12/2/25 - Giving Tuesday, Holiday Food Tips, and Sourdough Starter

Tuesday 12/2/25

Today is Giving Tuesday. You've bought for friends and family (and yourself), now it's time to give to others.

Business of Popping Corn Day

National Fritters Day

National Mutt Day

Play Basketball Day

Safety Razor Day

Special Education Day

World Trick Shot Day

–

Wait...there are superstitions to get a snow day?? Why am I just hearing of this?

A friend posted last night on Facebook, Anyone else’s kids have their Jammies on backwards and inside out and a spoon under their pillow in hopes for a snow day tomorrow?!

Comments included: Ice in the toilet and a white crayon in the window.

The internet offers up, stack pennies on the windowsill, and put an orange in the freezer.

Does anyone else have more?

--

Are you going the fresh Christmas tree route? Be careful!!!

A Pennsylvania couple got quite a holiday surprise after bringing home a fresh-cut tree—only to discover a live saw-whet owl perched inside the branches hours later. Wildlife experts say the owl likely hitched a ride during tree cutting.

--

A small Midwest town ordered a holiday Santa statue but received the wrong model—one programmed with a high-pitched scream instead of “ho-ho-ho.” It became an instant viral hit.

--

The neuroscience research is clear—some colors and intensities of light indoors create better atmospheres for particular situations while alternatives are found in settings where different sorts of thoughts and behaviors are most likely.

Natural light has the potential to enhance people’s mood, creativity, and cognitive performance.

Warm lighting can help create a cozy, social atmosphere, while cool lighting can help create an atmosphere for focus and concentration. Many people prefer this by 4pm during the winter. Cozy.

Placing warmer lighting in tabletop and floor lamps and cooler light overhead reflects how light appears in nature.

--

Coming soon to charge your phone..the Power Puck!

No longer do you need to be connected to a power source. 

This has the ability to charge devices at distances of up to 30 feet. The enhanced range provides unprecedented convenience, allowing users to charge their devices while continuing to use them without the hassle of being physically connected to a power source.

--

That's a very proactive way to approach the holiday season! It's easy to overindulge when rich foods are everywhere, but you can absolutely enjoy the holidays while keeping your healthy eating goals on track.

Here are some tips for navigating holiday meals and treats without the stress or guilt:

**Strategies for Holiday Gatherings

Don't Arrive Starving: Never go to a party hungry. Have a light, healthy snack beforehand, like an apple with peanut butter, a handful of almonds, or a cup of yogurt. This prevents you from immediately piling your plate high with heavy appetizers.

**The "Rule of Three" (or Quarter Plate): When you approach the buffet, mentally divide your plate:

Half of the plate: Fill it with vegetables (salad, roasted green beans, carrots).

A quarter of the plate: Fill it with lean protein (turkey, ham, fish).

The last quarter: Use for starches and indulgences (stuffing, mashed potatoes, dessert).

Be Selective with Indulgences: Decide on one or two special treats you truly want to enjoy (e.g., your grandmother's famous pie, a specific appetizer). Take a small portion of only those items and skip the rest. Don't waste calories on foods you can have any time.

(as Prue on Bake off says, Make sure it's worth the calories)

Socialize Away from the Food: Position yourself far from the appetizer table or buffet line. When the food isn't within arm's reach, you're less likely to graze mindlessly.

**Hydration and Drinks

Stay Hydrated: Drink a full glass of water before you start eating and alternate alcoholic or sugary drinks with water. Thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger, and water helps fill you up.

Mind Your Mixers: Sweetened mixers, punches, and sodas add empty calories quickly. Opt for sparkling water with a splash of cranberry juice or a wedge of lime as a lower-calorie alternative.

Limit Alcohol: Alcohol not only adds calories but also lowers your inhibitions, making it harder to stick to your healthy eating plan. Set a limit for yourself before the party begins.

**Hosting and Cooking Tips

Lighten Up Recipes: If you are hosting or bringing a dish, make healthy swaps. For example:

Use low-sodium broth or unsweetened almond milk instead of cream in mashed potatoes or soups.

Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in dips.

Use olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter in certain vegetable dishes.

Add more spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) to desserts to boost flavor without adding sugar.

Bring a Healthy Dish: If you are a guest, offer to bring a healthy appetizer or side dish (like a fresh vegetable platter or a vibrant salad). This guarantees there is at least one good option you can rely on.

Eat Before Shopping/Baking: Never head out for groceries or start a batch of cookies on an empty stomach. You'll be less likely to snack on impulse buys or raw dough.

By planning ahead and practicing moderation, you can enjoy all the deliciousness the holidays offer without derailing your goals!

--

One of the hot hottest things trending on Google is Sourdough Starters.

As Alibaba.com calls them, jars of bubbling, tangy-smelling flour and water mixtures—sourdough starters—are now household staples for millions who never once considered themselves bakers.

There are even TikTok tutorials on “feeding your starter like a pet,” sourdough has become more than just a baking method; it’s a lifestyle, a coping mechanism, and for many, a form of therapy.

Yes, the global shutdown is where it resurged along with banana bread. 

It's a week long process to start your own, but you can get a starter from a friend.

Once established, simply give them a portion with feeding instructions. It’s a self-replicating gift. Some bakers proudly trace their starters back to ones shared during the pandemic—creating a living lineage of community support.

I had one when I was in High School and made coffee cake and bread all the time.

You have to name your starter too (well you don't, but...) and many use cute and punny names, many obviously in a bread theme or bubbles.

Bread Pitt

Clint Yeastwood

Sir Rias-a-lot

Wheatney Houston

Yeast Witherspoon

Culture club

R2-Dough2

Edgar Allen dough

So find a friend with a bubbling culture in their fridge or make your own. The internet is full of details on how to make a starter.

--

Today's Useless Fact of the Day - King C. Gillette patented the world's first disposable double-edge safety razor blade on December 2, 1901. Before this, men either had to use a dangerous straight razor or constantly sharpen their dull blades. This invention not only revolutionized shaving but also established the wildly successful business model of selling a product (the handle) cheaply and the consumables (the blades) expensively.

(and of course Santa on a razor sledding down a hill for the Christmas commercials. oops..that's Norelco!)

–