Rock and Roll Saved My Soul

Israel’s Independence Day is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Iyar, which is the Hebrew date of the formal establishment of the State of Israel, when members of the “provisional government” read and signed a Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv. The original date corresponded to May 14, 1948. Most of the Jewish communities in the Western world have incorporated this modern holiday into their calendars, but some North American Jewish communities hold the public celebrations on a following Sunday in order to attract more participation. In the State of Israel it is a formal holiday, so almost everyone has the day off. Yom Ha’atzmaut in Israel is always preceded by Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for the fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it. The “Switch” The official “switch” from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha’atz...

Jen: lefse!! Colleen: preparing the holiday meal and spending time with family Sandy: I love that Santa brings my family a movie for each of us every year. Santa always wraps his presents in santa paper along with the stocking stuffer stuff he brings everyone. Last 3-4 years i have wrapped my presents for each person with certain paper. So everyone knows what presents our theirs. Santa writes whose are whose from him. Michaelle: Holiday goodies! Baking, sharing, and of course, eating! Gina: The past two years, since my nephew was born I’ve been going to see him on Christmas Eve and spend time with him and open presents, eat, this year we’re going to decorate gingerbread houses. Heather: Open presents in the morning Radeyah: Around Christmas time my mom and I drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies. Lori: My brother and his fiance and I always go to our dad's for Christmas and I always buy my brother and I lifesavers story books as well...

In the Netherlands , Sinterklaas arrives on the evening of December 5th. Children leave a shoe out by the fireplace or windowsill and sing Sinterklaas songs in the hope that he will fill them with presents. They also leave some hay and carrots in their shoes for Sinterklaas’s horse. They’re told that, during the night, Sinterklaas rides on the roofs on his horse and that a Zwarte Piet (Black Peter, who is like an elf) will then climb down the chimney (or through a window) and put the treats in their shoes. In Iceland , in the 13 days leading up to Christmas, 13 mischievous trolls called Yule Lads (jólasveinar in Icelandic) come out to play. For each night of Yuletide, children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule Lad visits, leaving gifts for nice girls and boys and rotten potatoes for the naughty ones. Clad in traditional Icelandic costume, their names reflect the trouble they like to cause: Stekkjastaur (sheep cote clod), Giljagaur (gully gawk), Stúfu...

Family and food. -Jimmy R. Baking Christmas cookies with my grandmother from an old family recipe. -Shauna Y.

Baking cookies -Katy R. Driving around the nice neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights and of course the light festivals -Kathy C. Making and then eating lefse. -Joseph R. Chasing my uncle around the house because he stole the whipped cream. -Liz P. We don't do it every year, but we make gingerbread houses from scratch some years at my dad's house! -Vanessa R.