Tag Archives: holiday

5 Thanksgiving Tips for Au Pairs & Host Parents

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.

“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany

Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.

 

Host Parents

1.  Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.

2.  If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.

Au Pairs

3.  If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.

4.  Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.

5.  If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.

Bonus Tip for the Kids

If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.

Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)

Happy 4th of July

 

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Known  as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades, family gatherings and barbecues.

This weekend you can count on enjoying traditional favorites such as hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, ribs, potato salad, chips and watermelon.  

A few facts about this Holiday!

·            Fourth of July is the federal holiday marking the Colonies’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776,

·            The Fourth of July was not declared a national holiday until 1941.

·            The oldest, continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States is the 4th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island; it began in 1785.

·            The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.

·            Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird but was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who wanted the bald eagle.

·            The “Star Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 and not decreed the official national anthem of the United States until 1931.

·            In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new nation. (Today there are over 311 million.)

·            here are more than 30 towns nationwide that have the word “Liberty” in their names.

·            Approximately 150 million hot dogs are consumed on this day. It’s the biggest hot dog holiday of the year.

 

Have fun with the children too, visit the link below for fun coloring pages, craft ideas, puzzles and games to celebrate the 4th of July holiday

Image result for 4th of july clip art

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day in the USA!

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Valentine’s day is celebrated in the United States every year on February 14th. There are many stories and legends behind who the real St. Valentine was, but most scholars agree that he was a martyr who was killed by Roman soldiers because he was marrying people in secret at a time when marriage was outlawed.  Later in the Middle Ages, a great writer named Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem as a present to King Richard II, who was going to be married soon. In it, he mentioned St. Valentine, and over time, the idea of Valentine’s Day became associated with the idea of love.

During the Victorian times (in the 1800s), Valentine’s Day became extremely popular! Men and women spent a lot of time making beautiful Valentine’s cards with ribbon, fancy paper and even lace. In those days, people were very reserved and they did not often say what they were feeling. Valentine’s day gave them a way to express their feelings to someone they were in love with anonymously.  The sender would remain a mystery until they could speak more freely.

In the last few decades, Valentine’s day has changed a lot! Today we still exchange cards, but many people buy ready-made cards instead. We also give flowers or chocolates as a gift to remind people of our friendship and love for them. Most Valentine’s gifts and cards make use of the colors red and pink, and are decorated with images of hearts or roses. Another common symbol of love on this day is Cupid, the Roman god of love. He is usually shown as a little angel with a bow and arrow. According to legend, anyone who is struck by his arrows will fall in love.

Here are some links with ideas about how you can celebrate and have fun with the children you care for over the next couple of weeks!

Click here for Valentine’s Day Cards, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, games and puzzles: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/valentines/

Check out our Au Pair in America Pinterest page for Valentine’s Day for more ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/valentines-day/

carte-st-valentin

Holiday Party

On Sunday, December 13th we had our cluster meeting and holiday party.   The au pairs brought dishes from their home countries and we had fun with a typical American game: Yankee Swap.  None of the girls had played anything similar but they had no problem stealing the beautiful shawl away from the other girls!

 

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Independence Day Festivities around Rhode Island

 

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On the 4th of July is when the United States celebrates their independence.  It’s a great holiday with a lot of festivities, cookouts, fun time with family and friends.  Many towns will host a parade or fireworks. Here is a list of 4th of July celebrations in the area.

Parades:

July 4th
Block Island (New Shoreham) Legion Park – Parade starting around 11:00am at Legion Park and ends in town.

July 4th
228th 4th of July Parade, Bristol @ 10:30am – The parade will step-off at the corner of Chestnut Street and Hope Street (Rt. 114) and ends on High Street, between State Street and Bradford Street.

Fireworks:

July 2nd & 3rd – Pawtucket Red Sox, McCoy Stadium (after the game)

July 2nd

North Kingstown – Town Beach, Beach Street 8:45pm – Rain Date 7/3/2015

July 3rd

Block Island – Town Beach Pavilion starting around 9:00pm

North Providence – Governor Nottie Park starting at 9pm. Entertainment featuring “Reminisce” – 6pm to 9pm. Food Court 6pm to 9pm.

Scituate – Hope Jackson Fire Station at Hope Park. It’s a family event! Clam cakes, burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and free chowder! Fun activities for the kids include: bounce house, face painting, shrine clowns, balloon animals, temporary tattoos, smoke trailer, glow-sticks and more starting at 5pm. Fireworks at 9pm.

Warwick – Oakland Beach Seawall starting at 9pm.

East Providence – Pierce Memorial Stadium, Mercer Street. Gates open at 6pm, concert featuring “Crushed Velvet” & “Kicking Hole” followed by fireworks at 9pm! – Rain Date: 7/5/2015

Bristol – Independence Park at approximately 9:30pm

July 4th

Narragansett – The Independence Day Beach Party festivities will start mid-day with fun filled activities taking place on the beach, including face painting and building sandcastles with Sandtasia. Brass Force will be playing 5pm – 7pm on the deck at the North Beach Clubhouse. Fireworks at dusk.

Cumberland – Tucker Field Mendon Road starting at 9pm

Wakefield/South Kingstown – Old Mountain Field – 875 Kingstown Road, Wakefield. Live Entertainment & Food at 5:30pm, Fireworks 9:00pm – Rain Date 7/5/2015

Woonsocket – World War II Memorial Park – Entertainment begins at 7pm and Fireworks begin at 9pm

Newport – Newport Harbor – Viewing locations are Newport Harbor, Fort Adams, the waterfront and on the docks. Fireworks 9pm.

July 5th

Smithfield – Bryant University – Campus opens to the public at 6pm. The Navy Band will perform at 8pm and Fireworks at 9pm.

Jamestown – East Ferry Beach – The show will be viewable from the entirety of East Ferry beach, which is in downtown Jamestown on Canonicus Avenue. Parking is available along Canonicus Avenue, Narragansett Avenue – Fireworks starting at 9pm

Providence – India Point Park, Celebration begins at 7:30pm – RI Philharmonic Orchestra Summer Pops and Fireworks 9:15pm

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is a famous illustration by Norman Rockwell, a 20th century American painter, which describes his vision of Thanksgiving
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Most au pairs will be experiencing their very first Thanksgiving celebration this week. Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to gather with family and friends for holiday meals. It is a time of giving thanks for all of our blessings. There will be football games and parades, but “feasting” is the most significant activity that occurs on Thanksgiving Day. The main food for the feast is roasted turkey with dressing, usually accompanied by mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, cranberry sauce , fall vegetables and pumpkin pie.

History of Thanksgiving -In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. Click HERE for more information about the history of Thanksgiving.

December Au Pair Meeting – Holiday Celebration at Glen Manor House

2Holiday Celebration at Glen ManorOur December au pair meeting at the Glen Manor House in Portsmouth was very festive! The French chateau was beautifully decorated, and each of our au pairs had photo opportunties with Santa himself! This was a wonderful environment for our holiday meeting and gift exchange. To view more photos of this event, click on the link listed under "photos" on the right side of this page.