Help with Buying Lead Free Toys This Christmas

Are you worried about buying toys this year? With all of the recent recalls of lead-tainted toys, you may be wondering which toys are safe to buy children for Christmas. Here is your guide to ensure that you and your loved ones have a safe, lead-free holiday season.

Get the list of safe toy makers here.

History of Halloween

Antique postcard with common images of Halloween.

Halloween conjures up images of jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, witches, sweet treats, and children dressed in costumes for an evening of trick-or-treating. Across the United States an estimated 36.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 13 will participate in trick-or-treating. The United States produces 805 million pounds of pumpkins that get carved into jack-o-lanterns. Every October 31^st porches across the United States get decorated with jack-o-lanterns; windows with images of ghosts, black cats, and witches; streets are filled with children in costumes who go from door to door with open bags yelling, “trick or treat” in hopes of receiving their favorite candies and treats. Millions happily participate in Halloween traditions each year, but what are the origins of the holiday?

The Halloween we know today began in Ireland centuries before Christ. Warriors called the Celts lived throughout the British Isles and north of France. The Celts lived off of the earth and like anyone who lives off of the earth knows, nature can be both friend and foe. They were at the mercy of the elements and winter was the scariest time of all. For the early Celts, once their harvest time was in, that was it; there was no way of getting more food. When winter began to set in, the Celts would begin thinking about their own mortality. As winter started, the Celts would ask the druids, or high priests, to pray for them. The most important night of prayer occurred at the end of their fall harvest. The Celts believed that on that night, the boundary between the living world and the spirit world was unusually thin-so thin that the souls of the dead could roam freely back and forth. This night was called Samhain (pronounced “SOW-in”) and was very important to the Celts. Samhain represented the transition from the summer to the winter. This transitional time was very magical to the Celts. On Samhain night only, the Celts believed that the dead could walk the earth once more. Not every visiting ghost was friendly so the Celts devised ways to appease these spirits. The Celts would travel to the edges of their villages with offerings. This would coax any evil forces away from their homes. They would leave foods and sweets outside as gifts for the dead. This tradition would eventually become trick-or-treating. This is also the origin of the fear of the dead that is associated with Halloween.  There’s more!  Keep reading…

Fourth of July Tip: Flag Etiquette

July 4, 2007 is America’s 231^st birthday. The fourth of July is celebrated as the day of independence, or Independence Day. Independence Day celebrates the signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which occurred on July 4, 1776.

The 4^th of July is a time for fireworks, parades, picnics, beer, “bombs bursting in air” and the red, white and blue. The American flag is a common fixture utilized in celebration of Independence Day.

Did you know there are rules to follow in order to correctly display the American flag? Here are some etiquette tips and guidelines to follow when displaying the flag.  Read the tips here.