History of the Shamrock
On this St. Patrick’s Day, I thought we would take a look at one of the popular symbols of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day, the Shamrock. A shamrock is a young sprig of clover. The word shamrock derives from the … Continued
The Three St. Valentine’s of Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day! The history of Valentine’s Day is long, with the first record of Valentine’s celebrations being associated to courtly love, dating back to 1400 France. However, the history of Valentine’s dates back even further to three martyred saints, … Continued
The History of Trick or Treating
The practice of dressing up for Halloween and going trick or treating originates from a Scottish custom known as souling. The earliest reference to wearing costumes dates back to 1585, although the practice is believed to pre-date this first recording. … Continued
Happy 4th of July
The 4th of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence. The signing of this document declared the British colonies a new nation and affirmed our independence from the British Empire. The area that … Continued
9 Ways to Enjoy Christmas with Family
[learn_more caption=”Merry Christmas” state=”open”] Merry Christmas[/learn_more] This is a great time to make family time and family history count. Some of these ideas include: Share your favorite Christmas memory—either from adulthood or as a child Share how certain family traditions … Continued
How did our Ancestors celebrate Christmas?
The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Oliver Wendell Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of … Continued
The History of Christmas
The Tradition of Christmas through the Ages! We all know that we have Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Have you ever wondered how it became what it is today? How our ancestors celebrated Christmas? What traditions other … Continued
How did our Ancestors spend their Thanksgiving?
We all know the story of the first thanksgiving, but did you know that it has changed considerably since then. I would like to briefly explore the history of Thanksgiving. We seem to take for granted some times that … Continued
Celebrate the History of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is upon us! However, many of our ancestors did not celebrate the modern Thanksgiving we know today. Yes, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. Not until George Washington was President, was another Thanksgiving celebrated … Continued
History of Halloween
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, the last day on the Celtic calendar and the tradition of the Druids. A festival was held to mark the end of one Celtic … Continued