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Around The World – March 2020

There is a lot going on in March. Daylight Saving Time starts on March 12 — get ready to turn your clocks forward an hour! St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17. Spring o cially starts March 20. There are a few other interesting days in March, too, like Pi Day. Pi is special because it is one of few numbers that cannot be written as a fraction. at makes it an irrational number. And when we write it as a decimal, the numbers never end … and they never repeat. Maybe you’ve seen Pi before. It is not a number but a symbol: π It represents the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle (the distance around a circle divided by the distance across the widest section of the same circle). The answer will always be 3.14159265. at’s Pi. So when it comes to Pi day, can you guess which day it is? March 14! That’s because March is the third month so the written date looks a lot like the number Pi – 3/14. Here are the first 100 digits of Pi! 3.14159265358979323846264338327 950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482 53421170679. Have you ever heard the saying “Beware the Ides of March?” is phrase was made famous in the play “Julius Caesar,” written by William Shakespeare. It is said by a fortuneteller who is letting Caesar know something bad will happen to him during the Ides of March. In the play, that is when Caesar is assassinated. The Ides of March (or any other month for that matter) is much older than Shakespearean times, though. Using the ancient Roman calendar, each month was based on the phases of the moon. Kalends marked the new moon and the first day of the month. Nones was the next phase. It happened during the first quarter moon and fell on either the fifth or the seventh of the month. The Ides marked the first full moon of the month and usually fell mid-month. Today, we use a different calendar than the Romans did, but we still have an Ides of March, and every other month, too. e Ides fall on the 15th day of March, May, July or October or the 13th day of any other month in the ancient Roman calendar.

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Around The World

AROUND THE WORLD – February 2020

Valentine’s Day, which is on Feb. 14, is named a er a Christian martyr from the fifth century, but this holiday has roots that go all the way back to Roman times and a holiday called Lupercalia. Lupercus is the equivalent of the Greek god Pan. Lupercus was the god of the shepherds. Every Feb. 15, Romans held a festival in his honor. They believed the festival would keep away evil spirits and bring health and fertility to the people. e festival o en included romantic activities. Today, we exchange cards, candy and flowers to show our loved ones that we care about them on this most romantic of days. President’s Day is the third Monday in February. It started in 1885 to honor President George Washington. For a long time, President’s Day was on Feb. 22, Washington’s actual birthday. In 1971, a piece of legislation called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed this. is act was an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the American people. Now, President’s Day is considered a day to honor all American presidents past and present.

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Around The World

Around The World

February 14 & 19 For many Americans, February means Valentine’s Day, and Valentine’s Day means giving cards and gifts and eating a lot of chocolate. Every year on Feb. 14, Americans spend billions of dollars on candy, cards, flowers and other gifts to give to their loved ones, but the reason this tradition started is not certain. In Canada, another popular holiday in February is Family Day. It takes place on either the second or third Monday in the month, depending on where people live. The day was created to celebrate, “the importance of families and the family life to people and their communities.” The very first Family Day was held in Alberta in 1990. Slowly, other parts of Canada adopted the tradition. Historians think the Valentine’s Day tradition is a mix of Christian and ancient Roman traditions. One myth says that St. Valentine was a priest that married people secretly, even though it was made illegal by the Roman emperor Claudius II. The oldest known Valentine was written in 1415. Ancient Romans celebrated the pagan festival Lupercalia in the middle of February. 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every year in the U.S. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the U.S., UK, France, Mexico and Australia. Family Day is the second Monday in February for British Columbia. Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan celebrate it on the third Monday in February. During Family Day, all federal workers have the day off and schools are closed. Most people use this day to spend time with their families. Popular activities include visiting museums, spending time outdoors and crafting. Many businesses offer family discounts on this day. For most of Canada, Family Day is on the same day as National Heritage Day, so people often try to explore their family history on this day. Because the weather is so cold in Canada in February, sharing hot chocolate is a popular Family Day tradition.

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Around The World

Around The World – January 2020

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January. This day celebrates the life of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor Dr. King’s memory and his many accomplishments, on this day, Americans come together for a national day of service. This is a day for everyone to give back by volunteering in their community. Every year, when Jan. 1 rolls around, people start talking about resolutions. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. Often, people resolve to try to live a healthier life or save more money or something like that. is is a tradition that dates back more than 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They celebrated the new year in March, not in January. But at the beginning of their new year, the Babylonians would make promises to their pagan gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, their (pagan) gods would treat them favorably. Every four years, Americans cast their votes for a new president. is happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The newly elected president does not take once right away, though. at happens on Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20. On Inauguration Day, the president and vice president officially assume their new responsibilities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for setting up the ceremony, which takes place at the Capitol. After the ceremony, there is usually a parade.

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Around The World – January 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January. This day celebrates the life of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor Dr. King’s memory and his many accomplishments, on this day, Americans come together for a national day of service. This is a day for everyone to give back by volunteering in their community. Every year, when Jan. 1 rolls around, people start talking about resolutions. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. Often, people resolve to try to live a healthier life or save more money or something like that. is is a tradition that dates back more than 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They celebrated the new year in March, not in January. But at the beginning of their new year, the Babylonians would make promises to their pagan gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, their (pagan) gods would treat them favorably. Every four years, Americans cast their votes for a new president. is happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The newly elected president does not take once right away, though. at happens on Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20. On Inauguration Day, the president and vice president officially assume their new responsibilities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for setting up the ceremony, which takes place at the Capitol. After the ceremony, there is usually a parade.

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Around The World

Around The World – January 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January. This day celebrates the life of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor Dr. King’s memory and his many accomplishments, on this day, Americans come together for a national day of service. This is a day for everyone to give back by volunteering in their community. Every year, when Jan. 1 rolls around, people start talking about resolutions. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. Often, people resolve to try to live a healthier life or save more money or something like that. is is a tradition that dates back more than 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They celebrated the new year in March, not in January. But at the beginning of their new year, the Babylonians would make promises to their pagan gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, their (pagan) gods would treat them favorably. Every four years, Americans cast their votes for a new president. is happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The newly elected president does not take once right away, though. at happens on Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20. On Inauguration Day, the president and vice president officially assume their new responsibilities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for setting up the ceremony, which takes place at the Capitol. After the ceremony, there is usually a parade.

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Around The World

Around The World – January 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January. This day celebrates the life of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor Dr. King’s memory and his many accomplishments, on this day, Americans come together for a national day of service. This is a day for everyone to give back by volunteering in their community. Every year, when Jan. 1 rolls around, people start talking about resolutions. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. Often, people resolve to try to live a healthier life or save more money or something like that. is is a tradition that dates back more than 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They celebrated the new year in March, not in January. But at the beginning of their new year, the Babylonians would make promises to their pagan gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, their (pagan) gods would treat them favorably. Every four years, Americans cast their votes for a new president. is happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The newly elected president does not take once right away, though. at happens on Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20. On Inauguration Day, the president and vice president officially assume their new responsibilities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for setting up the ceremony, which takes place at the Capitol. After the ceremony, there is usually a parade.

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Around The World

Around The World – January 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January. This day celebrates the life of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor Dr. King’s memory and his many accomplishments, on this day, Americans come together for a national day of service. This is a day for everyone to give back by volunteering in their community. Every year, when Jan. 1 rolls around, people start talking about resolutions. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. Often, people resolve to try to live a healthier life or save more money or something like that. is is a tradition that dates back more than 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They celebrated the new year in March, not in January. But at the beginning of their new year, the Babylonians would make promises to their pagan gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, their (pagan) gods would treat them favorably. Every four years, Americans cast their votes for a new president. is happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The newly elected president does not take once right away, though. at happens on Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20. On Inauguration Day, the president and vice president officially assume their new responsibilities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for setting up the ceremony, which takes place at the Capitol. A er the ceremony, there is usually a parade.

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Around The World

AROUND THE WORLD – DECEMBER 2016

Several faiths have significant holidays in December. Christmas falls on Dec. 25, which is a Sunday this year. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Many people exchange presents at Christmas time, too. Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration that lasts eight days. Some Hanukkah customs include eating potato pancakes, or latkes, and playing with a dreidel, a spinning top with Hebrew letters on it. Many people also give gifts at Hanukkah. Kwanzaa is a celebration that honors African-American culture and heritage. It lasts from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Kwanzaa focuses on seven principles, they are: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. The United Nations has declared Dec. 3 as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the rights of people who live with disabilities. Prior to having a day of recognition, the U.N. had a Decade of Disabled Persons. It was from 1983 to 1992. During this time, governments and organizations around the world implemented measures to help improve life for disabled citizens. When the Decade of Disabled Persons ended, the U.N. chose to set aside a day every year to raise awareness.

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Kids

Around The World – November 2016

Bonfire Night Nov. 5 is Guy Fawkes Night in Britain. It is a tradition that started in 1605. That’s when Catholic rebels plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London — but they were found out! Guy Fawkes was one of the conspirators in the plot that would have set off explosives as King James I of England and several members of Parliament were in the building. While it’s not an official holiday, Guy Fawkes night, which is also known as Bonfire Night, is a night that many people choose to light bonfires and set off fireworks. Thanksgiving Americans aren’t the only people to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ours is on the fourth Thursday in November. But did you know that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving, too? It’s on the second Monday in October. On the island of Grenada, they celebrate Thanksgiving on Oct. 23. In the Philippines, Thanksgiving falls on Sept. 21, and on Saint Lucia, it’s on the first Monday in October. The Japanese have Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23. While all of the traditions and reasons are different in each country, people around the world set aside time to be thankful. Daylight Savings Time Get ready to set your clocks back an hour on Nov. 6. It is the end of Daylight Savings time! Even though Daylight Savings Time feels like the right thing to do, that wasn’t always so. During World War I, in March 1918, the U.S. enacted a law to preserve daylight and preserve standard time for the U.S. Not everyone liked this, and when the war ended, the law was repealed in 1919 — although there were some states that continued to use Daylight Saving Time. President Franklin Roosevelt brought it back during World War II, calling it War Time. After the war, from 1945 to 1966, there were no laws about DST and states could choose whether or not to continue the practice. In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which regulated DST so that all the states observed DST consistently. It was revised several times between 1972 and 2007. It was in 2007 that the rules for DST became official: DST begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

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