How Do Other Countries Celebrate Holidays?
We're glad you asked! Perhaps you have visited or lived in other countries, or have an interest in your ancestral heritage and would like to know or relive their holiday customs. Let's look at a few traditions.
There are about 17 countries that celebrate a form of Thanksgiving for various reasons.
Growing Through the Holidays
“Thanks, girls, for helping me unpack the fall decorations.“Sure, Mom,” one of my daughters said. “It’s fun to put out the decorations. Especially the candy dish.” Oh, that’s right, I thought. Now I’ll have to start buying candy again!
Masters of Mirth, Gurus of Guffaws
It has been said that art imitates life. Sooner or later, entertainment catches up with reality and reflects it like a funhouse mirror, often distorted — sometimes hideous, sometimes comical. The turbulent '60s and '70s changed both society and comedy.
A History of Holiday Hymns
“There's a song in the air! There's a star in the sky!” At this time of year, there are plenty of holiday songs in the air — and on the air — and plenty of stars in the sky; many of them Moravian stars, in home windows and store windows, porches and pine trees. No other holiday season knows of more popular songs than Christmastime. There are a few Thanksgiving and harvest-time songs, and one New Year’s Eve song that few except Olde English aficionados understand, but Christmas songs tip the scales in popularity. They come in many styles, so let’s take a look at a few.
Memories: What's on Your Refrigerator?
As a senior, memories have become more precious to me than ever! I place visual reminders on every wall space I can find in my home and, yes, on my refrigerator. As I walk into my kitchen, the refrigerator “gallery” pulls me in, forcing me to stop, to look, to smile, to giggle, and even to relax from the anxieties of the world.
Heartburn or Heart Attack? Learn the Difference
One of the best things about the holidays is gathering with your family for a huge feast. Grandma’s turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes bathed in gravy, your favorite aunt’s pumpkin pie — not to mention weeks of holiday cookies. And while that all feels great going into your mouth, it may send you on a trip to the emergency room (ER). Not surprisingly, the number of patients who come into the emergency department with indigestion symptoms increases during the holiday season, says Adam Colombo, DO, Network Vice Chairman of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke’s University Health Network. This is particularly true following Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.