Rest your body. Expand your mind.

recess
Rest your body. Expand your mind.
MORE ABOUT The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a nonprofit educational institution,
preserves and operates Virginia’s restored eighteenth-century capital. For Web links
featuring more information about the site and the city, go to www.edutopia.org/1425.
TRAVEL
A Williamsburg Christmas
*
“They aren’t real, are they?” asks the gentleman to my left when a local apothecary describes the
pine and boxwood wreaths in his shop windows on Colonial Williamsburg’s main street. Others in our
tour group chuckle, but, frankly, I am glad he asked. From my vantage point, I can tell the sinuous
greenery is natural, but the cloved oranges, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks are so perfect, they must
be artificial.
Dressed in eighteenth-century holiday attire, our guide assures us that the materials, customs, and
methods used in the town’s Christmas celebrations are authentic—a recurring theme of my visit to the
nation’s most sophisticated restoration project.
We complete our walking tour as the week’s lingering clouds begin to clear. Stillness settles over the
streets as I walk back to the Williamsburg Inn to freshen up for the highlight of my holiday—the lighting
of the community Christmas tree at Market Square. Admiring the golden radiance of the venerable inn’s
candlelit windows, I contemplate the pageantry and wholesomeness of spirit Christmas Eve bestows
on Virginia’s former capital.
Of course, Williamsburg’s yuletide season has had its darker
moments. In 1702, a group of rebellious schoolboys engaged
in a nefarious English ritual called “barring out.” Childhood was
Lighten Up!
still a nebulous concept back then, and Christmas was not an
Celebrate the season at a few
officially sanctioned school holiday in the British colony’s fledgof the nation’s most illuminatling seat of government. Displeased, young pranksters stocking holiday festivals:
piled weapons and supplies and, late on Christmas Eve, barricaded themselves in the schoolhouse. Hearing the commotion,
• Asheville, North Carolina—
the schoolmaster and two servants raced to the building and
Christmas at Biltmore Estate
Through January 1; www.bilttried to break down one of the doors. The boys fired their pismore.com
tols, wounding one of the servants. The schoolmaster reported,
Dozens of Christmas trees, sixty“I then resolved to let them alone till morning, and then getting
five massive fireplaces ablaze,
all the other masters together & calling for workmen to break
hundreds of luminaries, and thouopen the door.”
sands of twinkling lights dazzle
Three years earlier, England’s King William III and Queen
guests at America’s largest priMary II decreed that the crown’s most populous and prospervate home. Daytime and evening
ous colony deserved a more sophisticated capital than
candlelight tours available.
Jamestown. London’s most revered architects planned the
• Chicago—Zoo Lights
structured city, anchored by the Capitol, the College of William
Friday–Sunday through
and Mary, and the Governor’s Palace.
December 11, daily December
Williamsburg quickly rose in prominence and became a
16–January 1 (closed December
commercial, cultural, and political nexus of the British Empire.
24–25); www.lpzoo.org
Called “a fountainhead of sedition,” it also served as an incuMore than 1 million holiday lights,
bator for American democratic ideals. Patrick Henry shook the
a laser show, ice carving, Santa’s
House of Burgesses with his revolutionary orations; local patriworkshop, and animals are a few
of the highlights at Lincoln Park
ots such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson led
Zoo’s annual lights festival.
spirited political debates in their favorite taverns.
Following American independence, Jefferson, the second
• Santa Fe, New Mexico—Candles
governor of the State of Virginia, moved the government to
in Bags
Richmond, and Williamsburg fell into a sleepy trance. By the
December 24; santafe.org
early twentieth century, many of the city’s landmarks had fallen
Known locally as farolitos, small
into disrepair or had burned down or otherwise disappeared.
bags filled with sand and lit from
In 1926, oil magnate John D. Rockefeller Jr. led a campaign
within by votive candles are the
Southwest’s version of traditional
to return Williamsburg to its colonial glory, funding restoration
Christmas decorations. Thousands
of original houses, taverns, and shops—as well as the reconset the city aglow, outlining buildstruction of the Governor’s Palace and the Capitol. A 173-acre
ings, trees, walls, and sidewalks.
historic district became the core of America’s premier livinghistory site, which today covers more than 300 acres. Up to
• Springfield, Massachusetts—
1 million or more visitors witness the fruits of Rockefeller’s
Bright Nights
labors annually.
Wednesday–Sunday through
From Thanksgiving Day to January 6 (the Feast of Epiphany),
December 11, daily December
14–January 1;
Williamsburg celebrates its most enchanted season and serves
www.brightnights.org
up colonial yuletide traditions with all the trimmings. On SatNew England’s largest holiday
urday, December 3, the 46th annual Christmas Homes Tours
lighting extravaganza includes a
affords curiosity seekers a peek inside Williamsburg’s most fes2.5-mile drive through Forest
tive private residences. The 71st Grand Illumination, held the
Park, featuring 500,000 lights in
next day, officially kicks off holidays with live musical performdozens of displays.
ances, hands-on demonstrations, and fireworks; other fun
includes children’s weekends, museum tours, and dances.
• Virginia Peninsula—100 Miles
of Lights
Local taverns honor their heritage with spirited holiday fare—
Through January 1;
bring a hearty appetite and an adventurous palate.
www.100milesoflights.com
And, of course, there’s Christmas Eve. Under the sparkle
Join Virginia’s largest lights celeof an early winter sky, I arrive at Market Square just as other
bration when seven neighboring
visitors and townspeople are encircling the tree. With great
cities strand together millions of
expectation, the towering evergreen illuminates the twilight,
lights and offer holiday events,
and stories and carols of Christmases past soften the evening’s
activities, and musical performchill. The gift of a Colonial Williamsburg Christmas heralds the
ances. Two-, three-, and four-night
holiday packages available.
year’s most magical night. —Mary Best
COURTESY OF THE COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG FOUNDATION
2006 DEC/JAN EDUTOPIA
51
FASHION
g Wet Side Story
Sanyo microfiber 3/4 rain coat,
$129.95; dark taupe or black;
www.sierratradingpost.com
Take one look at the low-slung waists and
belled cuffs of teens’ jeans, and you know retro
is in. But as you gear up for the rainy season,
there’s an opportunity to take retro back a bit
farther, to a style that conveyed a crisp,
scholastic air (even at the expense of having
to cover that cute modern midriff).
Picture the venerable schoolteacher, circa
1940, sloshing along his drizzly walk to work.
Upon arriving, he serenely closes his full-size
umbrella, peels off his actually waterproof
raincoat, and swaps his impermeable boots
for loafers, and there he is—dry, the picture
of composure. The classic inclement-weather
armory exudes a bright-eyed dignity that can
make rainy days a little less dreary. Even better:
Unlike the trendy Ugg-boots-with-short-woolskirts look students are sporting, rain or shine,
the old faithful fashions won’t have you clasping
your head in your hands five years from now,
exclaiming, “What were we wearing!” So, here’s
to the tried and true rain gear that won’t let you
down . . . or drown. —Grace Rubenstein
Sky umbrella
$48; www.momastore.org
Wellies
Raincoats
Gore-Tex has sent
the classic rubberized
slicker the way of the
rotary-dial telephone.
But you can’t keep a
good style down, and
the present-day incarnations have definite
perks—such as
breathability, packability, and style—even
if they lack the
seaworthy air of the
Captain Ahab slicker.
J.Crew women’s textured-wool
rubber wellies $78; chocolate or navy;
www.jcrew.com
Hunter original Wellington
$94; original green, blue, or red;
www.wellie-boots.com
Lands’ End packable AquaCheck jacket
$69.50; many colors; www.landsend.com
Orvis women’s rain slicker,
with corduroy accents, $149; yellow,
red, black, or orange; www.orvis.com
The brawny Wellington boot,
first created for the famous
duke,
duke is nearing its 200th birthday. Two centuries ago, as
gentlemen’s knee breeches
went out of style and trousers
came in, the new, close-cut
boot was just the thing. Since
then, designers without dukedoms have put their own spin
on the original.
The duke might not have
had aerodynamics in mind,
but his boot breakthrough also
gave rise to a new pastime:
wellie wanging. When they’re
feeling silly, the good folks of
Yorkshire, England, are known
to wang their wellies (throw
them, that is) as far as possible.
Before you take up the sport,
however, beware: In his tune
“If It Wasnae for Your Wellies,”
comedian Billy Connolly warns
that wellies “keep out the water
and they keep in the smell.” So,
don’t leave them on all day, and
may the best wanger win.
recess
HEALTH
The Big Sneezy
Over-the-counter remedies might
lighten your symptoms, or just your wallet.
*
Not for nothing is the common cold called common. According to
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is the leading cause of
missed days at work and school. In fact, 22 million school days are
missed each year due to colds, and children, those little Petri dishes
of bacteria, get an average of six to ten colds annually, mostly during the winter months. For something so common, a cold can make
us feel uncommonly wretched. Nothing can stop a really determined
bug from finding a home in your system, of course, but here’s a
menu of preventive measures that various adherents find variously
effective. Good luck . . . and gesundheit! —GR
Airborne Effervescent Health Formula
This dissolving tablet contains seven herbal extracts used in Eastern medicine, plus amino acids, antioxidants, electrolytes, and ginger. The formula,
available in original orange and lemon-lime flavors and grape flavor for kids,
also includes zinc and 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C (more than ten times the
recommended daily allowance). The manufacturer croons that the formula
was created by a second-grade teacher, which is what we call enlightened
self-interest.
ColdChaser
Created by Dr. Eva Dahl, this cocktail of zinc, bioflavonoids, rose hips, and
vitamins A, C, and D “may enhance wellness,” its marketers say. The
ColdChaser dose of six pills is sold in plastic packets at grocery store checkout counters in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, as well as
online. There’s little research on the effectiveness of this combination, and
Dahl’s doctorate is in chiropractic. But when a cold has you in its clutches,
skepticism tends to ebb.
Echinacea
This herbal remedy, which comes in an unregulated variety of forms and concentrations, is commonly made with an extract from the root of the purple
flowering echinacea plant. The herb may help treat a cold if it’s taken early
on, but it won’t prevent you from getting sick in the first place, the NIH says.
Vitamin C
It may be part of a healthy diet, but research testing whether the antioxidant
can make colds go away faster has been inconclusive. According to the NIH,
no evidence exists that vitamin C prevents colds before they start. The
agency also warns that taking large doses of vitamin C over a long period
of time can be harmful.
Zinc lozenges
Studies on the mineral’s efficacy in cold prevention are a mixed bag: Some
have found that it works, but others beg to differ. Starting to take zinc at
the first sign of a cold seems to help, however, and the strength of the
dosage (at least 13 milligrams every two hours) may also make a difference.
Varying theories posit that zinc blocks the cold virus from entering cells in
the nose and throat, or interferes with its ability to interact with proteins
in the human body.
Hand Jive
Scientists say antibacterial soap isn’t all it claims to be.
It’s about that time to follow the flu-season mantra, “Wash
your hands, wash your hands.” But, as you do, consider this
bit of uncommon knowledge: Antibacterial soap is not necessarily better.
Studies by Columbia University researchers have found
that, despite its name, antibacterial soap is no more effective at reducing germs on the skin or curbing the spread of
respiratory illnesses than regular soap. And, researchers
worry, the use of antibacterial soap for day-to-day hand
washing could help create drug-resistant germs—although
there is no firm evidence that they do.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association,
meanwhile, argues that antibacterial products are effective
in combating disease, and blames drug-resistant bugs on
overprescription and misuse of antibiotics, not germkilling soap.
If all those kids’ runny noses still make you want to pack
more germ-fighting power, research from the Harvard
Medical School does support the use of alcohol-based
hand-sanitizer gel, which it says blocks the spread of stomach illnesses, and possibly respiratory illnesses, too. One
caveat: The waterless gels won’t get rid of dirt. For that, the
mantra still applies. — GR
CALLING IN STRESSED
Forget phoning in sick—49 percent of
people who play hooky from work are
doing so simply because they need
a break from the grind, reports
a national survey of 2,202 U.S. workers.
SOURCE: The Hudson absenteeism survey,
compiled by Rasmussen Reports
PHOTODISC
2006 DEC/JAN EDUTOPIA
53
recess
FITNESS
Great
Balls
O’Fitness
Once you get
the hang of these
big bouncers,
your workouts
will be on a roll.
*
What does dignity have to do
with exercise? Quite a lot, really. When
you run, bike, walk, row, swing a racket, or hit
a golf ball well—striding, turning, and moving in a
smooth, graceful motion—your entire body and mind
are in sync. Hence, you look good. Hence, your dignity
remains happily intact.
Dignity, however, does not appear to be the promise offered by those
enormous, brightly colored fitness balls you might have spotted at your local
YMCA or workout club. Looking for all the world like kids’ toys from the land of
Brobdingnag, they congregate in a corner, waiting for—what? They’re awkward to roll around
and too big to toss or kick,so what do you do with them? How can an object so ungainly and round—
frankly, a bit on the rotund side—serve the goal of a healthier you?
You suspect that contact between your body and the ball’s surface is required. But in your mind’s eye,
this is not a pretty picture.You attempt to sit on one, only to roll too far to one side or the other and fall
off, arms and legs flailing and dignity gone—in full view of your gym compatriots, of course, who may or
may not resist the temptation to smirk (and make a mental note never to get near one themselves).
Like many other exercise gadgets out there, fitness balls require a bit of practice to master. But, once
tamed, these vinyl air-filled balls are safe, fun, surprisingly versatile, and very effective for improving
strength, flexibility, and balance.
Fitness balls, sometimes called Swiss balls, stability balls, or core balls, have been around thirty years or
so. Originally, physical therapists used them to help patients recover from injuries, rebuild muscles, and
improve coordination. Now, they’ve rolled into gyms for the rest of us.
Made of durable material, they can handle hundreds of pounds, so you don’t need to worry about having
them burst like a worn tire.And they are low risk for injury, even though you’re right to be wary of their
stability if you’re new to them. If you just plopped down on top of one, you would roll off just about immediately—unless you engaged your muscles and focused your balancing skills quickly enough to stay upright.
And that is their value.“They deliver a terrific form of exercise for the ‘core’ muscles—those in the
abdominal and lower-back areas,” says Walter R. Thompson, PhD, professor of kinesiology and health at
Georgia State University.“Any movement attempted on the ball at all requires these core muscles to contract. Balance is the key—even to just sitting on the ball.”
By strengthening these muscles, your overall fitness improves, and with that comes better posture as
well as improved balance. Adds Thompson,“It is actually those people who have the worst time ‘balancing’ on the ball who get the better workout.”
What sorts of moves can you do on the ball? Just about anything, apparently.Thompson notes he’s
seen advanced users “stand on one foot on the stability ball while doing biceps curls.” Beginners can
use them as a kind of bench to do a complete strength-training workout with weights.They are also
better than the floor for doing ab crunches.
Because at first there is a chance to injure yourself, how do you begin? “With caution,” says
Thompson, “and only under the proper guidance of a certified personal trainer or other instructor.”
Once you have the basics of balance down, though, you might prefer practicing getting on and off the
thing in your own home.At a cost of between $10 and $200, depending on size and accessories, such
as videotapes and air pumps, fitness balls are a bargain compared with pricey exercise equipment—
and, given their big-toy look, they may just become your workout favorite. —Colleen Paretty
GETTY IMAGES
54
EDUTOPIA DEC/JAN 2006