Mother’s Day: Shower Mom with love in another unusual year

May 09, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy of Pxhere

SUNDAY, MAY 9: Show some appreciation for Mom, Grandma and any maternal figure in your life today on this, the second Sunday of May—it’s Mother’s Day!

Families may be gathering outdoors and wearing masks, opting for a small in-person gathering or even continuing to use videoconferencing, but that doesn’t mean that Mom shouldn’t feel special today. So show her some love!

MOTHER’S DAY: 2021

Whether or not you plan to see Mom in-person today, sending her a homemade card or handwritten letter is, ironically, just the type of sentiment that the original Mother’s Day founder intended when she advocated the holiday. Anna Jarvis hoped that mothers could be shown appreciation through heartfelt, personal sentiments, rather than commercial goods.

Check out these resources for more meaningful ideas on how to celebrate:

For tips on a meaningful videoconference with Mom—and more—check out this article from Woman’s Day. More tips for a distanced Mother’s Day, from party planners, are at MarthaStewart.com.

Looking for DIY gift ideas? Craft something for Mom yourself (get ideas from Good Housekeeping, or for kids, check out ideas from Woman’s Day).

Many churches will be streaming Mother’s Day services and Mass today, but if your church doesn’t, check out Catholic TV and Christian World Media for listings of virtual services.

carnations Mother's Day

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

ANNA JARVIS: CARNATIONS AND A SERVICE

Although motherhood has been celebrated for millennia, the modern American version of Mother’s Day—the one we all know today—began in 1908 with Anna Jarvis. Determined to bring awareness to the vital role of each mother in her family, Jarvis began campaigning for a “Mother’s Day,” and finally was successful in reaching the whole country in 1914. Jarvis’s concept differed considerably from corporate interests in the holiday, however, and the over-commercialization of Mother’s Day was irritating to Jarvis as early as the 1920s. This year, in honor of the Mother’s Day centennial, honor Mom the way Jarvis intended: with a hand-written letter, a visit, a homemade gift or a meal, cooked from scratch.

Though American observances honoring mothers began popping up in the 1870s and 1880s, Jarvis’s campaigns were the first to make it beyond the local level. The first “official” Mother’s Day service was actually a memorial ceremony, held at Jarvis’s church, in 1908; the 500 carnations given out at that first celebration have given way to the widespread custom of distributing carnations to mothers on this day. For Anna, the floral choice was easy: Carnations were her mother’s favorite flowers.

CELEBRATING MOM: A GLOBAL HISTORY

While the modern observance of Mother’s Day began just a century ago, celebrations for women and mothers have been common throughout history. Christians have observed Mothering Sunday for centuries, while Hindus have honored “Mata Tirtha Aunshi,” or “Mother Pilgrimage Fortnight.” The first American attempts for a “Mother’s Day for Peace” arose in the 1870s, when Julia Ward Howe called on mothers to support disarmament in the Civil War and Franco-Prussian War. Several decades later, Anna Jarvis created a holiday that became the Mother’s Day we know today.

Despite Jarvis’s best efforts, though, the commercialization of Mother’s Day was inevitable: Mother’s Day is now one of the most financially successful holidays on the American calendar—mainly because it is the most popular day of the year to eat out and to make phone calls. Yet it is with Mom in mind that Americans spend $2.6 billion on flowers annually for Mother’s Day; $1.53 billion on gifts; and $68 million on greeting cards. We love you, Mom!

DIY, FOOD & MORE

Cooking Mom brunch? Look to Martha Stewart (for gift ideas, too!) and AllRecipes.

Care to care more? The Mother’s Day Movement supports women and girls in the developing world, with the belief that empowered women strongly impact the lives of their children and their communities. Help these women by donating your portion of the $14 billion spent annually on Mother’s Day.

Candlemas, Groundhog Day, Imbolc: From Phil to snowdrops, mark a trio of holidays

February 01, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Groundhog Day in a field groundhog

Photo courtesy of Pixy.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 and TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2: Today’s Groundhog Day may have evolved from the ancient festival of Imbolc, but woodland creatures and coming-of-spring myths, these days, have little to do with the observance of the Christian feast that falls one day later: It’s the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, known better as Candlemas.

Looking for Phil? The nationally-known predictions and events spurred by Punxsutawney Phil, the “official” groundhog of Groundhog Day, will be going virtual this year. (Most years, tens of thousands of visitors flock to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day, where “Phil” is regarded as the “one and only” weather predictor for the day.) For streaming information and more, click here.

snowdrops Candlemas Imoblc

Snowdrop flowers. Photo courtesy of Pixabay

No matter which holiday you’re celebrating, do so with the unifying themes for these first two days of February: renewal and hope. The first days of February bring new beginnings, and the Gaelic festival of Imbolc marks the start of spring.

CANDLEMAS: CANDLES, COINS AND SNOWDROPS

The feast of Candlemas focuses on the Gospel of Luke, which describes Mary and Joseph taking the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, 40 days after his birth. According to the gospel, Mary, Joseph and Jesus met a man named Simeon while at the Temple, who recognized Jesus as the Messiah and as the fulfillment of a prophesy. A woman at the temple, Anna, offered similar praise for Jesus. However, Simeon warned that Mary’s heart would someday be “pierced with a sword,” as the future would hold tragic events for her young son.

 

The Feast of the Presentation ranks as one of the oldest feasts in the church, with records of sermons dating back to the 4th century. Aside from the blessing of candles—and the widespread and abundant use of candles, too—Candlemas brings an array of delicious foods and vibrant customs!

In countries across Europe, sweet and savory crepes are made; in Mexico, piles of tamales are served, often at a party thrown by the person who found the baby Jesus trinket in an Epiphany King Cake. French tradition has it that successfully flipping a coin while making pancakes will surely bring good luck, and Candlemas Bells—early-blooming white flowers, also known as snowdrops—are believed to purify any home they are brought into today.

GROUNDHOG DAY: SEASONAL PREDICTIONS AND GOOD OL’ PHIL

On February 2, many of us ask: Will the groundhog see his shadow?

What started as an ancient pagan festival’s legends on woodland animals “testing the weather” has slowly morphed into a national phenomenon in the United States. Groundhog Day, spurred by German immigrants of the 18th and 19th centuries who brought groundhog traditions with them to America, gave birth to “Punxsutawney Phil” and the array of groundhog-related events that (typically) fill lodges and streets in Pennsylvania in the first days of February each year.

IMBOLC: SPRING AND WOODLAND ANIMALS

Wiccans and Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere usher in February with the centuries-old Gaelic festival of Imbolc, marking the beginning of spring and the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. (Note: In the Southern Hemisphere, Lughnassadh is celebrated.) Corn dollies are made by young Pagans, while adults twist Brighid crosses. After dark, candles are lit to welcome the rebirth of the sun.

Did you know? The Irish Imbolc translates from the Old Irish imbolg, or “in the belly”—a tribute to the early spring pregnancies of ewes. As lactation begins, an array of dairy foods eaten on this day symbolizes new beginnings.

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Kwanzaa: Honor seven principles, unity, values on Festival of the First Fruits

December 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Kwanzaa kinara, gifts, graphic image

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26: Gather in the name of unity and learn the seven principles—today begins the seven-day commemoration of Kwanzaa.

Each year, Kwanzaa founder Dr. Maulana Karenga publishes an annual message. Now in his late 70s, these messages are heart-felt appeals to rediscovering and reclaiming African values that can contribute to the wellbeing of the whole world.

In his 2019 message, he stressed practicing good throughout the year, and the concept of living the Kwanzaa principles in all seasons. Karenga wrote, in part:

Kwanzaa’s origins are both ancient and modern and both sources serve to urge us to constantly strive and struggle to be ourselves and free ourselves, to live good lives and to bring forth the best of what it means to be African and human as both a personal and social practice. Kwanzaa’s rootedness in ancient African first fruit or first harvest celebrations offers a framework of activities that are not simply seasonal, but are all-season practices of building family and community, preserving and expanding culture, and doing good in and for the world. For it is a people-focused, environmentally caring and morally concerned holiday dedicated to cultivating, harvesting and sharing good in the world.

His 2020 message will appear just before Kwanzaa begins in the festival’s official website.

ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL

Created by Karenga in the mid-1960s as the first completely African-American holiday, Kwanzaa celebrations honor African heritage and culture. Though originally associated with the black nationalist movement, as Karenga today points out that Kwanzaa emphasizes connecting Africans of the Diaspora with their native roots and highlighting the universal themes in those ancient cultures that can build a healthier global community.

Specifically, Kwanzaa’s “seven principles” call to mind what Karenga refers to as a “communitarian African philosophy.”

KWANZAA’S SEVEN PRINCIPLES

Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to a principle, resulting in a total of seven Kwanzaa principles. The principles, though they may vary slightly in spellings, consist of: Umoja (unity); Kujichagulia (self-determination); Ujima (collective work and responsibility); Ujamaa (cooperative economics); Nia (purpose); Kumbaa (creativity); and Imani (faith).

Kwanzaa urges participants to maintain unity in family and race, to define themselves, to build community and profit together, and to always do what is possible at the moment. Symbols and decorations aid in the unity of Kwanzaa observances, such as a decorative mat (mkeka), corn, a seven-candle holder (kinara) and a communal or unity cup. Often, an African feast—known as Karamu—is held on the sixth day of Kwanzaa, and gifts (zawadi) are exchanged on the seventh day.

CUSTOMS, RECIPES & MORE

Teachers and parents: You’ll find a couple of kid-oriented resources from Scholastic.com. First, there’s a lesson plan on discussing Kwanzaa’s principles and, then, there’s a second plan that also features a mancala game.

In its nearly half-a-century of observance, Kwanzaa has spread in popularity throughout the United States and into Canada.

Hungry for a taste of Kwanzaa? Find recipes for traditional dishes, from sweet potatoes and collard greens to black-eyed peas, at Food Network and GenuisKitchen.com.

Behind the Plymouth 400 story: Summoning ‘Thanksgiving’ in the midst of a deadly epidemic

November 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

A HEARTBREAKING MAP: In 1605, explorer Samuel de Champlain had this detailed map drawn of the thriving Wampanoag village he visited along the shoreline where Pilgrims would land 15 years later. Between de Champlain’s visit and that historic 1620 landing by the Pilgrims, a virulent epidemic had raged through Wampanoag tribal lands that killed virtually all of the men, women and children in this particular village. The disease, an infection with symptoms similar to smallpox, was the result of early contacts with Europeans that spread the epidemic throughout the native communities. As the Pilgrims landed in 1620, they soon realized they were moving into what amounted to a ghost town. When Pilgrims explored the village’s ruins, they found ghastly evidence of the epidemic, including unburied skeletons of the last few native men and women to die.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26: Thanksgiving in 2020 will undoubtedly look different, but that doesn’t mean Americans won’t still be counting our blessings. After all, the tradition stretches back more than 400 years on this continent.

Houses of worship across the country are encouraging Americans from their websites, offering a hopeful message in spite of the pandemic: “Give thanks anyway!”

In a Time of Pandemic, Recalling How Our Ancestors Coped

Most Thanksgiving holiday stories in schools, newspapers and magazines focus on the collision of cultures between natives and newcomers—and the exchanges of natural resources. The legacy of Columbus’s arrival in 1492 in the Caribbean ignited a series of “first encounters” that swept along the Atlantic shorelines of the American continents for more than a century.

The Smithsonian Institution’s educators summed up this revolutionary century under the theme Seeds of Change, which is the title of the Smithsonian’s superb book about this world-changing period. The discovery of new resources changed lives in both Old and New Worlds. Europeans had never seen a potato or tomato—which became defining staples of European cuisine—until after 1492. Natives of the Americas had never seen a horse until Europeans shipped them across the Atlantic from Europe—giving rise to the zenith of the Great Plains Indian nations. Without this collision of peoples, great advances in both continental cultures would not have been possible.

In its current Thanksgiving resource page for educators, the Smithsonian focuses on food and cultural traditions, describing the theme as: “From local harvest festival to national holiday, here are art and objects in the spirit of giving thanks.” (Note: If you’re looking for wonderful images to share on social media, check out that Smithsonian link! It’s a visual treasure trove.)

However, there’s much more to the Thanksgiving story in Plymouth, which is the focus of a worldwide 400th-anniversary celebration. (And, yes, there’s more on that 400th anniversary, below.)

A NEW VILLAGE ARISES IN A GHOST TOWN—For lessons about the Plymouth settlement, blue-colored notes have been added to de Champlain’s 1605 map showing locations relevant to the 1620 Pilgrim arrival. The blue star is the center of the subsequent Plymouth Colony.

So, what is the little-known story?

In 2020, the largely untold story of Thanksgiving is that the early banquet in Plymouth was held in the new town Pilgrims were building on—which was essentially a native burial ground.

Schoolchildren know about the historic meeting of Pilgrims and Wampanoags, often illustrated as healthy and co-existing in two thriving communities. However, such images do not capture the real setting of that first banquet.

When the Pilgrims finally decided to set up their new home near Plymouth Beach, the bustling Wampanoag village that explorer Samuel  de Champlain had visited in 1605 was a ghost town. Fortunately, as the early Pilgrims cleared the ruins of the former native village, they were sensitive enough to halt their excavations in mounds where they found the natives’ human remains. In that earliest wave of settlement, their decision to halt such digging was respected by native people, even though the Pilgrims knew very little about these neighbors.

That’s not to diminish the fears and the dangerous violence that did break out between these newcomers and the people who had inhabited the lands for centuries. For example, one of the earliest encounters between the two peoples was a skirmish that included gunfire from the settlers.

The main reason greater violence was avoided is that most people were too sick to even think about fighting. Not only had the native people been suffering from lethal waves of contagion in the previous decade—decimating the Wampanoag and leaving their village at Plymouth abandoned—but the Pilgrims were similarly beset by devastating disease.

According to the surviving accounts, most of the Mayflower passengers and crew were seriously ill upon arrival. Many also were suffering from the effects of scurvy. Half of the new arrivals would die during the first winter. During the worst of the sickness, only a half dozen of the group were still healthy enough to feed and care for the rest. It was a desperate, life-and-death struggle. When the handful of physically able Pilgrims finished their community’s first house, it immediately became a hospital for ill Pilgrims. At the same time, the Pilgrims had to stake out and begin filling their own cemetery—on a grassy prominence above the beach.

The miracle is that there was any kind of “thanksgiving” meal at all in 1621! Historians say that, whatever the details of that first Plymouth observance, it was against long odds that anyone was still alive to celebrate.

That’s why, in 2020 and in the midst of a global pandemic, we can appreciate the larger miracle surrounding the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving: Every person in that region—native and newcomer alike—had been been living with the constant threat of lethal contagion. A mere 52 of the 102 Mayflower passengers survived the first year in Plymouth and were, therefore, able to celebrate the communal meal. The native people who participated were coming to a site filled with the ghosts of their own native families.

And still, as remarkable as it was—they managed to summon a spirit of gratitude and expressed thanksgiving together.

In 2020, the idea of gathering virtually with family and friends will be bittersweet. In addition to missing their in-person traditions, hundreds of thousands of families will remember loved ones who have perished from COVID since the 2019 year-end holidays.

Remembering those grieving and ailing natives and newcomers who gathered in Plymouth to give thanks four centuries ago may help to strengthen our own resolve.

Still—in the midst of our pandemic today—Americans will summon a spirit of gratitude and will give thanks.

Tall ship in harbor Mayflower

The replica ship Mayflower II in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

400 YEARS IN THE MAKING: A THANKSGIVING HISTORY

Interested in learning more about the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s landing in Plymouth? The official website of the Plymouth 400 Commemoration offers educational resources and articles. From the UK, the Mayflower400 will offer, now through 2021, examinations of history from multiple angles, the experiences of those impacted by the Mayflower’s landing and more. From the Plimouth Plantation, an organization and museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, commemorations will be held and new exhibits and resources offered.

That first Thanksgiving celebration melded two very different cultures. For the Wampanoag, giving thanks for the Creator’s gifts was an established custom. For European Pilgrims, English harvest festivals were about rejoicing, and after the bountiful harvest of 1621 and amicable relations between the Wampanoag and the Europeans, no one could deny the desire for a plentiful shared feast. The “first” Thanksgiving took place over three days, and was attended by approximately 50 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.

By the 1660s, an annual harvest festival was being held in New England. Often, church leaders proclaimed the Thanksgiving holiday. Later, public officials joined with religious leaders in declaring such holidays. The Continental Congress proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving in 1777, and just over one decade later, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration, as “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.” National Thanksgiving proclamations were made by various presidents through the decades, falling in and out of favor until Sarah Hale convinced President Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving as a federal holiday. Still, it wasn’t until 1941 that Thanksgiving was established permanently as the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving parade float

Both the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and America’s Thanksgiving Parade will be held this year, but spectators will be enjoying them virtually. Photo by Brecht Bug, courtesy of Flickr

FOOTBALL AND (VIRTUAL) PARADES & TURKEY TROTS

The National Football League has played games on Thanksgiving Day since its creation—and that tradition will continue in 2020. In 1924, Americans enjoyed the inauguration of both the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” held annually in New York City, and “America’s Thanksgiving Parade,” held in Detroit; this year, neither parade is cancelled, but both are discouraging or prohibiting spectators and offering, instead, virtual viewing options. In 2020, the theme for America’s Thanksgiving Parade will be “We Are One Together,” and will honor frontline workers and heroes of the COVID-19 crisis. Across the U.S., several cities host an annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, welcoming runners of all ages to burn off some calories in anticipation of the day’s feast; this year, most of those events are being conducted virtually.

If you’re not up for making a time-intensive pie crust this year or have always secretly hated Aunt Betty’s yams, this is your opportunity to try something new! A Los Angeles Times article claims that pie can be outdone by something else this year—and offers three tempting alternatives—while another article’s headline proclaims that “It’s out with the old, in with the new for Thanksgiving 2020.” So go ahead—give yourself permission to try something new!

Recipes, décor and more: Find an assortment of recipes and menus (plus an at-home celebration guide) from Food Network, AllRecipes, Food & Wine and Epicurious.

Thanksgiving crafts: Adults can create DIY décor with help from HGTV, and kids can be entertained before the big dinner with craft suggestions from Parents, Parenting and Disney.

Veterans Day, Remembrance Day: Thank a vet, honor history in a virtual event

October 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11: Give a virtual shout-out, call a veteran you know or make a sign to express your gratitude to a veteran in your neighborhood, today—the options are endless! However you recognize those who served America, Veterans Day is celebrated today across the country; in Canada, those who served are also recognized, in an observance known as Remembrance Day.

2020 NEWS: The U.S. Army will open the National Museum of the United States Army on this date—November 11, 2020—in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Read the story from the U.S. Army, or in the Fort Lee Traveler.) It will be the only museum to relay the entire history of the U.S. Army since its establishment, in 1775. The museum will open its doors to the public today (with health safety measure in place), but the opening will be preceded by a small ceremony that will be livestreamed. A link to the livestream will be posted on the museum’s website, at http://www.theNMUSA.org.

Care to See More?

Here’s a video about the new museum—

How It All Began

Another way to prepare for Veterans Day is to order a copy of the 100 Questions and Answers about Veterans, a book that’s packed with information veterans told us they wish more Americans understood about their lives and experiences. Click this image to visit Amazon.

In the United States, the idea of setting aside a special day to honor the men and women who served their country dates to a Nov. 11 observance at the close of World War I. The world’s “Great War” officially ceased on June 28, 1919, but the fighting had actually stopped seven months earlier, on Nov. 11—and thus, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919 as the first Armistice Day. Nearly two decades later, November 11th was declared a legal holiday in the United States.

By 1954, the world had survived WWII and the Korean War, and a WWII vet began raising support for a more general Veterans Day. Among other arguments made in this campaign: WWII had required even more soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen than WWI. At the urging of citizens, November 11th officially became Veterans Day in 1954.

In Canada, Remembrance Day is observed with a moment of silence and ceremonies. Remembrance Day, originally called Armistice Day, was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth in commemoration of the armistice agreement that ended World War I. Armistice Day was first observed as “Remembrance Day” on November 11, 1931; the poppy is the official symbol of the day.

HELP A VET; LEND A HAND

America’s millions of veterans need help for a wide range of lingering issues in their lives, so be sure to check on regional efforts to find out how you can help. Some noted peace activists within religious groups now are urging a greater awareness of the needs of veterans’ families, too.

Did you know? A whopping 44 percent of men and women who serve in the U.S. Military are residents of rural areas, according to a White House Report—even though rural residents overall only account for 17 percent of the country’s population.

2020 VETERANS DAY FREEBIES & DISCOUNTS: Many restaurants and retailers offer special prices for veterans on Veterans Day, though this year, things may look a little different amid struggling businesses and new health and safety protocols. (Military.com has an article on this story.)

Check out MilitaryBenefits.info for a full listing restaurants, retailers and more offering Veterans Day freebies and discounts for 2020.

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Allhallowtide, Samhain, Dia de los Muertos & Halloween: A spook-tacular weekend

October 31, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Three lit jack-o-lanterns with faces

Photo by William Warby, courtesy of Flickr

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31 and SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1 and SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2—From Samhain to Mexico’s Day of the Dead to Halloween, world cultures celebrate the belief that at this time of year, the veil between this world and the next is particularly thin—and ancestors are held close. Don’t worry, it’s not all solemn and bone-chilling, though—today’s secular Halloween also brings out bright Jack-o-lanterns, loads of candy and a pretty good excuse for adults to join in on the fun with kids. So grab your best ghoulish mask and get the (Halloween) party started!

THE COVID-19 HALLOWEEN FORECAST

Like most publicly celebrated holidays in 2020, the pandemic has dramatically changed the way Halloween will be celebrated this year. Here are a few headlines:

BUSINESSES ARE SHIVERING THIS YEAR! On October 1, MarketWatch carried one of many business reports predicting a downturn on the commercial side of the holiday under a headline: Halloween sales forecast could be frightful Tony Garcia reported, in part: “More than half, 52%, of consumers say they will buy less candy this year. And 73% expect to celebrate Halloween differently.”

BUT, WHO KNOWS? 148 MILLION STILL WILL CELEBRATE. On October 14, Kimberly Amadeo reported in The Balance that the magnitude of 2020 celebrations is changing dramatically—so retail sales may not tell the whole story. Millions still are planning to celebrate and some may wind up with even more elaborate plans, as a result.

A SWEET REPORT FROM CONFECTIONERS. Of course, the National Confectioners Association has a vested interest in a sweet forecast and, in September, did report via PR Newswire that chocolate and candy sales appeared to be rising.

DAWN OF ‘THE CANDY CHUTE’ Americans are known for their innovations! Reports nationwide are describing various models of “candy chutes” so homeowners can still deliver candy to kids from a safe distance either up on a porch—or even from an upstairs window! We’ve heard of these chutes made from common pieces of rain gutters—like the one that members of Clarkston United Methodist Church in Michigan built so they could continue to offer free holiday treats to their town’s children this year. Here’s a Detroit News story about a chute made from PVC pipe. Here’s an NPR story that mentions chutes made from cardboard tubes.

Maybe Halloween 2020 will be remembered for years as the dawn of the “candy chute”!

HAVE YOU SEEN A CANDY CHUTE?

HALLOWEEN: A CHRISTIAN ORIGIN; A CULTURAL PHENOMENON

Allhallowtide, the triduum of Halloween, recalls deceased spirits, saints (hallows) and martyrs alike, in one collective commemoration. The word Halloween is of Christian origin, and many Christians visit graveyards during this time to pray and place flowers and candles at the graves of their deceased loved ones. The two days following All Hallows Eve—All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day—pay homage to the souls that Christians believe are now with God. In medieval England, Christians went “souling” on Halloween, begging for soul cakes in exchange for prayers in local churches.

Halloween’s secular side has emerged during the past century, and today, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses, watching horror movies and dressing up like favored characters has become custom in Western culture. Recent estimates are that the very diverse American business of “haunted attractions” brings in hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and the commercial elements of Halloween have spread from North America to Europe, South America, Australia, Japan and parts of East Asia.

SAMHAIN: GUISING FOR A TRICK

pumpkin candles darkness

Photo courtesy of Pxhere

The original Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and ushered in winter, or the “darker half” of the year, in Gaelic Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. During this time of year, bonfires were lit for the purpose of divination and as a protective and cleansing measure. Legend has it that spirits could easily come to earth, and many people would leave out food and drink for the roaming entities.

In many households, ancestors were welcomed to the table with particular enthusiasm, and large meals were prepared. Multiple sites in Ireland were, and still are, associated with Samhain, and the spirits that emerge there at this time of year. Guising—donning a costume—was thought to “trick” ill-intentioned spirits roaming the streets near Samhain, and hallowed-out turnips were lit with a candle and placed in windows, their monstrous carved faces frightening bad spirits.

Today’s Samhain emerged as part of the late 19th century Celtic Revival, and Neopagans, Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans and Wiccans all celebrate the holiday, in slightly varying ways. Most keep the widespread traditions of lighting bonfires, paying homage to ancestors, welcoming the “darker” season and preparing feasts with apples, nuts, meats, seasonal vegetables and mulled wines.

MUERTOS: DAY OF THE DEAD

Vibrant decorations for Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, mark towns in Mexico and Latin American communities far and wide, as the lives of the departed are celebrated with vigor. The full festival of Dia de los Muertos typically lasts two or three days (in some regions, customs begin on October 31), and traditionally, November 1 pays tribute to the souls of children and the innocent while November 2 is dedicated to deceased adult souls. In Mexico, relatives adorn altars and graves with elaborate garlands and wreaths, crosses made of flowers and special foods. Families gather in cemeteries, where pastors bestow prayers upon the dead. For children, Dia de los Muertos celebrations mean candy like sugar skulls and once-a-year treats; music and dancing delight celebrants of all ages.

ALL THINGS HALLOWEEN:
DIY COSTUMES, DÉCOR, PARTIES & MORE

What’s Halloween without some good costumes and tasty treats?

Columbus Day: What do we do with a holiday after toppling three dozen statues honoring its “hero”?

October 12, 2020 by Leave a Comment

The fallen Christopher Columbus statue outside the Minnesota State Capitol after a group led by American Indian Movement members tore it down in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 10, 2020. CLICK ON this photo to learn more at the Minnesota Public Radio website.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12: How are Americans marking Columbus Day, if at all?

They’re shopping. Yes, it’s still a public holiday in many parts of the U.S. A review of Google-News stories covering the holiday in 2020 shows an overwhelming attention to sales—from mattresses to new cars—and also to family activities having nothing to do with historical reflection—like where to go see the most colorful leaves across the northern states.

It’s as if newspaper, TV and radio journalists somehow missed the fact that three dozen Columbus statues have been toppled nationwide, according to Wikipedia’s tracking of these removals.

Here’s a prime example: U.S. News‘s cheery headline for the occasion is—U.S. News Announces the Best Columbus Day Car Deals for 2020. This up-beat story announces: “Columbus Day weekend is a great time to take advantage of an affordable lease offer or a no-interest financing deal.”

And, perhaps that’s a fitting end to a turbulent year in which Columbus’ controversial aura as an American “hero” was extinguished across many regions of the United States. This holiday is still on the books in many places, but it’s fading in significance. Meanwhile, many regions continue to actively downplay the old observances. Among the most recent taking action was the Baltimore City Council. In the Southwest, Arizona’s Gov. Doug Ducey recently gave indigenous people a special salute alongside the existing October 12th Columbus observance.

Why do we think it’s fading? Well, we also note that Forbes is reporting that Columbus Day sales are losing their traditional appeal. Maybe the U.S. News staff was a little too quick to climb on the Columbus bandwagon for one more year.

The Washington Post traveled to Italy to publish a somewhat positive story about the holiday under the headline: Much of America Has Stopped Celebrating Columbus Day, but the Explorer Remains Revered in Italy. To its credit, that Post story begins with an overview of this year’s protests across the U.S. The Post staff didn’t forget all those protests in cities nationwide.

Apparently trying to change the subject, The New York Times’ main coverage of the holiday (as of October 11) is a book review, recommending 5 Books to Help Your Child Understand Columbus Day. We have to give the Times a salute for coming up with a constructive story about the holiday that actually involves exploring our history with kids. And, stay tuned, maybe the Times will post something else about Columbus Day on the 12th or perhaps in its wake if more protests emerge.

After all, we certainly need to think about the complicated roots of cultural and racial clashes that formed our American communities across these North and South continents. We’re doing that already in a host of ways. All year long, holidays and festivals across North America reflect the colorful facets of America’s growing cultural diversity.

But few holidays have exposed the friction in U.S. history as much as Columbus Day, which was intended to celebrate the arrival of Christopher Columbus in what is now called the Americas in 1492. For more than a century, the holiday has been championed by Italian-Americans as showcasing their many contributions to the U.S.

PEW RESEARCH MAPS THE DIVIDE

NEW LAST YEAR, Pew Research published an in-depth look at the varying approaches to this annual milestone across the U.S. NOTE: This still is a fascinating resource, even though much continues to change in 2020.

The Pew report begins: “Depending on where you live and whom you work for, Columbus Day may be a paid day off, another holiday entirely, or no different from any regular Monday. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is one of the most inconsistently celebrated U.S. holidays. It’s one of 10 official federal holidays, which means federal workers get a paid day off. And because federal offices will be closed, so will most banks and the bond markets that trade in U.S. government debt (though the stock markets will remain open). Beyond that, it’s a grab bag.”

Here is a link to the entire Pew report—with accompanying maps so you can see how your part of the U.S. compares with others.