Mathnasium - December 2021

Mathnasium - December 2021

DECEMBER 2021

Mathnasium of Cherry Creek [email protected] mathnasium.com/cherrycreek

Mathnasium of Cherry Hills [email protected] mathnasium.com/cherryhills

Mathnasium of Littleton [email protected] mathnasium.com/littleton

Mathnasium of Parker [email protected] mathnasium.com/parker

Christmas Reflections and Memories IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FAMILY

We’re officially entering the final stretch of 2021, which will close out my favorite time of year. From Halloween to New Year’s Day, there is so much to celebrate, and we also get the opportunity to participate in many seasonal activities. People get incredibly festive throughout these last few months of the year as they set up Christmas lights and decorations and get in the holiday spirit. Christmas truly is my favorite holiday. It’s a time to be with loved ones when we can reflect with each other and share how much we love one another, and it’s always been based around family for me. I have fond memories of Christmases from my childhood, when we made a tradition out of driving through the Arizona desert in an old Jeep. One year, our drive didn’t go quite as planned. Back in the early ‘70s, we were driving through the desert on Christmas Eve when we came across the Hassayampa River. Discussions ensued between my dad and uncle regarding if we could safely cross or not. We decided to attempt to cross, and the Jeep got stuck in quicksand. We all piled out of the Jeep and started up a bonfire while my dad went into town to get some help. We didn’t have Christmas dinner until nearly midnight that evening! Alongside reminiscing about Christmases past, we also reflect on our experiences from the previous year. When I reflect on the past year, I try my best to appreciate the little things and

as Mathnasium and the incredible growth we have seen over the past couple years. Back in 2019, Mathnasium was on pace for a record year. However, the pandemic caused things to change quickly, but thanks to Mathnasium corporate and our amazing team, we reinvented ourselves. We went from normal to fully remote to hybrid and are almost back to normal once again. Not only have things returned to a level of normalcy, but we’re also on pace to beat 2019 this year. Luckily, we kept

the core of our team throughout the pandemic, and we helped each other keep it together during difficult situations. We have been supported by our phenomenal community and the fantastic families that reside around us. You’ve helped us to become the No. 1 Mathnasium in our territory, which even includes the Midwest and some major metropolitan areas! We have always been focused on the concept of family at Mathnasium. We aim to be the funnest place to do math and are grateful to help so many families learn and grow. We couldn’t do it without you, and we look forward to what this next year brings. I hope you’ll each have a happy holiday season and a fantastic new year.

“There aren’t many things that I am as grateful for as Mathnasium and the incredible growth we have seen over the past couple years.”

show gratitude for every positive experience that has happened. We take a lot of things for granted in our daily lives, and the holiday season is the perfect time to truly appreciate them.

There aren’t many things that I am as grateful for

-Suzie Shride

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Cherry Creek 303-333-MATH (6284) • Cherry Hills 720-474-1878 • Littleton 303-979-9077 • Parker 303-840-1184

MERRY AND BRIGHT Cut the Stress From

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Decorating your Christmas tree should be fun, but the process often turns into anything but. Between finding decorations, untangling lights, and trying to get the tree picture-perfect, the happy event can quickly become stressful. Even if you love decorating the tree, you can likely make the experience (and the end product) even better. Here are the most common sources of frustration and how to fix them with minimal fuss.

the tree is festive and covers a lot of space. You can also buy fake twigs that have berries, look like real tree branches, or are covered in glitter. Stick them in the bare spots to fill out your tree, then save them for the next year.

Lights

If you use an artificial Christmas tree, we strongly recommend buying one that is pre-lit. If your holiday just doesn’t feel complete without a real tree in the house, hanging the lights can be one of the most frustrating parts of the tree-decorating process. Get on the right track by setting yourself up for success. Instead of shoving your lights in a box or bag at the end of the season, wrap them around the outside of the box or around a clothing hanger instead. Getting your lights hung properly around the tree can be a pain, too. This year, try hanging them vertically on your tree, from base to top and back again, until the tree is covered. It’s easier to do and helps camouflage the cord.

Bare Spots

Whether your tree is natural or artificial, you need to fluff the branches. However, as important as this step is, you don’t need to spend more than 10 minutes on it because let’s face it: There are some bare spots no amount of fluffing will fix.

Luckily, tinsel garland hides a wide variety of flaws and might be the easiest solution. If you don’t care for tinsel, tying large gift bows to

Beaded Garland

Beaded garland always looks so much better in the store than it does on your own tree. No matter how much you fiddle with it, it just doesn’t lay right or have the even, dramatic swoops you see in display windows. The true problem is probably that you’ve been hanging your beaded garland incorrectly. You may think there can’t be too many ways to drape beads over branches, but draping itself is the entirely wrong approach. Instead of simply wrapping the beads around the tree and hoping they fall into place, you should attach ornament hooks to the garland along the string. Use the hooks to gracefully hang your garland from the branches and marvel at the simplicity. When your Christmas tree goes up this year, these tips should make the experience faster, easier, and more joyful. You can now use all that time you would have spent wrapping garland to wrap presents instead.

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Cherry Creek 303-333-MATH (6284) • Cherry Hills 720-47

RUDOLPH, YOU’LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY Behind the Evergreen Christmas Special

You know Dasher and Dancer, and you definitely know Rudolph. Everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer was first born as a 1939 short story, but he truly shot to fame when his tale was adapted into a song by Gene Autry in 1949. Rivaling even the song’s fame is the Rankin/Bass stop-motion special that airs like clockwork every year around Christmas. Generations have now grown up with Rudolph, so it may be surprising to learn that his journey to the small screen started as a General Electric promotion. The company had a running television special on NBC called the “GE Fantasy Hour,” which they used to market their products directly to viewers. The better the story they told, the more viewers they got — and the more toasters they could sell. The script introduced crucial new characters like Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius the prospector, and of course, Bumble the abominable snowman. GE hired innovative Japanese animators to create the film using stop-motion techniques that were highly advanced for the time. GE invested the modern equivalent of $4.5 million into the production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and the special first aired in 1964. Those who are familiar with the film know that it ends with Rudolph enlisting Santa to save the Misfit Toys from earlier in the movie — but it didn’t originally. The version that aired in 1964 concludes with Rudolph

leading Santa’s sleigh but forgetting all about his homeless friends. The backlash was swift, and viewers wrote in to express displeasure at the heartless resolution. GE decided the special had to be corrected and played again with the proper ending in 1965. And so, a tradition of annual airings was born.

Today, “Rudolph” is the longest-running Christmas special in history, and our favorite misfit deer shows no signs of slowing down after 57 years. The movie has transformed

into a marketing bonanza, with new Christmas decorations, figurines, and toys being produced each year. Though it’s somewhat shocking to our modern sensibilities to see Santa bullying his reindeer employees and their children, fond childhood memories mean that parents continue to pass the special down to their kids. Even as we recognize its flaws, the dazzling animation and famous songs continue to bring joy and Christmas spirit to households around

the country. Just as sure as Santa comes every year, so does Rudolph.

TAKE A BREAK

• 6 egg yolks • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 cup heavy 1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a simmer. 3. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously and repeat, one spoonful at a time. 4. When most of the milk is whisked in, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. 5. Whisk until the liquid thickens slightly or reaches 160 F. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. 6. Pour the eggnog into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate. 7. When the eggnog has thickened, pour it into glasses, garnish, and enjoy! DIY HOLIDAY EGGNOG Inspired by TastesBetterFromScratch.com Ingredients Directions whipping cream • 2 cups milk • 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 1 pinch salt • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract • Cinnamon and whipped cream, for garnish

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74-1878 • Littleton 303-979-9077 • Parker 303-840-1184

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

11211 Dransfeldt Rd. #149 | Parker, CO 80134

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Reflecting on Family for Christmas

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Make Decorating Your Christmas Tree Less Stressful

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How Rudolph Became a TV Institution

DIY Holiday Eggnog

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Facial Massage for Beginners

THE BENEFITS OF FACIAL MASSAGES And How to Perform One at Home

skin. Next, choose a massaging agent, such as a gentle facial oil, serum, or moisturizer.

Our faces are filled with muscles that we use every day to talk, eat, express our emotions, and more. It makes sense that these facial muscles could benefit from some relaxation and loosening up. Getting a facial massage may seem silly the first time you try it, but this practice has some surprising benefits. Facial massage is common in many skin care routines throughout the world but not used by most Americans. In addition to reducing stress, facial massage can make your skin look better by improving elasticity, relaxing wrinkles, preventing acne, and stimulating collagen production. It can also help with sinus and jaw pain.

Know the rules. When giving yourself a facial massage, there are a few no- nos. First of all, you should never massage over a breakout because bacteria can spread on your skin quickly. When massaging, ensure you are moving your skin but not stretching it. Lastly, always work against gravity and rub your skin upward, never downward. Get down to business. There are countless ways to massage your face. You can try rubbing your middle and ring fingers in circular motions, dragging and pressing your knuckles into your face, gently pinching your skin between two fingers, or tapping your fingers in “piano key” type motions. You can also try a face roller or a flat gua sha tool. As long as you’re not leaving marks on your face, experiment and see what feels good.

So, how can you get these benefits without hiring a professional? We have some tips.

Prepare your skin. Before beginning your massage, make sure to wash your face and remove any makeup. You don’t want to rub dirt or debris into your

With these tips, you can be on your way to a more relaxed and healthy face. Give facial massage a try today — the only thing you have to lose is stress.

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