The term "housewarming party" is derived from a literal tradition that existed prior to the invention of electricity. Whenever someone built or purchased a new home, guests would bring firewood as a gift and light fires in the home's fireplaces. Not only was the house "christened," but it was also said to ward off evil spirits.

When Santa Claus travels throughout the world on Christmas Eve, you may be confident that he is legally permitted to operate his sleigh—at least in the United States. The cheerful man in the red suit received his pilot's certificate from Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics William P. MacCracken in 1927.

According to the Pizza Hall of Fame, the first pizzeria in the United States opened in New York City in 1905. Lombardi’s Pizza on 32 Spring Street is still going strong and it is now one of around 1,600 pizzerias in the city. New Yorkers have noticed that when the price of subway tickets rises, so does the price of pizza. It's known as "the pizza principle."

Algeria is home to the greatest stretch of the Sahara Desert, which also serves as the world's largest hot desert, excluding the Arctic and Antarctica. Furthermore, the Sahara Desert covers roughly 80% of Algeria, covering a total area of 1,905,392 km2.

In subtropical growing regions (such as Brazil, which grows the most oranges in the world), temperatures are never cold enough to break down the chlorophyll in the fruit's skin, so it may still be yellow or green even when ripe. However, because American consumers are baffled by such a phenomenon, imported oranges are treated with ethylene gas to remove the chlorophyll and turn them orange.

The Terracotta Warriors were built between 246 BC when Qin Shi Huang assumed the Qin State throne, and 206 BC, when the Han Dynasty began, four years after Qin's death. Over 700,000 laborers worked nonstop for 40 years to complete the terracotta army and tomb complex.

There are several theories as to how the phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" came to be. One example is that when houses had thatched roofs, pets and other small animals (squirrels, groundhogs, and so on) would nestle into the straw for warmth. When it rained, however, the straw became slick and the animals slid out, giving the impression that it was literally raining cats and dogs.

The Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village was raided by the police in 1969. It was a safe haven for the LGBT community, and rather than submitting, they fought back. Riots erupted as a result of the event, which sparked a global movement that has helped New York remain one of the most welcoming cities for gay people to this day. Indeed, more people identify as LGBTQ+ in New York than in any other American city (yes, we're giving you more NYC facts for free!).

Though pig includes some sodium naturally (as does all meat), the saltiness we appreciate in ham, bacon, and a variety of other pork products is really the result of curing and brining procedures. After soaking in salt or salt water, fresh meat gets dehydrated, seasoned, and preserved. This is also the method used to make salami, pepperoni, and other cured meats.

Francesco Illy, the founder of the Italian coffee roasting company, was actually born in TimiÈ™oara, Romania. He later moved to Vienna, and then the Italian city of Trieste. He didn’t make a 2006 list of the 100 Greatest Romanians, however, which was topped by Stephen the Great and featured the likes of Nadia Comăneci and Gheorghe Hagi.

Technically, it is a degree in "Viticulture and Enology" (a.k.a. grape cultivation and the science of winemaking), but we're still applying.

We generally know about the two chocolates, i.e., white chocolate and dark chocolate. But the white chocolate is not the real chocolate, you believe it or not, but it's a fact. As white chocolate does not contain any chocolate liquor or cocoa solids such as milk or dark chocolate. However, white chocolate does contain a small number of cocoa beans.

To begin, rinse your piala (small tea bowl) with a drop of hot tea, then return a bowlful to the kettle three times before the tea is regarded safe to drink. It's definitely a one-of-a-kind afternoon tea! Traditional local desserts are frequently provided alongside.

This consumption rate of 163 litres per individual per year is unheard of in any other country in the globe. It is unsurprising that such misuse in Coca-Cola drinking may be noticed in people's health, given diabetes and obesity rates in Mexico are above normal. Other causes include a lack of exercise and an excessive intake of junk food. As a response to widespread health concerns, punitive tariffs on foods with excessive fat or sugar content were implemented in 2013.

Uzbekistan is home to the world's largest open-pit gold mine, which is located near Muruntau in the Qizilqum or Kyzyl Kum deserts. The mine produces around 2 million ounces of gold each year, and the pit measures 2.17 miles by 1.55 miles at a depth of 1,837 feet. The gold reserves in the Muruntau area, including those in the process of production, are estimated to be over 170 million ounces of gold. The gold was discovered in the area for the first time in 1958. Originally, the area was a source of turquoise throughout the Silk Road period. However, the region was not substantially studied until the 1950s. Commercial mining began in 1967 and has continued ever since.

Chocolate bars were not the first chocolate treat, but hot chocolate was. And that hot chocolate was nothing like we get today. It was just a bitter concoction that was often enjoyed during weddings and other occasions. Isn't this interesting?.

Japan is well-known for its non-stop festivals, but Hadaka Matsuri must be one of the most bizarre. Thousands of Japanese men strip naked in public to secure a fortune-filled year, with the biggest matsuri taking place in Okayama, where an estimated 9,000 men get down to their fundoshi.

Snow White was originally drawn with big red lips, long lashes, and a shorter dress by the animators. Walt Disney, on the other hand, wanted Snow White to appear more "wholesome" (to be fair, she was 14 at the time) and chose more subdued features and a peasant-style dress.

Honey is very low in moisture and very acidic in its natural state, which are two primary defences against food spoilage. According to the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute at the University of California, bacteria will die almost immediately in a low-moisture, high-acid environment such as a sealed jar.

Uzbekistan is the world's 56th biggest sovereign state, with an area of around 172,700 square miles, and is almost the same size in geographical area as Spain or the state of California in the United States. The length of the nation from east to west is 885 miles, while the length from south to north is 580 miles.

Among those accompanying the Queen on her journeys is usually the Queen's medical practitioner. The doctor is accountable for knowing where all local hospitals are in the cities that they visit. She also has to transport a large medical bag with a mobile defibrillator and emergency medication. Aside from that, the doctor possesses Queen Elizabeth's own blood bag, which will be used for a transfusion if necessary.

Everyone knows Lake Superior is vast (it's not called one of the Great Lakes for nothing), but few people realise precisely how big it is. Lake Superior is not only the world's biggest freshwater lake, but it also carries three quadrillion gallons of water. That's enough liquid to submerge North and South America under a foot of water. It's no surprise that Lake Superior has seen so many shipwrecks.

Have you ever visited a salt mine? When you travel to Poland with Trafalgar, we will take you to the 800-year-old Wieliczka Salt Mine, one of the world's oldest. It's known as the Underneath Salt Cathedral of Poland, and when you go 135 metres (440 feet) underground with your guide, you'll witness chambers, sculptures, salt chandeliers, and an entire church sculpted from rock salt. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has been producing salt continuously since the 13th century until 2007, and the history and unique carvings of this salt mine will leave you speechless.