By: Julia Triculescu
I think we can all agree that it’s been one heck of a school year. We had to deal with online learning, in-person learning, and hybrid as well all while living through a pandemic (that was fun, right?) However, there were good things about this school year, as hard as that might be to believe. We found a way to do activities that were normally in person like the Fun Run or Field Day through a screen while still keeping it lots of fun! With organized meet-ups and the availability of Zoom, Google Meet, and other platforms, socialization took on a new meaning and we got to see old friends, and new, through a different perspective. As the school year closes out, make sure we finish strong: no missing assignments, lost Book Room books, or regrets! Congratulations everybody! We did it! By: Julia Triculescu
An important holiday is celebrated on the final Monday of May. This day commemorates all those who were killed in action while serving the US military along with prisoners of war (POWs), those who were and are missing in action (MIA), and veterans. Arguably one of the most significant patriotic celebrations, Memorial Day isn’t just about parties, barbeques, and a long weekend; the meaning delves deeper into a true appreciation for those who gave their lives for their country. Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day (this is right after the Civil War, 1868) because it didn’t really pertain to a specific war. On Decoration Day, you would go to the grave of a fallen soldier and decorate it with flags, flowers, and wreaths. On the first Decoration Day, 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried in Arlington Cemetery. This day was mostly celebrated in the North and by 1890, each Union state had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. The South continued to honor their dead on other days until after World War 1. Then, in 1968, Congress made Memorial Day a federal holiday and instituted the three-day weekend as a celebration. Unofficially, that long weekend marks the beginning of summer… and the emergence of parades, parties, and barbeques as celebrations. Some of the largest parades happen in Chicago, New York City, Washington D.C., and other large cities. People might decide to go away for the weekend, celebrate by going to a party, or visiting a cemetery or memorial. While at your parties, or if you’re just chilling, don’t forget why you have this free day and just remember those who gave up their lives to better our country… for themselves and their posterity! By: Julia Triculescu
When I was a young’un, I thought that Cinco de Mayo was a holiday that celebrated mayonnaise. I was terribly incorrect yet really, really close… National Mayonnaise Day is May 4th! Moving on… Cinco de Mayo is known as a day usually filled with tacos, piñatas, and lots of parties. But what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? It can’t just be a day dedicated to Mexican culture, can it? Read on to find out! In 1861, Benito Juarez was elected president of the then-completely broke country of Mexico. To bring the country back to its full glory, he had to draw on funds from the European governments. Seeing that their funds were being depleted, Spain, France, and Great Britain sent naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico demanding to be repaid. Juarez struck a deal with Spain and Britain, yet was not as lucky with France. The French, being the French, saw the opportunity to make an empire and took it. They started a war and drove Juarez and his troops into retreat. But all is not lost! Although the French had 6,000 troops led under one of the Napoleons and the Mexicans had only 2,000 loyal, outnumbered, and poorly supplied men, Juarez sent his meager troops to the city of Puebla to face the French. They fortified the city and began an assault that lasted from dawn on the fifth of May (seeing something here?) ‘til the evening. Even though the battle wasn’t really very strategic (more of a suicide mission…) or anything of the sort, it represented a great victory for Mexico that eventually drove out the French. Surprisingly, Cinco de Mayo isn’t really a big deal in Mexico. It’s not even a federal holiday so everybody still has school and goes to work. However, it has become a pretty big deal in America, especially among Mexican-Americans as a celebration of their culture. For the majority of the population, it’s a pretty laid-back holiday when you can chill and eat a taco (or an empanada!) I hope that you know more than I did about this cool holiday- especially that it does not celebrate mayo. Go forth and eat tacos! Happy Cinco de Mayo! By: Julia Triculescu
¡Hola chicos y chicas! On April 8, we celebrate a very, very, very important holiday… National Empanada Day! Some of you are very happy and now are craving an empanada and the rest of you are probably trying to sound out the word so here it is again: em-pa-na-da! The empanada is a celebrated food in most (if not all) Spanish-speaking countries. Originally they are from Galicia, Spain but now they exist in over 30 different countries in every shape and size! The word empanada is said to come from the word “empanar” which means “to bread” and that makes sense because an empanada is a thing of fried bread filled with things like meat, vegetables, and a slew of other things. Some other people think that it means “Can I have another?” which also makes a lot of sense because empanadas are REALLY good (believe me, I grew up surrounded by Mexico’s finest cooks: in my opinion) Although it is said that the first empanada came from Spain, there is actually evidence of empanadas dating all the way back to Ancient Persia, 100 BC!! Then the Moors came and empanadas were moved down to Iberia (this probably sounds like gibberish to you guys, it’s the same for me- I’m just writing what the website told me to lol), and then finally, when the Spanish invaded the Mayans and the Aztecs, before killing them all and taking over their land, they gave them the recipe for an empanada! What a pathetic “Sorry I have to kill you” gift, right? WRONG! I would want an empanada before I die… ...and you will too! Because lucky for you guys, I have attached a recipe to make your very own empanadas! If you are like me and you really don’t want to cook, there are plenty of Mexican restaurants you can visit to order empanadas there*, or you can buy them from the grocery store and stick them in the microwave for a bit. I hope you guys learned something about one of the best foods in the world and that you try them someday. ¡Adios! https://therecipecritic.com/empanadas/ * One of our team member’s dad owns a Mexican restaurant called Casa Amado- you should totally check it out! They have amazing food! Here’s the link to the website: https://www.casaamado.com/ By: Julia Triculescu
Oh, say can you see! Everybody in the USA knows those five words as the start of our anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Although no super-important American holidays are going on this month, March 3 happens to be National Anthem Day, meaning that we get a whole day just to celebrate our long, hard to remember, and impossible to sing Star-Spangled Banner. Let’s dive in with some cool facts! Our national anthem was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 aboard a British warship and, intentionally, it was not meant to be a song. Imagine that you are a soldier held prisoner on a British warship. You want to brighten your time here by praising your country. So what do you do? You write a poem about your great country and it eventually is turned into a song: the national anthem of the United States of America! This poem/song was also originally not titled The Star-Spangled Banner. It wasn’t titled anything! More than a century after it was written, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a fancy document declaring The Star-Spangled Banner our national anthem. That’s right- it took a century for it to become the song we sing at football games, even though throughout the Civil War, troops sang it as their anthem. Now that you know some cool stuff about our patriotic song, the next time you hear those fateful five words, you’ll be able to spout some (hopefully) useful information about our anthem and its origins. If you’re still interested and want to learn more, I recommend you look up the meaning of the lyrics to The Star-Spangled Banner to help you learn more about the land of the free and the home of the brave. Have a great Spring Break! Happy National Anthem Day! By: Julia Triculescu
Dia dhuit! It’s March, which means a multitude of things. Spring is coming, the air is warmer, and St. Patrick’s Day is on its way! Soon, a flood of green will take over your closet, the search for the elusive four-leaf clover will ensue, and a bunch of little people with beards will start pulling pranks. How did St. Patrick’s Day come to be? Where do all of our funky symbols come from? Read on to find out… St Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 every year for over 1,000 years. This holiday is St. Patrick’s feast day, a saint of the Catholic faith. He was born in Roman Britain during the fifth century and was brought to Ireland as a slave when he was sixteen. St. Patrick is also the patron saint of Ireland and the day he died is said to be March 17 (WHY ARE ALL OF OUR HOLIDAYS ON PEOPLE’S DEATH DAYS?????) St. Patrick’s Day is also associated with a bunch of weird symbols. The reason that clovers are so popular around this time is that St. Patrick is best known for explaining the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) through the four-leaf clover. Since then, it has been a symbol of luck for all who find it (a chance of 1 in 10,000!!) According to Irish folklore, leprechauns are the ultimate pranksters. They play tricks on people and like to pinch them (legend says that if you wear green, you’re safe!) Now you have an idea where St. Patrick’s Day comes from! Your closet will be flooded with green, Chicago will dye its river that color also, and little people will pull pranks and you won’t find that four-leaf clover (unless you’re really lucky!) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! By: Julia Triculescu
Did you know that February holds four US presidents’ birthdays as well as President’s Day? That’s right, Abe Lincoln, George Washington, William Henry Harrison, and Ronald Reagan all celebrate (or celebrated since they’re all dead) their birthdays in February. For this article, I hope you’ll get to learn a little something about every president! Now you’ve probably all heard of George Washington. Who hasn’t? He is the first president of the USA… His birthday is on February 22, 1732. He is known most for leading the Continental Army (good guys) to victory over the British. He then (with the help of others) established the United States of America and then elected himself president- I know, but you would have done the same thing. Probably the next most famous and important leader of the country, Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. Abe is most known for his part in the Civil War, freeing the slaves, signing the 13th Amendment, and his pipe and top hat. Unfortunately, something else he is quite known for is being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford Theater. An important man during his time, Abraham Lincoln will continue going down in history as one of the greatest presidents of all time. A lesser-known president, Ronald Reagan first made his appearance into the world on February 6, 1911. A really cool fact I learned about Reagan is that he actually was an actor before he was president, and a quite good one at that. He was so popular that most people didn’t want to vote for him since they didn’t want an actor as a president! Good thing they did, though, because Reagan established Reganomics in hopes to better the current status of the economy. It worked! While inflation and unemployment rates steadily declined, Reagan began to strengthen the military. He also did something really remarkable, ending the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the US. Whew! What great accomplishments! And now, last but maybe least, William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773. Now, why did I say least? Because Harrison is best (or worst) known for serving the shortest term as president in the history of the United States! That’s right, he only served one month until he died of pneumonia and was succeeded by his vice president, John Tyler. Unfortunately, that is pretty much the only thing he’s known for. But, his death brought something important to the US, another record for the shortest term of a president! I hope you enjoyed the article and that you learned something about each president (I know I did!) Each president is celebrated on President’s Day, February 15, 2021, but happy birthday to the ones born in February! Happy President’s Day! By: Julia Triculescu
Widely known as the holiday dedicated to love, flowers, and chocolate, Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated all around the world (even though it isn’t really officiated). Although it is one of the most popular holidays, how much do you really know about its history? Why do we send cards and eat candy? But most importantly, why do we use the Airheads we get on Valentine’s Day as retainers? There are some pretty controversial theories about where Valentine’s Day came from. Most people believe that it is St. Valentine’s feast day. This saint was a martyr for the Catholic church and February 14 is the day he was killed. Dark, right? However, there were three St. Valentine’s recorded by the Church. So if this story is correct, the saint who died for the Catholic Church could have been any one of them. Valentine’s Day began to evolve more in the Middle Ages, even though the earliest recording of a love letter was from the Ancient Sumerians, 5,000 years ago! In the 1300s, an English poet named Geoffrey Chaucer (he wrote Canterbury Tales) wrote a poem for his wife that first linked Valentine’s Day with romance. In the 18th century, people began to send romantic cards and gifts. In 1847, valentines began to be mass-produced and Valentine’s Day was celebrated in full swing. So now that you know all about cards and history and even some religion, your thirst for knowledge of this widely celebrated holiday should be quenched. You (kind of) know where it came from and why we send cards. But something you will never know, is why we use Airheads as retainers! Happy Valentine’s Day! Source: https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/valentines_day.php By: Julia Triculescu
You’ve probably heard of a holiday called Groundhog Day, when on February 2, a cute little rodent named Phil crawls out of his burrow to see if winter will last six weeks longer. But what about the history of the beloved holiday? What exactly is a groundhog? And most importantly, since when are rodents scared of their shadows? The first Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1887, in Gobbler’s Knob, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (mouthful huh?). However, the tradition originated from an ancient Christian tradition called Candlemas. The clergy would bless and hand out candles to people for the winter. The candles distributed represented how long the winter would last. Then the Germans took this celebration and expanded on it by adding an animal to predict the weather, a hedgehog. Why? I dunno, I’m not German. Upon arriving in America, German immigrants switched from using hedgehogs as meteorologists to something MUCH more predictable, groundhogs. Then in 1887, a newspaper editor/groundhog hunter decided that a certain groundhog christened Phil was the only weather-forecasting groundhog in America. Thus was born the holiday of Groundhog Day. But what about the celebratory animal? Ask yourself, what do you know about the groundhog? Groundhogs, also called woodchucks and Marmota monax, weigh about 12 to 15 pounds and live up to eight years. Their diet consists of fruits and vegetables and when they are scared or looking for a mate, they whistle (yes, whistle). In late fall, groundhogs/ woodchucks/ Marmota monax begin to hibernate underground where their body temperature drops and their heartbeat slows from 80 to 5 beats per minute (a human’s heart beats about 60-90 times a minute!). In February, male groundhogs come out of hibernation to find a mate (not because it’s Groundhog Day and they have to predict the weather) and they go back into hibernation until they come out for good in March. A successful movie also popularized the holiday appropriately named, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. The movie was released in February of 1993 and immediately became an international hit. The plot follows Phil Connors, a weatherman covering Groundhog Day in its hometown. He becomes stuck in a loop, reliving February 2 over and over. This movie was super entertaining and funny too. However, due to cinematic elements, intense scenes, and some adult humor, it is rated PG. Don’t forget to ask your parents for permission before you watch it! Now you know a little more about the history behind a beloved American holiday, the animal that stars in it, and the movie that made Groundhog Day so well known. Don’t forget to share your new-found with friends and family! Unfortunately, something you and I will never know is why rodents are scared of their shadows! Happy Groundhog Day! Source: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-groundhog-day By: Julia Triculescu
Everybody has heard of Christmas and Hanukkah and New Year’s. But what about a lesser-known holiday, one almost as important, if not as important, as the rest? Boxing Day! But what is it? Is it a day to celebrate the sport? Or is it honoring our beloved cardboard box? And most importantly, why is it that “socks” is spelled with c-k-s but “box” is spelled with x? Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand the day after Christmas, December 26. Let’s clear something up first, Boxing Day does NOT, I repeat, does NOT honor punching people in the face until their nose shatters. Unfortunately, it also does not celebrate our household staple, the loyal cardboard box, as wonderful as it may be. In fact, it has a much more meaningful and less-violent purpose; to give back. It is pretty well-known that British people are very posh, especially the upper-class and the nobility. These high-class Brits are known for their lavish mansions and their multitude of servants. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are pretty big deals, no matter the household. Decorations, food, and guests require a huge amount of detail and hard work. Boxing Day is when the nobility gives back to their servants with gifts consisting of little trinkets in little boxes (cough cough BOXING Day cough cough). Even though Christmastime might be looking different for you this year, you now know all about an underrated holiday with a great meaning behind it which you can share (and hopefully celebrate) with your family and friends. But something you will never know is why “socks” is spelled with c-k-s and “box” is spelled with x! Happy Boxing Day! Sources: https://nationaltoday.com/boxing-day/ By: Julia Triculescu
What does your Thanksgiving table have on it? A turkey? Some mashed potatoes? Maybe some delicious pumpkin pie? All of these are Thanksgiving dinner staples. But ask yourself; why do we eat these foods on Thanksgiving? Why do we eat turkey and not duck or chicken? Who came up with the idea to make a pie out of a gourd? And most importantly, who ate the leftovers from the fridge? Let’s start with the big bird. No, not the one from Sesame Street, the famous turkey. There is actually no proof that a turkey was eaten at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. In fact, most historians think that it was actually a goose, duck, or even a deer. So why a turkey? There are three reasons. Numero uno: there were a lot of turkeys. An estimated 10 million were roaming around at the time when the Mayflower landed. Numero dos: while cows and hens all provide eggs, milk, and cheese, turkeys have nothing edible other than themselves so people had nothing to do with them other than eat them. Numero tres: one turkey was enough to feed an entire family. I know one can definitely feed mine! But we’ve not talked about the most important part of the dinner! The dessert! The most famous Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie. This is the point where we find out why somebody decided to make a pie out of a gourd. We owe it all to a lady named Amelia Simmons. In 1796, she published a cookbook called American Cookery which is considered to be the very first American cookbook. Its contents included a variety of foods but the most interesting entry spoke of a pumpkin pudding made with nutmeg and allspice and served in a crust. Today, we know that as our beloved pumpkin pie. So whether your Thanksgiving is at home or virtual, you know these special foods will still be on the table. You know now why turkey is eaten and why there is a pie made out of a gourd and you’ll be glad to share your knowledge with your family and friends. But something you will never know is who ate the leftovers from the fridge! Happy Thanksgiving! Sources: https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-we-eat-turkey-on-thanksgiving https://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/pies-cakes/why-we-eat-pumpkin-pie/ By: Julia Triculescu
It’s Spooky Season, y’all! Officially, only one day out of October is dedicated to ghouls, ghosts, and candy, but who said that the whole month can’t revolve around it? Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays in America. Most people just know about the trick-or-treating, dressing up, and the classic movies (talking about you Hocus Pocus!). But what is Halloween, really? Where did it come from? How did all of these wacky traditions appear? Why is it one of the most famous holidays in America? And most importantly, why won’t children ever take Just. One. Candy? Fun fact: Halloween was actually first celebrated as a Celtic New Year’s Eve, 2,000 years ago. Among the Celts, this holiday was known as Samhain. This day marked the end of the summer and the beginning of winter, the season associated with human death; cheerful, right? The Celts believed that the night before the New Year, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead was sort of, let’s say, optional. They celebrated Samhain as the night on which ghosts returned to the land of the living. Now we just talked about Halloween’s birthday. 2,000 years ago. In Europe. How did it come to America? Why do we trick-or-treat? In the second half of the nineteenth century, America’s gates were opened to immigrants from all parts of the globe. A majority of those immigrants were Irish. Something you may or may not know about the Irish is that the Celts are sort of their ancestors. When the Irish arrived in America, they brought their potatoes, love of the color green, and the celebration of Halloween along with them. Some European tradition or other sparked America’s idea to say, “Hey, why don’t we go house-to-house, dressed up, and beg for food and money? Because that’s definitely not weird at all.” Over the years, it evolved into what we know as trick-or-treating. They dropped the money idea and decided to give out candy instead (Great move, America. The kids love you more for it). Thus was the birth of the most popular Halloween tradition. Now that you know where Halloween all started, maybe you’ll have a different perspective on the holiday. Yeah, sure, your friends will look at you weird when you talk about Celts, and your parents will probably think that all that candy is affecting your brain; but you’ll know that Halloween goes deeper than the costumes and candy. You’ll know all of these cool facts about its history. But something you will never know, is why you can’t resist the urge to take Just. One. Candy. Source: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween |