For over 4,000 years people have wished each other a HAPPY new year as they engaged in cultural rituals to invite prosperity into the year ahead. In our family, we eat Hopping John on New Year’s Day, a Southern tradition to invite prosperity in the new year. The black-eyed peas symbolize coins and good luck.
YULE: A CELEBRATION OF WINTER SOLSTICE
In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice will happen on December 21st, marking the season of Yule. It is the shortest day of the year, while also marking the slow return of longer days. Winter begins, but also heralds the hope of spring. At Stonehenge, Neolithic builders shaped the standing stones to frame the winter and
Christmas Cards – Paper or Digital?
December 9 is National Christmas Card Day. I presume one or more greeting card companies decreed if consumers haven’t organized their holiday cards two and a half weeks out from Christmas, they better get started. Cards to acquire — notes to write — stamps to stick. Now that so many people send digital greeting cards,
Hooray For The Pumpkin Pie
Thanksgiving will soon be here, and the feast whether vegan, gluten free, or traditional probably will include the perennial dessert favorite: Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkins and their various preparations have been part of the American diet since the first English colonists arrived in New England. One of the earliest recipes for a pumpkin-based dessert appeared in
The Devil, The Trickster & Jack o’Lanterns
This is a Halloween tale about the devil, a trickster, and how Jack o’ Lanterns came to be. It is perhaps a cautionary tale proving that cleverness can and often does backfire. Once upon a time, there was an Irish trickster named Jack who had several monikers: Stingy Jack, Drunk Jack, Flaky Jack, and eventually,
Samhain — The Witches’ New Year
Samhain [pronounced SOW-wen] is an ancient Celtic celebration marking the death of the warmer half of the year and beginning the next cycle in the Wheel of the Year. The year turns between sunset October 31 and sunset November 1. The specific dates are somewhat arbitrary. Suffice to say, Samhain marks the year’s turning from
Black Cats —From Revered to Feared
In the northern hemisphere, October marks the transition from summer to fall. Pumpkins appear at grocery and garden stores. Leaves swirl in the breeze before dropping in colorful abandon. The days grow shorter. Pumpkin spice is everywhere, especially in coffee and pastries. Neighbors put skeletal Halloween decorations in their yards. And, in general, we become
Rum Punch, An Imperial Tipple
After learning about Puritan taverns [see previous blog], I began researching 17th century “church-raising” in Salem Village. The process is basically the same thing as a barn-raising, and requires almost complete community participation to raise the walls and connect them to the roof rafters. But research often leads to unexpected results. Apparently, the town of
Puritans, Taverns & the Sin of Drunkenness
This is a drawing of the Old Anchor Tavern in Lynn, Massachusetts. the drawing was done in 1866, but the tavern opened in 1643. The tavern was situated in Saugus on the road to Boston, making it convenient for both townspeople and travelers. I find it interesting that this tavern, essentially, looks like a large
Rules for Teachers — No Loitering in Ice Cream Parlors
School days, school days, dear old golden rule days, Readin’ and ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic, Taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick, You were my queen in calico, I was your bashful barefoot beau And you wrote on my slate, I love you Joe, When we were a couple of kids. Will D. Cobb and
STAYCATION, VACATION & WALKING IN THE WOODS
As I write this, I am sitting on green grass I don’t have to mow, gazing at gently swaying palm trees, and listening to the sound of surf & chirping birds at a location less than 50 miles from home. In short, I’m having a a stay-cation experience. As it happens, my staycation is at
From Catalog Shopping to Amazon
As Amazon shoppers continue receiving the items they purchased on Prime day, it seems a good time to consider shopping habits from years long ago. Before internet shopping and neighborhood shopping malls, there was the General Store that sold a little bit of everything. If the store didn’t have it, the consumer probably didn’t need
Amazon Prime Day & Other Trivia
Are You Ready for Prime Day? If you haven’t already started reviewing Amazon’s extensive inventory, you can shop til your fingers drop on Amazon Prime Day from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time tomorrow, July 16. This year the July shopping spree for Prime members ends Wednesday, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. The first Amazon
Baking 4 + 20 Blackbirds Into a Pie
I’ve been researching 17th century wedding customs this week and a 1685 recipe for Bride’s Pye caught my imagination. Bride’s Pye included all manner of ingredients that seemed a bit unusual from my perspective, though I admit I am not the most adventurous eater. Examples include cock stones and combs [roosters’ testicles and the combs on
The Statue of Liberty: France’s Gift to America
The first time I saw the Statue of Liberty was in 1963, the year this photo was taken. My grandparents, in a spirit of incredible courage & generosity, took my cousins & I on a car trip to see American monuments across the United States. We took the ferry across from a pier in Lower
Congress Approves Women’s Right to Vote
On June 4, 1919 Congress approved the 19th Amendment, also known as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, which states that “The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce