Christmas Wreath

Merry Christmas!

七夕情人節 Happy Chinese Valentine's day

2009年七夕情人節是：農曆七月初七，西曆8月26日。 分隔兩地的戀人們要送花給女朋友啊！

每年的農曆七月七日是中國的情人節。比起外國的情人節更是專指向「愛情」。因為外國的情人節，原旨是人與人之間的互愛，或親情、或友情、或愛情，並非只限於男女之情。但是中國的七夕情人節，則是描述一對情侶的故事。

傳說，天上玉皇大帝有七個女兒，其中最小的女兒織女，最聰明可愛、手藝又巧。天上皇宮中的重要織錦都由她負責設計與製作。另外，玉皇大帝有一群牛，由一個叫做牛郎的年輕人負責管理。兩人情投意合、互相愛慕，至荒廢了原本的工作。於是玉皇大帝下旨，叫喜鵲告訴這兩個熱戀的情侶要節制，七日見一次面即可。沒想到喜鵲傳錯話，他們以為每天均可相見，更是高興無比，工作完全拋在腦後。

玉皇大帝這回就龍顏大怒，降旨他們每年只能見一次面，就是農曆七月七日的晚上。那一天喜鵲這群肇事者就負責搭橋，讓他們兩人踩在他們的肩膀上相會。因為一年僅能見一次面，當然有說不完的衷曲、道不盡的悲情，於是那天幾乎都會下著毛毛雨，象徵兩人的淚水。

Source: http://a2z.fhl.net/history/history22.html

Mother's Day Flowers

美國的母親節起源於1908。安娜賈維思女士為記念去世的母親，提倡每年五月的第二個星期日為記念母親的活動。她選用了白色的康乃馨表達母愛的特徵。以白色代表純潔,康乃馨持續不易枯朽的個性，以及花的清香和美好，表達對母親的懷念之情。

母親節的意義是要提倡我們要不忘母親付出的愛，珍惜眼前人。

然而，母親的愛是每一天都在付出的。

一年只有一次的母親節,不妨借機會向母親表達尊敬和關心。現在都流行送上粉紅色的花或康乃馨，表示我們對母愛的偉大詺記於心。


Anna Jarvis founded Mother's Day in 1908 and encouraged people to send white carnations.

In a telegram to the congregation, Miss Jarvis stated that:

"The white carnation is preferred because it may be thought to typify some of the virtues of motherhood; ... whiteness stands for purity; its lasting qualities, faithfulness; its fragrance, love; its wide field of growth, charity; its form, beauty..."

Miss Jarvis sent a telegram, read by Mr. L. L. Loar, which defined the purpose of the day:

"...To revive the dormant filial love and gratitude we owe to those who gave us birth. To be a home tie for the absent. To obliterate family estrangement. To create a bond of brotherhood through the wearing of a floral badge. To make us better children by getting us closer to the hearts of our good mothers. To brighten the lives of good mothers. To have them know we appreciate them, though we do not show it as often as we ought..."

Mothers Day is to remind us of our duty before it is too late.

This day is intended that we may make new resolutions for a more active thought to our dear mothers. By words, gifts, acts of affection, and in every way possible, give her pleasure, and make her heart glad every day, and constantly keep in memory Mothers Day; when you made this resolution, lest you forget and neglect your dear mother, if absent from home write her often, tell her of a few of her noble good qualities and how you love her.

"A mother's love is new every day."

God bless our faithful good mothers.

In tradition a pink carnation is to honor a living mother and a white carnation is memory of a mother who passed away. Nowadays, sons and daughter to honor their mothers by sending her favorite flowers, whatever it might be.

Americans actually buy more flowers on Mother's Day than they do on Valentine's Day, because they tend to chooses mixed bouquets and buy flowers for more than just one person. In fact, only half of Mothers day gifts go to mothers. The rest go to wives, friends, or other family members.

Happy Easter !

The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit.

The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time.