Happy Thanksgiving!

Celebrate Your Pet  

Is it your pet's birthday?  Maybe its their “Got ya day” (day you became their pet parent).  Maybe you just picked out a random date that you designated to celebrate your favorite cuddly buddy.  Whether your pet has a special day or not, take some time to think about ways to celebrate it.  Mark the day with something different a new toy or a fun event.  You will not regret it.

So today was our dog Jack Oliver’s 12th birthday.  We adopted him from our local shelter when he was 7.  I always write their birthdays or “Got Ya days” on my Calendar, but I never quite knew what to do to actually celebrate them.   Because of the Holiday Chicks project, and my friend Barbara, who loves to celebrate everything, especially her dogs' special days.  I  jumped on the bandwagon.  It was so much fun.  The dogs had a great time and so did my husband and I.  

November..  It speaks to so many delicious and wonderful things to me. 

Harvest, good friends, family, hygge (the danish art of coziness), apple cider, pumpkin spice,. hot toddies, bonfires, pumpkin picking, hay rides, warm sweaters  with cozy hats and scarves.

Jump into some comfortable boots, grab a hat and get outside.  These shorter nights bring darkness much earlier shrouded in the magical night sky.  These are some new and unique ways to celebrating November that we are looking forward to trying this year.  

Sit under the stars for a bit in the crisp night air.  Grab some warm drinks enjoy  by yourself or with that special someone.  Do it on the beach if you live close by. Toast some marshmallows over a  bonfire.  Better yet, make a big pot of hearty soup too share.  Invite your friends over for a unique pot luck. Ask each person to bring their own bowl and spoon.  Grab a crispy baguette and a bunch of warm blankets.  Plan an evening picnic on the front porch or inside the home in front of a roaring fire.  

Start a Soup Group.  Pick four members. Each person makes a soup.  They each bring 4 containers to freeze (serving for two) of their soup to a monthly meeting to exchange.  Bring a little extra for enjoying during the meeting so everyone can ooh and aah at your culinary deliciousness.  Celebrate with soup all month long.   How fun!!!  It really is our favorite kind of cooking and eating.  Yum!!!

The missio,n if you chose to take it is:
​
 Celebrate The Season!!!  
Celebrate Fall!   Celebrate November!   Celebrate the bountiful harvest!
Celebrate Friends!   Celebrate Family!   Celebrate Thanksgiving!  
Celebrate with Gratitude!   Celebrate Life!!!
​
November Blessings 
The Holiday Chicks

- Monika

Veterans Day

Today is the day we commemorate the sacrifice of all veterans around the world. Men, woman and even animals who sacrificed during wartime and in peacetime too.  

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month Germany surrendered to the Allies. 
​ 
The year was 1918. World War l was over.  
It was originally called Armistice Day or Remembrance Day.
In 1954 Pres. Woodrow Wilson changed the name to Veterans Day and it became a national holiday in the United States. Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th in the USA, but it is celebrated on or around the same date in Canada and Western Europe. We commemorate brave soldiers worldwide who fought in all wars from all eras throughout history to present day.  

Today should be a day that we take time to think about all the soldiers that have served to help protect those in need.   Wear a poppy proudly for remembrance for all the brave soldiers who fought in WWI and fought through out the ages. 

❤️Thank you.  Our sincere gratitude for all your sacrifices. ❤️

​- Monika

National Doughnut - or Donut -, Day is celebrated twice each year - in June and then again in November. But this seemingly whimsical excuse to indulge in munching on yummy donuts is actually a result of something deeper.

During World War I, the Salvation Army, a Christian charitable organization, looked for a way to help US troops abroad.  A small group of male and female volunteers traveled to France with supplies and goods to distribute to soldiers stationed near the action. The soldiers, many of them waiting to be sent to the front lines, were thankful for these provisions.  Additional volunteers continued to arrive and soon Salvation Army hostels and service centers could be found near military camps. 

Doughnut Girls

As troops endured a particularly long period of rain, extensive combat, and diminishing morale, two Salvation Army volunteers - Helen Purviance and Margaret Sheldon knew that the soldiers would benefit from some "home cooking", but rations were low and not easily replenished so they rummaged through their limited supplies for anything that could work.  

With minimal ingredients at hand, the ladies decided on pancakes - until they realized that there wasn't any syrup and no way to get it.  After more thought, they settled for doughnuts.  The dough was rolled out with an empty wine bottle and shaped by hand before being fried in lard in a combat helmet on a wood-burning stove.  The delicious smell of fresh fry cakes permeated the air around camp.  The doughnuts were a success!

The women made more than one hundred doughnuts their first day, doubled it the next and increased staff and production on subsequent days until daily doughnut numbers were well into the thousands.

The Doughnut Girls, also known as the Salvation Army Donut Lassies and Doughnut Dollies, were a welcome sight whenever they arrived at the military camps to deliver the doughnuts that became a symbol of comfort for the troops abroad

In early June, 1938, The Salvation Army of Chicago honored their WWI Donut Lassies by holding a fundraiser to help people during the Great Depression.  The Salvation Army continues to observe this tradition nationwide on the first Friday in June as the donut is now a symbol of comfort associated with their work. Doughnuts are still served by the Salvation Army to people in need during disaster, relief, and good-will programs.   

How a second National Donut Day came about is sketchy.  It is celebrated on November 5 and the origin of it varies.  One theory is that it falls close to Veteran's Day and that may be the reason why.  Others don't really care - as any reason to eat doughnuts is a good one.   We tend to agree with this line of thinking.

What better way to celebrate National Donut Days 1 & 2 than by having doughnuts?    Here are a few suggestions.

- Ask for a freebie.  Many places offer a free doughnut to each visitor on the first National Doughnut Day in June, and some like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' also do in November.  Ask your favorite doughnut shop in your town if they participate.

- Try something different - deviate from your doughnut norm and try another flavor or style.  Don't forget minis!

- Make or bake your own - there are tons of recipes online for all kinds of donuts (vegan, gluten free, sugar free, Keto, Paleo, baked, pan fry, air fried...).  Do a web search for the type of donut you want.  

Click HERE for the original recipe used by the Salvation Army Donut Lassies.

- Have a doughnut swap - make a batch or two and swap a few of each with friends so everyone has a mixed dozen.   Write your recipe down and make copies to share.

- Tea and doughnuts - put the kettle on, pull out the tea set and fancy trays then invite friends to dress up and join you.   Each person brings 2 doughnuts of their choice to the party - 1 to eat and 1 to share.    

​Enjoy!
​

- Barbara

Today is a general election day in various parts of the United States.  Unlike a primary election where candidates are chosen to move onto a larger race, the general election votes are cast to fill actual positions.  Not all states participate, in general elections on the same day in the same year.  In fact, not all areas of a state hold them either.

If you live in an area that is holding elections today, be sure to VOTE and make your voice heard!

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration of life rather than death.  Yes, the focus of this holiday is on beloved family members and pets who have left this physical world, but it's a time to honor and remember our loved ones as they were in this life.

Celebrated from November 1-2, Día de los Muertos was initially observed by the Aztecs in central and southern Mexico.  It is believed that late in the night on October 31, the souls of children are first to return to earth.  They are reunited with their families during this time, then the souls of adults follow the day after. The souls of pets also return.

​ It is a time of love and healing among family members, both living and deceased through remembrance and connection.

Traditions involve the preparation of special foods that include a sweet bread called 'pan de muerto' and decorative sugar skulls.  Also traditional are the creation of altars, arrangements of flowers, and specific makeup and costumes.  Altars for deceased family members include photos, favorite possessions, foods they enjoyed eating in life, trinkets, and flowers - particularly marigolds which are believed to guide spirits to their altars. 

Skulls (calaveras) and skeletons (calacas) have become the symbols of Día de los Muertos, but they are festive rather than frightening.  Decorated sugar skulls are placed on altars and are also served as edible treats.  People dress in costume as skeletons and paint their faces to look like sugar skulls, women often adorn their hair with flowers.

In addition to Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated in a number of Latin countries and continues to grow in popularity in the USA.  Traditions and customs differ in each country and/or region, but the core of the celebration remains the same.

Even though this is a festive and colorful celebration in Mexico in particular, it is a strong spiritual experience for families that one should respect.   Take time to delve deeper into the meaning and traditions behind the celebration and find ways that you can incorporate some of its practices into your own celebration.

Two animated films that will introduce children (and adults) to Día de los Muertos are Coco (2017 Pixar Animation Studios) and The Book of Life (2014 Reel FX Creative Studios and 20th Century Fox).

For an in-depth, excellent website about Día de los Muertos, visit:   
https://dayofthedead.holiday

​- Barbara 🙃

,All Soul's Day falls on the second of two Christian holy days commemorating the souls who departed this earth.  Observed on November 2nd, the day following the Feast of All Saints, All Souls' Day is when Christians celebrate all of the faithful who have crossed over,, and pray for the souls who remain in Purgatory.  

There is some conflict regarding the issue of purgatory.  Catholics believe a soul moves on to one of three places when a person leaves this earth.  One is heaven, the second is hell, and the third is purgatory - a holding place of sorts where souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter heaven.

Because of this theology, All Souls' Day is predominantly celebrated in the Catholic and "Old Catholic" churches.  The Anglican church also observes All Souls' Day, however most of the other protestant denominations do not because they do not agree with the Catholic theory behind it. Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate All Souls' Day several times throughout the year.

​Other names for All Souls' Day are Day of the Dead, Feast of All Souls, Defuncts' Day, Day of Remembrance, Yorn el Maouta (Israel, Syria, Lebanon), and Halottak Napja (Hungary).  It is not considered a holy day of obligation.

Celebrations for this day are similar to other holidays and observances for the dead during this time of the year, although different nationalities mark the day in their own ways.   The traditions below are practiced by different cultures on All Souls' Day.  Incorporate some or all of them into your own special celebration.  **For any involving a cemetery or public place, be sure to check the rules of that location and always be respectful. 

Light candles and offer prayers for the departed to find peace in the afterlife.

Decorate graves of family members with flowers, photos, candles, and food offerings.

Attend mass and decorate graves with flowers or a wreath (no food).

Anoint the hollow of family gravestones with holy or cleansed water.

Make a special cake or supper to leave on the table before bedtime as an offering to the souls.

- Barbara

The Feast of All Saints or All Saints' Day is a Christian tradition celebrated on November 1st by the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations.  It is considered a holy day of obligation - a religious feast (festival) day on which Catholics should limit their workload and attend mass.   It's a day to honor those who did good works on earth and achieved saintly status from God through the church while in Heaven.

The earliest recorded observance of All Saints was recorded in the fourth century.  In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Parthenon in Rome to the Virgin Mother Mary and all of the martyrs.  Pope Gregory III (731-741) dedicated a chapel in Rome's Saint Peter's Basilica in honor of all saints and martyrs, declaring November 1 to be a holy day.  Pope Gregory IV made that date a general observance in 837.  

All Saints' Day is also known as All Hallows Day, Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas.  In Old English, hallow means holy or sacred.  Hallows Eve, known also as Halloween, means the "evening of holy persons".  It refers to the evening before All Saints' Day.

The Feast of All Saints is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches.

Christians of the Catholic and Protestant faiths who observe this tradition are expected to attend mass as it is a holy day of obligation.  People unable to attend may read the Bible, particularly the Eight Beatitudes, blessings told by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.  This is found in the Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament.

On this day, many people light candles and offer prayers of thanks to the saints, or any saint/saints in particular that may be special to them in some way.  There are numerous saints. Some better known to the general population are Saint Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals), Saint Patrick of Ireland, Saint Jude, (one of the 12 apostles and patron saint of hopeless cases), Saint Anthony (patron saint of lost things - there are multiple saints named Anthony), and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (the first Native American saint).  Mother Teresa, a nun who dedicated her life to helping the poor in India, was canonized as a saint on September 4, 2016.  

Another way to celebrate All Saints' Day is to visit a cemetery and leave an offering for relatives or others who have crossed over.  A small medal or statue of a saint who was favored by the deceased may also be left at the gravesite providing that complies with the cemetery rules.

Honoring the dead during this time of the year is a theme which correlates with a second Christian holiday, All Souls' Day, the pagan holiday of Samhain, the Mexican celebration Dia de los Muertos, and the Islamic month of Muharram.

​- Barbara