleigh" for his church's Thanksgiving concert in the mid-19th century. Then in 1857, the song was re-released under the title we all know and love and it's still among the most popular Christmas songs today.
Astronauts broadcast "Jingle Bells" from space
Nine days before Christmas in 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford aboard the Gemini 6 told Mission Control that they saw an "unidentified flying object" about to enter Earth's atmosphere, traveling in the polar orbit from north to south. Just as things got tense, they interrupted the broadcast with “Jingle Bells,” as Wally played a small harmonica accompanied by Tom shaking a handful of small sleigh bells.
"Silent Night" is the most recorded song
We all know the same few handfuls of Christmas songs play at stores and on the radio in a loop all season long. But one of them has been adapted more than others. "Silent Night" is actually the most-recorded Christmas song in history. It's had more than 733 different versions copyrighted since 1978.
Celebrating Christmas used to be illegal
From 1659 to 1681, anyone caught making merry in the colonies would face a fine for celebrating. The Massachusetts Bay Colony created the Penalty for Keeping Christmas. It was thought that "such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other countries" and were "a great dishonor of God and offense of others. The penalty for breaking the law was five shillings.
By the Revolutionary War, the day had so little significance that Congress even held their first session on December 25, 1789. Christmas wasn't even proclaimed a federal holiday for almost another century, proving that the Grinch's attitude toward the holiday was alive and well long before he was.
It's rumored that eggnog originated in medieval Britain
Although there's no official confirmation on who invented eggnog, most historians agree that eggnog originated in medieval Britain. Eggnog was an upper class luxury since they were the only ones who had access to the milk, sherry and eggs required to create the original version. Monks in the Middle Ages added figs and eggs and called the drink"posset" while the wealthy kept with the simple recipe and used it for toasts or big events. Research shows that eggnog most likely became associated with the holidays due to a lack of refrigeration. It became a drink for the more common man in America because of the larger farming opportunities and more access to cows and chickens.
Christmas decorating sends nearly 15,000 people to the ER
If you've ever watched Clark Griswold decorate his house in Christmas Vacation this stat likely doesn't shock you. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's most recent news release estimates that 14,700 people visit hospital emergency rooms each November and December from holiday-related decorating accidents — which is about 240 injuries per day. The most common accidents involve falling, lacerations and back strains.
Santa has his own Canadian postal code
Every year, letters to Santa Claus flood post offices across the world. Cementing their reputation as some of the nicest people ever, some big-hearted Canadian post office workers started writing back. As the program took off, they set up a special postal code for Santa as part of a Santa Letter-Writing Program initiative: HOH OHO.
Dry Christmas trees spark more than joy
Neglected, dried-out Christmas trees spark about 260 fires in the United States each year resulting in an average of 12 deaths, 24 injuries and $16.4 million in property damage, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation. An additional 150 fires are started because of holiday lights and other decorative lighting, resulting in an average of eight deaths, 16 injuries and $8.9 million in property damage per year. Not only will an errant spark ruin your holiday, it can put both residents and responding firefighters in danger.
We ship a ton of packages at the holidays
Last year, the U.S. Postal Service processed more than 11.7 billion pieces of mail and packages during the holiday season. That includes gifts for loved ones, holiday cards, Christmas letters to Santa and of course, those dreaded credit card bills from all the gift shopping.
The term "Xmas" dates back to the 1500s
Contrary to popular belief, "Xmas" is not a trendy attempt to "take Christ out of Christmas". "Christianity" was spelled "Xianity" as far back as 1100. X, or Chi, is the Greek first letter of "Christ" so "X" and back in the fourth century, Constantine the Great often referenced the shorthand version. Some say it was as early as 1021 that the abbreviation "XPmas" was used to reference the holiday, which was later shortened to "Xmas."
Random Fun Facts
- A cloud weighs around a million tonnes. A cloud typically has a volume of around 1km3 and a density of around 1.003kg per m3 – that's a density that’s around 0.4 per cent lower than the air surrounding it (this is how they are able to float).
- Giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than people. True, there are only five well-documented fatal lightning strikes on giraffes between 1996 and 2010. But due to the population of the species being just 140,000 during this time, it makes for about 0.003 lightning deaths per thousand giraffes each year. This is 30 times the equivalent fatality rate for humans.
- Identical twins don’t have the same fingerprints. You can’t blame your crimes on your twin, after all. This is because environmental factors during development in the womb (umbilical cord length, position in the womb, and the rate of finger growth) impact your fingerprint.
- Earth’s rotation is changing speed. It's actually slowing. This means that, on average, the length of a day increases by around 1.8 seconds per century. 600 million years ago a day lasted just 21 hours.
- Your brain is constantly eating itself. This process is called phagocytosis, where cells envelop and consume smaller cells or molecules to remove them from the system. Don’t worry! Phagocytosis isn't harmful, but actually helps preserve your grey matter.
- The largest piece of fossilised dinosaur poo discovered is over 30cm long and over two litres in volume. Believed to be a Tyrannosaurus rex turd, the fossilised dung (also named a 'coprolite') is helping scientists better understand what the dinosaur ate.
- The Universe's average colour is called 'Cosmic latte'. In a 2002 study, astronomers found that the light coming from galaxies averaged into a beige colour that’s close to white.
- Animals can experience time differently from humans. To smaller animals, the world around them moves more slowly compared to humans. Salamanders and lizards, for example, experience time more slowly than cats and dogs. This is because the perception of time depends on how quickly the brain can process incoming information.
- A chicken once lived for 18 months without a head. Mike the chicken's incredible feat was recorded back in the 1940s in the USA. He survived as his jugular vein and most of his brainstem were left mostly intact, ensuring just enough brain function remained for survival. In the majority of cases, a headless chicken dies in a matter of minutes.
- All the world’s bacteria stacked on top of each other would stretch for 10 billion light-years. Together, Earth's 0.001mm-long microbes could wrap around the Milky Way over 20,000 times.
Reminder - Holiday Hours
Due to the construction crew needing to shut off all utilities to Adams - the building will be CLOSED on Friday, December 29th. All employees should plan to work from home on that day.
Revised Hours:
Monday, December 25: Offices are closed
Tuesday, December 26 - Thursday, December 28: Regular Office Hours 8:00-4:00
Friday, December 29: Building Closed to all employees
Monday, January 1: Offices Closed