Category: holidays

Recognition: Happy Mother’s Day

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In the United States, we have so many holidays honoring certain people and certain things. But we often fail to recognize those who aren’t in the picture, or who fall outside of conventional situations.

Happy Mother’s Day to those who lost their mothers, or never even knew them. Or maybe it’s not a happy Mother’s Day. We fail to acknowledge the people for whom Mother’s Day is a hard day – the people who never got to know their mother, or who had abusive mothers and don’t want to celebrate.

Happy Mother’s Day to the moms who aren’t alive for this year’s celebration, and to the mothers whose children died before their time. Let’s celebrate the women who tried and tried and couldn’t have children, and guardians who may not have kids of their own but fill the role of mothers, taking care of kids as if they were theirs.

Happy Mother’s Day to those without mothers or kids, and to those who have a hard time on this holiday. Happy Mother’s Day to the people who have no one to celebrate, or no one to celebrate with.

Photo Credit: visitquadcities.com

Hallmark Day

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Happy Hallmark Day.

Or more commonly known as Valentines Day, which is right around the corner. This Sunday, the world will come together to celebrate (or not) this holiday, falling victim to colors like red and pink, and hearts as far as the eye can see.

Photo Credit: http://www.clipartbest.com

Hallmark holidays earned their name from their sole purpose of existing for commercial reasons, as opposed to commemorating an important event or tradition. Go into any given department store, and flashing signs point to isles of mushy cards and pink, glittery decorations. Although said to celebrate love, some argue that Valentines Day is a money-maker for stores, marketing thousands of cards and mass amounts of chocolate.

Don’t get me wrong – I think celebrating love is great, and important to do. However, an emotion that should be constantly expressed shouldn’t be stressed on one specific day just because a holiday is devoted to it.

This annual holiday puts a large stress on love and relationships, with demands like flowers, candy, and expensive jewelry. For most, relationships aren’t about material goods. One’s love is not measured by the amount of money spent on a partner, or the number of material items given.

Love can be celebrated every day, and doesn’t need to be shown through cheesy cards and cheap (or very expensive) chocolate. It can be sweet, but it shouldn’t be a representation of love, or a relationship itself.

Whether Valentines Day is celebrated lavishly or strongly ridiculed, there’s only one thing that remains important. This Hallmark day, full of stuffed bears and chocolate hearts, should never be the basis of romance.

Traditions

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Throughout my years in middle school, my friend Lili and I would attend an annual Passover celebration that was put on by her family. I would look forward to this event as soon as the last one ended, counting down the days until I could celebrate once again.

From chocolate covered matzo to hidden gifts, this celebration never failed to excite, and crazy aunts and uncles who piled tables ceiling high with steaming food made the celebration incredibly enjoyable.

Passover is a holiday full of traditions, but this celebration just added to the fun. While hiding the matzo is a common practice, Lili’s family made it that much more interesting by making it chocolate covered, as well as awarding us with a prize.

Photo Credit: kosherkingdom.com

Her uncle, who we swore was insane, would ask us an abundance of ridiculous questions which we had to answer in order to receive our reward. It was impossible to keep a straight face, and we would end up rolling around in fits of giggles. We would then be so riled up that during the service, when we were to be quiet, we couldn’t keep our laughter in.

Mealtime was the best part of the entire night. There were tables on tables covered with so many dishes that the tablecloth was invisible, and mouth-watering smells circulated through the room, making everyone ravenous.

From matzo ball soup to beef brisket, every food imaginable was just waiting to be consumed. We all sat around one big table, enjoying our meal as laughter and chatter drifted around the room.

Once the service was over, we would all sit around, eating dessert and drinking – apple cider for the kids, and wine for the adults. It was almost as if time would stop – it seemed we sat there for hours.

I swear we covered every topic imaginable – we talked about everything from school to how the earth worked, and I remember those conversations being some of the most interesting ones I’ve ever had.

Those nights spent at Lili’s house were some of the longest I’ve ever had, and the most fun-filled as well. From delectable dishes to scintillating conversations, these celebrations were incredibly enjoyable, and have created some of the best memories I have.

A Lost Meaning

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It’s sad to me how the concept of the holidays have gone from doing nice things for people, to spending copious amounts of money on trying to impress someone. The misconception that the more expensive a gift is, the happier a person will be, has been ingrained so deeply in today’s society that people have no recollection of what the holiday spirit of giving used to mean.

Time and time again I hear people stressing over whether a person will like the gift and when they finally give up, defeated at trying to figure out what to get they say, ” oh well, it’s the thought that counts”. This phrase wasn’t meant to be a cop-out.

Unaware that I had fallen guilt of this, I found myself stressing over what to get, what they will like and how much I want to spend for the “special” people in my life. I didn’t realize how much the holiday season had become so much about buying gifts and pleasing people until I was strolling through the halls, looking for my secret santa present, with my hands full of gifts, simultaneously counting how much the total would be and if the person I was shopping for would like the presents they were about to receive.

We are all guilty of getting swept up in the glam and glitz of gift giving,it’s inevitable. When it comes down to it, we all want to please the people we care about. However, just because we want to please them, it doesn’t mean that we have to forget about the real meaning of the holiday season.

 

jeffreyapplegate.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Prefect-Christmas-Gift.jpg

( link for photo… it wont let me up lead the picture)

Best of Both Worlds

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An eight night procession, filled with candles, presents, prayers, and good food that you later regret eating; also known as Hanukah. This tradition dating back hundreds of years is one representing the struggle for survival and  the prevalence of hope. Families all over the world celebrate this eight night holiday tradition in remembrance of their ancestors. For most families, they either celebrate Hanukah or Christmas, but not both.  I however, am lucky enough to be able to celebrate both.

I’ve grown up in a diverse family that has given me the opportunity to experience different types of religions and cultures. Some would say that I am a “bad Jew” for celebrating Christmas, but I don’t agree with that at all. I believe that celebrating Christmas does not make me a bad Jew, but a cultured Jew. Knowing more about different religions and traditions can only be beneficial. If people have a better understanding of others customs there will be more compassion, empathy and understanding in our world.

 

Holidays

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While this school tries to be open-minded and celebrate all religions, the celebrations always end up being geared toward the ever-popular Christmas. Our gift exchange is called “Secret Snowflake” as opposed to “Secret Santa,” though most seem to refer to it as the latter.

Our “holiday” decorations around the dorm consist of Christmas trees and stockings; the blue and white tinsel hidden behind the red and green. Gifts this time of year include mugs plastered with Santa’s face, as well as an abundance of tree ornaments.

We get a school break for Christmas, and while I’m not complaining at all (I’m always happy about time off) it would be nice to at least have my holiday recognized. While those who celebrate Christmas get to be at home with their families, I’m taking finals during the nights of Hanukkah.

As a very nonreligious person, I don’t find celebrating Hanukkah too important. Growing up, it was just a fun holiday, one my family and I would celebrate lightly, not worrying if we were busy one night. I don’t place too much value in it, I just find fun in lighting candles and playing dreidel.

But now on the fourth night of Hanukkah – halfway through – I haven’t lit candles once. I have yet this year to even see a menorah. There are people of all different religions at this school, and as a school without a religious affiliation, I think it would be nice to place equal importance in all holidays.

Photo Credit: http://www.ezthemes.com

Thanksgiving Debunked

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Tonight, the dormers come back from their homes/vacation stays and start unpacking and studying after our wonderful Thanksgiving break. This past week I’ve thought a lot about what I’m thankful for. I’ve also thought a lot about what Thanksgiving means, and did a little research on how this holiday came to be. After some research, I found out one thing I shouldn’t be thankful for: this holiday.

My quest to find out the truth behind Thanksgiving started with this video:

Franchesa Ramsey, the creator and main actor in this video, brings up startling facts and those certain facts make me ashamed to celebrate this holiday.

Thanksgiving is what I like to call an “American Guilt Holiday.” What’s an American Guilt Holiday? Well, to keep it short: An American Guilt Holiday is a holiday, usually where schools and some workplaces take the day off, to celebrate victories of our ancestors, but refuse to acknowledge the atrocities that lead to that victory. Most Americans know about the first Thanksgiving feast, which was a three-day celebration to showcase the parity of the English settlers and Wampanoag people. However, this wasn’t because the settlers and Indigenous people were kind, neighboring groups. In fact, the Plymouth colony took their land and the Wampanoag’s savvy hunting and growing skills to essentially overthrow these kind people.

The settlers came to America with one mission: colonization. They wanted to settle in America and take up as much land as possible before other countries stole it. However, they weren’t familiar with the idea that others had already lived in this land before them. Native American tribes had lived relatively peacefully among one another. If one tribe was struggling with game or growing, they’d ask to use some of another’s tribe territory, and more times than not, they’d be able to borrow the other tribe’s land. Before Europeans, there was no “real estate,” a Christian concept brought to America with the colonists. So, when the English arrived wanting land, the Native Americans didn’t know that they wouldn’t get their land back. They were pushed out of their homes by force, usually via guns or bombs, or enslaved to work for the home-stealers.

The Native Americans had lived on these lands before anyone else; thus, knowing every little detail needed to survive in this territory. The Europeans used the Indigenous people as human manuals. Like any beginning country, the pilgrims had many problems; the main problem being food. Without any knowledge of their “New World,” their crops died and livestock was hard to find. They turned their sad fate around and made their days without food “Days of Fasting” to pray to God for a better outcome. When they did get food, they feasted and celebrated God and their good fortune and they called these meals “Thanksgiving,” as they were giving thanks to God. The colonists wrote that word down, and the name for this holiday was born. Most of their food was given to them by local Native American tribes, however, the Puritans never shared it.

This holiday wasn’t even celebrated country-wide until 16 years after the “First Feast.” It was declared a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln, after the New Americans had a great feast celebrating the great massacre of the Pequot tribe. Basically, this holiday was started as a celebration of murdering, infecting, and raping an entire population of people and pushing them out of their land. Speaking of the Native Americans, (or the ones left, anyways) they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Instead, they use it as a Day of Mourning. They pray for their ancestors and family killed by the Puritans.

Why does all this matter? Well, history books have twisted this holiday. If more people knew what truly started this holiday, we wouldn’t be smiling and laughing at the dinner table while eating turkey and pumpkin pie (both of which weren’t present in the first Thanksgiving feast). I hope next year you really think about the true meaning of this holiday and are thankful for you and your ancestor’s good fortune on this holiday.

 

Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-greener/the-true-story-of-thanksg_b_788436.html

http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-thanksgiving

http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false

 

 

Starbucks Satanic Red Cups

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Some are calling it Cupgate 2015. Others are calling it stupid

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year but some are saying that Starbucks thinks otherwise

This past week or so there has been quite a few arguments over Starbucks’ new holiday cups and there is outrage. Instead of having the snowmen, reindeer or all those Biblically correct Christmas symbols, they have gone for red. Cue maniacal devil laugh.

photo credit: starbucks.com

I for one, like so many others in the population do not care…at all. I don’t understand why it matters if I drink a delicious holiday drink out of a plain red cup or a cup with Santa’s sleigh on it.

Also, its called the holiday season for a reason. There are other holidays beside Christmas. I know its crazy to think. These holidays have been neglected by many, so I for one think it’s a good idea to have a holiday neutral cup if we are looking on the bright side of things.

So put out your torches or use them to heat your holiday drinks and just enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

Novemb…Christmas!

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People. It is the beginning of November.

This past Saturday, November 7th, I was walking past a coffee shop when I heard a man say, “Merry Christmas”. I was in disbelief – Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet, are we already in the period of Santa hats and Christmas music?

What was even weirder was how the other member of the conversation responded. There was no mention of the fact that it is almost two months until the ever-popular Christmas itself, or that we still haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving.

With a month left until Turkey Day, and Halloween right behind us, we are already diving straight into the Christmas celebration. Already, it is near impossible to walk into a store without hearing Mariah Carey blasting for the hundredth time.

Now I’m all for celebrating the holidays – it’s a joyful time, so why not cherish it? But I don’t understand the urgency, the need to skip over holidays just to begin celebrating Christmas as soon as possible.

In the seasonal isle of any given store, there are going to be a few Thanksgiving decorations, sure. But the majority of that isle is going to be chock full of blow up reindeer and twinkle lights. And that’s fine, except for the fact that it’s not Christmas season yet!

It’s November. It’s not even Thanksgiving. You guys are ridiculous.

Photo Credit: sammyadebiyi.com

Halloween

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Photo Credit: Drafthouse

As I prepare for my four-day weekend and Halloween, I think back to my favorite Halloween movies that I watched in elementary school, or even younger.

To this day I am not one for gruesome, gory Halloween films, but movies that resonate more with Hocus Pocus (AKA the best Halloween movie ever) rather than Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

What I’m saying is my Halloween is more Disney than AMC ( I’m looking at you The Walking Dead). But while some may be gearing up for Trick or Treating, going to Six Flags or Universal Studios to be scared senseless, or staying at home diving into a bowl of candy, Halloween, in my opinion, is a very retrospective holiday.

Whether it be looking back to all the things you did to celebrate years ago, getting the type of sugar rush that usually only seven-year olds are acceptable of getting, watching scary movies, or any other time-honored tradition.

But one thing I do know is that I won’t have to go to sleep tonight thinking that my dog coming up the stairs is actually a serial killer.