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And there was seemingly a notable illegal trade in the substance. In the 16th century graphite was used for moulds in making cannon balls, and was also in strong demand for the first pencils. The Borrowdale mine was apparently the only large source of pure graphite in Europe, perhaps globally, and because of its military significance and value, it was taken over by the Crown in Elizabeth I's reign. The mine and its graphite became such a focus of theft and smuggling that, according to local history thanks D Hood , this gave rise to the expression 'black market'.

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Frustratingly however, official reference books state that the black market term was first recorded very much later, around This is a pity because the Borrowdale graphite explanation is fascinating, appealing, and based on factual history. However, while a few years, perhaps a few decades, of unrecorded use may predate any first recorded use of an expression, several hundred years' of no recorded reference at all makes it impossible to reliably validate such an origin.

We might conclude that given the research which goes into compiling official reference books and dictionaries, underpinned by the increasing opportunity for submitted evidence and corrections over decades, its is doubtful that the term black market originated from a very old story or particular event. If there were any such evidence it would likely have found its way into the reference books by now.

The expression black market is probably simply the logical use of the word black to describe something illegal, probably popularised by newspapers or other commentators. The word black is a natural choice and readily understood for describing anything negative, theatening or illicit, and has been used, in some cases for centuries, to describe all sorts of unapproved, sinister or illegal things - e.

The first use and popularity of the black market term probably reflect the first time in Western history that consumer markets were tightly regulated and undermined on a very wide and common scale, in the often austere first half of the s, during and between the world wars of and more so in Further to the above entry I am informed thanks Dr A Summers, Mar of another fascinating suggestion of origin: The market town of Crieff in Perthshire was the main cattle market up till , but at the start there was opposition from the Provost in Perth, so there was an illegal trade in cattle before it became the official Drover's Tryst or cattle market.

The cattle were known as The Black hence the origin of the regiment The Black Watch, a militia started to protect the drovers from rustlers so the illegal market was known as the 'black market' Legend has it that whoever kisses the blarney stone will enjoy the same ability as MacCarthy. When a person is said to 'have kissed the Blarney stone', it is a reference to their having the gift of persuasion.

Another interpretation thanks R Styx , and conceivably a belief once held by some, is that sneezing expelled evil spirits from a person's body. A contributory factor was the association of sneezing with the Black Death Bubonic Plague which ravaged England and particularly London in the 14th and 17th centuries. In more recent times the expression has been related ack D Slater to the myth that sneezing causes the heart to stop beating, further reinforcing the Bless You custom as a protective superstition. Perhaps also influenced by African and African-American 'outjie', leading to okey without the dokey , meaning little man.

Various references have been cited in Arabic and Biblical writings to suggest that it was originally based on Middle- and Far-Eastern customs, in which blood rituals symbolised bonds that were stronger than family ones. However the expression has certainly been in use for hundreds of years with its modern interpretation - ie. In this sense, the metaphor is such an obvious one that it is likely to have evolved separately from the supposed 'blood brothers' meaning, with slightly different variations from different societies, over the many hundreds of years that the expression has been in use.

The modern expression bloody-minded still carries this sense, which connects with the qualities of the blood temperament within the four humours concept. The mild oath ruddy is a very closely linked alternative to bloody, again alluding to the red-faced characteristics within the four humours. Oxford Word Histories confirms bloody became virtually unprintable around the mids, prior to which it was not an offensive term even when used in a non-literal sense i.

In terms of a major source or influence on the expression's development, Oxford agrees largely with Brewer's dictionary of phrase and fable, which explains that the use of the word 'bloody' in the expletive sense " Rowdy aristocrats were called 'Bloods' after the term for a thoroughbred horse, a 'blood-horse' as in today's 'bloodstock' term, meaning thoroughbred horses. Clearly, the blood-horse metaphor captures both the aristocratic and unpredictable or wild elements of this meaning.

The use of blood in this 'aristocratic' sense would have been reinforced by other similar metaphors: The blue blood imagery would have been strengthened throughout Western society by the idea of aristocratic people having paler skin, which therefore made their veins and blood appear more blue than normal people's. It is commonly suggested thanks B Bunker, J Davis that 'bloody' is a corruption of a suggested oath, 'By our Lady', which could have contributed to the offensive perception of the expression, although I believe would not have been its origin as an expletive per se.

Whatever, extending this point thanks A Sobot , the expression 'By our Lord' might similarly have been retrospectively linked, or distorted to add to the 'bloody' mix. The flag is a blue rectangle with a solid white rectangle in the middle; 'peter' is from the French, 'partir' meaning 'to leave'. Additionally, ack G Jackson , the blue and white 'blue peter' flag is a standard nautical signal flag which stands for the letter 'P'.

The letter 'P' is associated with the word 'peter' in many phonetic alphabets, including those of the English and American military, and it is possible that this phonetic language association was influenced by the French 'partir' root. This table meaning of board is how we got the word boardroom too, and the popular early s piece of furniture called a sideboard. See also the expression 'sweep the board', which also refers to the table meaning of board. In this sense the expression also carried a hint of sarcastic envy or resentment, rather like it's who you know not what you know that gets results, or 'easy when you know how'.

Since then the meaning has become acknowledging, announcing or explaining a result or outcome that is achieved more easily than might be imagined. Nowadays the term 'bohemian' does not imply gypsy associations necessarily or at all, instead the term has become an extremely broad and flexible term for people, behaviour, lifestyle, places, atmosphere, attitudes, etc.

Thus, a person could be described as bohemian; so could a coffee-shop, or a training course or festival. Bohemian is a fascinating word - once a geographical region, and now a description of style which can be applied and interpreted in many different ways. The sense is in giving someone a small concession begrudgingly, as a token, or out of sympathy or pity. The giver an individual or a group is in a position of dominance or authority, and the recipient of the bone is seeking help, approval, agreement, or some other positive response.

It is a simple metaphor based on the idea of throwing a hungry dog a bone to chew on a small concession instead of some meat which the dog would prefer. The metaphor also alludes to the sense that a bone provides temporary satisfaction and distraction, and so is a tactical or stalling concession, and better than nothing.

It is not widely used in the UK and it is not in any of my reference dictionaries, which suggests that in the English language it is quite recent - probably from the end of the 20th century. According to various online discussions about this expression it is apparently featured in a film, as the line, "Throw me a bone down here International Man of Mystery' , from a scene in which Dr Evil is trying to think of schemes, but because he has been frozen for years, his ideas have either already happened or are no longer relevant and so attract little enthusiasm, which fits the expression's meaning very well.

I am further informed ack P Nix " It most certainly appeared prior to the Austin Powers movies since the usage of it in the movie was intended to be a humorous use of the already commonly used expression. It is also commonly used in the United States as 'Toss me a bone. In Argentina we use that expression very often.

It is not pityful pitying at all It may have a funny meaning too I'm not sure of the origin of this phrase, but it was used in in French in 'The Law' by Frederic Bastiat. Here it is translated - 'The excluded classes will furiously demand their right to vote - and will overthrow society rather than not to obtain it. Even beggars and vagabonds will then prove to you that they also have an incontestable title to vote. They will say to you: And a part of the tax that we pay is given by law - in privileges and subsidies - to men who are richer than we are. Others use the law to raise the prices of bread, meat, iron, or cloth.

Thus, since everyone else uses the law for his own profit, we also would like to use the law for our own profit. We demand from the law the right to relief, which is the poor man's plunder. To obtain this right, we also should be voters and legislators in order that we may organize Beggary on a grand scale for our own class, as you have organized Protection on a grand scale for your class.

Now don't tell us beggars that you will act for us, and then toss us, as Mr. We have other claims. And anyway, we wish to bargain for ourselves as other classes have bargained for themselves! The extract does not prove that the expression was in wide use in France in the mids, but it does show a similar and perhaps guiding example for interpreting the modern usage. The gannet-like seabird, the booby, is taken from Spanish word for the bird, bobo, which came into English around There seems no evidence for the booby bird originating the meaning of a foolish person, stupid though the booby bird is considered to be.

The sense of booby meaning fool extended later to terms like booby-trap and booby-hatch lunatic asylum , and also to the verb form of boob, meaning to make a mistake or blunder i. I am informed thanks Mr Morrison that the wilderness expert Ray Mears suggested booby-trap derives from the old maritime practice of catching booby seabirds when they flew onto ships' decks. The US later early 20th C adapted the word boob to mean a fool.

The ultimate origins can be seen in the early development of European and Asian languages, many of which had similar words meaning babble or stammer, based on the repetitive 'ba' sound naturally heard or used to represent the audible effect or impression of a stammerer or a fool. It is probable that this basic 'baba' sound-word association also produced the words babe and baby, and similar variations in other languages. The mainly UK-English reference to female breasts boob, boobs, boob-tube, etc is much more recent s - boob-tube was s although these derive from the similar terms bubby and bubbies.

Separately, thanks B Puckett, since the s, 'boob-tube' has been US slang for a television, referring to idiocy on-screen, and the TV cathode-ray 'tube' technology, now effectively replaced by LCD flatscreens. Incidentally a UK 'boob-tube' garment is in the US called a 'tube-top'. Returning to boobs meaning breasts, Partridge amusingly notes that bubby is 'rare in the singular Bubby and bubbies meaning breasts appeared in the late s, probably derived from the word bub, both noun and verb for drink, in turn probably from Latin bibire, perhaps reinforced by allusion to the word bubble, and the aforementioned 'baba' sound associated with babies.

My thanks to John L for raising the question of the booby, initially seeking clarification of its meaning in the Gilbert and Sullivan line from Trial by Jury, when the judge sings "I'd a frock-tailed coat of a beautiful blue, and brief that I bought for a booby Men who 'took the King's shilling' were deemed to have contracted to serve in the armed forces, and this practice of offering the shilling inducement led to the use of the technique in rather less honest ways, notably by the navy press-gangs who would prey on drunks and unsuspecting drinkers close to port.

Unscrupulous press-gangers would drop a shilling into a drinker's pint of ale, which was then in a pewter or similar non-transparent vessel , and if the coin was undetected until the ale was consumed the press-gangers would claim that the payment had been accepted, whereupon the poor victim would be dragged away to spend years at sea. Pubs and drinkers became aware of this practice and the custom of drinking from glass-bottom tankards began.

The 'bottoms up' expression then naturally referred to checking for the King's shilling at the bottom of the tankard. This expression is a wonderful example of how certain expressions origins inevitably evolve, without needing necessarily any particular origin. There might be one of course, but it's very well buried if there is, and personally I think the roots of the saying are entirely logical, despite there being no officially known source anywhere.

Partridge for instance can offer only that brass monkey in this sense was first recorded in the s with possible Australian origins. Cassells says late s and possible US origins. The OED is no more helpful either in suggesting the ultimate source. Allen's English Phrases is more revealing in citing an source unfortunately not named: In fact the expression most likely evolved from another early version 'Cold enough to freeze the tail off a brass monkey', which apparently is first recorded in print in Charles A Abbey's book Before the Mast in the Clippers, around , which featured the author's diaries from his time aboard American clippers fast merchant sailing ships from The switch from tail to balls at some stage probably around the turn of the s proved irresistible to people, for completely understandable reasons: The notion of a brass monkey would have appealed on many levels: And aside from the allusion to brass monkey ornaments, brass would have been the metal of choice because it was traditionally associated with strength and resilience more so than copper or tin for instance ; also brass is also very much more phonetically enjoyable than iron, steel or bronze.

It simply sounds good when spoken. Zinc and platinum are complete non-starters obviously. So it had to be brass. The choice of monkey - as opposed to any other creature - is also somehow inevitable given a bit of logical thought. Certain iconic animals with good tails can be discounted immediately for reasons of lacking euphonic quality meaning a pleasing sound when spoken ; for example, brass horse, brass mouse, brass rat, brass scorpion, brass crocodile and brass ass just don't roll off the tongue well enough.

No good either would have been any creatures not possessing a suitably impressive and symbolic tail, which interestingly would effectively have ruled out virtually all the major animal images like cow, elephant, pig, bear, dog, rabbit, lion, tiger, and most of the B-list like rhino, giraffe, deer, not to mention C-listers like hamster, badger, tortoise, all birds, all fish and all insects. We can also forget the well-endowed lemurs, platypii, and chameleons for reasons of obscurity: Which pretty well leaves just a cat and a monkey, and who on earth has ever seen a brass cat?

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It's just not a notion that conveys anything at all. So it kind of just had to be a monkey because nothing else would have worked. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it unless anyone has a better idea. This is the way that a lot of expressions become established and hugely popular - they just are right in terms of sound and imagery, and often it's that simple.

Incidentally a popular but entirely mythical theory for the 'freeze the balls off a brass monkey' version suggests a wonderfully convoluted derivation from the Napoleonic Wars and the British Navy's Continental Blockade of incoming French supplies. The story goes that where the British warships found themselves in northerly frozen waters the cannonballs contracted shrank in size due to cold more than their brass receptacle supposedly called the 'monkey' and fell onto the deck. Or so legend has it. Unfortunately there was never a brass receptacle for cannonballs called a monkey.

Ships did actually have a 'monkey rail' just above the quarter rail, wherever that was but this was not related to cannonballs at all, and while there was at one time a cannon called a monkey, according to Longridge's The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships, cannonballs were actually stored on the gun deck on wooden boards with holes cut in them, called short garlands, not monkeys.

What we see here is an example of a mythical origin actually supporting the popularity of the expression it claims to have spawned, because it becomes part of folklore and urban story-telling, so in a way it helps promote the expression, but it certainly isn't the root of it. To understand the root, very commonly we need simply to understand how language works, and then it all makes sense.

I am grateful for A Zambonini's help in prompting and compiling this entry. Neck was a northern English 19th slang century expression some sources suggest with origins in Australia meaning audacity or boldness - logically referring to a whole range of courage and risk metaphors involving the word neck, and particularly with allusions to hanging, decapitation, wringing of a chicken's neck - 'getting it in the neck', 'sticking your neck out', and generally the idea of exposing or extending one's neck in a figurative display of intentional or foolhardy personal risk. As regards brass, Brewer lists 'brass' as meaning impudence.

The modern OED meanings include effrontery shameless insolence. Brassy means pretentious or impudent. Brass is also an old 19thC word for a prostitute. Some of these meanings relate to brass being a cheap imitation of gold. Some of the meanings also relate to brass being a very hard and resilient material. Phonetically there is also a similarity with brash, which has similar meanings - rude, vulgarly self-assertive probably derived from rash, which again has similar meanings, although with less suggestion of intent, more recklessness.

At some stage during the 20th century brass and neck were combined to form brass neck and brass necked. Many sources identify the hyphenated brass-neck as a distinctly military expression same impudence and boldness meanings , again 20th century, and from the same root words and meanings, although brass as a slang word in the military has other old meanings and associations, eg, top brass and brass hat, both referring to officers because of their uniform adornments , which would have increased the appeal and usage of the brass-neck expression in military circles.

Most dramatically, the broken leg suffered by assassin John Wilkes Booth. Booth, an actor, assassinated President Lincoln's on 14 April , at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC and broke his leg while making his escape, reportedly while jumping from Lincoln's box onto the stage. Later research apparently suggests the broken leg was suffered later in his escape, but the story became firmly embedded in public and thesbian memory, and its clear connections with the expression are almost irresistible, especially given that Booth was considered to have been daringly lucky in initially escaping from the theatre.

His luck ran out though as he was shot and killed resisting capture twelve days later. Etymologist Michael Sheehan is among those who suggests the possible Booth source, although he cites and prefers Eric Partridge's suggestion that the saying derives from " The phrase in the German theatre was Hals und Beinbruch, neck and leg break Interestingly according to Cassells, break a leg also means 'to be arrested' in US slang first recorded from , and 'to hurry' from , which again seems to fit with the JW Booth story.

Bear in mind that actual usage can predate first recorded use by many years. Cassells reminds us that theatrical superstition discourages the use of the phrase 'good luck', which is why the coded alternative was so readily adopted in the theatre. Cassells inserts a hyphen and expands the meaning of the German phrase, 'Hals-und Beinbruch', to 'may you break your neck and leg', which amusingly to me and utterly irrelevantly, seems altogether more sinister.

Such are the delights of translation. Incidentally my version of Partridge's dictionary also suggests break a leg, extending to 'break a leg above the knee', has been an English expression since first recorded meaning " Broken-legged also referred to one who had been seduced. Such are the delights of early English vulgar slang.. As a footnote pun intended to the seemingly natural metaphor and relationship between luck and leg-breaking is the wonderful quote penned by George Santayana Spanish-Amercian literary philosopher, in his work Character and Opinion in the United States On a different track, I am informed, which I can neither confirm nor deny thanks Steve Fletcher, Nov In older theatres the device used to raise the curtain was a winch with long arms called 'legs'.

If the performance was very successful the legmen might have to raise the curtain so many times they might - 'break a leg' Anyone who has spent time on stage in the theater [US spelling] knows how jealous other players can be of someone whom the audience is rapt with. By way of the back-handed compliment intended to undermine the confidence of an upcoming star, an envious competitor might gush appreciation at just how great one is and with work how much greater one will be. The young star goes out flush with flattery and, preoccupied with his future fame, promptly falls on his proverbial face.

So, one learns in time to be suspicious of disingenuous praise. On the other hand, someone genuinely wishing you well will say 'Break a leg'. This mocks the false flattery and acknowledges that that stage can be perilous to someone with their head in the clouds. If not paying attention one could literally break a leg by falling into the pit.

The reverse psychology helps one to 'stay grounded' so to speak. The Italian saying appears to be translatable to 'Into the wolf's mouth,' which, to me is a reference to the insatiable appetite of the audience for diversion and novelty. And if you don't satisfy them, they will 'eat you alive' In Italian it is often actually considered bad luck to wish someone good luck 'Buona Fortuna' , especially before an exam, performance or something of the kind.

Italians instead use the expression 'In bocca al lupo', which literally means 'Into the wolf's mouth' And this thanks J Yuenger, Jan , which again I can neither confirm nor deny: I see you had a question on 'Break a leg,' and as a theatre person I had always heard of break a leg as in 'bend a knee,' apparently a military term. The idea being that if you tell an actor to break a leg, it is the same as telling him to deliver a performance worthy of a bow. As a common theme I've seen running through stage superstitions, actors need to be constantly reminded that they need to do work in order to make their performances the best.

Thus, if you wished an actor good luck, they would stop trying as hard at the show, because luck was on their side Break a leg derives from wishing an actor to be lucky enough to be surprised by the presence of royalty in the theatre US theater , as in a 'command performance'. These shows would start by acknowledging the presence of the royal guests with the entire cast on stage at bended knee.

The suggestion of 'a broken leg' wishes for the actor the good fortune of performing for royalty and the success that would follow due to their visit to your theatre I am German, and we indeed have the saying 'Hals-und Beinbruch' which roughly means 'break a neck and leg'.

The origin of that saying is not proven but widely believed to originate from the Jewish 'hazloche un broche' which means 'luck and blessing', and itself derives from the Hebrew 'hazlacha we bracha', with the same meaning. For Germans failing to understand 'hazloch un broche', this sounds similar to 'hals und bruch' meaning 'neck and break'. Given that this has no real meaning, a natural interpretation would be 'hals und beinbruch', especially since 'bein' did not only mean 'leg', but also was used for 'bones' in general, giving the possible translation of 'break your neck and bones'.

That it was considered back luck to wish for what you really want 'Don't jinx it! Such ironic wishes - 'anti-jinxes' - appear in most languages - trying to jinx the things we seek to avoid. In Germany 'Hals-und Beinbruch' is commonly used when people go skiing. Fishermen use a variation: The German 'break' within 'Hals-und Beinbruch' it is not an active verb, like in the English 'break a leg', but instead a wish for the break to happen. The German 'Hals- und Beinbruch' most likely predates the English 'break a leg', and the English is probably a translation of the German Thanks to Neale for the initial question.

This sense is supported by the break meaning respite or relaxation, as in tea-break. Both senses seem to have developed during the 19th century. Earliest usage of break meaning luck was predominantly USA, first recorded in according to Partridge. The term Brummie extends also to anything from Birmingham, and also more widely to the surrounding West Midlands region of the UK, especially when used by UK folk living quite a long way from Birmingham. Many English southerners, for example, do not have a very keen appreciation for the geographical and cultural differences between Birmingham and Coventry, or Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

Interestingly, although considered very informal slang words, Brum and Brummie actually derive from the older mids English name for Birmingham: Brummagem, and similar variants, which date back to the Middle Ages. In past times Brummagem also referred informally to cheap jewellery and plated wares, fake coins, etc. The root word is bakh'sheesh in Arabic, notably from what was Persia now Iran , with variations in Urdu and Turkish, meaning a gift or a present. I am grateful for the following note from Huw Thomas in the Middle East: It comes from the Arabic word bakh'sheesh, meaning 'free' or 'gift'.

In Arabic today, it refers to the tip given to a restaurant waiter. The precise reference to buck a male deer in this sense - buckshot, buckknife, or some other buckhorn, buckskin or other buck-related item - is not proven and remains open to debate, and could be a false trail. While 'pass the buck' seems generally accepted among the main dictionaries and references as card-playing terminology for passing the deal or pot, and is generally accepted as the metaphorical origin of the modern expression meaning to pass the problem or responsibility, uncertainty remains as to what exactly the buck was.

No-one knows for sure. To complicate matters further, buck and bucking are words used in card-playing quite aside from the 'pass the buck' expression referring to dealing. For example - an extract from the wonderful Pictorial History of the Wild West by Horan and Sann, published in , includes the following reference to Wild Bill Hickock: He didn't wear down the two-inch heels of his sixty-dollar boots patrolling the streets to make law 'n order stick. He spent most of his time bucking the cards in the saloons This reference is simply to the word buck meaning rear up or behave in a challenging way, resisting, going up against, challenging, taking on, etc.

So while we can be fairly sure that the card-playing terminology 'pass the buck' is the source of the modern saying, we cannot be certain of what exactly the buck was. My thanks to S Karl for prompting the development of this explanation. I am grateful ack K Eshpeter for the following contributed explanation: Truman was a man of the people and saw the office of president of the US as a foreboding responsibility for which he had ultimate accountability.

He kept a sign on his desk in the Oval Office to remind him of this and it is where the expression 'The Buck Stops Here' originated. Most people will know that bugger is an old word - it's actually as old as the 12th century in English - and that it refers to anal intercourse. A bugger is a person who does it. Bugger is the verb to do it. Buggery is the old word describing the act or offence, as was, and remains, in certain circumstances and parts of the world. It's all about fear, denial and guilt. What's more surprising about the word bugger is where it comes from: Bugger is from Old French end of the first millennium, around AD , when the word was bougre, which then referred to a sodomite and a heretic, from the Medieval Latin word Bulgarus, which meant Bulgarian, based on the reputation of a sect of Bulgarian heretics, which was alleged and believed no doubt by their critics and opponents to indulge in homosexual practices.

It is fascinating that a modern word like bugger, which has now become quite a mild and acceptable oath, contains so much richness of social and psychological history. In terms of fears and human hang-ups it's got the lot - religious, ethnic, sexual, social - all in one little word. This metaphor may certainly have helped to reinforce the expression, but is unlike to have been the origin.

More probable is the derivation suggested by Brewer in This terminology, Brewer suggests referring to Dr Warton's view on the origin came from the prior expression, 'selling the skin before you have caught the bear'. This proverb was applied to speculators in the South Sea Bubble scheme, c. So was the huntsman by the bear oppressed, whose hide he sold before he caught the beast The bull and bear expressions have been in use since at least as far back as ; according to financial writer Don Luskin, reference and explanation of bull and bear meanings appears in the book Every Man His Own Broker, or, A Guide to Exchange Alley, by Thomas Mortimer.

Luskin says his 10th edition copy of the book was printed in The bum refers both to bum meaning tramp, and also to the means of ejection, i. Bum also alludes to a kick up the backside, being another method of propulsion and ejection in such circumstances. Less easy to understand is the use of the word rush, until we learn that the earlier meaning of the word rush was to drive back and repel, also to charge, as in Anglo-French russher, and Old French russer, the flavour of which could easily have been retained in the early American-English use of the word.

Hatchet is a very old word, meaning axe, and probaby derived from Old German happa for scythe or sickle. The hatchet as an image would have been a natural representation of a commoner's weapon in the middle ages, and it's fascinating that the US and British expressions seem to have arisen quite independently of each other in two entirely different cultures.

I am grateful Bryan Hopkins for informing me that in the Book of Mormon, a history of the ancient Native American Indians, an episode is described in which a large group ' This is not to say of course that the expression dates back to that age, although it is interesting to note that the custom on which the saying is based in the US is probably very ancient indeed. Unrelated but interestingly, French slang for the horse-drawn omnibus was 'four banal' which translated then to 'parish oven' - what a wonderful expression.

Bear in mind that a wind is described according to where it comes from not where it's going to. A South wind comes from the South. Sailing 'by' a South wind would mean sailing virtually in a South direction - 'to the wind' almost into the wind. Different sails on a ship favoured winds from different directions, therefore to be able to sail 'by and large' meant that the ship sailed well 'one way or another' - 'to the wind and off it'.

Also, the expression used when steering a course of 'by and large' meant being able to using both methods of wind direction in relation to the ship and so was very non-specific. Early Scottish use of the word cadet, later caddie, was for an errand boy. The golf usage of the caddie term began in the early s. Such warrants were used typically to enable a prisoner's freedom, or to imprison someone in the Bastille. The holder could fill in the beneficiary or victim's name. The practice was abolished on 15 January Heywood's collection is available today in revised edition as The Proverbs and Epigrams of John Heywood.

Other sources suggest or later publication dates, which refer to revised or re-printed editions of the original collection. Heywood was a favourite playwright of Henry VIII, and it is probably that his writings gained notoriety as a result. The English language was rather different in those days, so Heywood's version of the expression translates nowadays rather wordily as 'would ye both eat your cake and have your cake?

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This has been adapted over time to produce the more common modern versions: Whether Heywood actually devised the expression or was the first to record it we shall never know. Etymologist Michael Quinion is one who implies that the main credit be given to Heywood, citing Heywood's work as the primary source. Quinion also mentions other subsequent uses of the expression by John Keats in and Franklin D Roosevelt in , but by these times the expression could have been in popular use. The word cake was used readily in metaphors hundreds of years ago because it was a symbol of luxury and something to be valued; people had a simpler less extravagant existence back then.

Brewer tells of the tradition in USA slavery states when slaves or free descendents would walk in a procession in pairs around a cake at a social gathering or party, the most graceful pair being awarded the cake as a prize. This also gave us the expression 'cake walk' and 'a piece of cake' both meaning a job or contest that's very easy to achieve or win, and probably although some disagree the variations 'take the biscuit' or 'take the bun', meaning to win although nowadays in the case of 'takes the biscuit' is more just as likely to be an ironic expression of being the worst, or surpassing the lowest expectations.

The variations of bun and biscuit probably reflect earlier meanings of these words when they described something closer to a cake. On which point, I am advised ack P Nix that the typically American version expression 'takes the cake' arguably precedes the typically British version of 'takes the biscuit'. Maybe, maybe not, since 'takes the biscuit' seems to have a British claim dating back to see ' takes the biscuit '. This all raises further interesting questions about the different and changing meanings of words like biscuit and bun.

Biscuit in America is a different thing to biscuit in Britain, the latter being equivalent to the American 'cookie'. Bun to many people in England is a simple bread roll or cob, but has many older associations to sweeter baked rolls and cakes sticky bun, currant bun, iced bun, Chelsea bun, etc. The expression 'to call a spade a spade' is much older, dating back to at least BC, when it appeared in Aristophanes' play The Clouds he also wrote the play The Birds, in BC, which provided the source of the 'Cloud Cuckoo Land' expression.

At some stage between the 14th and 16th centuries the Greek word for trough 'skaphe: This crucial error was believed to have been committed by Desiderius Erasmus Dutch humanist, , when translating work by Plutarch. The translation into the English 'spade' is believed to have happened in by Nicolas Udall when he translated Erasmus's Latin version of the expression. While the origin of the expression is not racial or 'non-politically-correct', the current usage, by association with the perceived meaning of 'spade', most certainly is potentially racially sensitive and potentially non-PC, just as other similarly non-politically correct expressions have come to be so, eg 'nitty-gritty', irrespective of their actual origins.

Developed from Mark Israel's notes on this subject. Partridge suggests the origins of open a can of worms are Canadian, from c. The Canadian origins are said by Partridge to allude to a type of tin of worms typically purchased by week-end fishermen. The OED describes a can of worms as a 'complex and largely uninvestigated topic'. Can of worms is said by Partridge to have appeared in use after the fuller open a can of worms expression, and suggests Canadian use started c.

Interestingly Partridge refers to an expression 'open a tin' which apparently originated in the Royal Navy, meaning to start a quarrel, which clearly indicates that the metaphor in basic origins dates back earlier than the specific can of worms adaptation, which has since become perhaps the most widely used of all variations on this theme.

Cassells suggests s American origins for can of worms, and open a can of worms, and attributes a meanings respectively of 'an unpleasant, complex and unappetizing situation', and 'to unearth and display a situation that is bound to lead to trouble or to added and unwanted complexity'. Cassells also refers to a s US expression 'open a keg of nails' meaning to get drunk on corn whisky, which although having only a tenuous association to the can of worms meanings, does serve to illustrate our natural use of this particular type of metaphor. Farther back in history the allusion to opening a container to unleash problems is best illustrated in by the 'Pandora's Box' expression from ancient Greek mythology, in which Pandora releases all the troubles of the world from a jar or box, depending on the interpretation you read which she was commanded by Zeus not to open.

The North American origins of this particular expression might be due to the history and development of the tin canning industry: The origins of tin cans began in the early s during the Anglo-French Napoleonic Wars, instigated by Napoleon Bonaparte or more likely his advisors when the French recognised the significant possibilities of being able to maintain fresh provisions for the French armies. The French solution was initially provided via glass jars. In response, the British then developed tin cans, which were tested and proven around in response to the French glass technology.

Development and large scale production of tin cans then moved to America, along with many emigrating canning engineers and entrepreneurs, where the Gold Rush and the American Civil War fuelled demand for improved canning technology and production. The vast North American tin canning industry was built on these foundations, which has dominated the world in this sector ever since. According to Brewer , who favours the above derivation, 'card' in a similar sense also appears in Shakespeare's Hamlet, in which, according to Brewer, Osric tells Hamlet that Laertes is 'the card and calendar of gentry' and that this is a reference to the 'card of a compass' containing all the compass points, which one assumes would have been a removable dial within a compass instrument?

Brewer explains that the full expression in common use at the time mid-late s was 'card of the house', meaning a distinguished person. If the Shakespearian root is valid this meaning perhaps blended with and was subsequently further popularised by the playing card metaphor. Interestingly Brewer lists several other now obsolete expressions likening people and situations to cards.

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It's worth noting that playing cards were a very significant aspect of entertainment and amusement a few hundreds of years ago before TV and computers. Hence why so many expressions derive from their use. The origins of western style playing cards can be traced back to the 10th century, and it is logical to think that metaphors based on card playing games and tactics would have quite naturally evolved and developed into popular use along with the popularity of the playing cards games themselves, which have permeated most societies for the last thousand years, and certainly in a form that closely resembles modern playing cards for the past six hundred years.

The Vitello busied at Arezzo, the Orsini irritating the French; the war of Naples imminent, the cards are in my hands.. Caesar, or Cesare, Borgia, , was an infamous Italian - from Spanish roots - soldier, statesman, cardinal and murderer, brother of Lucrezia Borgia, and son of Pope Alexander VI. Playing cards have fascinating and less than clear histories and meanings in themselves, for which Brewer's provides an interesting and in my view largely reliable explanation: Here's where it gets really interesting: Brewer's view is that playing cards were developed from an Indian game called 'The Four Rajahs', which is consistent with the belief that the roots of playing cards were Asian.

In The Four Rajahs game the playing pieces were the King; the General referred to as 'fierche' ; the Elephant 'phil' ; the Horsemen; the Camel 'ruch' ; and the Infantry all of which has clear parallels with modern chess. Brewer asserts that the French corrupted, or more likely misinterpreted the word 'fierche' for general, ie.

Similarly Brewer says that the Elephant, 'phil' presumably the third most powerful piece , was converted into 'fol' or 'fou', meaning Knave, equivalent to the 'Jack'. Incidentally Brewer also suggests that the Camel, 'ruch', became what is now the Rook in chess. It seems according to Brewer that playing cards were originally called 'the Books of the Four Kings', while chess was known as 'the Game of the Four Kings'.

Brewer also cites a reference to a certain Jacquemin Gringonneur having "painted and guilded three packs of cards for the King Charles VI, father of Charles VII mentioned above in As for the 'court' cards, so called because of their heraldic devices, debate continues as to the real identity of the characters and the extent to which French characters are reflected in English cards. Prepare to be confused Brewer, , provides a useful analysis which is summarised and expanded here: In French playing cards which certainly pre-dated English interpretations the kings were: Brewer also suggests that French Queen cards were 'Argine' probably a reference to mythology or an anagram of regina, meaning queen - no-one seems to know , anyway Brewer's suggested queens are: These four Queens according to Brewer represented royalty, fortitude, piety and wisdom.

Brewer concludes his summary with suggestions as to the real French queens on whose likenesses the Queen cards were based: Not surprisingly all of these characters lived at the same time, the early s, which logically indicates when playing cards were first popularly established in the form we would recognise today, although obviously the King characters, with the exception of possible confusion between Charlemagne and Charles VII of France, pre-date the period concerned.

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I did say this particular slice of history is less than clear. Nevertheless, by way of summary, here is Brewer's take on things:. If you weren't confused enough already, more recent French cards actually show the names of the characters on the cards which I suspect has kept this whole debate rolling , and these names reveal some inconsistencies with Brewer's otherwise mostly cohesive analysis, not least in the Queens department, namely: Queen of Hearts is Judith Juno does not appear ; and Queen of Clubs is 'Argine' instead of Judith whoever Argine is; again, no-one seems to know, save suggestions that it's an anagram of regina, meaning queen, or could be something to do with Argos.

Predictably there is much debate also as to the identities of the Jacks or Knaves, which appear now on the cards but of which Brewer made no comment. Lancelot - easy - fully paid-up knight of the round table. Hector - of Troy, or maybe brother of Lancelot. Hogier - possibly Ogier the Dane. If you have more information on this matter it is a can of worms if ever I saw one then I would be delighted to receive it.

The reason why the Ace of Spades in Anglo-American playing cards has a large and ornate design dates back to the s, when the English monarchy first began to tax the increasingly popular playing cards to raise extra revenues.

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The practice of stamping the Ace of Spades, probably because it was the top card in the pack, with the official mark of the relevant tax office to show that duty had been paid became normal in the s. Chambers and OED are clear in showing the earlier Latin full form of 'carnem levare', from medieval Latin 'carnelevarium', and that the derivation of the 'val' element is 'putting away' or 'removing', and not 'saying farewell, as some suggest. OED in fact states that the connection with Latin 'vale', as if saying 'farewell to flesh' is due to 'popular' misundertood etymology. In my view the most logical explanation is that it relates to the 'cat-o-nine-tails' whip used in olden days maritime punishments, in which it is easy to imagine that the victim would be rendered incapable of speech or insolence.

A less likely, but no less dramatic suggested origin, is that it comes from the supposed ancient traditional middle-eastern practice of removing the tongues of liars and feeding them to cats. See also 'pig in a poke'. Additionally this expression might have been reinforced ack G Taylor by the maritime use of the 'cat 'o' nine tails' a type of whip which was kept in a velvet bag on board ship and only brought out to punish someone. In other words; a person's status or arrogance cannot actually control the opinions held about them by other people of supposedly lower standing - the version 'a cat may look at a king' is used in this sense when said by Alice, in Lewis Carroll's book 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland'.

The different variations of this very old proverb are based on the first version, which is first referenced by John Heywood in his book, Proverbs. The origin is unknown, but it remains a superb example of how effective proverbs can be in conveying quite complex meanings using very few words. The more modern expression 'a cat may laugh at a queen' seems to be a more aggressive adaptation of the original medieval proverb 'a cat may look on a king', extending the original meaning, ie.

The red-handed image is straightforward enough to have evolved from common speech, that is to say, there's unlikely to have been one single quote that originated the expression. Chambers Dictionary of Etymology varies slightly with the OED in suggesting that charisma replaced the earlier English spelling charism first recorded before around The preference of the Shorter OED for the words charism and charismata plural suggests that popular use of charisma came much later than Chambers says the Greek root words are charisma and charizesthai to show favour , from charis favour, grace and related to chairein, meaning rejoice.

According to Chambers again, the adjective charismatic appeared in English around , from the Greek charismata, meaning favours given by God. Charisma, which probably grew from charismatic, which grew from charismata, had largely shaken its religious associations by the mid s, and evolved its non-religious meaning of personal magnetism by the s.

The original Charlie whose name provided the origin for this rhyming slang is Charlie Smirke, the English jockey. Charlie Smirke was a leading rider and racing celebrity from the ss, notably winning the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in on Windsor Lad, and again in on the Aga Khan's horse Tulyar second place was the teenage Lester Piggott on Gay Time.

Later in the s the word chavi or chavo, etc. This old usage was not then necessarily insulting, unlike the modern meaning of chav, which most certainly is. The suggestion that chav is a shortening of Chatham, based on the alleged demographic of the Medway town in Kent, is not supported by any reliable etymology, but as with other myths of slang origins, the story might easily have reinforced popular usage, especially among people having a dim view of the Medway towns. In the North-East of England according to Cassells the modern variants are charva and charver, which adds no credibility to the Chatham myth.

Separately I am informed thanks N Johansen that among certain folk in the area of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, CHAV is said to be an abbreviation of 'Cheltenham Average', a term supposedly coined by girls of the up-market Cheltenham Ladies College when referring to young men of the lower-market Cheltenham council housing estates. The expression is increasingly used more widely in referring to a situation where substantial either unwanted or negatively viewed attention or pressure is being experienced by a person, usually by a man, perhaps from interviewers, photographers, followers, or perhaps investigators.

In the case of adulation there may also a suggestion of toadiness or sycophancy creepy servitude. This is an adaptation of the earlier s expression to be 'all over' something or someone meaning to be obsessed or absorbed by something, someone, even oneself. The expression 'Chinese fire drill' supposedly derives from a true naval incident in the early s involving a British ship, with Chinese crew: After initially going to plan, fuelled by frantic enthusiasm as one side tried to keep pace with the other, the drill descended into chaos, ending with all crew members drawing up water from the starboard side, running with it across the ship, entirely by-passing the engine room, and throwing the un-used water straight over the port side.

Rescue is passionate about providing personalized adoptions and enriching the lives of people and cats by finding the right forever homes for homeless, unwanted and abused cats and kittens. Janell Moody, Janell 9livesrescue. Wet and dry cat and kitten food, clumping litter and gift cards to pet stores or stores selling cat food and litter.

For more than 35 years, Agrace has been a non-profit, community based health care agency dedicated to providing expert physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families through the stages of serious illness. Agrace HospiceCare is nationally recognized for the comprehensive hospice services we provide. The program brings comfort to patients as well as to children and older family members who are coping with the serious illness of a loved one. Both holiday and non holiday themed bears are welcome. The American Red Cross helps people in emergencies by assisting disaster victims, supporting veterans and teaching the community lifesaving skills.

Free services and programs provided to residents include: Xue Vang, nkaoxuevang bayviewfoundation. Arts and crafts supplies, movie passes, pre-school age toys, school-age toys, LEGO kits, jewelry kits, board games, sports equipment basketballs, footballs, soccer balls , gift cards to local businesses coffee, clothing, food, music. Provide child-centered, play-based learning experiences for young children in a safe and nurturing environment. Mary Niec, mary bigoakchildcare. Binders, tape, pens, printer paper, scotch thermal lamination pouches, push-pins, sheet protectors to use in binders , binder clips, paper clips, sticky notes, dry-erase markers, children art supplies, Band-Aid, hand sanitizer, and cold packs.

Box of Balloons is a non-profit organization providing birthday parties to children in need. Sarah Wells, support boxofballoons. Board games, party games, Happy Birthday to You! Bri Patten, bpatten bgcdc. All programs are designed and conducted by survivors for survivors. Megan Purtell, megan brecovery. Canopy Center is an umbrella organization with several programs. Oasis is one of these programs, and it provides resources such as therapy and counseling to children and their non-offending caregivers who have experienced sexual abuse. Makenzi Rasmussen, makenzir canopycenter.

Center for Families partner with parents in their efforts to nurture, protect and teach their children. Julie Sheldon, julies centerforfamilies. Childproofing products, baby gates, personal first aid kits, gas cards for families to attend programs, gift cards to give to parents, AA and AAA batteries. Centro Hispano works to improve the quality of life for Latinos and others living in Dane County by empowering youth, strengthening families, and engaging the community. Nina Gehan, nina micentro. Toys and books to be given at the Tres Reyes event in January. The Colonial Club also provides daily meals on-site, meals-on-wheels to homebound seniors, an adult day center, and case management services.

Kim Peterson, kpeterson colonialclub. Volunteers are needed to help with snow shoveling for seniors in their homes, holiday decorating at our facility, and substitutes as needed during the holiday season for meal delivery to homebound seniors. Holiday food baskets, microwave popcorn, food donations for annual holiday party in December please call for items needed. Small holiday ornaments or other holiday items for 85 seniors at the holiday party in December, small gift items for 35 Meals-on-Wheels volunteer drivers, gas cards, grocery store gift cards for program clients.

Develops economic and social capacities of individuals, families and communities to reduce poverty in Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha Counties.



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Carissa Cornwell, carissac cacscw. New items include underwear, socks, bath towels and washcloths. CWC assists individuals with developmental disabilities to work in the community by providing them with individualized assessment, job development, on the job training, and job retention services. The agency also provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in a variety of recreational activities in the community. Dane County Humane Society is a private, non-profit, open admission shelter assisting companion animals, exotic species, farm animals, small mammals, and orphaned or injured wildlife.

Patty Zehl, volunteer giveshelter. Pate canned cat food, Royal Canin Baby Cat canned or dry food, canned dog food, non-beef hot dogs, soft and chewy training treats for dogs , squeeze cheese, creamy peanut butter, rolled rawhides, pig ears, bully sticks, Kitten Milk Replacer KMR , rodent block food, wild bird seed, Timothy Hay, and Manna Pro bite size horse treats any flavor.

Disposable scrubs, Cowboy Magic concentrated detangler and shine, and fleece remnants by the yard. Dane County Juvenile Shelter Home is a temporary living facility for juveniles. The mission is to provide youth in crisis who are in need of a stable environment or temporary home, while instilling accountability, teaching competency skills and ensuring community safety.

Shelter Home can house up to 16 juveniles 8 boys, 8 girls ages 12 - Catherine Arnold, arnold countyofdane. Adult size bike helmets, gift cards in small amounts, movies, Wii games, board games, coloring books, crayons, color pencils, game books, LEGO kits, beads, craft supplies, sports balls, Frisbees, outdoor games, baseball gloves, air hockey table, ping pong table, playing cards, art supplies, drawing paper, puzzles and books for teens.

Lip balm, body wash, back packs, duffle bags, male boxers, female underwear, bras, socks,twin size blankets, planners and luggage. DeForest Area Community and Senior Center is a cooperative intermunicipal organization dedicated to serving older adults and their families to promote indpendence and well being while providing a welcoming place to participate and volunteer. Mary Jorgensen, mjorgensen thecommunitycornerstone. White and colored tissue paper, 8. DAIS works to make Dane County, WI, a safer, just, equitable place for people who have experienced domestic violence, their children, and the people who love them.

Liz Klaus, elizabethk abuseintervention. DAIS requests all items must be new. Twin size comforters, twin size sheet sets, bed pillows, large bath towels, and washcloths. The East Madison Community Center is a neighborhood focal point, serving children and families from the surrounding area, collaborating to help community residents achieve goals, gain skills and strengthen the community through education, employment, fitness and socialization. Typhanny Greene, tgreene eastmadisoncc. Volunteers are needed for holiday party preparation, decorating, gift wrapping, distributing food and toys, and creating holiday cards or crafts with children.

Non-perishable food items, particularly items for a holiday meal turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dessert mixes, etc. Books, music, toys, games, sports equipment, videos for children ages , ethnically diverse and culturally enriching toys and books. Blankets, winter coats for children ages , hats, gloves, scarves, boots, snow pants, other winter clothes, gently used or new clothing for women, men and children, infant supplies diapers, lotion, baby wipes, etc. We provide after school and summer day camp programming for youth in grades K Carlie Toland, ctoland wisconsinyouthcompany.

The Goodman Community Center strengthens lives and secures futures by engaging the community in a nourishing, educational and welcoming environment. Kate Katzban-Beren, kate goodmancenter. Volunteers to help provide over 3, families everything they need to cook Thanksgiving dinner in their homes!

Make a difference by volunteering at food drives, answering registration lines, and baking homemade pumpkin pies. Opportunities available throughout November. Help over 15, people enjoy Thanksgiving dinner through the Thanksgiving Basket Program. Donations of frozen turkeys, canned vegetables, canned fruit, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, canned broth, and aluminum roaster pans will be distributed to families in need the week of Thanksgiving. Donations accepted beginning November Gift items for children and families.

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Call starting November 14 to be paired with a specific wish. Wii console, Wii nun chuck controllers, Wii games for adults. Habitat for Humanity of Dane County builds and rehabilitates simple, decent homes with the help of our partner families to provide affordable housing. Meghann Albert, malbert habitatdane. Programs include the Violence Prevention Program in Madison area schools, individual and group therapy for adults and children and creative movement groups for adults with developmental issues.

Workshops and trainings are also offered. Dori Weigel, dori hancockcenter. In a natural setting, activities provide powerful tools for building self-esteem self-awareness, appropriate boundaries and a sense of responsibility. Holiday food basket items for 20 families, ingredients and recipes for favorite family holiday foods to cook, Purina Cat Chow for 12 barn cats, sugar free hot chocolate and jugs of apple cider. All sizes of clothing appropriate for working outdoors, winter coveralls, coats, hats, gloves, winter boots, scarves, long underwear, also nice winter outerwear to give youth of all ages whose families lack funds to keep kids warm.

Organic seed for community garden and for cover crop of radish on hayfield, several 2-wheeled wheelbarrows, garden tools of all types, white latex exterior paint. Composting toilets and cement and plumbing for new bathroom in barn, new garden tractor with 3 point hitch and bucket for WKLC Hope Community Garden.

Heartland Farm Sanctuary is dedicated to helping homeless farm animals in Wisconsin, and building connections between animals and vulnerable youth. Heartland was created to provide a safe, peaceful environment where youth and farm animals could come together to heal, grow, and have fun. We are a community based, volunteer driven service that provides nutrition and daily safety checks to homebound seniors and disabled individuals in Madison, Middleton, Monona and Sun Prairie.

Gina Riesen, griesen hhuvns. Volunteers are needed to deliver the noontime meal 7 days a week. Pick up sites are: Megan Meyer, mmeyer independentlivinginc. Volunteers are needed to deliver hot, nutritious meals to seniors for a couple hours on Thanksgiving Day. Volunteers are needed to shovel snow on driveways and sidewalks for seniors. Mops, Swiffers, multipurpose cleaner, paper towel, dusting spray, window cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, lined legal pads, ballpoint pens, wet cat and dog food cans, cat litter, gift cards to Mounds, Copps, Woodmans and PDQ.

Ingleside Manor is a not-for-profit community based facility providing nursing and rehabilitation services, as well as a Residential Care Apartment Complex. We offer a restful, small-town atmosphere, quality nursing care, nutritious and appealing meals, exceptional cleanliness, interesting and challenging activities, and a pleasant location.

Aimee Bohms, abohms carriagehealthcare. Toiletries such as lotions, body wash, body spray, and after shave for elderly residents. Carla Garces, carla latinoacademywi. Literacy Network teaches reading, writing and speaking skills to Dane County adults and families so they can achieve financial independence, good health, and greater involvement in community life.

Jeff Burkhart, jeff litnetwork. Our wish list relates to items in our new building and is available online at http: Holiday food basket items: Call the center to sponsor a child this holiday season. Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens is a local non-profit volunteer organization helping feed the needy in the Madison area. We plant, grow and provide area food pantries with fresh, nutritious first choice vegetables resulting in more than , pounds of fresh produce delivered each year to food pantries.

Thomas Parslow, thomasparslow foodpantrygardens. Volunteers are needed to help review our accounts and set up a chart of accounts for our treasurer and finance committee to follow. Rototiller, gently used riding lawn mower ideally electric start; first aid kits; small air compressor and knives for harvesting cabbage. Jessie-Rae Starr, jstarr madisonchildrensmuseum.

Michelle Graves, mmoe madison. String instruments in good condition for afterschool youth and senior music programming ukuleles, guitars, mandolins, banjos, etc. Offers classes, programs and activities that address the physical, psychological and social dimensions of an active, older adult. John Weichelt, jweichelt cityofmadison. Cards with envelopes, wreaths, string lights, red or white ornaments and tea cups with matching saucers. MUM is an interfaith agency providing supportive services for individuals returning from prison, mentoring support for children who have an incarcerated parent, and vocational training in commercial baking.

Shawna Lutzow, shawna emum. We need volunteers to help with games and crafts at our annual holiday party for children who have an incarcerated parent. Granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. A wish helps a child feel stronger, more energetic and more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical condition. For many, it marks a turning point in the fight against their illness. Christy Ehlert, cehlert wisconsin.

Printer paper, white card stock, legal pads, sticky notes, manila file folders, address labels, 3-ring binders, scotch tape, packing tape, gift cards to Staples, Office Depot and Office Max. MARC is the largest provider of employment and day services in Dane and surrounding counties.

Suzanne Hanson, sahanson2 marc-inc. The March of Dimes works to help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies. From polio to prematurity the March of Dimes has focused on researching the problems that threaten our children and finding ways to prevent them. Ashley Mucek, AMucek marchofdimes. Toys for young children while their family is in the NICU, including books, games, coloring activities, puzzles, and items easy to take around the hospital while visiting with family in the NICU.

These blankets will be given to families in the NICU during their stay to give them some warmth and love during the holidays. People are encouraged to make fleece tie blankets for families in the NICU to have and keep. Blankets should be made out of No-Pill Fleece and should be one-squared yard.

The McFarland Youth Center provides after school programs and activities for middle school youth in the greater McFarland area. Field trips and special events are also offered. Megan Beckler, mcfarlandyouthcenter gmail. Grocery gift cards for snacks, gift cards for programming supplies, printer paper, postage stamps, paper plates, bowls, silverware,and cups, toner and ink for printer LaserJet Pro Color Mmw , gel pen, scissors, sharpie, disinfecting wipes, kitchen sponges, dish soap,.

MOM leads a community-wide effort to prevent homelessness and end hunger for people throughout Middleton, West Madison and Cross Plains. MOM provides free of charge food, clothing, housing assistance, emergency financial assistance, and special services for seniors. Joan McGovern, joan momhelps. Group volunteers are needed to decorate the food pantry for the holidays and to help get ready for Creating for a Cause: Holiday Art Fair December at the food pantry. Also donations of spice kits or flavors from around the world are appreciated e.

Asian spices, Indian spices, Italian spices, Mexican spices, Thanksgiving spice kits, etc.