City of Springfield
| Winter Holiday Websites |  |
Halloween | Día de los Muertos | Ramadan | Veterans Day | Thanksgiving | Winter Solstice
Chanukah | Christmas | Kwanzaa | New Year | Three Kings' Day | Chinese New Year
General Sites
- Halloween Magazine
- Articles, stories, costumes, recipes, activity tips, decoration suggestions, and lists of haunted houses and Halloween organizations.
- Facts for Features from the US Census
- Interesting facts culled from US Census data about Halloween observances.
- Halloween Safety Alerts
- From the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Urban Legends: Halloween
- A collection of Halloween-specific urban legends. From Snopes.com.
History and Traditions
- History of Halloween
- From the History Channel. Essays on the origins of the holiday, pumpkins, other holidays around the world, ghost stories, and more.
- Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows
- From the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
Costumes
- Homemade Halloween Costumes
- Ideas for quick and easy (and cheap) costumes you can make yourself (or with your parents' help)! Includes costume ideas for wheelchair users.
- Halloween & Party Costume Links
- Links for how-to costume and makeup hints, costume supplies, sales, and rentals. From the Costumer's Manifesto site.
Entertaining and Decorating
- Halloween Recipes
- All kinds of goodies for your favorite ghouls and ghosts! From RecipeSource.
- Halloween Fright Site
- A special page for Halloween, from Family Fun magazine. Includes creepy cuisines, costumes, games, crafts, party ideas, and more!
- Halloween Party Games
- Great game ideas for kids and families for Halloween. From Party Game Ideas.
- Halloween Recipes
- From AllRecipes.com
- Pumpkin Carving 101
- Everything you always wanted to know about carving jack-o-lanterns!
- Pumpkin Patches
- Need to find a pumpkin? Check the Local Harvest directory for pumpkin patches and family farms in your neck of the woods.
- Pumpkins & More
- Everything you ever wanted to know about pumpkins! From the University of Illinois Extension Service.
Scary Stories . . . and More
Recommended Reading from the Springfield Library- Check out our reading lists for Halloween: Halloween Picks, Halloween Mysteries, New England Horror, Haunted American Tales, Vampire Fiction and More Vampire Fiction.
- It's Alive!
- Booklists and recommended websites for teens!
- Halloween Reading Ideas
- More reading lists of recommended spooky stories, romances, and mysteries for adults, teens, children, and pre-schoolers. From MyShelf.com.
- The Ghost Stories of M.R. James
- Online editions of some of the spookiest stories ever written, including Canon Alberic's Scrapbook, The Mezzotint, Casting the Runes, and many more. And don't miss the companion site, Other Ghost Stories Online, with selections from E. F. Benson, Charles Dickens, Sheridan le Fanu, and Saki.
- The Moonlit Road
- Ghost stories and strange folktales of the American South, told by the region's most celebrated storytellers.
- Ghosts of the White House
- Are there ghosts at the President's house? From the ghost of Abigail Adams doing her laundry in the East Room to the spirit of Dolley Madison overlooking the Rose Garden, the White House has its own legend of ghost stories that have been passed down over the years.
Just for Kids!
- Halloween Fun at Kaboose.com
- Clip art, electronic greeting cards, party and costume ideas, Halloween crafts and stories, and much more.
- Ben & Jerry's Halloween Page
- Lots of fun stuff for Halloween from the ice cream makers. Crafts, graphics, games, and more.
- Trick or Treat for UNICEF
- Together with your school, neighborhood or family, you can design and run your very own fundraising campaign this Halloween.
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - October 31 to November 2, 2007
History and Traditions
- DÍa de los Muertos
- History, food, events, photographs, and traditions. From Arizona Central.
- Day of the Dead
- An essay, "What do Mexicans celebrate on the 'Day of the Dead'?" by Ricardo Salvador.
- Mexico's Days of the Dead
- Explanations of the history and tradition of the Mexican festival, with images and photos and related links. From Mexico Connect.
- Food for the Ancestors
- A special PBS exhibit on the Mexican festival, the Days of the Dead. Includes an overview of the holiday, distinctive artwork and special recipes, and a discussion of the program produced for the "Hidden Journeys" series.
Just for Kids!
- Day of the Dead: Books for Children
- A list of books from the Springfield City Libraries about the Mexican holiday.
- Day of the Dead: Mexican Crafts & Activities
- Crafts for the holiday for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children. From Enchanted Learning.
- Mexican Holidays
- Lots of information on Mexican holidays and crafts to go with them. Full Day of the Dead page, and other Mexican holidays as well.
- Day of the Dead Activities
- Many crafts for Day of the Dead, and some activities and games as well.
- Papel Picado: The Art of Mexican Cut Paper
- An article that covers both the history of Mexican cut paper, and information on how to make your own.
Ramadan 1428- September 13 - October 12, 2007
History and Traditions
- Ramadan Information Center
- Surahs and prayers, a directory of mosques, recipes, and other information about the holy month of Ramadan. From IslamiCity.
- Al-Islam.org
- An introduction to Islam with other resources including information about Ramadan from a Shi'ite perspective. From the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project.
- Holy Ramadan
- From Akramulla's Islam Page. Discussion of the month of Ramadan, with daily duas, songs, articles, and events.
- Ramadan, the fasting month for the Muslims
- Directions for fasting, information about the Holy Month of Ramadan and the Muslim religion, links to the Quran, and more. From United Submitters International.
- Ramadan on the Net
- The story of Ramadan, history of Muhammed and the Five Pillars of the Muslim faith, booklists, a message board, and more. A production of Holidays on the Net.
- Muslim Life in America
- Stories, essays, and photographs. From the US Department of State.
- Ramadan: The Month of Fasting
- Details on this special time in Islam. From InfoPlease.
- Essentials of Ramadan, the Fasting Month
- An online book with extensive discussions of Ramadan and the laws regulating fasting and other practices during this holy month by Tajuddin B. Shu`aib. From the USC Muslim Students Association's Islamic Server.
Just for Kids!
- Children's Activities for Ramadan
- Projects, songs and poems, with links to information about the holy month of Ramadan for children.
- Ramadan at Kaboose.com
- Child-appropriate links about the Islamic holy month and links for Ramadan e-cards.
Veterans Day - November 11, 2007
History and Traditions
- Veterans Day 2007
- Information about this year's observances of Veterans Day from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Veterans Day from InfoPlease
- A short history of Veterans Day, formerly called Armistice Day; information about the Tomb of the Unknowns; and additional links for veteran statistics, war and memorial poems, the war dead, and the history of war and America's wars.
- Celebrating America's Freedoms
- Collection of stories about some of America's most beloved customs and national symbols, including the origins of national holidays such as Veterans Day and Memorial Day, flag etiquette, gun salutes, and much more. Educators, students and others should find this collection informative and helpful when researching or planning activities for national observances. From the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Our Flag
- Online publication of a Congressional booklet which briefly describes the history of the United States flag, and sets forth the practices and observances appropriate to its display. From the Joint Committee on Printing, US Congress.
Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day- History of the November 11 holiday and observances in the US and other countries. Includes graphics of posters from WWI and WWII, and links to more information on World War I and other military and veterans sites. From Sheryl's Holiday Site.
- Facts for Features: Veterans Day
- Quick statistics about US veterans from the US Census Bureau.
- NOBLEWEB: Veterans Day
- Additional Veterans Day links, from the North of Boston Library Exchange.
Just for Kids!
- Veterans Day Crafts, projects and Printouts
- These Veterans Day crafts projects are for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children. From the Enchanted Learning site.
- DLTK's Printable Crafts
- Coloring pages, crafts, and printables for Veterans Day for young children.
Thanksgiving - November 22, 2007
General Sites
- Best-Ever Thanksgiving
- Recipes, craft and decorating ideas, and kid-friendly activities from Familyfun.com.
- US Census Bureau Facts for Features
- Statistics and other fascinating information from US Census Bureau files on this most American of holidays.
- National Family History Day
- An initiative from the US Surgeon General, urging families to learn more about their family health history. "Tracing the illnesses suffered by your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders to which you may be at risk and take action to keep you and your family healthy."
History and Traditions
- You are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving
- A multimedia exploration of the first Thanksgiving, from the Plimoth Plantation site. Requires Macromedia Flash Player 6.
- The First Thanksgiving
- See a picture timeline of the Pilgrims' arrival and first year in Plymouth Colony, experience life on the Mayflower, learn about life among the Wampanoag, and take the Thanksgiving CyberChallenge! From Scholastic's Online Activities Center and Plimouth Plantation.
- Plimoth on the Web
- Learn about the Pilgrims and their first settlement at Plymouth, with articles on the First Thanksgiving, the Wampanoag Indians, and much more, from the living history museum devoted to Plimoth Plantation.
- The Pilgrim Story
- From the Pilgrim Hall Museum, in Plymouth, Mass.
- The Mayflower Web Pages
- History of the Mayflower, including passenger lists, Pilgrim writings, passenger wills and estate inventories, other primary documents, and much more on the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America for that first Thanksgiving!
- Thanksgiving Recipes from America's Past
- Original traditional holiday recipes -- from roasting a turkey to chestnut stuffing, 'pumpion' pie and cranberry tart!
- Thankgiving
- Short history of the holiday, lesson plans, and related links. From Patriotism.org, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools muticultural program.
Entertaining and Food
- Thanksgiving Help Lines
- Many big food companies have hotlines staffed with experienced Home Economists for instant, personalized help during the holidays. Here's a handy list of 800 numbers, from the USDA to Butterball, Reynolds, Betty Crocker, Ocean Spray, and many more, to help with those emergency Turkey Day questions! From About.com.
- Happy Thanksgiving from Epicurious
- Special stuffing recipes, regional menus from top chefs, and dessert ideas from Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and pastry chef Claudia Fleming. From the Epicurious Recipe Collection site.
- Food network: Thanksgiving 2007
- Menus, recipes, tips, step-by-step instructions, and more for Thanksgiving, from the Food Network's Holiday Archives.
- Turkey for the Holidays
- Cooking techniques, food safety, leftover ideas, and everything else you need to know about the favorite food for Thanksgiving day. From the University of Illinois Extension Service.
- Thanksgiving Holiday Guide
- Turkey tips, recipes, leftover ideas, and holiday alternatives from SFGate.com.
- Thanksgiving Breakfast
- Transform those holiday leftovers into exciting breakfasts! Includes 15 great cranberry recipes. From Mr. Breakfast.com.
- VegeTarian thanksgiving
- Vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipes from the Vegetarian Kitchen.
- Sinkie Day
- Celebrate Sinkie Day, the day after Thanksgiving! From the International Association of People who Dine over the Kitchen Sink.
Reading Lists . . . and More
- Movies for Turkey Day
- A list of films for Thanksgiving Day from the Springfield City Library.
- Thanksgiving Reading Ideas
- Reading suggestions in mystery, romance, general fiction, and non-fiction, with ideas for preschoolers, kids, and teens, too! From MyShelf.com.
- Thanksgiving Books for Children
- A list of stories, poems, and non-fiction books about the history and customs of Thanksgiving. From the librarians at NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange).
- Tellabration
- Tellabration is a worldwide benefit evening of storytelling. It creates a network of storytelling enthusiasts bonded together in spirit at the same time and on the same weekend. Tellabration is celebrated on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Check here for events in your region, or list your own.
- LANES: League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling
- A list of Massachusetts storytelling groups, including the Springfield Storytellers Association.
Just for Kids!
- Billy Bear's Happy Thanksgiving
- Games, puzzles, crafts, and coloring pages.
- Happy Thanksgiving from Kaboose.com
- Crafts, games and puzzles, riddles and jokes, clipart, coloring pages, recommended books for reading, and much more!
- Let's Talk Turkey
- Fun facts about patents and trademarks associated with the holiday from the Kids' Pages of the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Winter Solstice (Yule) - December 22, 2007, 1:08 aM
History and Traditions
Candlegrove's Ancient Origins of the Holidays- History, rituals, ceremonies, and traditions of the ancient festivals, Solstice, Sacae-Saturnalia and Yule.
- Sacred Plants of Winter Solstice
- Symbolic meanings of the plants and trees used during the winter holidays.
- Celebrating the Solstice
- Essay on the history and traditions of the winter solstice. From the School of the Seasons site.
- Winter Solstice Celebrations
- "Religious folk worldwide observe many seasonal days of celebration during the month of December. Most are religious holy days, and are linked in some way to the winter solstice." Discussions include Christmas, Saturnalia, Yule, and other historical and religious observances. From Religious Tolerance.org.
- Winter Solstice
- Scientific description of the solstice, from Eric Weisstein's World of Astronomy.
- Festival of Yalda
- Iranian solstice celebrations.
Just for Kids!
- Winter Solstice
- Quizzes, games, and other holiday activities from the Family Education Network.
- winter Fun from Kaboose.com
- Crafts, games, clipart, printable activities, book lists and more for kids.
Chanukah (Hanukkah) - December 4, 2007 (sunset) - December 12, 2007
History and Traditions
- Chanukah
- Story of the holiday, traditions, music, and recipes. From Judaism 101.
- Celebrating Hanukkah: Good Books for Teens & Tweens
- A booklist from the Springfield City Library.
- Hanukkah: Festival of Lights
- An introduction to the history of Hanukkah and the symbolism of the lights, together with games, music, and more. Presented by the World ORT Union, dedicated to education for the Jewish community.
- Hanukkah Music
- Streaming audio & MP3 files of music for Hanukkah. From the collections of the National Sound Archives and the David and Fela Shapell Family Digitization Project.
- How We Celebrate Hanukkah
- "Many Jewish holidays commemorate events invested with historical and religious meaning. Hanukkah means "dedication," and it commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by foreign forces. The celebration also reaffirms the continuing struggle to live by God's commandments and to lead Jewish lives." From the Jewish Outreach Institute.
- Virtual Chanukah
- Information about the Jewish holiday, a Chanukah how-to, stories, articles, recipes, media files, and more. A project of the American Friends of Lubavitch and the Chabad Online Network.
- History Of Hanukkah
- From the History Channel.
Entertaining and Food
- A Hanukkah that Sparkles
- Recipes, special treats, and how-tos from Epicurious.
- Hanukkah Recipes
- Recipes to keep you full for eight days straight during the "Festival of Light." From Food Network's Holiday Archives.
Just for Kids
- Chanukah Fun & Games
- Sponsored by Torah Tots, the site for Jewish children. Includes the history of the holiday, music, games, coloring pages and more.
- Chanukah Time at Kid's Domain
- Games and puzzles, crafts, clipart, e-cards, and more for young children.
- How to Play Dreidel
- Rules for the popular Hanukkah game. From MyJewishLearning.com.
Halloween | Día de los Muertos | Ramadan | Veterans Day | Thanksgiving | Winter Solstice
Chanukah | Christmas | Kwanzaa | New Year | Three Kings' Day | Chinese New Year
Christmas - December 25, 2007
Local Celebrations
- Bright Nights!
- Visit New England's largest holiday lighting display at Forest Park in Springfield.
General Sites
- Aristotle's Christmas on the Web
- In the spirit of the season Aristotle brings you tasty recipes, Christmas Trivia, a tale of Santa Claus, postcards to send to friends and family around the world, and more. From Aristotle Web Design.
- The Establishment "Claus": A Selective Guide to the Supreme Court's Christmas Cases
- A brief overview of various cases which have been argued before the US Supreme Court dealing with the public display of symbols of the holiday season and whether they are in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution. From LLRX, the Law Library Resource Xchange.
- Homepage for the Holidays at Merry-Christmas.com
- Recipes, music, Christmas movie reviews, games, coloring books, Kringle tales, activities, and more. Check out the holiday stories and traditions, e-mail Santa, or make holiday crafts. The Kids Zone page requires the Shockwave plugin, downloadable at the site.
- NORAD Tracks Santa Claus
- That's right! Check here on the big night to see where Santa is on his journey. Available in several languages. From the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Available after Thanksgiving. Requires the RealPlayer plug-in, downloadable at the site.
- Urban Legends Reference Pages: Christmas
- Check out the myths and legends of Christmas from the premier urban legends site: from Santa's reindeer to the Ultimate Fruitcake Recipe and much, much, more.
- Audubon Society: Christmas Bird Count
- Join the 107th Annual Christmas Bird Count. More than 50,000 observers participate each year in this all-day census of early-winter bird populations.
- US CEnsus Facts for Features: The Holiday Season
- The holiday season, with its many traditions, family gatherings and general good feelings, will soon be upon us. To commemorate this time of year, the U.S. Census Bureau presents these holiday-related facts and figures from its data collection.
History and Traditions
- A Religious Christmas
- Remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Links to Scripture, music, art, drama, sermons, and essays. From St. John's Lutheran Church in Wisconsin.
- An AMerican Christmas: Decade by Decade
- An exhibit from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
- Christmas at the History Channel
- Online exhibits from the History Channel on the development of the Christmas holiday from ancient winter solstice practices; world traditions of the holiday; the evolution of the Santa Claus legend; and the history of Chrismas trees.
- How Christmas Works
- A guide and explanation of various Christmas and holiday traditions, from the How Stuff Works site.
- A Victorian Christmas
- Holiday decorating and entertaining ideas, cards, gifts, children's toys and crafts -- from 19th century magazines. Great place to search for the history of Christmas in the Victorian era.
- History of the Advent Calendar
- Short history from an online calendar store in Germany.
- Christmas: The Story, Customs and Traditions
- A collection of information about Christmas, covering customs, the Christmas story, and historical and geographical background, with links to sites where you can write to Santa, find recipes and more on the Christmas theme. From the Rainbow family.
- Symbols in Christian Art & Architecture
- A resource for learning the language of Christian symbols.
- True Cost of the 12 Days of Christmas
- PNC calculates the Christmas Price Index each year as a fun, lighthearted way to look at the increasing cost of goods and services bought by the True Love in the holiday classic, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Christmas Around the World
- Christmas Around the World!
- The folks at the Christmas.com site have put together a great page for learning about Christmas traditions in countries around the world. Find out how the holiday is celebrated in South America, Europe, and other areas. Includes information about the history of holiday symbols.
- Christmas Traditions from Around the World
- Short explanations of the ways in which Christmas is celebrated in other countries, geared for young children. From Northpole.net. Includes games, greetings from Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Rudolph, music, and an opportunity to e-mail Santa.
- Holiday Traditions: Christmas around the World
- More holiday traditions for countries from Armenia to Wales. From the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
For more information about Christmas traditions and symbols, and celebrations in other countries, try the following sites:
- Noël Éternel: Christmas Traditions and Customs - In English and French
- Puerto Rican Christmas
- Boxing Day: December 26
- Christmas in Mexico - In Spanish and English
- Christmas Traditions in France and in Canada
- Christmas in the British Isles
- Irish Christmas Traditions
- Christmas in Poland
- Polish Christmas Traditions
- Santa's Net: Christmas Traditions Around the World
- The-North-Pole: Christmas Around the World
- Christmas in Sweden
- Yul in Iceland
Entertaining and Food
- Christmas Spectacular from Epicurious Food
- Check here for holiday recipes, menu ideas, helpful hints, and more from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines.
- Christmas Entertaining
- Menus, tips, and recipes to help you survive the season from the Food Network's Holiday Archives.
- Christmas-Cookies.com
- Over 365 recipes for Christmas cookies from around the world. Includes a recipes exchange section and recommended cookbooks.
- Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes
- From the German Embassy.
- Holiday Drink Recipes
- Egg nogs, hot drinks and bowls, and other classic holiday drinks from the Webtender, the online bartender.
- Holiday Etiquette
- Tips from the Emily Post Institute.
- Christmas Food History
- A 'food timeline' of favorite Christmas recipes and historic Christmas menus.
- Gingerbread Heaven
- Gingerbread recipes and directions to build a gingerbread house.
Crafts and Decorating
- Christmas Crafts
- Ideas and online instructions for homemade Christmas crafts. From Imagitek.com.
- Decorating & Wrapping with NAture
- Quick and easy ideas for decorating both your home and your gifts with the seasonal magic of nature.
- Do It Yourself: Invitations & Gift Wrapping
- From the DIY network.
- Free Christmas Craft Patterns
- Free craft patterns and projects from North Pole Christmas.
- Free Christmas Craft Projects
- From AllCrafts.net.
- Gift Wrapping Alternatives
- Earth-friendly choices for gift wrapping.
- Holiday Craft Countdown: 30 Days of Crafts
- A calendar of holiday craft projects from mid-November through mid-December. Includes an archive of additional holiday craft projects. From HGTV (Home & Garden Television).
- Old Fashioned Holidays
- Traditions, crafts, recipes, and more for celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and creating your own family memories.
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Page: Flora and Fauna
- Care and feeding tips for Christmas trees, poinsettia, and other Christmas plants; reindeer lore; and safety tips for your pets during the holiday season. Spend some time checking out some of the other great pages at this site!
- Christmas Trees and More
- Buying, trimming, safety tips, and more, from the University of Illinois Extension
- National Christmas Tree Association
- Information on buying and caring for a fresh Christmas tree for the holiday season, with special sections for teachers and kids!
- Christmas Plants and Growing Tips
- From the Gardener's Resource Center at Fernlea Flowers.
- Poinsettia Pages
- History, facts, and care tips about the quintessential Christmas plant.
Songs and Stories...and More!
- Classic Christmas Movies
- A film list from the Springfield City Library.
- Christmas Songs
- Song lyrics and MIDI files for religious and secular holiday music. From Catholic.net.
- Canciones de Navidad
- Un índice de villancicos.
Holiday Safety and Other Tips
- Coping with Holiday Stress
- The holidays can be fun, but they also can be a source of great stress - and no wonder! Get some helpful hints from the APA Help Center.
- Celebrating the Holidays in an Interfaith Family
- An essay on finding solutions for celebrating religious holidays in an interfaith family, from the BabyCenter.
- Dr. Toy's Holiday Gift Guide
- A list of the best toys on the market, safety guidelines, and recommendations for holiday toy buying for 2005.
- Toy Hazard Recalls
- From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
- Toy Safety Publications
- Downloadable pamphlets and factsheets on toy safety from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Toy Safety.Net
- The 20th annual survey of toy safety, from the National Association of State PIRGS.
- A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety
- A factsheet on holiday fire prevention, from the US Fire Administration.
- Tips for Holiday Shopping
- Don't get ripped off this holiday season -- review these consumer tips from the Federal Trade Commission! Includes recommendations for shopping online.
- Tips on Toys
- Choosing safe toys for children, from the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- Alzheimer's: PLanning for the Holidays
- Tips and advice from the Mayo Clinic for this stressful time.
Charitable Giving
- Holiday Giving Guide 2005
- From Charity Navigator, this guide includes a list of giving tips; information about the importance of end-of-year giving; and a listing of highest and lowest rated charities.
- Toys for Tots Foundation
- Information about the annual Marine charity for underprivileged children, including contact information for individual programs throughout the country.
- SecretSanta.org
- Find or list local toy drives and browse the list of Christmas sites.
Just for Kids
- Christmas Crafts for Kids
- Imaginative craft projects for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school children. From Enchanted Learning Software.
- Christmas Coloring Pages
- Free coloring pages for kids with a Christmas theme. And visit the Holiday Coloring Page for special pages for Kwanzaa, New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, and more!
- Christmas Time at Kid's Domain
- Crafts, contests, software, clipart, games, coloring pages, and more fun!
- Winter Carnival at the Patent Office
- Fun facts about patents and trademarks for the wintertime and winter holidays from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
- NORAD Tracks Santa Claus
- That's right! Check here on the big night to see where Santa is on his journey. Available in several languages. From the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Available in November. Requires the RealPlayer plug-in, downloadable at the site.
- Pathfinders for Kids: Christmas History
- Suggested books, websites and related pathfinders for the history of Christmas. From the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library.
Kwanzaa - December 26, 2007 - January 1, 2008
History and Traditions
Kwanzaa Information Center- A comprehensive online guide to the African-American celebration, including history, symbolism, sights and sounds, online chat. From MelaNet.
- Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture
- From Organization Us and Dr. Maulana Karenga, founder of the Kwanzaa celebration, with an account of the holiday's origins, concepts, values, symbols and practice. The official Kwanzaa website.
- Everything About Kwanzaa
- An explanation of the symbols and meanings of the holiday and suggestions for decorating, gifts, and the Kwanzaa feast. From Tike, the International Kwanzaa Exchange.
- Kwanzaa: An African-American Celebration
- A short page listing the seven principles, definitions, colors, and ritual for the celebration, with links to other resources.
- Kwanzaa
- History of the Kwanzaa celebrations, from the History Channel.
Entertaining and Food
- Sankofa: Kwanzaa Recipes
- Great recipe ideas for the Kwanzaa celebration!
- Kwanzaa
- Recipes for a flavorful holiday from the Food Network.
Just for Kids!
- Kwanzaa Time at Kid's Domain
- Games, craft projects, music, video and links to other resources.
- Kwanzaa Activities for Children
- Crafts, posters, coloring pages and more, from DLTK.
- Kwanzaa Fun from Billy Bear
- Games, crafts, clipart, and more.
- Celebration of Kwanzaa
- From Holidays.net.
New Year - January 1, 2008
Celebrations
- First Night Boston
- First Night celebrations in Boston, with information on other First Night events around the country.
- New Year's Eve at Times Square
- Information about the annual festivities from the Times Square Alliance.
- Countdown to New Year 2007
- Check out timeanddate.com which supplies New Year countdowns for time zones around the world.
History and Traditions
Top 10 Most Common New Year Resolutions- From Trivia Daily.
- Making a New Year's Resolution
- Tips & tricks for making -- and keeping -- promises for the New Year.
- New Year Resolutions
- History of New Year's resolutions and other facts and figures about the holiday.
- Auld Lang Syne
- Lyrics to the most popular New Year's song, sound files for the song as performed by Wild Mountain Thyme, and links to sites about Robert Burns.
- Hogmanay Explained
- Information about the Scottish New Year celebration, called Hogmanay. From the Rampant Scotland site.
- New Year's Celebrations from Around the World
- Articles about worldwide New Year's traditions, from Topics, an online magazine for learners of English.
Just for Kids!
- KIDPROJ Multicultural Calendar
- Children from around the world describe how their families celebrate the New Year.
- New Year's Day at Kids Domain
- Arts, crafts, and other activities for celebrating New Year's Day.
Three Kings' Day (El Día de los Reyes) - Epiphany - Twelfth Night - January 5/6, 2008
History and Traditions
- The Season of Epiphany
- The meaning and tradition of Epiphany, daily readings, the twelve days of Christmas, the church year. From Christian Resource Institute.
Los Reyes Magos- Historia, significado e imágenes de la fiesta de los reyes e información sobre la peregrinación.
- Los Reyes
- The traditions of Los Reyes Magos in Puerto Rico. From El Boricua.
- Annie's Epiphany Page
- Information about the definition and celebration of Epiphany around the world, with links to artworks, biblical references, and other resources.
- Epiphany Links and Resources
- From The Text This Week, a website deovted to scripture study and worship links and resources.
- Epiphany
- History of the holiday from the Catholic Encyclopedia.
- Epiphany and The Blessing of Water
- Byzantine rite observances of the holiday.
- Epiphany and Three Kings Day
- Customs of the holiday with links to additional resources.
- History of King Cakes
- A New Orleans favorite, the king cake traditionally was served on "Little Christmas" or "Kings' Day," other names for the Feast of the Epiphany. Today, the cake is served throughout the "Epiphany season," or until Mardi Gras. Includes recipes. From Nola.com.
Chinese New Year -February 7, 2008; Year of the Rat
History and Traditions
- Chinese New Year
- Information about the Chinese New Year and the Chinese calendar from the China the Beautiful site.
- Chinese New Year
- A large collection of links to recipes, traditions, greetings, graphics, calendars, stamps, and zodiac.
- Celebrating Chinese New Year
- Recipes and other tips from the Food Network.
- Celebration of the Chinese New Year
- Explains the customs and traditions associated with the holiday. From the Chinese Culture Center.
- Holiday Traditions: Chinese New Year
- From the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
Just for Kids!
- Chinese New Year at Kids Domain
- Links to calendar, crafts, folk tales, paper cutting, games, and more.
- Chinese New Year for Kids
- Coloring pages, crafts, easy recipes, and more from DLTK.
- Countdown to the New year
- Easy games to help children get ready for the Chinese New Year. From the PBS program, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat.
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Chanukah | Christmas | Kwanzaa | New Year | Three Kings' Day | Chinese New Year
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