Since “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been at the center of controversy in recent years, I thought it appropriate to reuse and update an article I wrote a few years back. Most people know (I hope) that Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics over 200 years ago during the War of 1812. Few people know that […]
Lately, we Americans have been obsessed with Mexico but it’s all too easy to forget about our other neighbor, Canada. No American forgets about Cinco de Mayo (actually a rather minor Mexican holiday), but I’d be surprised if more than one in a hundred knows about Dominion Day. This commemorates Canada’s transition from British colony […]
Today is Easter in most of the world, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus according to the Christian tradition. Even for those of us who aren’t particularly religious, Easter is an important American cultural tradition, a celebration of life and renewal. That’s why the holiday got melded with the ancient pagan fertility rituals associated with the […]
We Americans have a tradition of turning minor ethnic holidays into major excuses to party. St. Patrick’s was just another Catholic feast day to commemorate the man who, according to tradition, brought Christianity to Ireland. Now it’s become a festival of drink and debauchery – not that I object to that sort of thing, within […]
It’s an unoriginal title, I’ll admit. But the sentiment is real. Years ago I recall an acquaintance who that his wife was “his best friend” which provoked a bit of good-natured ribbing from the guys he was talking to – myself included. It’s not that the average guy doesn’t love his wife, but men and […]
February 2nd is our most whimsical “holiday,” the day when the legendary groundhog’s actions are said to forecast the weather. “Six more weeks of winter” was a given in North Dakota where I grew up. Perhaps the rodent returned to his hole not because he was frightened by his shadow, but because he was freezing […]
Good-bye to one of the weirdest and most “interesting” years I can recall in my life. 2017 was not an earthshaking year like 1963, 1989, or 2001. Contrary to the expectations of many, the world didn’t come to an end with the inauguration of Donald Trump. It was, however a year of surprises, scandals, and […]
