recycle holiday
A History of New Year's Day 
New Year's Day was not always celebrated on January 1st. In fact, it was once an agricultural festival that was celebrated on the first new moon after the spring equinox. Candlemas/Imbolc/Groundhog Day
Groundhogs, a Blessed Virgin, a Fire Goddess, pregnant animals, sore throats and candles. What do they all have in common? Read on and find out! Christmas in September
I work in retail. In the middle of September we are getting in our Christmas merchandise and putting it out on the shelves in anticipation of the Christmas madness. But, is giving and receiving gifts really what Christmas is all about? Christmas Tree Mania
Oh, Christmas tree, how commercial are your branches. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to decorate the "perfect" tree. How and where did it all begin? Diwali - Hindu Festival of Light
Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Light. This is the story of Rama and Sita and their return to the people of India. Farewell to the Sun God
Lammas is the first Harvest Festival on the solar wheel of the year. If you go to the local country fair.. you are celebrating Lammas very much in tune to the way that it was celebrated by our ancient ancestors. Green Beer, Leprechauns and Blarney
Where did all the traditions associated with St. Patricks Day originate? You might be surprised!! Happy Pongal or Makar Sankranti!
On Jan. 14, every year the celebration of Pongal starts. This ancient harvest festival is celebrated in some interesting ways involving, crops, Capricorn, kites and cattle dung. Kumbha Mela
Every twelve years when the planets are in a certain configuration, millions of people from all over the world gather at the Ganges River in India. Why? To take a bath!! Lo Saturnalia!! Hail Saturn!
Saturnalia was the Roman festival week of Saturn, celebrated with merriment, fun and games, and the pilleus. What is a pilleus? Read on and find out! Lupercalia and St. Valentine
Lupercalia was an ancient Roman festival based on a lover´s lottery. A young man would choose the name of an eligible young woman from a urn and they would pair off romantically.. So, how did a Saint get involved in all of this. Read on and find out! May Day is Lei Day
In Hawaii, May 1st or May Day, is a day focused on the celebration of the Hawaiian lei. The lei is a non-verbal expression of aloha, which means, roughly translated, "May the Creator in you honor the Creator in me". Michaelmas
Michaelmas is still celebrated in many parts of the Celtic lands. Although the name honors Archangel Michael, there is a lot more to this holiday than meets the eye. Midsummer's Night
On this shortest day and longest night of the year, the veils between the worlds are said to be very thin, and powerful forces may find their way into our world... Midwinter Celebrations of Light
Winter Solstice Celebrations abound around this world of ours.. All celebrations of Light. New Year's Resolutions
I think that New Year's resolutions are a form of prayer. And, prayer is a very powerful way of manifesting things into or out of your life. Shavout-- A Celebration of Jewish Faith
Shavout is a harvest festival, but it is also a day to celebrate the giving of the Torah. On this day, many Jews study the Torah and remember the wisdom that was given to Moses. Sinful Thanksgiving Pies
Did you know that there were no pies on the first Thanksgiving table? Actually, pies were banned as a part of holiday celebrations. Thankfully speaking, when Thanksgiving became a national holiday, pies had once more been restored to their rightful place as a holiday delight! Snakes, Hedgehogs and Groundhogs, Oh My!
Brigid the Snake Goddess emerged from her mound on Imbolc. This was the ancient version of Groundhog's Day, that is until St. Patrick scared her away! The Chinese New Year - Year of the Fire Pig
This is the upcoming year of the Fire Pig. Many people around the world celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is also known as the Spring Festival. The Feast of Ramadan
In order to understand what The Feast of Ramadan is, it is important to understand the basic principles of Islam. The First Christmas Carol
Did you know that the first Christmas Carol was written by a Jesuit Priest named Jean de Brebeuf for the Huron people? Beautiful music and beautiful story. The Gifts of the Magi
We can all share the gifts of the Magi. The gifts are symbolic of who and what we are and the choices we make in our own lives. The Holly King and The Oak King
At Midsummer and Midwinter the Holly King and the Oak King go into battle to win the Crown of the Year. Their battle represents the battle within all of us. The Legend of Chang-O
The story of Chang-O is a part of the Harvest Moon Festival in China. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month all eyes are focused on the brighest moon of the year in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Lady of the Moon. The Many Faces of Santa Claus 
He goes by many names and many faces, but he has the same effect of children all around the world. "Twas the Night Before Christmas"... The meaning of Earth Day
There are actually two celebrations of Earth Day, one on the Vernal Equinox in March, and the other in mid April. Which ever one you may choose to celebrate, the message is the same. SOE... Save our Earth! The Origins of April Fool's Day
Why do we celebrate a day when Fool's reign and mischief and trickery abound? The basis may well be found in the old Roman festival of Saturnalia. Or, maybe it all had to do with a calendar change. The Three Wise Men of Epiphany
Who were The Three Wise Magi? Where their names really Melchoir, Caspar and Balthasar? Why weren't they at the manger when Jesus was born? And, was Jesus really the great king of their prophecies? The Winter Solstice
Yule, Hannukah, Christmas, whatever you want to call it, it is still the Winter Solstice. Tu B' Shvat - The New Year for Trees
Tu B´Shvat is a celebration of the New Year for Trees. In ancient times, ten percent of the fruit of the harvest was tithed to the priests or the poor, depending on the year. Twelfth Night Feasts and Customs
Twelfth Night was and is a time of merriment most likely harkening back to the celebration of the Roman Saturnalia. The custom of baking beans or other objects into a cake seems to be a pretty common tradition. Whoever gets that object in their serving becomes royalty for the night! Under a Harvest Moon in China
Harvest festivals abound from late August until late November. In China, the celebration centers around the moon, mooncakes, and the adventures of a Goddess named Chang-O. Yalda - A Persian Celebration of Light
Yalda is the Iranian celebration of light. As are most of the celebrations at this time of the year, it represents the victory of the light over the darkness.
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