It’s Mother’s Day. That means today is all about Mom. Everybody has a mother and absolutely no one is more special than your mom. Sure, dad is really important. And, grandparent’s too. But moms, well they are just the greatest. Often taken for granted, they are always our strongest supporters. You can’t do wrong in Mom’s eyes. When you are hurt, or not feeling well, there is no one else that can help you more than Mom. I saw this when our son was in the emergency room. Sure, dad was an important presence. But, the look in my son’s eyes with his mom by his side was a certain affirmation of mom’s comforting ways and importance.

So go out and celebrate Mother’s Day. First and foremost, spend time with her. If you absolutely can not be there, take time for a long phone call. Flowers, cards, candy, and gifts are all part of the day. But, mom wants some time with you far more than anything else.

Did you know? The first Mother’s Day was May 10, 1908, in Philadelphia 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday. Also called MLK Day, it honors the greatest civil rights activist in American history. His birthday became a National Holiday by an act of Congress in 1983. Many consider it a day to serve your community.

Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. grew to become one of the greatest social activists the world has ever known. He promoted a non-violent civil rights movement.  At 35, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace prize. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while making a speech from the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Chinese Moon Festival, or “Chinese Mid-Autumn” Festival“, is one of the biggest annual holidays in China. It is also called the Mooncake Festival or Lantern Festival. According to Chinese legend, this is the birthday of the earth god “T’u-ti Kung. Agricultural communities know a successful harvest is never guaranteed. So, when after harvest is completed, it is a time for joyful celebration., 

Chinese Moon Festival, or the Mooncake Festival, is a celebration of the Autumn harvest. It occurs when the moon is the brightest and the highest in the sky. This celebration is one of the oldest holidays in the world, dating back thousands of years. Early celebrations included the worship of the moon as a god.

Today, the Chinese Moon Festival is celebrated as a national holiday in China and many other Asian countries. People take the day off from work. They view the moon. They cook and enjoy family and friends.

Making, giving, and eating mooncakes is a tradition on this day. Mooncakes pastries are thick and dense. They can be filled with a variety of things. Mooncake fillings are not usually sweets. It is often filled with beans, nuts, or seeds. Recipes vary.  

Happy Chinese Moon Festival Day!

Do you remember all those things Mom used to say? Some were words of wisdom. Some were educational.  Many were warnings or threats. And some of them you just didn’t understand until you grew up and started using them on your own kids. We fondly call them Mother’s Day Momisms.

Well, here is our list of those favorite sayings. Join the fun. Please email us with your own. Leave your name and city to post online, or contribute one anonymously. Email a “Mom-ism” now.

Memorial Day is officially celebrated on the last Monday in May. Memorial Day is dedicated to service men and women who gave their lives for freedom and country. It is also a time to remember loved ones who have passed away. The roots of Memorial Day observance go back to 1865 and the end of the Civil War.

The ultimate sacrifice made by millions of U.S. servicemen and women is perhaps best exemplified by Nathan Hale as he was about to be executed by the British for spying for the Continental Army when he said “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Memorial Day was traditionally held on the 30th of May. In 1971, Congress changed it to the last Monday, to create a three-day holiday weekend. Regardless of the date, we encourage you to follow Memorial Day tradition: attend a parade and visit a cemetery to honor and remember our serviceman. Take time to remember lost loved ones in whatever way you feel appropriate.

Did you Know? Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day. It was changed to Memorial Day in 1882.

Memorial Day also marks the beginning of the gardening and summer seasons, even though summer will not occur until a few weeks later. This day usually includes the first family picnic of the year.

People around the world celebrate May Day. This May 1 holiday has been celebrated since ancient times. Spring festivals, parades, and maypoles are important traditions on this day. It has several meanings. In many other countries, it is a celebration of spring and the coming of summer. It is celebrated with many spring flowers, many of them blooming right in your backyard. To communist and socialist countries, it is a celebration for the workers.

In many countries, it is celebrated as part of a one to three-day holiday. Of particular note, it is not a national holiday in the United States, except in Hawaii where it is known as “Hawaiian Lei Day“.

In about 140 countries, May Day is also Labor Day and is a worker’s holiday. In many of these countries, the Labor Day holiday is on May 1 unless it falls on a Saturday or Sunday when it is held on the following Monday. Only three countries, the United States, Canada, and Bermuda observe Labor Day in September.

Did You Know? The word “Mayday” was first used as an international distress signal in 1923.

During eleven out of the twelve months of the year, we enjoy a wide range of holidays. When we get to August, there is a major shortage of big holidays to celebrate. Perhaps that is why many Europeans take the month of August off for vacation. It’s just as well that there are no big holidays to compete with National Marshmallow Toasting Day. After all, how could any holiday compare with this August 30 holiday!?

Enjoy today or tonight by a campfire or bonfire with family or friends. Toast a big, soft, sticky, and sweet marshmallow. Eat two or three. Summer would not be the same without a campfire and this great campfire treat. Summer is almost over. So, let’s enjoy it while it is still here. Toast a marshmallow and forget about everything else. 

And, don’t forget to make a few S’mores, too.

Ladies, here is a day that you can thoroughly enjoy! On Male Watcher’s Day, a January 8 holiday, you get the opportunity to go out and watch the guys. After all, they have their fun watching the ladies. Now, it’s your turn, to hoot and holler. Watching a hot guy on a cold January day is certain to warm you up.

You can perform your Male Watching just about anywhere that suits your fancy. Popular places include:

•  Te gym, where their flowing muscles and rock-hard abs are on full display. Watching them at work on the job, especially labor jobs where short shirts cover flowing muscles.
• On the beach…too bad this day is in January.
• Watching your favorite guy working….on a home project you wanted done.
• At a singles bar or sports bar.
• At the mall…it’s time to get even. This is where more than one guy has been known to visit for the sole purpose of watching the ladies. This just could become your favorite guy-watching location.

It is okay to perform Male Watching discreetly, or quite visibly. Single, unattached ladies may prefer to be seen male watching…….for obvious reasons.

Sorry guys…we did not find a special “Girl Watcher’s Day” for you. But, then isn’t every day Girl Watcher’s Day?

Lost Sock Memorial Day, a May 9 holiday, recognizes your drawer full of unmatched socks. Each unmatched sock represents a missing sock. We never throw away our unmatched socks. After all, they may show up someday.

On Lost Sock Memorial Day, we suggest you spend a little time (as little as possible) searching for those missing socks.  After a (very) brief search, and in good “Memorial” spirit, spend a minute reflecting upon how warm and comforting the missing socks were on your stinky toes. Then, by all means, get on with your life.

We encourage you to use this special day, to toss out all of your unmatched socks. Let’s face it, you’re never gonna find the missing one.

Today is Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, a February 12 holiday. Every American knows President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. He is one of America’s greatest presidents. “Honest Abe”, as he was commonly known, was born in the wilderness country of Hardin County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. In modern times President Lincoln and all of the U.S. Presidents, are celebrated on President’s Day.

Abraham Lincoln became president in 1861. Although he hated war, he was drawn into it as he believed it was the only way to save the nation, after the southern states declared their secession from the Union.

In addition to serving as president during the civil war and saving the Union, Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation which ended slavery in the U.S. forever. He also wrote and gave The Gettysburg Address, memorializing the bloodiest and most important battle of the Civil War. Gettysburg proved to be the turning point of the war.

Shortly after the war ended, Abraham Lincoln became the first U.S. President to be assassinated. He was shot and mortally wounded on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth in Ford’s Theatre.