The Veal family of Indianapolis has bushes growing near the pond on their property. For every winter since 1961, they have sprayed pond water with food coloring onto the bushes (now an artificial scaffold), encasing them in layers of colored ice. They carve steps into the back so that family members can climb it to trim the ice into the vivid sculpture you see above. You can see photos from this ongoing project on their Instagram page or learn how to visit it in person here.

How does the Veal family manage to create this sculpture? This 2018 local news video illustrates the process after one daring reporter climbs the ice tree to inspect it.

-via Design You Trust

Well, KFC’s gravy has to come from somewhere, right? A one-hour documentary revealed how the company makes their famous gravy. Viewers of the documentary, Inside KFC at Christmas, felt physically sick after finding out the gravy-making process, as the Daily Record details: 

In the show, a worker explained that she makes the gravy by adding two scoops of 'crackling' to 3.5 litres of cold water.

The show's narrator goes on the reveal that the crackling is actually made up of leftovers from the bottom of the chicken fryer.

Before putting the mix into a microwave, a 'magic ingredient' is added - so secretive that it doesn't even say what it is on the packet, reports  Chronicle Live.

After whisking the concoction and putting it in the microwave, the worker declared: "I'm a great believer if you wouldn't eat it yourself you shouldn't expect anyone else to eat it."

Image via the Daily Record 

Every year, the small Scottish town of Newburgh turns a local child's drawing into a Christmas light on public display. For nearly two decades, the town has added a new light to a particular lamppost. BBC News describes the mysterious origins of this project:

The tradition is now in its 19th year, but no-one remembers who started it.

Shona Gray, head of Newburgh Action Group, who organise the lights, told BBC Scotland: "It might have been that there was a teacher from the local school on the committee that year, but no-one remembers.

"All we know is it became an annual competition and all the schoolchildren entered their drawings, with one being chosen to turn into a light." [...]

Shona said: "Lamppost 15 is always the new light. It's opposite St Katherine's Court where we gather for the light switch-on.

You can see more photos at Design Boom.

Photo: Newburgh Action Group

You may have heard at one time or another that honeybees hibernate in the winter. Insects use many different methods to survive cold weather, but bees do not hibernate. The beekeepers at Bell Farm in Iowa explain what they do to stay warm.

In the winter, honeybees cluster together in a ball roughly the size of a basketball. By flexing their wing muscles (the same muscles they use to fly), they are able to generate warmth and hold the cluster at about 85-90 degrees. The bees take turns shifting from the inside to the outside of the cluster so that everyone can stay warm. The queen is always kept at the center of the cluster.

The bees keep track of time passing, and make sure it is even warmer when it's time for the queen bee to start laying eggs. Bored Panda contacted Ellen Bell, who owns Bell Farm, to find out more about honeybees and beekeepers, and how they help each other get through a cold winter.

(Image credit: Bell Farm)

If you’re going to rate how hardcore roller coasters are from a 1 to 10, they are a certified 10. In fact, everything about roller coasters are hardcore, from the design, the experience, and the security measures. And did I mention that roller coasters are hardcore?

Image via Engrish.com

When Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was released last month, people were surprised that the XP boost packs, which were present in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, were nowhere to be found in this game. However, that only seemed to be temporary. Now, over a month since the release of the game, Ubisoft has introduced the controversial microtransactions into it.

The XP boost was controversial in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, not only because players felt microtransactions didn't belong in a full-price single-player title, but due to Odyssey's slow levelling process and level gates. This led some fans to claim the grind was there to deliberately encourage players to buy boost packs.

Speaking to Game Informer, a Ubisoft representative explained why the microtransaction had been added to Valhalla through an update.

"As more and more post-launch content becomes available, we want to give the option to players to advance their progression. Utilities allow players who lack the time to fully explore the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla to be able to acquire the game's best gear, as well as other items, by accelerating their progress. For instance, these players can purchase maps that uncover some interesting locations in the world, but would still have to visit and play them to get their rewards."

What are your thoughts about this one? Do you think the game is a bit unfair to those who can’t afford microtransactions?

(Image Credit: Ubisoft/ Wikipedia)

Smart, charming and playful. These are just some of the reasons why dolphins are one of the most beloved animals. And one of the ways you can show that you love these animals is by drawing them. But how do you do it? My Modern Met provides us with a step-by-step guide on how to draw a dolphin. Check it out over at the site.

(Image Credit: Claudia14/ Pixabay)

Think you got the best ponytail game in town? Think again, for these dogs have it better than you. And when I say better, I mean like ten times better. Don’t believe me? Then check these photos of dogs with ponytails over at Dogs Addict.

(Image Credit: Dogs Addict)

Now here’s a song that’s very easy to learn. And when I say easy, I mean it’s very easy. This song only consists of one word, so it really doesn’t take that much time and effort to master the song. Just give yourself at least 5 seconds. Or even 3 seconds will do.

(Image Credit: Bill Wurtz/ YouTube)

Scotland — The North East Police Division, alongside some folks from North East Wildlife and Animal Rescue Center (or New Arc), responded to a call from a family one afternoon. The family apparently had an unexpected visitor who flew in through an open door in their house. That visitor then perched on a branch of their Christmas tree. The visitor was a sparrowhawk.

New Arc officials said the hawk was examined and determined to not be injured. The bird of prey was released outside.

"The New Arc assisted the Police this afternoon when they apprehended an intruder suspected of stealing X-Mas fairies. After a full body search she was released without charge," the rescue group said in a Facebook post.

The North East Police Division remarked on their post that this was “definitely a change from a partridge on a pear tree.”

I wonder what made the bird go inside the house. What do you think?

(Image Credit: THE NEW ARC/ Facebook)

(Image Credit: North East Police Division/ Facebook)

Why have a burger with a bun when you can have one with none, but with more meat in exchange? From November 20 to December 3, Burger King Japan sold the Extreme Chou (超, meaning “super”, “ultra” or “extreme”) One Pound Beef Burger. The burger, which has four patties and no bun, weighs over 500 grams and over 1,200 kcal.

Those who order the burger will get a sticker that reads, “I did it. Extreme Chou One Pound Beef Burger.”

Would you have ordered this burger?

(Image Credit: Burger King/ YouTube)

An unnamed man in Rio Linda, California, is known to the neighbors for flying around in his powered parachute. On Sunday, he dressed up as Santa Claus and headed out with the aim of delivering candy canes to community children. But instead, he got caught in the overhead power lines!

"A powered parachute lost power on takeoff near a school in Rio Linda, Calif., and then hit and became suspended in power lines around 11:00 a.m. local time (Sunday)," said a spokesperson with the FAA.

Power was shut off to about 200 customers in the Rio Linda area during the rescue, according to Sac Metro Fire.

“Immediately after power was shut off, we were able to move firefighters up into the power line and then lower the pilot — Santa Claus — down to safety,” said Chris Vestal with Sac Metro Fire.

Neither Santa nor anyone else was injured. -via Boing Boing

While every successful singer eventually does a Christmas album, which may have a single, they are mostly cover versions of earlier Christmas hits. And you can’t beat an original. The most familiar, comforting songs of the season come from the 1940s and ‘50s. The reasons for that have to do with the epic changes in how we consume music and entertainment in the middle of the 20th century. After those Christmas classics were introduced and became classics, any new version of the same song just seems unnecessary. -via Digg

Redditor olives4me designed her family's Christmas card to be the encapsulation of 2020. They weren't the only ones who made personalized greeting cards that couldn't be used for any year other than this one. And some were even for sale.

The best 2020 holiday card, courtesy of my brother and sister in law pic.twitter.com/4S72fZjnSJ

— susan rinkunas 🙋🏼‍♀️ (@sueonthetown) December 9, 2020

See 21 of these cards that people sent in remembrance of 2020 at Buzzfeed.