Latest news with #TLCFoundation
New York Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
We've Embraced Acne and Body Hair. Why Not Bitten Nails?
No matter your algorithmic preferences, if you're scrolling through short-form videos on any social media platform these days, you will most likely encounter manicured hands performing some sort of action. Almond-shaped tips tapping on a microphone A.S.M.R.-style; hyper-realistic press-ons gripping the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz; tiny masterpieces shaped with Gel-X, unboxing serums in slow motion — no matter what they're doing, each nail always appears pristine. Not a single rugged edge or hanging sliver of cuticle skin in sight. You could be forgiven for thinking everyone in the entire world takes meticulous care of their nails. In reality, onychophagia, the clinical term for chronic nail biting, is fairly common. According to the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, up to 30 percent of the general population chronically bites their nails. Still, you'd be hard-pressed to find bitten nails on any red carpet, clutching a luxe bag in a fashion campaign or even just casually displayed holding a drink on your friend's Instagram story. While acne has been destigmatized to some degree by bold stickers, and body hair appears in ads plastered across buses and trains, chewed up fingers have failed to capture that same cache of authenticity. That may be because this form of body-focused repetitive behavior is not just something you have, but something you do. Acne is hormonal. Body hair is biological. But biting your nails? According to Dawnn Karen, M.A., a former psychology professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, that act is behavioral. In theory, a person can outgrow the habit or employ self-discipline to stop it. Nail biting is often viewed as a failure of self-control that is uncomfortable for others to witness. That discomfort is contagious, according to Ms. Karen. 'When someone sees another person biting their nails, it may actually trigger their own anxiety,' she said. Ms. Karen describes it as a form of emotional mirroring, meaning one person's coping mechanism becomes another's source of unease, which could lead them to give in to their nail-biting urges. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CTV News
28-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘A new chapter': Beloved Santa's House moving from London to St. Thomas this Christmas
Santa's House is moving from London to the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas for 2025. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) Santa's House is on the move again. Unable to find a permanent home in London, Leo Larizza, the founder of the house, has worked out an agreement with the Elgin County Railway Museum to bring the holiday landmark to St. Thomas. 'I want to thank London for everything they've done these past ten years because they've been amazing,' said Larizza, who raises funds from Santa's House to help terminally ill and sick children through his TLC Foundation. 072825 - Santa's house, St. Thomas Santa's House has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for terminally ill and sick children. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) 'It's just that we couldn't come up with another home for Santa in London. I don't know why. We raised hundreds of thousands for kids in London, so now it's a new chapter.' The charity operated in Victoria Park for seven years, then has been at the Covent Garden Market for the past three. Now it will be located at the south end of the ECRM. 'We thought it was a great opportunity for the community,' said Will Zufelt, chief operating officer of ECRM. 072825 - Santa's house, St. Thomas The Elgin County Railway Museum will be home to Santa's House in 2025. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) 'Last year we had 350 Christmas trees here. We gave some money back to the Coldest Day of the Year here in town and it's just a great opportunity for businesses to showcase their business. Have the trees up, come in, see the trees and now you're going to see the trees and come see Santa.' Larizza says Zufelt and his team approached him and wanted the house. 'They're behind this 100 per cent and I wanted just for Santa's house to live and to keep going,' said Larizza. 'They do have an amazing Christmas theme where they light up hundreds and hundreds of trees inside their building. This fits with what they do at Christmas. Thousands of people come here now to visit, their festive trees and now thousands more will come and get pictures with Santa.' 072825 - Santa's house, St. Thomas Santa's House will be a perfect compliment to the annual Christmas Tree Spectacular at the Elgin County Railway Museum. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) The plan is to have the house at ECRM for 2025, then search for a permanent location. The dream is to include trains and the rail line. 'We've got bigger plans to bring more people to our community and more tourism for St. Thomas,' said Zufelt. 'We're just going to save those plans for next year. But it's going to happen. Ashley and Lindsey (ECRM staff) are working very hard with the volunteers to make Christmas in 2026 even bigger than 2025, bigger than 2024.' Larizza is excited about this new location, but still feels the best location is in the middle of Victoria Park or Storybook Gardens. 'One or two people complain and say it's an eyesore and the city reacts and says, 'well, we got to get it out of here,'' said Larizza. 'We've got to look at the reason why Santa's house was there to begin with. If their child was sick and we had to take care of them, they would certainly change their views on it being an eyesore. I just think London had its time and now St. Thomas is going to gain something. They've got a big group behind them to make it even more successful.' It's still to be determined how the proceeds from the new location will be distributed.
