If you are looking for an activity for the summer, this year I am going to do a few classes for Pocatello area.

Starting in July I am going to have classes for pre-school and elementary age children to teach table manners. If you are interested in signing your child up please call me at 208-637-8913. The classes will be for one hour once a week for 6 weeks.

The children will learn everything they need to know about using their table manners at home and at a restaurant setting. The cost will be $50.00. The children will be provided with everything they need. They will not be required to bring anything but a smile. These classes have been taught through community education for the past few years. However, the school unfortunately had to stop community ed so I am going to continue my classes in another location. Please sign up soon so we can organize the classes accordingly. Thank you. Cecelia

We will also be doing Science Magic classes soon.  Ask about them when you call 208-637-8913. Thank you. Cecelia

 

Where did the custom of putting Xs and Os at the bottom of a letter come from?

The first mention in literature of XXX for kisses at the bottom of a letter was in 1901, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The X itself is very old.

The custom goes back to the early Christian era, when a cross mark or "X" was the same as a sworn oath. The cross referred to the cross of Calvary and the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Xristos.

Even as little as a hundred and fifty years ago, not many people could read or write. The "X" at the bottom of a document took the place of a signature. They would kiss the "X" as a crucifix or bible was kissed to emphasize the importance of the mark. It was this practice that lead to the "X" representing a kiss.

There isn't much known about the beginnings of the "O". It is a North American custom. The "O" represents the arms in a circle around another person. Arms crossed in front of you do not mean the "X" as a hug! The "O" is the hug.