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.”

What Independence Day Means

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Freedom Rings on Independence Day

The Fourth of July is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States, as it celebrates America’s hard won independence from Britain after the signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, followed by years of war known as the American Revolution. This day, of all American holidays and traditions, is made special by its unique precedent.

The first celebration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence was held on July 8th, 1776 by the citizens of Philadelphia, after the document was read to the public assembled in the State House Yard, more commonly known today as Independence Square. Bells rang and people cheered, and despite the threat of war with the most powerful nation in the world, Great Britain, the American people first displayed their determination and spirit to govern themselves and preserve basic rights to which the founding fathers felt all humans deserve.

On July 2, 1777, just prior to the first anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, citizens of Philadelphia felt a celebration was in order. Arrangements were quickly made and Congress adjourned for the day. Bells rang once again, warships were decorated with flags and bunting and fireworks were set off that night. The following year, the required number of nine states, enough to ratify the document, adopted the Declaration. Though New York had abstained from voting, and Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted ‘No’, and Delaware was divided, but majority ruled. The right to vote in national elections continues to this day, a freedom that many countries in the world still don’t enjoy.

That year of 1778, Philadelphia celebrated in grand style. Streets were cleaned and readied for a parade over a route that extended almost two miles. The parade was led by twelve axmen ‘dressed in white frock, with black girdles around their waists and wearing ornamental caps’. They were followed by the First City Troop of Light Dragoons and then by five other groups with names that symbolized Independence. Chief Justice McKean and two judges, whose robes draped a carriage decorated to look like an eagle carried the Constitution, attached to a staff that was crowned with ‘Liberty’ and the words, ‘The People’ imprinted in gold letters on the staff just below the document. Thus began the tradition of Fourth of July parades that exist to this day in nearly every town and city within the United States.

By 1810, communities in America, and especially within the first thirteen states, held larger and more elaborate celebrations than ever before. Church bells rang at sunrise, noon and sunset, and ships within harbors were decorated with red, white and blue bunting. Flags hung everywhere and military parades became the norm. Fireworks became a traditional fixture in Independence Day celebrations, as did military ceremonies and demonstrations. In many western states, rodeos and other events were held on the fourth of July as well, in addition to fairs and huge community dinners.

The Fourth of July is considered a day that is memorialized in the hearts and minds of Americans throughout generations as a day that celebrates freedom and democracy. Fireworks, picnics and family gatherings bring Americans of all races and beliefs together on this day, to celebrate freedoms unique to America. It’s a day to remember that such freedoms don’t come easy and that Americans must always remember the risks and sacrifices made by our forefathers to ensure us those freedoms. Independence Day is a day when Americans celebrate their inimitable spirit and fortitude, that special determination and strength of character that makes each citizen of the United States an American by nature.

How To Celebrate On Mardi Gras Day

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Free For All on Mardi Gras Day

Most people don’t really understand what the celebration of Mardi Gras is all about, they just know that it’s a very popular holiday celebrated in New Orleans, Louisiana, every year, just before Christians throughout the United States observe the season of Lent.

First of all, Mardi Gras means ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French, and since New Orleans’ population is heavily comprised of those with French ancestry, it stands to reason that the holiday bear a French name. It used to also be known as the Twelfth Night celebration, at least in the days leading up to the nineteenth century. This celebration of revelers has been practiced since the mid-1700’s in New Orleans, and was meant to mark the day before the fasting of Lent began. Many in the general population took the opportunity to gorge themselves on feasting and revelry before the more somber and limiting restrictions of Lent came to pass, and as the years passed, this celebration has morphed into an all out free-for-all every spring.

The reason behind the celebration is found in religious custom. Typically, during the season of Lent, meat was prohibited, with the exception of fish. Because of that, and due to the lack of refrigeration, many people found themselves with an overabundance of meats on hand just prior to the Lent observance. Lent always begins on the seventh Wednesday prior to Easter Sunday, more commonly known as Ash Wednesday. It came to pass that people would hold a feast on the day before that, on Tuesday, not only to use up supplies of meat, but also as a chance to fill up on favorite foods and drinks before the observance of Lent curtailed such enjoyments. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday.

Today, this date, at least in New Orleans and in other specific locations around the world, is celebrated by extravagant parades and revelry that sometimes gets out of hand. New Orleans’s Mardi Gras is know for its colorful, fanciful parade floats, whose riders toss candy and colorful beads to the crowds that line the streets. It’s also known for it’s wild parties and escapades that cause the cities’ law enforcement personnel onto the streets in cars, on foot and on horseback to contain crowds and maintain some semblance of peace and order. Young people especially use Mardi Gras as an opportunity to go wild, and while most of the antics of young people are meant in good fun, it doesn’t always end that way. Club owners and vendors make enormous amounts of money during the celebration of Mardi Gras, when hundreds of thousands of people descend on New Orleans to celebrate, eat and drink their fill.

While many American’s frown on the antics and rowdiness of activities of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the celebration tradition has been observed there for over two hundred years and shows no signs of stopping. While some attendees may get out of line, the majority of Mardi Gras celebrants are law abiding and venture to New Orleans to enjoy the atmosphere of a custom that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Mardi Gras is also celebrated in many homes around the country, though not on such a grand scale as the celebration in New Orleans. Family get-togethers mark the beginning of a somber season of self-reflection that leads to Easter Sunday and the birth of new life and hope for millions of Christians around the country.

Mardi Gras is a national recognized holiday in America, and while it’s not a day off for most people, the day is meant to signal the end of one season and the beginning of another, and whether celebrated with parades and revelry or a quiet evening enjoying a nice dinner at home, the date is one that has become permanently etched in the consciousness of Americans.

What Is Child Health Day

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For Kids Only: Child Health Day

Children are extensions of our hopes, our dreams and in some cases, our very future. Most parents recognize that and love and nurture their children and make sure they give them everything they need to lead healthy, happy lives. However, there are times when we’re unable to give them what they need, due to illness or financial considerations. Child Health Day is a day when the entire country joins in efforts to draw attention to children, their heath and their mental well-being, no matter what part of the country they’re from or which social strata they belong to.

President Calvin Coolidge was the very first president of the United States to issue a Child Health Day proclamation. In 1928, he responded to two powerful groups in the country, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the American Federation of Labor, to address the issue of children’s health in America. Since that time, the date, which originally was to be observed on May 1st, has been changed to the first Monday in October. Child welfare organizations, school teachers, parents and other concerned adults take the day to ensure that children have access to anything they need, and that includes vaccinations, mental health professionals, food programs, both at school and at home, and protection against abuse, both in the home and in any other area of their lives.

Child Health Day is a time to recognize and address issues of child rising and care. This includes everything from prenatal care for mothers and providing them with information on how to give their unborn children a good head start in life to offering classes in newborn care and emotional support. It is also a day when schools around the country address child health issues such as vaccinations, eye and dental care, as well as enabling every child to have access to such. It’s a day when major organizations and groups get together to discuss child safety issues and local and national efforts to protect children both at home, at school and at public playgrounds.

Many communities take the opportunity on Child Health Day to address the issues of disabled children and their needs, both at community and national levels. The Public Health Department is out in full force on Child Health Day, ensuring that health needs of local children are being met. The public health department strives to insure that screenings and evaluations are performed in every school within their district to ensure that immunizations and other health concerns regarding children are addressed. These services are available throughout every county for services at home, school or even in the office.

Child Health Day is also a day that finds many schools addressing issues of substance abuse, physical and emotional abuse and topics such as bullying; anything that has to do with the wellbeing of children and their ability to defend themselves in an increasingly dangerous world. Most governmental health care providing industries, as well as schools and childcare programs throughout the United States observe the day. In more recent years, elementary, middle and high schools focus on child safety issues and teach children how to avoid danger when around strangers, at home alone or in other situations that thousands of children find themselves in every day.

There is a saying that children are our most valuable commodities, which is true, but they are also precious in the eyes of family as well. Children deserve to be safe wherever they are, whether at home, school or playing in the neighborhood. Child Health Day is a day when all adults must focus attention on the needs of children everywhere, not just our own.

Why We Celebrate Flag Day

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Flag Day

The observance of Flag Day on every June 14th has been a tradition in the United States of America since 1777, when the first Continental Congress passed a resolution in Philadelphia that stated, “The flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation.”

The stars were meant to represent a new constellation that had risen in the West, its idea taken from the constellation of Lyra, which signifies harmony. The blue was a color that symbolized resistance to oppression and the circled stars represented the idea of unending eternity. Of course, the thirteen stars designated each of the original thirteen colonies, and there are fifty in the field today, representing every state within America. The red in the flag represents defiance and daring, the white means purity. The first American flag was carried into battle during the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, made by a woman named Betsy Ross at George Washington’s request.

The first official observance of the new flag of the United States of America didn’t occur until 1889, when a school principal in New York city decided the anniversary called for patriotic activities, and from that day on the Department of Education decided to have June 14th observed in all public schools. Thereafter, the Superintendent of Public Schools provided for the celebrations of both Lincoln and Washington’s birthdays, Memorial Day and Flag Day to be officially observed in schools throughout the nation. Early on, a special flag raising ceremony was accompanied by the singing of patriotic songs. The idea caught on. By 1897, the Governor of New York ordered a proclamation that all government buildings would fly the flag on June 14th, making it the first non-school event that quickly took the country by storm. Soon, most houses and buildings also flew the American flag every flag day, and citizens lined the streets with flags as well.

On Flag Day in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson made a speech that buttressed his decision to declare war on Germany, propelling the country into the First World War. In his speech, he said, “We meet to celebrate Flag Day because this flag which we honor and under which we serve is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation.”

Flag Day has been celebrated every year since, and while it was never officially declared a national holiday, it is honored and observed by millions of Americans every year. The day is also celebrated with patriotic ceremonies in schools throughout the country, with singing, plays and recitation of famous speeches from ancestors and contemporaries alike. Every year on Flag Day, a ceremony is held in the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, and the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America place a wreath on her grave in Mount Moriah Cemetery in that same city. Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops across the nation celebrate the day with special events and exercises that perpetuate the honor of the American flag, and many Boy Scout troops take part in ceremonies that retire old flags in dignity and replace them with new ones.

Since that first flag was sewn, billions have followed, and while the design of the American flag has undergone a few changes, mainly in the addition of stars as new states were added to the union, the colors remain true, as do their meaning. The American flag represents courage, freedom and democracy throughout the world, and is recognized instantly by foreign countries and citizens. Men and women continue to defend the American flag, sometimes with their lives, and Americans continue to honor both the flag and the sacrifices made to represent it.

The Roots Of Father’s Day

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History of Father’s Day – T-Shirts have become a Popular Gift Idea for Dad

T-Shirts as gifts have become a big part of Father’s Day so we thought it was appropriate to provide a short history of this special day.

Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington spent a Sunday during May of 1909 in church listening to one of the first sermons directed specifically at the celebration of motherhood. She was so taken by the sentiments that she began efforts to generate support for a similar day honoring fatherhood. Her efforts are often credited with the beginning of Father’s Day celebrations in the United States.

Many countries of Roman Catholic leaning celebrate fatherhood on the Feast of Saint Joseph, the day set aside within the church to honor Joseph, the father of Jesus.  Obviously, this makes sense considering that during biblical times it was rare for a man to accept, love and nurture a child who was biologically not his own.

For the United States, a secular celebration seemed more appropriate and the idea for the June came from Mrs. Dodd’s suggestion of June 5.  The day is actually celebrated on the third Sunday in June, however because organization efforts were not completed in time to hold the national celebration on that suggested date.  The first organized celebration happened in her hometown of Spokane in 1910, just one year later than the beginning celebrations for Mother’s Day.

The passing of a bill in support of a national celebration of fatherhood did not occur until many years later however, and gender bias may have been the reason that it took until 1972 for Father’s Day to be declared a national holiday.  Traditionally, the Congress was made up of exclusively men and therefore they believed that passing a holiday with the specific intention of honoring men might appear to be a conflict of interest.  Therefore, it was not until Richard Nixon’s administration that the day became nationally recognized.

When Mrs. Dodd began her efforts, it was partially because her own father had raised six children without their mother.  As a young adult of 27, she had grown to realize the determination, dedication and sacrifice that her father demonstrated in order to present his children with opportunities and love.

Father’s are considered the root and support for society, and their role in guiding their children towards success and virtue is very important to the development of society.  Therefore, the establishment of Father’s Day is very important in that it serves to recognize the role of a father within a family and within society as a whole.

Father’s Day is celebrated widely throughout the world, where children of all ages take time to recognize their father’s love and influence and to celebrate fathers in general.  Most celebrations include a special dinner and gifts.  Naturally, the holiday has become more commercialized than it was ever intended at the beginning.

Because the role and attitude of fathers throughout the world varies tremendously, there is no one specific gift that is given more than others.  Of course, the cliché gift of a tie still appears occasionally.  Unlike Mother’s Day, where flowers and chocolate are hot sellers, retailers have had to become more creative in their marketing efforts in order to cover all types of dads.  Popular gift items do include sports equipment, steak dinners, free car washes by the little ones and of course the t-shirt.  What is most important, however is that people everywhere are taking time out of their busy lives to pay attention to their own father and his role in their life.

When Is Columbus Day

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Discovering America on Columbus Day

Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, but the first time that the event was celebrated was roughly three hundred years after the event, in 1792. The first written record of such a celebration to honor the man who found what was to be later called the United States of America tells of a dinner given by a society that commemorated the three hundredth anniversary of Columbus’ discovery.

However, the next written record of any such celebration honoring Christopher Columbus and his sailing adventures was found in 1892, when, on the four hundredth anniversary of his discovery, a monument was raised in Central Park in New York City. The location was dubbed, and is still known, as Columbus Circle. That occasion also marked a wide celebration that culminated in a joint resolution passed by Congress that asked President Benjamin Harrison to urge the people of the United States to observe “the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America on the 21st of October… by public demonstrations and by suitable exercises in their schools and other places of assembly.”

President Harrison appointed October 12 as a “general holiday for the people of the Unites States. On that day, let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer, and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life… in the churches and in other places of assembly of the people, let there be expressions of gratitude to divine Providence for the devout faith of the discoverer, and for the divine care and guidance with which he directed our history and so abundantly blessed our people.” Following the speech, gathered citizens paid their respects to the great Italian explorer.

The Knights of Columbus relentlessly attempted to urge the passage of laws that would make the day a national holiday, and in 1909 a bill was signed to officially observe October 12th as Columbus Day. Italian groups and societies are the biggest celebrants of the day, which slowly became official one or two states at a time over a number of years. That same year, 1909, saw three replicas of Columbus’ ships sail into New York Harbor to the sound of cannons and battleships dipping their colors. Thereafter, the day was celebrated as a legal holiday, but it wasn’t until 1934 that President Franklin Roosevelt asked all the states in the Union to observe Columbus Day as a national holiday.

Known as Cristofere Colombo in his native Italian, Columbus sailed with three ships, the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria to find and procure new lands and territories beyond the Sargasso Sea for Spain. After nearly three months at sea, land was finally sighted and Columbus and many of his crew made landfall on what is now Watling Island. The following year, Columbus made a second voyage with over seventeen ships and over a thousand people, who reached the Dominican islands just before the onslaught of winter. Columbus made two additional voyages to the New World, and on his last, explored the coast of Central America.

Some people feel that since Columbus happened on the coast of America quite by accident, he should not be honored with a national holiday. As one editor said, “Columbus blundered into one of the outlaying islands of the Caribbean archipelago, and thought he was somewhere else.” Nevertheless, his explorations and travels in what were later to be known as American waters are important additions to American history and are duly recognized and celebrated.

Columbus Day is a day set aside to honor the spirit of early explorers, and this one especially, without whom the United States of America might have been something else entirely.

How To Buy Maternity Clothes At A Reasonable Price

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Discount Maternity Clothes

So you are pregnant. Congratulations on the new addition to your family. Hurray, it’s time to go shopping for new clothes. Where do you go for those new clothes for your new body? How do you know exactly what you will need? That belly of yours is showing nothing at the moment is going to be a baby bump and soon you might look as if you swallowed a beach ball. Now shopping for clothes seems like a more daunting trip to the mall. What is a pregnant mom to do?

Of course you will have to have new clothes; your body is in for a big change. You may have specific requirements based upon your job. Eventually you will need a new bra because your breasts are guaranteed to grow with each passing day. Plus you will need comfortable clothes for all of your other life activities. But do you need to buy all these items brand new? The answer to this question is no.

Since maternity clothes don’t get worn as much as other types of clothing, you can find them in excellent condition in consignment or thrift stores. Often a mom will purchase an item and it will only fit for a short portion of her pregnancy. The best type of consignment store to look for maternity clothes is one that specializes in baby and children clothing. The key to consignment and thrift shopping is to check the stores frequently. Most store owners are willing to give you a call if an item you are specifically looking for comes in.

Another option is gently used items is online. There are number of online retailers. Find the stores using a web search and then shopping from the comfort of your own home. There are always the ever popular auction sites.

A favorite way to grow your maternity wardrobe is your friends. Most moms-to-be have friends who have recently had their baby. Ask your friend if you can go shopping in her wardrobe. Even if you are not the exactly same size, often you can wear the bottoms or tops. Your friends will always know other new moms who also may have maternity clothes she no longer needs. This is a great opportunity to make new friends as well as score some clothes. Trust me; all new moms need friends, even more than jeans that fit.

Don’t despair if you find a cute piece but it is a little too big. You have two choices here.  If you are in the early part of your pregnancy, set the item aside, it may fit in a few weeks or months. If the fit problem is the length of the item, alter it. Hemming a pair of jeans or a skirt a few inches is no big deal. If you don’t want to tackle it yourself, find a shop that does alterations. (Hint, check your local dry cleaners.)

Once you have visited local consignment shops, your friend’s closet and checked online, personalize your new wardrobe. A fabulous way to do this is with personalized t-shirts. Check out the slogans on other pregnant moms’ shirts, celebrity moms, or make up one of your own. Then go out and show of that blossoming baby belly in your new clothes. Hey, there is a slogan for you, Blossoming Belly.