The mamemaki custom is usually performed by the toshiotoko of the family, the male born on the correlating year with the animal of the Chinese zodiac (2012, the Year of the Dragon); or by the male of the head household. Roasted soybeans or fortune beans (as they are called) are either thrown at a family member wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, or out the door while everyone says “鬼は外! 福は内!” or “Demon out! Luck in!” and then slamming the door shut. The beans symbolically purify a home from evil spirits bringing bad health and misfortune. At Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, Setsubun is celebrated all over the country with both priests and invited guests throwing soybeans. 

It’s also customary to eat roasted soybeans to bring in good luck. You eat one for every year of your life, i.e. your age, and in some areas, you eat the same as your age and then one more to bring in luck for the coming year. I prefer edamame, as they are called in Japan, to be boiled then roasted. They are a healthy, addictive snack to enjoy – I just can’t get enough of them. 

Image Source

Maru, the neko or cat from Japan celebrating Setsubun. He was chosen to wear the ogre mask, much to his chagrin. *lol* At his feet are the roasted soybeans. 

Image Source

Here Maru is given one of the 4 dry-roasted soybeans, the same as his age. He’s just a cute little boy, so young and carefree. *lol*

In March, Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan district, is THE place to be, to bear witness to the hugely popular Elephant Festival, celebrated every year on the occasion of the festival of colours known as Holi, with a unique concept.

This stunningly colourful festival is celebrated all over India, but in combination with the Elephant festival of Jaipur, gets some extra spice added to it, the extremely loud and spectacularly painted beasts the major attraction in their truly incredible outfits. 

Perfect venue for this annual occasion is the famous Chaugan ground in Jaipur, the festival beginning with a amazing parade of decorated Elephants, lots of differing activities on offer for enjoying during the celebrations.

Onlookers get treated to the sight of Elephants racing each other, competing as mounts in, polo-matches and forming great obstacles in tug-of-war competitions, so spectators can really enjoy seeing Elephant at their best. The competitive mahouts each decorate their own Elephants from head to toe from head to tail in outrageous splendour with exceptional attention to detail, vying for Best Decorated Elephant first prize.

Elephants are believed enjoy the festivities as much as people, also dancing and playing games. Festival visitors can enjoy live folk dances and music programs, the day reviving memories of the Jaipur royalty by enjoying glorious Elephant rides.

All the huge beasts are beautifully decked with floral motifs, providing superb backgrounds for tourist photography. Holi tourists play the game of Holi mounted on these painted Elephants, another unusual treat, something different for the tourists to enjoy.

Since the so-called Puranic times in India, Elephants have been seen as precious and majestic, their supremacy also well illustrated in Hindu Mythology, at the time of Samudra Manthan – when demon and Gods were busy churning the ocean – according to legends the Gods fortunately received Airavata the Elephant which later became the vahana – divine vehicle – of Indra, and subsequently a symbol of royalty in Indian culture. Most noticeable feature of the Jaipur festival is that all Elephants taking part have to be female. A truly exceptional destination for an unforgettable experience.

This may be the only place on earth where having fun comes from saluting the cryogenic remains of a human being.  That’s right a frozen body is the root for all this merrymaking and there’s a lot of it.  For example, wouldn’t you like to enter a Coffin Racing event?  How about some ice turkey bowling or polar plunging?

World’s Greatest Frigid Festival

All of this … er, … fun takes place in the little town of Nederland, Colorado.  The 2012 festival takes place on March 2 through 4 and you are invited to what the locals call the “Most Frigidly Fun Festival.”  You can catch some highlights of previous festivals at www.frozendeadguydays.org.

What might have caused otherwise normal people to turn the remains of a frozen human into a festival?  It all began when Grandpa Bredo Morstoel  – the 109-year-old frozen dead guy who really is in a state of suspended animation in the hills above Nederland – died in 1989.  Born in Norway, his death started an unbelievable, yet true, saga.  He was shipped to a cryonics facility in California and was placed in liquid nitrogen for four years.  In 1993 he was transported to Colorado where he was placed in the keeping of his daughter Aud and her son Trygve Bauge who wanted to build their own cryonics facility in Colorado.  But Grandpa, it seems, had some visa problems.  The laws of Nederland made it illegal to store frozen body parts in one’s home. Aud got the local city council to change the law, something that created a great deal of publicity. That brought Bo Shaffer into the picture.  In 1995 he saw an ad for a job as the “Ice Man.”  The job entailed a monthly delivery of 1600 pounds of dry ice to keep Grandpa in good condition – that being a minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Shafer also started tours for just about anyone who asks – including folks who think Grandpa is a great spot for trying to make contact with their own dearly-departed friends and relatives.

Cryonics Mardi Gras

Seeing a gold mine in Grandpa’s frozen figure, the town launched what they call a “Cryonics Mardi Gras.”  Among the events, locals trek up to Grandpa’s resting place to toast him with a few brews, as well as other libation.  Apparently lots of folks think it’s a great way to have fun.  The Chicago Tribune even named the little festival of the frozen as one of the country’s top 100 not-to-be-missed U.S. festivals.

So, if you are tired of the same-old vacation destinations and want to have a totally different kind of experience, why not visit Grandpa and lift a glass or two in his honor.  We’ll supply the ice.

Click here for more articles by The Writin’ Cowboy.

When we talk about new year, you may think of the date of January first. Well, it may be wrong if you are in China. For Chinese, the new year is not on the date of January first, but falls on different date every year. This is because some traditional festivals, including Chinese New Year, are set by the lunar calendar, which is different from the Gregorian or the solar calendar that is accepted and used throughout the world.

Chinese New Year therefore falls on January first according to the lunar calendar, which is about one month later than the solar calendar. It is the most important festival for Chinese, and often lasts for about half a month.

There are lots of celebrations in the festivals: wearing red or colorful clothes, firing crackers, putting Spring Festival couplet on the doors, dragon dances, lion dances, of course there are lots of traditional foods they eat on the festival: dumplings(jiao zi), Niangao, fish.

People take the long festival to enjoy quality time with their family members, and try to visit relative, and wish each other happy new year. Children are the most excited ones, of course, they can get many red papers containing money as gifts from their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They can also receive lots of sweets from neighbors when they wish a happy new year to them.

The celebration can last until the Lantern Festival, which is another traditional festival for Chinese. 

Image via Wikipedia

You don’t need to don your kilt or dance the highland jig to party like the Scots, but there are a few traditions that you can partake in to ring in the New Year in style.

Before Midnight on December 31st,

·         Make sure you have eaten a hearty steak pie, or stew for dinner.  A quick internet search will provide ample tasty recipe ideas. This will help to soak up the alcohol excess which is mandatory for any Scots celebration.

·         Shortbread and black bun (rich fruit cake) are also traditional fare for this festival.

·         Be prepared for an all-night celebration.  Scottish revelers take to the streets of the major Cities, and Edinburgh holds one of the largest and most spectacular street parties in the world. 

·         Wear weather appropriate attire, no kilt necessary. 

After Midnight,

·         Share the moment with your loved ones, but also strangers too.  Learn the words to the Scottish Bard’s rendition of Auld Lang Syne.  The Scot’s just adore Robert Burns, and this is one way of honoring him.  The song encourages everyone to let go of the problems of the year gone by, and look forward to the new year.

·         Wish as many people as you see, a very happy New Year, even the strangers who have not yet made your acquaintance.

·         It’s customary to have a wee dram of whiskey at the stroke of midnight, but not sure how feasible this is if you are celebrating on the streets.

·         Fireworks at the stroke of midnight are a tradition that originated with the pagan celebrations of using fire to ward off evil spirits.

Since celebrating the New Year is related to the hope of better times ahead, the Scots – a historically superstitious population, have a few rituals to prevent bad luck in the coming year.  For those who do not participate in the street celebrations in Scotland’s cities, it is customary to visit with friends and neighbors.  But you must NEVER visit without presenting your host with a gift, a bottle of whiskey, shortbread or a black bun is the norm but symbolic items including salt and coal.

·         It is traditional to clean house on Hogmanay, to cleanse the home of last years’ dirt.  It is also expected that everyone will pay off all their debts before the New Year arrives.

·         Visitors will be sent away if they arrive before midnight to prevent bad luck.  First-footers are made welcome after midnight.

·         Traditionally, the man of the house will open the back door of the house to let out the old year, and then open the front door to welcome the new into their home.

·         Your first-footer will ideally be dark-haired and this is probably where the fantasy of a “tall, dark handsome stranger” originated.  Lighter haired first-footers were deemed as unlucky because they resembled the Vikings, which usually meant trouble for the Scots.

One final note, Hogmanay celebrations must be LOUD. Whether you use traditional Scottish music, your favorite contemporary band, or play your own instruments, the noisier the party the farther away you will scare away evil spirits. 

Feel free to share your Hogmanay Stories in the Comments section below.

Happy Hogmanay, A guid New Year to ane an’ a’!

 Lyrics to Robert Burns’ Auld Lang Syne: http://www.robertburns.org/works/236.shtml

Other Articles by Donnah Clark:

The Positive Effects of Caring:  http://healthmad.com/alternative/the-positive-healing-effects-of-caring/

The Scam Artists are at it Again:  http://socyberty.com/crime/the-scam-artists-are-at-it-again/

The Next Outbreak:  http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/the-next-outbreak/

Looking for a New Planet to Inhabit?: http://scienceray.com/technology/looking-for-a-new-planet-to-inhabit/

Gullible Gossipmongers: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/arts/gullible-gossipmongers/

The Scottish Interpretation of the English Language:  http://socyberty.com/languages/the-scottish-interpretation-of-the-english-language/

Human Trafficking:  The Fastest Growing Illegal Enterprise:  http://socyberty.com/issues/human-trafficking-the-fastest-growing-illegal-enterprise/

10 Steps that will Ensure you have a Successful Semester: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/kids-and-teens/college-life/10-steps-that-will-help-ensure-you-have-a-successful-semester/

Mexico’s Children and the Pursuit for Profit:  A Double Tragedy: http://socyberty.com/society/mexicos-children-and-the-pursuit-for-profit-a-double-tragedy/

Social Media and You:  Don’t Become The Prey: http://webupon.com/social-networks/social-media-and-you-dont-become-the-prey/

Sleep Patterns, Fussy Eating and Behavioral Problems:  What’s the Connection?: http://healthmad.com/mental-health/sleep-patterns-fussy-eating-and-behavioral-problems-whats-the-connection/

Insightful Child: http://socyberty.com/society/insightful-child/

Managing your Diet without Soy: http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/managing-your-diet-without-soy/

10 Money Saving Tips for Students: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/kids-and-teens/college-life/10-money-saving-tips-for-students/

Yes, we are celebrating the festival of lights today, the symbol of victory of good on evil. However, are our ways are correct? On the other hand, are we really doing that, the right way? No, I think we shall have to mend, if we really want to do that.

We leave the evil there where it was every year and add-up some more evil to our credit. We shall not be able to eradicate the evil if we shall concentrate on lights, firecrackers and sweets alone.

We shall have to go a bit deeper and do the needful to be able to celebrate Diwali in its full value. I wish you a nice time. I wish you all a very happy Diwali with all the joy and prosperity, which is the basic of this festival.

However, for myself I thank God that I am not in Delhi but in Bangalore and saved from the deafening firecrackers. You know this festival has become more of a symbolic value rather than its actual values, which are very different.

 I am so sorry to see people wasting so much money, as billion and billions of Rupees wasted, on this single day, which could be, utilized for a noble cause.

Happy Diwali to all my friends.

This year, the festival begins today in India and lasts for like 5 days – till friday – when it culminates with Bhai Dooj, a day on which sisters invite their brothers (and their families) home.

Wish you all a very Happy Diwali!

1.Goliath toss- one of our church members built a five foot tall wooden Goliath whose head could fall back easily with the use of hinges when hit with a ball. If you do not have someone who can build such an elaborate Goliath, build the figure and just have children throw beanbags at it.

2.Creation Station- have sugar cookies, various colors of icing, sprinkles, and candies available for contestants to decorate and eat.

3.Adam and Eve Bobbing for Apples Booth-Fill a wading pond with apples or apple fourths and have contestants try to get as many out only using their mouths.

4.Desert Treasure Hunt-use a sandbox or other container filled with sand. Hide several favors such as miniature bibles and favors in the sand for contestants to dig out. 

5.Snake Straw Relay-Have two plates with shredded lettuce and plenty of gummy worms on each. Have pairs of children try to get as many snakes out of Eden by picking up the gummy worms by sucking through a straw. 

6.Noah’s ball toss- set up three big plastic containers in a row. If you would like create three big clouds made from wood or plywood and set up on a stand behind the containers. Have children try to toss a ball into the containers and give stuffed animals for treats. 

7. Puppet Show-Tell a bible story with puppets every half our.

8. Noah’s Arc Race-fill long plastic containers with water and place 1 plastic boat in each.Have either two children or two groups of children race to blow their arcs to the other end of the container.

9. Jonah’s  or Jesus story time-using large appliance boxes either create a whale or a tomb. Have Jonah or Jesus sit inside of the whale or tomb (with a lantern) and tell a story. 

10. Lost in the Desert Maze-use bales of hay, a rope course, sprinklers, wading pools with balls in them and anything else you can imagine for an obstacle course.

11. Pin Crown on Esther Booth- Create several crowns from paper and draw one big image of Esther and secure to a board. Blind fold contestants, spin them around, and give them a crown to pin on Esther.

12. Eden Pumpkin Toss- Assemble many pumpkins with stems in rows. Have contestants try to throw a ring over the stem of a pumpkin from a distance.

Other Fun Ideas:

Have your church choir or vocalists sing for entertainment. 

Have a craft corner.

Have a raffle.

Have an auction (cake auction, rent a worker for a day, etc.)

Have a pinata

Have a meal after the festival

The dogs were killed and skinned in Qianxi city streets, the east coast of Zhejiangprovince, during the festival, which is usually in October.

Festival to celebrate the terrible local military victory during the Ming Dynasty when thedogs were killed to make sure they do not bark to make the enemy cautious.

“The ancient festival was replaced with a modern festival in the 1980s, but still used as the tradition of eating dogs,” Xinhua said.

However, organizers began to cut the dog in public a few years ago to show their dog meat fresh and safe, as a way to calm fears that meat buyers will likely previously stored in the refrigerator or even contaminated.

Thousands of users flooded the internet pages of social networking sites to criticize the festival. They also asked local governments to intervene, ”the news.

“Rapid response the government should do. I hope eating dog is no longer a traditioneverywhere. Activities that’s not the festival, but a massacre,” said one with an accounton one site Junchangzai microblogging

In those days the holiday that falls on October 31 was called Samhain (Sow-en), following the harvest, this was a time when the pagans slaughtered their old and weak animals those who were probably not fit to survive through the winter. This not only provided the people with food, but reduced the number of livestock animals they had to care for through the winter months. This was not a sacrifice, but it was a ritualistic killing, with a practical purpose. The skulls of some animals were probably placed to honor the animals themselves, much as we do with deer heads today.  You may note that cat sacrifice was also not a part of this holiday.

Part of the holiday celebrations included men, sometimes dressed up as women, going from farm to farm to collect food for a feast, or party. Women often joined in by dressing as men. Pranks were played on those who did not give food for the feasts. Such pranks usually included leaving gates open and such.

Throughout the winter (not just at Samhain) turnips were hollowed out to be used to hold candles. Celebrations were held to honor the dead. This was a magical time of the year and the people believed that the relatives who had died earlier in the year could return for one night before departing the earth for good. The pagans did not fear their dead, they were not scared of them, they did not try to frighten them away.

Games were played mostly of telling the fortunes of a girl and whom she might marry in the coming year.* Drinking games may have been common among workers tired from the harvest and slaughter.

Bonfires were lit at night and stories were told. It was not an evil holiday, but one of celebration. When Christians came to places where Samhain was celebrated they tried to put an end to it, rather unsuccessfully. While some people did convert to Christianity they did not want to give up their traditions.

photo source

Early Christians then moved a day, All Saints Day, from earlier in the year, to November 1, it was also known as All Hallows Day. This then made October 31 become All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, as we now know it. Although Samhain had been many days of celebration it soon changed to one day and eventually pumpkins replaced turnips, kids asking for candy replaced young men asking for food.

Through the ages people were told that pagans were savage and that the day should not be celebrated because it was associated with mayhem and the occult – all of which is not true. It is true that it was a pagan holiday, but no longer is. In fact with the new name, Halloween, is a Christian holiday.

It should also be noted that Christmas and Easter were also times of celebrations before Christianity spread throughout the land. Christmas was celebrated as Saturnalia, or Yule, and Easter still retains its pagan name, indicating its reference to celebrations for the fertility goddess Eastre. Both are still marked with tradition that predate Christianity.

*Note: To Christians, the simple game of telling somebodies fortune was considered witchcraft, and was probably cause for the connection between Halloween and witches.

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