Tomorrow, on June 19th, the USA will celebrate Juneteenth as a federal holiday for the first time ever. Since it falls in a Saturday this year, many federal workers will have the day off today on Friday, June 18th while other companies will offer Monday, June 21st off. But what is Juneteenth? It is a…
Category: holiday
National Big Wind Day: Featuring Rhode Island’s Offshore Wind Farm
April 12th is National Big Wind Day here in the USA! Since moving closer to the ocean, I have experienced winds like never before! It also gave me a newfound appreciation for Rhode Island’s offshore wind farm. So I thought that today was a great day to talk about the power and potential of wind!…
National Beer Day: Celebrating the Breweries in Rhode Island
Today is National Beer Day, among other fun holidays like Girl, Me Too, Walking, and No Housework days. You can see the other holidays on the National Day Calendar website. I chose to write about beer because lately, I’ve been actively exploring Rhode Island’s fantastic breweries. I even made up a fun fake one for April Fools…
National Silly Earring Day Has Been Founded! How Do You Celebrate?
I am the proud new owner of a brand new holiday: National Silly Earring Day celebrated annually on April 13th! I’ve been thinking about founding a holiday that celebrates unique earrings for quite some time. When I was younger, I thought that all earrings were expensive, made with fine metals, gems, and diamonds. As an…
10 Strange Easter Traditions from Around the World
Humans are weird creatures who dream up unusual ways to celebrate holidays. Since today is Easter, I decided to explore ten strange Easter traditions from around the world! The great thing about holidays is that there is no wrong way to celebrate anything. But I think it’s perfectly okay to admit when the way we…
April Fools’ Pranks – History & Best April Fools’ Pranks
Yesterday I wrote an article about a mushroom beer brewery opening in Rhode Island, and it was one of my favorite April Fools’ pranks of all times! It was fun because not only did many people fall for it, but it promoted some existing local businesses in the meantime. To avoid spoiling the joke, I…
Mushroom Beer Brewery Opens in Rhode Island: Portabeera Brew
Mushrooms are a superfood, and companies worldwide are creating new shroomy recipes that are healthier than their fungus-free alternatives. MUD\WTR makes a low-caffeine drink that gives you more energy than coffee, while Four Sigmatic adds mushrooms to their coffee! Mushrooms are even being turned into eco-friendly packaging by Ikea. Finally, the beer industry is jumping on the mushroom wagon. And the…
National Equal Pay Day: Gender Pay Gap Awareness
Today is National Equal Pay Day, which aims to bring awareness of the gender pay gap. It is celebrated each year on a day in March or April. President Biden is marking this day by hosting U.S. Women’s national soccer team members at the White House. History of Women’s Rights Before we jump into National Equal…
World Down Syndrome Day: March 21st, 2021
World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated internationally on March 21st. This day gives people with Down Syndrome and their advocates a voice and an opportunity to be heard. On this day, it is typical to organize or participate in activities that promote public awareness for this genetic disorder. Check out this impressive list of the 10…
What Is St. Joseph’s Day? Who, When, & Why?
Two days ago was St. Patrick’s day and today is St. Joseph’s day. But what Is St. Joseph’s day? Celebrated annually on March 19th, St. Joseph’s Day is a popular holiday among Italian-Americans. Typically, they gather together wearing red costumes to enjoy the feast day by donating food to the hungry. What Is St. Joseph’s Day? St….
St. Patrick’s Day: Everything You Want to Know
Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, and here in the USA, that would typically mean parades, wearing green, shamrocks, and lots of beer. Then there are leprechauns, mythical green men, that I was taught about in first grade. Saint Patrick’s Day is also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick. The short story is that it…
International Women’s Day: History, Controversy, Celebration
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year. While some take this to be a lighthearted day to celebrate the wonderful women in the world with flowers, others use it to fight for women’s rights. There are also people who are not huge fans. In fact, there are a lot of controversies surrounding…
Valentine’s Day Origins: Feast of Saint Valentine
Today is Valentine’s Day and many people, including my husband, like to mock it for being a Hallmark holiday. Despite Hallmark having one of it’s most profitable days around this holiday, they did not invent the holiday. There is a lot of history to Valentine’s Day and not all of it is hearts and roses….
Cupid: Who is He? Origins of Modern Valentine’s Traditions
Have you ever wonder who Cupid really is? I sure have. And I refuse to go another Valentine’s Day without knowing why a baby wants to shoot me in the butt with a heart-shaped arrow. Hilariously enough, I have written about how snails are what cupid is based on, because they shoot love darts to…
Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas from Amazon Prime
“Oh no, it’s only a week until the 14th, I need a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift!” In a normal world, it isn’t that hard to go out and buy something special for our loved one. Of course, handmade gifts or gestures of love are also great options. Money does not need to be spent to…
Groundhog Day: What Is It & Who Is Punxsutawney Phil
Groundhog Day has come and gone, unlike the movie where it keeps happening over and over again. This North American holiday is perhaps one of the most unusual. It is tempting to jokingly mock Americans for this illogical yet adorable and somewhat controversial holiday. But it turns out that they are not the only ones!…
Imbolc: What Is It & How to Celebrate?
Imbolc is also known as Imbolg and sometimes also called Brigid’s Day. It is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring. Traditionally, it is held on February 1st and it lands about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is celebrated throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man –…
Gifts for Him: Unique Valentine’s Day Ideas
I love giving (and receiving) gifts but I find men really hard to shop for! All the guys I know have one or two hobbies but at a certain point you exhaust the number of themed gifts. He may love Pokemon but he doesn’t need Pikachu on his phone, clothes, wallet, car and laptop. Well,…
Christmas Superstitions in the Czech Republic
Cultures all over the world have their unique Christmas superstitions. The Czech Republic is known for being one of the most atheist countries in the world. Ironically, according to Czech tradition it is baby Jesus, not Santa Claus, who brings gifts. Instead of lining up to sit in Santa’s lap, Czech children wait in line…
Living Christmas Tree or Artificial: Which is More Eco-Friendly?
For the first time ever, I have a living Christmas tree in my home. Growing up I always had an artificial one. My parents didn’t want the hassle of a living tree so we used the same artificial one for 20 years. When my parents moved back to Ukraine from Prague, they brought it with…
10 Thanksgiving Facts & Statistics: America’s Biggest Holiday
Today is Thanksgiving in the USA and a great time to share these Thanksgiving Facts & Statistics! For those who don’t know, Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Brazil and a few others. Although Canada celebrates it on the second Monday of October while the USA waits…
5 Good Cause Christmas Gifts: Presents that Give Back
Consider giving Good Cause Christmas Gifts this holiday season! Christmas is a great time to shower your loved ones with gifts that will make them smile. Most people love to give and receive gifts, but what if the gift itself brings happiness to even more people? There are many companies that donate some, if not…
10 Unique Advent Calendars to Spice Up Christmas
Your typical advent calendars contain chocolate, which is great. It is scientifically proven that most people love chocolate. 91% of women and 87% of men eat chocolate. But chocolate advent calendars year after year get stale – literally, if you forget to eat them on time. Today there are many fun and unique advent calendars…
National Absurdity Day: November 20th
While social media is full of arguments on whether it is too early to decoration for Christmas, let’s spend today celebrating National Absurdity Day! How does one embrace this absurd holiday? Absurdly… duh! Put on that silly hat, dance around your home naked, do all those crazy things you’ve always wanted to do. As long…
Monthly Earring Mania: Earring Subscription as a Christmas Gift
I created Monthly Earring Mania because I am obsessed with fun subscription boxes. They have done irreparable damage to my wallet, so I wanted to make my subscription as affordable as possible. I decided to start my subscription when I discovered CrateJoy while working on an article about 99 monthly subcription boxes! It took me…
5 Eco-Friendly Christmas Gifts for Zero-Waste Fans
Christmas is a stressful time for people who are into a more eco-friendly lifestyle. It is hard for us to try and find Eco-Friendly Christmas gifts for friends and family that they will love that won’t harm the environment. We are also worried that we will get something that is awesome but will end up…
10 October Celebrations From Around the World
There are many October celebrations that people all over the world enjoy. In the western world, the most well-known is probably Halloween. In the USA, Halloween is all about children dressings up and going around their neighborhoods asking for candy and saying, ‘trick or treat?’ It may seem like a silly tradition but the roots…
Better Breakfast Month: September
September is Better Breakfast Month, something that we should all be actively pursuing. It may not be 100% accurate that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, eating a good breakfast does have an endless number of positive health effects. Why raise awareness about breakfast in September? We should honestly be doing…
National Make Your Bed Day: September 12th
National Make Your Bed Day seems like a very silly holiday. To be honest, I only make my bed when I have company over. At a Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, participants learn that the sleep environment is a major component of a restful night’s sleep. In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, people…
Labor Day: History of the Holiday
Tomorrow, Monday, September 7th, people all over the USA will celebrate Labor Day. In fact, the entire long weekend is festive and companies use this occasion to offer sales on their products as well as services. But what do you really know about the history of this holiday? Other than the fact that it takes…
7 Anatomically Incorrect Halloween Decorations
I love this time of the year and I find anatomically incorrect Halloween decorations especially amusing. All holidays have traditions that don’t seem to make too much logical sense. Like, how can Santa fit down a chimney after eating so many cookies? Why is there a human-sized Easter bunny and what is it doing giving…
15 Creepy Places to Visit this Fall: Haunted Halloween
Yes, it’s still August but I’m already thinking of all the creepy places to visit this fall! Although, when I say visit, I don’t necessarily mean in person. It is my goal to see all of these places at least once when it’s safe to travel again. Until then I will plan, research, and tell…
Ukrainian Flag Day: August 23rd
Today is Ukrainian Flag Day! It is celebrated annually on August 23rd. It was on the day of dawn of independence in 1990 that a blue-yellow flag was hoisted above the capital’s city administration. After the failure of the coup in Moscow on August 23, 1991, a group of Ukrainian MPs brought a blue and yellow flag…
Saturday: Rest Day? Bad Luck Day? History of the Weekend!
Saturday is personally one of my favorite days of the week! I work a regular Monday – Friday job so the weekend is my downtime. But Sunday is way too close to Monday for my liking, so I live it up or rest it down on Saturday. However, not everyone likes this day that was…
10 Pumpkin Scented & Flavored Things
After three heatwaves this summer, pumpkin scented and flavored things have a bigger appeal than usual. As September slowly approaches, a pumpkin spice latte sounds more necessary than basic! Although it is difficult to picture the humidity disappearing and the leaves turning colorful, fall is just around the corner. Normally, I try to hold on…
10 Freebies You Can Get On Your Birthday
Getting freebies is always fun, especially on your birthday! It’s my birthday today, which you may not care too much about, but there are businesses that do. It turns out that lots of places will actually reward you for being born. There are hundreds of companies that will give you freebies on this special day….
World Emoji Day: July 17th Holiday
Today is world emoji day and I hope that you spent it sending emojis. You may wonder why we are celebrating emojis. They are unprofessional and can be confusing, right? Meh. Was it unprofessional for the Egyptians to use hieroglyphics? Is it confusing to add an emoticon at the end of a ambiguous sentence to…
Jan Hus Day: Anniversary of Martyrdom
The name Jan Hus may not ring a bell to too many people who haven’t lived in the Czech Republic. Every year on July 6th, Czechs celebrate the day that he was burned at the stake in 1415. As shocking as it sounds, Czech history is full of macabre stories and holidays. To be fair,…
July 4th: Fun Facts About America’s Biggest Holiday
July 4th is arguably the biggest holiday in America. It celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Essentially, it is the birthday of the United States of America as an independent nation. The declaration was signed on July 4th in 1776, a reminder of just how young this country really is! But I’m not…
Love Day in the Czech Republic: May 1st
“Love day? Did she just misspell labour day?!” you may be asking yourself. So technically, today is a public holiday in many countries around Europe known as labour day. Labour day, as you may already know, dates back to 1886 when workers had a strike in Chicago. But in the Czech Republic the holiday has morphed…
Burning the Witches on April 30th: Czech Holiday
Burning the Witches is a popular holiday in the Czech Republic that takes place on April 30th. Despite the negative connotation, it is a happy holiday where many participants like to dress up as said witches. Although a large bonfire is a necessity for this event, no humans are burned during this event, even if…
Pysanky: Ukrainian Easter Tradition
You can’t celebrate Easter in Ukraine without pysanky, or decorated eggs! The word pysanka (singular) or pysanky (plural) comes from the word pysaty which means “to write” in Ukrainian. The traditional folk designs are not painted on, but rather written or inscribed with beeswax. Ukraine isn’t the only country that decorates Easter eggs using wax…
Easter Pussy Willow Whips: Czech Tradition
In the past few weeks I have had dozens of views on my article about nudity in the Czech Republic. This PG article is all about the culture of being open about nakedness. Sorry to disappoint! This article is also about culture. While Czechs definitely have their kinky side, they use pussy willow whips to…
It’s Okay to Love Valentine’s Day & its Romantic History
Yes, you should love your SO every day of the year. No, you shouldn’t feel forced to buy anyone flowers, chocolate or anything else for that matter. However, it is inaccurate to say that Valentine’s Day is just a Hallmark holiday… it does have a romantic history. Although even if it didn’t, it’s okay to…
What do Snails, Cupid & V-Day have in common?
Valentine’s Day is based on St. Valentine who secretly married couples to spare the men from going to war. So how did snails or cupid become involved? Turns out that when snails mate, they use love darts that they shoot at their love interest. Some believe that this bizarre mating ritual is where the idea…
Great Gatsby Party: 2020 Begins
We welcomed 2020 at a Great Gatsby Party benefiting the RISPCA. The event was huge and we were lucky to snag two of the last 20 tickets. Ticket prices started at $60 for early birds and went up to $500 for the VIP section. We managed to snag a wingman ticket for two at $135….
Christmas in Vietnam: Confetti & Selfies
Christmas in Vietnam is not as new as you may think. This is because Vietnam used to be part of the French Empire. French influences can be seen all over the country. However, Christmas is the most popular in the capital city Ho Chi Minh or Saigon. Christmas Eve is more important than Christmas Day….
Christmas in China
Christmas in China has gotten big this last decade. Chinese schools, especially those that employ foreigners, enjoy Christmas holidays. All shopping malls, parks and public venues in major cities get as festive as New York City. There are also many events for both Chinese locals and foreigners to attend. I celebrated my first Christmas in…
Christmas in India: Decorated Mango Trees & ‘Christmas Baba’
Christmas in India is unique because 97.2% of the population is not Christian. They also don’t have pine trees, so they decorate banana and mango trees with fairy lights. The one who brings the gifts is Father Christmas, or ‘Christmas Baba’. The city with the most Christmas spirit is Mumbai, because of their larger Christian…
Venezuelan Christmas: Mass on Skates
If you’re been following this blog, I doubt Christmas tradition will surprise you anymore. Venezuelan Christmas isn’t complete without skates. The capital city of Venezuela, Caracas, sees thousands of participants for this festive, fast-paced mass. “Venezuelans are known for their love of fireworks and Christmas is no exception – residents awake to the sound of…
Zero-Waste Christmas 2021
Most modern holidays come with a lot of unnecessary waste. Single use plastic, paper packaging that ends up not decomposing in the landfill and presents that people don’t actually want or need. Having a zero-waste Christmas isn’t as hard as it seems. You can follow some or all of these steps to make a difference….
Mistletoe Kissing comes from Ancient Greece
Kissing under mistletoe is a fun, although sometimes awkward, tradition. Mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that grows on trees and shrubs all over the world. It has also weaseled it’s way into our hearts and Christmas traditions. In ancient times, it was associated with fertility and considered an aphrodisiac. “The Celtic Druids are among…
Czech Christmas: Carp, Baby Jesus & Prophetic Shoe Throwing
‘Veselé Vánoce’ is how the Czechs say Merry Christmas. Prague is a popular Christmas destination because of their famous Christmas markets. At first glance, it looks like your regular Christmas festivities. But there are a few things that make Czech Christmas unique. Baby Jesus The Czech Republic is one of the most atheist countries in…
Syrian Christmas: An Immortal Camel Brings the Gifts
The Santa who brings presents to American children was invented by Coca Cola in 1931. This was a full two years after they removed all traces of cocaine from their soda. Czech children, on the other hand, get presents from baby Jesus. Even though the Czech Republic is the most atheist country in the world….
Christmas Spider: Ukrainian Legend
In some cultures, Christmas is closely tied to things that are spooky. Ukraine is no different, with its tradition of a Christmas spider. Even today it is considered good luck to find a spider in your tree. If you want to enhance your luck, you can get a spider ornament that will bring you a…
The Mysterious Christmas Pickle Tradition in the USA
Christmas Pickles sound like something from Rick and Morty. But I’m not referring to the Pickle Rick episode of the show. I’m talking about the strange tradition where families hang a pickle-shaped ornament on their tree. Why a Pickle? This is where the mystery begins. The Americans point at the Germans. Supposedly Woolworth stores were…
Krampus Brings the Scary Back to Christmas: Austria
Growing up in the Czech Republic, I experienced some of the scarier sides of Christmas. Czech parents often hire actors who come dressed as Mikuláš (St. Nick) and the devil. Their job is to literally scare children into being good. It sounds silly, but when you’re five years old, a chain-bearing devil is pretty darn…
Gifting & Reading Books for Christmas – Icelandic Traditions
Books are amazing because they have the unique power to take you on a wild adventure without requiring you to leave the house. They teleport you to worlds that do exist and those that don’t. Nothing is impossible in a book. People in Iceland understand the magic of reading and the holidays. So they combine…
Christmas Lanterns in the Philippines Have a Moving History
When most people think of the Philippines, they picture long stretches of white sand beaches. This is not wrong. The Philippines is one of the world’s most beautiful tropical paradises. However, they also have a long history of going all out for Christmas. Their love for the holiday doesn’t come from Coca Cola’s Santa but…
Gävle Goat, Christmas in Sweden
While Rhode Islanders decorate a termite for Christmas, other cultures have their own quirks and traditions. The town of Gävle [say: yeah-vleh] puts up a giant straw statue of a goat. Then they wait—and sometimes even bet—on whether the goat will make it to Christmas. The reason they worry about the goat is because every year…
Big Blue Bug: Rudolf the Red-Nosed… Termite – Christmas in RI
Move over Rudolf, bring in the Big Blue Bug! Because the residents of Providence favor a giant blue termite decked out in Christmas lights over the boring traditional reindeer. Rhode Island is a quirky little state when it comes to a lot of things. But who could have known that the smallest state with the…
Vegan Thanksgiving 101: Meatless Turkey Options
This morning I read that one-third of Americans are considering going meatless this Thanksgiving. These numbers seem too good to be true, but I’m staying hopeful! I am also hoping to be mostly vegan this Thanksgiving for the environment, animal welfare and for my health. From my past experiences, a 100% vegan Thanksgiving is super…
St. Martin’s Day – Czech Thanksgiving
While the Chinese celebrate their singleness, Americans enjoy a day off in remembrance of veterans, Czechs are busy stuffing their faces with goose on November 11th.
Czech Halloween – Dusicky & Anti-Vampire Measures for the Dead
Czech Halloween (Dusicky) and the reason Czechs take “anti-vampire” measures with their corpses…
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