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What Is Cyber Monday

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Cyber Monday

The term, ‘Cyber Monday’ was coined back in November of 1995 to describe the vast amount of people who logged online the day after Thanksgiving to do some pre-Christmas shopping. In recent years, the Friday after Thanksgiving, more commonly known these days as Black Friday, has been touted as the busiest shopping day in the year and businesses around the country offer sales and hot deals to encourage shoppers to get up early and spend money in their store, buying their good. Cyber Monday was the result of a clever marketing ploy developed by an association representing online retail stores to give them a sales boost.

Advertising execs promoted the idea that the Monday after Thanksgiving was the absolute best day for online shoppers to get in on specials, and of course, limited deals. Promoting the idea of shopping for Christmas without ever having to leave the house is appealing to many holiday shoppers. So, in essence, Cyber Monday is a direct rebuttal to Black Friday, yet both benefit retailers. Black Friday was so coined because it is the hope of every storeowner that he comes out ahead, or ‘in the black’ for the holiday shopping season. The phrase seemed to stick. Promotions for online shopping hit the media through print, television, and radio and Internet ads, encouraging people to save time and effort with their holiday shopping by purchasing items online. Still, Americans seem to enjoy shopping for the holidays, and the experience of actually going to malls and mingling with people, hearing the Christmas music playing over loudspeakers still draws millions every year. While online shopping may fill a gap here and there in the shopping lists of Americans, online shopping will more than likely never replace the traditional store to store shopping that has been observed and enjoyed by American citizens since the beginnings of our country. While marketing firms and ad companies promote Cyber Monday these days, oddly enough, many retail merchants do not. Special deals and incentives are practically nonexistent with most major online shopping venues.

Cyber Monday is neither a holiday nor a national observed day for most Americans, and it is probable that many aren’t aware of its existence. However, many Americans are, and the rise of Internet users continues to rise, making it very likely that online shopping will also continue to increase. Many Americans who live in rural areas benefit from online shopping, especially when bad weather is added to the mix. However, if online retail stores aren’t willing to offer special deals and incentives to continue to drive traffic to their websites, the major efforts of marketers to promote Cyber Monday will likely go unnoticed.

Cyber Monday is still in its infancy as American holidays go, and while it’s not a holiday in the traditional sense of the word, it does reflect the American consciousness in relation to culture and habits. The dawn of the 21st Century has brought billions of Americans into the cyber-age, willingly or not. Physical retail store owners are more than likely going to have to compete not only for walk in clients, but also to design and launch websites to cater to the needs of internet shoppers, who can be much more demanding than a physical shopper. After all, if an Internet shopper isn’t satisfied with something, they can leave with the click of a mouse. There is no placating a customer when shopping online, and retailers have to remember that when designing promotions for Cyber Monday.

Whether Cyber Monday is an officially recognized day or not, the trend toward Internet shopping will continue to grow exponentially. It would stand to reason that online retail storeowners join in on the move to offer holiday shoppers the best deals around when it comes to kicking off the Christmas shopping season.

How Cute Are Maternity T-Shirts

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Cute Maternity Clothing. What Do You Think Is Cute?

Just being pregnant is an adventure. It is the biggest life change any woman will experience. Your body undergoes a dramatic and wonderful transformation. Suddenly, things that were not important seem very important. But one thing does not change when you get pregnant and that is the desire to look good.

New clothes are likely one the first things you are going to think about when you learn you are pregnant. Everyone knows at some point you can’t just stretch that shirt over your baby bump and wear your jeans with the top button undone. So what is a girl to do? Do you run out and buy a whole new wardrobe or do you just borrow clothes from a friend who had a baby? No matter what you choose, you will still want some clothes that are yours only. They need to fit the needs of your growing body as well as help you feel good wearing them.

Why not embrace one of the hottest trends in maternity fashion today? The t-shirt proclaiming to the world your feelings about your impeding motherhood. Celebrity moms and moms in the grocery store can be seen wearing shirts with designs telling everyone about their special baby. A popular design choice is one saying the baby is “Due in (fill in month due).” Another asks “Does this baby make me look fat?”

T-shirts are a great item to have in your maternity wardrobe. They are comfortable, versatile and affordable. T-shirts range from the plain white standard with black lettering to vintage styles harking back to styles you wore in elementary school. You can have long, short or even three quarter length sleeves. They can be form-fitting or more relaxed.
Layering t-shirts is also another way to add more visual interest to your wardrobe. They can be worn with a hoodie and jeans or with a cute printed skirt.

The added value of t-shirts is their easy care requirements. Most tees on the market today are 100% pre-shrunk cotton or a cotton blend. This makes them totally wash and wear. Who really wants to spend their limited time as a pregnant mom doing laundry anyway?

Get started today. Pick a style or two that you love. Then choose a design with a slogan that you enjoy. This is a good time to be daring and have some fun. This t-shirt can be a great memento of your pregnancy and tell everyone how excited you are about your new life circumstances. You can use your shirt to tell everyone what your baby will be in the future. Pick a picture of Buddha and the word belly (Buddha belly). If you love the way you are looking pregnant, why not say “I heart baby belly”? If you are feeling sexy, say so. Declare that you are going to be a “Rock Star Mama” or “Sexy Mama.” Sassy design slogans include those declaring yourself to be “Knocked up” or that you “Failed sex ed class.” If you are tired of telling people the sex of your baby, get a t-shirt saying “Got Girl/Boy.” “Shhh, it’s a surprise” will tell everyone you choose not to find out the sex of your baby.

Whatever your choice of color or style, t-shirts are a cute and fun part of your maternity wardrobe. Pick out your shirt and get started.

What Maternity Clothes To Wear

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Cute Cheap Maternity Clothes

Maternity clothes can get expensive

Shopping for maternity clothes often gets to be an expensive endeavor. We all want to look our best and show off the baby bump with style, but for many of us, buying an entirely new wardrobe is not an option. Also when you’re pregnant, being comfortable is a high priority. Enter the humble t-shirt, a versatile, stylish, comfortable and often unique item of clothing.

T-shirts are great way to add variety.

Start your maternity wardrobe with some basic pieces in neutral colors. The foundation pieces will depend upon your needs, but most of us need both casual and more professional items. Once you have these items, you can mix and match t-shirts to add variety and color. Solid colored t-shirts can be worn with dress pants or a skirt and jacket for work. By adding accessories, like a bold necklace, you can look confident and stylish. T-shirts and jeans are the classic combination and already in your pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Don’t give up your weekend and after work favorites just because you have a new baby body. A myriad of fun casual t-shirts are available for the mom-to-be. These t-shirts have slogans like “Who’s your daddy?” ,“Does this baby make me look fat?”, and “I need a back rub.” Pair a sassy t-shirt with a great pair of jeans and go indulge the craving of the hour.

T-shirts are cheap and comfortable

Maternity t-shirts are an affordable way to expand your maternity wardrobe. When you just can’t face those maternity jeans one more day, a new t-shirt can work wonders. Since t-shirts are often mostly cotton or some blend, they are comfortable and they stretch. This is a distinct advantage, especially in the later part of pregnancy when your movements are already restricted by your baby. Most, if not all, retailers that sell maternity clothing  have a great selection of shirts. Buying t-shirts in both long and short sleeve is good idea, especially if you are pregnant during the fall and winter. Since often you feel hotter (body temperature, really!), layering is always a great option. This also allows you to get more bang for your buck. Since you can still wear all your jewelry, be sure to add some so you not only feel but look hot.

T-shirts are unique

Buying maternity t-shirts. There are tons of t-shirts with slogans made up by other moms. For a truly unique shirt, make up your own slogan and have it made just for you. After the baby, your t-shirt can be a memento of your pregnancy. There are many online retailers that sell maternity t-shirts. Some have designer prices, but many are quite affordable. Check out the celebrity blogs to see what the Hollywood mothers to be are wearing, then find a retailer with similar t-shirts.

T-shirts are easy to care for

One of the greatest advantages of t-shirts is their easy care requirements. Since most t-shirts are a cotton blend or pre-shrunk cotton, they are simply wash and wear. No dry cleaning, hand washing, or ironing required. This is great news for the pregnant mom.  Think of the all the time you will have for napping or eating ice cream. Plus there will be plenty of laundry soon with a new baby.

How To Create Your Political Custom T-Shirts

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Custom T-Shirts – Wearing Politics, Elections, Current Events

You make a political statement; chances are it may not be heard. But, wear it on your chest and you’ll stand out like a sore thumb or a messiah depending on which side of the public opinion you stand. Take the case of President George Bush. He seems the most hated man, but he’s adored too. An Afro-beat band called Mifuné, wearing custom t-shirts with a picture of George Bush with a line through it, was silenced in mid-performance at Tower City because the mall’s management felt the band’s attire was inappropriate.

Custom t-shirt – a political medium

It’s true since the time people started sporting t-shirts with their political views printed on them, it’s given them a new voice. It became that much easy to go with the mood of the nation or spark a controversy by wearing your political beliefs emblazoned on the fronts and backs of this apparel. Gone are the days when dress-code disputes limited themselves to gangsta gear or showing too much skin, politics has now become the new fashion mantra that’s giving sleepless nights to the administration. And the disputes arising out of it are making their way into the courts. Listen to this…a student gets reprimanded for wearing a t-shirt shouting ‘International Terrorist’ with a picture of President Bush. He’s told to remove it or face the consequences.  He contacts the ACLU. The group files a lawsuit and wins!

But why this sudden revival of playing politics with tees? Well, the times they’re a changin’…people’s lives today are more and more affected by such issues as Iraq war, terrorism and the talk of bringing back the draft. And this is adding to the frustration of otherwise God fearing and hard working individuals. Instead of taking up the arms, people are literally wearing their protests on their arms!

The t-shirt, of course, has long been a political tool. Starting out as part of a military uniform, it has ended up as a banner of political dissent. It was just half-a-century ago that the t-shirt was declared an official part of the US Marine Corp uniform. But, forty years later someone came up with the idea of using the blank space on the chest and back as a walking billboard. If you got a surface to write your views, can politics be far away! So, it’s no surprise that this casual wear started saying things with telling effect. Vietnam ‘Hell No, We Won’t Go’ defined the role of the t-shirt as a canvas for activism, advertising, ‘subvertising’ and politics of all persuasions. Since then, the variety in political messages is only limited by the imagination of the slogan and graphic creators, as there’s no dearth of political causes.

Creating your political custom t-shirts

Today, if you want to have your political say on your custom t-shirt, you don’t have to go looking for a plain tee and try your hand at designing. There are apparel companies who’d help you out with that. And rightly so, with t-shirt being the billboard of today’s movement, why should you sacrifice quality and style with your amateur attempts. By using hi-tech machinery that allows innovative colours, embroidery and appliqué, these companies can help you in not only reproducing your idea, but evolving it too with the kind details you couldn’t even dream of. They’re aware that a simple t-shirt can be a vote for change.

So, if you want to highlight a political theme in humorous or satirical way on your tee, go for the established people in custom t-shirt printing business. They’ll design your political t-shirt in a way that’d get the message across in split seconds to make an instant impression.

How To Express Individuality

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Custom T-shirts – Way to Express Individuality

The days of t-shirts displaying company logos is passé. And plain t-shirts…well, they remain just too plain for anyone’s comfort! Today, you’re not ‘in’ with the crowd, if you don’t have a custom t-shirt, flashing your style and ideology. So, what do you do to stand out in the crowd? Well, you customize your t-shirt by adjusting color, image, text and what’ve you.

Characteristics of custom t-shirt

Like humans, customized t-shirts too are not created equal! If you wear, say, Levis or Wranglers or any other brand, countless others wear them too. However, if you wear something that says ‘Hold My Chest, I Breathe Heavy’ or some such deep philosophy, people know it can only be you!

Since, your t-shirt is you; it reflects your inner feelings right across your chest by appropriate text and images. In certain cases, it also states what should best remain unsaid! And it’s not only the message; there are several other factors too that are essential in a customized t-shirt. And this information can come in handy for those who want to exhibit their individuality, along with the quality of the material, its style, color, and weight.

According to the experts in the field, the first criterion to be considered for custom t-shirt printing is the weight of the t-shirt. Any t-shirt made of 100% cotton weighing between 5.3 oz and 5.8 oz is considered a heavyweight t-shirt. Super heavyweight t-shirts are generally constructed of material weighing between 6.1oz and 7.00 oz. However, you’d do well to choose a standard heavyweight t-shirt in the range of 5.6 oz. This is not only because there’s a huge color choice in this weight category, but also because it lends itself beautifully to printing. Little wonder these standard heavyweight tees are the best selling of any classification of t-shirts.

However, those wanting a product with a little more beef would do well to choose super heavyweight t-shirts. They’re the recommended choice for custom embroidery. Although, they may cost slightly more than the standard weight, it’ll be worth the money for customers with a budget. Seven ounce t-shirts are seldom used for casual wear. They’re more suited for sporting purposes.

Coming to the material, t-shirts constructed of 50% cotton and 50% polyester are the lightest weight tees, weighing between 3.9 oz and 4.6 oz. However, from expert’s point of view these tees are a big no-no, since they cannot match the superior custom printing and embroidery surface, comfort and durability of 100% cotton t-shirts. The problem of shrinkage of pure cotton tees has been overcome. Now, major brands in the market are either pre-shrunk or have a fairly uniform shrinkage at 3% to 5%.

Creating custom t-shirts

Well, you’ve chosen the appropriate material and thought of a befitting slogan, now all that remains is to put a suitable graphic and you’re done. And in today’s high-tech world of desk top publishing, you’re already a graphic artist. Right? Wrong! Designing a customized t-shirt is where the creatives earn their living from. This not only requires visualization, which only a creative mind can offer, but also expertise in handling the professional and highly complex graphic software, like Photoshop Adobe. This in no way is home users’ cup of tea, even if you can afford it. So, if you want to express your individuality, hire a graphic designer. Only he or she’ll be able to create the piece of art, you’d love to call your own.

How To Create Your Own Custom T-Shirt

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Creating Your Own Custom T-Shirt

It’s certainly difficult to imagine that a humble t-shirt, the most enduring symbol of youth and self-expression, is nearly a century old! This basic apparel of the 1919s started off as men’s innerwear and got its name from its shape that formed into a stout ‘T’ when laid spreadeagled. However, today, this has become the most convenient medium to express your individuality.

Characteristics of a t-shirt

A typical t-shirt has little sleeves and a round collar that distinguishes it from a standard undershirt. Although, it’s a summer wear, its popularity doesn’t diminish in cold weather, as a sweatshirt or a long sleeve shirt can always be worn on top of it.

This apparel is popular not only because it’s a convenient wear, but it can also be made unique. You can reflect your inner feelings right across your chest by appropriate text and images. In certain cases, it can also be made to state what should’ve remained unsaid! Although the message is important, there are other important factors to be considered too, for example, material, style, color and weight.

According to experts, an important criterion of a custom t-shirt is its weight. Any t-shirt made of 100% cotton, weighing between 5.3 oz and 5.8 oz, is considered a heavyweight t-shirt. Super heavyweight t-shirts are generally constructed of materials weighing between 6.1 oz and 7.0 oz. However, you’d do well to choose a standard heavyweight t-shirt in the range of 5.6 oz. This is not only because there’s a huge color choice in this weight category, but also because it lends itself beautifully to printing. Little wonder these standard heavyweight tees are the best selling of any classification of t-shirts.

However, those wanting a product with a little more beef would do well to choose super heavyweight t-shirts. They’re the recommended choice for custom embroidery. Although, they may cost slightly more than the standard weight, it’ll be worth the money for customers with a budget. Seven ounce t-shirts are seldom used for casual wear and are more suited for sporting purposes.

Coming to the material, t-shirts constructed of 50% cotton and 50% polyester are the lightest tees, weighing between 3.9 oz and 4.6 oz. However, from expert’s point of view these tees are a big no-no, since they cannot match the superior custom printing, embroidery surface, comfort and durability of 100% cotton t-shirts. However, the problem of shrinkage of pure cotton tees has been overcome. Now, major brands in the market are either pre-shrunk or have a fairly uniform shrinkage at 3% to 5%.

Creating your custom t-shirts

Well, you’ve chosen the appropriate material and thought of a befitting slogan, now all that remains is to put a suitable graphic and you’re done. And in today’s high-tech world of desktop publishing, you’re already a graphic artist. Right? Wrong! Designing custom t-shirts is where the creatives earn their living from. This not only requires visualization, but also expertise in handling the highly complex graphic software, like Photoshop Adobe and the like. Without professional training, there’s no way you can handle this software, even if you can afford it. So, if you want to express your individuality, hire a graphic designer or take the help of online services that’ll not only help you with images, but also select the right color and material for you.

Although hundreds upon thousands of custom t-shirts are available with all kinds of messages and graphics, it’s your own ideas that’ll make your tees unique. So, create your own custom t-shirt and if it manages to provoke a reaction, you’re sure to get your ‘fifteen minutes of fame’!

How Celebrities Inspire Custom T-Shirts

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How Celebrities Inspire Custom T-Shirts

Custom t-shirts, the walking billboards that have been delighting us, inciting us and encouraging us to say our own thing, have certainly come of age. No longer are they content in announcing your favorite sports team, branded articles, TV shows or political affiliations, they’ve become a medium of public dialogue, giving everyone a chance to express their opinions, take sides and shoot barbs at each other.

Celebrities cut in!

With such a powerful medium as tees, can celebrities be far behind! Today, custom t-shirts are being increasingly used for supporting celebrities or poking fun at them. Celebrities, too, have embraced the t-shirt as a form of self-promotion and self-exploitation to plaster any self-serving message and pass it off as either as new fashion or a press release. It’s even being increasingly used to get even with others!

What’d you say about Tori Spelling when she stepped out with the t-shirt message ‘My Dog Can beat up Paris Hilton’s Dog’!  Or the one worn by Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives that said ‘I’ll Have Your Baby, Brad’ shortly after Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced their separation! Of course, Eva later apologized to Aniston for it.

Celebrities not only poke fun through the medium of custom t-shirts, they own up their shortcomings too. Take the case of Jessica Simpson, who was candid enough to sport a tee that read, ‘Talentless but Connected’! In another case, supermodel Naomi Campbell showed she can take a joke by wearing ‘Naomi hit me…and I loved it’. Like other controversies, this too fitted her like a T! For the ignorant, a few months earlier Naomi was ordered by a judge to attend anger management classes, after her former assistant complained of physical and verbal abuse at her hands.

Sometimes, the actions of celebrities evoke such reactions from the public that it gets displayed on people’s chests and backs. Alarmed at the way Hollywood actress, Lindsay Lohan, was losing weight, the t-shirt slogan ‘Feed Lindsay’ became such a rage that it actually collected an online petition with forty-three thousand signatures that urged Lindsay Lohan to stop. Custom t-shirts also became an important part of ‘Free Katie’ campaign. This campaign was kicked off, because someone it was ridiculous to see Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, breathlessly declaring his love for Katie Holmes. The slogans included ‘Run, Katie, Run’ and ‘Stop Sofa Abuse’!

Tees come in handy for getting even too! Sample Julia Roberts’ t-shirt message ‘A Low Vera’. She sported this tee in 2002, when she was eager to marry Danny Moder. Although, the ‘Pretty Woman’ never cared to explain, it’s believed that she was sending a message to Moder’s estranged wife, Vera, who was in the process of stalling divorce proceedings.

Can you use celebrities on your tees?

Celebrities are public figures and if you use their image for the purposes of advertising or trade without their permission, you’re violating their right of publicity. Unless the use is for a newsworthy article, it’ll simply be commercial use and grounds for a lawsuit. So, if you want your very own customized t-shirt depicting a celebrity, don’t do it without their permission. Seek permission either directly from the celebrity or from the celebrity’s agent. This holds true even for dead celebrities.

Of course, celebrities attract people in droves. So, they’re the most ‘cashable’ commodity doing the rounds. And customized t-shirt is the perfect medium. So, if you’re finding it difficult to resist not letting the world know about something connected with a celebrity, do so.  But, not before taking his or her permission.

What’s Hot In T-Shirt Designing

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Creative T-Shirt Designing

People like to show of their creative side, and they like to make statements.  One of the best ways to show your personality at first glance is to wear interesting and unique clothing.  As young girls discovered during the fluorescent clothing fad of the 1980s, the only rules that apply to fashion are the rules that the people wearing the clothing make.  This holds true especially in the t-shirt customization field.  If you are interested in creating unique and cool-looking t-shirts, we have some excellent suggestions.

The hot thing right now is the color-changing, or morphing t-shirt.  These shirts are generally cotton t-shirts with an ironed-on design in a single contrasting color.  However, the surprise is that when you walk into sunlight the design becomes a menagerie of colors and changes the look entirely.  This is an interesting way to go from business casual to office picnic fun!  The shirts are particularly common with tourists in beach areas who want a nice shirt to take home, and one that draws some attention.  The technology for producing these shirts is relatively new, however photosensitive inks have been around for decades.

Airbrushing is another popular t-shirt personalization option that many people are using to show off their favorite things, their grandchildren and even their new car.  Airbrushing is an artistic method that takes a great deal of talent and practice to perfect. A good airbrush t-shirt designer can generally take any image or photograph and transform a t-shirt into an excellent replica of the original.  There are unlimited design opportunities and possibilities with airbrushing, thus it is really no surprise that kiosks are popping up at tourist areas and shopping malls across the world.

Glow in the dark t-shirts have been popular among children and adults for years.  The type of glow in the dark shirt is what has changed.  No longer do the designs you see glow on their own. Now, designers have placed glow in the dark words and designs on the shirt that are not visible during the light of day.  What a different look this provides, and what a surprise some people get when they realize what their shirt is really saying when the lights are low.  This type of shirt makes a great gag gift, or a neat gift for that young nephew who has every toy he can ever possibly play with.

During the 1990s, shirts decorated with rhinestones, glitter and sequins gained popularity. There are a number of ways in which these items can be attached to the shirt they are decorating. Rhinestones can be glued, or a better option is to actually use a grommet of sorts with prongs that hold the stone in place and prevent it from falling off in the laundry or while being worn.  Because these shirts can be fairly expensive t-shirt options, no one wants to see their shirt fall apart.  Sequins are generally sewn onto the shirt, either by hand or machine. And glitter is generally glued to the material with special fabric glue.

For those with young children who would like to help with the creation of their own custom t-shirts there is the option to print an iron transfer in black and white and to allow the child to use fabric markers and paints to customize their own t-shirt.  Another way to involve even the youngest family members in to the t-shirt creation process is to make shirts with the child’s handprints or footprints placed on the fabric.  There are a variety of ways to do this, however the most common is to simply stamp the child’s hand onto the shirt after dipping it in thick fabric paint.

There are so many different methods available for creating unique and creative decorated t-shirts that there really is not reason to ever wear a plain shirt again.

How To Customize Maternity T-shirts For Gifts

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Creating Custom Maternity T-shirts for Gifts

The anticipation of a new child creates excitement and good will not just for the parents but also for anyone close to them. Baby showers team with well wishers bearing adorable little onesies, blue striped baseball caps, and tiny pink dresses all designed to don the new infant in style and comfort.

What about the mother-to-be? Certainly she benefits from this baby booty, and her eyes light up with each new receiving blanket, but what if you wanted to treat her to a special, one-of-a-kind gift for her use? This is the thinking behind latest gift-giving trend for expectant mothers. Creating custom maternity T-shirts as gifts is a fun and personal way to let the mom know you are thinking of her.

•    Factors to Consider When Creating
Custom Maternity T-shirts as Gifts

The primary consideration in choosing any apparel item is to make sure you know the proper size. This is especially important in creating custom maternity clothes, as a t-shirt labeled “Baby Cosby-Under Construction” is not likely to be returnable. Other than size, you will want to have some idea of the mom’s taste and personality. You wouldn’t want to give a bright pink maternity T-shirt with rhinestone lettered “Baby Princess” on it to your Harley-loving biker friend.

The other important consideration is to know any strong stands your friend has taken on important issues. You wouldn’t give a t-shirt that says “Got Mother’s Milk?” unless you know your friend intends to nurse, and doesn’t mind announcing it to the world. Of course, if you know your girlfriend hates when strangers rub her baby belly a “Don’t Touch!” T-shirt might be quite appropriate.

If you want to stay away from anything too intimate or politically charged, there are plenty of announcement type logos that would work. “Coming Soon to a Basinet Near You: Baby Murphy” written in a Marquee font is benign but appropriate. “Pea in the Pod” or “Biscuit in the Oven” are also cute, without being too personal.

On the other hand, you may be choosing a custom maternity t-shirt as a gift because of the humor it can bring. “We’re Hungry”, “Who’s Your Daddy?” or “I Just Wanted a Backrub” are all possibilities. You can even get Dad his own “My Boys Can Swim” t-shirt.

•    Your Custom Maternity T-shirt Gift: A Time to Remember

While a quote can certainly elicit a smile or a laugh, pictures still say a thousand words. Realistic, cartoon-ish, famous images are all available to choose from. You could even do a before and after shot with a real picture of “before” mom during pre-pregnancy, and an arrow pointing to her belly as the “after.”

Your friend, daughter, or loved one will really appreciate the time and effort you took to seek out a special design and saying just for them. To personalize it even further you can make it time specific, like “Coming this Summer”. Or you can bring other family members into it by saying “Jack and Sara’s Future Tagalong”. The possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination. Not only will this gift be a fun and practical way to show you care, it will be a lasting keepsake for the mother-to-be of this special time in her life.

What Celebrities Wear When Going Casual

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What Celebrities Wear When Going Casual

When you’re a celebrity, what you wear is constantly being photographed, commented on, analyzed, praised and derided. It just comes with the territory. Whether or not we realize it, celebrities have a big influence on the styles and brands the general public ultimately wears. While most people don’t recognize the names of the fashion industry’s latest hot designers and pay no attention to the runway shows, a much larger percentage will recognize Hollywood’s big stars and the fashion trends they have made famous. Celebrities, not designers, have become our fashion inspirations.

The link between fashion and celebrities has become so strong that many celebrities now endorse their own clothing lines. A prime example is rapper Sean “Puffy” Combs, who used his musical fame and bad-boy persona to jump-start his own line of clothing and accessories for men and boys. The Sean John label has become widely popular, and includes suits, knitwear, bottoms, outerwear, leather accessories, ties, hats and denim.

While some celebrities are best known for their spectacular “red carpet” fashions, others have a more casual, approachable fashion sense. While still a cut above something you’d find at Target (especially when it comes to the price tag), their styles are the kind that the average Joe or Jane would wear when walking the dog or reading a good book at home. Here are some popular celebrities who manage a casual style that’s easy on the eyes and the body.

Jennifer Aniston. Jennifer Aniston is a woman who always manages to look fabulous even in the most casual of clothing. Jeans are one of her staples, especially James Jeans paired with a casual t-shirt, sweater or flowy top. Speaking of t-shirts, these are another favorite of hers, in neutral colors or with fun graphics. Jennifer loves flip-flops and is frequently seen wearing toe rings.

Gwyneth Paltrow. While Gwyneth Paltrow is often dressed in designer gowns for awards shows and premieres, she also know how to do a classic laidback style that nearly any woman can imitate. Her Blue Cult jeans have become a favorite, and were so requested by fans that the design was renamed the “Gwyneth” jean. She likes to pair her jeans with a loosely buttoned blouse or fitted tee.

Kate Hudson. Kate Hudson has mastered the art of looking effortlessly casual. Her style encompasses Bohemian looks such as drapey blouses over skinny jeans. For winter weather, tall boots are a Kate favorite.

Cameron Diaz. Beach baby Cameron Diaz always goes for chic ensembles that don’t require a lot of fuss. Cute tees, tank tops, classic jean styles like Joe’s Jeans and comfortable ballerina flats are some of her favorites.

Gwen Stefani. This busy mom does a great job mixing simple, easy wearing clothes such as tank tops and ballet tops with ethnic-inspired pieces. Her eclectic fashion sense has resulted in her own fashion label called L.A.M.B., with original designs that can be worn by celebrities and common folk alike.

Even if you’re not a celebrity, it’s great to know that you can still look great even on days when you’re just headed to the park — and not an awards show!

How To Celebrate Boss Day

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Celebrating Your Boss on Boss Day!

Be honest. How many people actually like their bosses? Actually, millions of employees around America love and adore their bosses! So, when recognition is offered for secretaries, legal assistants, parents, fathers, mothers and grandparents, why not the boss?

National Boss Day is officially observed every October 16th. If that date happens to fall on a weekend, then the day is celebrated on the working day that is closest to the 16th. The intention of the day was meant as a way for employees to show due appreciation for their bosses and supervisors in whatever occupation or industry an employee works in. For many employees, that means offering the ‘boss-man’ a card or a verbal note of approval, but for others, it’s a time to throw a party or to treat the boss and other management staff to a brunch or buffet planned at work, or even to bestow gifts.

The event first started back in the late 1950s when a State Farm Insurance employee named Patricia Haroski officially registered the holiday with the United States Chamber of Commerce. She wanted to show public recognition and appreciation for her boss and also hoped to help improve the relationship between other local employees and their bosses by encouraging employees to understand the particular difficulties and challenges that a boss faces on a day-to-day basis. She chose that particular day because it was also her father’s birthday, and since he was such a great boss himself, it seemed natural that Boss Day should also fall on his birthday.

As with many other American holidays and days of recognition, it took a while for the word to spread around Patricia’s state, then surrounding states, before it crossed the country. Today, every state recognizes Boss Day, and every year sees more and more employees appreciating their bosses and the work they do. Of course, American card companies began to create and produce Boss Day greeting cards, and today, two of America’s favorites, Hallmark and American Greetings, offer dozens of cards to present a boss serious, humorous or heartfelt offerings of thanks, appreciation and support.

Today’s bosses have come a long way since the 1940s and 1950s. Bosses today are a little less willing to demand certain skills and tasks from their employees and instead offer skills development and decision making courses which encourage employees to take an active participation in the running of their business. Laws that have been passed protect both employees and employers from abuse and unreasonable demands and the basic rights to equal pay for equal work. In many companies, bosses work alongside and support their employees, offering not only monetary rewards for work performed, but also emotional support as well. While some bosses don’t fit this description, and never will, most American bosses recognize and realize that if it were not for their employees, they would not have a business. Most bosses appreciate the skills and efforts of their employees, and vice versa.

When asked, most employees state that the most satisfaction they get from a specific job is directly related to their relationship with their employer. On Boss Day, employees are able to express their gratitude or appreciation for great bosses, and for those that have not met the mark, the day serves as a learning process for the betterment of employer-employee relations.

National Boss Day can be celebrated with a card or a nod of thanks. Appreciation can be shown with a handshake or a hug, a smile or a handwritten note on a scrap of paper. No matter where Americans work, there is almost always a ‘boss-man’ to answer to. So go ahead, tell your boss what you really think of him. After all, National Boss Day gives employees the freedom to do just that.

When Is Election Day

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Celebrating the Vote on Election Day!

The right to vote is an American foundation that has been observed and honored since the beginning of the United States of America is 1776. Election Day is traditionally observed on the first Tuesday of every November, between November 2nd and November 8th.

The United States Congress initiated the law in 1885 and designated that Election Day was to fall on a Tuesday, which would allow people from outlying communities time to travel to their designated voting, or polling places in order to vote. Monday was not chosen as a national voting day because of the lack of time for such travel and the fact that most people spent their Sunday’s in church worship. November was chosen as a likely month for elections to occur because it fell after crops were gathered, which also allowed for people to be more apt to travel from their homes and farms to vote.

The Second Article of the United States Constitution specifies that everyone vote for the president of the United States on a single day, though these days, early voting privileges are enjoyed by millions of Americans who fill out mail-in ballots earlier than the actual voting day. The same goes for absentee voting completed by Americans living or traveling out of the United States on Election Day, as well as military service members and personnel throughout the world. Timing is essential, and such voters must have their ballots postmarked by a certain date in order for them to be counted.

Within the United States, Election Day is a legal holiday, and many places of business are closed for the day, though many locations remain open. It’s a day when employees across the nation are allowed to come in to work late or leave early so that they may have time to get to their polling places and vote before voting booths are closed. In schools across the country, children practice voting and learning about the voting process by holding mock elections in classrooms and sometimes, entire schools are involved in such mock elections.

Within the United States, hundreds of thousands of polling places allow residents to vote, and volunteers staff most of these places. Polling places are determined by address, and prevent residents from having to travel long distances to vote. States also hold elections on Election Day, for state legislature members, governors and congressmen, while the date of local elections are determined by each state. Federal elections are held on even numbered years for all seats of the United States House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate seats, while the President and Vice-Presidential seats are held every four years. At local levels, many city, county and state governments choose the odd numbered years for their elections, though that is not a hard and fast rule.

Election Day is celebrated in the United States as an opportunity to speak and let your vote be counted among the millions of other Americans voting for various political positions within local, county, state and federal government entities and is a guaranteed right for all American citizens. Many people today take such a right for granted, and choose not to participate in elections. However, many countries around the world do not allow their citizens to have a say in how local and state governments are run. Millions of immigrants come to the United States every year to enjoy such freedom of choice. Deciding to vote, or not, is an American freedom, one which has withstood the test of time since the early beginnings of our country. Election Day is and will always be a day to honor, observe and recognize the forethought of our Founding Fathers in guaranteeing such rights, and as such, they should never be taken for granted.

How To Celebrate New Year’s Day

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Celebrating New Year’s Day

Since the beginning of time, people have celebrated the first day of a new year, hoping for better crops, larger herds, no sickness or drought. The ancient Egyptians, Romans and the Greeks all set aside a day to mark their calendars as the first day of the New Year, and it wasn’t until after December 25th was officially recognized as Christmas Day that the Church also designated January 1st as a religious festival that coincided with the ceremonial circumcision of the baby Jesus. Known first as the Feast of the Circumcision, this New Year’s Day observance was first celebrated be the Roman church in the year 487, though it’s only been recognized by the Anglican Church since about 1549.

The United States celebrates the New Year in different ways. America’s first President, George Washington, began a tradition by opening his house in Philadelphia to the public to enjoy a formal reception on New Year’s Day, and through his seven years as president, he continued with the tradition, shaking hands and serving punch and cakes. President Thomas Jefferson also followed Washington’s example, and the receptions grew larger and fancier. By the time President Taft held his own New Year’s celebration in 1910, hundred of guests had gathered to join military and political leaders from around the country as the New Year struck. This White House tradition was suspended during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt after his first attempt to receive guests on January 1, 1934. His medical condition prevented him from standing for long occasions, and throughout his three terms as president, the New Year’s ‘White House party’ events were curtailed.

Eventually, those in the political arena began to hold New Year’s parties and receptions at private residences, a practice that continues to this day. Following the strike of midnight, participants revel in New Year festivities and wish for a more prosperous year than the one that just made a noisy farewell. These days, New Year’s Day is celebrated with parades in nearly every major city in America. The most famous New Year’s Day parade is the Tournament of Roses parade, held in Pasadena, California, every New Year’s Day since 1886. Founded by the Valley Hunt Club, the parade began as a simple draping of floral arrangements on horse drawn carriages, followed shortly thereafter by some sort of sporting event. Today, the Tournament of Roses Parade attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, and the parade is televised throughout the world as well. The parade is followed by the infamous Rose Bowl football game, a championship game between the two leading college football teams in the country. The first post Tournament of Roses football game kicked off in 1902 at Tournament Park. The second year, a football game wasn’t played following the parade, but a chariot race did entertain thousands and continued to do so until 1916, when football became the sporting event of choice. Post Tournament of Roses football games have been played in the Rose Bowl since 1923, when that famous stadium was built.

Other collegiate football games are played throughout the United States on New Year’s Day, including the Orange Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. No New Year’s day would seem the same without the drone of radios and televisions blaring scores and touchdowns as the ladies of the house create sumptuous halftime snacks like chili, chips, beer and soda. For most Americans, New Year’s Day is a holiday for family and reflection, when New Year’s Resolutions are made to improve goals or to make changes to previous resolutions. Whether celebrated alone or in a group of people having a party, New Year’s Day, since ancient times, is a day to hope and wish for better times, health and the continued pursuit of happiness.

How To Celebrate Valentine’s Day

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Celebrating Love on Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air every February, especially leading up to February 14th, officially recognized as Valentine’s Day in the United States and throughout much of the world. It’s a day for romance and the expression of love in many shapes and forms. It’s a day for candy and flowers, for heartfelt sentiments and dreams of finding true love.

Several legends exist which claim to know how the exchange of love tokens and words became known as Valentine’s Day. The first is that during the Middle Ages, it was believed that birds would first find a mate for spring around the middle of February. Others go back even further, to the times of the ancient Romans and Greeks. In one Roman festival and feast, the names of young women and men were placed in a container. The name of one man would be drawn, followed by the name of a woman to whom he was destined to protect for the following year. He wore her name on his sleeve and she became his valentine. This custom generally took place on February 14th.

As time progressed, the exchange of gifts was added to the drawing of names, and later still, it was the male who presented the female with gifts. From this came a custom of sending a greeting or small gifts. Others believe that the celebration was created to honor St. Valentine, a priest who served at a temple in the time of the Roman emperor Claudius. He was very popular, and after the emperor declared that no more marriages were to be performed due to his needs for men in the military, St. Valentine nevertheless continued to unite young couples in the holy state of matrimony. St. Valentine was thrown into prison, where he died, but his spirit to help young couples in love lives on to this day.

The first postal services in the American colonies were inundated with such greetings and cards on February 14th, and over the years the tradition grew until local businesses began to carry collections of pre-designed cards for the young people to purchase for a penny. In the Victorian era, Valentine’s Day became quite the rage, with elaborate cards and parties designed to keep the youth entertained. In the United States, Valentine’s Day has always offered quite a challenge to the postal service, and in the early 1900’s, over a million Valentine greetings were mailed. Candy favors made an appearance soon after, and young suitors offered their ladies sweet concoctions designed to melt their hearts and flowers to encourage their spirits toward the return of such affections. Today, school children as well as adults traditionally exchange Valentine cards, sweets and flowers in tokens of love and affection that has not waned since the first Valentine’s Day was celebrated. Red hearts and white lace doilies make an appearance in supermarkets and card stores throughout the country well before the date, as do tokens of affection such as stuffed animals and trinkets designed to bring a smile to lovers everywhere.

Many American towns and cities host Valentine’s parties and get-togethers, complete with decorations, beverages and foods from all over the world. Valentine’s Day in America is a time to cherish those close to your heart. It’s a time when matchmaking between couples heats up, as do blind dates and others in search of their soul mate. Valentine’s Day is a time for couples and those hoping to find their better half, and Cupid and his arrows aimed at the hearts of unsuspecting, but potential, lovers, flit around with reckless abandon. Valentine’s Day is set aside for romance and togetherness between couples of all ages, a day when love is truly in the air.

What Truman Day Means To History

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Celebrating History on Truman Day

Harry S. Truman was the thirty-third President of the United States. The end of World War Two was a time of great difficulties for the citizens of not only America, but also the world, and his legacies are honored on Truman Day, celebrated every May 8th.

Succeeding to the presidency upon the death of President Franklin Roosevelt in April of 1945, it was President Truman who was burdened with the responsibility of leading lead domestic and global postwar adjustments in civilian and military life, not only in the United States, but in post-war Europe and Japan as well. Truman’s most difficult job as new president was to prevent full-scale nuclear war with other nations, but it was his decision to launch a nuclear attack on Japan in an effort to bring the Second World War to an end. Immediately following the conclusion of the war, the Truman Era began; an era that saw the proliferation of the Cold War, spies, espionage and the threat of global nuclear attacks. Children in schools were taught to drop under their desks in the case of an nuclear attack, and citizens around the country were building bomb shelters in their back yards as the nuclear age threatened the stability and peace of every nation in the world.

Truman himself was a soldier during World War One, and was discharged from service at the end of the war as a major. He married his childhood sweetheart immediately after the conclusion of that war. Of humble origins, Harry S. Truman was a simple man, but one who felt deeply loyal to his country. His presidential administration saw the institution of the United Nations, whose efforts to promote a lasting peace after the devastation of the First and Second World Wars, which left billions of the world’s population without fathers, brothers, uncles or sons. Truman envisioned a peaceful world, one that worked together for the betterment of mankind. The creation of the United Nations will perhaps be remembered as his crowing achievement. The United Nations is still in existence today, a collection of leaders and representatives from nearly every nation around the globe, dedicated to preserving peace and preventing another world war from occurring.

Truman Day is a day set aside for generations of post-war baby boomers to remember the President who brought the country into a new era, a time rife with uncertainty and fear. Immediately after he attained the presidency following the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, Truman uttered a few words to those gathered at a press conference. “Pray for me,” he said. “I mean it.”

Most Americans today remember President Harry Truman as a balding man with round, wire-rimmed glasses, forever immortalized in photographs in history books and lesson plans. President Truman will be long remembered as a simple man, but one who attained the greatest position of power within the United States because of his steadfast loyalty to cause and country, and his firm resolve to bring American soldiers back home after long, bloody years at war. Coming from humble beginnings, Truman’s background somewhat resembles that of another favorite American president, Abraham Lincoln. Son of a farmer, the young Truman worked odd jobs until the advent of the First World War, and upon his release from military service, Truman entered a life in politics.
Truman Day is a day in which all Americans can reflect on the contributions and hardships faced by many presidents in American history, and the legacies that have been left for examples to future generations. A plate on President Harry S. Truman’s desk read, “The buck stops here.” President Truman indeed took responsibility for his actions as president, and while many of those decisions weren’t popular, or easy, he will always be remembered as the president who brought the Second World War to a conclusion.

How To Celebrate National Grandparents Day

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Celebrating Gram and Gramps on National Grandparents Day

There’s nothing so nice as visiting grandparents, and no matter what their nicknames, they almost always offer nothing but hugs and love for grandchildren all over the United States. It doesn’t matter if they’re called Gram or Gramps, Nana or Opa, a grandparent is a special person in any child’s life.

National Grandparents Day is a day set aside to honor those grandparents for everything they do. Some grandparents raise their grandchildren like they are their own, while others come to visit only once or twice a year. Whether grandparents live down the street or across the country, a grandparent nevertheless offers children a greater sense of family, belonging and understanding. Grandparents often act as a buffer between parents and children, and come in handy on occasions when rules and expectations confuse and frustrate children of all ages. At two or seventeen, children almost always seem to have a special place in their hearts for their grandparents, and take the opportunity on National Grandparents Day to show them how much they’re appreciated.

The idea to have a day set aside especially for grandparents was designed by a West Virginia housewife named Marian McQuade in 1970. Though only begun as a local effort, the idea soon spread reached the state legislature. The first Grandparents Day was officially celebrated locally on the first Sunday after Labor Day, in September 1973. The day was not nationally known and recognized until 1978, when the United States Congress passed legislation officially declaring the first Sunday after every Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. Why September? According to the founders, the autumn season was meant to symbolize the later years of a grandparent’s life. Today, National Grandparent’s Day is celebrated by millions of children, and it doesn’t matter if those children are toddlers or adults.

While Grandparents Day is meant to be a family day, hundreds, if not thousands, of miles, separate many parents and children. A card, letter or phone call is often the only way in which children can show their appreciation for their grandparents, but there is much they can do in their own neighborhood to honor that bond even more. Many school children make crafts and gifts for their grandparents with old mementoes or photographs, while older children and adults often volunteer their services at local retirement communities and long-term health care facilities in their town or city. Other groups of children often take to the streets and offer to clean senior citizen’s homes, yards and garages for them.

Children or adults who no longer have a living grandparent often visit homebound or shut-in senior citizens in their neighborhood, offering them company, food and the knowledge that someone cares about them. Many states offer ‘Adopt a Grandparent’ programs, which serve the needs of both young and old. Grandparents are meant to spoil their grandchildren, and young children need an older adult to offer the patience and love of an adult that isn’t in charge of daily child rearing tasks. Grandparents bring the experience of maturity and patience, gained after having raised their own broods. Grandchildren everywhere seem to be able to sense that in them.

National Grandparents Day also serves as a prime learning opportunity for younger generations, and listening to tales of what life was like during prior decades often provides hours of entertaining instruction to youngsters. Seniors, no matter whether they’re family or not, have the ability to pass on their experience and wisdom to younger generations, if they but care to sit down and listen. A grandparent is a treat to children from every race, faith and geographic area. It doesn’t matter if they’re rich or poor, stooped with age or still active. A grandparent is love and compassion, understanding and patient. A grandparent’s smile will never age. Remember your grandparent on National Grandparents Day every September.

How To Celebrate Easter Sunday

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Celebrating Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is the day Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The day is honored and observed by millions of people throughout the world as one of the greatest events in the history of mankind. It was the Saxons who first applied the term ‘Easter’ to commemorate Christ’s rising from the dead, although not without some argument from the early Christian community, who debated about the particular day the event should be celebrated.

While most Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday, Jews who converted to Christianity preferred to celebrate Easter on the same day as they had observed the Jewish feast of the Passover. While no church body has ever officially designated a specific day to celebrate Easter, the matter was brought up to the League of Nations in 1923. In any case, it’s unknown who actually designated the second or third Sunday every year to celebrate Easter, though Constantine the Great ordered his court to dress in their finest clothes to honor the day with feasting and celebration so many hundreds of years ago. During the early years of celebrating this very Holy of holidays, religious leaders and church congregations somberly recognized the events leading up to Easter Sunday, including Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, the Passover, the Betrayal and the Crucifixion, followed by Christ’s hurried burial in the sepulcher and then, finally, the discovery of His empty tomb. Many countries celebrated the religious holiday in different ways, and in Greece and Italy, athletic games followed religious services and ceremonies. In early Russia, everyone was welcome to ring the church bells.

According to historical records, it is believed that the first Easter Sunday sunrise service was observed in Germany in 1732, while one of the first such services occurred in early Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1741. Today, sunrise services on Easter Sunday morning are observed across the United States. One of the major ways in which modern Americans celebrate Easter these days is to purchase new dresses, suits and hats, enjoy colorful parades and dye and hunt Easter eggs and eat candy. Eggs especially have become closely connected with Easter in America, and are recognized as a symbol of the resurrection in many faiths, representing new seeds of life and fertility, the continuation of the human species. The Easter bunny as well has roots in tradition and history, as the early Germans believed that the rabbit also personified new life. In ancient times, eggs were rare, and gifts of eggs were considered precious gifts, as when eggs were dyed for spring festivals.

Over time, eggs, rabbits and bright, new colors have become symbolic with the Easter event, especially in the United States, accompanied by the Easter baskets that all these gifts can be carried and collected in. Egg hiding and egg rolling events became a popular game in England, and then the United States. Some claim that the game symbolizes the actions of the first arrivals to Christ’s tomb that first Sunday morning as they rolled the stone away from the entrance. Perhaps no national event is so beloved as the egg rolling tradition on the White House lawn that takes place on Easter Monday morning every year. The custom was begun by President James Madison and continues to this day, though it was suspended briefly during periods of war.

Easter Sunday is one of the most important religious holidays to be celebrated in the United States, a time when millions of people don their finest and reflect on their beliefs. For some it’s one of the most joyous religious celebrations of the year, while for others, it’s a time to look forward, to shake off the chill of winter and look forward to new growth, new life, and new hope.

What Is Asian Pacific Heritage Month

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Celebrating Diversity during Asian Pacific Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month. What does that mean? It means that Asian Americans around the United States celebrate ethnic heritage, customs and traditions throughout the country. Whether they are first generation Americans or have been here for a hundred years or more, Asian Pacific Americans are part of the American patchwork quilt of history.

The origins of Asian Pacific Heritage Month began back in the 1970’s, during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. In October of 1978, President Carter signed a resolution that officially designated one week in May as Asian Pacific Heritage Month, a time period that celebrated Asians, and Asian communities, around the country. May was selected as an appropriate month to celebrate such culture and heritage for two specific reasons. The first was that Japanese immigrants first arrived within the United States in May of 1843. The second was that the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in May of 1869, which would never have been completed if it were not for the efforts of thousands of Asians who worked on the railroad, sometimes as indentured servants or virtual slaves. The vast majority of laborers who completed laying the tracks that spanned thousands of miles across the American plains and mountains were Chinese.

While New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles support large numbers of Asian populations, growing numbers of immigrants from all Asian Pacific countries are flocking to the freedom and democracy enjoyed by the United States. They bring with them a wealth of heritage and customs that go back thousands of years. Such traditions are celebrated throughout the United States during the month-long events that are held in both large cities and small towns across America.

Asian Pacific Heritage Month was enacted into law in 1992, and extended the weeklong observation to a month-long event in order to honor and recognize the contributions of Asians in the United States throughout her history. Today, many popular Asians forge the way for further generations in honoring and representing their native homelands. Such popular figures as newscaster Connie Chung and author Amy Tan have brought Asians to the forefront of the media. Ice skater Michelle Kwan, a silver medalist in the 1998 Olympic games, has done much to illuminate the contributions of Asians in the world of sports, as has Kristi Yamaguchi.

Asian traditions and customs are still widely followed, even here in the United States, and every Chinese New Year sees Dragon Dances, foods and fireworks that offer a unique view into different cultures and traditions, more than most Americans are accustomed to. The Asian community is huge in large cities, and the popularity of Asian food has gone a long way in smoothing the paths of communication and cooperation between not only Asians and Americans, but other cultures and countries as well. School children across the country are offered lessons and activities during Asian Pacific Heritage Month that create interest and knowledge about distant lands and distant people, many of whom have immigrated to the United States to pursue freedom and democracy.

Asian Pacific people come from Japan, Hawaii and China. They come from distant places like Thailand and Vietnam, Indonesia and Korea. Asian Pacific people come from Malaysia and Taiwan, as well as the Philippines and the Marshall Islands. They bring with them their history, their language and their unique customs and beliefs. America is truly the land of opportunity for many immigrants who brave new horizons to come to this country. The contributions of Asian Americans in history as well as their current contributions are what make America so successful in fields of science, technology and medicine. Asian Pacific Heritage Month is a time for all Americans to stop and appreciate the efforts of Asian Americans throughout history that make this country what it is today.