Historical Truths Behind Old English Sayings
Why brides carry a bouquet at weddings; The rule of thumb; It’s raining cats and dogs; Bringing home the bacon
Category: Interesting Histories
Valentines Day Lore and Legend
Lore and Legend: It has been said that a girl could dream of her future husband on St. Valentines Eve by sleeping with any of the following under her pillow
The Origin and History of Halloween
Why does Halloween excite South Africans so much? We have absolutely nothing to do with the holiday. Any excuse to celebrate I guess.
Shakespearean Phrases: Historical Truths Behind Old English Sayings II
The origin of some popular Shakespearean phrases and the historical truths behind some English sayings
How Wine Changed the Course of History
INVENTION: Ideas that changed the world. How wine and glass changed the course of Chinese and European history
Cape Town and Slavery
How slavery has influenced Cape cuisine, Cape architecture, Cape slang and language, slave names and Cape Town traditions. Slavery in the Western Cape
The Good Old Days: Great Binge Drugs
Why our great grandparents called them “the good old days” and why they were perhaps happier than we are. Cocaine tablets, Opium for asthma, Bayer’s Heroin…
Quite Interesting Facts From Long Ago
Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses? Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
The History and Origin of Santa Claus
Father Christmas, who also goes under the alias of St Nicholas and Kris Kringle, has a bit of a sketchy history – predominantly attributed to legend and folklore. There is also a darker historical account that attributes some of the qualities and roles of St Nic to the pagan deities of Artemis and Poseidon. The most plausible story of Saint Nicholas as an actual human figure dates back to 4th century Myra – a southwest port of modern day Turkey. The legend goes that Nicholas was a bishop that took pity on a poverty-stricken family with three daughters, who faced the threat of being forced into prostitution because they had no wedding dowries
