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Category Archives: Holidays
America at 250: An Experiment Still Running
Two hundred and fifty years. That’s an impressive number, although admittedly less impressive if you’re standing next to an Egyptian pyramid, on a Roman road or in a Chinese temple that’s older than your entire civilization. By the standards of … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Society
Tagged 1776, 2026, 250, America, American Dream, celebration, Declaration of Independence, founding fathers, freedom, hope, Independence Day, opportunity
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How We Forgot the True Meaning of Decoration Day (and Found a Great Deal on Mattresses)
There was a time when Americans looked at a field full of graves and thought, “We should bring flowers.” Now we look at a three-day weekend and think, “Forty percent off patio furniture!” Progress is a mysterious thing. Mostly, it … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Retail
Tagged Civil War, Decoration Day, history, marketing, mattress sale, Memorial Day, remembrance, sacrifice
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Hug Your Cat Before It Plots Against You Day
Last November, amidst the noble surrender of Chaos Never Dies Day, I stumbled upon a dark whispered necessity, a holiday so vital to the survival of the human race, that I promised to research it further, the “Hug Your Cat … Continue reading
Friday the 13th: The Double Feature
Last month, we survived the first Friday the 13th of the year. We checked our blind spots, avoided ladders and perhaps felt a smug sense of relief when the clock struck midnight as the calendar rolled over to the 14th. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged 28, calendar, déjà vu, Friday the 13th, Gregorian Calendar, horror, Rule of 3, science, sequel, superstition, trilogy
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International Women’s Day: Beyond the Bouquet
If you look at International Women’s Day on social media, you might think it’s a holiday for bouquets, compliments and being told how nurturing you are. The world pauses, at least briefly, to recognize half of humanity, often with flowers … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged culture, equality, equity, family, gender, girl power, glass ceiling, International Women's Day, unyielding floor, women
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Fifty States of I Do
On this Valentine’s Day I wish to invite you to my dubiously legal quest for interstate matrimony. Remember that giddy, slightly unhinged feeling when you first get married, where every grand gesture seems perfectly reasonable? For my wife and me … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged bigamy, collectibles, commitment, family, law, legal drama, marriage, Valentine's Day
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Superstition, Statistics and Our Unshakable Love of Spooky Math
It’s not quite Halloween. There are no ghosts, no monsters, no spooky hauntings, no plastic skeletons on the lawn, no “fun-size” candy bars clogging the pantry and no neighbors dressed as inflatable dinosaurs, at least not in the costume aisle … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged black cats, Friday the 13th, Halloween, luck, psychology, science, superstition, triskaidekaphobia
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I’ve Seen This Boom Before: A Guide to Corporate Gold Rushes
Howdy, partner! Listen close, ‘cause it’s Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day. It’s a durn fine chance to look at these fancy-pants modern gold rushes through the dusty eyes of old-timers, back when a rusty pick, a sturdy shovel and … Continue reading