Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days beginning on December 26 and lasting through January 1. This holiday was created in 1966 and named for the time of year when some African tribes traditionally celebrated the first harvest of their crops. During Kwanzaa, people decorate their homes with straw mats, ears of corn, and a candleholder called a kinara. They light a candle in the home each evening and may exchange homemade gifts. The seven-day celebration ends with a feast, usually held at a community center and featuring music and dancing. This spiritual holiday focuses on seven basic principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani).
This holiday derives from the Old English custom of giving Christmas “boxes” to tradesmen, postmen, and servants. The original boxes were usually made of earthenware and contained money, which could be retrieved only by breaking the boxes open. These days, a gift of money is usually contained in a greeting card and given before the holiday. Where celebrated (Great Britain, Canada, and Australia), Boxing Day is welcomed as a quiet day of recuperation from the season’s hectic festivities. It is also the biggest day of the year for soccer playoffs.
Question of the Day
Will asters survive the winter in northern Kentucky? What measures should I take to ensure this?
Asters will generally do nicely in a Kentucky winter. Mulching does provide protection, and we recommend it. It’s good for preventing soil crusting, conserving moisture, and controlling weeds. Don’t go too heavy, though. This can result in too much moisture retention and crown rot. Pine bark, pine straw, wood chips, and a variety of other materials may be used successfully.
Advice of the Day
Grow African violets in an east window and water with warm or tepid water.
Home Hint of the Day
To remove rust stains on old china (either on or under the glaze), soak the china in a mild solution of household (5 percent) bleach and water. Soak for an hour or so, then wash and rinse.
Word of the Day
Brontophobia
Fear of lightning/thunder
Puzzle of the Day
What is that which everyone likes to have but wants to get rid of as soon as possible after he gets it?
A good appetite
Born
Henry Miller(writer)–
Steve Allen(actor & comedian)–
Norm Ullman(hockey player)–
Carlton Fisk(baseball player)–
Ozzie Smith(baseball player)–
Jared Leto(actor)–
Chris Daughtry(singer)–
Died
Melvil Dewey(librarian famous for developing the Dewey Decimal Classification system)–
Harry Truman(33rd U.S. president)–
Jack Benny(actor)–
Jason Robards(actor)–
Herb Ritts(celebrity photographer)–
Reggie White(football player)–
Vincent Schiavelli(actor)–
Gerald Ford(38th U.S. president)–
Desmond Tutu (South African Anglican bishop)–
Thomas Smothers III (comedian)–
Events
James Nason of Franklin, Massachusetts, invented the coffee percolator–
Law amended to admit girls into Little League baseball–
An earthquake at Bam in Southern Iran killed more than 20,000 people–
Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts broke Dan Marino’s single-season touchdown pass record when he threw his 48th and 49th of the season against the San Diego Chargers–
A powerful 9.0 earthquake erupted underwater off the island of Sumatra and set off tsunamis that built up speeds of as much as 500 miles per hour, which crashed into areas of Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives, and Malaysia. An estimated 225,000 people were killed–
Weather
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, received 21 inches of snow in a coastal storm that also brought record tides–
Delaware received 24 inches of snow in a coastal storm that also brought record tides–
NYC’s deepest snowstorm commenced: 25.8” at battery, 32” in suburbs - traffic completely stopped - removal costed $8 million - 27 people died–
