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Cool things about July July is the coldest month in most of the Southern hemisphere, the equivalent of January in the North. It is also the second month of summer and the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere. The month was originally called Quintilis by the Romans but was later renamed July honour Julius Caesar. July's birthstone is the Ruby which symbolizes contentment. Its birth flower is the Larkspur or the Water Lily. The zodiac signs are Cancer and Leo.

Where did we get the name June? Julius Caesar names this month after the Roman goddess Juno. She was the Roman goddess for love and marriage which is why most weddings traditionally took place in June. There is a rhyme to remember the number of days in each month: Thirty days hath September, April, JUNE and November. In North America, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. It became a formal holiday in 1924, 25 years after Mother's day was officially recognised. June's birthstones are the Pearl, the Moonstone, and the Alexandrite. The meaning is health and longevity. Its birth flower is the Rose. The zodiac signs are Gemini and Cancer

When did Mother's Day begin? One theory is that it came from the ancient Greeks and Romans who had holidays and festivals dedicated to Cybele and Juno. The modern day holiday that we know was started by an American named Anna Jarvis in the USA. She trademarked the phrase "Mother's Day" and created an international association to promote families to honour their mother. Some countries celebrate this at different times of the year; others celebrate International Women's Day instead. Traditional Mother's Day gifts are cards, plants and flowers. May's birthstone is the emerald which means love or success. Its birth flower is the Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn. The zodiac signs are Taurus and Gemini

Why do we celebrate April Fool's Day? The origin of this holiday is not known for certain. It was mentioned in writing as early as the 1500's in France and late 1600's in England. Some people think that it is because the European calendar changed and the date for New Year's changed from April 01 to January 01. It took a long time for people to find out about this as there was no TV, radio or web. People who missed, forgot or ignored the change had jokes played on them. Others believe this came from ancient Roman times as a part of a spring celebration. Whatever the case, it's become a time for pranks and jokes. Traditionally, jokes have to be played before noon. These are supposed to be harmless and fun, like adding a few drops of food colouring to the milk carton, swapping dresser drawers or changing the time so that everyone gets up earlier. Why do we celebrate Easter? Easter is a Christian feast which marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his Crucifixion. It represents a new beginning and is the most important and joyous holiday on the Christian calendar. Many non-Christians celebrate Easter as a time to visit family and celebrate spring. Some people think Easter is named after Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess who is associated with the egg and the hare (rabbit) but Easter is the word used in English. Most of the world uses the word Pask rather than Easter. The colours of Easter are often white and gold though in many parts of the world, eggs are dyed with colours or elaborate designs. The date of Easter changes because it is based on the lunar (moon) calendar. Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox (March 21) so Easter may take place between March 22 and April 25. April's birthstone is diamond, which symbolizes innocence. Its birth flowers are the Daisy and Sweet Pea. The zodiac signs are Aries and Taurus.

Where does the name "March" come from? March was named after Mars, the Roman god of war and used to be the first month of the year. In Rome, March was the first month of spring which is when the Roman empire started their military campaigns. What is St. Patrick's Day? St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many countries on March 17. It is an official holiday in Ireland where it began as a Christian holiday, then a feast day in honour of Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland. St. Patrick used the shamrock, a plant with three leaves, to explain the holy trinity to the pre-Christian Irish. Legends say that he drove all of the snakes and poisonous reptiles out of Ireland. Why do people say there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Some stories say that Ireland has a type of elf or faerie named leprechauns, small men who are cobblers (shoemakers) for the faerie world. If you catch a leprechaun, he'll have many tricks to escape but if you're clever and persistent, he might lead you to his stash of gold, supposedly hidden at the end of a rainbow. If you look away, even for a moment, he will be gone.

How did February get its name? February, used in North America and much of Europe, is named after a Latin word which means purification. This month has other names in other countries including words for the month of frost, ice, mud and even cabbage. Why does February have 29 days every 4 years? Our yearly calendar has 365 days, known as the length of time it takes the earth to travel around the sun. It actually takes a little longer so every four years, we add an extra day to February, the shortest month, to make up for this. Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day? The day was named after a Christian saint, St. Valentine. There are legends about at least three people named Valentine or Valentinus from ancient Rome. The most popular story is about a man who was executed on February 14. This claims that St. Valentine was a priest who arranged secret marriages at a time when the Roman emperor, Claudius, banned all marriages and engagements in Rome to help recruit soldiers for his armies. Some people believe that love and romance became linked to Valentine's Day in the Middle Ages. At that time, people in England and France believed that birds began looking for their mates on February 14. Whatever the reason, Valentine's Day has long been a festival celebrating love and romance. In our time, it also includes love and friendship for our parents, brothers and sisters, teachers and friends. Originally, the most common way of expressing this was by exchanging handmade notes or cards. This changed in the 1800s when companies began making mass-produced (bought) greeting cards. The first known card was sent in London in 1415 and is still in the British Library in London, England. Valentine's Superstitions: Some people think the kind of bird a girl sees on Valentine's Day predicts the kind of man she'll marry. For instance: Bluebird: a happy man Blackbird: a priest or clergyman Crssbill: an argumentative man Sparrow: a poor man If she sees an owl, she won't get married that year. Why do we celebrate Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day is a tradition in North America: If a groundhog doesn't see its shadow on February 02, it will leave its burrow and winter will soon be over. If it sees its shadow, the groundhog will go back in and winter will last six more weeks. It's believed this custom comes from ancient European weather predicting using a badger or bear instead of a groundhop, or else Imbolc, the date when the seasons change on the old Celtic Calendar. The North American holiday began in Pennsylvania, USA in the 1800s and many places have large celebrations. Are there other celebrations in February? There are many throughout the world that you might want to look up on the internet. Here are just a few: Kwakiutl Midwinter Ceremony, West Coast of Canada and USA Battaglia delle Arance (battle of the oranges), Italy Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in many countries Arungu Festival, Nigeria Trinidad Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago Apokriatica, Greece Binche Carnival, Belgium Basel Carnival, Switzerland Cologne Carnival, Germany Düsseldorf Carnival, Germany Venice Carnival, Italy Madrid Carnival, Spain Maslenitsa, Russia Sa Sartiglia, Sardinia Hong Kong Arts Festival, China Holi, India Kumbh Mela, India Losar, Nepal Jenadriyah National Festival, Saudi Arabia Winter Carnival, Quebec, Canada

January's theme is COMPETITION. Some sports are just for recreation but many are competitive. Taekwon-Do can be both. Why do we compete? People have always liked to test themselves against others, individually or in team events. It gives us a chance to see how well we've learned from our training and a practical opportunity to use it. What if I feel stressed? Competition can be very stressful. Most people are a little anxious or nervous before a match, even professional players. This tension can help your body and mind get ready for competition and also makes adrenaline which gives you extra energy. A lot of pressure can bring out extreme emotions so it's good to remember that you need to be respectful to other competitors. What can I do to get ready? Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We all want to do well in everything we do, and it's certainly great to win, but becoming skilled in Taekwon-Do takes a lot of work and practice. Make sure that you get enough sleep the night before, eat well and try to relax before your match. Take a few deep breaths with your warm-up, try to let your tension turn into excitement at competing and remember to have fun. How can I be a good sport? 1. Be courteous and respectful to all competitors. Never say mean or rude things to anyone regardless of the situation. 2. Never argue with an umpire. If you disagree with a call, ask your coach or the umpire to explain it to you after the game. 3. Don't make excuses or blame a team-mate when you lose. 4. Don't show off or gloat when you win. 5. Tell your opponents "Good match" whether you win or lose.

December 2009

How do people say Merry Christmas in other countries? Argentine "Feliz Navidad" Chinese: "sen-daijiq kua-loq" Czech "Velike Vanoce" Danish "Glædelig Jul" Dutch "Vrolijk Kerstfeest" English [UK] "Happy Christmas" Finnish "Hauskaa Joulua" French "Joyeux Noël" Gaelic "Nollaig Shona Dhuit" German "Froehliche Weihnachten" Greek "Kala Christouyenna" Hawaiian "Mele Kalikimaka" Icelandic "Gledileg Jol" Irish "Nollaig Shona Duit" Italian "Buon Natale" Japanese "Meri Kurisumasu" Klingon "QISmaS Quch Daghajjaj" Korean "Sung Tan Jul Chuk Ha" Maltese "Il-Milied it-tajjeb" Maori "Meri Kirihimete" Norwegian "Gledelig Jul" Peru "Felices Fiestas" Portuguese "Feliz Natal" Russian "S Rozhdestvom Kristovym" Slovene "Srecen Bozic" Spanish "Feliz Navidad" Turkish "Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun" Ukrainian "Z Rizdvom Krystovym" Vietnamese "Chuc Mung Giang Sinh" Why doesn't everyone celebrate Christmas? Christmas is a religious holiday and there are many different religions throughout the world. Christmas Day, December 25, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion and the word "Christmas" means "Christ's Mass", a church service. For many families who do not practice a religion and for many people of other faiths, Christmas has simply become a time of family gathering and gift-giving. Is Christmas the same all over the world? No it isn't. Christians have many different customs and traditions in countries around the world. North American customs come from many places. Santa Claus has a Dutch origin. He was developed from St. Nicholas who was a real person, the patron saint of school boys who brought gifts to the children. The idea that Santa Claus comes down the chimney originated in Norway, where children hang Christmas stockings on the fireplace mantel. Why do we put out our Christmas stocking? St. Nick, who wanted to remain anonymous and help a poor family, threw gold coins down their chimney. They fell into a stocking that was hanging there to dry. Why do we have Christmas trees? Evergreen trees were originally decorated at the yearly winter solstice feast. They were a sign that winter would end. Country people turning Christian later decorated the trees with nuts and candles and sang Christmas carols as they danced around the Christmas tree. What other seasonal holidays are celebrated this time of year? Kwanzaa December 26-January 01 Kwanzaa means "First Fruits of the Harvest and is an African-American and Pan-African holiday. Kwanzaa celebrates 7 principles (like tenets): Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work & Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Hanukkah December 11-18, 2009 Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication.The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication. The holiday begins on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew Month of Kislev and lasts eight days. Hanukkah usually falls in the month of December, but occasionally can start in November. The books of the Maccabees tell the story of Hanukkah which occurred in 165 B.C. After three years of struggle, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus. The Jewish people held festivities in the Temple of Jerusalem, and rededicated it to God. After removing all Syrian idols from the Temple, the Jews found only one small cruse of oil which to light their holy lamps. Miraculously, the cruse provided oil for eight days. Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish leader, then proclaimed a festival to be observed by Jews. During Hanukkah, gifts are exchanged and contributions are made to the poor. Each evening, one additional candle is lit on the Hanukkah menorah (candelabra). By the last evening, eight lighted candles stand together. Eid al-Adha November 27, 2009 Eid al-Adha is the second of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran. It commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer in a large congregation in an open area or mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha as they make sure that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.

NOVEMBER 2009 Why do we say "Buckle down" when it's time to get serious? If your teacher tells you it's time to buckle down, they mean "Quit fooling around, this is serious business". This comes from the days of knighthood. Squires used to attend to their knight's armour by oiling it, laying it out and then buckling it onto their masters' bodies. How well this was done could mean the difference between life and death for the knight so buckling down was very serious business.

Why do we say someone is "Mad as a Hatter"? At one time, almost everyone wore hats outdoors. Hatmakers used mercury to make felt hats and many suffered from mercury poisoning which gave them slurred speech, a lurching walk and twitchy muscles. People thought these were signs of insanity which resulted in the phrase "mad as a hatter".

Why is a spelling competition called a "Bee"? Whole communities used to gather together to help their neighbours build barns or homes. These large gatherings were called "bees" because the number of people working together looked like a busy hive of bees. The "spelling bee" was named by an American newspaper in 1925 and is still popular in North America.

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