Yearly Archives: 2012

PHILADELPHIA’S HOLIDAY BEST

There are oodles of Main Line events to keep the holiday spirits bright, but there’s something exciting about heading into the city for a bit of grandeur. Check the train schedule and head into town.

The weather outside is far from frightful, so catch the closest SEPTA train bound for Center City to enjoy a delightful winter wonderland. Philadelphia hosts a magical array of holiday traditions that are fun for the entire family, and only a few blocks away from Suburban Station in any direction.

Here is a guide to some of greatest attractions – from the world’s largest operational pipe organ, to an enchanting Christmas Village, to, of course, Santa Claus!

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular (The Comcast Center, 17th Street and JFK Boulevard)

This first stop may be the baby of Philadelphia’s holiday traditions, but it became a must-see attraction almost instantly after its 2008 debut.

Visitors flood the Comcast Center lobby every hour, on the hour, to lose themselves to this marvelous 3-D display on the Comcast Experience Video Wall – the world’s largest four-millimeter LED screen. The 15-minute video showcases scenes from The Nutcracker performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet, a swing dance rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock,” and a breathtaking sleigh ride through the woods and into the sky above Philadelphia’s skyline.

By the time you step back out onto JFK Boulevard, the whole family will be dancing and singing. (Here is a look at the 2011 Spectacular, which isn’t quite the same on your tiny computer machine.)

Christmas Village (Love Park, Ben Franklin Parkway and Arch Street)

This charming annual marketplace of holiday cheer surrounds the fountain at Love Park for the second straight year. (Which is fine by us since Dilworth Plaza outside City Hall is transforming into an ice rink!)

This is the perfect spot to find last minute gifts and stocking stuffers. Local potters, jewelers, toymakers, and craftsmen sell stunning pieces of art, clothing, and accessories. More than a half-dozen ornament booths have dazzling additions to your tree. And if all that shopping wears you down, there are plenty of booths with hot beverages and treats – most of them sweet and sugary.

Be sure to check out the Village events calendar for live demonstrations and workshops from local artisans.

Macy’s Christmas Light Show and Wanamaker Organ Concert (Macy’s, 13th and Market streets)

Did you know that the world’s largest operational pipe organ is right here in Philadelphia? The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ overlooks the Grand Court of Macy’s throughout the year, but only during the holiday season does it transform into a tower of more than 100,000 LED lights.

Every hour on the hour, the voice of Julie Andrews begins her narration of a Philadelphia Christmas tradition that dates back to 1955.  Snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, and ballerinas illuminate the organ, dancing about a fantastic tree to the delight of families gazing upward from all around the store.

It may not boast the same sophisticated technology as the Comcast Center’s show, but Macy’s Christmas Light Show is a timeless classic, magical in all its splendor.

Dickens Village (Third floor of Macy’s)

The story of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is renowned to children of all ages, and every year it comes to life on the third floor of Macy’s . Take a break from shopping to experience this tale as you never have before (or as you have every year since you were a kid). Life-size animated characters turn the book’s most memorable moments into reality, if only for a moment.

And this story has a twist ending: when children emerge from the village, they can meet Santa Claus and share their Christmas wishes while sitting on his lap.

Blue Cross River Rink (101 South Columbus Boulevard, near Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River)

Head down Market Street from Macy’s, through historic Independence Mall and Old City, and arrive at the Blue Cross River Rink for ice-skating. Skate rental is just $4 per person, and they even have skate sizes for toddlers!

Be sure to purchase tickets early to ensure you can have time on the ice with your whole family.

OUR CLUSTER HOLIDAY GET-TOGETHER

Holiday Gathering at My House

Holiday Gathering at My House

We got together for light snacks and punch; gifts were exchanged (and then stolen) in a just-for-fun “Secret Santa;”  and  the au pairs shared stories about their experience in the United States – Fun!


HAPPY HANUKAH!

First of all, I want to wish all who celebrate this holiday a very happy Hanukkah!
Hanukkah started on Saturday evening and will end on Sunday, December 16th.

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It is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar. In Hebrew, the word “hanukkah” means “dedication.” The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. Here is some information to share with your au pairs.

The Hanukkah Story

In 168 B.C. the Jewish Temple was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of the god Zeus. This upset the Jewish people, but many were afraid to fight back for fear of reprisals. The Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus then made the observance of Judaism an offense punishable by death. He also ordered all Jews to worship Greek gods.

Jewish resistance began in the village of Modiin, near Jerusalem. Greek soldiers gathered the Jewish villages and told them to bow down to an idol, then eat the flesh of a pig – both practices that are forbidden to Jews. A Greek officer ordered Mattathias, a High Priest, to follow their demands, but Mattathias refused. When another villager stepped forward and offered to cooperate on Mattathias’ behalf, the High Priest became outraged. He drew his sword and killed the villager, then turned on the Greek officer and killed him too. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked the remaining soldiers, killing all of them. Mattathias and his family went into hiding in the mountains, where other Jews wishing to fight against the Greeks joined them. Eventually they succeeded in retaking their land from the Greeks. These rebels became known as the Maccabees, or Hasmoneans.

Once the Maccabees had regained control they returned to the Temple in Jerusalem. By this time it had been spiritually defiled by being used for the worship of foreign gods and also by practices such as sacrificing swine. Jewish troops were determined to purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. But to their dismay, they discovered that there was only one day’s worth of oil left in the Temple. They lit the menorah anyway and to their surprise the small amount of oil lasted the full eight days. The holiday is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called a shamash and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves is forbidden.

For fun and educational activities for children go to http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/

Directions to play the Dreidel game. Play for Hershey kisses, a great way to have fun with the kids when they are home from school! http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/dreidel-game.html

Happy Hanukkah!

November 22- Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dates back to the first European settlers in North America. After hardship, illness and hard work the Pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest that they shared with their Native American friends. This national holiday is a day to feast and give thanks.

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HELP WITH HOMEWORK; KEEPING KIDS BUSY IN THE CAR

Child Focus

Homework – Now that the school year is well under way, your host children may have more homework than before.  Tips to help everyone get homework done can be found here http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/activities/homework_support.asp

Driving – Keeping children happy in the car can be challenging. One helpful approach is to engage them in car games in the safety of their car seat or seat belt.

I Spy:  Very young children can play”” I Spy with my little eye”” and they say the color of the thing they are looking at and everyone else in the car needs to guess what it is.  For example, “”I spy my with my little eye something red”” and people guess that the child is looking at a red car or red mailbox.

Alphabet Game- ages 3 and up – Children who can identify letters and can easily see out the window of the car can play this game. One child starts with A and has to find a word on a sign visible from the car with the letter A. The next child has to identify the B, and so on.  Older children can play the Geography Game.  One person starts by saying aloud a country, city or state and the next person must take the last letter to begin his country, city or state.  For example: 1st person says New York and the next person can say Kansas and the next person can say Seattle.

L’SHANAH TOVAH – JEWISH NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish Holiday commonly referred to as the Jewish New Year.  It is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the high Holidays specifically set aside to focus on repentance that concludes with the holiday of Yom Kippur.  Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar.  It is the New Year for people, animals, and legal contracts. Jewish people believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe. On Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people all over the world gather in synagogues to celebrate the day.  The holiday is celebrated with sweet foods, like apples dipped in honey and honey cake and round Challot made with honey and raisins as a wish for a sweet year. Here is a link to children’s games and activities to celebrate the holiday.  It includes information, art projects, crafts, stories and recipes:

http://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/354744/jewish/Rosh-Hashanah.htm

Rosh Hashanah will is celebrated for two days, Monday September 17th and Tuesday September 18th.  The two day holiday will begin at sundown on Sunday evening.

BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS

your host children how to safely wait for and board the school bus. Go over safe bicycling procedures if they’ll be riding. And don’t forget children who are in your car. They are at particular risk and need your guidance.

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Photo: Bill McChesney

Riding the Bus

  • Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
  • Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.
  • When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.
  • Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
  • Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it’s okay to approach.
  • Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses, however, not all do.

Walking and biking to school

Even if you don’t ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a wide variety of decisions making situations and dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:

  • Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard — never cross the street against a light, even if you don’t see any traffic coming.
  • Walk your bike through intersections.
  • Walk with a buddy.

Wear reflective material…it makes you more visible to street traffic.

Riding in a car

Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45%. You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.

Remember: One Person – One Belt

  • Everybody needs a child safety seat, booster seat, or safety belt!
  • There must be one safety belt for each person. Buckling two people, even children, into one belt could injure both.
  • Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.
  • The back seat is the safest place in a crash. Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back. Infants riding rear-facing must NEVER be placed in front of an airbag.
  • People who are not buckled up can be thrown from the car or around inside the car, and seriously hurt themselves or others.
  • Never hold a child on your lap! You could crush him/her in a crash, or the child may be torn from your arms.
  • Never ride in the cargo area of a station wagon, van, or pickup! Anyone riding in the cargo area could be thrown out and severely injured or killed.
  • No one seat is ‘best’, The ‘best’ child safety seat is the one that fits your child and can be installed correctly.

SUMMER SAFETY – IN THE WATER

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  • Learn CPR.
  • Teach your children to swim, but do not assume that this alone will prevent drowning in young children.
  • Never leave young children unattended, even for a minute, in a bathtub, swimming pool, lake, ocean, or stream.
  • Fence all home pools and keep the gate closed and locked.
  • Always wear life preservers when boating, even if you can swim.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol when swimming or boating.
  • Never swim alone.
  • Never dive into water unless you know beforehand how deep it is.
  • Know your limits. Do not over-exert yourself.
  • Avoid standing on wet surfaces or being in water during a lightening storm.
  • Stay out of strong currents.
  • Do not overload your boat. If your boat turns over, stay with the boat until help arrives.

    Privacy, Personal Information & The Internet

    fb twitter youtubeJust a reminder about how important it is to respect your host family’s privacy and not share personal details and information.  This applies to all kinds of situations, including: personal conversations, email and social websites.

    For your own safety, it is a good idea to be careful what personal information you share about yourself as well. You should not be giving out information like your telephone number and address to people you don’t know.

    Once you post something on the internet (even if you later delete it), it can show up elsewhere.  Unless you have specific permission from the host family, you should not post pictures of them, their children or their home on the internet.

    If you have a blog or website where you post in your native language, remember there is translation software.  So, even if you say it in your native language, be sure it is not something you will regret.