The place to find out about Au Pair in America in the Capitol Hill Area of Washington, DC.
President’s Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February. The holiday is intended to celebrate President George Washington’s (February 22nd) and President Abraham Lincoln’s (February 12th) birthdays.
Use this holiday to learn about these two famous Presidents. Click here for some history and activities on President’s Day!
During tax season, the DC Earned Income Tax Credit (DC EITC) Campaign offers free tax preparation assistance at sites throughout the DC region. Call “211 Answers, Please” or 202-463-6211 or visit www.dceitc.org to find a free site near you. The Campaign also offers outreach materials on the EITC and free tax preparation options.
December 21- Chanukah – Chanukah is a Jewish celebration, also known as the Festival of Lights, Chanukah starts at sundown today and lasts for eight days. It is traditional to exchange gifts or gelt (Yiddish for money) in the form of real coins or chocolate wrapped in gold foil, to play a game of put-and-take with a four sided top called a dreidel, and to light candles each night.
December 22 – First day of winter Animals handle cold winter weather in a variety of ways. Some travel to a warmer climate. Others grow thicker fur coats so they can stay warm and active during the winter. Many animals hibernate during the coldest weather – they spend the warmer months eating and storing as much body fat as they can and then live off this extra weight as they sleep. Au pairs *** do not *** hibernate this winter-call a new au pair or someone you haven’t met yet and go get a hot chocolate.
December 23 – Lady Bird Johnson’s birthday Lady Bird Johnson was the wife of Lyndon Johnson who was president of the United States in the 1960s. She worked hard to protect natural habitats and especially wild flowers. She helped to create the Wildflower Center in Texas.
December 25 – Christmas Every family and culture has their own Christmas traditions. Embrace those of your host family and share some of your own.
December 26 – Kwanzaa –This festive, non-religious African-American celebration was started in 1966. It lasts for seven days. On each day a candle is lit and the day focuses on one of seven principles.
Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1863 when Lincoln became the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been a fixture of late November ever since. The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church. They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America.
The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast – including 91 native Americans who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the native Americans. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival and lasted three days.
It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving today. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies’ Magazine, and later, in Godey’s Lady’s Book. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale’s obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.
To Learn more about the history watch a short film at:
http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/videos#history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday
Most of the Halloween Fright fests or Haunted “houses” are in the suburbs but there are a few fun things in DC
This is the most comprehensive list:
http://dc.about.com/od/childrensactivities/a/Halloween_2.htm
Check out this Calendar for October
http://www.thingstododc.com/calendar.php
Live Action Game of CLUE in DC: Murder Mystery Hunt and Race
HAUNTED WHITE HOUSE and Lafayette Park Tour
nightmare on M street (Georgetown) http://www.washingtonian.com/events/1830.html
http://www.coxfarms.com/fear/scares
On the Hill
Tracy and company Saturday the 29th – haunted house 1$ entrance fee
Hillo-ween- oct 31 for the kids at eastern market 5:30-7:30
Washington hosts the Kids Euro Festival, with 200-plus free events around town. Hosted by DC’s European Union and UK embassies, the event is one of the largest performing-arts festivals for children in the country, featuring theater, dance, and music shows —some with audience participation—films, and more.
The History of Labor Day
For other Labor Day information, visit 
Labor Day 2011 page.
Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Founder of Labor Day
More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.
Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”
But Peter McGuire’s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
Labor Day Legislation
Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
A Nationwide Holiday
The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.
The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.
The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.
An a
u pair in our cluster recently asked for opportunities to volunteer. We encourage volunteerism in the program to be able to share your culture and learn more about American culture through the experience. The guidelines we follow are that you can volunteer doing whatever you would like to do, however they do not count towards education hours or credits and they should not interfere with your work schedule. Make sure you check with your Host Family about what type of volunteering you would like to do and where it is located.
Here is a list of volunteer opportunities:
With Au Pair in America sharing your experience as an au pair: http://www.globalawareness.com/ (speak to your community counselor if you are interested)
List of places to Volunteer in and around DC
Food Bank:
DC Central Kitchen: near union station
http://www.dccentralkitchen.org/volunteer.php
Community center
http://www.hillcenterdc.org/contact-volunteer.php
Women: (helping women be ready for employment)
http://www.dressforsuccess.org/
http://www.dressforsuccess.org/supportdfs_volunteer.aspx
Smithsonian institutions volunteers (museums, Zoo, Gardens etc)
http://www.si.edu/volunteer/
Thanks!!
Ann
What better way to celebrate July 4th than by watching the fireworks from the National Mall. But be forewarned, it is no easy venture.
Transportation
Do not, under any circumstances drive. Take Metro but be aware, the Smithsonian station will be closed for most of the day for security reasons. It will reopen after the fireworks, but it will be a mess, so I’d plan on walking to a farther station. Other stations that are within walking distance include Federal Triangle, Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown, Capitol South, L’Enfant Plaza, Federal Center SW, Archives-Navy Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Someone told me it’s advisable to come from the Federal Triangle and even Foggy Bottom direction because crowds tend to be less heavy. I really like this map.
Metrobus will provide free shuttle service between the L’Enfant Plaza and Pentagon stations.
Free bicycle valet will be available from 2:00 p.m. until a half hour after the fireworks show. Locations are 15th Street between Independence Avenue and Jefferson Drive and the south side of the Lincoln Memorial on Daniel French Drive.
Note: The fireworks are launched from the Reflecting Pool and light up over the Washington Monument.
Crowds
Okay, it’s going to be really crowded. And to make things worse, there are security checkpoints to get into the Mall. So bring your patience. After the fireworks, you might want to go grab a drink somewhere until the mobs of people clear out a bit, though be prepared for bars and restaurants to be crowded too. Just go into this situation knowing that it will probably take you a couple hours to get home one way or another.
Schedule
When do people start arriving at the Mall? Earlier than you—as a presumably sane person—would ever consider. So you need to plan on being there at least several hours beforehand or else you’ll hate your life. Regardless, you will, at some point, feel like you’re being herded.
From about 8 p.m. to 9:30 the Capital Fourth Concert takes place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. It’s free, you don’t need tickets and you can start piling in at 3. This year’s performers include Josh Groban, Little Richard and Steve Martin.
Earlier in the day, there’s a parade. It starts at 11:45 and will also be crowded so, if you’re interested, you’ll need to go early. Here’s a map of the parade route.
What to bring
A blanket, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, LOTS of water, plenty of food, a camera and your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer (the port-o-potty situation is not ideal). Alcohol isn’t allowed and coolers and bags are looked through at security, so if you’re planning on bringing it anyway, you better be stealthy.
If it rains
You better pray that that doesn’t happen because if it does, everyone runs for cover in all the local museums and its jam packed. The rain date is July 5.
Insider’s Tip from Sports Editor Rachel
You can also get a great view of the fireworks from some spots in Virginia along the Potomac. While you won’t be able to hear the music, it is a great vantage point for the fireworks. More importantly, the crowd is much less intense! Parks along the GW Parkway are set up to accommodate viewers. Things may change every year, but previous spots to seek out have included the Netherlands Carillon, Lady Bird Johnson Park and Gravelly Point. The Netherlands Carillon also has an afternoon bell concert if you want to show up early. But the great thing about watching from Virginia is that you can show up later in the afternoon to get a spot. And after the fireworks, you’ll beat the DC traffic back onto the roads.
Source: So your new to DC
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