DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Obon or just Bon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed (deceased) spirits of one's ancestors . This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.    The festival of Obon lasts for three days; however its starting date varies within different regions of Japan. When the lunar calendar was changed to the Gregorian calendar at the beginning of the Meiji era , the localities in Japan reacted differently and this resulted in three different times of Obon. "Shichigatsu Bon" (Bon in July) is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated around 15 July in eastern Japan ( Kantō : areas such as Tokyo , Yokohama and the Tohoku region ), coinciding with ...

    I know it may be a little early but I also love Christmas. I have been writing alot of articles about Halloween time. So here are some phobias that people may have during Christmas time. Many people dread the Christmas season for many reasons. Although the season is stressful, most people don't have actual phobias connected with the holidays. But Christmas is stressful to many. And it seems to aggravate a lot of phobias. Ochlophobia or Agoraphobia-(Fear of crowds) It also includes fear of lines, traffic jams and even social events. Many people suffer from just the fear of not pleasing others during this season and end up overwhelming themselves with too much responsibility. Katagelophobia-(Fear of ridicule or embarrassment) this might include not giving the right gift, being around family and their comments, Christmas party pranks, etc. Mythophobia-(Fear of making a false statement) slipping and telling a secret you shouldn't, or what someon...

   Mummies are a popular part of modern Halloween imagery. But how much do you really know about them? This Halloween season, entertain yourself and your kids with these thirteen intriguing facts about mummies. 1. According to Egyptologist Salima Ikram , the word mummy comes from the Arabic word for bitumen: mumya . Over time, the word mumya evolved into the name we recognize today: mummy. 2. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians began to mummify their dead as early as 2500 B.C. - but the Chinchorros of South America did it first. 3. The Egyptians believed that the dead could enjoy earthly pleasures in the afterlife. For this reason, many mummies were entombed with treasures, food, and even loyal servants. 4. The jackal-headed deity Anubis was considered to be the god of mummification and embalming. 5. All of a mummy's major internal organs were removed and placed in canopic jars - except for the heart, which was thought to be the center of intelli...

Scorched earth policy: Blazing trails as proceedings get fiery Goodness gracious: Pitched battles watched by onlookers    Pause before a flare-up: Revellers take a breather    It looks like a warzone or at least a riot in full swing. Fireballs tear through the streets painting the night air orange as young men, their faces emblazoned with fearsome patterns, prowl the streets waging in pitched battles against one another. The incendiary missiles explode on impact – sometimes in the faces of their targets. Pyromaniacs take note. If you love fire – and fireworks or trick or treat are too tame for your taste buds – you’ll be blown away by the Bolas de Fuego festival in El Salvador.    Every August 31, the El Salvadorian town of Nejapa is set alight by Bolas de Fuego, meaning balls of fire – though some might consider balls of steel equally essential for taking part. In the kind of event that would’ve been banned or smothered by health ...

   Whether you believe in ghosts and ghouls, or wave them aside as the fictional fables of bygone centuries, some places on this planet still strike a spooky chord. They are the places that inspire nightmares, panic attacks and revisits. And, with any luck, you may just find something otherworldly. Enjoy the list! 10.  Shelbourne Hotel/Dublin, Ireland    The year is 1824, and a row of showers has been converted into a majestic hotel, known as the Shelbourne. The Shelbourne has featured prominently in Ireland’s history, in that the country’s constitution was drafted there in 1922, and, throughout the years, it was favorite of many celebrities passing through Dublin. Room 526 was where a medium supposedly made contact with the hotel’s permanent resident, Mary. Mary was a little girl who lived in the houses that were converted into the hotel, until her death in 1791 from cholera. 9.  Highgate Cemetery/London, England    In Victorian t...