Category Archives: Holidays

The World’s Most Magical Christmas Villages to Visit This Year

Carolers, hot chocolate, holiday decorations galore…celebrating Christmas is an art form, and these small towns have perfected it, spreading cheer every December. A Santa in the square? Child’s play. Here, villages turn storybook Christmases straight out of a Dickens novel into reality, taking celebrations to the next level in the form of parades, unique trees, miles of ornate lighting displays, pageants, and enough chestnuts and cocoa to send the elves into hibernation. If you want to feel like you’re stepping inside your favorite magical holiday flick, visit one of these best Christmas villages and towns in the U.S., Germany, and around the world.

Slovan, California

In the Santa Ynez Mountains outside Santa Barbara, this tiny Danish village celebrates Christmas with ample cheer during its annual Julefest. Events include the Skål Stroll Wine and Beer Walk, candlelight tours, a nativity pageant, a holiday concert, and the Julefest parade. Keep an eye peeled for the Jule Nisse: festive gnomes with clues leading toward holiday prizes.

Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

The Swiss town of Bad Ragaz kicks off its yearly Christmas season in late November with a ceremonial Festival of Lights, illuminating the 131-foot-tall sequoia tree on the lawn of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz—supposedly the tallest living Christmas tree in Europe. Other events hosted at the picturesque village’s Grand Resort include several Christmas markets, multiple concerts, dinners, parties, and processions, and a Russian Christmas gala.

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Franklin Tennessee

Aarhus, Denmark

Denmark’s second-largest city, the quaint destination of Aarhus, is a Christmas dream. The town boasts thousands of lights on its “Strøget” high street, with delights including a Christmas market selling Danish specialties, the exterior of department store Salling wrapped up like a gift, Christmas tree-lined streets in the Latin Quarter, and a panorama of Danish Christmas throughout the ages at The Old Town Museum, Den Gamle By.

Williamsburg, Virginia

Calling itself the Best Christmas Town in America, Colonial Williamsburg particularly shines at Christmastime. Traditions abound, such as caroling by torchlight, a gun-salute display, and every home in the historic area lighting a candle in their windows—dating back to the days of the Founding Fathers. As far as lights, the area can’t be beat, with Busch Gardens donning 10 million lights for the largest display in North America. And the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Market Square is a must.

Colmar, France

A quaint Alsatian village close to the German border, Colmar is reportedly one of the locales that inspired Belle’s town in Beauty and the Beast. Indeed, the fairy-tale aspect of Colmar comes to life during the holidays, with five Christmas markets, an endless array of twinkling lights, carolers, a roller coaster, carousel, and ice-skating rink.

Alexandria, Virginia

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

A meticulously-preserved walled medieval town in Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber boasts a centuries old Christmas market well-worth the trip to its cobblestone streets. (Incredibly, this used to be Germany’s second largest city.) Revelers can find treats like mulled wine, grilled sausage, roast chestnuts, or an original Rothenburg Snowball fried dough pastry, while other highlights include a German Christmas Museum. The market kicks off every year with the appearance of the “Rothenburger Riders,” horsemen who—while formerly scary—are now believed to be messengers of good news

Santa Claus, Indiana

With a name like Santa Claus, how could this small Indiana town not be full of seasonal tidings? Celebrations include the annual Christmas parade, a Santa Claus Arts & Crafts Show, Santa’s Candy Castle for elven chats, a German-inspired Das Nikolaus Fest, and the Santa Claus Museum & Village, where children can write letters to St. Nick. (PS: letters postmarked by December 20th will receive a response, too!)

Mont Tremblant, Quebec

At Christmastime, Canada’s pedestrian village Mont Tremblant turns into a winter wonderland, complete with skiing, tubing, dog sledding, and horse-drawn sleighs. Toufou, the town mascot, greets visitors who come for events such as the holiday parade, Lumberjack Day, concerts and entertainment from the Grelot Family elves, and generational storytelling on Legends Day.

Branson, Missouri

It’s no wonder Branson is known as America’s Christmas Tree City: this is a town that does Christmas proud. Over 6.5 million lights sparkle in Branson every festive season, with other highlights including more than 1000 Christmas trees, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, a drive-through lights display, Living Nativity petting zoo, and the Christmas celebration at Silver Dollar City with its nightly lights display and Christmas festival.

Coburg, Germany

The hometown of Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert—who reportedly introduced the Christmas tree and other German festive customs to England—the Bavarian city of Coburg comes alive at Christmastime with its traditional Christmas Market, candlelight parade led by the Coburg Children’s Choir, and Christmas decorations aplenty. Revelers can also enjoy treats like spiced wine, mulled beer, and Lebkuchen, a baked German gingerbread treat, as well as enjoy horse and carriage rides around the charming town.

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Winchester, England

This medieval city features one of England’s biggest and most charming German-inspired Christmas markets with more than one hundred wooden chalets. Seasonal bright spots include the outdoor skating rink, British Crafts Village complete with nativity scene; festive food like bratwurst, minced pies and mulled wine; family carols at Winchester Cathedral; an annual Lantern Parade; and a charitable Santa Fun Run.

Riverside, California

Montreux, Switzerland

The small Swiss town of Montreux features a legendary Christmas Market overlooking Lac Léman, with more than 160 chalet stalls, crafts, mulled wine, local delicacies, live music, artisan gifts, and numerous restaurants. Children and adults alike can enjoy the Lumberjack Village, catch sight of Santa on his flying sleigh, ride the Big Ferris Wheel, visits elves in the Place du Marche (otherwise known as Elves Square), and even take a cogwheel train up the Rochers-de-Naye mountain to Santa’s House. Nearby, the medieval fortress of Chillon Castle provides even more festive delights.

Bath, England

The Georgian spa town of Bath transforms into a winter wonderland at Christmas, complete with annual Bath Christmas market featuring more than 150 chalets, an ice rink, Victorian carousel, parties, wreath-making workshops, festive train rides, visits from Santa, and more. Don’t forget to check out the Christmas Tree Carol Trail to enjoy each of ten trees decorated in the style of a classic Christmas song.

North Pole, Alaska

Freiburg, Germany

As the unofficial capital of southwest Germany’s Black Forest, the town of Freiburg features Christmas charm aplenty. Its traditional and undeniably quaint Christmas market offers crafts, gifts, seasonal nibbles and drinks from more than 130 stalls, while other must-dos include a life-sized wooden nativity and daily advent services at St. Martin’s Church.

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New Year’s Resolutions

Have you kept to your new year’s resolutions? Sadly most of us haven’t, and many of us have given up trying. But why is this? Are you going to wait another 12 months before you try again? Many people give up if they fail once. You are putting unreasonable pressure on yourself if you do this.

In one of the British Heart Foundation publications I came across a lovely phrase: ” A lapse is not a collapse”. In other words, because you’ve failed once, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed completely. Sometimes you have to fail several (or even many) times before you succeed. Thomas Edison said: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” It is said that Edison was asked how he could bear to have so many failed experiments, and he said: “I’ve learnt 700 ways not to make a light bulb.” I’m not sure if this story is true, but it really shows graphically the power of positive persistence.

So, pick yourself up and try again, but before you do – think again. Think about the goal you’ve set yourself, and ask yourself some questions: Is it worth achieving? Is this the best way to achieve it? Do I need help from others to achieve my goal? Should I break a big goal down into several smaller goals? Have I set myself too many goals?

Then be persistent and tenacious. Louis Pasteur said: “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity”.

Make 2020 a year when you got closer to the person you could be:

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.” Barbara Kingsolver

Apparently a baby falls at least 1500 whilst learning to walk. Now that’s an interesting thought – think of all those things that we would have never learnt as babies if we’d given up as easily as we do now!

Presidents’ day

The birthday of the George Washington is one of the most important day in the history of the United States when a great thinker came to earth and gave us all a prosperous lifestyle

Among most of the important federal holidays in the USA, the most reputed and welcomed federal holiday is the President’s Day which is absolutely wonderful as it not only give us the time to remember the founders of the country we live in now, but also to enjoy a great time with our dear ones on an extended weekend. Every year, thousands of tourists and natives enjoy this enthralling federal holiday with great pomp and show and get delighted by the superlative celebrations across the city. So, with this article, we are walking you through the entire concept, celebration and various observations of the Presidents Day celebrated in the USA:

1.-History

Presidents Day is known among the most prestigious federal holidays that came into existence in 1879 on the birth anniversary of the George Washington who was born on February 11, 1731 (as per the documents). The act of Congress has made it an official event and was announced as the Washington’s Birthday initially. After spreading the call, the event became a national phenomenon which was once isolated in the capital Washington D.C. only. Although, the federal holiday is observed differently with different titles and dates, the event is known as the birth day of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and all the other former and current presidents.

2.-Observation

Till the end of 1980s, the festival was an isolated government event, but after the the 1980s, the event became an annual celebration which was observed in a different way in every state of the USA. Despite being an honoring federal holiday at first place to honor the thinking and hard work of the George Washington, Presidents Day started to be observed to felicitate the hard work of other presidents since the independence till the current working president of the United States. The Presidents Day is now observed on the third Monday of February and falls between 15th till 21st of February every year.

3.-Variations

Being a widely celebrated federal holiday, Presidents Day is observed in different names and has different various for most of the states in the USA. The spellings and titles have been the main contributing factor that has made it same yet differently observed festival. For an example, Presidents’ Day is used in New Mexico, Dakota, Vermont, Hawaii, Washington and many more states. Whereas, President’s Day is used in Alaska, Nebraska, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming and a few more states of the USA. There are a few states that use the title Washington’s Birthday, Lincoln’s Day, George Washington Day, Thomas Jefferson Birthday, Washington and Lincoln Day and more in various states of the USA.

4.-Celebration

The celebration of one of the most promising, patriotic and famous federal holiday of Presidents Day is quite unique and similar across the USA where people indulge themselves in various sorts of events organized throughout the plateau of the USA. This includes but doesn’t limit to Farewell Address speech, parade, concerts, memorial ceremonies, light shows, patriotic stage shows and a lot more. This day is commonly considered as an occasion of an extended weekend. Hence, people love to explore their interests and travel across the world for a magnificent getaway experience as many public and private sector industries observe this day as a holiday.

Presidents Day is arguably one of the biggest federal holidays both by terms of celebration and the relevance in the USA. Though many of us find it a time which is given to us as an extended holiday and plan to fly away from home for vacations. However, the reducing knowledge among the next generation has made it less interesting. Still, there are a number of places that make the events grand on the occasion of Presidents Day. So, if you too feel like being a patriot for some time, Presidents Day will be a perfect excuse for you to remember the works that were done by the country’s leaders and broad thinking which has made our nation worth living.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Williams is a travel writer and loves to share her travel stories.

<<Famous Quotes by U.S Presidents>>

I would rather belong to a poor nation that was free than to a rich nation that had ceased to be in love with liberty.
– Woodrow Wilson

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.
– Barack Obama

Think about every problem, every challenge, we face. The solution to each starts with education.
– George H.W. Bush

Saint Patrick

Legend and Celebrations :

Saint Patrick’s day is a religious feast festival of Catholic Christians having its roots in Ireland with the celebrations gaining significance in other countries, particularly America and Britain. Just like St. Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day (i.e, 17th March) commemorates the demise of the revered patronized Irish saint St. Patrick. So, what is the legend behind St. Patrick which led to the association of a festival in his name and how is the day celebrated ?

The story goes like this…

Originally born (in later half of fourth century) to Roman parents in Scotland or Roman England (there are conflicting opinions regarding the place of birth), he was previously known by the name Maewyn Succat. He was given a Romanticized name Patricius leading to him being known as Patrick.

Patrick was originally a pagan ( a non-believer of Christianity ). During his childhood, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave to the Celtic Druids who then ruled Ireland. It was during that stage of life that his attitude and beliefs towards God started changing. After six years, he escaped from slavery when he dream of God giving him instructions for the same. He was taught priesthood in France. When he became a bishop, he again dream of Irish people calling him and requiring his services.

So, he returned to Ireland with firm belief of converting pagans to Christians. Despite being arrested by the Celtic Druids several times, he always managed to escape and was not deterred. He actively baptized and preached Christianity. He even used diplomacy like gifting people in king lets and gifting lawgivers. For 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion.

How is the Patrick’s day celebrated ?

As a part of the celebration, Many Irish people wear a bunch of shamrock on their lapels or caps on St. Patrick’s Day, while children wear tricolored (green, white and orange) badges. Girls traditionally wore green ribbons in their hair (many still do).

A three-leafed Shamrock clover was used by St. Patrick to represent the trinity, like father, son and holy spirit; also shamrock was considered lucky by Irish people. The shamrock was used by the Irish as a mark of nationalism when the English invaded the Celtics. Thus a shamrock is given lot of reverence in Ireland. Leprechauns or Irish fairy people are also associated with St. Patrick’s festival. In Irish mythology, a leprechaun is a type of elf said to inhabit the island of Ireland.

In recent times, the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Dublin have been extended to a week-long event called St. Patrick’s Festival, encompassing a spectacular fireworks display (Sky-fest), open-air music, street theater and the traditional parade. Over one million people attended the celebrations in 2004.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide by the Irish and those of Irish descent. A major parade takes place in Dublin and in most other Irish towns and villages. The three largest parades of recent years have been held in Dublin, New York and Birmingham England. Parades also take place in other centers, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and throughout the Americas.

In the United States, St. Patrick’s Day would not be St. Patrick’s Day unless the Chicago River is dyed green. Also, St. Paddy’s Day has little religious or historical significance. Established in Boston in 1737, it is essentially a time to put on a “Kiss Me I’m Irish” button, and parade drunken through the streets singing a mangled version of “Danny Boy” in celebration of one’s real or imagined Irish ancestry.

Thus in a nutshell, it can be seen that the legends revolving around St Patrick have been inseparably combined with the facts. The day invariably evokes the “I am Irish” sentiments along with patronizing St. Patrick for his services towards Ireland. And together they have helped us know much about the Saint and the spirit behind celebration of the day.

“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.”
Irish Blessing

Martin Luther King Jr

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was born on January 15th 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia and was christened Michael Luther King Jr, but later changed his first name to Martin. Dr King’s family has had a very long relationship with the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, with Martin’s maternal grandfather serving as a pastor from 1914 to 1931. Thereafter his father following in the family tradition, took over from his father-in-law and officiated as the pastor from 1931 until his death in 1984.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr also served as a co-pastor along with his father, but due to his political work, was away from the Atlanta church most of the time, as it was during this time that the United States had very different society to what it is today, with the blacks and whites being segregated on the road, at grocery lines, buses, schools and almost everywhere.
The brunt of this segregation was directed at the blacks who were denied their basic civil rights as an equal partner in American society and this prompted Martin Luther King Jr to rise against the injustice, to lead in protest wherever discrimination was evident, of which there were many such instances, through his Civil Rights Movement that he formed to the consternation of the American Administration.
Martin Luther King Jr’s Civil Rights Movement which began in the mid 1950’s took the United States Administration by surprise initially due to the sheer amount of people he was able to congregate at any place, just to listen to him speak and his famous crowd inspiring speech where he said “I have a dream” took the cake and from that time onward there was no stopping him or the American Civil Rights Movement.
The United States Administration had to relent, and his efforts bore fruit when the United States of America enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 both of which broke the manacles that had kept the American blacks subjugated and sidelined in their own society.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on April 4th 1968 when he stepped out onto his hotel room balcony in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray, who according to the FBI had acted alone.
After his assassination there was popular agitation to recognize what he had achieved, not only for the black community in the United States but to all Americans to hold their heads high and walk as a proud nation and not as a country where one section of the populace discriminated against the other. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the Executive order declaring that every third Monday of January would be commemorated as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day or officially as the Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr, and also decreed that it would be a Federal holiday and that was a fitting accolade bestowed on an icon of American society, whose life story is unique in many ways.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. —
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thanksgiving

Each year America has a holiday in November that has taken on almost a religious reverence which we call Thanksgiving. We give this holiday so much honor that it ranks with us along with Christmas and Easter as an important holiday in the hearts of family and as a nation. But this holiday, so rich with tradition, has it origins in the earliest days of the founding of this nation.

The early years of the explorers to come to the American continent were difficult ones indeed. Those explorers, we now call The Pilgrims, faced harsh weather, unpredictable relations with the natives, disease and other challenges as they carved out homes from the wilderness they found here. Because their earliest homestead were in the northeast, the winters were harsh and their ability to build houses that could keep them warm and to find sufficient food was a constant worry to the men and women trying to raises families in America.

So anytime they received help from the native population, it was viewed as a gift from God and accepted with the greatest of joy and celebration. A Native American chief by the name of Squanto saw the plight of these new neighbors and saw to it his tribe helped these young families to survive. Besides providing food and wisdom about how to build structures that could keep them safe in the winter, Squanto taught them to fish, how to prepare eel and other strange sea creatures they harvested and how to farm.

This act of friendship was the origin of our revered holiday of Thanksgiving. The Virginia Colony established the tradition of holding a day of collective prayers of thanksgiving, and that tradition continues today. Except it is not just a day of thanksgiving for the kindness and generosity of Squanto to our forefathers. We take advantage of this day of reverence and thanksgiving to be grateful for all the good things that God has blessed this nation with.

The foods we use to celebrate Thanksgiving were ones that the pilgrim travelers found native to this country and the foods that, with the help of Native American teachers, they learned to capture, harvest and prepare to feed their families and prosper in their new home. Turkey was a game foul that was in ample supply to the pilgrims once Squanto showed them how to hurt the bird with reliable success.

The vegetables we love to have on our traditional menus also had their origins in the early lives of the pilgrims. Potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes, green beans and all the rest were vegetables that the pilgrims had to learn to harvest, farm and prepare from natives of the land. So in many ways, our modern holiday, despite the dominance of football games and the upcoming Christmas holiday, retains the atmosphere of those early celebrations.

And the meaning of the holiday, despite commercialization, has been retained. Americans have much to be thankful for. The abundance of the land, the health of the most prosperous economy on earth and a society that is free and able to encourage freedom in other cultures are just a few of the things we celebrate at this holiday time. But for most of us, it is a time to gather family and friends near and be thankful to God for our health, for the blessings of jobs and for the privilege all Americans share to be able to live in the greatest nation on earth where opportunity is ample that any of us can make it and do well if we work hard at our chosen area of expertise. And these are things truly worthy of giving thanks for.

have sooo many things to thank God for, but I’m mostly thankful for my lovely family, my life, my friends, my health, the sacrifices others have made for my freedom in the country I live in, and true connection with people and surroundings ( the last one is a gift)…

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”
― W. T. Purkiser ―

Halloween

Halloween has long been a favorite holiday. For decades, little ones have dressed up in their costumes on Halloween night to go door to door throughout the neighborhood begging candy from their neighbors.

Unfortunately, Halloween is not as safe as it once was. Running around after dark leaves children vulnerable to accidents and malice. While mom and dad might have been able to accept the homemade cookies from the lady two streets over, now they have to examine their children’s treats for needles and razor blades. And those who have corrupted the fun of Halloween to a night for malice and mischief have left some parents hesitant to send their little ones out at all.

However, with a few precautions, you can make sure that the Halloween spirit lives on for at least one more generation.

Stay close

You might remember going trick or treating with a group of friends while mom and dad stayed home to pass out treats. However, in today’s changing society, it is simply not a good idea. Stay close to children at all times, particularly younger ones, and make sure that everyone stays within view while trick or treating. If taking out a large group, have children choose a Halloween “buddy” to stay with the entire time.

Set rules

There will be less dissension in the ranks if you set up the rules for Halloween night ahead of time. Make sure your children know before you head out what is acceptable and what isn’t. This includes curfews, how far they can go trick or treating, rules about eating treats, etc.

Be visible

While the neighborhoods will be swarming with children out trick or treating, many drivers may not take the extra precautions while driving and will continue to cruise through at normal speeds. To make sure your child is visible to drivers, look for costumes that reflect the light or have your child carry glowsticks or flashlights when trick or treating.

Check the treats

Sadly, you will want to wait to get home to eat any of the treats because you will want to inspect them first. Discard any treats that are unwrapped or whose wrappers have been damaged. Look carefully for anything out of the ordinary. Avoid any homemade treats unless you personally know the person that made them – and then be careful if your child has any allergies.

Be a watchdog

While Halloween is known for costumes and candy, in more recent years it has also started attracting a crowd with more malicious intents. While some may limit their mischief to covering trees in toilet paper or smashing pumpkins, others can do even more vandalism and damage. And with so many children running around, many being only loosely supervised, there are plenty of opportunities for child predators to take advantage of the situation. Keep an eye out on the neighborhood, and report any suspicious activities to police.

If you plan for Halloween and set up some ground rules, you can help ensure that everyone has a wonderful holiday. That way, Halloween can continue to be enjoyed by children everywhere.

“Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue.”
– Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow (1999)–

Abraham Lincoln

e would like to think all of our presidents of the United States were truly great men and to be sure, just handling the awesome responsibility of the presidency takes a special kind of individual. One of the unique and great things about the system of government in America is the concept of citizen leadership. This is the idea of an ordinary citizen rising up and becoming president for a while and then returning to private life.

But of the handful of men who have held that office, a few have stood out for their great achievements and leadership in a time that changed the country for ever. And one of these truly great presidents was Abraham Lincoln. Probably more than any other president, Lincoln had to handle an internal civil war that was far more than shouting and name calling. This was a dispute that could have torn the country in half and starting a rupturing that could have resulted in dozens of small weak independent states instead of the powerful nation we know as America today.

It was Lincoln’s leadership, his commitment to values and his strong moral fiber that made it possible for America to find its way through that war and then to begin the healing process that would eventually lead the nation back to unity once again. Lincoln’s term of service from 1860 until his death was one of considerable challenge. If he only had the problem of dealing with the attempt by the south to succeed from the union and his ability to keep those states as part of the American national territory, he would be lauded as a great American indeed.

One of the little known leadership styles that Lincoln used to his advantage in the organization of his presidency was his appointment of talented national figures from opposing political parties to be part of his cabinet. Lincoln felt that he needed to have close advisors from the opposing viewpoint to keep from having his presidency become insulated from the American people and one sided. By gathering members of the “loyal opposition” into his trusted inner circle, Lincoln was always aware of both sides of every issue which made him a stronger leader.

But that is not even his greatest accomplishment or the one that we remember him for the most. His bold and unchanging opposition to slavery is without any doubt his greatest contribution to the history of America and indeed to world history as well. When he was willing to put everything on the line to stop this barbaric social sin, Lincoln made a stand, against the popular opinion of the time in many cases that he would be the figure to bring slavery to an end.

It was not a stand that came without cost. The civil war was one of the bloodiest and costliest in the nation’s history if for no other reason than all casualties; on both sides were casualties of America. It would take many decades for the ravages of that horrible war to be repaired. The schism between north and south continued for decades and is still a part of our national personality in this country.

But the end result was what Lincoln wanted to be his legacy. By issuing the Emancipation Proclamation to make the end of slavery permanent, Lincoln followed that up with the passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments which made permanent the freedoms that were hard fought and won in the Civil War.

The freedom that was won for so many black Americans in that war permanently enshrined the memory of Abraham Lincoln as one of our greatest presidents in the hearts and minds of all Americans. Small wonder the monument honoring him on Washington’s national mall is one of the most revered spots in the nation and one that thousands flock to each year to give respect for this great president that made liberty and freedom a reality for all Americans, not just a few. And his face on Mount Rushmore is well deserved so the very mountain itself shouts out, this is one of the greatest leaders in the history of this great country.

Holidays | Entertainment

Veterans day

Veterans Day is a Public Holiday in the United States of America, and commemorates all those American military veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces since the country came into being.

November 11th of every year is designated as Veterans Day, but must not be confused with Memorial Day which is also a Public Holiday to commemorate all those US military men and women who laid down their lives in the service of their nation.

On the first anniversary of the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson issued a statement which outlined the sacrifices that the men and women of the United States Armed Forces made to get Germany to agree to an Armistice, and thereafter the United States Congress adopted a resolution on June 4th 1926 for the President of the United States of America to issue an annual proclamation calling for the observance of November 11th to honor all American veterans who had served the country.

The date selected has special significance as it was at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when all hostilities in World War I ended and when the Armistice with the state of Germany went into effect. Like most other countries that fought that war with Germany, the United States of America also observed Armistice Day but in 1954 it was renamed Veterans Day.

May 13th 1938 saw another US Congress Act being passed which proclaimed that November 11th be declared a public holiday to enable the citizens to honor those who had served in the United States Armed Forces and dedicated to world peace. Then in 1945 an American veteran of World War II, Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama thought it fit to extend Armistice Day to all United States Armed Forces veterans and not to just only those who laid down their lives in World War I.

Raymond Weeks was a very persevering personality and he led a delegation of World War II veterans and met with General Dwight Eisenhower who apparently was moved by the idea and thought it was worthwhile to have one National Veterans Day to honor all those veterans who had served in the United States Armed Forces.

Weeks led the first of such celebrations in 1947 at Alabama and annually thereafter, until his passing away in 1985. And his crowning moment of glory was when President Ronald Reagan bestowed the Presidential Citizenship Medal at the White House in 1982 for being the driving force behind this very honorable national endeavor. President Reagan who read from a speech prepared by Elizabeth Dole at the presentation ceremony declared that Raymond Weeks was the “Father of Veterans Day”.

Subsequently in keeping with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the Fourth Monday of October in 1971 but after 1977 it was moved back to its original day of November 11th in 1978 and remains so till today.

Your acts of bravery, selflessness, and unconditional love for this nation will always be remembered. Today, we salute our veterans and thank them for their dedication and patriotism!
Happy Veterans Day!

Labor Day

It’s The End Of Summer, So Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?
Many of us have probably wondered throughout the years why we celebrate Labor Day, though we have not made any concentrated effort to find out. It is a tradition that we accept with no questions asked. Some may not even be aware that Labor Day is more than just the end of summer activities.

Labor unions were the first to celebrate the beginning of the Labor Day tradition in the US. A union leader by the name of Peter McGuire originated the idea of setting aside a day for workers to gather in unity. On September 5, 1882, the inaugural Labor Day parade with all its finery was held in New York City, and a decision was made by the labor unions to designate a date between Independence Day and the Thanksgiving holiday. The first Monday in September was chosen for future celebrations.

As the idea circulated in the United States, some states declared this day a holiday even before the first Monday in September was designated a national holiday.

President Grover Cleveland signed the bill to honor Labor Day. The date was chosen to be that of the first Monday in the month of September. What makes this memorable is that Cleveland was not a support of the unions. In fact, at the time he signed the bill, he was attempting to repair some damage to his political career that he had previously suffered when he sent troops to stop a strike that was sponsored by the Railway Workers Union that caused 34 workers to lose their lives.

In Europe, China, and other countries in the rest of the world, it is May Day, the first day of May, that they hold celebrations similar to the North American celebration for Labor Day.

In the 1950’s approximately 40 percent of workers belonged to labor unions in the United States. Currently that figure is approximately 14 percent. As a result, Labor Day is celebrated more as the unofficial way to end the summer than as a labor union holiday. Just about all schools as well as businesses (including the US Government) close on Labor Day to allow people to have one more barbecue before it begins to turn cold. It used to be symbolic, also, as the beginning of a new school year, but with many schools returning the middle or end of August, the day has lost its significance in that respect, though it is still a closed holiday for schools.

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“No man needs sympathy because he has to work, because he has a burden to carry. Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
~Theodore Roosevelt~

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