Holiday Traditions

Dive into the vibrant tapestry of Jewish festivities with "Discovering Jewish Holidays and Traditions" a comprehensive guide crafted to immerse non-Jewish readers into the incredible richness of these cherished celebrations. What makes this book truly unique is its innovative approach—a seamless blend of enjoyable storytelling and enlightening explanations. Journey through lively anecdotes that provide profound insights into holiday customs, unlocking the cultural depth embedded in each tradition. From joyous celebrations to reflective observances, gain a profound understanding of the ...

Ever wonder why everyone wants to immigrate to America? Rediscovering America answers that question, and it’s like no other history you have ever encountered. More than an account of people, dates, and events, this story is about the hidden hand of a purposeful historical development where the main actors are colorful characters, participating in an American drama of little-known but remarkable events where overcoming incredible odds of failure is more unbelievable and engaging than fiction.

Once fall hits and the chilly weather settles in, the holiday season has begun! And nothing embodies holiday spirit more than the continuing of family traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. May it be sharing stories at the dinner table, laughs on the porch, or just time spent alone - everyone has their own ritual. Join Dana Cowin, author and former editor-in-chief of Food & Wine, as she chats with some of today’s most popular chefs and food personalities.

It is one year after the triplets changed their lives and relocated to Asheville, each starting off in a new direction. Once again, the holidays bring challenges and change, happiness and heartbreak, and the power of unbreakable family bonds. Join these strong, funny, and loving women as the holiday spirit lifts them as high as the Blue Ridge Mountains as they celebrate old traditions and create a few new ones along the way.

From silly mix-ups and sweet surprises to timeless traditions and magical memories, Christmas Bedtime Stories for Kids (Part 3) wraps your child in cozy, comforting stories that celebrate connection, kindness, and family love. Each tale is short, soothing, and perfect for toddlers and kids to drift off to sleep with the spirit of Christmas in their hearts.

The holly-jolly holidays aren’t for everyone, least of all when you look back on that one Christmas when there were two definitely haunted dolls waiting for you and your sister under the tree. You have to assume that’s where it all started. And so it was for Jenny Lawson. Now, she lives in the land of eternal Halloween, as evidenced by her interior decor and general state of darkness. (Although, if you ask her, her taxidermy zoo is less dark, more delightful. But not everyone has taste, so what are you going to do?)

Holiday traditions are so deeply entrenched in our culture, but represent a deception so complete that they have become one of Satan’s greatest victories. You've grown up celebrating various holidays, yet you don't know where they originate. They come from the celebration of pagan gods. You owe it to yourself to learn the truth. Find out how the observance of these holidays may be robbing you of spiritual fulfillment.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.

Five wishes...one special place...and a miracle to make it happen each Christmas. The Summers family always chose somewhere special to spend their Christmas holiday instead of at home. Every year their holiday vacation destination was different and carefully determined their Christmas wishes. Hannah and her children loved their Christmas holiday tradition even though it was never easy for everyone to be completely satisfied and this year was no different...or was it? Daniel Summers quickly offered to handle the arrangements for their upcoming Christmas holiday vacation. He knew his mother ...

In recent years many claims have been made and questions asked about the origins of our Easter traditions. Was the holiday based on Pagan traditions? Was Easter created by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Nicaea? Where did Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny come from? How did Lent get started? Should Christians celebrate Easter, or should we be celebrating Passover? In this book we try to go back to the origins of these traditions and examine the historical evidence available to us to see where all of these traditions got started. Starting with the Bible as our guide, we work our ...

This book highlights diverse Christmas traditions from various countries on every continent. Curl up by a cozy fire and go for a virtual sleigh ride around the world. You will delight in learning about our world's rich and varied holiday traditions.

Step into the rhythm of the seasons and discover how ancient traditions can bring meaning, balance, and joy to modern life. Celebrating the Wheel of the Year: Modern Pagan Holidays, Traditions, and Rituals for Every Season is a complete guide to the eight Sabbats - Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, and Mabon - and the practices that surround them. Written for both beginners and experienced seekers, this book shows you how to honor nature’s cycles with rituals, seasonal crafts, family-friendly activities, and mindful reflections that make every celebration your own. ...

Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor "wassailers" extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Stephen Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas's carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.

An empty nest. A house full of memories. A husband with his own dreams. And one Christmas that could change everything. For Judith Winters, the holidays have always meant family—laughter, traditions, and a tree covered with ornaments that hold treasured memories. But this year, for the first time, not one of her children or grandchildren will be home. With only her husband, Stan, for company, Judith finds herself unable to rekindle any of the holiday joy that once flowed so easily. Then, while unpacking what Stan nicknamed the “ugly ornaments,” Judith is reminded of the past in ways ...

Día de los Muertos is a special holiday to remember and celebrate loved ones. It is a Mexican tradition held to honor those who have died. Some people dress up and go to parades. Others sing, dance, and eat special food. Others decorate altars with flowers and make offerings. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

This FBI agent’s new mission? Busting Santa Claus. Joan Jenkins just took down one of the FBI’s most-wanted fugitives. But an injury forces her to go home and recover. That’s where she comes face-to-face with her childhood nemesis. Nick Goodman, III, is trying to inherit the family business. But he needs one more thing before the Christmas deadline. His Mrs. Claus. He might have just found the perfect candidate. Too bad she’s trying to bust him for fraud. This might call for a little holiday magic to turn these enemies into lovers. Spying on Santa is a sweet-ish holiday romantic ...

Young listeners learn about the early traditions which have led to our present-day celebration of Halloween.

Some people are Christmas people, but Jill Jacobs is most certainly not. She hasn’t been ever since her hometown love broke her heart on Christmas Eve three years ago. After that, Jill moved to L.A. to pursue her dream of becoming a screenwriter. She hasn’t been home in years to avoid her ex...

In this hilariously irreverent collection of essays, Jen Mann, nationally best-selling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat, turns her mordant wit on the holidays. On Mann's naughty list: mothers who go way overboard with their Elf on the Shelf, overzealous carolers who can't take a hint, and people who write their Christmas cards in the third person ("Joyce is enjoying Bunko. Yeah, Joyce, we know you wrote this letter."). And on her nice list...well, she's working on that one.

Sam Adams is a retired professor with a bad heart. He lives alone with his aging cat in the home he shared for 47 years with his recently departed wife. Christmas is two weeks away—and this one will be special. Sam’s only son, Roger, and his two grandchildren, are coming home. After learning the joyous news, Sam scrambles to make a holiday home the way his wife once did. He soon realizes it is much hard work; as well as the humbling fact that more than one of his friends and neighbors will likely not have a Christmas as good as his—unless someone helps them out. After many anxious ...