Roman soldiers were paid with salt instead of money. 💵 This monthly allowance was called a “salarium” from the Latin word “sal” for salt. Over time, salarium evolved into the English word “salary.” Salt was valuable because it was essential for preserving and flavoring food like meat and fish. Salt is harvested from both the …
In Iceland, the Yule Cat, Jólakötturinn, is a giant black cat that eats anyone who hasn’t received new clothes by Christmas Eve.
Winter begins on December 20 during the Winter Solstice when the North Pole is tilted the farthest from the Sun. This will be the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In many ancient cultures, the winter solstice symbolized the “rebirth of the Sun” as days began to lengthen Siberian …