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Christmas and the Single Person
Did you know that more than 47% of US households are headed by
unmarried individuals? The American Association for Single
People projects this figure will continue to rise in the coming
decade. Therefore, if you are single you are not alone. And...
Christmas Decoration Storage - 10 Quick Tips to Save You Time and Money When Storing Decorations
Christmas is busy, fun, exciting, and sentimental. We love it all -- all but the part when we have to clean up and put everything away.
While it may be tempting to just throw everything into boxes and worry about sorting it out next...
How to Survive Christmas? The Results of the Survey Are In
The results of the EIS International Survey are in, and way ahead of the pack is … “Make sure to laugh at least 5 times a day.” Choices in the poll conducted through the “EQ and You” eZine, included: ·Take a vacation this time of year ·Review my...
Make your Christmas Shopping Hassle-free
We all know that e-commerce has improved and changed a lot
especially that the Christmas season is coming. People are
shopping from right to left. Say goodbye to the hassle of the
good old days spent in the crowded malls. Imagine the long...
'Twas The Night Before Liberal Christmas
This poem is in response to the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee and their terrible and awkward sounding
rendition of 'Twas the
Night Before Christmas they have posted on their website.
I present to you:
'Twas the Night...
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The Top 10 Holidays That Are Coming Up Besides Christmas and Thanksgiving
Are you ready for the holidays? Who’s holidays are you ready for? If you’ve got global and multicultural clients and friends as I do, here’s a list to help you get it organized.
1.Eid al-Fitr (Muslim) – lunar, when new moon is sighted, so around November 25 depending upon location
Eid Al-Fitr, or the Celebration of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Money is given to the poor, and to children, and everyone gets a new set of clothing.
2. Saint Nicholas Day (Christian) -- December 6
Popular for centuries esp. in Northern Europe, celebrating Saint Nicholas, a 4th century bishop of the city of Myra (in what is now Turkey), who was known for his kindness and generosity. Good children receive candies, cookies, apples and nuts, while naughty children receive switches or lumps of coal in their shoes.
3. Bodhi Day (Buddhists) – December 8
aka Rohatsu, celebrates the day in 596 BC when the Buddha achieved enlightenment.
4. Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican) -- December 12
One of the most important dates on the Mexican calendar, dedicated to the Mother of all Mexicans.
5. St. Lucia Day (Swedish) -- December 13
Each family awakens a young girl who dresses in a white robe with red ribbon around the waist, and wears a crown of candles on her head. She then brings breakfast to the family -- sweet buns flavored with saffron. The boys (called star boys) wear long white shirts and pointed hats and help carry the sweets. What do you say? God Jul!
6. Hanukkah (Jewish) -- begins December 19
Known also as Festival of Lights, this 8-day, 2,000-year-old holiday celebrates God's glory, an
ancient victory of the Jews over their enemies, and the freedom Jews enjoy today.
7. Winter Solstice (Various) - December 22
Long before Christmas, people celebrated the Winter Solstice on the eve of the shortest day of the year. They burned a Yule log in a great bonfire, danced, sang, hung mistletoe from doorways of their home, and decorated with evergreens. In Iran, the celebration is called Shabe-Yalda. The Chinese call it Dong Shi.
8. Kwanzaa (African American) -- begins December 26
Habari Gani? That's Swahili "What's the News?", the Kwanzaa greeting. Kwanzaa's seven days of celebration focus on seven principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits of the harvest."
9. Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish, Scottish) -- December 26
Way back when, servants had to work on Christmas, but were given the 26th off to visit their families. Their Landlords gave each servant a box with gifts and bonuses, and churches opened their alms boxes for the poor. Nowadays most people have the day off, and visit, go shopping and celebrate.
10. Omisoka (Japanese) -- December 31
The family gathers to get ready to celebrate the new year. They clean house (susu harai), put things in order and decorate. In the evening they have toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles) and then go to temple to make wishes known to buddhist or shintô divinities. At midnight, in all buddhist temples, the bell (bonshô) is rung 108 times to announce the new year.
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