Psst! There’s a video, too: And if you’d rather take this info in through a video, check out my YouTube channel below. Please like and comment while you’re there: 8 Strange Facts about The 4th of July How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you’re American, chances are you’ll join family and friends for a backyard barbecue and a firework display. But how much do you really know about this annual summer celebration? I do a lot of newspaper research for the books I write. Not only is it a great way to separate Urban Legends from actual…
Tag: holiday
Memorial Day’s Surprising Origins Did you know that Memorial Day began as a remembrance for Union soldiers who lost their lives in the American Civil War (1861-1865)? After World War I, this federal holiday was changed to honor all men and women who lost their lives in any US military conflict. Before that, Memorial Day was all about the north! Decoration Day Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. The word “decoration” refers to flags and bouquets with which citizens decorated the graves of fallen soldiers. This name wasn’t changed until after World War II. Why is Memorial Day in…
What the Heck is Juneteenth? In this era of cell phones and social networking, it’s easy to forget news did not always travel so quickly. Case in point: even though Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd, 1862, slaves in Texas did not learn of their freedom until nearly two and a half years later! Can you imagine finding out that you were no longer a slave, and that you had actually been free for the past two years? Juneteenth celebrates the day Texans finally got wind of this tremendous news! Here’s the story in a nut shell:…
Book Lovers Blog Hop = Free eBooks & Swag It doesn’t matter whether you’re on Santa’s naughty or nice list, all you have to do this week for free eBooks & nifty book-related swag is hop through the links on this page: The Holiday Gift Exchange – Book Lovers Blog Hop But don’t hop away, yet. *This* post is one of the blog hop stops! My Gifts to You Since this holiday blog hop caters to book lovers, I created a freebie highlighting my favorite independent bookstore: Booked Up in Archer City, Texas. Booked Up is a labor of love…
X is for: XXX Brand Root Beer The XXX brand name first appeared in 1895 in Galveston, Texas as the moniker for a keg beer stored in oak barrels labeled, “XXX.” Hence, the name! (They could just as well have been stamped Gurglthwang, in which case I would have had to choose something different for this letter.) Years later, during the Prohibition Era, when alcoholic beverages were made illegal in the USA, the beer brewery shifted its focus towards soda pop. Although the company brewed a variety of flavors, such as cream, lemon lime, orange, chocolate and even a cola,…
Welcome to Saturday Show & Tell This week’s blog carnival has International Womens Day for a theme, since March 8th, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of that celebration. Today’s roundup features 9 different bloggers, and offers a variety of perspectives on the female experience, with topics ranging from guilt-ridden Spring cleaning to guilt-free masturbation. Cherrye Moore kicks off this edition with a post entitled Happy International Womens Day. Cherrye is an American expat living in Italy, and her post explains how this holiday is celebrated in Italy. Katie Greenaway also muses about International Womens Day, Italian style, in a post…