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ANDERSON — Romando James, a professor emeritus at Clemson University, understands the traditions and purpose of Kwanzaa. He also knows he is among a minority of people who know what the cultural celebration is about. “We celebrate the first fruits, responsibility to community,” James said. “But when the mass of television and radios and even hip hop artists see there’s no big returns coming in, it just doesn’t happen.” In essence, because of the lack of understanding and the ability to make money of it, the celebration is losing some if its popularity, James said. Take Evita Broughton. Four years...

A former Abington fifth-grade teacher accused of having sex with a 13-year-old boy hundreds of times has been sprung from house arrest to spend Christmas with her family. Brockton Superior Court Judge Thomas Connors gave Christine McCallum the OK to visit her mother in Rhode Island today and tomorrow, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz’s office.

Freue dich, freue dich, O Christenheit! Christkindchen komm in unser Haus, Leer deine schönen Sachen aus, Stell dein Eselchen auf den Mist, Daß es Heu und Hafer frißt. + + + Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom! The Christ-Child to our house has come. Bring now forth thy treasures fine, Lift thine ass-colts from the mire That they on hay and oats may dine. + + + From all of us at Chez B-Chan to all of our friends here... + + + JOYEUX NOËL FRÖLICHE WEIHNACHTSENZEIT FELIZ NAVIDAD MERRY CHRISTMASキリスト�誕生日�����������Kiristo no tanjoubi, omedetou gozaimasu...and a Happy New Year!

It's that time of year. Let us act like the American and German forces of WW1 and WW2. Let go of our differences and come together in reverence, for tomorrow is the day set aside to remember the birth of a child that was called the Prince of Peace.

Christmas trees, decorations and carols are being banned from schools and businesses, leaving nothing but a commercial holiday.

BALTIMORE, Dec. 23, 2009 – Two days before Christmas, the longest line today at the airport here wasn’t at a ticket counter, or at security checkpoints. It was at the international terminal, where hundreds of well-wishers lined up to welcome about 150 troops home from combat deployments. Troops returning from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan get a hearty holiday homecoming as they arrive at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. DoD photo by Donna Miles  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Families, veterans, beauty queens, students enjoying the first day of their holiday vacations and even Santa Claus began descending on...

<p>WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama won't leave Washington for his Hawaii vacation until the Senate finishes work on the health care overhaul, even if that means staying in town for Christmas Eve.</p> <p>"My attitude is that if they're making these sacrifices to provide health care to all Americans then the least I can do is to be around and provide them any encouragement and last-minute help where necessary," Obama said Tuesday.</p>

Bishop D'Arcy's final Christmas message for the Ft. Wayne/South Bend Diocese. Published in the Dec. 20th, 2009 issue of Today's Catholic. “My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Link only (that's a shame) - Tips on protecting against Christmas tree fires

Has the Letter from Jesus about Christmas arrived in your email box yet? I’ve received it several times and I appreciate every person who sent it because I know they are trying to bless me. It’s filled with great ideas: We should smile at strangers, visit people in nursing homes, donate to the Salvation Army, and be kind to the clerks in stores that do not celebrate Christmas. Wonderful ideas. I applaud those suggestions. We should all follow them. If the letter’s intent is to infuse readers with the warmth of the season, I approve. The problem is, one concept...

(Dec. 11, 2009) — Just after the aftermath of yet another insult to our allies via the refusal to participate to the traditional events surrounding the award of the Nobel Prize including a dinner with the King, on the pretenses that the recipient was a very busy, sitting “President,” responsible for not one, but two, wars and facing the worst economic crisis “EVAHHH!”, the White House is quietly organizing yet another vacation-time for the Obamas. They would have you believe that nothing has been decided yet, when in fact the logistics of booking their 13 day vacations in Hawaii, from...

Now that the holidays are upon us, it’s time to get annoyed with the consumerism, secularism and political correctness that continue to whittle away at the meaning of the holiday season. The secular and consumption-driven nature of the season has become so routine that one has to work hard to remember to take time for the traditions and religious observances that once defined the season. I thought I had seen every example of how religious meaning has been stripped out of Christmas until a friend showed me the label on a festive seasonal bottle of Coca Cola the other day....

The first of five U.S. cities will be hit by a new atheist holiday ad campaign this Thanksgiving weekend. Washington, D.C., residents can expect to see ads proclaiming, "No God?...No Problem!" inside buses and rail cars. Washington, D.C., residents can expect to see ads proclaiming, “No God?...No Problem!” inside buses, rail cars and on the side or tail of buses by week’s end. The campaign, sponsored by the American Humanist Association, will then target the transit systems of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to AHA, the holiday ad campaign is the first by a humanist group...

“Most Americans are ignorant of the fact that Thanksgiving was celebrated in Texas 23 years before the first Pilgrim set foot by accident in Massachusetts in 1621"

“Thanksgiving: America’s Forgotten Holiday”Ah, Thanksgiving! Turkey, football, and the start of the holiday shopping season. No, wait, that started back around Labor Day. But seriously, is that what Thanksgiving has come to? An opportunity to eat 2,000 calories in one sitting, then fall asleep on the couch watching the Detroit Lions, so you can get up the next morning at 5:00 a.m. to buy presents for people you don’t like, with money you don’t have, for stuff they don’t need? Thanksgiving has become the Eve of Black Friday. And it’s a big day at the movie theatres, too. Got to...

The level of swine flu activity in the United States appears to be declining, although officials are worried about another increase of cases during the Thanksgiving holiday when many people travel and families gather. The news came as scientists in Norway announced that they had detected a mutated form of the swine flu virus ... It is the most recent report of mutations in the virus that is being watched closely for any change that could make it more dangerous. The two patients who had the mutation and died were the first swine flu fatalities in Norway. The third patient...

As Americans gear up for the holiday season, they're fine-tuning wish lists, digging out unfortunate Christmas sweaters and bracing for the onslaught of holiday advertising campaigns. This year adds a new contender to the long list of groups vying for attention, and it comes with a twist. The American Humanist Association today launched its first nationwide "godless holiday campaign." Its slogan: "No God? ... No Problem!" The ads, which show smiling people in Santa hats, will appear first on Washington, D.C., buses and subway trains over Thanksgiving weekend. In early December the campaign will expand to Los Angeles, San Francisco,...

As many families gather for this splendid holiday feast, there are too many others who in the year suffer the American equivalent of hunger. This is more like deprivation and thankfully not the clinical malnutrition and starvation it is in the Third World. At the same time, this super-rich nation is also battling what is described as an epidemic of overweight and obesity. Obesity, according to the experts, is mushrooming faster than any other health problem. If not slowed down, it will exact $344 billion in health care costs in 2018. By that time 43 percent of Americans, or 103...

Forget buying a ton of gifts. A week before Thanksgiving, the holidays are shaping up as a season of no frills. And for some, the joy of family time and gift-giving has been replaced this year by a quest for basic necessities as more jobs are lost and unemployment benefits start to expire. Michigan, with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation at 14.8 percent in September, has a food crisis going into the holiday season. "We have people coming to the food bank who said they were donating to us last year, but who are now out...

Holiday Message to our Troops! Sign the Card With Your Message (Fox News Radio) A GroupCard for Our Troops! Started By: FOX News Radio Delivery Date: Monday, Dec 7 - 3pm Eastern This GroupCard can be signed and viewed by many people. Pass this card around: Message from FOX News Radio: FOX News Radio would like to send our troops a big THANK YOU from all our loyal listeners and friends. Please take a moment to send your note of thanks. Include a photo, or a sticker if you would like. More Message from FOX News Radio: Sign This Card...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Retailers beware. Some tried-and-true discounting tactics for pepping up holiday season sales can be a boon for some products -- but a bust for others. First-of-its kind research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business confirms that certain kinds of point-of-purchase discounts can effectively attract more buyers in the short-term but for some products can tarnish sales and brand equity over time.

The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask Does the Bible have anything to say about the strange customs surrounding Halloween? In fact, it does—and none of it is good.While God's Holy Days in the Bible celebrate the role of Jesus Christ in bringing mankind to salvation in the eternal family of God (as explained in the following article and our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind), Halloween is a celebration of the opposite—of demonism, witchcraft, death and evil spirits.God's Word makes it clear that no one should dare entertain witchcraft or act...

Ward Churchill (remember him?) references the book, Smallpox and the American Indian, during his testimony in his civil suit against the University of Colorado at the City and County Building in Denver, Colorado March 23, 2009. Churchill is suing the University of Colorado for wrongful termination. AP photo. Today, I picked up 2 kids I carpool to the gymnastics club from their magnet school, as I do every Monday. Apparently, there was no mention about Columbus Day. Nada. Zippo. Nothing negative or positive. But they did watch a performance by dancers dressed like Mayan/Aztec Indians; and the older one said...

Barack Obama is merely following precedent by fleeing Washington and big headaches - the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deteriorating prospects for health care reform, legislation to cool the globe (or should we worry now about warming the globe?), and various "czars" gone wild. He's in Copenhagen with the missus not on the nation's business, but the business of his cronies in Chicago. [Snip] The White House thought [it was a bad idea to skip town] last week, when the president's men said it was unlikely that the president would go to Denmark when there was so much rotten...

A video promoting tourism in Denmark has been removed from YouTube after complaints it promoted promiscuity. The three-minute clip shows a young blonde woman, trying to find a man whom she had a one night stand with, who fathered her child "August". VisitDenmark's manager, Dorte Kiilerich said the film was supposed to be a "nice and sweet story of a woman". But Denmark's Economy Minister, Lene Espersen, said it "was not a very well-thought-out picture of the country". In the advert, the woman says - in English - that she was "trying to find August's father". "We met one night...

PEABODY — It was the contract provision that made Peabody national news. Today, Sept. 11 became a paid holiday for police officers, according to an agreement the police union reached with Mayor Michael Bonfanti last October. The designation means officers will be paid time and a quarter on the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The provision was groundbreaking. No other police department in the country had such a holiday, and it triggered a backlash, fueled by local and national news stories, against the Peabody police. They were accused of exploiting a national...

A century ago, Labor Day in Bell County was more about brotherhood and less about barbecue. The first Monday in September began 127 years ago as a "working man's holiday," but, in reality, in Bell County, the day emphasized more "working" than "holiday." Far from being the "last day of summer vacation," most Bell Countians anticipated Labor Day for a bountiful cotton harvest. Although the observance is 118 years old in Texas, not until 1909 did Bell County's Labor Day celebrations swell to widespread celebration. Before then, 12-hour shifts were common; worker conditions perilous. Railroads, Temple's major employer, were the...

MUMBAI (AFP) – Marriage hit the rocks? Considering a divorce? An Indian tour operator wants warring couples to hold off consulting lawyers and go on holiday instead -- with a relationship counsellor in tow. KV Tours and Travels, based in the western city of Mumbai, has launched "divorce tourism" packages, designed to get spouses who have fallen out of love to bury the hatchet. "With divorce tourism, what we're trying to do is to bring together couples who are heading towards divorce to stop them," the company's chief executive Vijesh Thakker told AFP. India, where marriage is still viewed as...

These are the one's that everyone in the family says are a must have for all Holiday meals, from Easter to Christmas and everything in between, we think of any reason possible to serve "Gaga's Sweet Potatoes". Gaga is what my son calls my mother, his grandmother, and her sweet potatoes are the big crowd pleaser. We'd be better off forgetting the turkey on Thanksgiving than to show up without these sweet delights.

U.S. President Barack Obama has declared Monday, July 27th, as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. The White House released the proclamation Saturday, a day before the armistice ending the Korean War was signed in 1953. Obama said that by virtue of the authority vested in him by the Constitution, he proclaims July 27th as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. He urged all Americans to observe the day with ceremonies honoring and giving thanks to distinguished Korean War veterans. He also asked federal departments, interested groups, organizations and individuals to fly the flag at half-staff in memory of fallen...

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2009 – As the United States completed its withdrawal of combat forces from Iraqi cities in accordance with today’s deadline, Baghdad commemorated the milestone with a national holiday. The departing American brigades and battalions leave behind a significantly smaller contingent of U.S. trainers and advisors in the cities, where Iraqi forces now have primary authority, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said. The move comes as part of the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq. “A small number of U.S. forces will remain in cities to train, advise, coordinate with Iraqi security forces,...

The world's first burger pilgrimage has been announced allowing 'food tourists' to pay homage to the humble fast-food. The itinerary takes in 16 cities in eight countries that are deemed to have played a pivotal role in the evolution of the burger. The Burger Pilgrimage Trip, cooked up by fast-food giant Burger King, will take 35 days to complete and cost a whopping £3,400. It is aimed at the rapidly growing number of 'food tourists'. Historically, the burger started as a meatball in classical Roman times, with more sophisticated versions developing in the Middle Ages. Sarah Power, marketing director of...

Hug a tree. Recycle. But don't forget the biodegradable "green" poop bags to ensure your dog has a small carbon pawprint. Yes, Earth Day has come to this.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2009 – A California based troop-support group has collected and mailed more than 600 Easter baskets as part of April’s observance of the Month of the Military Child. “Because the Easter bunny and children go hand-in-hand, our Easter project was directly targeted to the children,” said Karla Davis, Pennsylvania state coordinator for Soldiers’ Angels. “We were blessed enough with support for sending out over 610 Easter baskets this year. There were also several hundred gift cards sent with the baskets to help the parents in purchasing Easter dinner.” The majority of the baskets went directly to...

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has proposed to eliminate as a public holiday Emancipation Day, which commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s decision in 1862 to free slaves in the District.

Hey folks, Harry here... I don't know about you, but I have an eternal love for Maurice LaMarche due to his voice work as THE BRAIN from PINKY AND THE BRAIN. So when I received an email telling me that The Brain was declaring this date "3-22" forever to be INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE WILLIAM SHATNER day... including his expert advice on how to Talk like William Shatner... well... I had to share. Only 192 people had seen his podcast - and that number needs to go up significantly. I mean... on June 4th you can own Kirk's Captain chair for...

It was 1807 — 202 years ago — that the Lee family in Virginia welcomed a baby boy and named him Robert Edward. Monday is the birthday of that great American, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and is also a state holiday. Robert E. Lee never came to Mississippi, but other than the many men from here who fought under his command during the War Between the States, he may have had an unusual Vicksburg connection. Was he wearing boots, a gift from two Vicksburg sisters, when he met with Gen. U.S. Grant at Appomattox on April 9, 1865? That is...

A Geithner Tax Holiday for All of Us?January 15, 2009 BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Now we have learned, ladies and gentlemen, well, we've learned a lot about Tim Geithner. He's not gonna get away with ignorance. The International Monetary Fund informed Geithner on his taxes, they informed every employee four times a year when the quarterly estimates are due, what their taxes are. They are paid the gross. Oh, you know what else I learned about this? All IMF employees are paid the gross, and then every quarter they have to file estimated taxes based on their earnings for that quarter...

Nativity scenes made of real straw. Wise Men 2 feet tall. Menorahs bigger than a human being.   Holiday display in Teaneck. In many North Jersey municipalities, those sacred symbols can be found at the same place people get dog licenses, pay taxes and apply for building permits — town hall.  The display of religious items on public property has long been a charged discussion in American communities, and the case law governing holiday displays is still murky enough to confound local governments trying to create a festive atmosphere for residents.* Fair Lawn for years just lit a holiday tree....

Servicemembers walk alongside their float during the inaugural Joint Base Balad holiday parade, Dec. 25, 2008. Photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Epley, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. JOINT BASE BALAD — The sight may have been out of the ordinary, but for some strange reason, seeing reindeer, sleighs and Santa Claus detained by U.S. Navy Customs agents did not surprise service members here Christmas Day. This odd scene took place along the route of the inaugural Joint Base Balad Holiday Parade, sponsored by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and displayed the sense of tradition U.S. servicemembers try to...

My Triumph Over Kwanzaa! Ann Coulter Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Is it just me, or does Kwanzaa seem to come earlier and earlier each year? This year, I believe my triumph over this synthetic holiday is nearly complete. The only mentions of Kwanzaa I've seen are humorous ones. Most important, for the first time in eight years, President George Bush appears not to have issued "Kwanzaa greetings" to honor this phony non-Christian holiday that is younger than I am. It is a fact that Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by a black radical FBI stooge, Ron Karenga, aka Dr. Maulana...

This year was a lean year as far as Christmas presents go. We didn’t exchange with family that was ‘far away” so that cut down out costs, but it also severely cut the number under the tree for the two kids. Our kids knew it had been a tight year and when they gave us their lists, I could tell they were being conservative on purpose (despite being teenagers) by the number of items on their list. You know, my husband has a well-paying job – and after three friend’s husband’s losing their jobs this year, I am truly grateful...

BAGHDAD — Iraq's Christians, a small minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, quietly celebrated Christmas on Thursday with a present from the government, which declared it an official holiday for the first time. But security worries overshadowed the day for many, particularly in the north where thousands of Christians have fled to escape religious attacks. Overall security in Iraq has improved markedly in the past year, but a fatal car bombing in Baghdad on Christmas morning was a gruesome reminder that serious problems remain. The bombing outside a restaurant frequented by police killed four people and wounded 25 others in...

WASHINGTON — 'Tis the season for making whoopee. The Christmas-New Year's period produces a year-high spike in sexual activity and conceptions in the United States, according to biorhythm researchers and makers of sex-related products. They attribute the increase to holiday leisure and New Year's resolutions to have children. New Year's irresolution fueled by alcohol and partying is another contributing factor. "Right before New Year's Eve is our highest sales peak," said David Johnson, group product manager for Trojan brand condoms, the leading U.S. seller. As expected, the holiday urge surge also expresses itself as a peak in U.S. births in...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2008 – Although far from home, a deployed soldier here will continue a long-standing holiday tradition with his family in Louisiana. Army Lt. Col. Stephen Jeselink, Task Force Warrior deputy commander, is recorded while reading the poem “The Night Before Christmas” at the USO at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2008. Through the United Through Reading military program, the Jeselink family in Louisiana will be able to continue a long-standing holiday tradition of listening to Stephen read the poem on Christmas Eve. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Every Christmas Eve,...

Many supposed holiday hazards are as innocuous as a tepid mug of apple cider. A review article in the current issue of the British Medical Journal cites five fears that can officially be crossed off the holiday worry list.

The History of Christmas in America An Ancient Holiday The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home...

At least in this case study from Absurd Britannia, the backtracking began almost immediately. "Mother told to take down her Christmas lights... in case they offend her non-Christian neighbours," from the Daily Mail, December 16 (thanks to James): A woman has spoken of how she was told to remove her Christmas lights by a housing association worker - in case they offended her non-Christian neighbours. Dorothy Glenn decorates her home in South Shields with hundreds of festive lights every year, including a giant tree and a 4ft Santa Claus. But she was left stunned this year when a South Tyneside...

For 130 years they have been part of Christmas, filling the air in towns across the land with music and carols. But one thing is missing from the repertoire of Salvation Army bands this year - the percussion of rattling tins. Members have been forbidden to shake their charity tins - even if it's done in time to the music - in case it harasses or intimidates people. One said she had been told it might also offend other religions. Tin man: Salvation Army collectors have been told not to rattle their tins as it could be construed as religious...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2008 – A Christmas tree farm in Whitehouse, Ohio, is celebrating the holiday season by giving away 100 Christmas trees to military families. “We've been giving trees to military families since the war started,” Duke Wheeler, owner of Whitehouse Christmas Tree Farm, said. “We feel it's important to let these families know that we appreciate their sacrifices. … We're grateful for all that they do.” The tree farm is giving away 7-foot Christmas trees through Dec. 20 to military families who have a servicemember overseas or a servicemember who recently returned from duty. Family members can cut...