Tag Archives: american holiday

Memorial Day celebration


Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering and honoring people who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday is observed every year on the last Monday of May.  Many cities and towns host parades (check local websites to get information).  Families and friends often relax and enjoy picnics, cook outs, opening the pool or a trip to the beach.

·         The federal holiday was originally called “Decoration Day” and was first observed on May 5, 1868,

·         Following the battle of Gettysburg, women from Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, placed flowers on the graves of the fallen soldiers.

·         The “National Moment of Remembrance Act” was signed on Dec. 20, 2000, by President Bill Clinton, designating 3 p.m. as a moment set aside to “pause and consider the true meaning of this holiday.”

·         Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of summer for many Americans

 Looking to celebrate this very important day? Check what Arlington, VA has to offer:

https://www.stayarlington.com/blog/observe-memorial-day-in-arlington/

 

“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”  ~Maya Angelou

Celebrating Presidents Day

 

 

So What is Presidents Day Anyway?

Presidents’ Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. Traditionally celebrated on February 22—Washington’s actual day of birth—the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present.

To see a listing of all U.S. presidents go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents.  Click on each president to find out who they were and what they achieved during their presidency.  Most American school children have to learn their presidents,  this is a great site to go through with them and test their knowledge!

Celebrating Labor Day

What is Labor Day and when is it celebrated?

 

Labor day

 

The Workman’s Holiday ~ Dedicated in honor of the worker, Labor Day is also known as the “workingman’s holiday”. The holiday is dedicated to all workers in the United States in respect and appreciation for the work they do in or outside of the home, union or non-union, big companies and small companies and au pairs too. As long as you work somewhere at something, this holiday is for you! It is a day to celebrate your contribution to American working life and the work you do.

The First Labor Day ~ The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882 and was started by the Central Labor Union in New York City. In 1884, it was moved to the first Monday in September where it is celebrated today. Labor Day quickly became popular and one state after another voted it as a holiday. On June 28, 1894, the U.S. congress voted it a national holiday.

The End of Summer ~ Labor Day is also viewed as the official end of summer. While the Fall Equinox is still a couple of weeks away, kids go back to school and summer vacations are over. This day is celebrated with a long weekend off from work and union sponsored parades. Many people celebrate this weekend with one last picnic. It is also the date that many people close up the swimming pool, and put away the boats.

Was it McGuire or Maguire? Either Peter McGuire or Matthew Maguire is the Creator of Labor Day. Peter J. McGuire, was an active labor organizer. He was also general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor. He was believed to be the first to suggest a day be dedicated to American workers and their accomplishments. Matthew Maguire however, was secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York in 1882 and many believed that he proposed the holiday in 1882.

So What do Americans eat on Labor Day? Picnics and barbecues are popular ways  to celebrate Labor Day.  Old standards are hamburgers, corn dogs, coleslaw, potato salad  corn on the cob, baked beans and sliced tomatoes. Finish up with sliced watermelon, apple or blueberry  pie and freshly churned ice cream.  Sound good?  Want to try a recipe?

 

http://www.whats4eats.com/salads/potato-salad-recipe

 

http://www.whats4eats.com/salads/sweet-coleslaw-recipe

 

http://www.whats4eats.com/desserts/blueberry-pie-recipe

 

What can you do with the kids on Labor Day?  Schools are usually closed on labor day so the children are home for the day.  Generally Americans love long weekends and it is an extra special time for families to be together.  Join in and be part of the family activities.  Enjoy your first Labor Day Weekend in the United States.  If you recently arrived this is a great weekend to bond with the kids and get to know them.  Go for a bike ride, play in the back yard, go to the park or enjoy the beach and the pool before the fall weather arrives.  For indoor quiet activities try these:

 

Click here for Labor Day coloring pages: 

 

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/labor-day/

 

Click here for Labor Day short stories for children:

 

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/labor-day/short-stories/

 

 

Explaining Thanksgiving to our Au Pairs!

Thanksgiving is next Thursday, November 27th. So what’s it all about? 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.

-1The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. They 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. -2It 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. -3

In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.  

 

To Learn more about the history and traditions of this holiday go to:

http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/videos#history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday

 

Find fun activities to do with the children here:

http://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/fall-halloween-thanksgiving/

 

July 4- Independence Day

independence-day1

Independence Day was first celebrated on July 8, 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the public in Philadelphia. By the 1880’s, the Fourth of July had become the most significant patriotic occasion in the United States. The holiday is presently celebrated with parades, fireworks, picnics, sporting events, and music. An estimated 150 million hot dogs are eaten in the U.S. on Independence Day!

Check out your local newspaper to find out what activities are planned in your cluster!

Craft ideas:

Paintings of fireworks:

Idea #1Use a large piece of paper. Let children drop small amounts of paint (different colors works well, or just use blue and red for a patriotic look. If you can, get black paper and use red, white and blue for fireworks in the night sky). Have the children swirl the paint out with a spoon, let them keep swirling from the center, in all directions around the drop of paint. Some of them may overlap, and that is fine, too. When it is finished it looks like fireworks bursting in the sky.

Idea #2 Give the child a straw and have them blow into the pools of paint to make their own free form painting of fireworks.