Toy built around the simple yet powerful idea of anticipation followed by surprise.
The jack-in-the-box is one of the most enduring and psychologically intriguing toys in Western tradition, built around the simple yet powerful idea of anticipation followed by surprise. At its most basic, the toy consists of a small box fitted with a crank that plays a tune while turning, culminating in a sudden moment when a figure springs upward from inside on a concealed coil. That moment of surprise, predictable yet endlessly amusing,
They typically cost a penny per issue and featured sensational, often lurid stories of crime, horror, or adventure that were considered morally suspect or “dreadful”.
Penny dreadfuls were a form of cheap popular fiction that emerged in Britain during the early 19th century, primarily targeted at working-class youth. Originating around the 1830s, they were so named because they typically cost a penny per issue and featured sensational, often lurid stories of crime, horror, or adventure that were considered morally suspect or “dreadful” by the standards of polite society. They grew out of earlier forms of inexpensive literature like broadsides and chapbooks, and their rise coincided with the
Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, played a pivotal role in shaping the modern celebration of Christmas.
The word “Christmas” originates from the Old English Crīstesmæsse, meaning “Christ’s Mass.” First recorded in 1038, it refers to the liturgical1 celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Other names include Nativity, derived from Latin nativitas (“birth”), and Noël, from Old French noël (“Christmas season”).
Their invention utilized a mat actuation system, which involved pressure-sensitive mats triggering the door’s opening mechanism.
In the 1960s, many stores had rubber mats in front of the sliding glass entry and exit doors. Stepping on these would activate the door causing it to slide open. These have gone away, replaced by motion sensors. I asked some millennials who had never even seen one of these gadgets.
