Well we know that a lot goes into spending on the holidays. The gifts, decorations, the food, and so on. The winter holidays are obviously come first but what comes second? I don't know if you guessed it but it's not Halloween. The reason for this is, despite the occasional birthday, there is no major gift giving during this season. In fact Mothers day and Fathers day rank higher. Here are the figures.
Winter Holidays 457.4 billion
Mothers day 13.8 billion
Fathers day 9.01http://www.snopes.com/holidays/halloween/spending.asp
Easter 12.63 billion
Valentines 13.7 billion
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Nation of Immigrants
The US is "the melting pot" of the world. If you looked around this country you would find people from practically every country imaginable. Personally I think that the massive mix of ethnicities and nationalities makes this country one of the most interesting nations in the world.
The first immigrant were brave and hopeful souls who believed that this country held better things for them and their families. It those people didn't posses that great bravery hope, and passion most of us would not be here today. These traits have transcended the generations and shape today's leaders and many more to come.
Thankfully I have an almost tangible connection to my family mostly because each generation of my family was so close to the one before it that stories couldn't be forgotten.
The first immigrant were brave and hopeful souls who believed that this country held better things for them and their families. It those people didn't posses that great bravery hope, and passion most of us would not be here today. These traits have transcended the generations and shape today's leaders and many more to come.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Faces of America
The movie faces of america was a touching account of famous people we know finding out about their ancestors. Many of them knew vague facts about their families but not much more. It made an obvious impact on their lives to see who and what made them who they are and to see how close they came to not being here at all. The actions of their relatives are very carefully woven together to make them the way they are.
In my mostly Italian family on holidays we sit and just talk about how life was like for my family back in in the rural mountains of Italy. One of my family members watched his mother step on a land mine and die when he was very young. He had to support himself and his sister from that day on. My grandmother was born right after her father sent for her mother and siblings to come to america. My great-great grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee indian. My step grandfather is related to Andrew Jackson by marriage. I am supposedly Spanish and German royalty. All of these things have made me who am now.
I think that the most a person could gain from watching these movies is the ambition to know about themselves and to become more connected with the cultures that their family possesses.
"Be true to who you are and the family name you bear" -Gordon B. Hinckley
In my mostly Italian family on holidays we sit and just talk about how life was like for my family back in in the rural mountains of Italy. One of my family members watched his mother step on a land mine and die when he was very young. He had to support himself and his sister from that day on. My grandmother was born right after her father sent for her mother and siblings to come to america. My great-great grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee indian. My step grandfather is related to Andrew Jackson by marriage. I am supposedly Spanish and German royalty. All of these things have made me who am now.
I think that the most a person could gain from watching these movies is the ambition to know about themselves and to become more connected with the cultures that their family possesses.
"Be true to who you are and the family name you bear" -Gordon B. Hinckley
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