TOOTHY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD The Tooth Fairy Goes International
EL RATÓN DE LOS DIENTES One of the most beloved myths in many Spanish-speaking countries involves a magical mouse. This mouse goes by Ratón Pérez or El Ratón
Every night, children in houses all over the U.S. crawl into their beds with anticipation, their recently lost baby teeth stashed carefully under their pillows. Why? They
await the arrival of the tooth fairy, of course! Nearly everyone has at least one memory of falling asleep with a tooth under their pillow and waking up a dollar or two richer. While the tooth fairy we know and love didn’t flutter her way into the American social consciousness until the 1920s, other countries around the world have their own tooth-centric traditions dating back several centuries.
de Los Dientes, and he is exactly what his name suggests: a mouse who collects teeth. Like the tooth fairy, Pérez gets the teeth only after they’ve been lost and put under children’s pillows. In Argentina, a lost tooth is placed
in a glass of water before bed. When Pérez shows up, he’ll drink up the water, grab the tooth, and leave his gift in the empty glass.
TOSS THOSE TEETH In countries like China, India, and Japan, kids will toss their
MY DOG ATE MY … TOOTH? Rather than sliding the tooth under your pillow,
teeth rather than hide them under their pillows. Teeth lost from the lower jaw are usually thrown up onto a roof, while teeth from the upper jaw are tossed onto the floor or ground. The logic behind this practice is that the strategic placement
throughout Central Asia, it's traditional to put the tooth into a delicious fatty snack and feed it
to a dog. Children take part in this tradition to ensure that their adult teeth grow in to be as strong as the dog's teeth. No dog? No problem! The next best practice is to bury the tooth by a tree so that the new tooth has strong roots.
of the old tooth will help the new tooth grow in strong.
HEREWE COME A-WASSAILING Plan Your Family’s Christmas Caroling Party
In some families, caroling is an annual event, while others stick to watching the characters sing at the end of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” If you want to make Christmas caroling part of your holiday traditions, we have some tips to help make your outing the best ever. PLAN EARLY Calendars fill up fast around the holidays, so if you want to include people outside of your household in your caroling party, send out invitations early. You don’t want your caroling gathering to be a bust because all your guests had other plans. HAVE SONGS PICKED OUT Will your caroling group perform classics like “Silent Night” or something silly like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”? Get everyone on the same page, print out sheet music, and practice before the big night. DRESS FOR SUCCESS Some carolers wear matching scarves, while others go out in full Victorian-inspired costumes. Whatever dress code you decide on, dress for what the temperature will be after dark. You don’t want your caroling to get cut short because of frostbite. If you are
caroling outdoors, add reflective tape and flashing lights to your clothing so your party can be seen by passing cars.
DON’T MAKE EVERYONE SING One of your kids may be ready to rock around the Christmas tree, but what if another would rather get coal in their stocking than sing in public? That’s okay! Non-singers can still participate in caroling by ringing silver bells or handing out candy canes at the door. BRING GIFTS Small goodies like bottles of cider, homemade Christmas cookies, or candy canes are always sure to spread holiday cheer. KEEP THE PARTY GOING! After a night of singing your heart out, everyone deserves a treat. When you get back home, enjoy some traditional wassail or hot chocolate. Warm up, enjoy leftover cookies, and spend
time with your loved ones.
It takes a little planning to pull off a great caroling party, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just try to have a good time. You don’t have to sound like a choir of angels to bring joy to the world.
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