December 13th: Themes for celebration and contemplation
If you are looking for some themes and points of interest to add to your advent countdown, the Bulldogz Christmas spirit is in full flow and we can provide you with some of the fun, serious and little known points of celebration for each day on this magical countdown.
December 13
Day of the Horse
An American national day of celebration recognised by the US Senate in 2004 as a way to celebrate the part the horse played in the cultural and developmental history of America
Pininterest have a wonderful collection of horse related worksheets to browse here
Lost and Found Day
The first lost and found office was opened in 1805 in Napoleon Bonaparte's Paris. Objects found on the street were collected there and the concept spread across the world. Transport for London lost property offices collect about 130,000 objects every year. Some of the more unusual items include wedding dresses, urns of ashes, wheelchairs and even a kitchen sink!
Lost and Found day was officially announced on November 19th 2012
A great speaking activity can be generated around a Lost Property Office. A series of random nouns can be allocated to students and they must try and describe the item to a fellow student playing the role of the lost property office clerk. The game can be adjusted in varying ways. The clerk could have a series of pictures that can match the items.
December 13th in History
Events
1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
2003 – Iraq War: Operation Red Dawn: Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit.
Births
1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor, singer, and dancer
1989 – Taylor Swift, American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress
Deaths
1784 – Samuel Johnson, English poet and lexicographer (b. 1709)
Christmas films
A comedy about a snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
An early 80s fantastic comedy that can easily be overlooked in the pantheon of Christmas big hitters. Aykroyd and Murphy at the height of their powers alongside Jamie Lee Curtis.
Group D Second Seed:
2010: Last 16 defeat to Gremlins
2014: Last 16 defeat to Home Alone
2018: Last 16 defeat to The Snowman
Christmas music
There was a short period of history when Christmas belonged to Cliff Richard. Miseltoe and Wine was Cliff's 99th single and has a surprising back story. Find out more here