DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Holidays are always fun to celebrate, but why wait a few months for the next major one to arrive when you could be enjoying some nice edible food holidays everyday of the month?   March 1st, National Peanut Butter Lover's Day- This has to be one of the greatest national food holidays of the year, or at least for the month of March.  Go and make a couple of PB and J sandwiches for lunch on this day. March 2nd, National Banana Creme Pie Day -While it still may be a little cold outside, why not enjoy a tropical banana cream pie for dessert....if you want a little more tropical, add some coconut. March 3rd, National Cold Cuts Day -This national food holiday is perfect for an evening when you're too tired to cook.  Just stop by your local deli and pick up some favorite sliced meats and some soup. March 4th, National Pound Cake Day -What could be more delicious than a piece of pound cake served with some strawberries and whipped cream. March 5th, Nati...

March 1st, National Pig Day -To celebrate National Pig Day, go out and buy some bacon or a ham and pig out.  Everybody give a shoutout OINK! OINK! OINK!  Or if you're from Arkansas....SOOEEE! March 2nd, Name Sake Day March 3rd, National Anthem Day -Go out to a sporting event and listen to an anthem....Just as long as Christina Aguilera isn't singing it...If she is, might want to give her the words to it!!! March 4th, Dentist's Day - Go out and get a new toothbrush.  If you have a Dental appointment on this day, remember....rinse then spit! March 5th, Name Tag Day March 6th, U.S. Snowshoe Day March 9th, False Teeth Day -Go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and hide their teeth.  Or you can say a solemn prayer of thanks to George Washington, the father of false teeth. March 10th, Learn What Your Name Means Day March 11th, Paper Day - What day goes by when we don't use paper?  How about a don't use paper day or save a tree from the paper mill day. Mar...

   Perhaps the most cheerful holiday in Russia is Maslenitsa (Shrovetide).   This holiday is considered to come from pre-Christian times, when the Slavs were still pagans.    In the old days, Maslenitsa was for remembrance of the dead.  So the burning of the figure of Maslenitsa means her funeral, and blini (pancakes)- coliphia .  But with time, the Russians longing for fun and entertainment turned the sad holiday into jolly.   Maslenitsa with blini-rounds, yellow and hot as the sun, sledding and horse sleigh's, fistfights and visiting with your mother-in-law .  The rituals of Maslenitsa are very unusual and interesting because they combine the end of the winter holiday rituals and the opening of new spring festivals and ceremonies, which were used to promote a rich harvest.    Maslenitsa is celebrated during the week preceding  Lent.  Every day of Maslenitsa was devoted to special rituals. Mond...

   The Carnival of Binche is an event that takes place each year in the Belgian town of Binche, during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday.  The carnival is best known of all the others that take place in Belgium,  at the same time and has been proclaimed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity .  Its history dates back to approximately the 14th century.    Events related to the carnival begin up to 7 weeks prior to the primary celebrations.  Street performances and public displays traditionally occur on the Sundays approaching Ash Wednesday, consisting of prescribed musical acts, dancing  and marching.  Large numbers of Binche's inhabitants spend the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday in costume.    The centerpiece of the carnival,  are clown like performers,  known as Gilles.   Appearing, for the most part, on  "Shrove" Tuesday, the Giles...

    For 30 years Krakow, in spite of being located far from any seas and oceans, has hosted one of the most popular shantie festivals.... The International Sea Songs' Festival..."Shanties".    The idea of the "Shanties" festival was born out of an idea in 1981.  The first festival had an intimate gathering of 20 performers and members of the organizing committee and 100 people in the audience and was held in the cellars of a community center.  In 1987, for the first time  in the history of the festival, the guests from other towns and countries were invited.  Since then the festival has enjoyed  International status.  Due to the success of the first festival, it grew in  popularity, not only among sailors,  but also among the many townspeople of Krakrow.  the festival has evolved from a small event into one of the largest  shantie festivals that are held each year, not only in Pola...

   Carnival in Cologne is almost as old as the history of the city itself.  But the organized carnival celebrated today only dates back 178 years.    The Greeks and Romans celebrated cheerful spring festivals in honor of Dionysos and Saturn with wine, women and song.  The ancient Germans celebrated the winter solstice as a homage to the Gods and expulsion of the evil winter demons.  Later the Christians adopted the heathen customs.  The period of fasting (Lent) prior to Easter was heralded in by " Fastnacht" or "Karnival"...carne vale = Farewell to meat!    In the Middle Ages, the celebration of Carnival, the masquerade, often took on drastic forms, very much to the displeasure of the city council and the church.  Bans and ordinances did little to help, the celebration was wild and spirited.    The boisterous street carnival was extended in the 18th century to include the so called "Redouten", elegant mask...

   The Sapporo Snow Festival is a famous festival held annually in Sapporo, Japan, over 7 days in February.  Currently, Odori Park, Susukino, and Tsudome are the main sites of the festival.  The 2011 Yuki-matsuri dates are February 7th to the 13th.    The festival is one of Japan's largest and most distinctive winter events.  In 2007, about 2 million people visited Sapporo to see the hundreds of snow statues and ice sculptures at the Odori Park and Suskino sites, in central Sapporo, and the Satoland site.  The festival is thought to be an opportunity for promoting international relations. The International Snow Sculpture Contest has been held at the Odori Park sit since 1974, and teams from various regions of the world participate.    The subject of the statues varies and often features as event, famous building or person from the previous yer.  For example, in 2004, there were statues of Hideki Matsui, the f...