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Discover why your Christmas tree might be giving off an unpleasant smell and how to fix it. Plus, enjoy 28 fun riddles to get you into the festive spirit and make your holiday season even brighter!
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00:01Christmas time is here. You finally found a nice tree. Brought it into your home and now you're
00:07ready to decorate. But first off, you should unclog your toilet because something smells
00:13really bad in your place. Oh, wait, could that be your new tree? Possibly. And there can be a couple
00:22of reasons for that. First, when you bring the tree home, it's cut down but still alive. That
00:29means it will try to seal the cut in its trunk with resin to heal itself. So if you just
00:35put it
00:35in the water, the tree won't absorb any. You'll end up with stagnant water in the bucket and it won't
00:41take too long before it starts to stink. So when you first bring your new Christmas tree in, take a
00:48sharp knife and refresh the cut so the tree can start drinking the water. Or you might have brought
00:56it too early. A Christmas tree enters the final stage of its life when you bring it indoors.
01:03When a tree has withered, it stops absorbing water. So to keep it fresh for a longer time,
01:10it would be better to store it somewhere in a cold place like a garage or maybe even your garden
01:15for
01:16a while before you bring it inside. This way, your tree will get about two extra weeks before it starts
01:22to dry out. You can do your best, but there's always an option that you have picked the tree
01:27that wasn't fresh from the beginning. Not every vendor sells Christmas trees that are recently cut.
01:33Sometimes, they leave them in a warehouse for a few weeks before taking them out on sale.
01:39Here's a tip to notice the difference. When choosing your tree, run your hand through a branch.
01:45If you see needles come off, keep looking for a fresher one. But if you did buy a tree that's
01:51not
01:51that fresh, you can still perk it up. Put some fresh water in the stand and add an aspirin in
01:57there.
01:58Or you can try to mix some sugar, aspirin, and a little bit of lemon juice to get a couple
02:03of extra
02:04days of a good-looking tree that smells well. Sometimes, trees smell bad not naturally. It's done on purpose.
02:15Lincoln, Nebraska had a problem with people who kept stealing Christmas trees.
02:20To stop them, they had to add a liquid called fox urine. You can get that in a store that
02:26sells trapping supplies.
02:28They sprayed this liquid on their trees and left signs that claimed that the smell was really bad.
02:34Especially if you brought the trees indoors. And to make the stench even stronger, they added a pinch of skunk
02:41smell.
02:42That combination was awful enough to keep the thieves away.
02:47On the campus of the University of Minnesota, people would either take whole Christmas trees
02:53or they would cut off the tops of those big evergreen ones.
02:57To stop this, the team in charge of taking care of the land of the university
03:01started spraying the trees with a strong, bad-smelling liquid that skunks use as a defense mechanism.
03:08And it worked!
03:09Ever since 2012, no trees have disappeared from the campus.
03:15In Port Republic in New Jersey, people also had to use a stinky mixture to protect their Christmas trees from
03:23being stolen.
03:24This time, if you brought the tree inside a warm house, you'd sense something similar to the smell of rotten
03:30eggs.
03:32One homeowner from Lancaster County, Nebraska, didn't feel like applying the smell.
03:37So he just left a few warning signs that his tree was sprayed with something disgusting.
03:42It worked for a couple of years, until he decided not to put up the sign since the tree had
03:48grown too tall.
03:49So he thought it was safe.
03:50But that was the year when thieves took it.
03:54Minnesota also had a problem with people stealing Christmas trees.
03:58Their Department of Natural Resources watched a property in a forested area for two nights
04:04because they'd wanted to catch a young couple who kept stealing spruce trees from the land that was in the
04:09ownership of the state.
04:11That couple was kind of like a modern version of Bonnie and Clyde.
04:15They had illegally cut down almost 2,000 trees.
04:18They wanted to sell them, but eventually, they ended up arrested.
04:26Of course, Christmas is not only about smelly or non-smelly trees.
04:31Different countries have their own ways of celebrating this holiday.
04:34For example, in Austria, there's a character called Krampus, who scares kids who haven't been good and leaves them sticks.
04:43In Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, they have a nativity scene with their own funny figurines.
04:50They also have a pretty unique tradition called Dio de Nadal.
04:55It's a log with a red hat and a face drawn on it.
04:59They treat it as a Christmas character.
05:01They feed the log bits of food and then hit it with a stick while singing a special song.
05:07The log is then supposed to poop out presents, which are often pieces of nougat candy.
05:13In Sweden, Christmas is not Christmas without Donald Duck.
05:18About 40% of Swedish people gather around their TVs on Christmas Eve to watch this popular cartoon.
05:26Ever since 1959, their main TV channel has been showing a special program called
05:31Donald Duck and His Friends Wish You a Merry Christmas.
05:35Back in the day, Sweden had only two TV channels, so this was the only time they could actually watch
05:41American and Disney cartoons.
05:46The tradition became so popular among people that many, during this program, used their phones less.
05:53There were even fewer emergency calls at that time.
05:57It's a tradition they really value, not something you can perhaps record and watch later.
06:03People are so into the show that they watch it in silence unless there's a funny scene when they laugh
06:09or when they want to share their favorite lines.
06:11Here's something that will warm your heart.
06:13J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, wrote letters to his kids every year where
06:20he presented as Father Christmas.
06:22These letters started off as simple Happy Christmas cards, but as time went by, they turned into more complex stories.
06:29After a while, he even started talking about goblins.
06:32A polar bear sidekick, the man on the moon, snow elves, and many other magical things.
06:38He even developed a special Arctic language.
06:44People in Iceland have a beautiful, cozy tradition, which in translation from their language means Christmas book flood.
06:51It started back in the 1940s when paper was in short supply, so many would exchange books as presents.
06:58This tradition has remained, which is why Icelanders, even today, love giving and receiving books for this time of year.
07:05Sometime around mid-November, every household gets a book catalog they can use to order gifts for their family and
07:11friends just in time.
07:13The main day for exchanging presents is Christmas Eve.
07:16They open gifts and later enjoy hot chocolate and reading their new books.
07:24Not all countries have a custom of opening Christmas gifts together on the same day.
07:29Some are shocked to hear that in certain countries, families open their presents on December 24th.
07:36Hollywood movies often show families who put out Christmas and milk for Santa who comes to visit on Christmas Eve.
07:42And the following day, they wake up and start ripping the paper off their presents.
07:47Sometimes, in the movies, you can see people who exchange a single gift on Christmas Eve.
07:53The presents are usually festive pajamas, which they wear and sleep in on December 24th.
07:59This way, they kind of prepare for all the joys, excitement, and opening presents the next day.
08:07Japan has its own unique tradition.
08:10Instead of preparing a homemade meal for Christmas Day, they eat fried chicken from KFC.
08:16It's so popular that people have to make their KFC orders weeks in advance to make sure they'll get their
08:22food.
08:23The Kentucky for Christmas slogan started as a part of a marketing campaign back in 1974.
08:29And now, decades later, about 3.6 million Japanese people enjoy their fried chicken for Christmas.
08:36People in Norway pay only half their tax in November.
08:40So everyone has more money for Christmas.
08:43That way, a month before Christmas is the time when Norwegian employees really make the most of their working hours.
08:50They might even put in a bit of overtime.
08:56It's Christmas time, and I have fun wintry holiday riddles for you to solve.
09:01Let's start with a few optical illusions to train your eyes.
09:05First, look at this cubicle tree.
09:09Which way do the cubes face?
09:22Both ways, actually, depending on how you look.
09:25Take your time and try to see them facing both ways.
09:29And in this illusion, you can see seven candy canes.
09:33What do you say?
09:34Are they parallel?
09:46The diagonal lines make it way trickier.
09:49It definitely doesn't look like the canes are parallel.
09:52But they are.
09:53If you don't believe me, take a ruler and check for yourself.
09:57Another tricky question for you.
09:58Which one of the red snowflakes is bigger?
10:12A trick question yet again.
10:14They are exactly the same size.
10:16It's an optical illusion that makes you see them differently.
10:20Here's a wrapped present.
10:22Is it a present in the corner or a present missing a corner?
10:37Again, it can be both.
10:39Try to see it.
10:40There's the third way.
10:42Two presents, one big and one small, next to each other.
10:46Now, how about you try to guess emoji-coded holiday movies?
10:49I'll give you a combination of emojis and all you have to do is guess which movie it represents.
10:57Let's go.
10:58Here's the first one.
11:04A green monster with a dog.
11:10That's for sure the one and only Grinch.
11:13So, the movie is The Grinch.
11:16Okay, good job.
11:17Here's the next one.
11:18Another holiday classic.
11:30Yes, it's our favorite, Home Alone.
11:34This one's a bit harder, but I think you can crack it.
11:46Yes, it's the Nutcracker.
11:49It's getting progressively more difficult.
11:51Can you figure out what this one is?
12:01It's the Polar Express, of course.
12:03Have you seen it?
12:04How about this one?
12:06Does it ring a bell?
12:16It's Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.
12:19And here's the last one.
12:21Do you recognize it?
12:32Well, that's pretty straightforward.
12:34A holiday elf can only represent another holiday classic.
12:38Elf!
12:39Okay, now let's play Santa.
12:41There are a few teenagers who don't believe in Santa anymore, so they didn't bother writing
12:46any letters with their wishes to him.
12:48Yet, Santa really wants to bring them gifts.
12:50He sends a few of his elves to observe the teenagers and decide which present would make each of them
12:56happy.
12:57Can you help them figure it out?
12:59Okay, here's the first room where Poppy lives.
13:15It seems she likes beauty contests and makeup, so a makeup kit will be a good fit for her.
13:22Don't you think?
13:23This is Arwen's room.
13:25What is the best possible gift for her?
13:39Judging from all the posters on her wall, she likes skateboarding.
13:43And what is right here in the corner of her room?
13:46A broken skateboard!
13:47She'd probably love to get a brand new skateboard, so that's for her.
13:53The next one on the elves list is James.
13:56Here's his room.
13:57Is there anything that will help you decide the best gift?
14:10He seems to be playing for the school's basketball team.
14:13So how about a basketball?
14:16Could be nice.
14:18The next person is Leah.
14:20Here's her room.
14:21What do you think Santa should get her?
14:33Look around.
14:34There's a book by her bed and hundreds of them on the shelves.
14:38I bet that Leah is a bookworm, so giving her a bunch of books would be a good idea.
14:43The problem is to decide which ones she hasn't read yet.
14:47And here's the last person to visit today, Neil.
14:51What do you think is a good gift for him?
15:03Well, Neil is obviously an artist, so some art supplies would be a go-to for him, right?
15:09Okay, great job.
15:11How about a few riddles?
15:13You can find us both in Harry Potter and in the Lord of the Rings books.
15:17Without us, there would be no presents during holidays.
15:20Who are we?
15:32Elves, of course.
15:3524 doors.
15:36Each day a surprise.
15:38In December's countdown, joy underlies.
15:41So what is it?
15:51It's an advent calendar.
15:54I have two colors.
15:56I'm minty, yet sweet.
15:58So what is it?
16:09It's a candy cane.
16:12Sugar and spice in walls so sweet.
16:15What am I?
16:16An edible treat?
16:18An edible treat?
16:28A gingerbread house.
16:30I fall in the winter but never get hurt.
16:33What am I?
16:45It's snow, of course.
16:48And here's the last one of these.
16:50You can hold me and even shake me, but I'm easy to break.
16:53I have lots of snow, but it's all fake.
16:56What am I?
17:08And that's a snow globe.
17:11It was the winter holiday season and Esme went for a walk in the forest.
17:16Of course, she got lost.
17:18Gladly, she found a witch's house, walked in, petted a cat, and asked the witch to take
17:23her home.
17:24But the witch wouldn't do it for nothing.
17:27I will let you go if you solve a riddle.
17:29Look, I've got four frogs.
17:31Here are the names of the three of them.
17:33Carol, Eve, and Christina.
17:36What is the name of the fourth one?
17:39Alice, Jane, or Holly?
17:42Can you help Esme?
17:54It seems like all names of the witch's frogs follow the theme of winter holidays.
17:59So, I would assume that the name of the fourth one is Holly.
18:04This one night a year, Santa Claus leaves his workshop at the North Pole and travels the
18:10world to deliver presents.
18:11Which direction does he travel first?
18:25Santa lives at the North Pole, so whenever he goes, the only way to travel from there
18:29is south.
18:31It's that one morning of the year, and Emma rushes down to see her presents.
18:36But there's also a letter from Santa, and here's what it says.
18:40Dear Emma, you have been relatively good this year, but I can't look past a few not-so-good
18:47things you've done.
18:48I know you will do better next year.
18:51This year, I left you a gift, but you will need to find it.
18:55If you open the wrong one, everything will disappear.
18:59So, be careful.
19:00Your gift is wrapped in white paper, doesn't have a red ribbon, and isn't small.
19:06Happy holidays!
19:08Santa
19:08Can you help Emma find her present?
19:22It's this one right here.
19:24White, gold ribbon, and big.
19:27Noelle is obsessed with holidays, and every year she wants to do as many Christmas activities
19:33as possible.
19:34Can you find all holiday-related objects in her house?
19:37Let's start with the bedroom.
19:40You need to find a gingerbread house, a candy cane, a Grinch costume, some wrapping paper,
19:46and paper snowflakes.
19:59Here they all are.
20:00Have you found them all?
20:02Now, let's move to the living room.
20:05It's messy too, so you need to keep your eyes wide open.
20:08Can you find a stocking, a Christmas tree, Christmas lights, a nutcracker, and a poinsettia?
20:25There they are.
20:26How many have you found?
20:29When Mrs. Miller came home from work, she noticed that the presents she had prepared for her daughters
20:34were arranged differently.
20:36Someone must have sneaked in to look at them.
20:38Now, she was determined to find out who it was.
20:42So, she asked her daughters if anyone had been to her room that day.
20:46Diana said,
20:48I didn't go there.
20:49I was decorating the tree.
20:51Mia said,
20:52And I was busy decorating the house.
20:55Jessica said,
20:56I didn't go there either.
20:57I was building a snowman outside.
21:00Which one of them lied?
21:13It was definitely Jessica.
21:15There is no snowman outside, and there aren't even any footprints in the backyard.
21:19So, no one has been there in a while.
21:22A similar situation happened with Mrs. Miller's friend, Mrs. Jones.
21:26Mrs. Jones had three sons, and she noticed that someone had sneaked in to look at the presents
21:31while she had been shopping.
21:33Here's what her son said.
21:35Jake said,
21:36I was busy wrapping presents I got for everyone.
21:39Here they are.
21:41Noah showed the cookies he made.
21:43I was baking these cookies the whole time and never left the kitchen.
21:47David said,
21:49I was outside shoveling the driveway.
21:52Which one of them sneaked in?
22:05The presents are indeed wrapped,
22:07the cookies are made,
22:08and the driveway is really clean.
22:09But look,
22:10the cookies are burned.
22:12If Noah had really been watching them,
22:14it wouldn't have happened.
22:15He probably sneaked out to look at the presents,
22:18and that's why the cookies burned a little.
22:20The cookies burned a little.
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