Why People Make New Year’s Resolutions

The custom of making a New Year’s resolution goes back farther than you might think! According to History.com, the ancient Babylonians are said to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, some 4,000 years ago. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year, which, for them, began in mid-March when the crops were planted. There was a 12-day festival known as Akitu, when the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects … Continue reading →

How to Recycle After Christmas is Over

Many families enjoy decorating for Christmas. This includes both indoor and outdoor decorations. After Christmas, families begin storing their Christmas decorations. What can you do with items that cannot be re-used? It might be possible to recycle them! Real Christmas trees can be recycled. The first thing to do is call your local recycling center, or your local waste management authority. Ask if they will recycle Christmas trees before bringing your tree to the facility. Your local zoo may be collecting recycled Christmas trees to be used as treats for their animals. Before you go – be sure to remove … Continue reading →

Celebrate Christmas Safely During COVID-19

Christmas celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic will be somewhat different than in previous years. You can still celebrate with your favorite traditions if you take steps to keep everyone as safe as possible. No one wants COVID-19 for Christmas. Tour Outdoor Light Displays It has become tradition for people to decorate the outside of their homes with festive lights and stand-up decorations. There may be a street near you where the entire block created elaborate scenes, complete with lights, music, and large stand-up decorations. The safest way for your family to enjoy these displays is from the warmth and safety … Continue reading →

Keep the Kids Entertained on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is family time. In previous years, you may have celebrated this holiday with plenty of family members. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it unsafe for large groups of people to gather together indoors. How will you keep the kids entertained while dinner is being prepared? Here are a few ideas to try. Thanksgiving Coloring Pages Gather up the crayons and print out some Thanksgiving themed coloring pages from the internet. Crayola.com offers some free Thanksgiving coloring pages for parents to download for their kids. Another option is to buy a large sketchbook and give each child a … Continue reading →

Día de los Muertos During COVID-19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued guidance that can help keep your family safe and healthy while celebrating Día de los Muertos. Celebrations must be done differently this year in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The CDC points out that if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Día de los Muertos festivities. There are safer ways to celebrate the holiday. The CDC recommends these lower risk activities: Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering … Continue reading →

Halloween Safety During COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have posted information parents should consider before making decisions about how to celebrate Halloween this year. The purpose of these guidelines is to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC, if you may have COVID-19, or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities. You also should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters. The following activities are lower risk: Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with … Continue reading →

How to Avoid Politics on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time when families get together, eat a traditional meal, and share what they are thankful for. Many families look forward to spending time with relatives on Thanksgiving. Other families, however, might not get along with each other very well. Here are some tips to avoid political arguments on Thanksgiving. You may have relatives that post way too many political things. This can be irritating if you disagree with their viewpoints. If you will be sitting at the table with those relatives on Thanksgiving – mute them as soon as possible. Doing so might make you hate them … Continue reading →

Your Child will not be Poisoned by Halloween Candy

It is reasonable for parents to want to do everything they can to keep their children safe. Unfortunately, this desire for security can cause some parents to believe urban legends, and inaccurate news articles, regarding Halloween candy. Rest assured, there is no credible evidence of people handing out poisoned Halloween candy. Snopes.com has put together a detailed history of the urban legend about poisoned Halloween candy. The most famous incident occurred in 1974. A father in Houston, Texas, intentionally purchased cyanide and used it to poison Pixie Stix. He gave one of the poisoned candies to his son, one to … Continue reading →

Family New Year’s Resolutions

Do your New Year’s resolutions fizzle out before February? That’s pretty common. One way to ensure that you keep working on your New Year’s resolution is to make yourself accountable to someone else about it. Make some family New Year’s resolutions that everyone can work on together. Your kids can learn a lot from the experience! Learn a New Language Did your grandparents speak a language other than English? Make a New Year’s resolution to have your whole family start learning that language. Relatives who already speak it can help. People learn the most when they are having fun. Pick … Continue reading →

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Family

The start of a brand new year inspires many people to make some New Year’s resolutions. They make a promise to themselves to work on something specific that they believe will make them happier or healthier. This year, take the opportunity to make some New Year’s resolutions that focus on your family. You can make family New Year’s resolutions as part of your New Year’s Eve celebration. Sit down with your family and make some resolutions together. Decide on things that your family members want to work on as a team. The best part of family resolutions is that everyone … Continue reading →