Tet is the most important festival of the Vietnamese calendar. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year, which is celebrated in China as well. Festivities occur throughout the country, but this is a family holiday and many of the traditions of observance occur in the home. The official holiday lasts three days, but […]
Bullfighting is a great event that attracts many tourists to Spain and Spanish speaking countries. There it is an important element of culture and has a great tradition. Modern bullfighting goes back to the 1700s when the first bullrings were built in Spain. A bullfight takes place in bullring. The matador, or bullfighter, has special training and […]
Until a short time ago , Italians mostly ate Italian food , but in the past decade more and more immigrants have been coming into the country and with them their food. Now Italians are fighting back. The Tuscan town of Lucca does not want any kebab shops and Chinese restaurants in their historic city any more. Lucca, about 60 km […]
Vietnamese New Year is the most important holiday of the Vietnamese lunar calendar. The New Year begins between January 21 and February 20. The celebration starts with the second new moon after the beginning of winter (December 21) and lasts until the next full moon. The Vietnamese name their years after 12 different animals: the rat, the […]
Passover is the Jewish feast of freedom. It is celebrated at about the same time as Easter and lasts for 7 or 8 days. During Passover Jews around the world remember their freedom from slavery in Egypt. In ancient times Egypt was one of the most powerful countries in the worlds. Itconquered smaller nations and made their people slaves. The early Jews, or Hebrews as they were called, also became Egyptian slaves. The Pharaoh forcedthem to work […]
On Easter Sunday Christians around the world celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Jewish, religious teacher was the son of God. He was executedby the Romans about 2000 years ago. Three days after he had died he returned to life again and rose to heaven. Many Christians think that they will also rise to heaven after death. That’s why Easter is celebrated with joyful music […]
Halloween is a festival that takes place every year on October 31. It is a time when children and adults dress up in costumes, go trick or treating and make jack-o-lanterns from empty pumpkins . Halloween goes back to the customs and traditions of the Celts , who lived between Ireland and Northern France about 2000 years ago. They were paganswho did not believe in god. They thought […]
On Thanksgiving Day American people get together with their families and friends to give thanks for the past year. It is celebrated with big dinners and special food. In December, 1620, over 100 pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock. The following winter was very harsh and they didn’t have enough to eat, so more than […]
Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25 . It is ajoyous holiday where families get together, give each other presents, decoratehouses, sing traditional songs and go to mass . The word Christmas comes from the old English “Christes Maesse” , which means Christ’s mass . Although Christians believe that Jesus was born in the small town of Bethlehem, we […]
Jeans have become one of the most worn pieces of clothing in the world. Everybody wears them, from the rural farmer to the urban lawyer and from models to housewives. But why have jeans become so popular. You’ll get many answers. For some people they look cool, for others jeans are simply comfortable. Jeans were first designed as durable trousers for farm workers and miners in the […]