VLY Holiday Cards

From the archive

Viewers Like You Annual Holiday Card

RABBIT RABBIT (2021 & 2014)

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Uttering the words “Rabbit Rabbit” on the first day of the month is a superstitious periodic mantra, most common in New England. This is connected to the popular notion that the rabbit is a “lucky” animal. It is believed that speaking these words will ensure good fortune for the duration of that month—and especially potent when uttered on the first day of the year.

Throughout the world, the rabbit (or hare) has played a role in folklore quite out of proportion to its diminutive size and timorousness. It’s also ever-present in American popular culture, from Looney Tunes to Minecraft, Br’er Rabbit to the March Hare.

Rather than making one card, we did 12—one per month. Updating our 2014 series to better suit our 2021 taste and whims.

KENTUCKY FOR CHRISTMAS (2018)

The Japanese have a long history of cleverly adopting non-Japanese customs to make them their own: Denim, Baseball, Coffee, Jazz — and they’ve enthusiastically adapted Christmas to their cultural contexts, too.

(Despite less than 1% of the population adhering to the belief system.) In 1974, Kentucky Fried Chicken, new to the Japanese market, introduced a marketing campaign for its ‘Party Barrel’ called ‘Kentucky for Christmas’. It provided a way to celebrate the day as a happy, even romantic, holiday. Filling a void with a secular, commercial celebration.

‘Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii’ or ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ immediately became a national phenomenon. Colonel Sanders, as a red-suited Mr. Santa became a venerated symbol of the holiday, delivering family-sized meal boxes filled with fried chicken, Christmas Cake (yo-gashi), and Champagne. People order their Party Barrel months in advance to avoid the mad rush and frenzied lines that can last for hours. Though not a national holiday, an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families celebrate Christmas with KFC.

EGG NOG (2016)

Though today commonly connected to the winter holidays, throughout history, egg nog has been imbibed around the world at all times of the year. It doesn’t require special technique or advanced preparation nor for the most part, too much time. Making egg nog — a concoction of warmed dairy, sugar, local spices and readily available alcohol — is an act of improvisation.

Egg nog became popular in North America in the 18th century. George Washington, was quite a fan, and devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. It was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try.

In the mid-19th century, another Virginian and fellow President, William Henry Harrison, favored hard cider (and log cabins…) as the alcohol in his egg nog concoction. While war prisoner General T.J. Green bribed his guards to smuggle in donkey’s milk, mezcal, piloncillo, and eggs for a Texian egg nog to celebrate San Jacinto Day.

¹ bokettowellness.com