Archive for 'Culture'
Happy Birthday!! Posted by heather on Jan 11, 2012
Tomorrow is my birthday. I am quite excited because I will be turning 32, which sounds much better than 31 did. I think it might be the fact that 32 is an even number that makes it sound enticing. So what will I be doing for my birthday? On the day itself I will be…
The Alphabet of Nations Posted by Gabriele on Jan 3, 2012
Here is a fun video that is a great reminder of the English alphabet and also a number of country names in the English language. This is a children’s song by the group They Might Be Giants (TMBG). TMBG is an American alternative rock band that formed in the 1980’s. They are known for their…
Happy New Year! Posted by Gabriele on Jan 1, 2012
How did you celebrate the coming of the new year last night? Another way I could ask that question is: “How did you ring in the new year?” The expression “to ring in” the new year is a modern expression with an old origin. This expression is connected to the aged custom to ring the…
The Holiday of Kwanzaa Posted by Gabriele on Dec 26, 2011
Another holiday of the American “winter holiday season” begins today and that holiday is Kwanzaa. This is a uniquely America holiday that was created to celebrate and honor African-America heritage. Kwanzaa is a week long celebration from December 26 to January 1 each year. This is another holiday (just like Christmas and Hanukkah) that involves…
A Charlie Brown Christmas Posted by Gabriele on Dec 25, 2011
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate! Today is Christmas Day. Christmas is a Christian religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. This holiday is observed by many American, as well as Christians around the world. In the United States, Christmas is a national holiday which means all federal and state offices and many…
The Holiday of Hanukkah Posted by Gabriele on Dec 21, 2011
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we in America consider this time of year (from the end of November to the beginning of January) the “holiday season”. The reason people often call this the “holiday season” and not the “Christmas season” is because there are other religious/cultural holidays celebrated during this time, even though Christmas…
Christmas Cookies Posted by Gabriele on Dec 18, 2011
What would a holiday be without food? In the United States, it wouldn’t be much of a holiday at all, that is for sure. One thing you hear a lot of people talking about during the winter holiday season is all the food they are going to eat. The eating starts off with Thanksgiving and…