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Birthdays What do Frank Zappa, Benjamin Disraeli, Kurt Waldheim, Joseph Stalin, Heinrich Boll, Jane Fonda and Harley Hahn all have in common? We were all born on the same day (December 21). No matter which day you want to celebrate, there are lots of famous people with the same birthday, and now you can find out who they are and why they are famous. Interesting fact: Philip Gosse (1810-1888) was the inventor of the institutional aquarium. My cat, The Little Nipper (1991-) also likes fish. And they were both born on April 6. Is that cosmic or what? Web:
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Christmas Christmas, as we celebrate it, is a mixture of traditions from a variety of cultures. Traditionally, Christians celebrate the day, December 25, as the birthday of Christ. However, this date was chosen in the fourth century by Pope Julius I, perhaps as a replacement for the pagan festival that celebrated the winter solstice. (There is no direct evidence, even in the Bible, describing the time of the year at which Christ was born.) Even before this time, the midwinter season had been marked by festivals, such as the Romans' Saturnalia, which were known for their merrymaking. Other traditions were developed throughout the years. For example, singing carols (Christmas songs), hanging mistletoe and exchanging gifts are all English traditions; the Christmas tree comes from medieval Germany; and the idea of a jolly Santa Claus was first popularized in 19th century New York City, where the English community adapted him from the Dutch Saint Nicholas. Web:
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Easter Whether your idea of Easter is waking up early to go to church or lying in bed waiting for a bunny to deliver your chocolate egg, the Net can help you celebrate properly. Enjoy learning about the history of Easter and its traditions. You will also find a lot of other enjoyable resources such as special Easter recipes. (My favorite is Scrambled Chocolate Easter Egg.) Web:
Entertainment and Party Ideas Whose bright idea was it to give this party in the first place? You are a nervous wreck. What if nobody comes? What if everybody comes, but nobody has fun? How do you break the ice? The host and hostess are supposed to be cool and graceful under pressure, so before the party check the Net for great ideas on games, get-to-know-you exercises, songs, and other ways to have fun at parties. People will be talking about your party for weeks. Web:
Halloween Halloween, October 31, is a holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada. The principal tradition is for children to wear costumes and go door to door in their neighborhood collecting treats and playing pranks. For older people, Halloween is an excuse to have parties and be as ghoulish as possible. The Net is a great source of ideas for how to celebrate. If you join the mailing list, a month or so before the holiday you will read lots of great ideas to enhance your Halloween experience. Web:
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Hanukkah Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrated in the winter. The purpose of Hanukkah is to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees (a group of ancient Jews) over their oppressors in the year 167 B.C. Hanukkah traditions include lighting candles in a special candleholder called a menorah and enjoying special foods such as, my favorite, latkes (potato pancakes). Web:
Hindu Festivals India, which is largely Hindu, has many different festival days. This is because Hindus worship many different gods, goddesses, saints and gurus. In addition, India is a big country and there are a large number of local and regional celebrations. I have chosen these Web sites to give you an overview of many Hindu festivals. Even if you are not Hindu, I bet you will find it interesting to read about these special days and how they are celebrated. Web:
Holiday Stories 'Twas the night before Christmas (or Halloween or Thanksgiving), and you want a story to read to the family. No problem. When it comes to holiday stories, the Net is more than willing to oblige. Holidays stories are an important part of our culture. They do more than entertain us -- they teach us to appreciate the spirit of a holiday and help us pass on traditions from one generation to the next. Here are some stories to help you make your next holiday a special treat. What could be more memorable than gathering the entire family around the old computer and reading stories aloud? Talk about tradition. Web:
Holiday Suicide Talk and General Discussion Holidays can be stressful and depressing, so it is not surprising that suicides increase during the holiday season. This discussion group is devoted to the problems that lead to being sad while the rest of the world is celebrating. But don't feel you have to be suicidal to participate -- it's okay if you just want to complain. Usenet:
Is There a Santa Claus? Is there really a Santa Claus? Well... sort of, maybe, well... you know. Okay, Santa Claus may not be a real person, but what about as a metaphor? Is the idea of Santa Claus still important and meaningful? About a hundred years ago, a young girl sent a letter to a New York City newspaper, asking whether or not there really was a Santa Claus. The question was answered in an editorial ("...Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus..."), which is trotted out every year at Christmas time in a seasonal fit of nostalgia. I have put the original essay on my Web site, along with my own answer to Virginia. Take a look at both essays, and see what you think. Web:
Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a Black Studies scholar. Kwanzaa is a seven-day festival, celebrated just after Christmas, from December 26 through January 1 (although it is not associated with any religion). Karenga's goal in creating Kwanzaa was to establish a set of traditions that would allow African-Americans to enjoy a festival of their own, firmly based on their cultural heritage. Today, Kwanzaa is growing in popularity and is celebrated not only in the U.S., but around the world. Web:
Pagan Holidays Paganism is a term used to describe a wide variety of spiritual beliefs and customs, loosely based on ancient nature religions, particularly those of ancient Europe. There is no central pagan authority -- practicing pagans more or less do what they want -- however, many pagans celebrate eight special days called the Sabbats. They are Candlemas, Spring Equinox, Beltane, Summer Solstice, Lammas, Autumn Equinox, Halloween and Yule. Web:
Thanksgiving The idea of an autumn celebration in which people give thanks is an ancient custom. After all, for an agricultural people, autumn is the season just after the harvest and if the harvest went well, there is good reason to be thankful. In America, tradition holds that the modern Thanksgiving holiday is descended from a celebration held by the Pilgrims (early settlers) in 1621. In 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday of November to commemorate the feast given by the Pilgrims. In 1939, the head of the Federated Department Stores convinced President Franklin Roosevelt that a longer Christmas shopping season would be good for the economy. The president moved Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November where it has remained ever since. (Note: In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated 11 months after the American holiday, on the second Monday in October.) American Thanksgiving has its own well-defined traditions: food (including turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, potatoes, yams, pumpkin pie and gravy), two days off work, more food, watching football games on TV, more food, local parades, and even more food. The week after Thanksgiving is celebrated by the eating of leftovers. Here are some Thanksgiving-oriented resources to help you enjoy this holiday, including historical notes and the all-important advice on how to cook a turkey. Web:
U.S. Independence Day (Fourth of July) In the United States, Independence Day is one of the four most important American celebrations (the others being New Year's, Christmas and Thanksgiving). Independence Day is celebrated in honor of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, on July 4, 1776. The Declaration begins, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." In recognition of the importance of the pursuit of happiness, American tradition demands that, on the Fourth of July, all able-bodied citizens must participate in three specific activities: (1) flying the American flag, (2) attending a barbecue, and (3) watching a fireworks display. Web:
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, February 14, is the day when we honor that special someone in our life. The tradition of sending romantic gifts and cards is a modern one. The holiday is actually named after St. Valentine who, in the 3rd century A.D., was martyred during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Claudius II. As we celebrate it today, the general idea of Valentine's Day for women is to honor the men who are special in their life with an appropriate gift or pledge of affection. The general idea for men is to try to remember to send something on time so as to not end up like an early Christian martyr. Web:
Weddings Don't let your wedding be a remake of Father of the Bride (or the Bay of Pigs). On the Net you can learn what is proper and what is not. Find out shortcuts from folks who have done this before (or again and again). Topics cover a wide range, such as invitations, RSVPs, dresses, parties, garters, underclothes, and much more. Web:
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World Holiday Guide On the Internet, every day is a holiday. Check right now and find something to celebrate. Today, as I write this, it is Women's Day in South Africa and National Day in Singapore. This resource will come in handy when you need to take a day off. For example, let's say it's November 28 and you don't feel like working. Check with the Net and you will be able to tell your boss, in good conscience, that you just don't feel comfortable working on the Albanian National Holiday. Web:
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