Holiday traditions around the world highlight the diversity of human cultures. I recently read an article about the tradition in Iceland of giving books as gifts on Christmas Eve. Families put on their new pajamas and head to bed early to read their new books. I intend to include this as a new tradition with my family this year.

I’ve continued many of my family’s Christmas traditions every year. My Mom made an Advent calendar that we add candy canes to and hang every December first. Many of the ornaments on our tree were handmade by my children or were collected on family vacations. Decorating the tree is always a delightful walk “down memory lane.”

The “Christmas pickle” was an addition years ago and is a fun hiding game for everyone, especially the first person to find it, they are supposed to receive a bonus gift and have good luck throughout the year.

Many years ago, a family friend gave us a spider tree ornament and shared the beautiful story from a Polish tradition. Spiders, according to legend, wove a blanket for Baby Jesus. In Poland, spiders are thought to be symbols of goodness and prosperity. The last year of buying a freshly cut Christmas tree, my husband was sitting near the tree and just happened to see movement out of the corner of his eye. That movement was the hatching of thousands of tiny baby spiders. We told ourselves that the hatchlings were good luck for the holiday season but we felt bad about disturbing the spiders’ habitat in winter and bought an artificial tree the next year.

We have always had several mushroom ornaments on our tree through the years. I have collected so many that the mushrooms now have their own little tree. Without knowing it while collecting, I learned that mushrooms are also considered good luck in the German culture. Found in forests, mushrooms are associated with the reverence of nature and beauty. Finding a mushroom in a forest is like finding a lucky penny-good fortune is surely right around the corner.

During one visit to London during Thanksgiving years ago, we were introduced to the greeting, “Happy Christmas.” While people don’t know exactly how this phrase started in England, people do know that King George V said it in 1932 during his first royal Christmas radio message.

While Christmas isn’t a traditional holiday in Japan, it has become a widely celebrated occasion. One unique tradition is enjoying a meal from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Thanks to an advertising campaign in the 1970’s, millions of Japanese families enjoy KFC for their Christmas feast, sometimes ordering weeks in advance. Not only is Colonel Sanders now synonymous with Santa Claus, but KFC in Japan now sells Christmas-themed “party barrels” to celebrate the day. The barrels include salad, cake, and lots of fried chicken.

The Christmas “cracker” has been a part of my Christmas Eve dinner for as long as I can remember. The brightly wrapped tube which contains a paper crown, a joke, and a prize is a festive table decoration. The crackers make a popping sound when opened. The tradition of wearing festive hats at parties is believed to date back to Roman times. Tom Smith, a bon-bon maker in London invented the “cracker” in 1847 out of necessity during a slump in candy sales. A Christmas cracker is the subject of one of Norman Rockwell’s iconic cover art for The Saturday Evening Post in 1919.

The holiday season is time of joy, connection, and celebration across the globe. While Christmas is one of the most widely recognized holidays, different cultures infuse this time of year with unique customs and traditions. While rooted in the story of Christ’s birth, Christmas traditions have evolved to include customs that blend religious, cultural, and local influences.

Though 513 Court Lane is considered one of the oldest surviving commercial buildings in Cambridge, the architecture is completely different from how it was in 1819, when a two-room frame office was built on the property. After 1892, it was expanded into a two-story structure and used as an insurance office. By 1916 the two or three offices next to it had been merged into it as one building. In 1949, the frame building was covered in brick.

“ Black Friday” has evolved in meaning and impact over the years, initially referring to calamitous days. The most significant “Black Friday” to date was in 1869 when two financiers attempted to corner the gold market. Fortunes were made and lost on that day.

In 1951, “Black Friday” referred to the practice of workers calling in sick the day after Thanksgiving, in order to have a four day weekend.

Black Friday is currently the first Friday after Thanksgiving and is considered the first and busiest shopping day of the season. The term “ Black Friday” was coined in the 1980’s and refers to the point where retailers begin to make a profit; “in the black.” Black Friday uses promotional sales to draw large crowds and this year, Black Friday has been observed for a couple of weeks.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Black Friday” was a phrase used by police officers in Philadelphia to describe the chaos that resulted when large numbers of suburban tourists came into the city to begin their holiday shopping. The huge crowds created a headache for the police, who worked longer shifts than usual as they dealt with traffic jams, accidents, and shoplifting.

Thanksgiving’s relationship with Christmas shopping led to controversy in the 1930’s. Stores were hesitant to advertise Christmas sales before Thanksgiving but needed a longer shopping season. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring the third Thursday of November as Thanksgiving. FDR believed that changing the date would boost the economy by creating an extra seven days of Christmas shopping. This date change led to protest by the mayor of Atlantic City who coined the term “Franksgiving.” In 1941, FDR and Congress moved Thanksgiving back to the fourth Thursday of November.

The New York Times recent survey about “Black Friday” showed that the majority of readers did not intend to shop on the day. Many readers lamented that it no longer felt like a unique event because sales continue throughout the year. Readers also suggested supporting small, local businesses rather than big-box retailers.

I must admit that I did shop online on “Black Friday,” I have had my eye on a flannel duvet cover that was very pricey. The sale price was worth the wait, I got it for 50% off.

When my children were little, I loved shopping, especially for their Christmas stockings. I would keep a list and buy any items throughout the year that were on that list. I have never been a fan of crowded malls. Eventually, the best gifts were the Christmas holiday spent together.

My parents would shop in Denver or New York City for Christmas. Our gifts from FAO Schwartz were incredible, one year we received child sized Lincoln Logs so we could construct our own cabin. Another year it was a skating rink in our backyard. I have photos of my brothers the year they received a child sized Gemini space capsule with astronaut costumes. Pogo sticks and stilts and other sports equipment were included as we got older. I remember my first desk and the phonograph with the Glen Campbell album that I was given in fourth grade. Our family photo albums illustrate the years of Barbie’s, Chatty Cathy dolls, and GIJoes.

We had a big storeroom in our basement that housed some of our holiday decorations and National Geographic magazines. One year, my older brother was “investigating” and found a treasure trove of toys hidden amongst the boxes in that store room. My brother decided to “share the wealth” and in doing so, ruined the Christmas morning surprise for me. Thankfully, the magic did return the next year.

My great grandfather, Jacob Edward Emery, was a Naval officer who fought in the Civil War under Admiral Farragut. Jacob died when my grandfather was three and left his wife and son with a measly pension on which to live. My grandfather’s life seemed almost Dickensian, my great grandmother took in needle work to make ends meet. I have remnants of her “tatting” and embroidery stitches that she would embellish ladies’ dresses and handkerchiefs with. My grandfather worked from the age of five delivering newspapers after school. As a teenager, he helped the church sexton by pumping the organ and ringing the bells. Education was important to my great grandmother so school took precedent over work. My Grandfather got a scholarship to Yale University and managed to graduate with a Phi Beta Kappa, despite working full time at various jobs. He supported his mother until the day she died.

My grandfather was a brilliant but stern man who lacked any sense of humor. He believed that children were to be seen and not heard. My Dad’s relationship with my grandfather was dysfunctional and complicated. My Dad, however, was always interested in our lives and took an active part every single day. My Dad encouraged us to be whatever we wanted to be and he truly valued our opinions. He had a great sense of humor and loved every minute of his life.

Luckily, my Mom and grandmother made all of the holiday arrangements so my Dad and Grand Dad were forced to see each other on a regular basis. One Thanksgiving, my Mom planned a big shopping weekend, my brothers and I needed new ski equipment and the best deals were at a sporting goods store in Denver, where my Grandparents lived. My grandparents were going to California to my uncle’s house for the holiday. As far as my Dad was concerned, we were in the “clear”, no one needed to know that we planned to spend Thanksgiving in Denver, in a hotel.

We left early on Thanksgiving morning, the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We had snacks and a Coleman Cooler with plenty of water for the almost three hundred mile drive. The first “leg” of the trip to Cheyenne was uneventful, but we all were happy for a “pit stop” to stretch our legs at Little America, when it began snowing. As Dads do, my Dad headed out to “warm-up” the car for us as we finished buying more snacks and souvenirs. Upon our return, Dad was busy scraping the car which was blanketed with newly fallen snow. No worries, my Dad was a seasoned driver, a little snow wasn’t going to put a damper on our Thanksgiving Day.

With spirits high and beautiful snow falling we got back on the highway, heading to Denver. Within minutes, the falling snow became a “whiteout” and the semi – trucks ahead of us began pulling over on the side of the road. These factors were enough for my parents to make a u-turn and head home. That blizzard chased us for the entire return trip.

It was a scramble for my parents to put together a Thanksgiving spread with a frig that contained a bottle of milk and eggs. We had had reservations at the Brown Palace Hotel for dinner that night. Waffles were the best choice and they were delicious. We watched The Wizard of Oz on tv and headed to bed.

The next morning we drove to the airport and flew to Denver. We checked in to The Shirley Savoy Hotel, a hotel that time had forgotten. The employees were doppelgängers of the characters in the Wes Anderson movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel; they looked like they had worked at the hotel forever. Our favorite, Toby, was the bellhop/elevator operator, he wore a pill box hat with a thin chin strap, striped pants, a cutaway jacket with red velvet lapels, a white shirt and a red bow tie. My brothers and I tortured poor Toby by calling for the elevator then running and hiding. Of course, when our “crime” was reported to my parents, we were forced to apologize to Toby.

We spent the early afternoon shopping at the largest sporting goods store that I had ever been to, it took several escalators to get to the ski department floor. As my Mom made her purchases, she arranged to have everything except our new ski jackets, shipped to our house. We were prepared for a full season on the slopes.

My Dad, brother, and sister went ahead to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We were walking with the green light when my older brother was hit by a car that didn’t stop. He was thrown on the pavement in front of the group of us crossing the street. The rest is a blur, but I remember a Good Samaritan who drove us to Denver General Hospital. My brother’s leg was broken and was placed in a cast. The Police interviewed my Mom at the hospital emergency room about the hit and run driver. After the usual hospital discharge that took a thousand hours, my Mom, Brother, and I got a cab back to the hotel. My family soldiered on and had a big Thanksgiving dinner redux at The Brown Palace, with a lively discussion about the day’s events.

The Denver Police wanted a local contact for the hit and run report so my Dad had to call my grandparents and let them know about our Thanksgiving shenanigans.

My parents loved taking a risk, we took an impromptu vacation to San Francisco the next spring, my grandparents were in Laguna Beach at my Uncle’s house at the same time. We had a great time, no blizzards or hit and runs. And… my grandparents were never the wiser.

Happy Thanksgiving!

C.R. Corkran was a manufacturer of ice cream and candy and sold sundry other things in the early part of the 20th century. The building still stands at 105 Maryland Avenue as the home of Furniture Flipping Females.

I’ve written a lot about the effects of the full moon on my students’ behavior. While scientific studies don’t conclusively support a direct link between the full moon and children’s behavior, many parents and teachers observe changes in children’s behavior during this phase of the lunar cycle. Some educators notice that children become more excitable, emotional, and active during the full moon. This week, my students were more prone to mood swings, crying, and frustration. Two of my students who are usually confident and independent were very whiny and needed more reassurance, band aids, and hugs this week.

November is a big birthday month in my class and with that comes cupcakes. As the sugar kicks in, their movements become quicker, they seem to be everywhere at once, running, jumping, and spinning around. Their voices get louder and they may giggle uncontrollably. This week my students acted out imaginary scenarios where they were super heroes with cupcake power. After this burst of energy, they begin to wind down, often putting their heads on the table. Some kids become cranky as the sugar dips in their bloodstreams.

Luckily, recess follows lunch so this incredible burst of energy is focused on running and playing outside. After recess we “Drop Everything And Read” for fifteen minutes. Five and six year olds choose their favorite “reading buddy” (stuffed animal) and settle down somewhere comfy in our room to read. More children fall asleep during “DEAR” when we’re experiencing a full moon, not unusual as many kindergartners still take naps or rest at home.

In 2002, kindergarten became full day as it was thought that children displayed notable gains in their academic performance. A full day of kindergarten offers more social and emotional benefits. Children have more time to focus on activities and the transition between activities is more relaxed. My students work very hard on reading and math for two hours in the morning. There are many class rules to follow and it can be nerve wracking to keep emotions in check. They look forward to their forty-five minutes of play before lunch. The “alphas” in our class might suggest the theme of each day’s play. Lately, the preferred choices are the castle with its dragon and fairies and being veterinarians at a zoo. A few choose to play quietly alone. Play time is like a breath of fresh air, these little children are able to express themselves freely.

During our very busy day, we take a moment to reconnect with our breath. We breathe with our hands on our hearts, feeling our heartbeats. We begin our day with a quick tapping exercise: touching our foreheads help us focus, our collarbone helps us feel strong, and tapping our wrists help us feel calm. We then move into a meditation. We have ”breathing wands” with five beads that we push from one side to the other as we take a big, deep breaths.

Just adding breath work as an interlude in each day centers my students and helps them re-connect with their bodies. We jump and swing our arms when transitioning from reading to math to relieve stored stress or tension. These simple exercises calm our nervous systems and promote relaxation.

Recently, I discovered a name for these techniques, Somatic Healing. I receive meditations from The Daily Om and a class on Somatic Healing was offered. Somatic healing is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between mind and body to promote emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing. The word somatic comes from the Greek word, soma, meaning “body.” Somatic healing helps individuals process and release trauma or stress by focusing on bodily awareness rather than solely talking or analyzing. Somatic healing techniques help calm the fight-flight-freeze response often associated with trauma and stress. Meditation mentor, Julie Slovis uses the phrase, “feel it to heal it” to guide students in her somatic healing class.

Somatic healing can empower both children and adults alike to understand their bodies, regulate their emotions, and develop lifelong tools for resilience and self-awareness.