Labor Days is one of those holidays that I believe has mostly lost its roots. It may be the worst of the holidays in terms of being disconnected to its roots. I say that because, although I celebrate every holiday I can, I try to connect that celebration to its origin. For things like Easter … More A Labor Day Reflection
As I explained in my post on Nowruz, the Persians/Iranians celebrate their New Year (held on March 20, the first day of Spring) for a full dozen days. On the 13th day, they conclude with a holiday called Sizdah Bedar. Also known as Nature’s Day, Sizdah Bedar literally means Thirteen Outdoor. It is supposed to … More Happy Sizdah Bedar!
Another day, another holiday! As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, this February the holidays are really packed together. Valentines Day came only two days after Lunar New Year, while the day after that is Presidents Day, and the day after that is Mardi Gras. Even for a heavy-duty celebrator like me, that’s a lot of … More Meatless Monday: Presidents Day/Mardi Gras Edition
Although it’s a short month, February is full of holidays. The way the calendar falls this year, many of them seem packed together more closely than usual. I’m already behind on reporting about my celebration efforts to date. However, I’ll begin with yesterday’s Meatless Monday meal in honor of the Lunar New Year, usually called … More Meatless Monday: Chinese New Year Edition
Happy 2021! Yesterday, besides my New Year’s Day traditions of doing a visioning session with my spiritual center and making a meal of black eyed peas (chili), greens, and cornbread (cookies), I was really into re-reading the book and working on lesson plans for the literature class that I start teaching again next Tuesday. So … More The 12-ish Gifts of 2020: Faith Communities
‘Twas the day before T-dayand all through downtown,masked people were leisurely milling around.An autumnal day when the weather was mild––just perfect for posing for pics with your child.Happy young couples walking arm in armwith bags full of treats from Blue Moon and Le Farm.The wine store had people looking for adviceon what wine would make … More Poem, Prose, and Puns for Thanksgiving
Since it has been a reflective holiday, I’ve been reconsidering our 4th of July traditions. Now that my son is older, this holiday has less activity around it. I used to spend the day teaching him about the significance of the 4th of July, often watching the musical 1776 with him or some other aspect … More Rethinking Holiday Traditions
Shanah Tovah! Tonight at sunset is the first night of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year. That means it is also the start of the Jewish High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah is a celebration, featuring prayer, family gatherings, and special foods, such as apples dipped in honey to ensure the coming … More 10 Questions for a New Year of Possibility
Happy St. Patricks Day! I like to celebrate every holiday, so I’ve got my plans for making bangers and mash for my family this evening. But I thought I would start the day’s celebrations with a lovely poem of blessing by a wonderful Irish poet and philosopher, John O’Donahue. He writes a lot about how … More An Irish Poem of Blessing
Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day! I love this holiday, not only because it is a day honoring a man of peace, justice, and spirit, but because we haven’t managed to turn it into a day of spending, eating, and drinking. Instead, it is a day of service and of reflection. As I mentioned … More Dr. King’s Blueprint for Life
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