Prior to c.450, the peoples of Britannia (Britons) spoke Celtic languages. Between 388 and 400, Romans occupied Britannia (modern England and Wales). Celtic-speaking Scots and Picts lived north of the Romanized Britons. In c.450, Germanic tribes including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded Britannia. The language that developed was Old English. Just as there are […] More
How long do you think people have been sending Christmas cards? If you guessed “not that long,” then you are right. In the history of the holiday, the Christmas card is a modern invention. The first attested date of Christmas celebrated on December 25 was in 336 during the reign of Emperor Constantine, the first […] More
Christmastime is here. Or is Christmas time here? From where and when does the word Christmas come? And is Xmas a secular perversion that seeks to remove the Christ from Christmas or an acceptable abbreviation? Even though Christmas is an important holiday for modern Christians, the church did not celebrate the birth of Jesus in […] More
Do you recall the story of the first Thanksgiving? In 1620, 120 passengers including the English Puritans now referred to as the Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean and established the Plymouth Colony in the southeastern portion of contemporary Massachusetts. After a devastating first winter in the New World, only 53 of the original colonists remained, […] More
Halloween, Hallowe’en, All Hallows’ Eve — English speakers use many names for the holiday that occurs each year on October 31. Which is the correct form, and from when and where does the word arise? While the Halloween holiday begins as far back as Samhain of the ancient Celtic people and winds through history, the […] More
The story of the Halloween costume begins with the history of Halloween. The ancient Celtic people lived in northern Europe in areas now known as Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and northern France. Winter began early, around November, for the Celts, who marked the occasion with the harvest festival of Samhain, the night on which […] More
I have been reading about the history of the Christmas holiday over the past few weeks. Each week my daughter participates in a kindergarten co-op with a local homeschool group. Last week three other parents and I taught a lesson on the holiday including a mini history lesson on the history of Christmas ornaments. The […] More
I have always been an avid reader, and I have already passed my love of books along to my children. My daughter started reading at only four years old. During homeschool lessons, she and I read tons of books on all sorts of topics. She also loves reading on her own during her free time. […] More
I have always enjoy reading about history, especially American history. I want to pass along my interest in learning about the past to my kids and have already read a bookshelf of historical books to my daughter and son. Thus, when recently offered the chance to review a copy of If You Were Me and […] More
I am always on the lookout for new educational books and materials to share with my kiddos. When recently offered the chance to review some new Smithsonian interactive books and activity kits, I eagerly accepted the opportunity. I received Smithsonian Sticker Creations: Under the Sea, Smithsonian Sticker Creations: Dinosaurs, Smithsonian Discover: Earth, Smithsonian Everything You […] More
