DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   February's not just about Super Bowl Sunday, Valentines Day and Mardi Gras.  Nope, this month has some pretty interesting days to celebrate to say the least. Serpent Day, February 1st- Go out and pet a snake or if you don't like them. Pet some snake skinned cowboy boots. Purification Day, February 2nd -Go out and wash real well today! Cordova Ice Worm Day, February 3rd -This day is for worms found in icebergs.  Alaska actually has an annual Ice Worm Festival that takes place on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Create a Vacuum Day, February 4th -Go out and clean all of that pet hair and dirt out of your carpets. Disaster Day, February 5th -Might be a good day to stay inside and play scrabble. Lame Duck Day, February 6th- Charles Dickens Day Day, February 7th -One of the best early authors of his time, he wrote "A Christmas Carol", and has had many of his books turned into movies. Man Day, February 7th- Fly a Kite Day, February 8th -...

   This may be a time for chocolates and romantic steak dinners, bu this month is also filled with several national food holidays.  Check out all of the great food holidays to be enjoyed during the month of February, plus great suggestions on how to celebrate them. National Baked Alaska Day, February 1st - Who doesn't love cake and ice cream?  But, you can make it even better by adding a thick layer of meringue and popping the whole thing in the oven.  Be creative and choose gourmet flavors of ice cream and cake. Heavenly Hash Day, February 2nd -Heavenly hash is a wonderful combination of chocolate ice cream and almonds.  Be creative and make some heavenly hash ice cream sandwiches using double chocolate cookies. National Carrot Cake Day, February 3rd -Take a break from cooking and baking and just grab some carrot cake cupcakes made at a local bakery. National Stuffed Mushroom Day, February 4th -A great way to celebrate this national food holiday is ...

     Australia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundations Day and ANA Day) is the official national day of Australia.  Celebrated annually on January 26th, the day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788.  The hoisting of the British flag there, and the proclamations of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of New Holland.     Australia Day is an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia, and is marked by the Order of Australia and Australian of the Year awards, along with an address from the Prim Minister.    Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on January 26th date back to 1808, with Governor Lachland Macquarie having held the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales in 1818.  In 2004, an estimated 7.5 million people attended Australia Day celebrations and functions across...

   Pongal is a harvest festival-the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving.  In an agriculture based civilization, the harvest plays an important part.  The farmer cultivating his land depends on cattle, timely rain and the Sun.  Once a year, he expresses his gratitude to these during the harvest festival.  With the end of the est month of Margazhi (mid December to mid January) the new Tamil month of Thai heralds a series of festivals.  The first day of the month is a festival day known as "Pongal Day".  Pongal means the 'boiling over" of milk and rice during the month of Thai.     The act of boiling over of milk in the clay pot is considered to denote future prosperity for the family.  Traditionally celebrated at harvest time, it is a celebration of the prosperity associated with the harvest by thanking the rain, sun and the farm animals that have helped in the harvest.  Pongal is celebrated by the Indian state of Tami...

   For the people of Punjab, the festival of Lohri holds a great significance, as it marks the harvesting season and the end of the winter season.  The main event is the making of a huge bonfire which is symbolic of the homage to the Sun God for bringing in warmth.  Celebrated on January 13th every year.  Lohri festivities are associated with the harvesting of the Rabi crops.  There is a special significance attached to the celebration of Lohri as this day the sun enters the rashi (zodiac) of Makara (Capricorn), this is considered auspicious as it signifies a fresh start.    Lohri has special significance for the agriculturists because, it marks the beginning of a new financial year, on this day they settle the division of the products of the land between themselves and the tillers.  Lohri assumes greater significance, if there has been a happy evet in the family, such as the birth of a child or a marriage in the past year.  The fa...

   The Touaregs, nomads from the south of the Sahara, have a long standing tradition of coming toether for annual meeting called Takoubelt in the Kidal region or Temakannit in the Timbuktu region.  These meetings allowed them to reconnect with each other (after the nomadic season), have fun, resolve conflicts between individuals or groups and to exchange ideas about the challenges that they were facing at the moment.  These encounters are what "Le Festival au Desert" is built upon.  "Le Festival au Desert", in its present form was born in January 2001, at the dawn of the third millennium, following a meeting between Touaregs from Mail and European musicians.    The organization of the Festival, wit its focus on combining modernity and tradition, is driven by a strong desire to open its doors to the outside world, while still preserving the cultures and traditions of the desert; for some,  this signifies being listened to and then recog...

   The Kaapse Klopse is a minstrel festival that takes place annually on January 2nd, in Cape Town, South Africa.  Up to 13,000 minstrels, many in blackface, take to the streets garbed in bright colors, either carrying colorful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments.  The minstrels are grouped in klopse ("clubs" in Cape Dutch, but more accurately translated as troupes in English).  Participants are typically from Afrikaans-speaking working class "colored" families who have preserved the custom since the mid 19th century.     Although it is called the Coon Carnival by Capetonians, local authorities have renamed the festival the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival as foreign tourist find the term "coon" derogatory. History    One story goes that the carnival was inspired by a group of African-American minstrels who docked in Cape Town in the late 1800's and entertained the sailors with their spontaneous musical per...