Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Happy Veterans' Day!

What is Veterans' Day, really?

It is the day we honor veterans of all wars, but it began at the end of World War I.

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, but the actual fighting between the Allies and Germany had already ended seven months earlier with the armistice--which went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.

November 11.

President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11, 1919 "Armistice Day" to honor the sacrifices the men and women made during the war. Because World War I, at the time, had been known as the "war to end all wars." Other countries today still recognize November 11th as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in honor of the Armistice treaty which ended WWI.

Armistice Day officially became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and in 1938, Congress voted it a federal holiday.

Then World War II happened.

Armistice Day came to symbolize the sacrifices made by veterans of all wars. In 1953 the residents of Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to all the veterans in their town. On June 1, 1954, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman that officially changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans' Day.

For several years in the 1970s, Veterans Day was observed in October by many states but in 1978 it was returned to November 11th.

On Veterans' Day and Memorial Day, veterans' groups raise funds for their charitable activities by selling paper poppies made by disabled veterans. This bright red wildflower became a symbol of World War I after a bloody battle in a field of poppies called Flanders Field in Belgium.

Thank you to all the veterans--and those serving now--for keeping America free.

And here are three interesting sites I found (thanks to "I Heart Daily's newsletter--check out iheartdaily.com) about recycling that leftover Halloween candy by sending it to our troops. (I also just saw a piece in my local newspaper about a dentist collecting leftover Halloween candy for just this purpose.)

Soldiers often request candy and sweets in their care packages. But no chocolate, since it melts :) This is a perfect Veterans' Day activity, coming so close on the heels of Halloween--and Christmas isn't all that far behind.

Support Our Troops

Operation Shoebox Supporting Our Troops

Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude's Halloween Candy Buyback Program


Links:

History

Celebrate Veterans' Day -- history and origin of the holiday

Veterans' Day --history and meaning

History.com

Infoplease--lots of links

History of Veteran's Day (more kid-friendly)

US Dept of Veterans' Affairs
-- history, teacher's guides

Celebrating America's Freedoms --lots of links to history, famous US documents on the subject of freedom from the Dept of Veterans' Affairs

Crafts, activities

US Department of Veterans Affairs Kids' Site

Veteran's History Project

Veterans Day Crafts, Projects, Worksheets, Books, and Printouts

Surfing the Net with Kids --Veteran's Day

Veterans' Day Printables

Veterans' Day Wordsearch

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

BOO! Happy Halloween! And a CONTEST!

Halloween is coming! Can you just feel it in the air? All the ghosts and goblins getting restless?

Of course October 31st is Halloween, but it is also the day other "holidays" are celebrated, like National Caramel Apple Day, Carve A Pumpkin Day, Reformation Day, and Samhain Day. And October 30th is National Candy Corn Day. (I don't know about you, but I LOVE candy corn!) And October is also Cookie Month, Apple Month, and Caramel Month. (Love those too!) Okay, I admit it. I have a terrible sweet tooth. That makes October a pretty sweet month, eh?

Reformation Day

What is Reformation Day? It is a religious holiday that commemorates Dr. Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, a move that triggered the Protestant Reformation and break with certain traditions of the Catholic church. Luther's two main points were that Christians cannot earn God's love or forgiveness; they have only to accept God's love and forgiveness. And that every Christian has his or her own personal relationship with God, reading the Bible, and praying directly to God.

Today, Reformation is celebrated as an alternative to Halloween, which has its origins in the occult or pagan.

Samhain

Which leads us to Samhain Day. Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") means "summer's end," and marks both the end of summer and the harvest. Samhain marked both the change in the weather--from summer to winter--as well as the shift from life to death. The Celts believed that such turning points in their lives signified magical times, and that during this time of change, when people brought the livestock down from the hills and basically "hibernated" inside their houses or close to home, the world of the living was closest to the world of the dead.

The spirits of the dead and those yet to be born walked amongst the living. The dead could return to the places where they had lived and food and entertainment were provided in their honor. One story also suggests that those who had died in the preceding year were on the lookout for a new body to possess for the coming year. Not wanting to be possessed, the living turned out the fires in their hearths to make their homes cold and inhospitable. Then they dressed up in ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around the neighborhood to frighten away spirits.

Halloween

Which leads to our modern Halloween, or "All Hallows' Eve," which comes from the Catholic holiday "All Hallow's Day" or "Saint's Day" which honors the saints. All Hallow's Eve being the day before, or the evening before, All Hallow's Day. The Catholic Church had a long-standing tradition of incorporating pagan traditions into their own Christian holidays to bring people into Christianity.

The Days of the Dead

All Souls Day is celebrated especially in Mexico, where All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day are collectively celebrated as "Los Dias de los Muertos," or "The Days of the Dead." Families fondly remember the deceased, but it is also a time of festivities with parades of skeletons and ghouls.

Trick-or-treating

The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing the great potato famine. Trick-or-treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts, but with a ninth-century European custom called souling.

On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars received, the more prayers they promised to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the family that gave them the cakes. At the time, people believed the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could help the soul make its way to heaven.

Jack-O-Lantern

The Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. As the tale is told, a man named Jack tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, so the devil could not climb down. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.

According to folktale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the cold darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.

The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember--or a candle--or today, a flashlight.

Alternative to Candy

Trick-or-treating usually means candy, but I found an interesting website, "Books for Treats," I just have to share. As an English major (MA in Eng Lit) and a writer, books are my passion--and so An Enchanted Letter (TM) is dedicated to getting kids to read. Books for Treats is an organization that gives books each year to trick-or-treaters instead of candy, and I thought this was a nifty idea for anyone to do on their own.

Since books are expensive, the organization's idea is to collect gently used books, in good condition, to distribute instead of candy. Not only is it a great way to recycle--not to mention cut down on cavities :)--it's a great way to extend the joy of the holiday. Because as much as I love candy--and I do so LOVE candy--a book lasts a lot longer than a sweet. Candy is gone in a flash, but a book lasts "forever." (i.e., a good story lasts forever.) So check out Books for Treats. (No, I'm not affiliated, but I'm always on the lookout for unusual sites.)

So, Happy Halloween everybody. Have fun, and stay safe trick-or-treating. And check out the links below for Halloween crafts, recipes, and more!

Contest

And don't forget to enter the KidZone Foliage Drawing Contest! Deadline is November 15th, so hurry!



Links:

Overview of Reformation Day

History of Reformation Day

How To Celebrate Reformation Day

Samhain

Fall Craft Ideas

History of Halloween

Halloween History

Fisher-Price Print and Color Cards for Halloween

Kid Printables--Lots Halloween printables (coloring pages, puzzles, crafts)


Family Fun--Halloween crafts, recipes, printables


Makingfriends.com --MORE Halloween kid printables, crafts

Freekidscrafts.com--kids' crafts

Activity Village--Halloween Crafts for kids

Kaboose--Halloween costumes, crafts, recipes, more

Halloween clipart at An Enchanted Letter

Make a Difference Day!

October 24th is Make A Difference Day!

Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. The next event is Saturday, October 24, 2009.

I thought this was a great idea. We can all make a difference in someone's life any day of the year and reap the reward of knowing we did good. But, if you send in an entry form after October 24th, your volunteer project may win not only accolades but a $10,000 donation from Newman's Own for the charity! How's that for an incentive? There's even an idea generator on the site. Here's the link:

Make A Difference Day

What is An Enchanted Letter (TM) doing? Getting shoeboxes together for my favorite charity "Operation Christian Child" at Samaritan's Purse. They collect shoeboxes filled with small toys, socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, even shoes to distribute to children worldwide. Check the Samaritan's Purse website for local dropoff locations near you. There's still time to put a shoebox together. National Collection Week is November 16-23.

One person can make a difference, and it doesn't have to be anything big.

Samaritan's Purse

Operation Christmas Child

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Freebie Alert!

Free coupon booklet with $20 of Nestle savings
Happy Columbus Day!

Columbus Day is the celebration of Christopher Columbus "discovering" America in 1492. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain gave him the money for his expedition when the Italians wouldn't.

But there is controversy over both the holiday and Columbus himself. For it is the Native Americans who "discovered" America long before Columbus--and there is the matter of the mistreatment of the Native Americans after Columbus' landing. He and his crew traveled with three ships: The Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, but it's unclear whether he even reached the mainland of America. He landed on October 12th on the island of Haiti--and it is for his mistreatment of the native peoples that some people don't believe Columbus should be celebrated. So instead the holiday celebrates his "discovery" for the Europeans who, until then, believed the world was flat and ended somewhere in the Atlantic. Today the holiday also signifies a celebration of Italian heritage.

Links:



For more information on Columbus and Columbus Day:

http://www.patriotism.org/columbus_day/

Holiday Insights

Internet Family Fun


Printables and activities for Columbus Day:

Columbus Day Printables

Coloring Pictures and Reading Activities

Coloring pages, wordfind puzzles, and more

Columbus Day Clipart--great free clipart graphics!

Discovery School--really cute homuorous graphic of Columbus

Clipart Jungle--Columbus Day graphics

Friday, September 18, 2009

Freebie September!

A couple of quick September freebies, especially for kids, parents, and grandparents.

Back to school means school lunches. Get your free (while supplies last) "Pack a Kraft Smile" Savings Booklet. It contains two twenty dollar rebates and 15 bucks in coupons. If you haven't gotten yours yet, the link's still up.

http://www.nabiscoworld.com/back-to-school/

An Enchanted Letter (TM) is committed to child safety. So is ADT. ADT is offering a free Child Safety Kit:

https://www.adt.com/about_adt/adt_in_our_communities/childsafety


With the holidays coming up quick, here's a great brochure to send for or downloadable pdf from Wisconsin cheese about cooking with kids--includes great kid-friendly recipes, perfect for fall days:

http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/recipes/kidskitchen.aspx

Happy September!

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Wow, time sure did get away from me this summer, but fall days mean back in the saddle. and since today is Rosh Hashanah--the Jewish New Year--this is the perfect time to start over.

Rosh Hashanah literally means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, and falls in the month of Tishrei, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, believed to be the month during which God created the world. It is a day of judgment--a time to examine your actions during the past year, and to ask forgiveness for any sins--but it is also a day of remembrance, of the history of the Jewish people. And like our January 1st New Year, it is a holiday filled with hope for the coming year, celebrated with foods sweetened with honey, symbolizing sweetness. Other traditional foods include apples and carrots, for blessings and abundance in the new year.

Yes, fall is the perfect time for fresh starts, with back to school and cool, crisp weather.

Below are some links for more info on Rosh Hashanah. Happy New Year! And may the new year be filled with sweet blessings.


Links:

Intro to Rosh Hashanah from About.com

All about Rosh Hashana from Holidays.net--lots of links

Coloring pages and crafts from Holidays.net

Free ecards for Rosh Hashana from holidays.net

Rosh Hashanah recipes from Recipezaar

Coloring pages, Tishrei calendar, games, and greeting cards from Torah Tots








Thursday, July 2, 2009

Kid Freebies!

Found a couple of freebies for kids/parents:

Coupon Booklet from Nabisco--$55 in savings! (2 $20 rebates and $15 in coupons)

Amber Alert GPS™ Free "Parent Survival Kit"

Free Baby Calendar

WIN $5000 for your community! Sponsored by Sherwin-Williams & ivillage--Tell them about a place in your neighborhood (playground, school, recreation center) that needs a fresh coat of paint--ENDS AUGUST 25TH

Happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July--or Independence Day--is the day we celebrate freedom--today mostly in the form of a long holiday weekend :), but originally the holiday represented the colonies' separation--or "independence"--from Great Britain. On July 4th, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence.

Philadelphians celebrated the first anniversary, but the holiday didn't become popular until after the War of 1812. passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870, making it the most important secular holiday on the calendar.

So declare your independence today! I know lots of families are staying close to home. REI has a downloadable link to a printable journal for kids 5-12 to document their fun outdoor adventures. Mail it in and get a prize! REI Passport to Adventure Program

Have a wonderful healthy, happy, adventurous 4th of July!

LINKS

Library of Congress--History of July 4th
Declaration of Independence (photo--Library of Congress)
Declaration of Independence (text--Library of Congress)
July 4th crafts and recipes (Kaboose)
July 4th history (PBS)
More crafts, printables, recipes (FamilyFun)
More recipes (Food Network)
4th of July clipart
More clipart
4th July ecards
4th July clipart and free coloring book and free storybook at An Enchanted Letter

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

SALE! In Honor of "Read Me Day" & "World Book & Copyright Day" April 23

Happy "World Book and Copyright Day" and "Read Me" Day!

UNESCO's General Conference decided to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors, encouraging everyone--and in particular young people--to discover the pleasure of reading. The idea for "World Book and Copyright Day" originated in Catalonia where on April 23rd, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold.

I couldn't find much on "Read Me" Day, but I think every day should be "Read Me" Day!

Which is why I thought it only fitting to run a SALE on my own books!

Every time I turn around, someone is jacking up their prices, fees, etc. Which means my money out is going up, while my income is spiraling down. With the economy in the turmoil it's in, does it really make sense--business or otherwise--to jack up your rates just because you can?

Times are tough. So here's my stab at a little stimulus package of my own. I've lowered the prices on all my books in my Lulu storefront, for awhile. Don't know for how long, but I felt a sale was in order.

Except, of course, for the anthology I edited of classic children's stories--because that's a FREE download. Because I want kids to READ. As a kid I loved to read. I still do. And I think reading to a child is a priceless gift that stays with them forever. (Look at me, I went on to earn a Master's in English Lit.) So that's why the children's ebook is free. So you have no excuses not to read to a child. It's all classic stuff you already know:

The Fairy's New Year Gift
Beauty and the Beast
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
Mrs. Peter Rabbit
The Benevolent Goblin
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Spirit of the Corn
The Horn of Plenty
The First Christmas-Tree
The Night Before Christmas
A Kidnapped Santa Claus

Click here to check it out at Lulu.

So hang in there. Things will get better. Remember, some of the best things in life are free. And a lot of the rest, you can do yourself. Like writing a letter. To a child, or a parent.

Everything You Need to Know to Start a Santa Letter Writing Business--Write Santa and Other Holiday Letters Year-round offers not only sample letters from the Tooth Fairy and year-round Santa Letters--for those who need a nudge to stay good till Christmas!--but also other holiday letters, including Mother's Day (coming up quick) and Father's Day (not far behind) and Graduation.

A gift doesn't have to cost a lot. And sometimes the best ones are free.

Make it a good one.

Happy Earth Day!

To my great surprise, Earth Day began in the 1960's!

I thought the whole environmental movement was a recent thing, in the last few years, but the environment--and what we are doing to it--has been in jeopardy for DECADES, and my question is: Why have we let this go on so long? And when are we finally going to fix it?

Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day in the '60's. The idea germinated in 1962, with the senator's suggestion that President Kennedy put the environment into the political limelight during his conservation tour.

Unfortunately, the plan didn't work.

But you can't keep a good idea down.

Six years later, inspired by anti-war protests, the idea for a grassroots protest over what we were doing to the environment would eventually become Earth Day, first celebrated April 22, 1970.

The holiday took off.

And it's even more important today.

What are you doing to make a difference?

Make it a good one!


Links:
History of Earth Day--Fascinating!
Earth Day 2009 Online
Earth Day crafts, free printables--For Kids
EPA history of Earth Day
More Earth Day ideas for kids (& teachers)
Earth Day VIDEO CONTEST from Planet Pals for preschool/elementary kids--Ends May 15th
Helpful Hints for Planet Earth
Earth Day Printables, Games, Coloring Pages
EarthDay.gov--For Kids

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

The Easter Bunny's Favorite Holiday!

Easter is, naturally, the Easter Bunny's favorite holiday. And what's not to love? Chocolate bunnies, malted milk eggs, marshmallow chicks, and lots and lots of jelly beans!

But Easter is also a celebration of Christ's resurrection, two days after Good Friday. Easter is also linked to the Jewish Passover: The Last Supper is linked to the Passover Seder, and Christ with the Passover lambs. Even the Latin word for Easter, Pascha, derives from the Hebrew Pesach, for Passover.

Both celebrations also symbolize new beginnings, and like many springtime festivals, Easter derives from pagan roots. The ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with a festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre, or Ēostre. Christian missionaries took aspects of the pagan traditions--since the holiday coincided with the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ--and folded them into Christian observances. The early name, Eastre, eventually became Easter.

But where does the Easter Bunny come in?

The hare was closely linked to the goddess Eastre in pagan times. The hare, similar to a rabbit, is a symbol of fertility--the renewal of life that comes with the warmer weather of spring. Hence, the Easter Bunny. Eggs, too, are a symbol of rebirth.

Many early Christians colored their Easter eggs red to symbolize the resurrection of Christ, or green to symbolize the new foliage after the barren winter. Also, eggs were forbidden during Lent, and therefore abundant for Easter. Parents told their children the magic hare--rabbit--would bring them gifts at the spring festival--often painted eggs

The Easter Bunny first came to be tied to our modern Easter in 16th century Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings. The first Easter Bunnies, made in Germany during the early 1800s, were made of pastry and sugar. Children made nests of grass in their yards, so the Easter Bunny would fill them with brightly-colored eggs during the night. German settlers to Pennsylvania Dutch country introduced the Easter Bunny to America in the 1700's. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs.

Have you been good this year?

Happy Easter!

Easter--religious roots--Wiki
Easter traditions
Easter origins
Easter Bunny--Wiki
Easter Bunny History
Easter Email Cards
Easter Clipart
Easter cards to print
Easter printables for kids
Tips for coloring eggs
Easter coloring pages

Personalized Letters from the Easter Bunny--An Enchanted Letter

Happy Passover!

What is Passover? And where did the name come from?

Passover--or "Pesach" from the Hebrew-- is an eight-day festival in spring that commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from many decades of slavery in ancient Egypt. Pesach also refers to the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made.

G-d sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message to free the Israelites. When Pharaoh refused to listen, ten plagues followed, the last killing all the Egyptians' firstborn. But G-d spared the children of the Israelites, "passing over" their homes. It has been suggested the word also implies G-d hovering over, looking after and guiding the Israelites out of Egypt. Pharaoh freed the slaves. Soon after they left Egypt, Pharaoh tried to force them back. They found themselves trapped between Pharaoh's armies and the Red Sea. The sea parted to allow the Israelites passage, then closed over the pursuing Egyptians.

The first two days and last two days (that celebrate the parting of the Red Sea) are the actual holiday days; the middle four days are called Chol Hamoed. During Passover, matzoh--unleavened bread--is eaten because the Israelites left in such a hurry their bread for the journey didn't have time to rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing one's "puffiness"--arrogance or pride.

The two Seders happen on the first two nights of Passover. The highlight of the Seder ceremony is the Maggid, telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt.

Happy Passover!

Links:

Passover History and Traditions
Wiki
More Info on Passover
Free online Passover cards
TorahTots--games & history for kids
Passover crafts & games for kids
Passover coloring book (free pdf)