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Pinch, Punch, First Day Of The Month!

Hello Everyone and hello to February too!

‘Pinch punch first day of the month, white rabbit, white rabbit, white rabbit’ and all that! As we launch into the shortest month of the year (albeit one day longer, 2012 being leap year) have you ever stopped to wonder where sayings like these involving bunnies and encouraging us to bruise each other come from? Well in this month's Cracking Ideas newsletter we are going to take a closer look at some of the quirkiness and creative ingenuity of the lingo we lavish in.

Happy Birthday

Talking of language, this time the written sort, the 7 Feb will see the bicentenary of the birth of one of the UK’s most prolific and well known novelists: Charles Dickens. You may know him because of books you read (or are reading) at school or from one of the stage adaptations his work has spawned like ‘Oliver’ but did you also know this 19th Century writer is responsible for sayings in use today such as: ‘Charity begins at home’ and proverbs like ‘A day wasted on others is not wasted on yourself’ and the commonly known line ‘Please Sir, may I have some more?’

You'll Have Us In Stitches!

Strangely enough though Charles Dickens is not responsible for the exclamation ‘What the dickens!’ Used when someone is puzzled or surprised. It was actually William Shakespeare who started the use of that addage along with loads of other lines like ‘All of a sudden’ and ‘For ever and a day,’ as well as 'hot-blooded, In a pickle’ and ‘in stitches!’

A Simply Cracking Idea

Of course not all lines spoken today derive solely from the depths of history. No doubt you’d recognise exactly who said the following: ‘I could just fancy some cheese Lad, what do you say? or 'Cracking good job Gromit!' and 'I do like a bit of Gorgonzola!’ Of course it’s Cracking Ideas ambassadors Wallace & Gromit from their innovative antics in Aardman’s fabulous animated films. If you fancy checking out more of the inventive duo’s sayings take a look at the new ‘Chat-O-Matic’ app for iPhone and iPad and have a crack at some of their famous catchphrases yourself.

Are You Creative?

Nowadays strap-lines and slogans are in common usage in our language all the time and are a powerful marketing tool for the companies which own them. Just think of the word ‘Simples’ and the line ‘The future's bright’ and you’ll know the products I’m talking about straight away. But trade marks aren’t the only way intellectual property can protect the written and spoken word; copyright is a method used by story writers, musicians, script writers and all sorts of creators to protect their work. To find out more about how you can use copyright and other intellectual property rights to look after your creativity check out the IPO’s website or if you want advice that’s tailor made for a younger audience then Cracking Ideas is the ideal place to start. At Cracking Ideas you’ll also find awesome games, fun challenges and a forum for inventive, creative people to get together and talk about which gadgets and gizmos get them going and which innovations inspire them.

Good Luck

Well, that’s about it for this month but there’s just enough space to say we are still taking your Cracking Ideas sporty competition entries. However, the closing date of 30 April is looming so please don't miss the chance to win some of the cracking prizes on offer  and get your cracking sporty ideas into us soon!

Oh, and in case you’re still wondering ‘pinch punch first day of the month’ stems from a superstitious good luck wish first written in print in about 1922. As for first day of the month catchphrases involving rabbits these seem to go back quite a bit further to the 1800’s and were uttered  to ensure  the best of fortune throughout the rest of the month (unless of course you say ‘black rabbit’ by accident in which case it’s bad luck ... but that's another story!) If you can tell us any yarns about about how you’ve used these sayings and catchprases or you can give any more information about them please go to the Cracking Ideas news page or visit our facebook or Twitter pages, we'd love to hear from you.

Meanwhile, regardless of whether we wish it with rabbits or small bruises, have a cracking February everyone, full of creativity and fun.

Cracking regards

Nick Jenkins

The Cracking Ideas Team