Top Five Classic Christmas Movies

As Christmas time arrives, it’s time to break out the holiday music and watch those holiday movie favorites you have come to love so well.   Here is a list of my top five Christmas movies of all time.

In the top spot, I have the "Miracle on 34th Street" a my favorite Christmas classic. This is the story of Kris Kringle, who is hired to replace the current, and intoxicated, Macy’s Santa. Kris jovially plays the role of Santa and earns the good graces of customers by referring them to places other than Macy’s when appropriate, which earns the shopper’s trust and the eventual praise of the Macy’s owner. Throughout this fun tale, we come to realize that Kris, as he insists, might just be the real Santa Claus.  If your children are at the point where they are beginning to wonder about whether Santa and the Christamas spirit is real, this is a movie you don’t want them to miss.

My second Christmas classic movie comes from the book by Charles Dickens called "A Christmas Carol".  The movie stars Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, and has been hailed by many as the best adaption of the Charles Dickens book. Scrooge, an unkind and merciless business man, is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and spirits of the past, present, and future who teach him valuable life lessons. The changes that Scrooge realizes throughout the movie allow us all to remember what is important in life.

At third on the list, I have Bing Crosby’s "White Christmas". While Bing is known for his many Top Christmas Songs, this movie features great performances with Bing and his female cohorts as they try to create a concert benefit for a strapped ski resort. You have heard and enjoyed Bing’s Christmas songs over the years.  When you see them performed by Bing, they are even better!  There is nothing like the feeling of winter when the corn starch starts falling on the stage.  

Coming in fourth place is the film "It’s a Wonderful Life".  This is a must see every Christmas. This is a tale of a man, George Bailey (performed by Jimmy Stewart) besieged by unrealized dreams and life frustrations. It is a tale not unfamiliar to many. Then, he is visited by an otherworldly messenger who reminds him how good life is and that he needs to appreciate all that he has. This is especially true in times like these.

Rounding out the top five is a modern tale called "A Christmas Story". In the movie, a young boy named Ralphie Parker goes to great lengths to obtain the one Christmas gift that he really wants: a shot range air rival. Overcoming what seem to be insurmountable obstacles, Ralphie is delighted on Christmas morning when, hidden behind the tree, he finds the beloved gift.

Terrible Life Lessons From Your Favorite Christmas Movies

Help me. I’m overdosing on Christmas shows and Christmas music. It occurred to my snarky self while watching our annual edition of "It’s A Wonderful Life" that not all of the stimuli that my children are eagerly taking in gives them. [..]

The Best Christmas Movies of All Time

The Best Christmas Movies of All Time. The Polar Express, 2004. On Christmas Eve, a boy who is hoping to believe in the magic of Christmas boards a train that’s headed to the North Pole. [...]

Best Christmas Movie Ever

So here are some Christmas movies that often get mentioned as the best Christmas movies of all time: First the classics: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) For my money this is the essential Christmas film. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) [...]   

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Christmas Traditions New and Old

Christmas is celebrated around the world and each of us has our own Christmas traditions that have been created with family and friends over the years.   Many of these traditions include the kind of foods we eat.

If you are of an Italian descent, you most likely remember Christmas Eve dinner with the feast of seven fishes.  This Italian-American tradition is a celebration where the family eats a meal containing at least 7 seafood dishes.

As a child I did not think that much about those traditions, but as I grew older I realized that when you left home to go out on your own, many of those traditions you brought along with you and into your new life.  I always remember having eggnog after going to church services on Christmas eve, and I have continued that tradition today.  For the kids, we spice up the eggnog with powdered ginger.  For the adults, we add powdered ginger and a bit of the "nog" of their choice – bourbon, scotch or rum.

We also have created a tradition around the Christmas tree itself.  When my wife and I were first married, we began sending Christmas ornaments to our family and friends as a small token of our love.  We, in turn, received ornaments from several of our closest friends and that tradition continues even today, a whole lifetime later.  This makes decorating the tree a fun tradition for all of the family as we break out the ornaments and remember our friends who sent all of these ornaments to adorn our tree.

So, keep the season festive and full of traditions that you too can create. 

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Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions. For my family, Christmas Day has many traditions. Tammy’s Toast-For breakfast we have what we call Tammy’s Toast. It is 1lb hamburger meat and 1lb sausage, cooked and drained. Add 1lb Velveeta and 1/2 tsp oregano [...]   

Christmas Traditions

Each year, my mom buys us a Hallmark ornament to commemorate something important to us from the year, or because the ornament shows one of our favorite things. We are each responsible for hanging our respective set [...]

Christmas traditions vary among families

In my family, our greatest tradition is the gathering of our entire extended family on Christmas Eve, something we’ve done without fail the last 44 years. I think our record high was 36, and that doesn’t include the dogs. [...].

Technorati Tags: christmas, food, ornaments, traditions

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, not just the day the pool opens.  Think of these quotes as a reminder of what freedom is all about and those who died to protect it.

14 Patriotic Quotes To Honor Those We Remember On Memorial Day

Patriotic quotes are some of the most inspiring and motivating quotes of all time. On the last Monday of each May we honor the men and women who have died in service to our great country — a day that has become known as Memorial Day. This Memorial Day, let’s remember these noble and honorable souls with these 14 patriotic quotes.

1. "The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." ~ Benjamin Disraeli

2. "They are dead; but they live in each Patriot’s breast, and their names are engraven on honor’s bright crest." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

3. "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." ~ Joseph Campbell

4. "Bravery never goes out of fashion." ~ William Makepeace Thackeray

5. "We must be prepared to make heroic sacrifices for the cause of peace that we make ungrudgingly for the cause of war. There is no task that is more important or closer to my heart." ~ Albert Einstein

6. "It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." ~ Norman Schwarzkopf

7. "And each man stand with his face in the light of his own drawn sword. Ready to do what a hero can." ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

8. "The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." ~ Thucydides

9. "The cost of liberty is less than the cost of repression." ~ Web Dubois

10. "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." ~ John F. Kennedy

11. "The story of America’s quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots." ~ Randy Vader

12. "Cover them over with beautiful flowers, Deck them with garlands, those brothers of ours, Lying so silent by night and by day." ~ Will Carleton

13. "These martyrs of patriotism gave their lives for an idea." ~ Schuyler Colfax

14. "And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I’ll proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today, ‘cuz there ain’t no doubt I love this land, god bless the USA." ~ Lee Greenwood

This Memorial Day, let us remember that our freedom did not come without a price. Without the sacrifices of the many brave men and women who died for our nation, we would not enjoy the liberty we know today. Let these fourteen patriotic quotes serve as a reminder of that fact.

By:

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

For more patriotic quotes, check out the popular patriotic quotes section of Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations.com, a website that specializes in ‘Top 10′ lists of quotations in dozens of categories.

Technorati Tags: fallen heroes, memorial day, patriot, veterans

If you are wondering how Memorial Day got started and what the holiday weekend means, this is what you need to read.

How To Celebrate Memorial Day This Year

Memorial Day is celebrated by friends and family sending free e-cards to each other. They do this as a way of keeping in touch and remembering each other. Many millions of free e-cards are sent each year to celebrate this special event.

Memorial Day is largely devoted to venerating those who perished during their service and recognizing our collective debt and mourning at their loss. Founded shortly following the conclusion of the Civil War, at the repeated suggestion of a pharmacist from Waterloo, New York that flowers and other commemorative objects be brought to the graves of deceased soldiers. This commemoration was established as Decoration Day, a time for recognizing the losses resulting from the Civil War and became officially recognized and widely adopted as of May 5, 1868.

It is a time for the emotional exploration of death for a cause and honoring the character and commitment of all the soldiers who fell throughout this country’s distinguished military history, whether they were amateurs fighting for their convictions during the Civil War or thoroughly trained military operatives such as those who secured the victory of World War II.

Decoration Day was renamed Memorial Day in 1882, which extended the remembrance to all American soldiers who gave their lives for their country. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday of May in 1971.

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it is still alternately called, is commemorated around the country with ceremonial observances, including placing the flags adorning all public building and government offices at half-staff.

There is an annual gathering of veterans, citizens, and interested parties that takes place over Memorial Day weekend at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Speeches and presentations commending the Armed Forces, their role in securing peace and national security, and the national debt of the living to those that have died for those noble causes.

If you know a family that has lost someone in a war fought by the United States, take Memorial Day as an opportunity to share your condolences for their loss as well as your gratitude for that contribution. You may be familiar with someone who has the distinction of being a veteran, for whom this occasion also merits special recognition.

Go to a local cemetery to decorate the graves of soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and other appropriate symbols of mourning. Or, delve into military history, become aware of current military trends and possible threats, and learn about wars of the past as part of your own Memorial Day observance.

Because Memorial Day is a federal holiday and most Americans have a day off, the three day weekend is also a time for enjoying the summer with barbeques, picnics, family time, and brief trips out of town, for instance to go to the beach, visit friends and relatives, or just to get away from it all.

So remember your friends and loved ones this Memorial Day by sending them a free e-card. Ecards are so easy to send and they help people to stay in touch. Send a free e-card and make somebody happy this Memorial Day.

By: Andrew Gibson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Andrew Gibson is MD of Greeting-Cards.com. It has thousands of free ecards to choose from for birthdays and all occasions. Many people now send free e-cards to celebrate birthdays and select them from thousands of free e-cards

You can also send a nice floral arrangement in tribute to these fallen heroes.

Memorial Day is for Patriots

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called Memorial Day, “our most respected holiday,” and urged that “we not ponder with sad thoughts the passing of our heroes but rather ponder their legacy – the life they made possible for us.

Memorial Day Remembrance

Contrary to popular belief, Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. To many people, especially the nation’s thousands of combat veterans, this day has a history stretching all the way back to the Civil War and is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country. 

Memorial Day Decorations

With Memorial Day (U.S.) approaching, some readers may be curious as to the meaning behind this holiday. Specifically, how does Memorial Day differ from Veterans Day? Or perhaps you’ll be using Memorial Day Decorations for the first time.

Technorati Tags: heroes, may, memorial day, tribute, veterans

Memorial Day Tribute
 by: Steven Boaze

Memorial Day is their day, isn’t it? It supposed to be the day a grateful nation pauses to quietly thank the more than one million men and women who have died in military service to their country since the revolutionary war.

Or is it the day the beach resorts kick into high gear for the summer season, the day the strand is covered by fish-belly white people bastings themselves in coconut oil, the day the off season rates end and the weekend you can’t get in a seaside seafood restaurant with anything less than a hour wait.

Or is it one of the biggest shopping center sales day of the year, a day when hunting for a parking space is the prime sport for the holiday stay-at homers?

Or is it the weekend when more people will kill themselves on the highways than any other weekend and highway patrol troopers work overtime picking up the pieces?

I think the men and women who died for us would understand what we do with their day. I hope they would, because if they wouldn’t, if they would have insisted that it be a somber, respectful day of remembrance, then we have blown it and dishonored their sacrifice.

I knew some of those who died and the guys I knew would have understood.

They liked a sunny beach and a cold beer and a hot babe in a black bikini too. they would have enjoyed packing the kids, the inflatable rafts, the coolers, and the suntan lotion in the car and heading for the lake. they would have enjoyed staying at home and cutting the grass and getting together with some friends and cooking some steaks on the grill too.

But they didn’t get the chance. they blew up in the marine barracks in beirut and died in the oily waters of the persian gulf. they caught theirs at the airstrip in grenada in the little war everyone laughed at. they bought the farm in the drang valley and on heartbreak ridge, phu tai and at the hue. they froze at the chosin reservoir and were shot at the pusan perimeter. guadal canal. they died in the ice and snow of the bulge and the vosges mountains. they were at the somme and san juan hill and at gettysburg and at cerro gordo and at valley forge.

They couldn’t be here with us today, but think they would understand that we don’t spend the day in tears and heart- -wrenching memorials. they wouldn’t want that. grief is not why they died. they died so we could go fishing. they died so another father could toss a baseball to his son in their backyard while the charcoal is getting white. they died so another buddy could drink a beer on his day off. they died so a family could get in the minivan and go shopping and maybe get some ice cream on the way home. they died so that the same family could worship in their own way in a church of their choosing.

They won’t mind that we have chosen their day to have our first big outdoor party of the year. but they wouldn’t mind, either, if we took just a few minutes and thought of them.

Some will think of them formally, of course. wreaths will be laid in small sparsely attended ceremonies in military cemeteries and at monuments aT state capitals and in small town squares. flags will fly over the graves, patriotic words will be spoken and a few people there will probably feel a little anger that no more people showed up. they’ll think no one else remembers.

But we do remember. we remember smitty and chico, and davey and the guys who died. we remember the deal we made: if we buy it, we said, " Drink a Beer for Me "

I’ll do it for you guys. I’ll drink that beer for you today and I’ll sit on that beach for you, and check out the girls for you, and just briefly, I’ll think of you. I won’t let the memory of your tragic death spoil the trip but you’ll be on that sunny beach with me today.

I will not mourn your deaths this Memorial Day, my Friends. Rather I’ll celebrate the life you gave me.

SEMPER FIDELIS

Steven Boaze USMC

About The Author

Steven Boaze, Chairman, is The Owner of Boaze.com Corporate Web Solutions Which houses Web Development services. Steven is also the author of two successful Books along with numerous articles on Marketing and Advertising published by Boaze Publishing. http://www.boazepublishing.biz

Copyright © 1998-2004 Boaze.com

Technorati Tags: holiday, memorial day, remembrance, tribute

Reminiscing About The Past

With Mother’s Day coming up it got me thinking about my grandmother and her German-Hungarian mother. This is an old fashioned story from 1918 when my grandmother was nine years old. At school she discovered "all of the wonderful things" her girlfriends brought in their lunches. This opened up a whole new world as mother and daughter experimented together and tried their hand at these new recipes! You’ll love the one for Butterscotch Pie!

Every year around Mother’s Day I begin to reminisce about past Mother’s Days and my relationships with my mother and grandmother. The friendship and love the three of us share is a very special part of my life. We have confided in each other and shared the good times and the bad. They have shared so much about our family history – countless stories of days gone by and of "living life the old fashioned way."

I was thinking about mother/daughter relationships the other day and a thought popped into my mind. Instead of thinking about MY relationship with my mother and grandmother, I began thinking about my grandmother, Elizabeth, and the close bond she had with her mother, Anna.

Elizabeth loved telling stories about her life and had such vivid memories of her childhood. As a nave German girl growing up on a farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she was accustomed to the ethnic foods made by her German-Hungarian mother. Anna came to America from "the old country" and raised her family on the foods they ate over there. There were lots of dumpling and noodle recipes as well as potatoes and vegetables in season. They never had much meat, once or twice a week and of course on Sundays.

Elizabeth was absolutely enchanted when she went to school and discovered "all of the wonderful things" her girlfriends brought in their lunches! She would tell her mother about them and from this they got new ideas. One such new idea was a pie! They had never heard of pies before as they were not made in the old country. Elizabeth and Anna tried their hand at their first pie – Butterscotch. They were so pleased with themselves! This was around 1918 when Elizabeth was just eight years old. And this was just the beginning of her life long love affair with cooking and baking.

For Mother’s Day this year I would like to honor Elizabeth and Anna, my grandmother and great-grandmother by sharing two of their favorite and very old recipes with you – Hungarian Cheese Noodles and Butterscotch Pie. Enjoy! And Happy Mother’s Day!

Hungarian Cheese Noodles

You can use store bought noodles or make your own. To make your own take 2 cups flour and make a well in the center. Add 2 eggs, pinch of salt and enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Mix until you have a stiff dough. Roll into 2 balls. Flour tabletop or cutting board and roll out each ball to about 1/8" thick. Put flakes (rolled out dough) on a clean towel and leave them to dry about hour. In the meantime, mix 1 pound cottage cheese, pinch salt, dash of pepper and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside. When flakes are dry sprinkle with flour. Cut into 3" strips. Lay one on top of another and cut 1/2" to make noodles. Boil water with tablespoon of salt. Drop noodles into the boiling water. Boil about 5 minutes. Drain. Place noodles into a bowl with the cottage cheese mixture. Combine. Using 2 or 3 slices of bread make crispies by tearing off small pieces and frying in 1 tablespoon oil or butter until golden brown. Sprinkle crispies over noodles. You may also sprinkle with some more sugar on top to bring out the flavor. A surprisingly delicious dish!

Butterscotch Pie

1 cups milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon corn starch
pinch salt
butter the size of a walnut (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put 1 cups milk in a pan and heat. Mix brown sugar, egg yolks, flour, corn starch and salt with cup milk. Slowly pour hot milk over this mixture. Bring to a boil. Stir until thick. Add lump of butter and vanilla. Pour into a baked pie crust.

To make meringue: Beat 2 egg whites until stiff. Slowly add 4 tablespoons sugar. Spread meringue evenly over pie filling. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees until meringue is light brown.

Pie Crust: Take 1/4 cup butter, 2 tablespoons boiling water and a pinch of salt and beat with a wire whisk until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Add 1 cup flour. Mix with a fork until crumbly. If too soft add more flour. Form a ball and roll out making a round crust to fit into pie plate. Trim edges to make them even and flute by pressing between your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until pale brown.

Carrie J. Gamble is co-author, editor and publisher of Grandmother’s Cookbook, a collection of recipes, treasured memories, wildflower watercolors and feelings from the heart. Details about the cookbook and more delicious recipes of Carrie’s grandmother, Elizabeth Rose von Hohen, can be found on their website. You’ll experience "living life the old fashioned way" with Grandmother’s Cookbook. Visit the website and download FREE recipes and "A Family Love Letter" chapter at http://www.grandmotherscookbook.com.

By Carrie Gamble Published: 4/25/2008

Technorati Tags: hungarian cheese noodles, mom, mothers day

Finding the Perfect Flowers for Mother’s Day

When you are choosing which flowers to send your mother for Mother’s Day its important to pick the style that is right for her and the color that says how much you love her.

Finding the the flowers that perfectly match the style and taste of the Mothers in your life is simple once you understand the language of flowers and the meanings each flower conveys. This article shows some simple tricks to help you find the right Mother’s Day flowers.

On Mother’s Day, sending flowers is one of the best ways to show your love to all the special mothers in your life. Sorting through the endless array of flowers to match the endless array of personalities your mothers possess makes finding the perfect flowers quite a challenge. From the multitude of colors, meanings, and smells each flower conveys, your mission to make sure your mothers get just the right arrangement can become overwhelming. Hopefully, the following guide can help you sort through the petals to find an arrangement that sends the exact meaning you want to convey this Mother’s Day.

The Messages Hidden in a Flower’s Color:

As most people may know, different flowers have different meanings. Pink carnations are acknowledged as the traditional flower for Mother’s Day because they symbolize sweetness, purity and endurance. Red flowers are known to represent life and love, hence red roses for Valentine’s Day. White flowers with their sweet fragrance are regarded as the flowers for those who miss their mothers either because of death, or because of distance. The flowers that you choose for your mother should express the love and respect that you have for her. Some examples of flowers that could be given to mom on Mother’s Day are mixed or white lilies, white daisies, gerbera daisies, orchids, and roses. Roses are always very popular flowers to give. And if you decide on roses, the appropriate colors are pink, white, yellow, or orange.

Creativity in the Floral Arrangement

You always have the choice of sending something traditional or getting very creative when choosing your flowers. For example, you can choose to send mom her favorite flower, or select a beautiful array of colors that are sure to make her smile. And if you don’t know what your mother’s favorite flowers are, well now’s the time to get to know mom a little better, now isn’t it?

Look around at her decor and see what matches perfectly with other items in the room. Are there salient shades that the perfect bouquet can bring out even more? Is there a color scheme that she seems to follow? An arrangement that complements the scheme is sure to please her, and let her know that you do notice the "little" things. The delight is in the details when you use your creativity this Mother’s Day. Choosing the perfect Mother’s Day Flowers may seem like takes a lot of thought, but the simplicity of it all lies in the fact that no matter whether you send roses, carnations, or tulips, she’s going to be pleased. The look in her eyes as she leans her head in to smell the beautiful freshly cut flowers will tell you that everything you did to make the day perfect for mom was well worth it.

Flowers are always a sign of love and respect, and they have the power to bring a smile to every woman’s face. It is a gift that you can bring to mom yourself or it can be delivered by the flower shop that you purchase them from. So whether she is down the street and around the corner or at the other end of the country, you can always give flowers for Mother’s Day or any day you want her to feel extra special.

Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been delivering Mother’s Day Flowers for more than 22 years. Vogue Flowers has long been the Richmond florist of choice with a large selection of quality flowers. Visit them online at http://www.vogueflowers.com.

Unique Mother Day Gift

That one special day is just around the corner, and it is hinted by all the flowers that have begun to bloom. Yes, it’s that special day for all moms everywhere: Mother’s Day.

Mothers Day Flowers

Make your mum smile this Mothers Day with a fresh bouquet of Mothers Day flowers from bunches.co.uk.

Mother’s day gifts

Finding the right gift for mother’s day doesn’t have to take a long time or even break the bank. Here are some old and new mothers day gift ideas. All you have to do is NOT wait until the last minute: … Flowers – sure, it’s an old standby , but they are always appreciated. Guys never understand why and maybe that’s why moms appreciate it when we think of them; because they know it’s a big stretch for us.

Technorati Tags: bouquet, flower color, Flowers, mothers day

Romanian Easter Customs, Beliefs and Rituals

Loaded with traditions, the Easter in Romania is celebrated with great respect for Christ given to the fact that almost all Romanians are Christians. From the Easter Bunny to the special Easter lamb meal, the Romanians make this celebration colorful and highly cherished.

Easter is highly celebrated worldwide in the Christian world. Yet each country has its own traditions, rituals, beliefs. Such is the case of Romania, where people have different customs, depending on the region. Thus, in Bucovina, on Resurrection night, young ladies go to the church steeple and wash the bell clapper with fresh water. Then they wash their faces with this very same water on Easter morning, in order to look beautiful all year long and to attract young men the same as church bells make people run to the Easter morning mass.

The Easter Bunny’s appearance within the Easter traditions is due to the remains of pagan rituals and deities worshipped in ancient times, this lovely animal being seen, the same as today, as a symbol of fertility. There is an old northern legend which says that, one winter day, the goddess Eostre found a wounded bird in a forest. In order to save the bird, the goddess turned it into a female rabbit, yet leaving it with the capacity of laying eggs.

There are different customs and traditions for celebrating Our Lord’s Jesus Ascension into Heaven, the Ispas and the so-called "Horses’ Easter". Ispas is the mythical character that is thought to have witnessed the moment of the Lord’s (together with the resurrected ones) ascension into heaven.

Starting from the Easter day to the Ispas day, people greet each other by saying "Christ is risen!", and the answer to this is "He is truly risen!" On the day of the Ascension, people say: "Christ has ascended into Heaven!" and the answer to this is: "He has truly ascended into Heaven!" This custom lasts until the day after the Ispas.

There are some more Romanian customs and beliefs that may appear unusual or interesting. Such is the habit of people wearing nut leaves around their waist, because Christ is said to have worn such leaves during His ascension. Also, according to the popular belief, those who die on the Ispas day go straight to heaven. Another uncanny ritual consists of cutting hair from the cows tail and burying it in an ant hill while uttering the following blessing: "May God give you as many lambs and veal as the ants in this ant hill!"

Another superstition says that it is forbidden to give away any fire or salt on the day of the Ascension. If one gives away fire, one will be despised the whole year through, and the people in that house will be as mean as fire; and if one gives away salt, his cows won’t produce any sour cream. Whatever is planted after the Ispas does not blossom or bear fruit. On the day of The Lord’s Ascension, women who have recently deceased people in their families give away warm wafers, green onion and brandy for the souls of the dead, as they believe their souls would travel to heaven and they would need some supplies.

Still part of the Romanian tradition, the art of painting Easter eggs is quite developed in certain country regions. There are a lot of motifs in painting the eggs, each of them having several versions, depending on the exact region. They may also vary within the same village, or at the very same artist. Among the most frequent motifs we could mention: animal representations: bees, frogs, snakes, lambs; vegetal motifs: fir leaves, carnations, wheat ears; home and field tools: rakes, spades, ploughs; industrial ornaments, motifs taken from home industry: the cleavage formed when sewing shirts and sleeves; other: the cross, the lost way, etc. The cross, a symbol of Christianity, is represented in the Romanian tradition the same way as the Russian or Moldavian one-by a cross having other small crosses at its four edges.

Other largely spread motifs are the star and the monastery, other reminders of Christianity. At any rate, the painted eggs are meant to give us feelings of joy, astonishment, humility, reconciliation, because their decoration operates with Christian symbols or natural motifs (sun, moon, plants, animals, tools), together with all their sacred significance.

However, all the Easter traditions span around the historical fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God is alive. Come and visit Romania for Easter!

Romania Easter

Easter is probably the most special time of the year in Romania. Easter eggs , Easter Rabbits and flowers adorn the shop windows, they are beautifully arranged and look very tasteful.

Romanian Orthodox traditions

Mihaela Lica has a wonderful introduction to Lazarus’ Saturday, part of the Romanian Eastern Orthodox celebration of Easter (or Pascha). This year, Lazarus’ Saturday will take place on April 11th.

Easter Eggs

Decorating Easter eggs is a popular tradition throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Many countries like Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Germany each have their own traditional methods of how eggs are to be decorated and painted.

Technorati Tags: custom, easter bunny, easter.romania, tradition

Easter Time – Its History And Most Popular Symbols And Traditions

Have you ever wondered why we send Easter flowers or and Easter basket?

Yes, Easter bells bring eggs in European children baskets, people bless their homes with Easter water… But do you know where these Easter symbols and traditions come from?

On Easter weekend those of the Christian faith (Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Anglicans, Baptists…) celebrate the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In the past, the Easter Sunday was generally reserved for the baptism of a large number of catechumens. Also, the council of Lateran (1215) ordered that those who reached the age of reason had to take the Holy communion at least once a year (in French "faire ses Pques").

So Easter is the most important Christian celebration of the year.

In Romance languages, Pques or Pascua… is derived from the Greek word "Pascha".

In the Germanic languages, "Easter" – also called "Pascha" – was taken from "Eastre", the Saxon goddess associated to the Spring. Indeed, many years ago, the Saxons celebrated the god of the Spring, called "Eostre" and held festivals every year to celebrate the Spring Equinox, when the day and the night were equal length.

These festivals were celebrated to ensure fertility across both the land and people.

The Saxons converted to Christianity and the name of their celebration became "Easter" in order to celebrate both the Spring and the religious Pascha times. The idea behind the two occasions is different, but they share common symbols and traditions that people still use today.

Briefly explained, the Christian Easter occurs as follows: the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the spring equinox (according to the Gregorian calendar). Except for the Orthodox church that still refers to the Julian Calendar (13 days behind the Gregorian calendar).

So Easter is a mobile holiday that oscillates between March 22nd and April 25th. Regarding Easter Monday, it is just a bank holiday and it has no religious meaning.

Since many centuries, in addition to the religious Easter traditions people celebrate the festive Easter season by organizing family gatherings, giving presents, sending greeting cards and much more.

Easter, both religious and popular has its symbols. Here are a few ones:

The Easter Bells

In some European countries, Easter bells have a great symbolic aspect. In the ancient times, the bells of our churches were ringing every day of the year to invite people to attend the mass, to celebrate a royal wedding, the birth of a prince, or for any other public event.

On Maundy Thursday, all the bells will stop ringing: they leave our countries for Rome where the Holy See is located and they will be blessed by the pope.

Since Jesus died on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter Sunday these days of silence are a symbol of mourning and recollection. Therefore, the bells will ring again on Easter Sunday, returning from Rome where they brought Easter eggs that they will drop in our gardens.

Besides Jesus’ resurrection, Easter bells also symbolize the rebirth of the Spring.

To a child who makes bad faces, we say: "If the bells ring in Rome, your bad face will remain all life long."

The Easter Eggs

The use of eggs in celebration existed long before our modern day observance.

Indeed, in Egypt and ancient Persia, people were used to dye eggs with the colors of the spring and gave them to their relatives. Eggs were considered as symbols of rebirth.

Centuries ago, Christians gathered on the public places and were looking for eggs: after the privations of Lent, Christians appreciated to eat those eggs. It was the forerunner of our Easter egg hunt.

Another custom was that, at the end of the Easter Mass, our kings distributed eggs (usually made in a luxurious material, painted, engraved …) to the noble of their court. The most famous eggs are Faberg eggs. Thus the tradition of Easter eggs is not just commercial but well an old tradition.

The Easter Chicken

Where do the eggs come from? From the chicken… so, as the chicken gives her eggs (decorated or not) it’s an essential Easter symbol.

The Easter chicken custom is popular in many countries but originated from Austria. Today, it is often symbolized by a chicken made out of chocolate.

Depending of the country, the Easter chicken is replaced by chicks, cock, stork, cuckoo, etc.

The Easter Bunny

The first animal that has been associated to Easter was not the rabbit but well the hare. The hare is an animal symbolizing abundance, proliferation and renewal. He was regarded as an animal very prolific, especially in the spring and was a symbol of life and fertility. It may have its origins in an ancient oriental culture.

The rabbit was the symbol of Eastre, the Saxon goddess. The idea of the rabbit as a part of Christian tradition was introduced in colonial days by the Germans.

The hare and the rabbit were associated to the Easter eggs for the first time in Alsace and Germany six centuries ago.

In some countries, Children are taught that the Easter Bunny brings treats on the night before Easter.

The eggs, rabbits and chocolate are closely linked!

The Paschal Lamb

In the New Testament, Jesus is often identified with the lamb, and especially the paschal lamb, as there is a parallel between his death and that of the paschal lamb – the lamb, is sacrificed in both western and eastern religions. By the blood of Jesus Christ, the people of God is released from death and can enter into a new life.

And so, in many countries, people eat a leg of lamb on Easter Sunday.

The Cross

The symbol of the cross has been associated with Christianity and Easter since the first centuries after Jesus’ death. The cross was a symbol of Jesus, who died to save all those who receive baptism, it was also a symbol of cruelty throughout the Roman Empire.

Today Christians view the cross as a symbol of courage and salvation.

In Anglo-Saxon countries, people bake "hot cross buns" (buns marked with a cross) that they eat on Good Friday.

The Easter Lily

This flower; which is also an Easter symbol, is a Japanese flower. The lily is the symbol of the arrival of the Spring, purity and holiness. This flower is known for its beauty and its pride.

A legend says that at the time Jesus went to a place, all the flowers, plants and animals bowed to his passage, except the lilies: they were too proud.

But when the lilies saw Jesus on the cross, their head bent and since that day, they continue to bend their head as a sign of respect.

Nice legend, isn’t it?

The Easter Water

It is an old custom that disappears…

Unknown today, the Easter water was an important Easter element for our ancestors as it was deemed to have very beneficent virtues.

Early in the morning, before the sunrise, people went to the river and brought several gallons water. The Easter water and a branch that people received at the church on the Sunday before Easter Sunday were used the bless the home and protect it against inclemencies. People also drank this water to cure diseases.

Now that you know the origins and symbols of the holiday of Easter, I wish you a happy Easter!

Easter Bells
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Ukrainian Easter tradition

Despite the profound meaning to Christians of Easter, there is no doubt that there is a strong thread of pagan tradition that runs through the Holiday. The name “Easter” itself may come from an Anglo Saxon goddess of Spring.

New Easter Traditions

My parents always tried to help us remember to focus more on Christ at Easter than on the commercialized holiday. The Easter Bunny always came on Saturday, so as not to distract us on Sunday.

The Easter Bunny 

Easter tradition after Easter tradition is invented as Sunny attempts to evade Gadzooks (the grumpy lonely bear who lives on Big Rock Mountain) and outsmart Lilly Longtooth’s laws against anything fun. Songs include "The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town".

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Easter is one of the highest holy days in christianity that celebrates the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  It is a time of year where friends and families gather together to celebrate this occasion with food and festivities.

It has become a tradition in our family to get together with very close friends and their family at the patriarch’s home on the suburbs.  This home has an extensive backyard which extends approximately 300 yards back.  Most of this yard was a former pasture where my friend family raised goats asnd sheep when she was a growing up.  The yard has since been coverted into a nursery which contains a creek and various trails that are surrounded by differient varieties of azaleas, rhododendrons, flowers and other fauna.  This layout has provided a venue for a world class Easter egg hunt.  

Tradition has it that the now older children and their friends (the Easter Bunnies) hide some 300 plastic eggs filled with different candy treats and morsels in differnt places around the backyard earlier that morning. After the families arrive, the younger children get baskets and are then challenged as to who can find the most eggs around the nursery.  They charge off and scamper around the lot scooping up eggs as fast as they can as the adults saunter behind watching this joyful activity. 

After an hour or so and the eggs have been counted, the adults and the rest of the family search for those missing eggs that have remained hidden from those youngsters gaze. Sometimes the squirrels have found an egg or two and grabbed the little treats before this children find them.

Following the hunt all of guests gather around the table and the rest of the house to enjoy the food brought by the families attending and the fellowship that comes when seeing good friends.  If the weather is nice, croquet in the back yard is always in the offing and there is nothing more fun than a cut throat game where siblings smash each others ball around the yard.

All in all this has become a great Easter tradition that we look forward to every year.  As the younger children grow up it will be time for next generation to partake in the the famous Easter Egg Hunt – rain or shine the hunt goes on.

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