Human history is riddled with dark, grim chapters that demand our respect. Yet tucked between those shadows are ten pop culture marvels that sprouted from pure prankster spirit, later turning the world on its head. Let’s dive into the funny origins that rewrote entertainment, politics, and even science.

10 Pop Culture Moments That Began as Jokes

In the early 1980s, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird found themselves stuck in a creative rut. While Laird was glued to the television, Eastman idly doodled a goofy turtle wielding nunchucks and a mask. The absurd sketch was so outlandish that he showed it to Laird, who burst out laughing.

Laird, convinced of the sheer silliness, grabbed a pen and sketched his own version. The two kept trying to outdo each other until they produced four distinct, crime‑fighting reptiles. When Laird finally declared, “This is the dumbest thing ever,” the duo decided to turn the ridiculous idea into a real comic.

The debut issue of the Ninja Turtles needed a storyline as ludicrous as its heroes. The creators settled on a lazy parody of the era’s hottest comics, stitching together the most over‑the‑top elements they could find.

Each adjective in the title paid homage to a beloved superhero trope: “Teenage” echoed Jack Kirby’s youthful energy, “Mutant” nodded to the X‑Men, and “Ninja” borrowed from Frank Miller’s samurai series Ronin. Even the Foot Clan was a wink at Daredevil’s nemesis, The Hand.

Eastman plunked $1,000 of his uncle’s cash into self‑publishing a 42‑page comic that started as a night of goofing around. That modest venture exploded into a franchise of animated series, video games, blockbuster movies, and endless merchandise.

From a scribble on a napkin to a multi‑billion‑dollar empire, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prove that a dumb joke can become cultural gold.

9 The Duck That Laid The Golden Egg

By 1983, George Lucas rode a wave of unprecedented success: American Graffiti, the Star Wars saga, and Raiders of the Lost Ark had cemented his reputation as a cinematic wizard.

Yet even a legend can trip over a gag. Lucas, granted carte blanche to chase his whims, set his sights on a live‑action adaptation of a beloved Marvel duck. The result? Howard the Duck, a film now infamous as one of the worst comedies ever produced.

Because it was the first Marvel property to hit the big screen, the studio assumed the movie would be a smash. Lucas hired the seasoned duo Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck—writers who helped craft his earlier hit American Graffiti—to bring the feathered hero to life.

Unfortunately, the film’s oddball humor, cringeworthy duck puns, and blatant sexism turned audiences away. In the United States, it recouped only $16 million of its $37 million budget, marking a spectacular flop.

Facing a financial hole, Lucas was forced to liquidate assets. One of those was the fledgling computer‑animation division of his company, which Steve Jobs snapped up.

Jobs turned that acquisition into Pixar Studios, birthing classics like Toy Story, Up, and Finding Nemo. In a strange twist of fate, a terrible duck movie indirectly gave birth to the most beloved animation studio of the modern era.

8 ‘The Ostrich’ Stuck Its Head In The Underground

Lou Reed embodied leather‑clad New York cool, a voice for a generation that sang about heroin, S&M, and gender‑bending. Yet his earliest foray into pop culture began as a corporate novelty.

During the mid‑1960s, Reed worked as the in‑house songwriter for the tiny Pickwick Records label. Pickwick’s survival hinged on churning out cheap knock‑off singles that rode the fads of the day.

Reed’s talent for mimicry soon gave way to outright absurdism. After dabbling in hot‑rod anthems and surf‑song pastiches, he released a bizarre dance‑craze track titled “The Ostrich,” a song that was as ridiculous as it was memorable.

While “The Ostrich” never topped the charts, its creation led to a pivotal partnership. Pickwick hired a young Welsh musician named John Cale, and the two would later form The Velvet Underground—one of the most influential rock groups in history.

7 The Novelty Record That Launched Gangsta Rap

In the 1980s, the California Raisin Advisory Board rolled out a Claymation commercial featuring animated raisins dancing to a parody of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” The joke? Raisins, after all, are dried grapes.

The commercial’s goofy premise struck a chord, sparking a cultural craze. The Raisins spawned toys, a Saturday morning cartoon, video games, and a string of albums, turning a simple joke into a massive merchandising juggernaut.

Priority Records, a modest LA label struggling for hits, rode the wave of Raisin‑induced cash. The sudden influx of money let them sign more daring acts.

Enter N.W.A., the antithesis of the wholesome Raisins. With Priority’s backing, N.W.A.’s raw, confrontational sound exploded onto the scene.

Their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton catapulted gangsta rap into the mainstream, reshaping the musical landscape forever.

6 Susanna Salter Won An Election On A Prank

Long before women earned the national right to vote, Susanna Salter made history in 1887 when the tiny Quaker town of Argonia, Kansas, elected her as the United States’ first female mayor.

Her quiet administration helped pave the way for a wave of women holding mayoral offices across the western frontier after the Civil War. Ironically, Salter’s victory hinged on a prank gone awry.

Salter’s political pedigree was solid: her father, Oliver Kinsey, had been Argonia’s first mayor, and her husband served as city clerk. She also held a law background, drafted town ordinances, and led the local Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, which selected male candidates for office.

A group of twenty men, uneasy with a woman wielding so much influence, fabricated a ballot that mirrored the WCTU’s list but swapped Salter in for mayor, assuming no one would vote for a woman.

The prank backfired spectacularly. When Salter cast her vote, she discovered her name on the ballot and, to everyone’s shock, secured a two‑thirds majority, cementing her place in history.

5 A Sexist Joke Discovered The Cosmos

Edward C. Pickering, overseeing astronomers at Harvard, once flippantly remarked that a calculation was “so easy my Scotch maid could do better.” The comment, meant as a jab, unintentionally highlighted the brilliance of his housekeeper, Williamina Paton Stevens Fleming.

Pickering’s jest was taken seriously, prompting him to call Fleming into the lab. She quickly proved herself, delivering razor‑sharp calculations that eclipsed her male peers.

Impressed, Pickering began hiring women almost exclusively, both for their talent and the cost savings of lower wages. This unconventional staffing choice birthed a group later dubbed “Pickering’s Harem.”

Fleming’s work shone brightest when she identified the Horsehead Nebula, a discovery that would become iconic in astronomical circles.

Other members of the cohort—Annie Jump Cannon, who devised a stellar classification system still in use, and Henrietta Swan Leavitt, whose data underpinned Edwin Hubble’s measurements of galactic distances—helped map the universe in ways that still resonate today.

4 Wristwatches Started Out As A ‘Silly‑Ass Fad’

Today, a gleaming Rolex is a status symbol, but at the turn of the 20th century, wristwatches were the equivalent of a flashy fidget spinner—an odd novelty rather than a sign of prestige.

Originally, men kept timepieces tucked in their pockets; wearing one on the wrist was deemed effeminate. When Europeans briefly embraced the trend, The New York Times dismissed it in 1916 as a “silly‑ass fad.”

Vaudeville performers soon adopted wristwatches as light‑hearted props, but the true turning point came during World I. Coordinated artillery strikes required soldiers to act in perfect synchrony, and fumbling for a pocket watch cost precious seconds.

To gain a tactical edge, troops strapped their pocket watches to leather straps on their wrists, shaving off crucial moments on the battlefield.

After the war, returning soldiers kept the practice, prompting luxury brands like Cartier to design wristwatches inspired by the military models. What began as a joke evolved into an emblem of elegance and power.

3 A Prank Might Have Killed Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh’s tragic death is often portrayed as a self‑inflicted suicide, fitting the archetype of the tormented genius.

However, Pulitzer‑winning biographers Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith argue that the painter’s demise was the accidental result of a prank gone horribly wrong.

Van Gogh’s social circle included a rowdy group of teenagers who delighted in teasing him. Among them, René Secretan, the younger brother of a quiet friend, was notorious for harmless tricks—salt in coffee, a snake hidden in a paint box.

René also liked to brandish a malfunctioning pistol while dressed as the flamboyant Buffalo Bill, a habit that would prove fatal.

According to Naifeh and Smith, one night René’s prop misfired, sending a bullet straight into van Gogh’s abdomen. The painter lingered for 29 hours before succumbing to the wound.

Although the theory sparked fierce debate, several pieces of evidence back it: van Gogh left no suicide note, and forensic analysis in 2014 noted the wound’s angle and lack of black‑powder burns, suggesting someone else fired the gun.

Handgun expert Dr. Vincent Di Maio concluded, “It is my opinion that, in all medical probability, the wound incurred by van Gogh was not self‑inflicted.”

2 The Butt That Killed Thousands

Mooning—exposing one’s rear—has always been a low‑brow gag, but in AD 66 it turned deadly during a volatile period for the Jewish population under Roman rule.

Amid heightened religious tension around the Passover holidays, a Roman soldier decided to flash his own backside at a crowd of devout pilgrims.

The insult ignited a furious reaction; the pilgrims hurled rocks at the soldier, prompting the Roman garrison to call for reinforcements. The ensuing chaos caused a massive stampede that claimed the lives of over 10,000 people, marking a grim prelude to the First Jewish–Roman War.

1 The Party Was Lit At Le Bal Des Ardents

Some events start as jokes and end as tragedy; others begin as tragedy and become jokes with time. The 14th‑century French celebration known as Le Bal des Ardents (the “Ball of the Burning Men”) perfectly illustrates the former.

During the 1300s, French weddings were often light‑hearted affairs where pranks were expected. King Charles VI thought it would be amusing to mock his queen’s lady‑in‑waiting, Catherine de Fastaverin, by staging a costume dance where participants dressed as wild apes, their outfits coated in hemp, linen, and tar.

The prank, more a display of folly than wit, turned disastrous when Charles’s brother arrived late, heavily intoxicated, and stumbled in brandishing a torch. The flame ignited the tar‑coated costumes, setting several men ablaze.

Four of the costumed revelers died instantly, their injuries so severe that their genitals were reportedly torn away by the fire. Charles narrowly escaped death by diving into his aunt’s skirt.

This horrific episode further destabilized Charles, who already suffered from mental illness. The incident tarnished his reputation, fuelling political unrest that eventually spiraled into two decades of civil war over the French throne.

If you enjoyed the article, you can write to the author at [email protected]. If you want to see what the author thinks is funny, you can follow him on Twitter @NateYungman. Hopefully, his jokes don’t cause any civil wars.

Several trades and professions we know today look nothing like their original incarnations. In fact, many have morphed so dramatically that their early days would be almost unrecognizable. Could you imagine that the world’s first airline never flew a plane? That the earliest fuel stop was actually a pharmacy? Or that funeral directors once ran the first ambulance services?

10 trades professions: A Quick Overview

10 Funeral Homes Operated The First Ambulance Services

During the American Civil War, funeral establishments stepped in to provide the earliest ambulance operations, ferrying wounded soldiers to field hospitals. Those primitive ambulances were essentially hearses equipped with a stretcher, a blanket, and a bottle of whiskey serving as crude anesthesia. Over time, oxygen tanks were added, and the staff learned basic lifesaving techniques, effectively becoming the first paramedics.

The vehicles were, in fact, the same horse‑drawn hearses used to transport corpses to cemeteries. These larger carriages were necessary because ordinary horse‑drawn wagons were too short to allow a patient to lie flat.

Interestingly, funeral houses weren’t primarily motivated by saving lives or even charging hefty fees. More than half of the families they served never paid for the transport. The real profit lay in the subsequent burial services, as the funeral home that delivered the ambulance was most likely to be hired for the interment.

The practice ended after Congress enacted the Highway Safety Act of 1966, which imposed strict standards on ambulance design and mandated trained medical personnel. Funeral homes could not meet the new regulations, so they ceded the business to hospitals and dedicated ambulance companies.

9 The First Gas Station Was A Pharmacy

In August 1888, Bertha Benz, wife of automobile pioneer Karl Benz, embarked on the inaugural long‑distance motor‑car journey, traveling from Mannheim to Pforzheim with her two sons. She piloted the Patent‑Motorwagen No. 3, the vehicle her husband had built.

Karl was initially reluctant to market the car, and when Bertha suggested a publicity trip, he refused. Undeterred, she set off without his permission, only informing him later via a letter. The journey was riddled with breakdowns, which Bertha skillfully repaired herself.

The biggest hurdle appeared when she ran out of fuel. She walked to a local pharmacy in Wiesloch and bought Ligroin—a petroleum solvent used for cleaning at the time—that served as the car’s fuel. This pharmacy is now recognized as the world’s first filling station. Soon after, other pharmacies stocked Ligroin and later gasoline, supplying motorists until purpose‑built gas stations emerged.

8 The First Motels Were Unbelievably Luxurious

Motels are often associated with budget lodging, but the very first ones were opulent hotel‑like complexes built around automobile parking. Arthur Heineman, noticing that conventional hotels lacked adequate parking for the newly popular car, erected the Milestone Mo‑Tel Inn in 1925 near San Luis Obispo, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The establishment featured a series of bungalows, each with its own garage, allowing up to 160 guests overall. A night’s stay cost $1.25, and owners could park their cars right beside their rooms. Separate quarters were also provided for chauffeurs, should travelers employ one.

Heineman invested $80,000—a fortune at the time—to equip the motel with central heating, private showers, a bell tower, and other upscale amenities that would be foreign to today’s roadside inns. He envisioned a chain of 18 such motels across California, but the Great Depression curtailed his expansion plans.

When the economy recovered, competitors entered the market, sparking price wars that quickly transformed motels into the economical, no‑frills accommodations familiar to modern travelers.

7 The World’s First Airline Used A Fleet Of Airships

Deutsche Luftschiffahrts‑Aktiengesellschaft, better known as DELAG, holds the distinction of being the globe’s inaugural airline. Founded on November 16, 1909 as a subsidiary of the Zeppelin Company, DELAG’s fleet consisted exclusively of rigid airships rather than airplanes.

Although DELAG did not commence scheduled passenger service until 1919—offering routes between Berlin and southern Germany—it had earlier operated sightseeing tours for the public eager to experience high‑altitude travel.

The parent Zeppelin firm created DELAG to generate an additional revenue stream, fearing that military contracts alone might not sustain the company. DELAG continued operating until 1935, when changing market conditions led to its dissolution.

6 The World’s First Commercial Airline Used Airboats That Flew 1.5 Meters (5 Ft) Above The Water

While DELAG pioneered airline operations, it did not provide regular commercial flights until after World War I. The St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line, launched in 1913, claims the title of the first scheduled commercial airline.

The carrier shuttled passengers across Tampa Bay using the two‑seat “Lark of Duluth,” an airboat that took off and landed on water, maintaining an altitude of merely 1.5 meters (about five feet) above the surface. The pilot occupied one seat, while one or two passengers cramped into the other.

The inaugural flight occurred on January 1, 1914, carrying former St. Petersburg mayor Abram C. Pheil, who secured the ticket by winning a $400 auction. Subsequent travelers paid $5 per trip.

This service dramatically cut travel time: the 29‑kilometre (18‑mile) crossing took just 23 minutes, compared with two hours by steamship, four to twelve hours by train, and roughly twenty hours by automobile. Despite its success, the line folded later that same year.

5 Barbershops Doubled As Operating Rooms

Until the 18th century, barbers also performed surgical procedures, operating under the joint guild known as the Company of Barber‑Surgeons. They handled ailments that physicians shunned, such as syphilis, and even extracted teeth—functions that today we associate with dentistry.

Bloodletting, a now‑discredited practice intended to purge disease, was a staple service offered by many barbers. Some historians suggest this is why modern barbers display the iconic red‑and‑white pole: the red symbolizing blood, the white representing bandages—though the theory remains debated.Barbers frequently advertised their bloodletting by leaving bowls of fresh blood in their shop windows, a vivid reminder of their medical role. Over time, surgeons grew uneasy sharing the profession and lobbied for separation. In 1745, the guild finally split, allowing surgeons to form an independent body.

4 The First Newspapers Were Books

Before the familiar daily broadsheet, news circulated in pamphlets, corantos, and especially newsbooks—small volumes that bound together multiple pamphlets. These newsbooks resembled ordinary books, complete with title pages, and were printed and sold like any other publication.

Early newsbooks typically focused on single events—battles, disasters, or celebrations—rather than offering a roundup of diverse stories. The earliest recognized newspaper, however, was produced by Johann Carolus in Strasbourg, Germany, and began distribution in September 1605.

Carolus titled his weekly paper “Relation aller Furnemmen und gedenckwurdigen Historien.” Unlike its predecessors, this publication covered a broader range of topics, spanning four to six pages per issue, establishing the template for modern journalism.

3 The First Movie Was Only 2.11 Seconds Long

Today’s feature films routinely run two hours or more, but the inaugural motion picture lasted a mere 2.11 seconds. That brief clip, titled Roundhay Garden Scene, was captured in 1888 by French inventor Louis Le Prince.

The film simply shows Le Prince’s son Adolphe, along with a few friends and relatives, strolling through a garden. Le Prince created the footage while testing a new camera he had designed.

It’s worth noting that an earlier visual experiment, “The Horse In Motion,” was produced in 1878—a full decade before Le Prince’s work. However, that earlier effort consisted of a series of photographs taken with multiple cameras and later assembled into a moving sequence, and thus is not considered a true film.

2 The First Psychiatric Hospitals Were Private Businesses

Early mental‑health institutions, known then as lunatic asylums, began as for‑profit enterprises run by unscrupulous owners who cared more about revenue than patient welfare. Conditions were often as grim as prisons, with patients subjected to harsh treatments.

Before these private asylums appeared, families typically cared for mentally ill relatives at home. The first private facilities emerged in the 1600s, offering a grim but convenient alternative for overwhelmed families.

Operators employed brutal methods—iron restraints and horse‑like whipping—to control patients, mirroring the treatment of obstinate livestock. While some churches ran modest, nonprofit asylums, they could not accommodate the growing demand, leaving many families with no choice but the profit‑driven establishments.

The tide turned in the late 18th century as more humane, publicly funded lunatic asylums began to appear. By the 1800s, government‑built institutions replaced the private outfits, eventually evolving into the modern psychiatric hospitals we know today.

1 Priests And Medicine Men Were The First Barbers

Barbering traces its roots back over 6,000 years, originating with priests and healers who performed hair‑cutting as part of religious rites. Ancient peoples believed that spirits entered the body through the scalp, so a haircut was a sacred act meant to trap benevolent spirits and expel malevolent ones.

Individuals would allow their hair to grow long, inviting “good” spirits, then partake in elaborate ceremonies where the hair was trimmed, symbolically locking those spirits in place. This practice gradually faded during Egypt’s ancient era, when regular shaving became common to maintain cleanliness in the hot climate.

They say, “Every pro was once an amateur, every expert was once a beginner.” It’s a timeless truth, especially in the glittering, cut‑throat world of Hollywood where even the most dazzling talent often begins in the shadows. No one becomes a multimillion‑dollar movie mogul overnight; every glittering success story is built on countless days of waiting tables, auditioning for tiny parts, and taking whatever work lands on the floor. The ten people we’re about to celebrate belong to the elite club of the 10 richest hollywood earners, yet each of them once blended into the background as an extra, learning the ropes from the very bottom up. Let’s dive into their remarkable journeys from anonymous background player to bank‑rolling superstar.

10 richest hollywood: From Extras to Millionaires

10 Channing Tatum

Before the world fell under the spell of his killer dance moves, chiseled physique, and that irresistibly charming smile, Channing Tatum was hustling in the background of big‑budget productions. One of his earliest noticeable moments was a fleeting appearance in the church scene of the 2005 blockbuster War of the Worlds, where he blended into the panic‑stricken crowd. Even before his breakout role in Step Up, Tatum was cutting a rug in Ricky Martin’s iconic “She Bangs” video, showcasing his rhythm long before he became a leading man. From those modest background gigs, he vaulted to the top of the A‑list, amassing a net worth of roughly $14 million while continuing to wow audiences with his versatility.

9 Renee Zellweger

Renee Zellweger’s path to stardom was anything but smooth; she grew up in a turbulent household and fought her way into the industry through sheer determination. Her early résumé reads like a masterclass in perseverance, starting with a brief cameo as the “Girl in Blue Pickup Truck” in Richard Peyton’s cult classic Dazed and Confused. Even a role she landed for My Boyfriend’s Back was ultimately cut, but she didn’t let that stop her. While still in Texas, she did a slew of commercials that finally earned her a coveted SAG card, opening doors to more substantial parts. From those modest beginnings, Renee blossomed into a two‑time Oscar winner, starring in beloved films like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Chicago, and now proudly boasts a net worth of $60 million.

8 Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck’s meteoric rise was seeded in the late 1980s when he and childhood friend Matt Damon shared a cramped trailer at the University of California, Berkeley, and dreamed of making it big. Their first on‑screen appearance together was a tiny extra role in the 1989 feel‑good classic Field of Dreams, where a young Ben can be glimpsed cheering in the stands at Fenway Park. Though the part was minuscule, it marked the beginning of an incredible partnership. After co‑writing and starring in the critically acclaimed Good Will Hunting, the duo shattered the “extra” label, catapulting Ben into A‑list territory. Today, with a net worth of $75 million, he’s a celebrated director, producer, and occasional superhero‑costumed cameo‑king.

7 Matt Damon

Matt Damon’s early career mirrors his best‑friend Ben Affleck’s: both started as background players in the same scene of Field of Dreams, barely visible among the cheering crowd at Fenway. While that cameo was a blink‑of‑an‑eye moment, it gave the pair a foothold in the industry. Matt’s relentless drive and sharp intellect soon saw him shedding the extra tag, especially after the Oscar‑winning screenplay of Good Will Hunting thrust him onto the Hollywood marquee. From there, he amassed a string of blockbusters—The Bourne Identity, Interstellar, and Ford v. Ferrari—building a fortune that now sits at a cool $75 million.

6 Jackie Chan

Before the world fell in love with Jackie Chan’s signature blend of slap‑stick comedy and jaw‑dropping martial‑arts choreography, he was a humble extra in the early 1970s, learning the ropes on the sets of Hong Kong legends. He first appeared as a background fighter in Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury (1971) and later in the classic Enter the Dragon (1973), where his quick reflexes earned him a spot in the fight sequences. Those gritty, uncredited moments sharpened his timing and gave him a backstage view of stunt coordination, laying the groundwork for a career that would later produce over 150 films and a staggering net worth of $130 million.

5 George Clooney

George Clooney’s ascent began far from the glitz of Hollywood; his first on‑screen credit was a modest background role in a 1978 Colorado‑themed miniseries that explored the state’s burgeoning economy. He soon earned fleeting speaking parts in a low‑budget cop drama, gradually building a résumé that included guest spots on sitcoms like Roseanne and Sisters. The turning point arrived when he landed a regular role on the medical drama ER, where his smoldering charm turned him into a household name. From those early days of background work to becoming a global ambassador, philanthropist, and one of the richest actors at $160 million, Clooney proves that patience and perseverance pay off.

4 Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood’s legendary status was forged in the smoky backlots of the 1950s, where he started as an uncredited extra, often hired through the infamous Central Casting agency. Those early days saw him blending into crowds, delivering silent reactions while learning the cadence of film sets. Gradually, he earned speaking roles, first as a supporting character in the low‑budget western Revenge of the Creature. By the time he starred as the iconic “Man with No Name” in Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns, the once‑anonymous extra had become a symbol of cool stoicism. Today, with a net worth of $375 million, Eastwood wears many hats—actor, director, producer—proving that even the most unassuming beginnings can lead to cinematic immortality.

3 Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt’s journey from a background “Partygoer/Preppie Guy at Fight” in the 1987 cult flick Less Than Zero to one of the most recognizable faces in cinema is a textbook case of rising through the ranks. That tiny, unnamed role placed him in a chaotic party scene, but it also opened doors to auditions for larger parts. Over the next few years, he snagged supporting roles in films like Thelma & Louise and A River Runs Through It, steadily climbing the ladder. By the time he headlined blockbusters such as Fight Club and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, his bank account reflected his success, ballooning to an impressive $240 million.

2 Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, the timeless siren whose name still evokes glamour, began her Hollywood saga as a model‑turned‑bit‑part actress. Her first on‑screen whisper was a single‑line cameo in the 1948 comedy Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!, where she cheerfully greeted a lead character while sharing a canoe scene. Though the role was minuscule—a brief “Hi!”—it marked her entry into the studio system. From there, she hustled through a string of uncredited appearances, eventually landing iconic roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite a net worth of $27 million—modest by today’s standards—her cultural impact remains priceless.

1 Sylvester Stallone

The rugged charm of Sylvester Stallone, forever immortalized as Rocky Balboa, was forged in the gritty underbelly of 1970s cinema. While penning the script for Rocky, he juggled a series of low‑budget extra jobs to keep the lights on. One such stint was a brief, uncredited turn as a subway mugger in Woody Allen’s 1971 comedy Bananas, followed by a similarly unnoticed appearance in Klute. Those modest gigs paid the bills while he refined his craft and perfect‑tested his screenplay. When Rocky finally hit screens in 1976, it not only won an Oscar but also launched Stallone into a multi‑million‑dollar career, now boasting a net worth of $275 million. All of these icons share a common thread: they never dismissed a background role, recognizing that every frame is a stepping stone toward greatness.

From church crowds to subway platforms, from silent background faces to iconic leading men and women, the stories of these ten legends prove that Hollywood’s biggest fortunes often begin in the most unassuming places. Their journeys remind aspiring actors that every extra‑role is a priceless lesson, a networking opportunity, and a chance to shine—no matter how dim the spotlight may seem at first.

When you think of murderers, you probably picture adults with long, twisted histories. Yet the top 10 killers listed here proved that the urge to kill can surface far earlier than most people imagine. While most youngsters gravitate toward sports, music, or video games, a few chose a far more sinister hobby. Below, we rank ten offenders and reveal the age at which each embarked on a grim road.

Why These Top 10 Killers Shock Us

Each case below showcases a blend of trauma, opportunity, and chilling indifference that allowed a child or teen to cross the line from curiosity to cruelty. Their stories serve as unsettling reminders that evil knows no age limit.

10 Harvey Miguel Robinson, 17 Years Old

Harvey Miguel Robinson, hailing from Allentown, Pennsylvania, earned his place on death row as one of the youngest serial killers in United States history. At just 17, he launched his murderous spree in August 1992. Law enforcement finally cornered him on July 31, 1993, after a botched attempt to murder Denise Cali on June 28, 1993; Cali survived, bit Robinson’s arm during the struggle, and later helped police match the bite mark to him.

• Joan Burghardt: 29‑year‑old nurse’s aide (August 1992)
• Charlotte Schmoyer: 15‑year‑old newspaper carrier for The Morning Call (June 1993)
• Jessica Jean Fortney: 47‑year‑old grandmother (July 1993)

The courts convicted Robinson of raping and killing Schmoyer, Burghardt, and Fortney on November 10, 1994, sentencing him to death for each case. In April 1995, he received an additional 57‑year term for raping a five‑year‑old girl. A 2006 resentencing converted the Burghardt murder penalty to life imprisonment because he was only 17 at the time. He later relinquished appeal rights for a life sentence in the Schmoyer case on December 14, 2012. As of 2020, the death penalty still stands for the Fortney murder.

9 Craig Price, 13 Years Old

Craig Chandler Price, a native of Warwick, Rhode Island, now serves time at Florida State Prison in Raiford. At age 13, he brutally murdered 27‑year‑old neighbor Rebecca Spencer, stabbing her a staggering 58 times. Although he was not initially suspected in Spencer’s death, Price confessed two years later after being apprehended for a triple‑murder spree in 1989, during which he killed 39‑year‑old Joan Heaton and her daughters, 10‑year‑old Jennifer and 8‑year‑old Melissa, inflicting wounds so deep the knife handles snapped off, and crushing Melissa’s skull.

Because of his youth, Price could not be tried as an adult and was sent to the Rhode Island Training School, a juvenile correctional facility. In 2004, he was transferred to Florida owing to his continued violent tendencies. He faced parole denial in March 2009, and while his original release date was set for May 2020, a new 25‑year sentence was added on January 18, 2019, after he stabbed fellow inmate Joshua Davis on April 4, 2017.

8 Jasmine Richardson, 12 Years Old

Jasmine Richardson turned a classic tale of star‑crossed love on its head. At just 12, she began a relationship with 27‑year‑old Jeremy Steinke after meeting at a 2006 punk‑rock show. Their families disapproved, prompting the duo to embark on a murderous rampage on April 23, 2006, targeting Richardson’s parents, Marc and Debra, and her eight‑year‑old brother Jacob. A six‑year‑old neighbor discovered the bodies inside the family home in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

Steinke testified that Richardson wanted her parents dead so she could live free of their control, even telling her father, “It’s what your daughter wanted,” as Marc succumbed to stab wounds. Jasmine herself delivered the fatal stab to her brother’s neck. On July 9, 2007, a court convicted both of three counts of first‑degree murder. Canadian law caps sentences for offenders under fourteen at ten years, so Richardson received a ten‑year term, while Steinke was sentenced to three life terms on December 15, 2008.

During her incarceration, Richardson enrolled in courses at Mount Royal University in Calgary and, in 2011, was transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Demonstrating signs of rehabilitation, she completed her sentence and was released in May 2016.

7 Mary Bell, 10 Years Old

Born into poverty and haunted by a mother who repeatedly attempted to kill her, Mary Bell embarked on a murderous path before turning eleven. On May 25, 1968, she lured four‑year‑old Martin Brown to an abandoned house in Newcastle, England, where she strangled him. Although she later left a confession note, authorities initially dismissed her claims. Two months later, she repeated the act, this time murdering three‑year‑old Bryan Howe in the same area, finally leading to her arrest.

In December 1968, a court found Bell guilty of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. A psychiatrist described classic psychopathic traits, noting that Bell had carved an “M” into Howe’s body and mutilated him, even using scissors to amputate his genitals. She served 12 years before being released in 1980 at age 23. Today she lives under a new identity with her daughter.

6 Joseph Mcvay, 10 Years Old

On January 2, 2011, ten‑year‑old Joseph McVay of Holmes County, Ohio, shot his 46‑year‑old mother, Deborah McVay, with a .22‑caliber rifle. According to his sister Shawna, Joseph was fed up with constant arguments and chose violence over chores. After the shooting, he fled to a neighbor’s house, dialed 911, and calmly told the dispatcher, “I shot my mom. I shot her with a gun.” He pleaded guilty to murder the same day.

The court initially deemed him incompetent for trial, postponing proceedings until early 2013 when a juvenile court finally sentenced him at age 13. The underlying motive appeared to be a dispute over household chores, but family interviews revealed a backdrop of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from his mother. Earlier signs of aggression surfaced in September 2007, when Joseph swatted a school administrator with a dustpan.

5 Cayetano Santos Godino, 9 Years Old

Cayetano Santos Godino, nicknamed “El Petiso Orejudo” or “Macrotous Runt,” terrorized Buenos Aires, Argentina, from a very young age. At seven, he beat a two‑year‑old boy and left him in a ditch; at eight, he struck another child with a stone. Though released for these assaults due to his youth, the violence escalated. In 1906, at nine, he strangled three‑year‑old Maria Rosa Face and concealed her corpse, only confessing years later.

• Arturo Laurona: 13‑year‑old, killed and abandoned in a house (January 26)
• Reyna Vainicoff: 5‑year‑old, burned alive when her dress caught fire (March 7)
• Roberto Russo: 8‑year‑old, choked but survived (November 8)
• Carolina Neolener: 2‑year‑old, kidnapped and later rescued (November 20)

The killing spree culminated on December 4, 1912, when Godino lured Jesualdo Giordano to a country house, attempted to choke him, beat him, and finally drove a nail into his skull. He was apprehended and placed in a youth detention center on January 4, 1913. Medical reports later declared him insane after he tried to murder fellow inmates. After appeals, he was transferred to Ushuaia Penitentiary on March 28, 1923, where he died in 1944.

4 Christian Romero, 8 Years Old

On November 5, 2008, eight‑year‑old Christian Romero of St. Johns, Arizona, allegedly killed his father, Vincent Romero, with a .22‑caliber rifle before turning the weapon on family friend Tim Romans, a room‑renter, in a double homicide. He pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for Romans’ death in 2009, but prosecutors never pursued charges for his father’s killing, citing the best interests of the child and a desire to avoid forcing a formal acknowledgment.

Romero was placed under the supervision of the Apache County Superior Court, residing in a secure group home where his probation required ongoing mental‑health treatment rather than punitive measures. In 2015, at age 15, an Apache County probation officer recommended he attend public school, marking a tentative step toward normalcy.

3 Carroll Cole, 8 Years Old

Born May 9, 1938, in Sioux City, Iowa, Carroll Cole began his murderous career at eight, drowning classmate Duane in a lake after enduring emotional abuse from his younger sister and relentless teasing at school. Though authorities initially ruled the drowning an accident, Cole later confessed in an autobiography that the act was intentional.

As a teenager, Cole’s criminal behavior escalated: he was discharged from the Army for misconduct, and in 1960 he attacked two couples parked in lover’s lanes. He later attempted to strangle an 11‑year‑old girl in Missouri, earning a five‑year prison term. After his first murder at eight, he did not kill again until May 7, 1971, when he strangled Essie L. Buck. It wasn’t until November 1980 that police finally linked him to three Texas murders, leading to his conviction on April 9, 1981, and execution by lethal injection on December 6, 1985. Cole claimed responsibility for at least fourteen additional murders prior to 1980.

2 Amarjeet Sada, 7 Years Old

Amardeep “Amarjeet” Sada, known as India’s youngest serial killer, committed three murders of infants under one year old in Bihar. At seven, he killed his eight‑month‑old sister and six‑month‑old cousin, both crimes concealed by his parents. Villagers were aware but refrained from reporting, treating it as a family matter. A year later, in January 2007, he abducted six‑month‑old Kushboo, a neighbor’s daughter, strangled her, and bludgeoned her head with a stone.

Police described Sada as smiling frequently and speaking minimally during interrogation. Psychoanalyst Shamshad Hussain labeled him a sadist who derived pleasure from inflicting pain, while a Patna University professor noted his lack of moral compass. Superintendent Amit Lodha classified the case as psychiatric, determining Sada suffered a chemical imbalance. Consequently, he was placed in a children’s home until reaching adulthood at 18.

1 Carl Newton Mahan, 6 Years Old

Claiming the grim title of America’s youngest known killer, Carl Newton Mahan of Kentucky shot his eight‑year‑old friend Cecil Van Hoose on May 18, 1929, using his father’s 12‑gauge shotgun. The dispute originated over a scrap of iron that Hoose had slapped Mahan with; enraged, Mahan retrieved the shotgun, declared, “I’m going to shoot you!” and pulled the trigger.

Less than a week later, Mahan faced trial for manslaughter. He was frequently seen lounging on the defense table or even sleeping during proceedings. A jury convicted him, and the judge imposed a 15‑year reform school sentence. Public opinion split: some argued the punishment was too severe, others felt it insufficient. A circuit court judge later overturned the conviction, insisting a county judge should handle juvenile cases. Ultimately, Kentucky’s attorney general declined further action, allowing Mahan to remain with his parents.

When it comes to 10 australian tourist wonders that began as a prank, Australia’s cheeky sense of humour takes centre stage. From a rust‑covered submarine tucked into a country park to a tiny bikini‑clad mannequin beckoning motorists, these attractions prove that a little laugh can turn into a lasting draw for visitors.

10 Australian Tourist Highlights

10 Submarine In An Inland Park

A rural Australian park is the last place you would expect to find a submarine. Yet the HMAS Otway now sits as a major attraction in Holbrook, New South Wales, a town renamed in 1915 after Lieutenant Norman Holbrook, the first submariner to receive the Victoria Cross during World War I.

Like many small towns bypassed by new highways in the 1990s, Holbrook’s residents were hunting for a unique draw to pull passing travellers into town. When the mayor floated the idea of acquiring a submarine, locals initially thought it was a gag. However, the notion of honoring their own VC‑winning submariner quickly gained traction.

Through vigorous community fundraising and a generous bequest from the Holbrook family, the upper sections of the outer hull and the fins of the decommissioned HMAS Otway were purchased.

The vessel was transported to Germanton Park, where it now anchors a popular submarine museum. Inside, a mock interior lets visitors glimpse life beneath the waves, making the once‑joking concept a beloved landmark.

9 Mad Max 2 Museum

We all have a favourite film that we can’t get enough of, and some of us even become collectors of memorabilia. One man’s passion drove him half a world away to open a museum in the most unlikely of places.

Scenes from the early Mad Max movies were filmed in the remote New South Wales outback near the sparsely‑populated town of Silverton – a settlement that recorded just 50 residents in the 2016 census. In 2009, English‑born Adrian Bennett arrived in Silverton, fueled by his obsession with Mad Max 2.

He began amassing genuine props, relics and other pieces of movie history. Over time, his collection grew into a full‑scale museum where Mad Max fans can not only view the artifacts but also learn about the film’s production on the very landscape that served as its backdrop.

8 Utes In The Paddock

The Holden Ute is an Australian icon, a workhorse spotted all over the bush. In the outback town of Condobolin, a quirky outdoor gallery showcases well‑known Aussie icons, all rendered using the Holden Ute as the artistic medium.

Years ago, a local landowner decided to transform a rusted Ute into a piece of art. Artists were invited to repurpose the battered car bodies, creating installations that now draw tourists each year. Twenty Utes are either upended or suspended at daring angles, depicting bush life and legendary characters.

Visitors can spot Australian figures such as Clancy of the Overflow and Dame Edna Everage perched on a traditional “dunny.” Other highlights include an oversized Bundaberg Rum bottle and a massive jar of Vegemite. Originally sited on a remote property 30 km from town, the display has since been relocated to the outskirts for easier access.

7 The Principality Of Hutt River

Every town has its eccentric characters, but one West Australian farmer’s determination to secede from the Commonwealth has turned into a quirky tourist magnet. A bureaucratic dispute over agricultural taxes in 1970 spurred Leonard Casley to declare his own country, the Principality of Hutt River, on his 75‑square‑kilometre property near Geraldton.

The Australian government never recognised the micronation’s sovereignty, yet “Prince Leonard” kept his own postage stamps and currency until his death in 2019. Even Queen Elizabeth II sent a congratulatory letter on the principality’s 46th anniversary, clearly enjoying the jest. Leonard abdicated in 2017, passing the title to his son Graeme, who continues to rule.

The town of Nain serves as the principality’s administrative centre. Tourists can collect a special passport stamp from Hutt River while exploring historic displays that celebrate this self‑styled sovereign state.

6 Gnomesville

A cheeky community protest over proposed council roadworks snowballed into a quirky tourist draw for the West Australian town of Wellington Mill.

When the council announced controversial plans to build a roundabout in 1995, a few mischievous residents “claimed the plot” by placing garden gnomes on the proposed site as a joke. The prank quickly caught on, and the gnomes multiplied. Today, an estimated 5,000 gnomes call “Gnomesville” home, turning the spot into an unlikely attraction.

Visitors will find gnomes enjoying almost every pastime—fishing, music, sport—while tourists are encouraged to add their own marked gnome to the ever‑growing collection.

5 Tantanoola Tiger

A taxidermied “tiger” locked in a glass case, once blamed for a livestock‑killing spree, now draws curious visitors to the small South Australian town of Tantanoola.

During the 1890s, an unknown creature terrorised local livestock, with reports of sheep being devoured whole and footprints ten centimetres across circulating in the national press. Locals feared the predator might turn on humans, dubbing it the “Tantanoola Tiger” after sightings of a striped feline in surrounding bushland.

A hefty reward was offered, and several hunting parties attempted to capture the beast. Casts of the paw prints suggested a wild dog rather than a tiger. In 1895, the creature was finally shot and killed. Though initially thought to be a tiger, further analysis revealed it to be an Arabian wolf, a species whose presence in Tantanoola remains a mystery.

A taxidermist preserved the animal, and it now sits behind glass at the Tantanoola Tiger Hotel near Mount Gambier. The “tiger” even became the mascot for the local football team in the early 20th century, cementing its place in regional folklore.

4 There’s A Bear In There!

A winding stretch of highway linking inland New South Wales with the South Coast is an unlikely spot for a children’s attraction, yet it hosts the whimsical Pooh Bear’s Corner.

Like many of Australia’s quirky sites, the corner sprang from one family’s imagination. In the early 1970s, a Crookwell family discovered a disused cave halfway down Clyde Mountain during trips to the coast. They concocted a tale that the cave was home to A.A. Milne’s Winnie‑the‑Pooh, delighting their children.

The parents began leaving stuffed bears and handwritten signs at the site. The idea caught on, and others added bears, turning the spot into “Pooh Bear’s Corner.” Eventually, the local council erected a permanent sign, and today children and the young‑at‑heart still hunt for the teddy bears gathering in the cave as they descend the mountain.

3 Bungendore Teddy Bear Colony

Along the Kings Highway that runs from Bungendore to Queanbeyan, just outside Canberra, a quirky roadside attraction features teddy bears dangling from trees for several kilometres.

The first bears appeared in the late 1980s. Since then, the colony’s population has outpaced even the native koala numbers in the area. Visitors regularly add their own bears to the growing collection.

The origin story remains hazy. Some suggest the bears were placed to protest tree‑removal threatening koala habitats, while others believe they serve as a memorial to a young motorcyclist who died tragically. Regardless of its beginnings, the bear colony continues to amuse and intrigue passing motorists.

2 Coila Prawn Girl

Driving along the Princes Highway between the southern NSW coastal towns of Moruya and Tuross, many motorists would have ignored the tiny fuel stop at Coila—until 2013, when a new owner introduced a bold, eye‑catching idea.

The “Coila Prawn Girl” has become a local icon. This bikini‑clad mannequin, tied to a roadside advertising sign, successfully lures drivers to stop, and has even made headlines after a few high‑profile abductions over recent years.

Tourists love snapping photos with the eccentric figure. The owner recently added a pink Cessna nose‑diving onto the tarmac, giving visitors an extra quirky photo opportunity and keeping the attraction fresh.

1 Doo

The very name of the Northern Territory outback town of Humpty‑Doo brings a grin to any visitor’s face. One local larrikin has taken this humour a step further.

Waldo Bayley, the town’s gift‑shop owner, also writes Australian bush poetry that pokes fun at everyone and everything. Rather than simply reciting his verses, he set up a traditional “bush dunny”—the small wooden outhouse once common in backyards across the country.

Bayley actually sits on the dunny to deliver his poetry from the depths of the “thunderbox,” turning an everyday structure into a performance space. What began as a joke now draws tourists eager to experience a uniquely Aussie blend of wit, verse and a touch of the outback.

For many of us, the holiday season is a time of family gatherings and a celebration of the good things that life has to offer. We may reminisce about the past year and begin to dream of the year to come. As you decorate your house, purchase gifts, and roast your holiday ham, let’s explore ten holiday traditions that started because of poverty. 

Related: 10 Strange Christmas Traditions From The Victorian Era

10 The Original Nativity Scene

In the King James Bible, Luke chapters two through seven depict the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. One section reads, “…she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room in the inn.”

The fact that Jesus was born in a stable and had an animal’s manger as a crib comes down to the fact that Bethlehem was crowded with people coming to pay their taxes. It had nothing to do with the poverty of his family. They simply could not find accommodations in the town.

The birth of the Christ child is remembered each holiday season in nativity scenes. Nativity scenes typically include shepherds, sheep, an angel, a donkey, an ox, three wise men, the mother Mary, the father Joseph, baby Jesus, and the star of Bethlehem. Some nativities are simple, while others are elaborate. Many individuals even collect nativity scenes and adorn their homes with displays. 

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity scene display that used real people and animals in 1223 to encourage Christian worship. Families across the globe still uphold the tradition of dressing up and reenacting the birth of Christ each Christmas season. 

9 From Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus

While ole Saint Nick shimmies down chimneys to drop off presents to good boys and girls worldwide, the real Saint Nicholas was a fourth-century Christian bishop who lived in Myra; now modern-day Turkey.

After the death of his parents, Saint Nicholas inherited a fortune from them but was a kind and generous man who donated all he had to those in need. He was renowned for helping the poor and giving life-changing gifts to those in need. Saint Nicholas is well known for being the patron saint of children and sailors, with a yearly celebration to honor the man on December 6th. 

After the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, saints became somewhat unpopular, yet Saint Nicholas retained his allure and grandeur. Dutch families brought “Sinter Klaas” to America, and the rest is well—history. 

8 Hang Your Stockings by the Chimney with Care

If I were to take a guess, I would guess that you have stockings well-hung somewhere in your home. Are they hung up on or near your fireplace? Have you ever wondered why the fireplace? 

Well, the story goes that three poor sisters washed their stockings and hung them out to dry by the fireplace overnight. Knowing that the girls were living in poverty, Saint Nicholas (the same Saint Nicholas in number nine above) threw three bags of gold down the chimney, with each bag falling into each of the sister’s stockings. Now you know why you traditionally hang stockings on the fireplace and why Santa Claus delivers gifts via the chimney!

We still hang up Christmas stockings each year, but unfortunately, few get filled with bags of gold. Now, many stockings are filled with candy, small toys, or even the ever-famous socks and underwear combo. Thanks, Mom!

7 “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”

Holly, also known as Ilex, is the traditional Christmas flowering plant with which individuals decorate their homes. Its glossy leaves and bright red berries bring a touch of color to drab winter days. Because holly was a common plant in the woodlands of Europe, it was a cheap way for the poor to brighten their homes, and it soon became synonymous with the Christmas season. 

The Romans used holly in their Saturnalia festival around our current Christmas season for the same reasons that we use it today—it’s pretty! On the day of Saturnalia, masters served their slaves.

Nowadays, in the United States, commercial nurseries cultivate European holly for Christmas use. Unfortunately, Ilex likes conditions in America and has become an invasive species that causes considerable damage to native woodlands.

In traditional medicine, holly berries were used as a diuretic, fever relief, and a laxative. We certainly wouldn’t recommend this, as the berries can be toxic to humans. The colorful berries are enticing to small children and pets, but their effects can be sickly. So if you choose to decorate with real holly, please hang it out of reach of your pets and small children.

6 You Say “Panto,” I Say “Mime”

Many families enjoy going to the movies on Christmas day, but did you know similar practices have been going on for centuries? Pantos or pantomimes are not as important in the United States as they are, for example, in Britain. Nevertheless, various theaters across the country put on pantos during the holiday season.

Pantos generally follow the same general theme, whatever the subject. They usually showcase a tussle between bad and good, with clear plot lines, songs, and audience participation. Although pantos often reflect contemporary themes, pantos have a long tradition.

Pantos tradition traces its roots to medieval morality plays. These plays presented Christian themes and Bible stories in a way that was easily understood by the poor, illiterate townspeople who watched them. Services in the church were in Latin, a language that the uneducated didn’t understand. Morality plays were well-received by the public and continue to influence modern-day entertainment practices. 

5 Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant. Its use as a holiday decoration shares, with holly, the virtues of being easy to find and decorative at a time of year when few other plants look their best. Like holly, it was a natural choice for the poor due to its easy access. 

The Greeks used mistletoe as a cure-all, but the Druids saw it as a symbol of vivacity in the first century. Mistletoe thrived when everything else seemed dead; this small step led people to see the plant as a fertility symbol—hence our tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.

This tradition of snatching a kiss seems to have gained popularity in eighteenth-century England, amongst the servants in the great houses, mainly through the literature of the day—Washington Irving’s “Christmas Eve” comes to mind.

4 Winner Winner, Turkey Dinner

There is a story that Turkish merchants brought a tasty African fowl to Europe. In Britain, this bird quickly became known as a “turkey.” Long before Britain established colonies in America, a trader named William Strickland got hold of some American fowl that he sold in Bristol in 1526. These new birds were also named, somewhat unscientifically, as “turkeys.”

Henry VIII decided that the English should eat turkey at Christmas. Although he often seemed to act on a whim, this was a question of the domestic economy. Mid-winter was a terrible season for farmers. Most farmers were poor with small plots of land that could support only a few animals. 

The farmers could kill a chicken or slaughter a cow to celebrate the Christmas feast, but these animals were productive. Farmers could sell the eggs and milk, so they could not afford to lose them. Hence, turkey became an ideal substitute.

3 Yule Logs: From Wood to Cake

Originally, a Yule log was, well, a large log. In poor households, the fireplace was a source of heat and light. It was the center of the home where the whole family gathered. The family would cook their meals and chat in the dark winter evenings. 

In the cold and dark days as the year turned toward spring, a huge Yule log would burn throughout the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25th to January 5th. “Yule” is from the Norse word, hweol, meaning wheel. The Norse believed that the Yule log would usher in the sun, leading to warmth and longer days. 

Today, many only know a Yule log as a tasty holiday dessert. A Yule log cake is a chocolate sponge cake rolled with a cream filling. The cake is then covered with chocolate ganache to resemble an actual wood log. A delicious treat—without the splinters and fiber!

2 Milk and Cookies for Santa

Leaving milk and cookies for Santa is a large part of the United States holiday tradition, so it might be difficult to believe that it is quite a recent addition to Christmas.

In America, leaving snacks out for Santa seems to have started during the Great Depression. With so many people out of work, poverty was a real fear. No one could be certain they would have a job the following week; everyone knew someone who had fallen on hard times. 

In the households that were lucky enough to celebrate Christmas, some parents tried to teach their children the importance of giving and showing solidarity with those less fortunate than themselves. The leaving out of cookies and milk was symbolic, true, but an important lesson.

However, the tradition had long been popular in other parts of the world. Like several other holiday customs, it originated in northern Europe. The holiday tradition stems from the god Odin riding around the skies on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. During the Yule season, children would leave out food for Sleipnir, hoping that a grateful Odin would bring them a present in return. Rudolph and Santa’s reindeer are an echo of Odin and Sleipnir

1 Salvation Army Bell Ringers

Salvation Army bell ringers are perhaps the holiday tradition most obviously connected to poverty and need. The holiday season sees bell-ringers in virtually every shopping area in the country; I can hear the bells, even now.

The Salvation Army began when William and Catherine Booth organized a mission on military principles to help the needy in London, England. The Salvation Army is now an international institution that offers help to all who need it, regardless of faith or circumstance. However, the tradition of Salvation Army bell ringers is purely American and began in San Francisco, CA, in 1891.

The United States had recently come out of a short but damaging recession. Many people had moved west in search of new opportunities, but not all were successful. Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee had the worthy but relatively modest aim to bring some cheer to the unfortunate.

That Christmas, Captain McFee decided that he would like to host a Christmas dinner for 1,000 of the city’s destitute and set out a red pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing with a sign that asked people to “Keep the Pot Boiling!” to draw attention to the event and raise the necessary funds. This was the origin of the red kettles that the Salvation Army still use, and bell-ringing advertises their presence.

In 2019, the Salvation Army raised $126 million through its bell-ringing campaign. Their presence on our streets during the holiday season is a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas.