Author: Cortlyn McCarthy

“Eggnog” as a Baby Name? It’s Happened 23 Times in 500 Years

Whether you’re a boy or a girl, you can’t get much more unique and festive than “Eggnog.” Yes, it’s been done.

A site in the U.K. called Find My Past poured through 14 billion historical documents from the past five centuries looking for people with festive holiday-themed names, and this one in particular caught our eye.

At least 23 “Eggnogs” have walked the earth

They found records of at least 23 people in the past 500 years named “Eggnog.” “The Mirror” got their hands on the full list but obviously didn’t have a copy editor take a very close look. Their article says “37,” but the list itself says “23.” (Remember when fact-checkers were a thing?)

Depending on which number you believe, that’s one Eggnog baby every 14 to 22 years over the past five centuries. So come on, people! Take one for the team and name your next kid Eggnog. No one will call child services… probably.

The 20 most common holiday names

Not surprisingly, 23 isn’t enough for “Eggnog” to crack the Top 20. Top honors go to “Ivy,” which is holiday-adjacent at best. (Is Christmas really the first thing you think of when you hear “Ivy”? I think of Wrigley Field… or of that time I went camping and accidentally wiped with the poison variety.)

They found 2.3 million Ivys since the 1500s, and “Angel” is a distant second place. But the list gets more and more fun as you go.

1. Ivy (2,332,758)

2. Angel (652,337)

3. Present (459,150)

4. Holly (452,011)

5. Star (327,747)

6. Wine (311,116)

7. Santa (157,840)

8. Chestnut (141,666)

9. Christmas (131,926)

10. Turkey (27,550)

11. Sleigh (17,843)

12. Pudding (12,022)

13. Crackers (3,711)

14. Reindeer (3,190)

15. Sprout (2,827)

16. Tinsel (2,634)

17. Mistletoe (2,015)

18. Snowman (579)

19. Bauble (293)

20. Nutcracker (284)

Wait, 284 couples have named their child “Nutcracker”? Y’all are nuts. 🤪

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Dec 7-13

Crystal Pepsi, rude texts, and Margot Robbie in a bubble bath. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Willard Scott Retires from the “Today” Show

After 35 years of birthday shout-outs, Willard Scott said goodbye to “Today.” The man who once was Ronald McDonald (seriously) left behind a legacy of smiles, smooches, and Smuckers-sponsored centenarians. He’d already been semi-retired for a quite a while, with Al Roger filling in as the main weatherman on most days since 1996.

Ending Texts with Periods Makes You Sound Rude

A study found ending your texts with a period made you seem cold or angry. Gen Z agreed. Suddenly punctuation became passive-aggressive, and everyone started ending messages like this instead

Texting Makes You Temporarily Deaf

Meanwhile, a separate study found focusing on your phone can actually make you “temporarily deaf.” So if your spouse yells your name while you’re deep in a text thread… you’re not ignoring them, it’s just science.

Crystal Pepsi Comeback

A grassroots movement to resurrect Crystal Pepsi caught fire online in 2015, complete with petitions, hashtags, and an overwhelming amount of communal nostalgia. It actually worked – Pepsi handed out 13,000 six-packs that December, and eventually brought it back for real in the summer of 2016. It hasn’t been offered again nationwide since then.

Facebook’s Most Talked-About Topics of 2015

Before TikTok ruled the world, Facebook was where we debated everything. The site dropped lists of 2015’s most talked-about stars, shows, and athletes – proof we’ve always loved arguing in the comments. Ed Sheeran topped the list of the most talked-about entertainers,“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was #1 among movies, and“Game of Thrones” topped the list of TV shows.

Taylor Swift Is Billboard’s Artist of the Year

Her “1989” album topped their Billboard 200 Albums list that year, and also their Digital Albums list.

YouTube’s Most Viewed Music Videos of 2015

The biggest hits of the year lived on YouTube. The #1 video from the list still sits among YouTube’s all-time most-watched a decade later. “See You Again” by Wiz Kalifa and Charlie Puth racked up 1.2 billion views in 2015. (“Baby Shark” owns the record by an impressively wide margin.)

The 10 Holiday Smells We Love Most

A poll by “Huff Post” and Glad found the Top 10 in order are: Hot chocolate, freshly baked cookies, the smell of a fire, peppermint, apple cider, pine trees, potato latkes (a Hanukkah staple), pie, candles, and gingerbread.

“Walking Dead” Star Bitten by a Fan

Actor Norman Reedus got bit by an over-excited fan at a 2015 convention in New Jersey. He wasn’t hurt and handled it like a champ – dude had some experience in avoiding a serious bite.

“The Big Short” hit theaters across the U.S.

The Adam McKay flick finally helped fans understand the basics of the 2008 financial crisis that wiped out their savings – thanks to a cast of A-listers, fourth-wall breaks, and Margot Robbie explaining subprime loans from a bubble bath.

IRS Agents Told to Start Watching Porn at Work

Here’s a new job title that’s sure to get some raised eyebrows: “Government Porn Watcher.”

Thanks to a recent tax law passed by Congress, IRS agents will start reviewing content on OnlyFans to determine if it qualifies as “pornographic activity” – because if it is, the taxman still gets his cut.

“No Tax on Tips,” But Still Tax on T*ts

The bizarre-sounding assignment comes courtesy of the “No Tax on Tips” law passed over the summer. The law is meant to make things easier on workers who earn tips – and probably weren’t reporting most of them anyway – but it includes one glaring exception: tips for pornographic activity are still taxable. So now, to figure out whether a creator’s tips are tax-free or not, agents are literally being asked to watch the content.

What Counts as “Porn”?

It’s a trickier question than you’d think, because there still isn’t an official definition for what counts as “porn” in this context. So agents might be forced to fall back on the classic line uttered by Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in 1964: “I know it when I see it.” More of a shrug than a legal standard.

OnlyFans Isn’t Just Porn

Not everything on OnlyFans is adult content. There are celebrities, fitness influencers, chefs, and others using the platform without getting naked. But with almost five million creators in the mix, and no clear breakdown of how many are based in the U.S. or posting R-rated material, the IRS has their work cut out for them.

Perfect Job for Perverts?

This strange new responsibility has been making the rounds online, with people joking that the government has officially found a way to turn being a perv into a pension-eligible career.

So if you were thinking your job was weird today, just know there’s someone out there filling out a government form after binge-watching NSFW content for tax purposes.

Oxford’s 2025 Word of the Year Is “Rage Bait”

Oxford English Dictionary just dropped its Word of the Year, and by definition, it’s infuriating.

If you’ve spent more than 10 seconds on any social media app or news site (or in the comments section of either), you’ve experienced it: rage bait.

What is “rage bait”?

Oxford’s definition is “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.” In other words, it’s the reason you can’t scroll through your feed for five minutes without wanting to throw your phone into the sea.

An old term that got trendy

Oxford says use of the term “rage bait” tripled in 2025 even though it’s not exactly new. The first known use dates all the way back to 2002, when someone used it on an internet forum to describe the pure fury of getting tailgated on the highway. That’s right, rage bait existed before Twitter, TikTok, or even Facebook – it just used to happen in traffic instead of on your For You page.

The announcement is rage bait for grammar nerds

Funny enough, the selection of “rage bait” itself has some people enraged. Grammar sticklers are melting down over the fact that Oxford’s “word” of the year is technically two words. (You can almost hear the collective sound of a thousand red pens snapping in half.)

We only have ourselves to blame

Rage bait exists because it works. Social media algorithms thrive on outrage, and nothing spreads faster than a post that makes you mad enough to comment, “You’re an idiot” or “This is why society is doomed.”

Oxford’s team says they chose “rage bait” because it perfectly captures “the public mood and online discourse” this year – which, let’s be honest, has been a chaotic mix of dunking, doomscrolling, and deep sighs.

So the next time you’re tempted to click on a headline that makes your blood pressure spike, remember… “It’s a trap!“

Six Things to Never Leave in Your Car When It’s Freezing

You’d never leave a gallon of milk in your trunk during a July heatwave, right? Well, winter has its own set of car-destroying, mess-making, regret-inducing mistakes.

Leaving the wrong stuff in your car when it’s below freezing can be just as bad – or worse – than when it’s too hot. If your car turns into an accidental walk-in freezer, bad things happen.

Here are six things you should never leave in your car when it’s below freezing.

Aerosol Cans

You know those cans of hairspray, deodorant, or air freshener rolling around your trunk? Yeah, they’re basically little pressurized time bombs in cold weather. Extreme temps can make them explode. Nothing says “good morning” like a can of Febreze blowing up in your backseat.

Canned Food

Bring those groceries in asap! Freezing temps can make the food inside expand, which can cause tiny cracks or even cause the can to swell. That’s how bacteria sneaks in and ruins Taco Tuesday. The USDA says if it looks swollen, toss it. If it doesn’t look swollen, maybe still toss it. Just don’t trust a cold can.

Eggs

Yes, eggs freeze. And no, they don’t bounce back from it. If you leave them in the car after a grocery run and they freeze and crack, they’re no longer safe to eat. Also, egg goo in your back seat is no fun at all.

Electronics

Phones, tablets, laptops – basically your entire digital life – is not a fan of the freeze. Cold weather can make batteries act weird, screens go wonky, and when they warm back up, condensation inside can fry them. So unless you want your iPad to become a very flat, very useless ice cube, bring it in.

Medication

Some medications, like insulin, can become unstable or even useless if they freeze. The rule of thumb with any frozen meds is: don’t guess, just toss – or talk to your pharmacist before you end up with more problems than you started with.

Loved Ones

This should go without saying, but just in case: don’t leave pets, kids, or anyone else in a freezing car, even for “just a sec.” If the idea of sitting in an ice-cold vehicle makes you miserable, don’t subject Grandma or the golden retriever to it. Your car turns into a walk-in freezer with seatbelts faster than you think.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 30-Dec 6

Scott Weiland passes away, a big Salvation Army donation, and an unwanted “Bud Weisser” at Budweiser. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The Top Yahoo Searches of 2015

The top search on Yahoo in 2015 was “Bobbi Kristina Brown” after she tragically passed away that July. Other top searches included “iPhone,” “Caitlyn Jenner,” “Katy Perry’s Super Bowl Halftime sharks,” and the term “man bun.” (Also of note: People were still using Yahoo back then.)

Scott Weiland Is Found Dead on His Tour Bus

Tragic news hit rock fans in early December 2015 when the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman was found dead on his tour bus. The 48-year-old’s long battle with addiction cast a shadow over his career, but his voice defined an era of ‘90s alt-rock.

Someone Left a Check for Half-a-Million Dollars in a Salvation Army Kettle

Talk about holiday spirit! A Salvation Army worker in Minnesota opened a red kettle to find a $500,000 cashier’s check inside. The anonymous couple instantly made it one of the largest single kettle donations ever.

The Most Streamed Artists on Spotify in 2015

Spotify crowned Drake the most-streamed artist of 2015, with over 1.8 billion streams. The top female artist was Rihanna, the #1 song was “Lean On” by Major Lazer, and the top-streamed album was “Beauty Behind the Madness” by The Weeknd.

Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Songs of 2015

“Rolling Stone” released its Top 50 Songs of the year, with “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd taking the top spot, followed by “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap and “Hotline Bling” by Drake.

“Bud Weisser” Caught Trespassing at Budweiser Brewery

You can’t make this up: 19-year-old Bud Weisser was arrested for trespassing at a Budweiser brewery in St. Louis. Police said he refused to leave – perhaps feeling entitled by name alone. Internet headline writers thanked him for the gift.

Baby Names Inspired by Instagram Filters and “Empire” Characters

BabyCenter.com released a report on baby naming trends for 2015. Some of the trendiest names were based on Instagram filters like Lux and Valencia,“Empire” characters like Dre and Lucious, and royalty like Duchess and Sultan.

“Boomerang Gifts” Go Viral

A “boomerang gift” is when you give someone something you’ll enjoy too – like a Netflix subscription, concert tickets, or a fancy blender you’ll “borrow.” It’s half-thoughtful, half-selfish.

The Most Shocking Celebrity Break-Ups of 2015

The “E! News” round-up included Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner, Mandy Moore & Ryan Adams, Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert, Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale, Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick… and Kermit & Miss Piggy. The on-and-off Muppet couple had released a joint statement that August announcing the split.

A New Shopping Channel That Only Sells Guns

Move over QVC – 2015 introduced GunTV, a shopping network dedicated solely to firearms. It sparked instant controversy when it was announced that December. It launched in April 2026 but missed its mark and shut down just nine months later.

Is It Possible to Eat So Much on Thanksgiving, Your Stomach Explodes?

It’s the annual battle between your willpower and your waistband. Every Thanksgiving, Americans load up on stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, pie, and more… and then go back for seconds.

With the average person scarfing down 3,000 calories and a stick of butter in one meal, you might start to wonder: could you actually eat so much your stomach explodes?

Short answer? Yes… technically. Long answer? You’re probably safe, unless you’re also snacking on forks.

“Gastrointestinal perforation”

A gastrointestinal perforation (the fancy medical term for a “burst gut”) is a real and very serious thing. But according to experts, it almost never happens just from overeating. More common culprits are things like swallowing sharp objects, ingesting harmful chemicals, or certain serious illnesses.

Your stomach is tougher than you think

Your stomach is built to take a beating. Its muscular walls are thick and stretchable, and the human body has a few built-in safety features that kick in when you’ve pushed things too far. Chief among them: vomiting. Basically, if your stomach’s too full to handle another bite, it’ll usually toss in the towel and toss everything else out with it.

What’s more likely to happen

So if you go too hard on the pumpkin pie, you’re far more likely to end up with indigestion, heartburn, or a case of the food sweats than an actual internal explosion. Still, good reasons to pace yourself.

So this Thanksgiving, enjoy the meal and even seconds. Just maybe leave a little room for your dignity. And pie. Always pie.

47% Would Sit at the Kids’ Table to Avoid the Adults

Thanksgiving is supposed to be about gratitude, family, and stretchy pants. But if you’ve ever survived one of those dinners that goes from cranberry sauce to crisis in 20 minutes flat, you already know: it’s not the turkey that gets roasted the hardest.

A poll commissioned by St. Francis Winery revealed that nearly half of Americans (47%) would be open to sitting at the kids’ table to avoid enduring another grown-up food fight over hot topics.

Millennials were especially eager to dodge the drama, with 62% saying they’d happily swap chairs with the juice-box crowd.

So, what exactly are we all trying to avoid this year? According to the survey, here are the top 10 conversation landmines that can turn your gravy boat into a sinking ship:

  1. Politics: No surprise here. Nothing like a heated debate about the Electoral College to ruin the mashed potatoes.
  2. Money: “So, how much are you making now?” is not the vibe.
  3. Appearance or Weight: Don’t be the person who says, “Oh, more stuffing, huh?” (Looking at you, Grandma.)
  4. Religion: Keep the faith talk light or off the table altogether.
  5. Exes: Wondering why your nephew’s girlfriend didn’t come this year? Maybe don’t bring it up unless you want to see him cry.
  6. Mental Health: Important, yes. But on Thanksgiving, nothing’s more important than stuffing and pie.
  7. Career Woes: Let them enjoy their sweet potatoes in peace. No need to remind them they just got laid off.
  8. Personal Struggles: Same goes for any tough life updates. Thanksgiving isn’t a therapy session.
  9. Relationship Status: Wanna make things uncomfortable? Just ask that couple who’ve been dating for eight years, “So, when are you getting married?”
  10. Absent Family Members: Talking smack about relatives who aren’t there is a fast track to arguments and awkward silences.

There’s plenty of other stuff to talk about without making things cringe. So pour the wine, pass the rolls, and stick to safe topics like football, pie, or how wild it is that cranberry sauce still comes in a can.

So, maybe take a cue from the kids’ table this year. Sure, the four-year-old is eating with her hands… but at least she didn’t bring up inflation.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 23-29

Reese’s Poop, crotchless “Golden Girls” undies, and Kobe Bryant retires. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Do Reese’s “Christmas Trees” Look Like Poop?

Reese’s Christmas Trees went viral on social media after someone (correctly) pointed out that the definition wasn’t always there… so they often looked more like festive little turds. Reese’s had been selling them since 1993, so it wasn’t exactly a new issue. But the internet roasted the chocolate blobs so hard, you could almost smell the peanut butter. 💩

Kobe Bryant announces retirement in a poem

Kobe didn’t just say goodbye—he rhymed it. The Black Mamba announced his retirement with a heartfelt poem that made fans cry, teammates cheer, and English teachers proud. It was part farewell, part Shakespeare. Kobe retired at the end of the 2015-2016 season. He was tragically killed four years later in a helicopter crash just north of L.A., along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

“Gremlins 3” rumors take off

Zach Galligan – who played Billy Peltzer in “Gremlins” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” – said the long-awaited third installment would not be a remake. There had been reports a year earlier that the movie was being “fast-tracked.” But a decade later, we’re still waiting. It’s now slated to hit theaters in 2027.

Ringo Starr’s personal copy of “The White Album” goes up for auction

It was stamped with “No.0000001” and was expected to sell for up to $60,000. It instead sold for a whopping $790,000. That’s a lot of money for something you can also stream for free. Peace, love, and deep pockets.

“Golden Girls” lingerie line includes crotchless Blanche panties

Because 2015 was wild: someone released Golden Girls underwear. An Etsy shop started selling granny underwear with images of the “Golden Girls” on the front. The ones with Dorothy’s face on the front were low rise… Sophia’s were high-waisted… Rose’s were sheer… and Blanche’s were crotchless. Eap pair cost $45 and were the perfect way to say, “Thank you for being a freaky friend.”

Police get called to domestic disturbance, but it’s just a man afraid of spiders

Police in Australia responded to reports of a woman screaming and a guy yelling, “I’m going to kill you.” But it turned out he was alone and had just seen a big spider. He was screaming while chasing it around to kill it.

Santa steals a helicopter in Brazil

Ho-ho-holy crap! A man in Brazil dressed as Santa hijacked a helicopter and vanished. Forget the sleigh and reindeer – this Kris Kringle apparently wanted his own whirlybird. Somewhere, the Grinch was impressed.

Woman’s murder plot foiled by bad spelling

A woman in London poisoned her husband with antifreeze and forged a note saying he didn’t want to be resuscitated. She was caught because she misspelled the word “dignity” as “dignerty.” Cops matched the misspelling to other samples of the woman’s writing. She got 15 years in jail for attempted murder. Her husband survived.

Darth Vader robs convenience store

A guy dressed as Darth Vader tried to rob a convenience store in Florida but was taken down by an unexpected weapon: blue cheese dressing. The clerk hurled it at him, and that was enough to scare off the Dark Lord.

Adele breaks NSYNC’s single-week sales record

Her album “25” sold 2.43 million copies in the U.S. in just four days, breaking the boy band’s single-week sales record of 2.41 million for “No Strings Attached” in 2000. She’d eventually hit 3.38 million sold, aided (in a big way) by the fact that her album was withheld from streaming services for the first 7 months after it was released. Her record stood for a decade until Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” hit 3.48 million in 2025.

Half of Us Have “Revenge Quit” a Job

If you’ve ever fantasized about telling your boss to shove it and walking out mid-shift, you’re not alone – and many of us have actually done it.

According to a new poll from Monster, revenge quitting – quitting without notice as an act of frustration or vengeance – is surprisingly common.

Almost half of us have done it before

47% of workers say they’ve done it at some point in their life. And it’s not just a personal rebellion; 57% say they’ve witnessed a coworker do it too.

Why we “revenge quit”

The top reason people gave for going full scorched-earth on their job? A toxic work environment. Poor management and feeling undervalued were also high on the list. Basically, if your office feels like a daily test of patience, you’re more likely to bail without a heads-up. (aka, no two-weeks notice)

Bad bosses partly to blame

Interestingly, nearly half (46%) of those who revenge quit said they might have stuck it out if they’d had a different boss. So yes, a good boss really can make or break a workplace.

But while revenge quitting might sound like something out of a workplace comedy, it’s often more calculated than it seems. Over half of the people surveyed admitted they mentally checked out at least six months before making their exit. One in five people said they’d fantasized about quitting for over two years before they finally pulled the plug.

In contrast to rage quitting, which is often an in-the-moment emotional explosion, revenge quitting can simmer in the background for months (or years) before someone finally walks out.

Either way, flipping the bird on your way out the door sure sounds fun, right?

An illustration of group of business people towards giant exit word
Exit mobile version