Celebrate some holidays other than the traditional ones we all know about.

According to Holidays on the Net, everyday is a holiday. There are holidays that are only celebrated in the United States and those that are celebrated in other countries. I thought I was doing a good job by celebrating the major holidays, but I realize how much we missed by not celebrating so many others.

We could have started by making a list of holidays for the month. We could have learned about each holiday in advance, made our family plans, and then celebrated each day as it arrived.

On days honoring people, like MLK Day or Columbus Day, we could have read about the lives of these people. We would have understood the reasons for declaring a holiday in their honor. We could have designed activities to pay tribute to these people, then researched and participated in traditional observations of the day.

On religious holidays like Passover or Ramadan, we could have examined different religions. We would have developed an understanding of those who worship differently than we do. On religious holidays that coincide with our regular holidays, like Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, we could have found commonalities that make us more similar than different.

On holidays that have developed from tradition, like April Fool's Day or Groundhog's Day, we would have learned the beginnings of these holidays, and developed new ways of celebrating the day. We could have even created our own ways to celebrate.

On political holidays like Veteran's Day or Election Day, we would have looked a little closer at the workings of our country, and found ways to honor those represented on these days. We could have learned more about our government and our responsibilities as citizens.

On days we celebrate other countries, like Cinco De Mayo and All Saints Day, we could have learned the national importance of these days. We would have practiced the customs of another culture and embraced their language, foods, and history.

On days we celebrate our world, like Earth Day or Arbor Day, we could have understood the importance of these days and researched ways to make our planet better. We could have used these days to develop habits that could clean up our world and make it healthier.

By taking a closer look at many different holidays, we could have developed a greater appreciation for the declarations of those holidays. By learning and celebrating these holidays as a family, we could have realized our family extends beyond the walls of our home, to our country and our world.

About the Author:

Luanne Davidson is the proud mother of three adult children and wonders what might have been if she had done a thing or two differently. She writes her "Coulda, Woudla, Shoulda" column each Thursday.

2 others have done this "5 minutes of caring" To date, you've cared for 0 minutes on CoolPeopleCare.org

Post a comment

You must be a registered user to post comments.
Log in or create an account.