Unexpected life lessons in classic children’s stories
A good story can sweep us off our feet, take us to faraway lands, change our world views, or even teach us a lesson or two about life. Children’s stories and fairy tales, in particular, invite us to imagine a world beyond the one we live in, with wizards, queens, knights, beasts, flying carpets, and talking animals. In medieval times, fairy tales were coded with messages to preserve the values and beliefs of that society through the ages. While some of the lessons and morals we picked up from the Grimm Brothers may not have aged well, they remain subject to interpretation, as do stories from Indigenous oral tradition. Hidden within some of the most celebrated children’s stories in history are complex life lessons that continue to resonate with audiences from ages 8 to 88. From the cautionary tale of surrendering one’s voice in Disney’s The Little Mermaid to the life-saving power of storytelling in Islamic culture’s Arabian Nights, fairy tales and fables carry infinite wisdom for those from all walks of life. Read on to uncover the life lessons and unexpected messages in children’s stories.
2025-01-21T12:34:49Z
Christmas performances from around the world
Christmas is celebrated in different ways all around the world, but one thing everyone likes to do is come together to watch a festive spectacle. For some, this is a solemn, religious affair with candles and carols. For others, it's a big sparkly celebration with ballet dancers, ice skaters, and world-famous comedians. In the UK, men dress as dames and tell hilarious jokes, and in Austria, they dress as Krampus and perform scary dances. Intrigued? Click on to check out some of the best Christmas plays, pantomimes, and parades from around the world.
2025-12-03T09:16:10Z
Have you had these top 10 common nightmares?
Everyone has, at one point in their lives, woken up in a pool of sweat induced by the heart-pumping terror that only nightmares can stir. It’s a horrible way to reenter consciousness, and the feelings leave a strange residue in your body, but nightmares are still an essential part of dreaming. So why not learn a bit more about them? We’re quick to analyze our fun dreams, whether they’re made of our desires or pleasures, but nightmares are cut from a different cloth altogether, made from all the stresses and anxieties lingering below. But, like dreams, nightmares aren’t easy to decipher. Accepting the images at face value deprives you of a much deeper understanding of your subconscious, and nightmares tend to reflect inner feelings rather than outer situations anyway. Recurring nightmares can speak even more volumes, and exploring that recurrence with your fellow humankind can reveal many patterns and more connection between us than we ever imagined. Check out this gallery to see the top 10 common nightmares people experience, and tips on how you can address the frightening feelings.
2024-10-31T09:11:39Z
