Category Archives: Fashion Advice

Advice for wearing and caring for your clothing and t-shirts.

How to Dress for Prom

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The prom is an exciting event that most girls and guys look forward to for years. If you want a truly memorable prom, you’ll want to choose the right outfit and end up with great memories and great prom pictures to look at for years to come.

Prom dresses

To pick the best prom dress, don’t go with the one that’s the trendiest or the one that looks like the one your friend is wearing. The prom dress for you is one that is flattering to your specific shape, size and coloring. Your skin tone will have a lot to do with the color dress you choose. If you are a very fair skinned, look for medium to dark colors rather than a light color that will wash out your features. If you have a deeper skin tone, avoid dress colors that will blend in too much with your skin tone. You want to set off your skin tone rather than drown it out with a similarly-colored dress.

Remember your shape and size when you pick your dress. Everyone has their best and worst features. You want to try to accentuate your best features and to downplay your worst ones. If you are carrying some extra weight, consider an empire waist dress that will hide the stomach area. If you want to show off a small waist, choose a dress that is well tailored and has a defined waistline.

Stay away from dresses that are too ruffled and complicated. These just add bulk to your figure they can make you look heavier. There are dresses with large bows, ruffles and netting that detract from the overall goal of calling attention to your best features.

The length of the dress should be determined by your shape and height. If you are overweight, choose a dress that comes down below your calf and above your ankle. This slimming technique will show off the smallest part of your legs without revealing the largest parts. If you are very thin, choose a shorter dress that comes above the knee to show off your figure. This will make your legs look longer as well.

Tuxedos

For guys, choosing a tuxedo is pretty simple. Most of the time, the girl will want your cummerbund, and sometimes your bowtie, to match their dress. If you are renting a tuxedo, try to do so is much in advance as you can to secure the proper colors that will make your date pleased. Make sure to wear all the pieces that come with your tux, including a vest if there is one.

Accessories

For girls, plenty of accessories are perfectly acceptable. Wearing earring and necklace sets are a popular way to accessorize a prom dress. You might also go with some hair jewelry like sparkly clips, pins and barrettes. Some girls also wear a small tiara to their prom.

For guys, there aren’t many accessories that are needed. Many guys like to wear cufflinks with their tuxedos, and this is a nice way to personalize the tux.

How to Choose a Maternity T-shirt

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How to Choose the Correct Size for a Maternity T-shirt

You have the heart-warming glow of pregnancy on your face, you’ve chosen out the crib set for the nursery, and have already started to scribble baby names on random sheets of paper. Congratulations! As a pregnant woman you will enjoy such life-affirming emotions as one aspect of the pregnancy. Of course, you also have to deal with less thrilling aspects like break-outs, swollen feet, and that moment when you realize that you can’t fit into your old jeans anymore.

How to Choose Maternity T-shirts for Appearance and Comfort

Never fear, ladies. There is a wide array of cute, elegant, and attractive maternity wear available. But you first need to shop for the basics. Having been through this process a number of times, I advise any first-time mother-to-be to arm herself with a variety of shirts, stretchy pants and a decent dress or two. The most basic piece of apparel has to be the maternity t-shirt.

Sadly, I’ve seen one gal too many wearing an oversized men’s undershirt, or tight fitting non-maternity clothes. Before you start to stretch the spandex of your current clothing, here are a few ideas of how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt.

What is a Good Fit?

When considering how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt you will need to remember that comfort is a pregnant woman’s number one priority. Yes, I know, you still want to look good and attractive, and you will. Just remember that this is not the time to think that beauty equals pain. On the contrary, your body is shifting and changing in new, and often unwelcome, ways (yes, even if this is your third pregnancy!) The whole point of maternity clothing is to make this time in your life more comfortable.

You want something that will drape loosely, while still displaying the pleasing curve of your bulging belly. Anything that clings or rides up is not a good fit. Most maternity t-shirts will run in small, medium, large and extra large. You will probably wear the same size in maternity clothes as in regular clothes. However, it does depend on how much weight you gain during your pregnancy and whether you carry it out front or all around.

Experienced moms will have some insight to this, although women often get bigger, faster with subsequent pregnancies. The only given is that you will get bigger before you get smaller! So a key factor in how to choose a maternity t-shirt is that bigger is better. Just make sure you are not wearing something so big that it looks like a moo-moo. Proper fit means being able to see the feminine curves of your body without looking like you’re being squeezed to death by the fabric.

How to Choose For a Good Fabric

When you think about how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt, you will also want to consider the fabric. Different fabrics drape the body in different ways. Make sure that the maternity t-shirt you choose uses fabrics that are easy to care for and to move in. You’ve got nine months to plan for! So enjoy shopping around for your maternity t-shirts, and good luck.

What Is Buy Nothing Day

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How to Celebrate Buy Nothing Day

As most residents in the United States know, the day after Thanksgiving is considered to be not only the first official day of the Christmas shopping season, but it is also known as the busiest shopping day of the year.

While advertised as such, the day after Thanksgiving, while a very busy shopping day, is not the busiest. Believe it or not, studies have been made showing that the last Thursday before Christmas is actually the busiest shopping day. Many people, growing alarmed at the rampant commercialism of the season, have decided to do something about it. Their suggestion? Buy Nothing!

That’s right. A magazine called Adbusters founded Buy Nothing Day as a direct challenge to every and all Americans to refrain from buying anything the day after Thanksgiving, as a celebration against what they term ‘rampant consumerism and consumer culture’. Supporting such a measure is free, of course, and allows anyone to participate. First started in 2002, the movement has gained attention and followers not only throughout the United States, but also around the world. Every November 24th, the founders of Buy Nothing Day remind everyone through ads, their website and fliers, that no one was ‘born to shop’. They ask that for a period of twenty-four hours, consumers refrain from purchasing items and gifts for Christmas in order to protest the commercialism that has infested the holiday season.

The focus of the day, which is not an officially recognized state or federal day of observance, is concern over the growing debt and ecological damage that pressured shopping for the holidays inflicts on consumers everywhere. As an alternative, they suggest refraining from bending to pressure buying, and becoming more aware of  products being purchased. Supporting recycling and environmentally friendly products, Buy Nothing Day encourages consumers to look for biodegradable products as well as gifts and products made of recycled materials for their gift giving over the holidays.

At its foundation, the day also serves as a reminder of what the Christmas season is really supposed to be about, and that is definitely not how many Christmas presents we can stuff under our Christmas trees or throwing the largest office Christmas party in the history of mankind.

For people who support Buy Nothing Day, Christmas gifts will most likely be those which are homemade, locally crafted, made of recycled materials or even those that aren’t bought, but traded. Early Americans rarely had money, and trading for goods and services was an accepted form of completing all kinds of transactions. On a humorous note, many participants of Buy Nothing Day don Santa Claus costumes and gather to provide ‘Zenta Santa’s’ to mall shoppers. These special Santa’s meditate and offer stress relief techniques to harried shoppers, in addition to soup, coffee and an opportunity to join in group ‘ohms’. As if that isn’t enough, the group is also joined by participants who don long robes and Jesus masks, and who approach shoppers to inquire, “What would Jesus buy?”

While many people should and do enjoy the holiday shopping season, Buy Nothing Day serves to remind all Americans that we, as consumers, should be the ones to determine what we buy, when we buy it and why we buy it. Commercialism exerts social pressure on all households during the holiday season, and Buy Nothing Day is nothing more than an attempt to put the control back into the hands of the millions of Americans who feel pressured into buying the most, the biggest and the most expensive, every holiday season.

Buy Nothing Day is celebrated by more people every year, and perhaps one day, America will see the day following Thanksgiving, not as a day to begin the holiday shopping season, but as one to reflect on its true meaning.

How to Celebrate Veterans Day

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Honoring Veterans Day

November 11th is a day set aside to honor all military service veterans. It is a day to remember the loyalty and the dedication of all servicemen and women for their service to the United States of America, who have given their time, their tears, their blood, and sometimes their very lives to strengthen and defend America, democracy and human rights around the world.

Veterans Day is meant to thank and appreciate men and women who have or are serving in any branch of the United States Army, Marines, Air Force or Marines. It also includes those who have or do service in the National Guard and other military branch services, regardless of rank or service station.

Veterans Day used to be called both Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, the date selected because November 11th is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice at the end of the First World War in 1918. According to historical records, the First World War ended in the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, which makes it understandable that such a date would be set aside in commemoration forever thereafter. President Woodrow Wilson oversaw the first observation of the day in 1919, and by 1926 Congress passed a resolution asking all Americans to recognize the special day.

In 1938, Veterans Day became recognized as a national holiday. It is a national day of observance and government offices and banks are closed, though schools and most private businesses remain open. Veterans groups and organizations throughout the country celebrate the day, and citizens attend parades, cemetery services and other local events. Schools often honor the day by inviting veterans to speak to students, and red, white and blue decorations, as well as American flags, adorn sidewalks, buildings, homes and schools around the nation.

The observance of Veterans Day is to recognize and honor soldiers and servicemen and women serving in the United States and abroad, while Memorial Day is meant to honor the military dead from battles and wars fought by Americans throughout this country’s history. It doesn’t matter whether or not the service veteran saw actual combat or not, or if they have served in peacetime or during a time of war. American veterans have given years of their lives to the service of their country, whether that service was given in Fort Lewis, Washington, or Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iran or Iraq.

Veterans Day is a day for grandfathers and fathers to tell their children and grandchildren about their experiences, to perpetuate feelings of loyalty and service of country to the younger generation. It is a time of appreciation and an awakened awareness of what veterans, both young and old, do and have done for their country. Veterans Day is not meant to glorify war or encourage hatred or intolerance of different cultures, but a time to realize that the price of freedom and democracy sometimes comes at a very high price. Every country in the world has some sort of military force, and Veterans Day is celebrated in other countries besides the United States, though the names and dates may be different.

Veterans Day offers all Americans the chance to fully appreciate the sons, daughters, husbands, wives and brothers and sisters of nearly every family in the country for feeling enough pride in their country to defend it against tyranny and attack. Veterans Day is a time when Americans say ‘thank-you’ to the men and women of all races, creeds and beliefs, for doing what they feel is their duty and offering several years’ of their lives to the ideals that America stands for; peace, freedom and democracy.

How to Celebrate Police Week

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Honoring the Men in Blue during Police Week

Every day, thousands of policemen and women put their lives on the line to protect citizens of the United States of America. The men in blue, as they’re often called, help to ensure that law and order is maintained in every town, city and county, and it doesn’t matter if that county is in ice-bound Alaska or an Everglades swamp in Florida.

Law and order has been an issue that every civilization has had to deal with down through the centuries, and America isn’t any different. Instead of town marshals carrying six-guns, we now have sheriff’s offices and police departments to take care of any legal problem that may occur in a town or on outlying roads and highways. As the population in the United States has grown, so have the needs of police departments everywhere. The dedication to duty and risks that police officers take on a daily basis is recognized and honored during Police Week every year, an event that officially began in 1962 and which is still observed to this day.

President John F. Kennedy officially signed a proclamation in 1962 designating May 15th of every year as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week that surrounds it as Police Week. Police Week isn’t only an event for law enforcement personally to honor and observe in our nation’s capital, but one that every citizen in the United States can participate in as well. Every year, thousands of law enforcement personnel from different branches of law enforcement and states converge on Washington D.C. for events that honor those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

The first nationally recognized Police Officers Memorial service was observed in the early 1980’s. A little over a hundred people attended that event, held in Senate Park in Washington D.C., to honor ninety one police officers who had died in the line of duty. By the 21st century, over three thousand fallen police officers have been memorialized and honored at this same event, which now draws thousands of visitors, family members of the fallen, and law enforcement personnel from around the nation. The day, marked by speeches and memorials, is a somber event, capped by a candlelight vigil.

Police Officer Week also draws attention to the needs of surviving family members of those whose loved ones have been killed in the line of duty, and the event also offers seminars and counseling sessions to answer questions and to provide help and support for those suffering the loss of a police officer from within the family. Attention is also focused on young people, encouraging them to realize that police officers are trained to promote peace and safety among civilians. Whether Americans agree to every rule and statute within their city or county or not, it must be recognized that a police officer is bound to protect the lives of the innocent and rules must be enforced to limit illegal and dangerous activities.

Whether police officers wear undercover clothing, riot gear, bulletproof vests or business suits doesn’t matter. They are all sworn to protect the lives of innocent people who are sometimes at the mercy of criminals who have no regard for law or peace. A police officer, no matter which branch of law enforcement he or she holds, is often expected to deal with dangerous and deadly criminals that would otherwise endanger Americans in their homes, their place of work, and their schools. It is up to Americans everywhere to honor and appreciate the dedication to duty that allows police officers to place their lives on the lines for strangers in order to live up to that oath.

Police Week is a time when everyone, young and old, goes out of their way to say “Thank You” to their men in blue.

Honoring the Fallen on Memorial Day

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Remembering the men and women, soldiers and civilians, who have died while defending the United States has been a tradition in America since 1863, following the death of hundreds of thousands of soldiers during the War Between the States. Back then, the day of recognition was called Decoration Day, because flowers were placed on the graves of soldiers from both North and South. Started by women, some the wives of government representatives, others within local communities, the tradition became a yearly one.

The idea of recognizing a day to honor fallen soldiers is believed to have begun with a woman named Miss Emma Hunter of Pennsylvania, who appeared at her father’s tomb with flowers in 1864. There, she also met another woman bearing flowers to the grave of her son. The two women agreed to meet the same day the following year in order to again place flowers on their graves, and so Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, is credited with originating Memorial Day. Another legend tells of the creation of Memorial Day taking place as women from Columbus, Mississippi placed flowers upon the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers in 1866.

In 1865, a suggestion was made to the Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic for citizens around the country to be able to have access to soldier’s graves on the last day of May for the purpose of “strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country.” Shortly thereafter, ceremonies were held at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington D.C., where they continue to this day. Though Memorial Day was not officially designated a national holiday until the late 1870’s, observers from towns and cities across the United States observed, recognized and honored veterans of all wars the last day in May. In 1873, New York was the first state in America to officially declare May 30th a legal holiday.

Navy personnel and families created small boats made of flowers and set them afloat at ports on both American coasts to that the tides would carry the flowers out to sea in the hopes that they would eventually find those who had been buried or lost at sea. Towns everywhere celebrate the day with red, white and blue streamers, parades, speeches and events designed to commemorate the sacrifices and loyalty of soldiers, both men and women, who have lost their lives in the continued pursuit of freedom and democracy. Flags, normally raised in front of all government and school buildings, are also raised in front of homes. Cemeteries around the country are decorated with thousands of little flags placed at the headstones of veterans. Military ceremonies performed throughout the country offer cannon and gun salutes to those who have given their all for their country. The playing of Taps in cemetery ceremonies around the nation brings tears to thousands of eyes every year, while white crosses decorated with red poppies or carnations remind all Americans that freedom is neither free nor to be taken for granted.

Schools around the country celebrate Memorial Day with crafts and classroom assignments that ensure that soldier’s contributions to freedom never be forgotten, and many veterans visit classrooms and auditoriums around the country, telling of their experiences during various battles and wars. The Pledge of Allegiance became a daily requirement for American children in schools around the country, serving as a reminder of what it means to be a citizen of one of the greatest countries in the world.

Memorial Day is one of America’s most honored holidays, when all military personnel are recognized and appreciated for their sacrifices and dedication to preserving the ideals of freedom and democracy not only within the United States of America, but around the globe.

How to Celebrate Presidents’ Day

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Honoring Presidents’ Day

Presidents’ Day is the name given to the national holiday that used to celebrate George Washington’s Birthday. Since the early 1800’s the first president’s birthday was officially honored on February 22nd. Early America celebrated the beloved president’s birthday with balls, speeches and fancy receptions attended by political figures and common people alike.

Born in 1732, George Washington is one of the greatest personalities of American history, and his face is well known and found memorialized not only in our currency, but also throughout the United States, including Mt. Rushmore, his home in Alexandria, Virginia, and in Washington D.C.

However, another favorite American son who became president also shared a February birthday, and after Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, which ended abruptly in 1865, people throughout the United States also honored his birthday every February. It is perhaps understandable that eventually Americans would celebrate the birthdays of these two popular and beloved American’s on the same day. In 1971, legislation passed that officially declared that Washington’s birthday was to be celebrated on the third Monday of each February, whether it landed on his birthday or not. It was also used as a reason for Federal government employees to enjoy a three-day holiday. In the meantime, Lincoln’s birthday, while nationally recognized and observed, was never officially declared a federal holiday.

Then, in the late 1980’s, it was suggested that Washington’s Birthday also be used as a day to recognize not only Lincoln’s birthday, but all presidents of the past. Then, in 1986, another move was made to change both the focus and the date of the holiday when it was suggested that Americans recognize and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, another February baby at the same time. Since then, King has received his own special day of recognition, and while the third Monday of every February is technically still Washington’s Birthday celebration, many people in the United States now call the day a more generic ‘Presidents’ Day’.

In schools around the country, curriculum around this time of year focuses on teaching children about the Presidency of the United States and particular president’s in general, focusing on our Founding Fathers and Abraham Lincoln. Throughout the country, many businesses are closed, as are government offices. Over the years, such practices have changed, and now it all depends on where you live whether or not post offices, schools or government buildings and offices are open or closed. Schools that used to allow children and teachers off one day each for Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays now only offer one, while some school districts simply take the entire week off.

While the intended reason for the holiday in the first place was to recognize and appreciate the accomplishments of our first president, including his loyalty, courage and statesmanship, teachers also use the day across the country to teach children learn about early Colonial America and the beginnings of independence for our country.

George Washington was the first American to create a military medal for his men, and to this day, the Purple Heart is still given to soldiers wounded in battle. In different parts of the country, and mostly in his native Virginia, people celebrate this great man’s birthday with parades and community gatherings and picnics. Every year, thousands of people visit the Washington Memorial in Washington D.C. and his home at Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia. America’s first Commander General and President is a man who deserves to be remembered for his great military skills and his leadership abilities. No matter which day his birthday falls on, every February should find Americans remembering and honoring the memory of one of our greatest Founding Fathers, though books, songs, plays and speeches.

How to Honor Civil Rights Day

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Honoring Civil Rights Day

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suggested that the United States government should form a group recognizing and addressing the issues of civil rights in a formal manner. The result was the formation of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
Generally observed on the third Monday of January, along with Martin Luther King’s birthday, Civil Rights Day is a day to reflect on the dreams and aspirations of millions of Americans of different color, races, creeds and beliefs.

Civil rights are defined as specific rights as guaranteed by the United State’s Constitution, which are freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of the press, and the right to equal protection under the law, as well as due process. Since the end of the Civil War and the freeing of slaves after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the search and drive for equal rights among Africa-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native American’s has propelled America through several eras of growing pains and lessons gained from multiple public figureheads. The 1950’s and 1960’s saw an unprecedented number of moves within every geographical area within the United States, to recognize and address issues of equality between African-Americans, Asians and Latino citizens within around the country. Such men as Martin Luther King Jr., and César Chávez, as well as well as group movements such as the Black Panthers and the American Indian Movement has drawn much attention to the plight and inequality of many races within the United States.

The very first governmental legislation that sought to ensure the rights of former slaves were introduced and defined in the Civil Rights Acts of the 1800’s, which gave African-American males the right to vote and to own property. By 1870, the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed ‘equal protection under the law to all persons (not only to citizens) within their jurisdictions’. David Souter, a Supreme Court Justice, said of the amendment, “it is the most significant structural provision adopted since the original Framing”. While the Amendment was not generally recognized and put into actual process in the 1950’s and 1960’s, it served as the basis for the prevention of racial segregation in public schools. Since the advent of civil rights movements of the 1960’s, Americans of different colors and beliefs today are able to enjoy freedoms that their ancestors never dreamed possible.

However, the United States of America is ‘dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal…’ and even though it took years of struggle and sacrifice to attain current standards, America as a whole has grown in resources and ideology since then. Federal regulations drafted and implemented in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s saw individual states passing their own civil rights laws, and the era spawned the organization that is known today as the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, as well as the Congress of Racial Equality and the Urban League.

The famous civil rights movements held during the 1960’s, mainly led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., are a part of America’s history and are recognized and remembered as a time of struggle, of changing attitudes and the breaking down of barriers that had separated races since the earliest colonial times. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited employers and businesses from discriminating against anyone because of the color of his or her skin, their beliefs, their ethnicity or their nation or origin. It ordered that public facilities be accessible to people of all colors and backgrounds, and did away with the idea of segregation.

Today, children of all races and colors play together on school playgrounds and join together in friendship and learning in campuses around the country. People of different races enjoy living side-by-side and learning from each other. Civil Rights Day is a day when the efforts and sacrifice of those who came before us paved the way to open relations and broke down barriers between those of different race, color and creed.

History of Earth Day

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President Kennedy’s five day national conservation tour in 1963 sowed the seeds for the eventual establishment of Earth Day.  The idea, an effort to bring national political attention to the care and importance of our environment, derived from Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1962.

Nelson believed that if the President would participate in conservation efforts, the support of the country would follow.  While he was not completely incorrect, there was not an immediate adoption of a day to honor the environment.

Several years after Kennedy’s eleven state tour, Nelson closely watched the anti-Vietnam War protests throughout the country and realized that if the same amount of energy could be harnessed in support of the environment – politicians could no longer ignore the pressing issue of declining environmental condition.  The inspiration that he received from watching the “teach-ins” taking place on college campuses throughout most of the country provided inspiration for a way to gain national political support for the environment. He used his own influence to establish a national protest in favor of the environment to be held during the early part of 1970.

Nelson’s public and national announcement of this demonstration excited the American public, who for the months leading up to the protest sent letters and donations of support to the Senator and his organization to begin Earth Day recognition efforts.  Perhaps the country was relieved to see reason for positive protesting in light of the horrors of the Vietnam War, or perhaps they because afraid when national media attention became directed at the mistreatment and decline of the environment – but regardless of why it happened – the Senator gained huge support.

Nelson remarks today that Earth Day really did organize itself. Although he took the time and patience to get the idea moving – he never expected the 20 million people who turned up nationally in support of environmental protection in the United States.

It is notable to remark that during the same year of 1970 that Earth Day was first celebrated, the Environmental Protection Agency was formed by President Richard Nixon. Beginning that year, and continuing through present day, the national government has taken a vested interest in protecting the environment from harmful pollution in order to preserve the Earth we have now for generations to come.

Gaylord Nelson continued his devotion for the environment through the next decade as a US Senator, and in honor of his contributions to environmental protection and towards the improvement of our future he was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1995 by President Bill Clinton. In addition to establishing Earth Day, Nelson provided many other types of support for environmental causes which encompassed a span of several decades. Nelson was also the recipient of the EPA Only One Award and the Ansel Adams Conservation Award.

Earth Day continues to evolve, seemingly on its own merit and with little in the way of structured organizations. Most college campuses and cities within the US recognize the importance of celebrating and preserving nature as it was intended in order to guarantee a safe and healthy future for generations to come.

Each year, Earth Day is dedicated to a specific item of interest in addition to the environment in general.  In 2006 the topic of interest was affecting climate change and reducing global warming.  The three year campaign to get attention and action directed towards these topics will hopefully result in a renewed commitment to the environment throughout the world.

Having Fun on Sadie Hawkins Day

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There’s nothing more fun than being able to turn the tables on traditions, and one of the most popular these days is the opportunity to turn things upside down on Sadie Hawkins Day.

Sadie Hawkins Day is perhaps the only holiday that has ever been created as the result of a comic strip, but it’s one that is enjoyed in America every November 9th and looked forward to by many all year long. For on Sadie Hawkins Day, girls get the upper hand when it comes to dating and matchmaking. In the years between the late 1930’s and the late 20th century, it was up to the male species to ask a girl out on a date. Not long ago, it would have been unheard of, and considered quite forward, for a girl to do any asking, but not with the advent of Sadie Hawkins Day.

Created in 1938 by cartoonist Alfred Caplin in the national beloved comic strip of the day, Li’l Abner, the introduction of  “the homeliest gal in all them hills”, Sadie Hawkins, was allowed to pursue any unattached man in the town of Dogpatch with the sole purpose of matrimony. Actually, Sadie was the homely, spinsterish, thirty-five year old daughter of a man who, in desperation, asked for all bachelors in Dogpatch to gather early one morning in town. He then declared that whoever his daughter managed to literally hunt down and capture, and dragged to the finish line at the end of the day, would be required to marry her. The poor father couldn’t bear the thought of his daughter remaining unmarried a minute longer and said, “When ah fires my gun, all o’ yo’ start a-running! When ah fires again – after givin’ yo’ a fair start – Sadie starts a runnin’. Th’ one she ketches’ll be her husband.”

Well, other town spinsters thought it was a grand idea and made the day an annual event, without the permission or acceptance of the town’s bachelors, who were nevertheless unable to prevent such an occasion from taking place.

Today, Sadie Hawkins day is celebrated in schools across America, a day when shy or bold girls can go up to their crushes or intendeds and ask them to the yearly Sadie Hawkins Dance. The holiday took off in 1939 with reports that “On Sadie Hawkins Day, Girls Chase Boys in 201 Colleges!” Meant in good fun, it is nevertheless a chance for girls and women everywhere to make their intentions plain to the gender that is sometimes known as a little dense when it comes to picking up on hints and intentions. Couples attend Sadie Hawkins dances around the United States dressed in farming clothes such as overalls, jeans, flannel shirts and straw hats to honor and commemorate the first, though fictional, Sadie. The event is also known among kids of all ages as WPA, or ‘Women Pay All’. This time, it’s the women who foot the bill for dinner, dance tickets and other entertainments offered at Sadie Hawkins’ dances in middle and high schools, as well as colleges and universities in every state around the country.

The custom of Sadie Hawkins Day, though begun as a simple cartoon strip, took off like a rocket in the psyche of America’s youth, and is a fun and wholesome way to celebrate an opportunity that was heretofore considered improper or forward for a girl to bring up, let alone discuss with the opposite sex. Little did cartoonist Caplin realize what he started, but to this day, Sadie Hawkins Day is a traditional part of school life, one that is enjoyed and celebrated by thousands of young women around the country. In many colleges around the country, an annual ‘Dogpatch Ceremony’ is held to commemorate the event and to kick off the ‘bachelor hunt’, attended by men and women of all ages.

The comic strip, Li’l Abner, was created in 1934 and by 1946 had been syndicated in over 500 national newspapers, which earned a whopping two hundred thousand dollars a year for its creator, known these days as Al Capp.

What Is Super Tuesday

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Having a Say on Super Tuesday

No, Super Tuesday isn’t a sporting event or a shopping day. It’s a day that has to do with politics and voting, a specific day in February or early March that generally sees millions of Americans voting for the primary presidential elections that take place every four years.

Super Tuesday is the day when major political parties within the United States choose their favorites to run in upcoming presidential elections. Each major political party chooses from a list of candidates and selects the one, from their party or another, which they want to vote for. From the list that can contain dozens of candidates who want to be president of the United States, only a handful is selected. Once those votes are decided, those candidates will begin a long and arduous campaign to convince the American people that they will best fit the job as President of America.

The phrase was first coined in 1984. Certain largely populated states within the country serve as strategically important states in any political campaign, because of the number of residents, delegates and representatives available. Those states can change from year to year as populations and demographics shift, but for the most part, these important states consist of California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. In the United States, the primaries held in New Hampshire also create vast attention from American voters, and in many cases, the voting in these states often serves as a precursor to how the rest of the country is going to vote as well.

Winning state elections held on Super Tuesday are a feather in any presidential candidates hat. Super Tuesday voting events are held in vastly different states in regard to population and socioeconomic levels, which serve to represent all cultures and income levels within the country. Such elections also serve to indicate a particularly favored or disfavored candidate. Certain demographic areas of the country tend to vote Republican, while others are primarily Democratic. Such is the glory and frustration of the American voting system, which allows each individual the right to vote. In every election, majority rules and while many people are left disappointed when their preferred candidate doesn’t win, it’s a testament to the American way of life that each citizen has a right to vote for whomever they choose to be their leader.

A presidential candidate’s win in particular states on Super Tuesday will often serve as a driving force for the remainder of their campaign, and the lessons learned of what works and what doesn’t are carefully observed by campaign managers from all political parties. The American voting system allows candidates to campaign in person, and over radio and television waves to reach every American in even the remotest corners of the country and around the world. World leaders keep their attention on the campaigns of various American presidential candidates as the process begins in an effort to get to know whom they may be dealing with in a short period of time. Presidential terms last four years, and a president may be re-elected once, to serve a total of eight years in office. Other world leaders are often forced to switch gears when new presidents are elected, and while this process may be frustrating to many other countries, the American system has been celebrated, observed and respected since our country’s beginnings. America’s Founding Fathers wanted to insure that democracy ruled and set limits to the powers of government that guarantees every American’s right to vote a candidate into or out of office; a right that is enjoyed by few other countries around the world.

Super Tuesday serves to offer every American the right to cast their vote on who they feel will best represent the United States of America, not only to fellow Americans, but to the world.

How Halloween Took Birth

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Haunted Halloween

One of the most fun kids have, or used to have in the ‘old days’ was to dress up in costumes on Halloween, and then to go trick-or-treating after dark. Knocking on doors up and down neighborhood streets and getting a piece or two of candy in return began as a tradition in the 17th century. Children wearing masks and costumes roamed their neighborhoods as well, asking for apples, nuts or other treats, some sweet, some not.

Before then, Halloween was a day when ancient Celts, from what are now France and the British Isles, practiced Druidism as their religion. It is believed that on one occasion, a Druid priest allowed the spirits of the departed a chance to return to their homes for a few hours during the last night of October. This tradition continued for many years, observed by people who believed the world was flat and superstition and belief in pagan spirits was a rampant part of every day life. As the centuries passed, some Roman traditions blended with those of the Druids, and as with most all customs, migration of large groups of people around the world brought their traditions and superstitions with them. The name ‘Halloween’ comes from Christian religion origins and refers to what is known as All Hallows day, which occurs on November 1st. In ancient times, people believed that the night before, October 31st, would see the spirits of the departed rising from their graves. People also feared witches and ghosts wandering about on that night, and took what protective measures they could to ensure their safety.

Carving pumpkins, or jack-o’lantern’s, is a custom that dates back centuries as well, and their origins in the New World are found in the celebrations of the original pilgrims and colonial settlements. The Jack-o-lantern is said to have originated in Ireland, based on a tale of a tight-fisted Irish man named Jack, who liked to try to outwit the Devil. Because of his antics, he was condemned to wander around the world forever, carrying a lantern to light his way.  People believed that the carved faces and expressions in a jack-o-lantern would frighten the bad spirits away from their homes and leave them alone. Halloween became a time of full moons and black cats, which were considered to be reincarnated spirits of the dead, and unhappy ghosts and cruel spirits wreaking havoc among the living. In the old days, bonfires were lit to scare and keep the ghosts and witches away. In the early years of the American states, children celebrated Halloween with taffy pulls and popping corn, and sometimes, hayrides. Pranks became commonplace, some funny, others not so.

In the United States these days, most people don’t believe in the rising of the spirits and the rampant haunting that was feared for so many centuries, and children carve happy faces into their Halloween pumpkins while mothers toast the seeds for snacks. Halloween today is still observed, but while the traditions of the holiday have perpetuated for hundreds of years, the age of enlightenment have erased such fears of ghosts and superstitions. Halloween today means candy and treats for children in America, and dressing up in simple or elaborate costumes for fun. School parties are held on Halloween day and adults attend masquerade parties. Parties and carnivals are held, and old-fashioned games like bobbing for apples and climbing greased poles or capturing greased pigs are still celebrated in many communities around America. Contests are held for the scariest costumes or the most elaborate. It’s a time of fun and laughter, and children all over America delight in looking forward to dressing up and going out into their neighborhoods for candy and treats. Every household on the block would purchase candy to keep by their door in expectation of hearing the doorbell ring and a childlike voice yelling, “Trick or Treat!” as it is opened. However, because of safety reasons, more and more children are attending mass Halloween get togethers in parks and schools. Still, the traditions of Halloween continue to be observed, and children in America still enjoy the benefits of a custom that began centuries ago in the sprawling green fields of Ireland.

How to Celebrate Colorado Day

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Happy Birthday, Colorado!

Colorado Day celebrates the admission of the Colorado Territory into the United States in 1876, thereby giving it the nickname, ‘The Centennial State’, one that has lasted to this day. Nicknames seem to be a favorite for Colorado, whose state capitol, Denver, is also know that the ‘Mile High City’, since the elevation of Denver is more than a mile above sea level.

Instituted as a part of the United States in August of 1876, the western state that is known for its cowboys, cattle ranches, gorgeous mountain vistas and rolling plains, is a favorite travel spot for Americans every year. The 38th state to enter the Union, Colorado brings with it a history of Indian wars, determined settlers and ranchers, gunslingers and rodeos. The colorful, purple Rocky Mountain Columbine has been designated at its state flower and the Lark Bunting its favorite bird. A variety of landscapes, and weather patterns, make Colorado a treasured tourist destination for millions of Americans around the country.

Spanish explorer Francisco Coronado traveled through the southwestern portion of the state in 1541, and the area incorporating the eastern part of Colorado and many other states were purchased through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Treaty of Hidalgo, offered by Mexico to the United States in 1848, brought the western portion of modern day Colorado to the United States, and then in 1850, the government purchased former claims by Texas on Colorado lands. The first non-Native American Indian settlements in Colorado were begun in the early 1850’s, but Colorado’s Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of the later part of that decade saw the infusion of thousands of gold seekers flocking to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains in search of gold and silver.

St. Charles, now known as Denver, became one of Colorado’s first cities, followed by settlements throughout the state, from the plains of the eastern slope, over the Rocky Mountain peaks to the western slope, adobes and flatlands of western Colorado. Colorado is the Spanish word for ‘colored red’, and her red-tinted earth proved a fitting name for the isolated land in the middle of the Great Plains. The state flag symbolizes the beauty of Colorado, from the gold designating her abundant sunshine to the white, which represents her almost perpetually snow-capped mountains, while the blue serves as a reminder of her unbelievable blue skies. The red represents her earth.

Colorado’s history is rich in Native American cultures and traditions, and traditional customs and events share a part of Colorado’s rich heritage. Colorado is also known for its hunting seasons and wilderness that offer pristine mountains, meadows and experiences for native Coloradans and visitors alike. Colorado is a land of great diversity and change, and has grown exponentially since its official birth, offering natives and transplanted citizens alike a wealth of opportunity. Mostly agricultural, Colorado is quickly stepping forward into the 21st century with an influx of technology and job opportunities that will enable the state to both grow and remain rich in her unique heritage as an ‘old western’ state, where old blends with new and life still maintains an even, laid-back pace.

Colorado Day is celebrated in typical western tradition, with rodeos, fairs, and civic community events that host dances, festivals and any event that brings good, clean fun to its inhabitants. Colorado has enjoyed a lustrous history that is perpetuated by her reputation as a true ‘western’ state, one that personifies the heritage of the American cowboy and way of life. Every Colorado Day is an event to be celebrated and honored, and for native Coloradoans, is a day of extreme pride and enjoyment reflecting the American Spirit.

How to Celebrate Anti Valentine’s Day

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Happy Anti Valentine’s Day!

Let’s face it. Not everyone is in love or part of a twosome, couple, better half or long- term relationship. While Valentine’s Day is for lovers, a growing trend in recent years has been for singles and those otherwise ‘unattached’ to literally boycott Valentine’s Day. All done in good fun, the fad seems to be taking not only the United States, but also the world, by storm.

Every February 14th, lovers and couples around the United States enjoy receiving and giving cards that gush romantic poems, flowers and candy, stuffed animals and any other treats and goodies that millions of Americans purchase every year. However, doing so leaves singles out of the day’s festivities. Recently, typical American wit and subtle and humorous sarcasm entered the mix. Greeting cards that glorify singleness are hitting the card shelves, and one of America’s largest greeting card manufacturers, American Greetings, has added nearly a dozen ‘Anti Valentine’s Day’ cards to their lineup. Whether attached or not, men and women of all ages want to be able to participate in the traditional holiday, but are, depending on how you look at it, fortunate or unfortunate not to have someone to celebrate the day of couples with.

Greeting card companies are also leaning toward providing picky Americans with less sentimental cards meant only for lovers and couples, adding cards which are more suited to close friends rather than soul mates. Hallmark Cards, another leading manufacturer of greeting cards, has offered humorous Valentine’s Day offerings for years and believes the trend toward more subtle Valentine wishes is due largely to the types of television shows aired today. Today’s couples and almost-couples are leaning away from traditional, syrupy offerings and go for humor and generic, friendship-geared cards.

Valentine’s Day is an important day for florists, candy and greeting card companies. It’s a day when money is exchanged in bulk. Companies have spent decades building many holidays to their benefits, which is natural and to be expected, but you can bet that they are watching the trend toward celebrating individuality and singleness rather than just focusing their attentions on couples. Young people are a major portion of Valentine’s Day marketing endeavors, and 21st century lovers are not what they used to be in the 19th century. Every year, greeting card companies sell nearly 200 million Valentine’s cards alone, and while some of those are the cards purchased by school children, the vast majority is not. Even American Greetings Card Company states that their biggest sellers are cynical humor offerings, which seem to appeal to the younger crowd.

Many Americans are protesting the consumerism that is involved in so many holiday festivities and customs, and for them, Anti Valentine’s Day is a day to protest such a rampant trend. They refuse to purchase due to peer pressure and expectations and do their own thing instead. They utilize popular online card company offerings to save paper, or purchase cards from local artists, shunning the huge card conglomerates.

A disturbing trend? Perhaps. However, Americans have always enjoyed testing boundaries and customs, and perhaps Valentine’s Day is no different. Why not mix up the rule? Is there any law against change? What started off as a joke for some unattached men and women in America has become a new trend in marketing holiday traditions. While February 14th will always be a day for lovers, the future also sees it as being a day that celebrates singles and friends and relationships that are not quite at the level of making that everlasting commitment. Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your better half or alone, take heart in the fact that America, and Americans around the country, will be celebrating with you.

What to Wear Over a Bathing Suit

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Guide to Bathing Suit Cover up Fashion

You’re done at the beach or the pool and you want to go into the store but you are still wearing your bathing suit, what do you do? Well some of you might just go into the store in your bikinis but for the rest of you that want to cover up you can do so and still look fashionable. Yes you could throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, but what fun would that be? Besides there are other times that you will want to cover up your swimwear without totally covering it up, like when you take a stroll down the beach or when walking poolside.

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to cover up your bathing suit, here are some ways that you can do so and still look fashionable in the process:

Mess skirts: These are quickly gaining popularity with women everywhere. Mess skirts come in a variety of colors and achieve the perfect cover up while still showing a little bit of your suit underneath. While these make the perfect throw on for a quick jaunt down the beach or poolside, you may want to cover up a bit more before going into a public place.
Wraps: There are all sorts of stylish wraps that you can get today that may be the perfect fashionable cover up option for you. You can go with a wrap that just covers your lower half and then use a scarf to throw over your shoulders and sort of offer coverage for your top half as well. You can also go with a longer wrap that will give you more coverage as you will wrap it at chest level and let it hang from there.
Button down shirts: A short sleeved button down shirt also does the trick for some added cover up. Be sure to go with a lighter color and feel free to experiment with the buttons. If you are feeling a bit reeling risky then leave it totally unbuttoned, or you can be more on the conservative side and button it up almost all the way.
Cover up skirts: You can actually buy skirts that are made especially to cover up the lower part of your body when you are wearing a bathing suit. These come in a wide variety of styles and fun colors so finding one you like shouldn’t be a problem. These types of cover up skirts go perfect with the button down shirt option or use the scarf trick to cover part of your upper half.
Cover up dresses: Just like their cover up skirt cousins, these dresses are made especially for you to cover up your stuff when need be as well. They too come in a wide variety of styles and colors and finding one that you like should be a snap. These dresses are the perfect choice when you don’t want to wear a shirt and just want something to throw on rather quickly.

With fashion as fun and full of excitement as it is today, you should never have a problem with finding the perfect cover up for your swimwear.

Wow To Look Great At The Beach, No Matter What Your Weigh

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Guide for Swimwear for Heavy Bodies – Look great, no Matter what your Weight

When the warm weather rolls around and it’s time to hit the beaches and the pools in your area you want to look your best in your swimwear. Many people however feel that because their weight is what would be considered ‘hefty’ that any type of swimwear fashion is out of the question. This is simply not the case.

In today’s fashion savvy world in which we live there are many options for those of you that may be a bit larger in stature than others. Here are some great tips for both the ladies and the guys:

Ladies

Wrap it up: So many women are self conscious about their backsides and if you are one of them fear not. There are a number of stylish wraps that can be purchased that do what they sound like they would do and wrap around your lower half to provide you with the coverage you want. This will allow you to walk the beach or poolside freely and not worry about if anyone is critically looking you over.
Bikini options: Just because you can’t wear a string bikini doesn’t mean that you can’t still wear a bikini. Now they have bikinis that have shorts as bottoms as opposed to the typical bottoms that allow for better coverage and increased comfort. If you a little self conscious about your mid section then get a bikini top that has extra material that hangs down on the front. This will still allow you to wear a bikini and cover up at the same time.
Sun dresses: There are so many stylish sun dresses available now that you really have no excuse not to pick one up. Wear it over your swimwear while walking onto the beach or pool area and take it off when you go in the water. Want to go for a walk? Throw it back on and walk away.

Bottom line is ladies; you don’t have to wear a one piece suit or shorts and a t-shirt when you want to get wet.

Men

Nix the Speedo: Do Speedos look good on anyone? If you are one the hefty side, you can still get some really cool looking swim trunks that will offer you great coverage and comfort and you don’t have to go ultra short either. You can stick with the traditional bathing suit or go with the more contemporary board shorts. These types of shorts are typically seen on surfers and they tend to come in wilder designs than your average swim suit does.
Rash guard: If you do not like the look of your gut, then pick up a rash guard. A rash guard looks like a t-shirt but it is made of a material that is similar to a wet suit. They have SPF built right in so you don’t have to worry about burning and no one will look at you like you are wearing a shirt, because so many guys, thin and hefty, wear rash guards these days.

All you will need at that point is a surf board and no one but you will know that you really aren’t a surfer.

Looking great at the beach or the pool can be done no matter how much you weigh. Just remember to go with what you like and have a great time in the process.

Why To Choose Organic Products

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Growing Organic: Better for You and Better for the Environment

Organically grown produce has become the latest of many “green” methods to lessen impact on the environment and improve public health. Organic farming and gardening offer many benefits for the consumer. Most importantly, organic gardening ensures that you are consuming the healthiest fruits, vegetables and herbs with the highest amount of nutrients. And the fresher and healthier your produce is, the better it will taste.

The majority of the produce found in today’s grocery store has been grown with the aid of fertilizers to enhance plant growth, herbicides to fend off weeds, pesticides to kill insects that are harmful to the plant, and sometimes even genetic modification to produce a more visually appealing product. Not to mention that some produce is grown indoors rather than out, further diminishing its nutritional value. Combined, all of these practices make eating this food a less nutritious, less tasty and more dangerous proposition.

Not only do organic gardening and farming provide a better option for the consumer, they also offer many environmental benefits. For land to be certified organic, farmers are not allowed to use any chemicals or substances that might pollute the air, water or the food itself. The use of chemicals in gardening and farming has serious long-term effects on the environment because these chemicals never entirely disappear during the course of a growing season. Instead, remnants of the substances will leech into the surrounding soil and gradually make their way into the water system, and later the food chain.

To ensure the ongoing fertility of the soil, organic farmers use methods such as crop rotation and composting. To control pests, they utilize non-toxic, natural materials. No build-up of unhealthy chemicals happens in the soil, the water or the food chain with these methods, preserving the long-term health of the environment.

Organic gardening and farming also eliminate the packaging, transportation and fuel costs associated with the use of pesticides and fertilizers. These costs can be tremendous when you consider how much material must be spread over just one acre of farmland.

Another considerable benefit of organic farming and gardening is the reduction in soil erosion. Organic plots build the amount of organic matter in the soil, making it better able to soak up water. When rainwater does not soak into the soil, it will “run off.” The force of the running water carries the topsoil with it, eroding the land. Over time this process can severely impact the fertility of an area. By using organic growing methods, soil erosion is reduced and the overall richness of the soil increased.

Because of the numerous advantages of organic farming and gardening for the environment, countless numbers of people from around the world are turning to organic growing practices to eat and live better. To enhance your own eco-friendly lifestyle, consider growing a organic garden if you have the space. If not, buy locally-grown organic produce from your neighborhood farmer’s market. No matter how small, every “green” step will improve the health of your family and the health of the environment.

What Happens On Ground Hog Day

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Ground Hog Day

In the United States, Ground Hog Day, known as Candlemas in other parts of the world, is a day on which the weather pattern for the following six weeks will be determined, not by science or methods of meteorology, but by a ground hog. That’s right, a ground hog.

German and English immigrants originally brought the custom of predicting the weather patterns in the midst of winter to determine the advent of spring to America. Basically, what happens is this: If a ground hog or wood chuck comes out of his winter hole on February 2nd and sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are on the horizon. If the ground hog doesn’t see his shadow because of clouds, it means that winter will soon give way to a warm and pleasant spring. Scientific? No. Fun? Yes!

The tradition of Ground Hog Day is not in any way connected to any religious celebration, which makes it different from many other American holiday traditions. The tradition of watching the ground hog in America became popular mainly in Pennsylvania, perhaps due to the amount of German immigrants who made their homes in that state after arriving in America. However, it is in northwestern Pennsylvania that the behavior of the ground hog has accrued the most fame, in a town where the Punxsutawney Ground Hog Club first appeared in 1898. Members of local Punxsutawney town claim they are the ‘home of the traditional weather forecasting ground-hogs’. Every year, town members, and over the years, members from communities throughout the United States, travel to Punxsutawney to watch the ground hog, nicknamed, ‘Punxsutawney Phil’ either scoot back into his winter hole or stay aboveground to explore and eye the hundreds of humans watching his every move. The observance begins as people take a short walk up Gobbler’s Knob in the rolling foothills of the Allegheny Mountains to watch the antics of the ground hog as he emerges from his den. The actions of the mammal are immediately reported to newspapers across the country, and either brings smiles or frowns to those anticipating an early spring.

Another rival ground hog club founded in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania that calls itself the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge of Quarryville, was begun in 1908. Their members swear to protect the ground hog from all sorts of tragedies, including ending up in local stew pots. These two groups fan out and watch for the activities of ground hogs in their vicinity every year on February 2nd, sometimes arriving at specific locations before dawn in order to catch every potential move made by the elusive ground hogs. In Quarryville, the day is celebrated with fun and games to mark the eventful day. Other ground hog groups founded in Pennsylvania, among them the Greater Philadelphia Grounghoggers, have spent decade’s carefully watching ground hogs on February 2nd. The antics of these clubs has gained an international reputation, though the National Geographic Society announced that the entire ground hog idea as ridiculous, and weathermen decided long ago that the ground hog as a weather forecaster was only correct 28% of the time.

Nevertheless, Ground Hog Day is recognized and observed around the United States, on February 2nd and offers American citizens an opportunity for good, traditional homespun fun, and people around America join in with laughter and winks. School children are often read the story of ‘Punxsutawney Phil’ and learn about the ground hog mammal, who is given a great deal of attention and respect, for a few days anyway. Ground Hog Day, while not a national holiday, has nevertheless become an ingredient of American tradition and folklore, and will no doubt continue to be observed, if only tongue in cheek.

How Did Gold Star Mother’s Day Started

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Gold Star Mother’s Day

During the First World War, thousands of mothers throughout the United States received brief, emotionless notices that their sons had been killed in battle. The grief experienced by families, and the mothers of the slain in particular, was felt and noticed by one particular mother named Grace Seibold, whose son was killed in France in 1918.

Grace spent much of her time volunteering in hospitals as a result, and began to realize that, though her grief seemed so personal and solitary, that thousands of other mothers were experiencing the same emotions. As a result, she organized a group of people that consisted of mostly mothers of deceased soldiers, and they comforted each other and joined in their efforts to help the wounded sons of mothers who were more fortunate than they. The group eventually became known as the Gold Star group, since a gold star was typically hung in the house window of any family who had lost a son to the war.

President Woodrow Wilson approved of suggestions made by a Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defense in 1918. This council of women proposed that instead of wearing traditional mourning clothes, women and families of those men and women killed in battle wear a black band emblazoned with a gold star on their left arm, in recognition of the sacrifice their sons or daughters had made in the name of freedom and democracy.

The President agreed that, “The Service Flag displayed from homes, places of business, churches, schools, etc., to indicate the number of members of the family or organizations who are serving in the Armed Forces or who have died from such service. Service flags have a deep Blue Star for each living member in the service and a Gold Star for each member who has died.” The Gold Star became the symbol of the Gold Star mothers who mourned the loss of their sons, and became a recognized symbol throughout the nation. Unfortunately, a gold star, marking the supreme sacrifices of many service men and women through the years, ultimately covered thousands of blue stars.

The tradition carried on through the Second World War in the 1940’s and the Korean War in the 1950’s. Gold Star Mother’s Day has been recognized on the last Sunday of every September since 1936. It’s a day that’s used to help veteran’s organizations around the country and to perpetuate the memory of those lost in battle from all wars fought by the United States. To this day, flags are flown on this very important day, and while not recognized as a federal holiday, is one that all people can participate in. Public church services are held throughout the nation on this day. It’s a somber day, one in which mothers who have endured the loss of sons and daughters in service to America is recognized and honored. While everyone suffers the loss of loved ones during a time of war, mothers especially feel and suffer from that loss.

In 1936, the United States congress declared that, “Whereas the service rendered the United States by the American mother is the greatest source of the Country’s strength and inspiration, and whereas we honor ourselves and the mothers of America when we revere and give emphasis to the home as the fountainhead of the State…a proclamation calling upon the Government officials to display the United States flag on all government buildings, and the people of the United Sates to display the flag and to hold appropriate meetings in their homes, churches, or other suitable places, on the last Sunday in September, as public expression of the love, sorrow and reverence of the people of the United States for the American Gold Star Mothers.”

How To Celebrate Thanksgiving Day

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Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving day is so much more than turkey and football. It’s more than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and the kickoff to the Christmas holiday season. Literally, it’s about giving thanks for what Americans have, not what they don’t have. It’s a day to remember ancestors and the generations that have passed before, their experiences and tribulations, dreams and legacies.

The United States is one of the few nations in the world who traditionally celebrate such a day of thanks on a specific date, and Governor Bradford from Plymouth Colony was the first to issue an official proclamation to honor the day. Pilgrims celebrated the first non-official Thanksgiving in 1621, though such a celebration set aside to offer thanks for a bountiful harvest and surviving another year did not originate with the new colonists, but has been handed down through time itself since the beginning of mankind. Pilgrims entered nearby forests and hunted turkeys for their feast, which nearly a hundred American natives also attended, bringing with them deer and wild vegetables. The celebration lasted three days, with plentiful food, games and entertainment for all.

Another day of Thanksgiving was observed on November 23, 1623, after a particularly difficult year, again ordered by Governor Bradford, and many believe that it was this celebration which began the tradition of setting aside that particular day for offering thanks for generations to follow, though the day was not officially observed on the same day, nor every year afterward. However, it wasn’t until 1789 that President George Washington ordered a day of thanksgiving, and other presidents followed suit, including James Madison, who asked for a day to give thanks for peace in 1815. The history of celebrating a day of thanks was sporadic at best. Over the years however, it was felt by both politicians and citizens, that American people should observe a national Thanksgiving Day, and the efforts of Sarah Hale, editor for Godey’s Lady’s Book, set forth on efforts for the following twenty years for a national day of observance to be set. Her last editorial regarding the subject appeared in the magazine in 1863, and her tireless efforts, in addition to the fact that the North had just won the major, though costly, battle of Gettysburg, prompted President Abraham Lincoln to issue a proclamation that the last Thursday of every November be set aside as an official day of giving thanks.

Through the years, presidents have written proclamations and documents extolling how fortunate Americans are, and while not without sacrifices, the American way of life is envied by many other nations. The days leading up to Thanksgiving Day are filled with holiday preparations, and school children practice their parts for plays depicting the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims. Thanksgiving Day is considered the busiest travel day of the year as families make plans to enjoy the feast and celebrations together. Typical foods eaten on Thanksgiving Day have passed down over generations and consists of roast turkey with dressing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, squash, plum pudding and pumpkin pie.

In many communities, religious services are observed, followed by a day filled with cooking and televised football games. It’s a time for family and family reunions, of laughter and warmth. Thanksgiving Day is a special day for all Americans, and even the poor and homeless are treated to turkey dinners as thousands volunteer their time, their money and the spirit of Thanksgiving and generosity to those who aren’t as fortunate as others.

As President Roosevelt said in 1938, “Thus from the earliest recorded history, Americans have thanked God for their blessings. In our deepest natures, in our very souls, we, like all mankind, since the earliest origin of mankind, turn to God in time of happiness. In God we Trust.”