The tradition of giving an extra item when selling things by the dozen is what is known as the Baker's Dozen. So why isn't this day Baker's Dozen Day? Shouldn't one Friday the 13th be reserved for this? Well, Friday the 13th isn't consistent every year so maybe that's the reason.
The Baker's Dozen was started in the13th century England where bakers skimped on the size of their baked goods. The King made a declaration of the requirement of 13 to make up the gap. I guess things were sold by weight/size as well as in numbers. So this would have been the original version of shrinkflation.
But alas! There is no Baker's Dozen Day celebrated on a Friday the 13trh. National Donut Day mentions 13 donuts, but no one has taken up the cause of a Baker's Dozen Celebration.
There are lots of references to Baker's Dozen - and there are Bakers Dozen Holiday Festivals - here's one:
"For the second consecutive year, The Norris will present a “Baker’s Dozen Holiday Festival,” featuring 13 daily online episodes, starting December 1 and concluding December 13. As established in last year’s inaugural Baker’s Dozen festival, this year’s edition will feature a variety of local singers, instrumentalists, dancers and actors in brief performances of holiday-themed music, dance and spoken word."
Tree roots are the subject of today's picture. Typically roots at ground level get gnarled like this due to grounds crew lawn mowers and whipper snippers.
