to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the

Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements

of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock

on his feast day.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first

year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.

Groundhog Day! (March 20)

How Did the Groundhog Get a Day of His Own?

The lowly groundhog, often called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a

day named in his honor. The groundhog's day is February 2. Granted, it’s

not a federal holiday; nobody gets off work. But still, to have a day named

after you is quite a feat.

How did the groundhog come by this honor?

It stems from the ancient belief that hibernating creatures were able to

predict the arrival of springtime by their emergence.

The German immigrants known as Pennsylvania Dutch brought the tradition to

America in the 18th century. They had once regarded the badger as the

winter-spring barometer. But the job was reassigned to the groundhog after

importing their Candlemas traditions to the U.S. Candlemas commemorates the

ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus.

Candlemas is one of the four "cross-quarters" of the year, occurring half

way between the first day of winter and the first day of spring.

Traditionally, it was believed that if Candlemas was sunny, the remaining

six weeks of winter would be stormy and cold. But if it rained or snowed on

Candlemas, the rest of the winter would be mild. If an animal "sees its

shadow," it must be sunny, so more wintry weather is predicted:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,

Winter will not come again.

The groundhog and badger were not the only animals that have been used to

predict spring. Other Europeans used the bear or hedgehog--but in any case

the honor belonged to a creature that hibernated. Its emergence symbolized

the imminent arrival of spring.

Traditionally, the groundhog is supposed to awaken on February 2, Groundhog

Day, and come up out of his burrow. If he sees his shadow, he will return

to the burrow for six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow,

he remains outside and starts his year, because he knows that spring has

arrived early.

In the U.S., the “official” groundhog is kept in Punxsutawney,

Pennsylvania. Every February 2, amid a raucous celebration early in the

morning, “Punxsutawney Phil” as the groundhog is called, is pulled from his

den by his keepers, who are dressed in tuxedos. Phil then whispers his

weather prediction into the ear of his keeper, who then announces it to the

anxiously-awaiting crowd.

Of course, this is for show. It’s a fun celebration and a great tradition.

But Phil's keepers secretly decide upon the "forecast" in advance of the

groundhog's arousal.

Besides, spring always arrives on or near March 21, so whether the

groundhog decides to return to his den or remain above ground, the sad fact

is spring will always have to wait at least six more weeks.

April fool’s day! (April 1)

Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fool's

Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really

wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar.

Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the

same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this

tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was

celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration

culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX,

the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to

January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled

by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others,

the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued

to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as

"fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and

were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical

jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on

the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and

Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American

colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed

into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities

specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends

and families.

In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two

days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of

the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be

traced to this observance.

Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December

28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the

innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter

commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as

saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate's alarm

clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster

usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!"

Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes,

elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the

entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British

short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary

about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the

spaghetti trees.

April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy

gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy

restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little

holiday, but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he

may be the next April Fool!

Mother's Day! (May 10)

History of Mothers' Day

Some Motherly Advice

What the Bible says about Mothers

M... is for the million things she gave me,

O... means only that she's growing old,

T... is for the tears she shed to save me,

H... is for her heart of purest gold;

E... is for her eyes, with love-light shining,

R... means right, and right she'll always be.

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"

A word that means the world to me.

--Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

History and Customs...

In the U.S. Mothers' Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May.

It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and

flowers. First observance in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1907, it is based on

suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and Anna Jarvis in 1907.

Although it wasn't celebrated in the U.S. until 1908, there were days

honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days,

however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was given honor.

Later, in the 1600's, in England there was an annual observance called

"Mothering Sunday." It was celebrated during Lent, on the fourth Sunday. On

Mothering Sunday, the servants, who generally lived with their employers,

were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional

for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.

In the U.S., in 1908 Ana Jarvis, from Grafton, West Virginia, began a

campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Jarvis persuaded her

mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the

anniversary of her mother's death. A memorial service was held there on May

10, 1908 and in Philadelphia the following year where Jarvis moved.

Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers,

businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national

Mother's Day. They were successful. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made

the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national observance

that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

Many other countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at

different times throughout the year. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey,

Australia, and Belgium celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May,

as in the U.S.

Memorial Day. (May 31)

Rest Haven Cemetery in Edinburgh, Indiana

is the final resting place of many war veterans.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those

who have died in our nation's service. After the Civil war many people in

the North and South decorated graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.

In the Spring of 1866, Henry C. Welles, a druggist in the village of

Waterloo, NY, suggested that the patriots who had died in the Civil War

should be honored by decorating their graves. General John B. Murray,

Seneca County Clerk, embraced the idea and a committee was formed to plan a

day devoted to honoring the dead. Townspeople made wreaths, crosses and

bouquets for each veteran's grave. The village was decorated with flags at

half mast. On May 5 of that year, a processional was held to the town's

cemeteries, led by veterans. The town observed this day of remembrance on

May 5 of the following year as well.

Decoration Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John

Logan in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed officially on May

30, 1868. The South did not observe Decoration Day, preferring to honor

their dead on separate days until after World War I. In 1882, the name was

changed to Memorial Day, and soldiers who had died in other wars were also

honored.

In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the

last Monday in May.

Today, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season in

the United States. It is still a time to remember those who have passed on,

whether in war or otherwise. It also is a time for families to get together

for picnics, ball games, and other early summer activities.

Father's Day.( June 20)

The History of Fathers' Day

Quotes About Dad

Play Fathers' Day Word Search Online

Send a Father's Day Card

Fathers' Day Links from Yahoo!

Father's Day Gift Ideas

FATHERS' DAY HISTORY

Sonora Dodd, of Washington, was one of the first people who had the idea of

a "father's day." She thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening

to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.

Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, who

was a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife died while giving birth

to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other

five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.

After Sonora became an adult she realized the selflessness her father had

shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father that

made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a

courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so

she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington

on the 19th of June, 1910.

Even before Dodd, however, the idea of observing a day in honor of fathers

was promoted. Dr. Robert Webb conducted what is believed as the first

Father's Day service at the Central Church of Fairmont, West Virginia in

1908. It was Dodd's efforts, however, that eventually led to a national

observance.

President Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, supported the idea of a national

Father's Day. Then in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential

proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day

Fourth of July.

The history of the United States of America began long before the Colonists

declared their independence. The Magna Carta, written in 1215 in order to

try to convince King John of England to give the people certain rights, is

generally considered to be the touchstone of liberty, upon which later

documents are based.

The links below will take you to America's Historic Documents. These are

the pieces of history upon which our nation was founded, and within which

our current liberty is rooted. All the documents are complete and

unabridged, including George Washington's Farewell Address.

Labor Day. ( September 6)

Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the

years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general

"last fling of summer" festival.

It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by

the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. In 1884, the Knights held a large

parade in New York City celebrating the working class. The parade was held

on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold

all future parades on the same day, designated by them as Labor Day.

The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May

1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by

Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S.,

the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification

with Communism.

In the late 1880's, labor organizations began to lobby various state

legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official state holiday. The

first states to declare it a state holiday in, 1887, were Oregon, Colorado,

New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Then in 1894, Congress passed a

law recognizing Labor Day as an official national holiday.

Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, and

in other industrialized nations. While it is a general holiday in the

United States, its roots in the working class remain clearer in European

countries.

It has come to be recognized in the U.S. not only as a celebration of the

working class, but even more so as the unofficial end of the summer season.

In the northern half of the U.S. at least, the summer vacation season

begins with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day.

Many colleges and some secondary and elementary schools begin classes

immediately after Labor Day.

State parks, swimming pools, and campgrounds are all quite busy on Labor

Day, as vacationers take one last advantage of the waning hot season.

September is the month that marks the beginning of autumn. And, because of

that, the average daytime maximum temperatures take a plunge during the

month in most of the U.S.

Columbus Day! (October 12)

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS discovered America in 1492. At least that is what all

elementary school children were always taught: "In 1492, Columbus sailed

the ocean blue." Of course, Columbus never did "discover" North America,

and the regions he did explore were already inhabited. He only discovered

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