DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Thaipusam   is  a  Hindu  festival celebrated mostly by the  Tamil  community on the full moon in the  Tamil month  of  Thai  (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority, but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as  Mauritius ,  Singapore  and  Malaysia .    The word  Thaipusam  is derived from the month name  Thai  and  Pusam , which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when  Parvati  gave  Murugan  a  vel  "spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon  Soorapadam . There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday. Origin    Skanda (or Murugan) was created during one of the battles between the Asuras (or to be more specific Soorapadman) and the Devas. At one

     The Takayama Festivals  in Takayama, Japan, started in the 16th to 17th century. The origins of the festivals are unknown; however they are believed to have been started during the rule of the  Kanamori family . Correspondence dated 1692, place the origin to 40 years prior to that date. One of the festivals is held on the 14th and 15th of April and the other on the 9th ad 10th of October.     The Spring Takayama Festival is centered on the  Hie Shrine . The shrine is also known as the  Sanno Shrine , and the spring festival is also known as the  Sanno   Festival.  The Sanno Festival is held to pray for a good harvest and the Autumn Festival is for giving thanks.     The Autumn festival is centered on the  Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine  and is referred to as the  Hachiman Festival . It is held after the crops are harvested. The fall festival is one of the three largest festivals in Japan. The other two are  Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and the Chichibu Matsuri. F

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes YIELD:   3 dozen   Ingredients: For the Cupcakes: 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup butter, softened 2 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 cups Andes Crème de Menthe baking chips For the Mint Buttercream 4 sticks butter, softened 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 pounds powdered sugar 4-6 tablespoons milk Directions: For the Cupcakes Line 3 dozen muffin cups with cupcake liners or grease using non-stick spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until it is pale and thick. Add in the butter. Mix until combined. Now, add in the buttermilk. Beat until well incorporated. Add the flour m