Category: Autumn
Culture Notes - Sept 30 ‘07
Hollywood Fails to Anticipate Afghan Views on Dishonor in Filming of Kite Runner. The movie version of the excellent and hugely popular novel by Khaled Hosseini was filmed with an Afghan cast. Some of the actors, including the boy who plays the lead role, didn’t completely understand some of the plot elements before [...] Read More »
The American Thanksgiving Weekend
The American Thanksgiving Day celebrations kick off what for most people is a four-day holiday. Aside from eating a big Turkey dinner on Thursday, here are some of the other activities that people engage in over that weekend:
1. American football: There are two nationally-televised football games on Thanksgiving Day, with special entertainments scheduled [...] Read More »
American Thanksgiving Day
On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans celebrate their Thanksgiving Day festival. It is a day centered on bringing families together for a Thanksgiving Day feast, followed by a long weekend holiday that begins the holiday season leading up to Christmas and the end-of-year celebrations.
It is one of the busiest travel times of the [...] Read More »
Shichi-Go-San Matsuri (“Seven-Five-Three Festival”)
On November 15 is Shichi-go-san in Japan – a day that is a rite of passage for young children, focused on celebrating their good health and longevity. Shichi-go-san literally translates as “Seven-Five-Three,” and it includes traditions and celebrations for boys aged three and five, and for girls aged three and seven. In Japanese [...] Read More »
Remembrance Day and the Poppy
On Remembrance Day -- November 11 -- also known as Armistice Day or Veteran's Day, it is traditional to wear a poppy flower to commemorate those killed in World War 1 and other wars. The Flanders poppy (Papaver rhoeas) grew profusely in the trenches and craters of the war zone. Artillery shells and shrapnel [...] Read More »
Veteran’s Day, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Poppy Day
The U.S. holiday of Veteran’s Day is known as Remembrance Day in Australia, Canada, Colombia, UK and Ireland, as Poppy Day in South Africa and Malta, and as Armistice Day in the U.K., New Zealand and many other Commonwealth countries. It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of World War I [...] Read More »
Diwali in Pakistan
This picture from pakkpics shows Hindu girls performing religious rituals as they celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. In this picture, they are making offerings and lighting candles to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into their home. It was taken on October 22, 2006 in Rawalpindi, and originally uploaded by lucky_khan. Read More »
Los Dias de los Muertos
On November 1st and 2nd, many countries celebrate All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In some Latin American countries, the day is known as Los Dias de los Muertos (“The Days of the Dead”). In Mexico, these days have become a spectacular national holiday. Unlike many [...] Read More »
All Souls’ Day (Defuncts’ Day)
All Souls’ Day is a Roman Catholic holiday celebrated on November 2nd. (If that day falls on a Sunday, then All Souls’ Day is moved to November 3rd, since it is not permitted to wear black clothing on Sundays.) Like All Saints’ Day (November 1st), it is celebrated in many countries, including Belgium, [...] Read More »
The Origin of the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Tradition
In America, families carve jack-o-lanterns – lanterns made from carved pumpkins and display them to celebrate Halloween.
The Legend of Stingy Jack
The tradition was brought to America by Irish and Scottish immigrants. It originated in an Irish legend about a man named “Stingy Jack” who tricked the Devil. First, he invited the Devil [...] Read More »
