| Holiday traditions make life worth living! We | | | | dried fruit, berries, and plums. In 1789, George |
| anxiously await that special day when we can | | | | Washington wanted to make a National Day of |
| celebrate with our loved ones. These traditions | | | | celebration in honor of the first pilgrims. Thomas |
| help to create a bond with one another. Each | | | | Jefferson scoffed at the idea. It brought a lot of |
| holiday has a special nostalgia that tugs at our | | | | discord because many felt that the hardships of a |
| hearts. We think of our stomachs and delectable | | | | few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. |
| food on Thanksgiving Day. Memories of fancy | | | | In1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last |
| costumes and treats come to mind with | | | | Thursday in November as a National Day of |
| Halloween. Valentine's Day is full of romance, | | | | Thanksgiving. |
| chocolate candies, heart-shaped cookies, and that | | | | The custom of Halloween started in Europe during |
| special kiss from a sweetheart. We all have our | | | | the harvest season. The Europeans would |
| traditions during this festive time. Have you ever | | | | celebrate the end of summer by having a harvest |
| wondered how these traditions began? | | | | feast the last day of October. They would build |
| Valentine's Day has been around much longer than | | | | bonfires to cook the feast and also to keep the |
| most people realize. In A.D. 269, Claudius was the | | | | ghosts away. They were superstitious people and |
| Emperor of Rome. He wanted to have a huge | | | | believed that ghosts roamed about on the last |
| army, but the Roman men were not interested in | | | | day of October. "Hallow" meant holy and "e'en" |
| joining. They did not want to leave their wives | | | | was short for evening. Because this celebration |
| and children. This upset Claudius, and as a result, | | | | was the evening before All Hallows Day or All |
| he outlawed marriage so the men would join his | | | | Saints Day, they decided to call it Halloween. But |
| army. Saint Valentine was a priest and didn't | | | | how did this holiday get to America? Irish |
| agree with the almighty ruler. He continued to | | | | immigrants brought the tradition here in the 1800s. |
| marry couples in secret. Eventually he was caught | | | | In Ireland, Irish beggars would go to the homes |
| and thrown in jail. While in prison, he fell in love | | | | of the rich on Halloween night and ask for food or |
| with the daughter of the prison guard who would | | | | money. If they refused, then evil spirits would |
| visit him regularly. They would sit and talk for | | | | destroy their homes for their inhospitable |
| hours. The day of his execution, February 14th, | | | | behavior. Once the tradition came to America, |
| Valentine left a note, thanking her for her | | | | families and neighbors got together, dressed up in |
| friendship. He signed it, "Love, from your | | | | festive costumes, ate foods of the season and |
| Valentine." | | | | played games. It wasn't until the mid 1900s that |
| When we think of mouth-watering turkey, | | | | children began to knock on doors and ask for |
| scrumptious yams and mashed potatoes, | | | | treats. |
| cranberries, luscious pecan and pumpkin pies with | | | | Holidays unite families. We celebrate, eat, laugh, |
| ice cream on top, we think of Thanksgiving. How | | | | dance, and play together. Family traditions are |
| did this tradition begin? It all started with a desire | | | | important and create a bond. I enjoy learning |
| to be liberated from religious persecution. The | | | | about holidays and how they originated. When I |
| Pilgrims fled their homeland in England and arrived | | | | write my novels, I try to educate my readers |
| in America on December 11, 1620. The first | | | | and include facts of interest. Because of my love |
| winter was devastating. They lost 46 of the | | | | for holidays, I have included them in my series of |
| original 102 settlers. The Indians helped the Pilgrims | | | | novels, "A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho." Each |
| survive the following year, so the remaining | | | | story in this family saga has adventure, romance, |
| colonists decided to celebrate with a huge feast. | | | | history, and courage. Intertwining fact and fiction, |
| There were ninety-one Indians who attended the | | | | these novels entertain as well as educate my |
| celebration and the feast lasted for three days. | | | | readers. |
| They had ducks, fish, lobster, clams, venison, | | | | |