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Tuesday 31 December 2019


Web Page No 2648

30th December 2019

1st Picture. Greeting
 2nd Picture. Wow

3rd Picture. Typical 1960’s home party



4th Picture. Trafalgar Square

New Year

As we approach New Year’s Eve we are all aware  of the dazzling New Year’s fireworks that ignite skies along the Thames. But what happens around the world, many unique traditions illuminate little pockets of the globe as well. From smashed plates and scarfed grapes to pink undies and burning effigies, here are some of the weird and wonderful ways people across the planet bring in the new year.
Bottom of Form
Round everything (Philippines)
Filipinos gobble grapes… and oranges, and watermelons, and apples and cantaloupe. The custom is to gather 12 different fruits — one for each month of the year — but they have to be round, because that represents wealth and prosperity. It’s all about those cash dollars in the Philippines — locals also wear clothes carrying polkadots and stuff their pockets with round coins to cash in on the ritual.
Throwing paper out the window (Argentina)
The pieces of confetti fluttering through the streets of Buenos Aires around lunchtime on December 31st appears celebratory, but the explanation behind the custom is more practical: Argentines shred all their old documents and papers before the curtain falls on the year, to symbolise leaving the past behind. It’s hardly the most hazardous thing flying out of windows around the world on New Year’s, though — many other Latin American countries are fond of throwing buckets of water, while South Africans inelegantly deposit their old furniture onto the street from great heights.
Smashing plates (Denmark)
If you want to make a new Danish friend for the new year, smash a plate against their door. The tradition is meant to bring the recipient good luck for the year ahead — the bigger the pile of shattered crockery on your welcome mat, the more good fortune you receive. Danes also jump off chairs to literally leap into the new year (hopefully avoiding any smashed tableware upon landing), and stay glued to their TVs for Queen Margrethe’s annual address plus a screening of black-and-white German comedy Dinner For One (known in Denmark as The 90th Birthday).
Gobbling grapes (Spain)
What began as an excuse for grape-growers to shed their excess produce a century ago has blossomed into a much-loved Spanish tradition, with Spaniards scarfing down grapes to each stroke of the clock at midnight. Each of las doce uvas de la suerte (the 12 lucky grapes) provides one month of good luck — completing the challenge means a full year of fortune, but fall a couple of munches short and you mightn’t have much to look forward to next November and December.
Burning effigies (Ecuador)
Ecuadorians say ‘adios’ to the old year by incinerating huge effigies, or viejos, representing the old year. Families construct these enormous scarecrows out of paper and old clothes, pop a painted mask on top (anything from beloved cartoon characters to hated politicians), then ignite their creations when the clock strikes 12 to put the previous year to bed. Ecuador also shares a tradition with next-door neighbours Colombia of walking around the block with a suitcase, representing all the travel they’ll enjoy in the new year.
Wearing specific underpants (everywhere)
Argentines looking for love also don pink underwear, and they’re not the only ones paying so much attention to their undies on December 31st. Red lingerie in Turkey flies off the shelves, Mexicans and Bolivians slip into yellow underpants for luck, red is worn around the Mediterranean to court love, while Brazilians wear white for good fortune.
Casting of tin (Finland)
Finns are able to see into the future — and it looks a little something like a melted piece of metal. The Nordic tradition involves melting a small horseshoe (for luck, of course) then tossing the molten metal into a bucket of cold water, where it re-hardens into a warped shape that predicts your fortune for the year ahead. Bubbles? Great, money’s on the horizon. Tin breaks up in the water? That’s not good.
Talking to the animals (Romania)
Dr. Dolittle, eat your heart out. Romanian farmers spend their New Year’s trying to communicate with their livestock, earning good luck if they succeed. And the unusual Romanian New Year’s traditions don’t end there — people also throw coins into rivers for luck, and dress up in bear skins then dance and play instruments from door to door, a ritual that’s intended to ward off evil spirits.
Putting mistletoe under the pillow (Ireland)
Single women in Ireland do a little more to find a hubby than simply slipping into a new pair of knickers. The Irish custom entails placing mistletoe — the wild berry associated with fertility in European mythology, and a kissing magnet over Christmas — under your pillow on New Year’s Eve, then burning it in the fire the next day in the hope of luring love in the next 12 months. Another unique Irish tradition involves hitting the walls and doors of your home with Christmas bread to ward off evil spirits.
Hogmanay (Scotland)
We can’t finish an article about New Year’s without Hogmanay and the strange Scottish customs that accompany it. The legend goes that a strapping man is meant to rock up at your front door at midnight carrying whisky, coal, short bread and a black bun (fruitcake), and the tradition continues today, with the first person to cross the threshold of a home in the new year bearing gifts. There’s also plenty of fire, derived from pagan influences — Edinburgh’s torchlight procession on 30th December fills the streets of the capital with a sea of light, while locals in Stonehaven spend their Hogmanay parading through the streets wielding enormous fireballs.
All this makes drinking a glass of Sherry whilst watching Joules Holland a bit tame.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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ON THIS DAY 30TH DECEMBER 1960-1965:

On 01/01/1960 the number one single was Starry Eyed - Michael Holliday and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was not listed and the box office smash was North by Northwest. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.The big news story of the day was Stephanie Baird was beheaded. She was murdered and decapitated at a YWCA hostel and her killer was thought to have escaped by bus.

On 01/01/1961 the number one single was I Love You - Cliff Richard & the Shadows and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was The Russ Conway Show (ATV) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/01/1962 the number one single was Moon River - Danny Williams and the number one album was Another Black & White Minstrell Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/01/1963 the number one single was Return to Sender - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.


On 01/01/1964 the number one single was I Want to Hold Your hand - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/01/1965 the number one single was I Feel Fine - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.




Tuesday 24 December 2019


Web Page No 2646
24th December 2019

1st Picture. TV Times Christmas Edition

 2nd Picture. Radio Times Christmas Edition

3rd Picture. Pattern for woolly hats
 4th Picture. Balaclava




5th Picture. 1960’s music compilation CD


Well here we go again folks the Annual Quiz for Christmas. The rules are very simple the word black or white appears in every answer. Good luck and have a wonderful Christmas.

Peter

PS The answers are on pages five and six below the 60 Christmas Hits of the ‘60’s. No peeking now!”  Have fun.

The Black and White Quiz
1.          Anna’s only book
2.          Office workers
3.          Jack Sparrow sailed in this
4.          Flying vegetable
5.          He was the best in Spain
6.          You wouldn’t want to get one of these
7.          He was on cue
8.            Frightening rides
9.             Sitcom about snakes
10.                       He was always in a hurry
11.                       Illegal buying and selling
12.                       Dark sorcery
13.                       American dwelling of power
14.                       Every woman should have a little one
15.                       Stop membership to club 
16.                       Irvin Berlin dreamt of this
17.                       He ran fast
18.                       Government document
19.                       A shiner Black eye
20.                       Sent to some during WW1
21.                       Singer started as White
22.                       Deadly Spider
23.                       Cover up
24.                       He forges a career
25.                       You may see blue birds here
26.                       Strike breaker
27.                       Show of surrender
28.                       Rogue in the family  
29.                       A once popular snooker programme
30.                       The Rolling Stones wanted to paint it this colour.
31.                       Popular Snooker Programme
32.                       And its theme tune.
33.                       Georges’ 1960’s singing and dancing group
34.                       A mark against you
35.                       Flower of Yorkshire
36.                       Sign of Surrender
37.                       Shipping Company that owned Titanic
38.                       Small fish served as a starter in some restaurants
39.                       The pot calls the kettle ------
40.                       A mixture of Champagne and Stout
60 Christmas Songs From 60's

1) Sleigh Bells (Gene Autry)
2) Jingle Bell Rock (Bobby Helms)
3) Little Saint Nick (Beach Boys)
4) Frosty The Snowman (Patsy Cline)
5) Please Come Home For Christmas (Dion)
6) The Christmas Song (Bing Crosby)
7) Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt)
8) Step Into Christmas (Elton John)
9) Winter Wonderland (Dean Martin)
10) Do You Hear What I Hear? (Carpenters)
11) Silver Bells (Elvis Presley)
12) Frosty The Snowman (Beach Boys)
13) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Crystals)
14) Run, Run Rudolph (Chuck Berry)
15) Oh Holy Night (Nat King Cole)
16) Merry Christmas, Baby (Otis Redding)
17) Jingle Bell Rock (Chubby Checker n Bobby Rydell)
18) Blue Christmas (Elvis Presley)
19) There’s No Place Like Home (Carpenters)
20) Sleigh Ride (Neil Diamond)
21) My Favorite Things (Supremes n Diana Ross)
22) Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer (Cadillacs)
23) Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Brenda Lee)
24) We Need A Little Christmas (Percy Faith)
25) Little Drummer Boy (Pete Seegar)
26) White Christmas (Drifters)
27) I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Fats Domino)
28) Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano)
29) So This Is Christmas (John Lennon)
30) Blue Christmas (Fats Domino)
31) O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Elvis Presley)
32) I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus (Ronettes)
33) White Christmas (Bing Crosby)
34) Silent Night, Holy Night (Jim Reeves)
35) Jingle Bell Rock (Brenda Lee)
36) Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer (Crystals)
37) Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Dean Martin)
38) Up On The House Top (Eddy Arnold)
39) Merry Christmas, Darling (Carpenters)
40) Frosty The Snowman (Jackson 5)
41) Comfort And Joy (Simon & Garfunkel)
42) The First Noel (Elvis Presley)
43) Frosty The Snowman (Ronettes)
44) Jingle Bell Rock (Bill Haley & Comets)
45) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Brenda Lee)
46) Winter Wonderland (Engelbert Humperdink)
47) What Child Is This {Greensleeves} (Moody Blues)
48) Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells... (Carpenters)
49) The Christmas Song (Natalie n Nat King Cole)
50) Here Comes Santa Claus (Elvis Presley)
51) Sleigh Ride (The Ventures)
52) I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Beach Boys)
53) Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Dion)
54) Twelve Days Of Christmas (Perry Como)
55) Deck The Halls (Smokey Robinson n The Miracles)
56) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Beach Boys)
57) It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Perry Como)
58) It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Johnny Mathis)
59) Away In A Manger (Ed Ames)
60) The Christmas Song (Alvin n The Chipmunks)*


Black and White Answers
1.    Anna’s only book Black Beauty
2.    Office workers White Collar
3.    Jack Sparrow sailed in this Black Pearl
4.    Flying vegetable Cabbage White Butterfly
5.    He was the best in Spain Little White Bull
6.    You wouldn’t want to get one of these Black mark
7.    He was on cue Jimmy White
8.    Frightening rides White Knuckle
9.    Sitcom about snakes Black Adder
10.           He was always in a hurry White Rabbit
11.           Illegal buying and selling Black Market
12.           Dark sorcery Black Magic
13.           American dwelling of power White House
14.           Every woman should have a little one Little black dress
15.           Stop membership to club Black Ball
16.           Irvin Berlin dreamt of this White Christmas
17.           He ran fast Roger Black
18.           Government document White Paper
19.           A shiner Black eye
20.           Sent to some during WW1 White feather
21.           She started as White Cilla Black
22.           Deadly Spider Black Widow
23.           Cover up Whitewash
24.           He forges a career Blacksmith
25.           You may see blue birds here White Cliffs of Dover
26.           Strike breaker Black leg
27.           Show of surrender White flag
28.           Rogue in the Family Black sheep
29.           A once popular snooker programme Pot Black
30.           The Rolling Stones wanted to paint it this colour. Black
31.           Popular Snooker Programme. Pot Black
32.           And its theme tune. Black and White Rag
34.           A Black mark against you
35.           Flower of Yorkshire White Rose
36.           Sign of Surrender White Flag
37.           White Star Line
38.           White Bait
39.           Pot/kettle Black
40.           Black Velvet