Eggs, Bunnies and Baskets

Holiday: Easter
Date: April 24, 2011
History: Easter is a religious holiday celebrating Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead and in the West, is observed on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21 (this could fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25). However, Easter is not a single day of observance. Lent, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, Holy Week including Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday and Eastertide are all part of this celebration. Not surprisingly, there is a commercial side to the Easter celebration. Folk customs and pagan traditions like Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy have, overtime, become a standard part of Easter (very similar to Christmas).
Interesting Facts: After Halloween, Easter is the second best-selling candy holiday in America. According to the National Confectioners Association, over 16 billion jelly beans are made in the U.S. each year for Easter, enough to fill a giant egg measuring 89 feet high and 60 feet wide. Any Peep lovers out there? For the past decade, that has been the top-selling, non-chocolate Easter candy.

For more information, visit http://www.history.com/topics-of-easter or http://www.history.com/topics/easter-symbols.

Robbie's Day

Hands down, Robbie is one of the coolest girls on the planet. We cannot say enough about her. From her graceful dancing to her stellar guitar skills, she is a favorite around our house. We love, love, love this girl. Happy Birthday on your "big" day Robbie!

Saint Paddy's Day

Holiday: Saint Patrick's Day

Date: March 17, 2011

History: Saint Patrick's day is celebrated on March 17 in honor of Saint Patrick, a patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He is also known for driving all of the snakes out of Ireland. (While it is true that there are no snakes in Ireland, most likely there never has been any.) For over a thousand years, the Irish have observed Saint Patrick's Day as a religious holiday. Today, the holiday is associated with everything Irish including the color green, shamrocks and luck. However, many still celebrate Saint Patrick's Day as it was originally intended: as a traditional day for spiritual renewal and the offering of prayers for missionaries all over the world.

Interesting Facts: If you catch a leprechaun, they have to give you their gold. This is a lucky event that can only happen in Ireland and is just one explanation for the Gaelic expression, Beannachtai na Feile Padraig, which is a wish for you to have all the blessings of Saint Patrick's Day and the "luck of the Irish" to go with it. Here in the US, more than 100 parades are held and in Chicago, they dye the Chicago River green (we recommend going to Google Images and searching "Chicago River St. Patrick's Day").

For more information, visit http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day.

You Know It As Presidents Day

Holiday: George Washington's Birthday

Date: February 21, 2011

History: George Washington's Birthday, which is actually February 22 (same as Bridget's Birthday), is a United States federal holiday. It is celebrated the third Monday of February. Commonly known as Presidents Day, it is officially celebrated in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. George Washington's Birthday is one of eleven permanent holidays established by Congress.

Interesting Fact: Although originally celebrated on February 22, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act placed the holiday sometime between February 15 and 21. Ironically, it is never actually celebrated on Washington's Birthday.

For more information, visit http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/washington/

V-Day (Courtesy of Robbie)

Holiday: Saint Valentine's Day
Date: February 14, 2011
History: The history of Valentine's Day is a little ambiguous. This annual commemoration is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine. In the early days, romance and love were not linked to Saint Valentine's Day. It was during Chaucer's time that this day first became associated to love and romance.
Interesting Fact: Approximately 85 percent of all Valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia.

For more information, visit http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day

For the best Valentine's Day song ever (as well as one of the best bands on the planet), we recommend you check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvWoSGGd90w

Solomon's Day

Good ol' Sol. When we first mentioned The Holiday Tree birthday shout outs to him, Solomon automatically assumed he was getting the whole tree to himself for his big day. Subsequently, he told us that this would "make all [his] dreams come true." So in light of realizing dreams... here is your tree, Sol.

You can always count on Solomon to be fully stocked with laffy taffy (as well as the cheesy jokes that accompany them), plenty of good things to say about himself and financial advice. Happy Birthday Solomon!

Gregg's Day

Gregg is great. Seriously. They do not come much better than this man. A few facts about Gregg:

• He makes a mean brisket
• He is a dancing fool (but you've got to watch those wandering hands)
• He will do anything for anyone (even when he probably shouldn't)
• His dog (good old Gunnar) is something to behold
• Although he can't quite kick his Texas-boy drawl, his love for Idaho is contagious

Happy Birthday Gregg! Here's to another trip around the sun.