11 Kind, Free Things You Can Do for Yourself (and Happy Boxing Day!)

You could be anywhere in your inbox this morning, but thanks for being here! Monday, December 26, 2016 iStock FROM THE EDITORS Our Very Best of 2016 As we count down to 2017, we're taking a look back at some of our favorite stories from the past year. Each day this week, members of our editorial staff will share the stories that made them laugh, think, and want to change the world. 1 [Kate Horowitz, Science Writer: “Caring for myself is not indulgence,” wrote poet-activist Audre Lorde. “It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Be defiant. Be a rebel. Be nice to yourself. Here are 11 ways to do so for free.] 2 [Jake Rossen, Senior Writer: America Online's trial CDs were the digital version of bedbugs: found in every crevice of the home and impossible to get rid of. Learn how the company managed to get a disc in the hands of virtually every PC-owning American—whether they wanted one or not—and why they needed to make sure the discs could withstand freezing temperatures.] 3 [Arika Okrent, Senior Editor: Sometimes we all need the soothing balm of adorability. Most people get their fix from baby animals, but there are ways to get it from language too. There's no way to walk away from these 15 adorably wunderbar German terms of endearment without appreciating all the schnuckiputzis around you.] 4 [Bess Lovejoy, Staff Editor: One of my favorites was a Show & Tell piece on a caricature of the Chevalier D'Eon, otherwise known as Mademoiselle de Beaumont. D’Eon was a big star in 18th century France and England who served as a diplomat, spy, pamphleteer, and fencer—and who lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman.] 5 [Erika Berlin, Staff Editor: December might be the time of year when holiday carols fill the airwaves, but in 1983, everyone was singing about a “killer thriller” night rather than a “Silent Night.” Why? Because the dancing zombies, teen werewolf, and iconic red leather jacket of Michael Jackson’s classic “Thriller” video—which is now completely synonymous with Halloween—didn’t come out in time for the season of frights. MTV premiered “Thriller" during the first week of December.] 6 [Rebecca O'Connell, Assistant Editor: But really, can you smell the smell out of something?] "The O.G." (Napkin Friends, Photo: Hilary Gorenstein) Food [14 Delicious Latkes From Across the Country] Fun [Take a Look Inside Radio Shack's 60th Anniversary Catalog (From 1981)] Warner Bros. Fun [Harry Potter Bath Bomb Acts Like a Fizzy Sorting Hat] Quizzes [Match the Quote With Its Movie] FUN FACT Despite the name, British observances of Boxing Day involve no fisticuffs. For patricians, however, another sport rules the day: fox hunting. [For more about this, CLICK HERE] Getty Images © 2016 Mental Floss, Inc., All rights reserved. Mental Floss® is a registered trademark owned by Felix Dennis.[mentalfloss.com] is a trademark owned by Felix Dennis. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive notifications from mental_floss magazine and [mentalfloss.com]. Got feedback? We want to hear it! Send your thoughts to [newsletter@mentalfloss.com] Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your [preferences] or [unsubscribe]from this list OUR MAILING ADDRESS IS: Mental Floss Inc. 55 W 39th Street 5th Floor New York, New York 10018 [View this email in your browser] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Instagram] [YouTube] Monday, December 26, 2016 iStock FROM THE EDITORS Our Very Best of 2016 As we count down to 2017, we're taking a look back at some of our favorite stories from the past year. Each day this week, members of our editorial staff will share the stories that made them laugh, think, and want to change the world. 1 [Kate Horowitz, Science Writer: “Caring for myself is not indulgence,” wrote poet-activist Audre Lorde. “It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Be defiant. Be a rebel. Be nice to yourself. Here are 11 ways to do so for free.] 2 [Jake Rossen, Senior Writer: America Online's trial CDs were the digital version of bedbugs: found in every crevice of the home and impossible to get rid of. Learn how the company managed to get a disc in the hands of virtually every PC-owning American—whether they wanted one or not—and why they needed to make sure the discs could withstand freezing temperatures.] 3 [Arika Okrent, Senior Editor: Sometimes we all need the soothing balm of adorability. Most people get their fix from baby animals, but there are ways to get it from language too. There's no way to walk away from these 15 adorably wunderbar German terms of endearment without appreciating all the schnuckiputzis around you.] 4 [Bess Lovejoy, Staff Editor: One of my favorites was a Show & Tell piece on a caricature of the Chevalier D'Eon, otherwise known as Mademoiselle de Beaumont. D’Eon was a big star in 18th century France and England who served as a diplomat, spy, pamphleteer, and fencer—and who lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman.] 5 [Erika Berlin, Staff Editor: December might be the time of year when holiday carols fill the airwaves, but in 1983, everyone was singing about a “killer thriller” night rather than a “Silent Night.” Why? Because the dancing zombies, teen werewolf, and iconic red leather jacket of Michael Jackson’s classic “Thriller” video—which is now completely synonymous with Halloween—didn’t come out in time for the season of frights. MTV premiered “Thriller" during the first week of December.] 6 [Rebecca O'Connell, Assistant Editor: But really, can you smell the smell out of something?] Food [14 Delicious Latkes From Across the Country] "The O.G." (Napkin Friends, Photo: Hilary Gorenstein) Fun [Harry Potter Bath Bomb Acts Like a Fizzy Sorting Hat] Warner Bros. Fun [Take a Look Inside Radio Shack's 60th Anniversary Catalog (From 1981)] Quizzes [Match the Quote With Its Movie] FUN FACT Despite the name, British observances of Boxing Day involve no fisticuffs. For patricians, however, another sport rules the day: fox hunting. [For more about this, CLICK HERE] Getty Images © 2016 Mental Floss, Inc., All rights reserved. Mental Floss® is a registered trademark owned by Felix Dennis.[mentalfloss.com] is a trademark owned by Felix Dennis. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive notifications from mental_floss magazine and [mentalfloss.com]. Got feedback? We want to hear it! Send your thoughts to [newsletter@mentalfloss.com] Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your [preferences] or [unsubscribe]from this list OUR MAILING ADDRESS IS: Mental Floss Inc. 55 W 39th Street 5th Floor New York, New York 10018 [View this email in your browser] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Instagram] [YouTube]