Month: December 2020

Christmas is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. Let’s see how different countries celebrate the Yuletide season!

There is no doubt that Christmas is one of the most exciting celebrations all over the world. Even tigers for kids like me get excited! The most wonderful time of the year is also Tim Hague‘s (my human buddy) favourite holiday!

People (and pets!) from all over the world celebrate Christmas in their own unique way. Take a look at the different Christmas traditions around the globe.

SWEDEN

When we think of Christmas, a goat is probably not what we have in mind. But for the Swedes, a goat is one of their most endearing Yuletide symbols. Called the Gävle Goat, the Yule Goat is erected every year at the beginning of Advent in Gävle, Sweden. In 1966, a 13-metre-tall Gävle Goat made of straw was put up in the city’s square, and it has been a popular Swedish Christmas tradition ever since. I wonder when people will put a giant straw statue of me?!

AUSTRALIA

Whilst many of us are bundled indoors every Christmas, Aussies Down Under gather together on the beach with a barbie to grill since Christmastime falls during their summer season! A surfboard-ridin’ Father Christmas is also known to make an appearance during the festivities. How cool is that?!

JAPAN

White hair? Check. Friendly smile? Check. Famous and well-loved Christmas symbol? Yes! But we’re not talking about Santa Claus!

In Japan, Colonel Sanders, the face of Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a popular Yuletide symbol because the Japanese love to have KFC as part of their Christmas celebration! The tradition started in 1974 when the fast-food chain began marketing its fried chicken as a Christmas meal, similar to turkey that Americans have for Thanksgiving. Now that’s a finger-lickin’ Christmas, right Tim Hague?

ICELAND

Who doesn’t want to receive gifts at Christmas? Us tigers for kids do, for sure! In Iceland, they have a tradition wherein children are visited by the 13 Yule Lads each day before Christmas. According to tradition, the Yule Lads will place some candies inside the child’s boots placed by the window if they have been good. But if they have been naughty, expect to see some rotten potatoes inside your shoes the next day! Yikes!

CHINA

Although we all love some sweet treats as part of our Christmas celebration, something a bit healthier for tigers and for kids is also a good option.

In China, apples are the treats of choice for Christmas celebrations. Giving apples wrapped beautifully and adorned with well-wishes for Christmas is becoming a popular tradition in their country, as the words apple and Christmas Eve sound similar in Chinese.

COLOMBIA

One of the prettiest things about Christmas is the bright lights people hang outside their houses or on their Christmas trees! But in Colombia, they light up their holiday season with colourful lights and make use of candles and paper lanterns to signal the beginning of the Yuletide festivities..

Called Little Candles Day or Día de las Velitas, Colombians use candles and beautiful paper lanterns to light up their windowsills, porches, and sidewalks on the night of December 7, the eve of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This century-old tradition is considered a traditional holiday for everyone, including tigers for kids, in Colombia.

PHILIPPINES

Speaking of sparkling lights, in the Philippines, bright lanterns take centerstage every Christmas in a celebration called The Giant Lantern Festival! Now that’s a sight to behold for tigers and for kids, alike!

Every year, in the city of San Fernando, people from the different villages create a beautiful masterpiece – a parol (or Christmas lantern) six metres in size! That’s way bigger than Tim Hague! Dancing lights, colourful designs, and patterns – all these can be found in their giant lanterns! I wonder if we could hang one here at home?!

That’s it, cool cats! There are more great Christmas traditions all over the world, and we simply cannot cover them in one blog post. We’d love to hear about how Christmas is celebrated in your country. Tell us about it in the comments below!

Read our other Christmas post and Tiger’s past blogs here.

Christmas is almost here! Have you started your shopping yet? Well, here are some alternative gift ideas for all the family!

A lot of things may have changed this year, but one thing’s for sure: Christmas is still the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, my cool cats, Christmas is just around the corner and we all know what’s coming…GIFTS! 

Whilst the calendar days to Christmas are getting crossed off…I still don’t know what to give my human best friend, Tim Hague! We’ve had lots of fun over the past few months making our learning videos for kids, but I’m not sure what gift to get him…I am a Tiger for kids after all, and my pocket money from Tim isn’t enough! Actually, Tim isn’t into material things that much, so I need to give him something I know he will love and without the added clutter at home!

If you’re like me and are also scouting for non-material gifts to give this holiday season, then you’re in luck because we have ten alternative gift ideas to give to your family and friends this Christmas. 

1. Subscription Service

There are many great benefits in giving someone a year’s worth of a subscription service! First of all, there are hundreds of different online subscription services to choose from. There’s one for almost everybody! For the Mum who loves to read great articles while drinking her morning coffee, there’s Medium. For the science and history geek Dad, there’s CuriosityStream. Something for the Tiger Cubs could be… Kidoodle. So many options, so little time! One thing to remember about cool subscription services is that they are typically cheaper and more useful than a boring old mug or another pair of Christmas socks.

2. An Online Course

Give the gift of wisdom with an online class subscription for your loved ones! Much like our learning videos for kids, online courses nowadays are not just confined to academic topics (though those are great, too). Anyone can take classes on things they would love to explore but have never got around to doing so. From photography, to baking for beginners, there’s an online course for just about everything and everyone. MasterClass, Udemy, Anglia Education, and Outschool (something for Tigers and for kids!) are just some of the best sources of online courses.

3. Donate On Their Behalf

Perhaps the best gift to give is the gift that keeps on giving! Donating to a charity on behalf of your loved ones emphasises the true meaning of Christmas – to give to those in need. There are several charities across the UK and the world to do this with, such as the World Literacy Foundation, the National Literacy Trust and global organisations like UNICEF and the World Vision.

4. Homemade Goods

Homemade goods are not only more affordable, they also offer the personal touch! If you’re a talented baker or a home chef (ahem, like me!), then you can whip up your specialty and give it as your Christmas treat to everyone. The best part about this is you can get your Tiger Cubs involved, too. You can also have them make personalised gift cards, tags, and wrapping papers. The gift they make (and give) becomes much more meaningful and memorable because they gave a part of themselves too.

5. Digital Portrait

Gifting someone a digital portrait is a fun way to show the other person how much they mean to you! Not only that, but getting commissioned artworks like digital portraits also helps talented, independent artists. To make the gift more special, you may print out the picture for them. Just don’t forget to give them the soft copy so they can use it as their social media display photo, too!

6. Photo Album

Nothing is more sentimental and memorable than a photo album. You may choose your loved ones’ best photos uploaded on their social media account, or you can also use pictures of a special moment (like when I first met my BFF Tim Hague in the jungle), event, or the best memories that you shared with them. A photo album is also a versatile gift. You may have the photos individually printed and placed in a scrapbook, or it could also be a printed photo-book. The choice is yours, but the idea is awesome!

7. Book (with a twist!)

There’s no secret that we love books as much as watching learning videos for kids! But books might not be considered a unique gift. So why not make things more exciting by giving your loved ones a blind date…with a book! Just wrap the book and write a short teaser about it and why you chose that particular title as your friend or family member’s ‘perfect match’! A Blind Date with a Book will be a sure-fire hit with both the bookworms and mystery-loving friends!

Bonus: You can also opt to buy a second-hand book as a more eco-friendly option, or try supporting small independent book shops that are badly affected by the pandemic.

8. A Plant

House plants and succulents are the perfect gifts to give to the green-thumbed loved ones (both pro and novice) in your life! Choose from a wide array of plants that are easy to take care of with minimal effort. Plants and succulents do not just add to the ~aesthetics~ of the space, but they could also help relieve stress and make the air cleaner, too! Something tigers for kids like me would appreciate!

9. A Reworked Item

We all know that a lot of clutter *does not spark joy*. So instead of giving something that might end up in a sad corner in your storage, why not rework or mend something for your loved ones? There must be something they own that can still be repaired, like a broken dresser or an old dress that needs a make-over? With a reworked item, you save the Earth and your pocket, too! Not only that, much like your handmade goods, you also give the gift your personal touch.

10. Handwritten Letter

We live in a world of instant messaging, e-mails and Zoom calls. But I believe that there’s still something special and sentimental about handwritten letters. Writing a letter takes time and effort (like how we make Tiger and Tim learning videos for kids). It also reminds people of the good ol’ days. And I bet my paws that your family and friends have not received a handwritten letter for a long time! So that is something they would definitely cherish.

So, that’s it! I hope you were able to gather some ideas on what to give to the special people dear to you. But remember that the best gift anyone can give is kindness and love – two things we all believe in at Tiger and Tim headquarters!

Talk to you soon, cool cats!

Lots of love from Tiger xoxoxo (and Tim and Mummy Susy)

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