December
.
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
.
Name of December:
December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name.
.
In Ancient Rome they had many festivals in the month of December.
The festival of Sol Invictus was held on December 25.
(Classical Latin: Sol Invictus [ˈsoːɫ ɪnˈwɪktʊs], "Unconquered Sun").
December 25 was considered the date of the winter solstice in the Roman calendar.
Generally speaking, in all the pagan religions the solstices were celebrated.
.
The Anglo-Saxons referred to December–January as Ġēolamonaþ (modern English: "Yule month"). The French Republican Calendar contained December within the months of Frimaire and Nivôse.
.
.
Astronomy
December contains the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the fewest daylight hours, and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the day with the most daylight hours (excluding polar regions in both cases). December in the Northern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa. In the Northern hemisphere, the beginning of the astronomical winter is traditionally 21 December or the date of the solstice.
.
.
Symbols
December's birth flower is the narcissus.
Its birthstones are turquoise, zircon and tanzanite.
.
.
Narcissus flower:
.
Narcissus in Greek mythology:
In Greek mythology, Narcissus ( Ancient Greek: Νάρκισσος, romanized: Nárkissos) was a hunter from Thespiae in Boeotia who was known for his beauty which was noticed by all, regardless of gender. According to the best-known version of the story, by Ovid, Narcissus rejected all advances, eventually falling in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, tragically not realizing its similarity, entranced by it. In some versions he beat his breast purple in agony at being kept apart from this reflected love, and in his place sprouted a flower bearing his name.
.
The character of Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a self-centered personality style. This quality in extreme contributes to the definition of narcissistic personality disorder, a psychiatric condition marked by grandiosity, excessive need for attention and admiration, and an inability to empathize.
.
Etymology:
The name is of Greek etymology. According to R. S. P. Beekes, "the suffixes [-ισσος] clearly points to a Pre-Greek word."
The word narcissus has come to be used for the daffodil, but there is no clarity on whether the flower is named for the myth or the myth for the flower, or if there is any true connection at all. Pliny the Elder wrote that the plant was named for its fragrance (ναρκάω narkao, "I grow numb"), not the mythological character.
.
Narcissus & Echo:
In Greek mythology, Echo (/ˈɛkoʊ/; Greek: Ἠχώ, Ēkhō, "echo", from ἦχος (ēchos), "sound") was an Oread Nymph who resided on Mount Cithaeron.
God Zeus loved consorting with beautiful nymphs and often visited them on Earth.
Eventually, Zeus's jealous wife, Hera, became suspicious, and came from Mount Olympus in an attempt to catch Zeus with the nymphs.
Echo, by trying to protect Zeus (as he had ordered her to do), endured Hera's wrath.
Echo had kept Hera “occupied” with gossip while Zeus had an affair behind her back.
And the jealous Goddess Hera cursed Echo by making her unable to initiate a spoken sentence on her own, and instead able only to, in speech, finish a sentence started by someone else:
"Yet a chatterbox, had no other use of speech than she has now, that she could repeat only the last words out of many."
This is the explanation of the aural effect which was named after her.
.
Sometime after being cursed, Echo spied a young beautiful man, Narcissus, while he was out hunting deer with his companions.
.
She immediately fell in love with him and, infatuated, followed quietly. The more she looked at the young beautiful man, the more she longed for him. Though she wished with all her heart to call out to Narcissus, Hera's curse prevented her.
.
During the hunt, Narcissus became separated from his companions and called out, ‘is anyone there,’ and heard the nymph repeat his words. Startled, Narcissus answered the voice, ‘come here,’ only to be told the same. When Narcissus saw that nobody had emerged from the glade, he concluded that the owner of the voice must be running away from him and called out again. Finally, he shouted, "This way, we must come together." Taking this to be a reciprocation of her love, Echo concurred ecstatically, "We must come together!"
.
In her delight, Echo rushed to Narcissus ready to throw her arms around her beloved. Narcissus, however, was appalled and, spurning her, exclaimed, ‘Hands off! May I die before you enjoy my body.’ All Echo could whisper in reply was, ‘enjoy my body’ and having done so she fled, scorned, humiliated, and shamed.
.
Despite the harshness of his rejection, Echo's love for Narcissus only grew.
In her grief she isolated herself from everybody.
Eventually, Echo, began to waste away.
Though she was immortal, her body faded and her bones turned to stone until all that remained of Echo was the sound of her voice.
.
Echo's fellow nymphs prayed to Goddess Nemesis to punish the beautiful but cold-hearted Narcissus with a love that was equally not reciprocated.
.
Nemesis, the Goddess of revenge, heard the pleas of the nymphs and also the pleas of a young man who had fallen for Narcissus but was ignored and cursed him;
Nemesis listened, proclaiming that Narcissus would never be able to be loved by the one he fell in love with.
.
Thus, after sometime, Narcissus was in the forest again and he was getting thirsty. He finds a pool of water which Ovid tells us no animal had ever approached. Leaning down to drink, Narcissus sees a reflection. Ovid, inhabiting Narcissus mindset, describes what he sees as being as beautiful as a marble statue. Narcissus did not realize it was his own reflection and fell deeply in love with it, as if it were someone else;
Unable to leave the allure of this image, Narcissus eventually realized that his love could not be reciprocated and he melted away from the fire of passion burning inside him, eventually turning into a gold and white flower.
.
A later version ascribed to the poet Parthenius of Nicaea, composed around 50 BC, was discovered in 2004 by Dr Benjamin Henry among the Oxyrhynchus papyri at Oxford.Again, like in Ovid, Narcissus lost his will to live and committed suicide.
A version by Conon, a contemporary of Ovid, also ends in suicide (Narrations, 24). In it, a young man named Ameinias fell in love with Narcissus, who had already spurned his male suitors. Narcissus also spurned him and gave him a sword. Ameinias committed suicide at Narcissus's doorstep. He had prayed to the gods to give Narcissus a lesson for all the pain he provoked. Narcissus walked by a pool of water and decided to drink some. He saw his reflection, became entranced by it, and killed himself because he could not have his object of desire.
.
In all versions, his body disappears and all that is left is a narcissus flower.
.
.
Influence on culture:
The myth of Narcissus has inspired artists for at least two thousand years, even before the Roman poet Ovid featured a version in book III of his Metamorphoses. This was followed in more recent centuries by other poets (e.g. Keats and Alfred Edward Housman) and painters (Caravaggio, Poussin, Turner, Dalí (see Metamorphosis of Narcissus), and Waterhouse).
The myth had a decided influence on English Victorian homoerotic culture, via André Gide's study of the myth, Le Traité du Narcisse ('The Treatise of the Narcissus', 1891), and the only novel by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
.
.
You may read more:
.
.
.
.
Narcissus flower meaning:
The birth flower for December is the narcissus.
With a meaning of hope, wealth and good fortune for the new year, the narcissus is a super popular flower everywhere.
In China is used to represent the Chinese New Year as it's one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring.
Narcissi flowers are also seen to represent:
Creativity, inspiration, awareness and inner reflection, forgiveness, and vitality.
If you give a bunch of narcissi to a loved one it means 'they're the only one' and is said to ensure happiness.
.
.
.
Birthstone Turquoise stone meaning:
The word turquoise dates back to the 13th century, from the French expression 'pierre tourques', referencing the stone's journey from Turkey to Europe. Today, the December birthstone is associated with meanings of freshness, femininity, tranquillity, intuition, serenity, creativity, emotional balance, and loyalty.
.
.
Birthstone Zircon stone meaning:
During the Middle Ages, this December birthstone was thought to lull one into a deep sleep and scare off evil spirits. In the Hindu religion, zircon alternates with hessonite garnet as one of the nine gems of the navaratna. When worn together, the nine gems protect the wearer and bring wealth, wisdom and good health.
.
.
Birthstone Tanzanite stone meaning:
Tanzanite is commonly believed to facilitate a higher consciousness and stimulate intuition and perception. Some believe that it aids in detoxifying the body and improving vitality. It is said to be a good stone to wear or have near in situations where you need a calming and soothing presence.
.
.
.
.
Astrology
The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onward).
.
Sagittarius (constellation):
Origin:
Sagittarius is a prominent and old zodiacal constellation (ninth in the ancient zodiac) dating back to the time of the Assyrians and Babylonians. On ancient drawings and maps, Sagittarius is drawn as a Centaur -- half man, half horse -- with a bow in one hand and the arrow pointed at Antares, the Heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion.
.
Mythology:
The centaurs are often-used creatures in Greek mythology. They were usually rude, deceptive, violent, dishonest, and generally unfriendly -- and they drank too much. However, the centaur named Chiron was different. Chiron was educated by the Apollo (God of the Sun) and Diana (Goddess of the Moon and Wild Animals) to be kind, gentle, and wise. Chiron's wisdom and learning were so famous that the children of the richest nobles were sent to his wilderness cave to learn from him. Among his most famous students were Hercules, Jason (who would later recover the Golden Fleece), Aesculapius (who became a highly regarded and skilled physician), and Achilles. Beyond his learning, Chiron was also an excellent archer, musician, and physician.
.
In one legend Hercules, thirsty after a long day of traveling, asked a friend to open a jar of the fine wine kept in his house but belonged to the centaurs. (One has to question why someone would keep the wine of the generally disagreeable centaurs.) Contrary to his better judgment, the friend opened the jar and the fragrance of this exceptional wine wafted out over the countryside, attracting the attention of the rightful owners of the wine. The centaurs demanded to know why he would dare open the wine without their permission. Not waiting for an answer, the centaurs became violently aggressive towards Hercules and his friend. Had they known who they were attacking, the centaurs may not have made such a dreadful mistake, for in no time at all Hercules had dispatched many of the centaurs and those not dead or dieing ran in terror from the countryside, never to return. Nearby, Chiron observed his former student deal with the centaurs, although he took no part in the melee. Hercules did not recognize his good friend and mentor from such a great distance and accidentally shot and wounded him with one of his arrows dipped in the poison of the Hydra. The pain and suffering that Chiron underwent was so great that, skillful physician though he was, he could not even cure himself. Being immortal, Chiron was destined to eternal suffering.
.
Long before this, the gods had cast Prometheus into Tartarus and chained him to a rock as a punishment for giving fire to man. In Tartarus, Prometheus was tortured each day by an eagle. At the request of Hercules, Zeus agreed to release Prometheus if a substitute could be found who would willing take Prometheus' place.
.
Chiron gave up his immortality and descended to Tartarus, thereby releasing Prometheus, and suffering less there than the eternal pain as an immortal centaur.
.
Seeing that this weighed deeply upon his son Hercules, Zeus placed the only good centaur ever among the stars as the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer.
.
.
.
Sagittarius zodiac symbolism:
What makes Sagittarius so unique is its dynamic blend of passion, curiosity, intensity, and adaptability. Represented by the archer (a half-man, half-horse centaur), Sagittarius isn't afraid to use its bow and arrow to explore expansive terrain, seeking answers in places and spaces others wouldn't dare venture.
.
.
Sagittarius zodiac personality:
Sagittarians are outgoing, cheerful outgoing who draw admiration and admiration from everyone who comes into touch with them. Sagittarius people are faithful, intelligent, forceful, and sympathetic. They are one-of-a-kind, gifted, and wise beyond their years.
.
.
Sagittarius zodiac sexuality:
These people think of sex as a sport. They're very direct with their desires and needs in bed and possess a refreshing childlike frankness. Sagittarian lovers like to have fun in bed, and laughing is a major turn-on.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Christmas.
Christmas, Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus.
The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin.
The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic jōl or the Anglo-Saxon geōl, which referred to the feast of the winter solstice.
The corresponding terms in other languages —Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, Noël in French — all probably denote nativity.
The German word Weihnachten denotes “hallowed night.” Since the early 20th century, Christmas has also been a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike, devoid of Christian elements, and marked by an increasingly elaborate exchange of gifts. In this secular Christmas celebration, a mythical figure named Santa Claus plays the pivotal role.
.
The Date for Christmas:
The precise origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear.
The New Testament provides no clues in this regard. December 25 was first identified as the date of Jesus’ birth by Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus in 221 and later became the universally accepted date.
.
One widespread explanation of the origin of this date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer.
Indeed, after December 25 had become widely accepted as the date of Jesus’ birth, Christian writers frequently made the connection between the “rebirth of the sun and the birth of the Son”.
.
A second view suggests that December 25 became the date of Jesus’ birth by a priori reasoning that identified the spring equinox as the date of the creation of the world and the fourth day of creation, when the light was created, as the day of Jesus’ conception (i.e., March 25). December 25, nine months later, then became the date of Jesus’ birth.
.
.
Christmas Eve:
Christmas Eve is the day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus.
Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society.
Christmas began to be widely celebrated with a specific liturgy in the 9th century but did not attain the liturgical importance of either Good Friday or Easter, the other two major Christian holidays.
Roman Catholic churches celebrate the first Christmas mass at midnight and Protestant churches have increasingly held Christmas candlelight services late on the evening of December 24.
.
.
Contemporary customs in the West:
None of the contemporary Christmas customs have their origin in theological or liturgical affirmations and most are of fairly recent date.
The Renaissance humanist Sebastian Brant recorded, in Das Narrenschiff (1494; The Ship of Fools), the custom of placing branches of fir trees in houses. Even though there is some uncertainty about the precise date and origin of the tradition of the Christmas tree, it appears that fir trees decorated with apples were first known in Strasbourg in 1605.
The first use of candles on such trees is recorded by a Silesian duchess in 1611. The Advent wreath—made of fir branches, with four candles denoting the four Sundays of the Advent season—is of even more recent origin, especially in North America. The custom, which began in the 19th century but had roots in the 16th, originally involved a fir wreath with 24 candles (the 24 days before Christmas, starting December 1), but the awkwardness of having so many candles on the wreath reduced the number to four. An analogous custom is the Advent calendar, which provides 24 openings, one to be opened each day beginning December 1.
According to tradition, the calendar was created in the 19th century by a Munich housewife who tired of having to answer endlessly when Christmas would come. The first commercial calendars were printed in Germany in 1851.
The intense preparation for Christmas that is part of the commercialization of the holiday has blurred the traditional liturgical distinction between Advent and the Christmas season, as can be seen by the placement of Christmas trees in sanctuaries well before December 25.
.
.
How is Christmas Eve celebrated?
Toward the end of the 18th century the practice of giving gifts to family members became well established. Theologically, the feast day reminded Christians of God’s gift of Jesus to humankind even as the coming of the Wise Men, or Magi, to Bethlehem suggested that Christmas was somehow related to giving gifts. The practice of giving gifts, which goes back to the 15th century, contributed to the view that Christmas was a secular holiday focused on family and friends. This was one reason why Puritans in Old and New England opposed the celebration of Christmas and in both England and America succeeded in banning its observance.
.
.
Secular Christmas Celebration:
The tradition of celebrating Christmas as a secular family holiday is splendidly illustrated by a number of English “Christmas” carols such as “Here We Come A-Wassailing” or “Deck the Halls.” It can also be seen in the practice of sending Christmas cards, which began in England in the 19th century. Moreover, in countries such as Austria and Germany, the connection between the Christian festival and the family holiday is made by identifying the Christ Child as the giver of gifts to the family.
In some European countries, St. Nicholas appears on his feast day (December 6) bringing modest gifts of candy and other gifts to children. In North America the pre-Christmas role of the Christian saint Nicholas was transformed, under the influence of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (or “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”), into the increasingly central role of Santa Claus as the source of Christmas gifts for the family. While both name and attire—a version of the traditional dress of bishop—of Santa Claus reveal his Christian roots, and his role of querying children about their past behaviour replicates that of St. Nicholas, he is seen as a secular figure. In Australia, where people attend open-air concerts of Christmas carols and have their Christmas dinner on the beach, Santa Claus wears red swimming trunks as well as a white beard.
.
In most European countries, gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve, December 24, in keeping with the notion that the baby Jesus was born on the night of the 24th. The morning of December 25, however, has become the time for the exchange of gifts in North America. In 17th- and 18th-century Europe the modest exchange of gifts took place in the early hours of the 25th when the family returned home from the Christmas mass. When the evening of the 24th became the time for the exchange of gifts, the Christmas mass was set into the late afternoon of that day. In North America the centrality of the morning of the 25th of December as the time for the family to open presents has led, with the exception of Catholic and some Lutheran and Episcopal churches, to the virtual end of holding church services on that day, a striking illustration of the way societal customs influence liturgical practices.
.
.
.
.
Santa Claus:
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who make the toys in his North Pole workshop, and with the aid of flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.
.
The modern figure of Santa is based on folklore traditions surrounding Saint Nicholas, the English figure of Father Christmas, and the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas.
.
Santa is generally depicted as a portly, jolly, white-bearded man, often with spectacles, wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, a red hat trimmed with white fur, a black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He is popularly associated with a deep, hearty laugh, frequently rendered in Christmas literature as "ho, ho, ho!" (/ˈhoʊˈhoʊˈhoʊ/)
.
This image originated in North America during the 19th century and has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, children's books, family Christmas traditions, films, and advertising.
.
Thomas Nast:
Thomas Nast September 26, 1840 – December 7, 1902) was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist often considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon".
Thomas Nast created a modern version of Santa Claus.
The story goes that in 1863 Nast's wife read him Clement Clark Moore's 1822 poem, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas.” Based on Moore's description, Nast created the image of a “round jolly old elf.”
Though they varied from year to year, Nast’s Santa drawings appeared in Harper’s Weekly until 1886, amounting to 33 illustrations in total.
Nast's influence was so widespread that Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Thomas Nast was our best teacher."
.
.
.
.
Christmas tree:
A Christmas tree adorned with ornaments and lights is a centrepiece of the festive season.
But have you ever wondered where the tradition comes from?
.
Evergreen trees and plants have been used to celebrate winter festivals for thousands of years, long before the advent of Christianity.
Pagans in Europe used branches of evergreen fir trees to decorate their homes and brighten their spirits during the winter solstice.
Early Romans used evergreens to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia, while ancient Egyptians used green palm rushes as part of their worship of the god Ra.
.
Pieces of evergreen fir tree were first brought into people's homes to brighten spirits during the winter solstice.
"The idea of bringing the evergreen into the house represents fertility and new life in the darkness of winter, which was much more of the pagan themes," Dr Dominique Wilson from the University of Sydney said.
"That's also where the ideas of the holly and the ivy and the mistletoe come from because they're the few flowering plants at winter so therefore they hold special significance”.
"So the idea of bringing evergreens into the house started there and eventually that evolved into the Christmas tree."
.
From pagan customs to Christianity
There are several theories and legends as to how the evergreen fir tree went on to become a symbol of Christianity.
One is credited to the English Benedictine monk Boniface, famous for his missionary work in Germany during the eighth century.
"The common story goes that [Boniface] encountered some native Germans performing some sacrifices in front of a mighty oak tree — oak trees being sacred to the god Thor," Dr Wilson said.
"Boniface seized his axe and felled the tree in order to stop the pagans worshiping a false idol and the pagans were waiting for him to be struck down by lightning, but it didn't happen.
"So at this stage he took the opportunity to convert them."
Then legend has it that a fir tree grew out of the fallen oak.
"That became a symbol of Christ — being triangular in shape it represents the trinity — and from there came the idea that the tree should be a symbol of Christ and new life," Dr Wilson said.
"That's one of the main origins of the Christmas tree and bringing it into the house."
One thing you are guaranteed to find on Christmas trees these days is a Christmas ball, which evolved from the apple – a roman catholic symbol.
.
Modern Christmas trees a German tradition
Modern Christmas trees emerged in western Germany during the 16th century as Christians brought trees into their homes and decorated them with gingerbread, nuts and apples.
"It's the 17th century that we really get the decorating happening, and we get a movement into the festivals and the big royal courts having these trees with the gold leaf on them, having paper decorations with candles," Dr Wilson said.
The custom became popular among nobility and spread to royal courts across Europe in the early 19th century.
As Germans emigrated to other parts of the world the tradition also spread.
But in places like the United States, having a Christmas tree was often viewed as a foreign pagan custom until the mid-19th century.
.
Queen Victoria, Prince Albert popularise Christmas trees
While the Christmas tree originated in Germany, it was Britain's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who popularised it in the 1840s and 1850s.
Victoria's mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, was German so she grew up having a decorated tree at Christmas time.
But the idea of decorating a whole tree was not common among Brits until a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree in Windsor Castle was published by the Illustrated London News in 1848.
Victoria and Albert were popular royals and soon every British home had a tree decked out with decorations, candles and sweets.
The same image was published two years later in the United States in Godey's Lady's Book — though Victoria's tiara and Albert's moustache were removed to make the image more American.
It was the first widely circulated picture of a decorated evergreen Christmas tree in the US and soon the Christmas tree was in vogue.
.
Christmas trees today
Today, Christmas trees come in all different shapes and sizes from traditional fir to artificial.
Christmas trees now come in all different shapes and sizes and are widely accepted around the world.
The tradition of decorating a tree is embraced by millions of people worldwide of different faiths and cultures.
While it is still a symbol of Christianity to some, to others it is simply part of December celebrations.
.
You may read more:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree
.
.
.
.
Christmas lights:
The Christmas tree was first recorded to be used by the Lutheran Christians in the 16th century, with records indicating that a Christmas tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strasbourg in 1539, under the leadership of the Protestant Reformer, Martin Bucer.
In homes, "German Lutherans brought the decorated Christmas tree with them; the Moravians put lighted candles on those trees.
"These candles symbolized Jesus as the Light of the World".
.
Around 1890, candleholders were first used for Christmas candles. Between 1902 and 1914, small lanterns and glass balls to hold the candles started to be used.
Early electric Christmas lights were introduced with electrification, beginning in the 1880s.
.
United States:
The first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree was the creation of Edward H. Johnson, an associate of inventor Thomas Edison.
While he was vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, a predecessor of today's Con Edison electric utility, he had Christmas tree light bulbs especially made for him. He proudly displayed his Christmas tree, which was hand-wired with 80 red, white and blue electric incandescent light bulbs the size of walnuts, on December 22, 1882, at his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Local newspapers ignored the story, seeing it as a publicity stunt. However, it was published by a Detroit newspaper reporter, and Johnson has become widely regarded as the Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights.
The White House saw its first electrically lit Christmas tree in 1895, when it was illuminated by President Cleveland’s First Lady, Frances Cleveland. She considered Christmas lights, “technologically savvy”!
"Go, Frances!!". It featured over a hundred multicolored lights.
By 1900, businesses started stringing up Christmas lights behind their windows.
Christmas lights were too expensive for the average person; as such, electric Christmas lights did not become the majority replacement for candles until 1930.
.
.
You may read more:
.
.
.
.
.
.
CANADA:
.
When was the first Canadian Christmas?
Even though it may not have been celebrated by all with great vigour or lasting joy, Canada's first Christmas of 1867 came and went much as it has done so for 150 years since— and likely will for eons to come.
.
You May read more:
.
.
.
.
.
Where was the first Christmas tree in Canada?
Sorel, Quebec.
The first Christmas tree in Canada was set up in Sorel, Quebec in 1781 by Baron Friederick von Riedesel. The baron, who was born in Germany, selected a handsome balsam fir from the forests that surrounded his home and decorated it with white candles.
.
You may read more:
.
https://www.goethe.de/ins/ca/en/kul/ges/dsk/dsm/sdw.html
.
.
https://thisiscanadiana.com/blogposts/2017/12/23/canadas-first-christmas-tree
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Gay Santa:
.
The four-minute ad titled “When Harry met Santa” has been produced to mark 50 years since the decriminalization of homosexuality in Norway.
Nov 25, 2021
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCNnX7ahix8&t=1s
.
.
.
.
A Queer Carol:
.
A Queer Carol is a 1999 theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic novel A Christmas Carol retold in a gay perspective, written by Joe Godfrey.
It work-shopped in Buffalo in December 1999 before later premiering in Manhattan in December 2001, and the rest of the United States over the years.
A Queer Carol is the first queer adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
.
You may read more:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Queer_Carol
.
.
.
.
.
.
Mistletoe:
.
Mistletoe is relevant to several cultures. Pagan cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen.
.
The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as "oak sperm".
.
Also in Roman mythology, mistletoe was used by the hero Aeneas to reach the underworld.
.
Mistletoe may have played an important role in Druidic mythology in the Ritual of Oak and Mistletoe, although the only ancient writer to mention the use of mistletoe in this ceremony was Pliny. Evidence taken from bog bodies makes the Celtic use of mistletoe seem medicinal rather than ritual.
.
It is possible that mistletoe was originally associated with human sacrifice and only became associated with the white bull after the Romans banned human sacrifices.
.
The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love and understanding and hung it over doorways to protect the household.
.
In the Christian era, mistletoe in the Western world became associated with Christmas as a decoration under which lovers are expected to kiss, as well as with protection from witches and demons.
.
Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century it had also become incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is referred to as popular among servants in late 18th-century England.
.
The serving class of Victorian England is credited with perpetuating the tradition.
The tradition dictated that a man was allowed to kiss any woman standing underneath mistletoe, and that bad luck would befall any woman who refused the kiss.
.
One variation on the tradition stated that with each kiss a berry was to be plucked from the mistletoe, and the kissing must stop after all the berries had been removed.
.
From at least the mid-19th century, Caribbean herbalists of African descent have referred to mistletoe as "god-bush".
.
In Nepal, diverse mistletoes are used for a variety of medical purposes, particularly for treating broken bones.
.
Mistletoe is the floral emblem of the US state of Oklahoma and the flower of the UK county of Herefordshire. Every year, the UK town of Tenbury Wells holds a mistletoe festival and crowns a 'Mistletoe Queen'.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Important Dates for December:
.
.
.
.
.
.
Historical events that took place on Christmas Day
· 800 AD: Charlemagne crowned 'Emperor of the Romans'
· 1066 AD: William the Conqueror crowned King of England.
· 1642: Isaac Newton was born.
· 1776: George Washington crossed the Delaware River.
· 1914: Christmas Day truce in the trenches.
· 1977: Charlie Chaplin died.
.
.
.
.
.
Christmas Traditions in Canada:
Apart from decorating Christmas trees, Canadians enjoy watching various Christmas specials on television, baking and exchanging cookies, decorating gingerbread houses, sending Christmas cards, going caroling, hanging mistletoe and goodie-filled stockings, and much more.
.
Unique traditions in Canada for Christmas:
Pantomiming wearing masks is a popular tradition in Canada and comes from Newfoundland. In places like Labrador and Nova Scotia, local people wear masks and visit houses during the twelve days of Christmas, miming and making rude noises and actions, ringing bells and asking for candy or other treats.
.
.
.
The eight strangest Christmas traditions on earth
· Krampus, Austria. ...
· The pooper and the pooping log, Catalonia. ...
· The Yule Lads, Iceland. ...
· Mari Lwyd, Wales. ...
· La Befana, Italy. ...
· Spider webs, Ukraine. ...
· Radish carving, Mexico.
.
You may read more:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
10 Canadian Christmas cooking recipes:
.
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/canadian-christmas-foods/
.
.
.
.
Christmas in Quebec, traditions and recipes:
.
http://gourmetpedia.net/traditions/christmas-recipes/christmas-quebec/
.
.
.
.
Montreal Festivals and Events December 2023:
.
http://www.go-montreal.com/attraction_events_dec.htm
.
.
.
.
December Quotes and sayings:
.
.
Inspirational December Quotes:
· “December is the holdout month, all the others torn away.” — Anne Gisleson
· ‘We are nearer to Spring Than we were in September,’ I heard a bird sing In the dark of December.”— Oliver Herford, “I Heard a Bird Sing”
· “Remember This December, That love weighs more than gold!” — Josephine Daskam Bacon
· “December is a month that is rife with nostalgia. If there’s anything deep in your heart that you want to keep buried, you can count on December to bring it to the surface.”— Lois Duncan
· “Farewell, old year; we walk no more together; I catch the sweetness of thy latest sigh…Here in the dim light of a grey DecemberWe part in smiles, and yet we met in tears; Watching thy chilly dawn, I well remember…” - Sarah Doudney,
· “December is a simple wish that brings spectacular moments.”— unknown
.
.
December Winter Quotes
· “The cold is coming. December’s winter solstice. Start of the season.” — Robert Pettit
· “December’s wintery breath is already clouding the pond, frosting the pane, obscuring summer’s memory…”— John Geddes.
· “The crisp path through the field in this December snow, in the deep dark, where we trod the buried grass like ghosts on dry toast.”— Dylan Thomas
· “So quiet and subtle is the beauty of December that escapes the notice of many people their whole lives through. Colour gives way to form: every branch distinct, in a delicate tracery against the sky. New vistas, obscured all Summer by leafage, now open up.”— Flora Thompson
· “In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold.”— Ben Aaronovitch.
.
.
Welcome December Quotes
· “Welcome, December. New month, new chapter, new page & new wishes. May the month give you courage, strength, confidence, patience, and peace. May every day in December be filled with hope, love, sunshine, and energy. Let there be joy, fun, and laughter.”— unknown
· “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready.” — Sarah Kay
· “May and October, the best-smelling months? I’ll make a case for December: evergreen, frost, wood smoke, cinnamon.” — Lisa Kleypas.
· “How did it get so late so soon?” — Dr. Seuss
· “December has the clarity, the simplicity, and the silence you need for the best FRESH START of your life. — Vivian Swift.
· “December: A month of lights, snow, coziness, and feasts; time to make amends and tie up loose ends; finish what you started and make your wishes come true.” — unknown
.
.
.
Christmas Quotes Short
· “Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind.” – ...
· “Love the giver more than the gift.” – ...
· “It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” – ...
· “Christmas is a stocking stuffed with sugary goodness.” – ...
· “Christmas isn't a season. ...
· “It's the most wonderful time of the year!” –
.
.
Classic Christmas messages
· It's the most wonderful time of the year!
· It's easy to get lost in the flurry of activity during Christmas time. ...
· 'Tis the season to be jolly!
· Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, let your heart be light.
.
.
Funny Christmas Quotes:
· “I was Christmas shopping and ran into a guy on the street. I noticed his watch and said that it runs slow. He said, ‘So does the guy I stole it from.’” — David Letterman
· ”Let's be naughty and save Santa the trip." — Gary Allan
· ”I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” — Maya Angelou
· ”The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other." — Johnny Carson
· ”Christmas: It's the only religious holiday that's also a federal holiday. That way, Christians can go to their services, and everyone else can sit at home and reflect on the true meaning of the separation of church and state.” — Samantha Bee
· ”It's always consoling to know that today's Christmas gifts are tomorrow's garage sales.”— Milton Berle
· “Christmas is a box of tree ornaments that have become part of the family."— Charles M. Schulz
· ”We celebrate the birth of one who told us to give everything to the poor by giving each other motorized tie racks.” — Bill McKibben
· “It’s easier to feel a little more spiritual with a couple of bucks in your pocket.” — Craig Ferguson
· “I haven’t taken my Christmas lights down. They look so nice on the pumpkin. — Winston Spear
· “There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus.” — Bob Phillips
· “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.” — Shirley Temple
· “It’s Christmas Eve! It’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be.” — Bill Murray
· “Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas.” — Johnny Carson
· “What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.” — Phyllis Diller
· “Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.” — Bart Simpson
· “You can’t fool me—there ain’t no Sanity Clause!” — Chico Marx
· “Nothing says holidays like a cheese log.” — Ellen Degeneres
· “The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington D.C. This wasn’t for any religious reasons. They couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin.” — Jay Leno
· “I love Christmas. I receive a lot of wonderful presents I can’t wait to exchange.” — Henny Youngman
· ”Christmas to a child is the first terrible proof that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive.” — Stephen Fry
· “Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.” — Victor Borge
· ”The main reason Santa is so jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live.” — George Carlin
· “I don’t know what to say, but it’s Christmas, and we’re all in misery.” — National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
· “Christmas is a baby shower that went totally overboard.” — Andy Borowitz
.
.
Christmas Quotes and sayings from Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/christmas
.
.
Santa quotes and sayings from Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/santa-claus
.
.
.
December 2023 in Massage Luc:
The month of November 2023, was a good month for my business.
But was really a very strange month.
In this month I had some quiet days followed from very-very busy days.
This is not really good for me – because I can only accommodate one client at the time.
And my service is QUALITY – not quantity.
But anyway – in all business this happens sometimes.
.
This month also I kept having tourists – I was not expecting it in November.
.
And finally, this month, I have seen some of my old clients – from before the virus.
This was very touching.
.
.
November pictures and filming:
This month I have taken only pictures of one couple.
Very beautiful pictures – I enjoyed the filming experience.
.
But also, this month I encountered someone that wants to partner with me and produce together some small clips for the web.
I really hope that this is going to happen.
If happens – then for sure I will post the clips on my website.
.
So, for the month of December 2024 – I keep the same Specials:
Only $ 120 for the entire service.
And if someone comes 4 times in one month – then he gets a free Boudoir Photography session, value of $ 200.
.
This Holiday Season offer to yourself the luxury of a Male Massage – because you deserve it!
Come to “Massage Luc” this Christmas!
I am waiting for YOU!
.
Happy Holidays to all my clients!
November
November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, the last of four months to have a length of 30 days and the fifth and last of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC. November is a month of late spring in the Southern Hemisphere and late autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, November in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of May in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.
November’s name
November's name is derived from novem, Latin for “nine,” an indication of its position in the early Roman calendar.
November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC. November retained its name (from the Latin novem meaning "nine") when January and February were added to the Roman calendar.
…
…
…
Why is November called Blood month?
Blodmonath was the Anglo-Saxon month of November. It means 'blood month' or 'month of sacrifice'. During the festival of Blodmonath, people made offerings to the gods by sacrificing their animals.
…
…
…
Symbols
November's birthstone is the topaz (particularly, yellow) which symbolizes friendship and the citrine.
November's birth flower is the chrysanthemum.
Topaz
Topaz is a nesosilicate mineral. It is one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals and has a relatively low index of refraction. It occurs in many places in the world.
Although it is often associated with golden yellow and blue, it comes in a variety of colors, including colorless. The rarest are natural pinks, reds, and delicate golden oranges, sometimes with pink hues.
Etymology
The name "topaz" is usually believed to be derived (via Old French: Topace and Latin: Topazius) from the Greek Τοπάζιος (Topázios) or Τοπάζιον (Topázion), from Τοπαζος. This is the ancient name of St. John's Island in the Red Sea which was difficult to find and from which a yellow stone (now believed to be chrysolite: yellowish olivine) was mined in ancient times. The name topaz was first applied to the mineral now known by that name in 1737. Ancient Sri Lanka (Tamraparni) exported native oriental topazes to Greece and ancient Egypt, which led to the etymologically related names of the island by Alexander Polyhistor (Topazius) and the early Egyptians (Topapwene) – "land of the Topaz". Pliny said that Topazos is a legendary island in the Red Sea and the mineral "topaz" was first mined there. Alternatively, the word topaz may be related to the Sanskrit word तपस्"tapas", meaning "heat" or "fire".
History
Nicols, the author of one of the first systematic treatises on minerals and gemstones, dedicated two chapters to the topic in 1652.
In the Middle Ages, the name topaz was used to refer to any yellow gemstone, but in modern times it denotes only the silicate described above.
Many English translations of the Bible, including the King James Version, mention topaz. However, because these translations as topaz all derive from the Septuagint translation topazi[os], which referred to a yellow stone that was not topaz, but probably chrysolite (chrysoberyl or peridot), topaz is likely not meant here.
An English superstition also held that topaz cured lunacy. The ancient Romans believed that topaz provided protection from danger while traveling.
During the Middle Ages, it was believed that attaching the topaz to the left arm protected the owner from any curse and warded off the evil eye. It was also believed that wearing topaz increased body heat, which would enable people to relieve a cold or fever.
In Europe during the Middle Ages, topaz was believed to enhance mental powers.
Meaning of Topaz stone today
It is said to soothe, heal, re-motivate, and bring the wearer strength, loyalty, beauty, protection, healing, weight loss, joy, generosity, abundance, wisdom, enlightenment, knowledge, good health, virtues of leadership, and love. Topaz is known as the "lover of gold,"" as it is used to bring wealth and money.
Citrine
In ancient times, people believed that citrine gemstones could calm tempers, soothe anger and manifest desires, especially prosperity. To leverage these powers, Egyptians used citrine gemstones as talismans, the ancient Greeks carved iconic images into them, and Roman priests fashioned them into rings.
Today, citrine has been referred to as the "success stone," "merchant's stone" or "money stone." Because of its yellow color, citrine is thought of as a joyous stone with sunshiny energy to brighten up the lives of those who work with it and wear it.
Chrysanthemum flower
Chrysanthemum was first appreciated in China as a medicinal plant.
It is classified in the oldest Chinese medical material, Shennong Ben Cao Jing (early modern era), in the category of superior drugs and is part of the products related to the search for immortality.
"In prolonged use, it lifts the inhibition of blood and qi, alleviates the body, slows down ageing, and prolongs life" says the classic. "Lightening the body" was a goal to reach the ethereal state of Immortals able to fly and "ride the clouds". From Jin and Tang dynasties (around the 5th century AD), chrysanthemum began to be appreciated as an ornamental plant, while continuing to be used for dietary reasons.
The first monograph on chrysanthemums was published in 1104 CE. Liu Meng (劉蒙),: 296–97 the author of a "Chrysanthemum Treatise" (菊譜), 242 classifies the chrysanthemums according to their colors: the normal ones are yellow, then come the whites, the purples and finally the reds. It lists a total of 35 cultivated varieties that could be observed in the gardens near the Buddhist shrines of Longmen Grottoes. In the 16th century, the famous physician and herbalist Li Shizhen in his Great Treaty of Medical Matter, reports a hundred cultivars. He attributes to them some medicinal properties such as "eliminating heat and toxins", "improving visual acuity" and so on. In 1630, a survey of over 500 cultivars 17 and about 2000 at the beginning of 20th century.
The first European author to mention chrysanthemum is Jacobus Breynius (Jacob Breyn) in 1689 in his Prodromus Plantarum Rariorum. This merchant and botanist describes the Matricaria japonica maxima, as a very elegant flowering plant, double, pink or light red 20 and existing in several varieties. The first botanical description of the florists' chrysanthemum goes to Thomas d'Audibert de Ramatuelle. In 1792, in the Journal of Natural History, this botanist describes the cultivated plant, with big purpurine flowers, brought back from China by the navigator Marseillais Blancard, under the names of "Camomile with large flowers", Anthemis grandiflora. He insists on distinguishing it from the Chrysanthemum indicum of Linnaeus with small yellow heads. He proposes in a note to call it also Chrysanthemum morifolium. From this first cultivated plant brought back from China in 1789 by Blancard, then from those brought back (from China in 1846 and Japan in 1863) will be created in Europe thousands of cultivars and hybrids. Joined thousands of cultivars developed independently in China and Japan, there is currently a huge complex cultivars (estimated from 20,000 to 30,000).
Horticulturalist Wilhelm Miller wrote, "The common chrysanthemums of the florists (C. hortorum) are often called 'large-flowering' and 'autumn chrysanthemums,' to distinguish them from the hardy outdoor species. They are the blended product of C. indicum and C. morifolium, two species of plants that grow wild in China and Japan. The outdoor or hardy chrysanthemums are derived from the same species, being less developed forms. The florist's chrysanthemum is not necessarily a glasshouse subject."
The more than 1,000 varieties that have existed in Europe since the 19th century are divided into numerous varieties. The indicum hybrids as the oldest group have the chrysanthemum chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum) as the parent.
Chrysanthemums symbolize youth, loyalty, love, passion, friendship, and get-well-wishes in Chinese and Japanese cultures. Buddhism says that chrysanthemums emit Yang energy (active energy).
In the Americas, chrysanthemums symbolize friendship, happiness, and well-being. They are often tied to the arrival of autumn since they are one of the most popular fall flowers.
…
…
Astrology
The Western zodiac signs for November are Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) and Sagittarius(November 22 – December 21).
Scorpio
Scorpio (♏︎) (Ancient Greek: Σκορπιός, romanized: Skorpiós, Latin for "scorpion") is the eighth astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Scorpius. It spans 210–240° ecliptic longitude. Under the tropical zodiac (most commonly used in Western astrology), the Sun transits this sign on average from October 23 to November 21.
Scorpio in Greek mythology
The story behind the constellation in Scorpio mythology has many possible origins, but the one that is most often referenced is the story of Scorpio versus Orion:
Orion was the son of the Greek God of the sea, Poseidon.
He was considered a great hero and one of the greater hunters ever.
In a certain point, Orion bragged about how he was such a great hunter that we were going to kill every creature on earth.
Normally in Greek myths this is the point where Artemis, the Greek hunting Goddess, would take offense to anyone claiming superiority in hunting skills, and cut them down to size. The only thing was that Artemis had a big-time crush on Orion and actually found him charming.
Her brother, Apollo, the sun God, did not find this claim quite so amusing, as he was also the God of the animal herds. Neither did Gaia, Greek mythology's great earth Goddess, for obvious reasons.
So, Apollo and Gaia talked and decided that it was time for Orion to go, so Gaia created a scorpion to hunt the hunter. This is where Scorpio mythology essentially begins and ends. Orion pretty much knew he was screwed, so he ran, and Scorpio chased him.
Depending on which myth you want to go with, either Scorpio killed Orion, or Artemis accidentally shot Orion in the head thinking she was shooting Scorpio. Either way, Orion died.
The leader of the Gods Zeus, once again inserting himself at the tail end of a myth, had been watching the whole thing and put both Orion and Scorpio in the sky as constellations, but placing them 180 degrees apart so that they wouldn't keep fighting in the heavens.
Meaning of the myth:
It is true that the above myth is sad.
But I think that we have to dig deeper to understand the meaning.
In the myth the Scorpio is been created by the Gods / by the nature, as an “instrument” – in that case an “instrument of divine justness”.
But, that “instrument” did a “very good job”.
The task – I think - is irrelevant here.
The important is that Scorpio did a very good job – he “completed his mission”.
AND, by divine intervention the “instrument” – because he completed his mission - becomes an “entity” by itself.
After completing his mission, Scorpio “rises to the sky”.
I think that this exactly is what Zeus uploads to the sky:
the success to become an “entity” after completing your mission.
The Myth comes from ancient Greece.
And with the “ancient Greek logic”, all mortals / all humans, are created as “instruments of the Gods”.
BUT – if we succeed to complete our mission – then we have the chance to “rise to the sky”.
In other words, to “become entities in our own right”.
I think that it is funny the fact, that the myth chosen the “Scorpio” to symbolise the “human”.
Scorpio is something that seems very small.
But can be very powerful.
And the end of the myth is:
“Zeus, puts both Orion and Scorpio in the sky as constellations, but placing them 180 degrees apart…”
Orion, rises to the sky because Orion was born son of the God Poseidon.
Orion was born to be in the sky to begin with.
But poor Scorpio was only created as an “instrument”.
Scorpio “won” his rising to the sky – by succeeding in his “mission”.
This is the reason Orion and Scorpio they are on the sky 180 degrees apart.
So, I think that the ending of the myth is s a confirmation that my analysis is correct.
I think that in this analysis, the myth of Scorpio is very optimistic:
We all have the chance to “rise to the sky” is we can succeed in our “mission” on earth.
…
…
Scorpio man zodiac personality
Scorpio man is very spontaneous and always looks for something new to do and achieve in their lives. They love being in power and look forward to getting such opportunities. They maintain great work ethics and are always a success because they work very hard.
Scorpio man zodiac sexuality
Safe to say, they have an almost feisty sex drive. They have an active libido and are willing to get it on whenever their partners are. However, if there is a conflict brewing case they will barely respond to sexual cues. It is one way to know that they are angry with their partners, their refusal to get it on.
…
…
…
Historic November - in Canada
NOVEMBER 30, 1829 Welland Canal Opened
Two schooners passed from Port Dalhousie to Port Robinson, Upper Canada, symbolically opening the Welland Canal and linking Lakes Erie and Ontario for the first time. The canal opened the way to the west and countered the threat of the US Erie Canal.
NOVEMBER 16, 1837 Insurrection in Lower Canada
Governor Gosford issued warrants for the arrest of 26 Patriote leaders on charges of high treason, initiating the events of the Lower Canada Rebellion. Troops and Patriotes were in battle a few days later.
NOVEMBER 17, 1856 Grand Trunk Completed
The Grand Trunk Railway was completed from Guelph to Stratford, Ont; the last stretch from St Marys to Sarnia was finished on November 21. The GTR was a significant factor in the economic development of Canada.
NOVEMBER 09, 1859 Great Reform Convention
A convention of scattered reform elements of Upper Canada met in Toronto. Under George Brown's leadership the convention voted to support a legislative union of the Canadas and set the stage for closer collaboration between English and French.
NOVEMBER 02, 1869 Red River Resistance
With 120 men, Louis Riel occupied Upper Fort Garry in the Red River Colony to block the transfer of Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) to Canada. Known as the Red River Resistance, the Métis — led by Riel — and First Nations allies defended the Red River Colony from White settlers and government encroachment on their lands. Louis Riel was hanged for treason, and Cree chiefs Mistahimaskwa (Big Bear) and Pitikwahanapiwiyin (Poundmaker) were imprisoned. Promises to protect the Métis were still unfulfilled more than a decade later, sparking the Northwest Resistance in 1885. In 2019, Poundmaker was exonerated by the federal government.
NOVEMBER 17, 1877 Birth of NHL’s Founding President, Frank Calder
Frank Calder was born in Bristol, England. He served as president of the National Hockey League (NHL) from its founding in 1917 until his death in 1943. The NHL’s Rookie of the Year award (Calder Memorial Trophy) and the American Hockey League’s championship trophy (Calder Cup) are both named in his honour.
NOVEMBER 15, 1880 Hanlan World Champ
Edward Hanlan defeated E.A. Trichett of Australia for the world's championship of singles rowing on the Thames River course made famous by the Oxford-Cambridge boat race. Hanlan was Canada's first world sports champion.
NOVEMBER 07, 1885. Last Spike Driven for CPR
The “last spike” of the Canadian Pacific Railway was hammered by Lord Strathcona at Craigellachie, British Columbia. This fulfilled a government promise to connect BC to Eastern Canada via a transcontinental railway. Among the workers who built the railway were 15,000 labourers from China, many of whom died during the railway’s construction.
NOVEMBER 16, 1885 Louis Riel Hanged
Louis Riel was hanged for treason at the Regina jail. He had been convicted after a trial held in Regina from 28 July to 1 August. Macdonald's refusal to grant leniency made Riel a symbol of English-Canadian oppression.
NOVEMBER 08, 1946 Viola Desmond Dragged Out of Nova Scotia Movie Theatre
Viola Desmond is dragged out of a Nova Scotia movie theatre and charged by police after she refuses to move from the main floor of the theatre to the balcony, where Black patrons were segregated. Her decision to fight her charges raises awareness of the racism experienced by Black Canadians. The Nova Scotia government posthumously pardons her in 2010.
NOVEMBER 04, 1956 Pearson's Peace Plan
L.B. Pearson and his colleagues at the United Nations won General Assembly support for an international force to secure the cessation of hostilities in the Suez Canal crisis in Egypt. Canadian General E.L.M. Burns was named commander of the UN Emergency Force. This establishes Canada’s reputation as a peacekeeping nation and earns Pearson a Nobel Peace Prize.
NOVEMBER 09, 1972 Anik A-1 Launched
Canada launched the world's first geostationary domestic satellite, Anik A-1
NOVEMBER 01, 2012 Idle No More Movement Begins
Four women start Idle No More as a national (and online) movement of marches and teach-ins, raising awareness of Indigenous rights and advocating for self-determination.
NOVEMBER 06, 2014 Farhan Zaidi Makes History as MLB General Manager
Farhan Zaidi was hired as the general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, making him Major League Baseball’s first Muslim and first South Asian general manager. He also became only the second Muslim executive in MLB and only the sixth general manager from Canada. Born in Sudbury and raised in the Philippines, Zaidi left the Dodgers in 2018 to join the San Francisco Giants. He was named MLB Executive of the Year in 2021 after the Giants finished first overall with 107 wins — the most in franchise history.
NOVEMBER 07, 2016 Death of Leonard Cohen
Poet, novelist, singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen died in Los Angeles, California, at age 82. Born in Westmount, Québec, Cohen was one of the most iconic Canadian artists of the 20th century. A sage, mystic, bohemian and romantic, he built an acclaimed body of literary work and a revered career in pop music.
NOVEMBER 01, 2021 Global COVID-19 Death Toll Tops Five Million
Less than two years after the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, China, the global death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 5 million.
NOVEMBER 02, 2021 First Canadian MLB General Manager to Win World Series
When the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros 7–0 in Game 6 of the World Series to win their first championship since 1995, Alex Anthopoulos became the first Canadian general manager in MLB history to win a World Series.
NOVEMBER 04, 2021 Canada to Spend a Record $308 Billion on Health Care in 2021
A report issued by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) concluded that Canada would spend $308 billion on health care in 2021, due to the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CIHI said that the rate of health care spending was the highest in more than 30 years. The expenditure was expected to equal more than 12 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021.
NOVEMBER 14, 2021. “Worst Weather Storm in a Century” Causes Floods, Wipes Out Highways and Kills Five in BC
A “significant atmospheric river” inundated the Lower Mainland and the southern interior of BC with a month’s worth of rain in less than 48 hours. Many communities recorded more than 100 mm of rain; the town of Hope had the most with 252 mm. A landscape scarred by forest fires and other effects of climate change resulted in severe mudslides and floods in 17 regional districts. Five people were killed in a mudslide on Highway 99 north of Pemberton, and hundreds of people in the province were evacuated by helicopter after they were stranded by mudslides on highways and roads. Stretches of the Coquihalla Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway were badly damaged or destroyed. The town of Merritt was flooded, forcing more than 7,000 residents to evacuate. The Sumas Prairie, an agricultural area between Abbotsford and Chilliwack that had once been a lake, was flooded, causing hundreds of millions in damages. The storm, which came four and a half months after a heat wave that killed almost 600 people in BC, also took a deadly toll on the region’s livestock. An estimated 628,000 poultry, 12,000 hogs and 420 dairy cows were killed and 110 beehives were destroyed.
NOVEMBER 19, 2021. Health Canada Approves COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Aged 5–11
Health Canada approved the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5–11. The federal government was expecting a delivery of 2.9 million pediatric doses, enough to give a first shot to every Canadian in that age group. Provincial governments noted that they were ready to begin administering the shots as soon as the vaccines were delivered.
NOVEMBER 29, 2021 Federal Government Tables Bill to Ban Conversion Therapy
After promising to reintroduce legislation banning conversion therapy in Canada within the first 100 days of its new mandate, the minority Liberal government of Justin Trudeau tabled Bill C-4. It included a broader definition of what constituted conversion therapy — also known as the ex-gay movement — as well as the addition of four new offenses to the Criminal Code. If passed, the legislation would make it illegal to force anyone to undergo conversion therapy, punishable by up to five years in prison. It would also allow courts to order the seizure or removal of conversion therapy advertisements.
…
…
…
Canadian Special Days for the month of November 2023:
· Hindu Heritage Month.
· November 5 - 11. Veterans' Week.
· November 8. Indigenous Veterans Day.
· November 11. Remembrance Day.
· November 20. National Child Day. ...
· November 20 – 26. Canada History Week.
· Fourth Saturday of November. Holodomor Memorial Day.
· November 25 - December 10. 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.
…
…
…
Black Friday Canada 2023:
Fri, Nov 24, 2023
…
…
Black Friday:
Black Friday is a colloquial term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the United States. Many stores offer highly promoted sales at discounted prices and often open early, sometimes as early as midnight or even on Thanksgiving. Some stores' sales continue to Monday ("Cyber Monday") or for a week ("Cyber Week").
Black Friday has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
It is believed by many that the term Black Friday derives from the concept that businesses operate at a financial loss, or are “in the red,” until the day after Thanksgiving, when massive sales finally allow them to turn a profit, or put them “in the black.” However, this is untrue.
A more accurate explanation of the term dates back to the early 1960s, when police officers in Philadelphia began using the phrase “Black Friday” to describe the chaos that resulted when large numbers of suburban tourists came into the city to begin their holiday shopping and, in some years, attend Saturday’s annual Army-Navy football game. The huge crowds created a headache for the police, who worked longer shifts than usual as they dealt with traffic jams, accidents, shoplifting, and other issues.
Within a few years, the term Black Friday had taken root in Philadelphia. City merchants attempted to put a prettier face on the day by calling it “Big Friday.”
The phrase “Black Friday” to signify a positive boost in retail sales didn’t grow nationwide until the late 1980s, when merchants started to spread the red-to-black profit narrative. Black Friday was described as the day stores began to turn a profit for the year and as the biggest shopping day in the United States. In truth, most stores saw their largest sales on the Saturday before Christmas.
In more recent years, Black Friday has been followed by other shopping holidays, including Small Business Saturday, which encourages shoppers to visit local retailers, and Cyber Monday, which promotes shopping online. Giving Tuesday has also emerged to spur charitable donations.
Historically, Black Friday has yet another connotation, one unrelated to shopping. In 1869 Wall Street financiers Jay Gould and Jim Fisk attempted to corner the nation’s gold market at the New York Gold Exchange by buying as much of the precious metal as they could, with the intent of sending prices skyrocketing. On Friday, September 24, intervention by President Ulysses S. Grant caused their plan to fall apart. The stock market instantly plummeted, sending thousands of Americans into bankruptcy.
…
…
…
Black Friday in Canada:
The large population centers on Lake Ontario and the Lower Mainland in Canada have always attracted cross-border shopping into the United States, and as Black Friday became more popular in the U.S., Canadians often flocked over the border because of their lower prices and a stronger Canadian dollar. After 2001, many were traveling for the deals across the border. Starting in 2008 and 2009, due to the parity of the Canadian dollar compared with the American dollar, several major Canadian retailers ran Black Friday deals of their own to discourage shoppers from leaving Canada.
The year 2012 saw the biggest Black Friday to date in Canada, as Canadian retailers embraced it in an attempt to keep shoppers from travelling across the border.
Before the advent of Black Friday in Canada, the most comparable holiday was Boxing Day in terms of retailer impact and consumerism. Black Fridays in the U.S. seem to provide deeper or more extreme price cuts than Canadian retailers, even for the same international retailer.
…
…
What is Black Friday called in Quebec?
Sometimes referred to as "Vendredi Fou".
…
…
…
Montreal Festivals and Events November 2023:
http://www.go-montreal.com/attraction_events_nov.htm
…
…
…
Popular Canadian Food Recipes For The Month Of November:
https://www.foodnetwork.ca/article/most-popular-recipes-november-2022/
…
…
…
November month quotes and sayings:
· "The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July." — Henry David Thoreau
· “It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.” — Sarah Addison Allen
· “So dull and dark are the November days. The lazy mist high up the evening curled, and now the morn quite hides in the smoke and haze; the place we occupy seems all the world.” — John Clare
· "I am happy because I'm grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy." —Will Arnett
· “Don't wait until the fourth Thursday in November, to sit with family and friends to give thanks. Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!” — Charmaine J. Forde
· "Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace." — Arianna Huffington
· "Welcome sweet November, the season of senses and my favorite month of all." — Gregory F. Lenz
· "Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices." — Robert Braathe
· "It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful." — David Steindl-Rast
· "I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." — Nathanial Hawthorne
· "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies." — Nora Ephron
· "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have you will never, ever have enough." — Oprah Winfrey
· "If you cannot find gratitude, you'll never find peace." — Leticia Rae
· "Gratitude is the fairest blossom which spring from the soul." — Henry Ward Beecher
· "There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy." — Ralph H. Blum
· "Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all other seasons." — Jim Bishop
· "November always seems to me the Norway of the year." — Emily Dickinson
· "November's sky is chill an drear, November's life is red and sear." — Sir Walter Scott
· "The wind that makes music in November corn is in a hurry. The stalks hum, the loose husks whisk skyward in half-playing swirls, and the wind hurries on... A tree tries to argue, bare limbs waving, but there is no detaining the wind." — Aldo Leopold
· “November at its best—with a sort of delightful menace in the air.” — Anne Bosworth Greene
· “Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils.” — Cyril Connolly
· “Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the color of moon rise.” — Gladys Taber
· “But there is always a November space after the leaves have fallen when she felt it was almost indecent to intrude on the woods…for their glory terrestrial had departed and their glory celestial of spirit and purity and whiteness had not yet come upon them.” — L.M. Montgomery
· “Have you seen my heart, somewhere in your castle of yellow leaves?” — A Waltz for Zizi
· “Have you seen my heart, somewhere in your castle of yellow leaves?” — E.M. Forster
· “In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year.” — Cynthia Rylant
· “Autumn is springtime in reverse.” – Terri Guillemets
· “There is October in every November and there is November in every December. All seasons melted in each other’s life.” – Mehmet Murat ildan
· “The house was very quiet, and the fog we are in November now pressed against the windows like an excluded ghost.” – E.M. Forster
· "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." — Albert Camus
…
…
November Quotes Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/november
…
…
…
Black Friday Shopping quotes
· “Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping” – Bo Derek.
· “Shopping is better than sex. At least if you’re not satisfied, you can exchange it for something you really like” – Unknown.
· “Happiness is not in money, but in shopping” – Marilyn Monroe.
· “I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist” – Tammy Faye Bakker.
· “If shopping doesn’t make you happy, you’re in the wrong shop” – Unknown.
· “Take all your problems and rip ‘em apart. Oh oh oh, carry them off in a shopping cart” – The White Stripes.
· “Meditation, yoga, working out, and eating well. That’s my wellness. And I think occasionally you have to treat yourself. So if you do need to take yourself shopping, go take yourself shopping” – Cynthia Erivo.
· “I love shopping. There is a little bit of magic found in buying something new. It is instant gratification. A quick fix” – Rebecca Bloom.
· “When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It’s a whole different way of thinking” – Elayne Boosler.
· “Anyone can buy. It takes an artist to shop” – Jennifer Finney Boylan.
…
…
Online shopping quotes
· “When you can’t touch the fabric or try on the outfit, the only emotion you experience is the excitement of the purchase and the thrill of beating everyone else to it” – Suzy Menkes.
· “The only consolation I had was buying things. If I bought some pretty thing it cheered me up for a while” – Iris Murdoch.
· “I don’t shop because I need something, I just shop for shipping’s sake” – Cat Deeley.
· “A bargain is something you can’t use at a price you can’t resist” – Franklin Jones.
· “We usually save money to waste it” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana.
…
…
Clever Black Friday sayings
· “What do Black Friday shoppers and the Thanksgiving turkey have in common? They know what it’s like to be jammed into a small place and stuffed” – Humoropedia.
· “I approximated the Black Friday experience at home by hurling myself into a wall a number of times and then ordering online” – Kumail Nanjiani.
· “Don’t even front like you love your family, America, or God, if you don’t have a detailed and rehearsed Black Friday tactical shopping plan” – Rob Delaney.
· “Black Friday is not another bad hair day in Wall Street. It’s the term used by American retailers to describe the day after the Thanksgiving Holiday, seem as the semi-official start of the Christmas shopping season” – Evan Davis.
· “Once again, we come to the Holiday Season. A deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice” – Dave Barry.
· “Black Friday: Because only in America do people trample each other for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have” – Unknown.
…
…
Holiday shopping quotes
· “I really enjoy the shopping and going out and getting stuff for other people. I could really give a damn about getting gifts for myself, but I really enjoy giving gifts” – Luke Combs.
· “I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it’s a very painful system, but shopping is even better when you know that someone else who needs it will be getting. Keep the clothing karma going, I say” – Sara Blakely.
· “For some, shopping is an art; for others, it’s a sport. It can be a vice and it can be a cause. Some love it. Some hate it. Rarely is someone indifferent” -Pamela Klaffke.
· “We were both very much the same. We were both very impulsive. We both loved shopping. We both had a love of clothes, obviously, because he was the designer that I kind of wore forever and ever” – Elton John.
· “Make money, go shopping! Take money - money, go shopping! No matter what the weather, winter-spring or fall, we’ll be doin’ it, at the mall” – Gang Starr.
…
…
Inspirational quotes about shopping
· “The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out only with a loaf of bread are three billion to one” – Erma Bombeck.
· “Buy what you don’t have yet or what you really want, which can be mixed with what you already own. But only because something excites you, not just for the simple act of shopping” – Karl Lagerfeld.
· “Style Strategy is about shopping smart, staying chic, and making it all last. It’s about showing women how to shop for value without compromising style” – Nina Garcia.
· “Shopping is a woman thing. It’s a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase” – Erma Bombeck.
· “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination” – Oscar Wilde.
· “It’s better to spend a lot on a getup you love than a fraction of that on something, or even five of those somethings, that you’ll never bother to take out of the shopping bag. By the way, this advice also applies to discount love interests. And half-price sushi” – Patricia Marx.
· “If you can’t stop thinking about it… Buy it!” – Unknown.
· “I could give up shopping, but I’m not a quitter” – Unknown.
…
…
Black Friday movie quotes
· “When I shop, the world gets better, and the world is better, but then it’s not, and I need to do it again” – Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic.
· “I like my money where I can see it… Hanging in my closet!” – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City.
· “Honestly, shopping beats therapy any time. It costs the same and you get a dress out of it” – Sophie Kinsella.
· “Shopping is my cardio” – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City.
· “I shop, therefore I am” – Heather Chandler, Heathers.
· “Treat yo’ self!” – Tom and Donna, Parks & Recreation.
…
…
Best Black Friday slogans
· Searching for deals; Gotta catch ‘em all!
· Black Friday is my Superbowl
· You know, I like my Fridays Black
· It’s Black Friday! Don’t miss out!
· The countdown begins for Great Black Friday.
· Thank God It’s Black Friday (TGIBF)
· Black Friday… Still Friday, just better
· First, we turkey, then we Target
· I’m a morning person on Black Friday
· Black Friday game plan; Outshop, outwit, outlast.
· I don’t need stress; I need my shopping bag.
· It’s almost Black Friday.
· Welcome to Black Friday
…
…
Black Friday Quotes Goodreads
…
…
…
November 2023 in Massage Luc
The month of October 2023 was really a good month for my small business.
I had many clients.
I have seen many new faces and many tourists.
Some of my regular clients called me to tell me that they hesitate to come – because everything becomes more and more expensive.
Whoever called me, got a deal and dared to come.
So, for the coming month I will keep the $ 120 – one price for everything SPECIAL.
The “Massage Luc” is been created with the goal to offer a Real Quality Service to men that need this service.
I feel that I am offering a “Service” – and for me, this is above money.
The few dollars that I am asking from my clients is only to can go on.
And my regular Special - to all the clients that will come at least 4 times in a month to get a free “Boudoir Photography Session” – this is still valid.
Come to enjoy the beautiful month of November with a nice Male Massage.
Come to Massage Luc- to relax and take new power.
I am looking forward to see you…
October
October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the sixth of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
The full moon, winter was supposed to begin in the month of October in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is why many religions were having different rituals during this month.
October is commonly associated with the season of spring in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, and autumn in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to April in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa.
Name of the month October:
October was the eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC.
October retained its name (from Latin and Greek ôctō meaning "eight") after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans.
The French word octobreis shortened to 8bre.
Symbols of October
October's birthstones are the tourmaline and opal.
Tourmaline has an opaque transparency and is part of the hexagonal crystal system. It comes in colors of black, pink, green, purple, rainbow, watermelon, and others. The meaning of Tourmaline is protection and grounding.
Opal takes its name from the Sanskrit word Upala which means “precious stone”. Later, it would be called Opallios during Roman times. There are two kinds of Opal – the common opal and the precious opal. Opal meaning is amplification, hope, and purity.
Its birth flower is the calendula.
The genus name Calendulais a modern Latin diminutive of calendae, meaning "little calendar", "little clock" or possibly "little weather-glass". The common name "marigold" refers to the Virgin Mary.
Calendula flowers symbolize grief, remembrance, and despair. Conversely, they are also associated with joy and health. Due to their long blooming time, calendula flowers also symbolize longevity and endurance. Flower colors can also attribute their own individual symbolic meanings to the flowers themselves.
The zodiac signs are Libra (until October 22) and Scorpio (from October 23 onward).
Libra (♎︎) (Ancient Greek: Ζυγός, romanized: Zygós, Latin for "scales") is the seventh astrological sign in the zodiac. It spans 180°–210° celestial longitude.
The Sun transits this sign on average between September 23 and October 23.
The symbol of the scales is based on the Scales of Justice held by Themis, the ancient Greek personification of divine law and custom.
Themis became the inspiration for modern depictions of Lady Justice.
The ruling planet of Libra is Venus along with Taurus.
Libra is the only zodiac sign that is represented by an object;
with the other eleven signs represented by either an animal or mythological character.
Libra - Astrological associations
Libra is the cardinal modality of the three air signs, the others being Gemini and Aquarius. The main connotations of planets under this sign are sociable, rational, and detached when dealing with situations.
Libra is symbolized by the scales and is associated with the Roman deity Justitia.
According to the writer Manilius, Roman judges are born under the sign of Libra.
The Moon was said to be in Libra when Rome was founded and this was based on the historical passage, which state "qua condita Roma".
Everything was balanced under this righteous sign.
Manilius once said that Libra was the sign "in which the seasons are balanced". Both the hours of the day and the hours of the night match each other. Thus why the Romans put so much trust in the "balanced sign".
Going back to ancient Greek times, Libra the constellation between Virgo and Scorpio used to be ruled over by the constellation of Scorpio. They called the area the Latin word "chelae", which translated to "the claws" which can help identify the individual stars that make up the full constellation of Libra, since it was so closely identified with the Scorpion constellation in the sky.
Ancient Greek Myth for Libra:
In a time, long before our Zeus of the Olympians reigned, Ouranos (Uranus) was the sky and the heavens.
And Gaia was the Earth.
Gaia and Uranus (Sky and earth) were the mother and father of all things.
Gaia and Uranus had many children together— many of whom are referred to as the “Titans”.
And from Uranus and Gaia, came Themis, a Titaness.
Of all these original Titans, it was Themis to whom Gaia passed her special ability to understand the deeper meaning of things and realize what is right and what is wrong.
And thus, Themis was appointed as the ruler of law and order.
During the famous battle between Gods and titans - Titanomachy - Themis chosen to stay amongst the stars and watch with grave concern.
Themis was a Titaness herself - but she was able to realize that the right was with the side of Gods - and not with the side of Titans.
And when Zeus came out victorious from Titanomachy, Themis ventured to Olympus with the scales of balance and justice (the object of her yearning and a symbol of the soon-to-be constellation, Libra) given to her by Gaia in her left hand.
And then Themis has given the famous scales to Zeus to help him to establish the law of peace, order and justness under the sky.
And Zeus placed the “scales” among the stars as an eternal symbol of the victory of good against evil.
And as a symbol of peace, balance and order over the world.
And ever since these famous scales are shining in the sky reminding the people on earth of divine justness...
…
Libra Zodiac Personality
Libra is an air sign, and Libras are noted for their desire to be in the company of others. Libras are extremely agreeable and honest people who believe strongly in the importance of social connections. Libras are among the most fascinating and intelligent individuals on the planet, and they have a lot to give.
Libra Zodiac Sexuality
Numerologist Sidhharrth S Kumaar shares, “Librans have so much in store for their partners in bed. They like to surprise their lovers with distinct moves and tease them through the process making it more erotic. They do not like to rush and hence often indulge in foreplay before the actual act.”
…
…
…
Historical Events in the month of October.
1 Oct. 1207 Birth of England's King Henry III.
31 Oct. 1517 Martin Luther nails his '95 Theses' to the church door at Wittenberg, Germany triggering the Protestant Reformation.
30 Oct. 1925 The first television transmission of a moving image was made by Scottish inventor John Logie Baird.
…
…
…
Canadian Holidays October 2023.
PLUS:
October 2023, is LGBT History Month.
…
…
…
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Dutch town of Leiden and the Australian territory of Norfolk Island. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year (Similarly named harvest festival holidays occur throughout the world during autumn, including in Germany and Japan.). Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.
History
Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among most religions after harvests and at other times of the year. The Thanksgiving holiday's history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival.
Thanksgiving In Canada:
According to some historians, the first celebration of Thanksgiving in North America occurred during the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England in search of the Northwest Passage.
Other researchers, however, state that "there is no compelling narrative of the origins of the Canadian Thanksgiving Day."
Antecedents for Canadian Thanksgiving are also sometimes traced to the French settlers who came to New France in the 17th century, who celebrated their successful harvests. The French settlers in the area typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season. They continued throughout the winter season, even sharing food with the indigenous peoples of the area.
As settlers arrived in Nova Scotia from New England after 1700, late autumn Thanksgiving celebrations became commonplace. New immigrants into the country— such as the Irish, Scottish, and Germans —also added their own traditions to the harvest celebrations. Most of the U.S. aspects of Thanksgiving (such as the turkey) were incorporated when United Empire Loyalists began to flee from the United States during and after the American Revolution and settled in Canada.
In 1859, the government of the Provinces of Canada declared a Thanksgiving Day in which "all Canadians [were asked] to spend the holiday in 'public and solemn' recognition of God's mercies.
"On 9 October 1879, Canada's Governor General, the Marquis of Lorne, declared November 6 as "a day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed."
The Canadian Parliament on 31 January 1957 applied the same language in its proclamation for the modern holiday:
"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed — to be observed on the second Monday in October."
Statutory holiday
Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in most of Canada, and an optional holiday in the Atlantic provinces of Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Companies that are regulated by the federal government, such as those in the telecommunications and banking sectors, recognize the holiday everywhere.
Traditional holiday
As a liturgical festival, Thanksgiving corresponds to the British and continental European harvest festival, with churches decorated with cornucopias, pumpkins, corn, wheat sheaves, and other harvest bounty.
While the actual Thanksgiving holiday is on a Monday, Canadians may gather for their Thanksgiving feast on any day during the long weekend; however, Sunday is considered the most common. Foods traditionally served at Thanksgiving include roasted turkey, roast beef, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, various autumn vegetables (including various kinds of squashes, but also Brussels sprouts), pumpkin pie, apple pie, and glazed yams. Various regional dishes and desserts may also be served, including salmon, wild game, Jiggs dinner with split-pea pudding, butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars.
In Canadian football, the Canadian Football League has usually held a nationally televised doubleheader, the Thanksgiving Day Classic. It is one of two weeks in which the league plays on Monday afternoons, the other being the Labour Day Classic.
Scarecrows on display at the Markham Fair. Several communities host fairs the week before Thanksgiving.
Many communities in Canada hold events in the week prior to, and/or on the day of the holiday. For example, the Markham Fair is an annual agricultural and harvest festival held during the weekend before Thanksgiving, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest holds an annual parade consisting of floats, civic figures in the region, local performance troupes and marching bands and Fort Langley holds a widely-attended neighbourhood festival celebrating the cranberry harvest, in which local crafts, produce, and artisan goods are sold.
How is Thanksgiving celebrated in Quebec?
In Quebec, Thanksgiving is called “Action de Grâce”.
Despite its long existence in Canada, the celebration of Thanksgiving is a relatively recent tradition in the Francophone community.
This could be explained by the importance of Catholicism among French speakers and by the mistrust of its clergy towards a feast of Anglo-Protestant origin.
Nowadays, Thanksgiving has largely lost its religious meaning.
Rather, it has become an opportunity to celebrate harvests, abundance in public markets, family, friends, the beauty of leaves, apples, football...
…
…
…
National Coming Out Day
National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an annual LGBT awareness day observed on October 11, to support anyone "coming out of the closet".
First celebrated in the United States in 1988, the initial idea was grounded in the feminist and gay liberation spirit of the personal being political, and the emphasis on the most basic form of activism being coming out to family, friends and colleagues, and living life as an openly lesbian or gay person.
The founders' belief was that homophobia thrives in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance and that once people know that they have loved ones who are lesbian or gay, they are far less likely to maintain homophobic or oppressive views.
History:
NCOD was inaugurated in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary. Eichberg, who died in 1995 of complications from AIDS, was a psychologist from New Mexico and the founder of the personal growth workshop "The Experience". O'Leary was an openly lesbian political leader and long-time activist from New York and was at the time the head of the National Gay Rights Advocates in Los Angeles.
LGBT activists, including Eichberg and O'Leary, did not want to respond defensively to anti-LGBT action because they believed it would be predictable. This led them to establish NCOD to maintain positivity and celebrate coming out.
The date of October 11 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Most people think they don't know anyone gay or lesbian, and in fact, everybody does. It is imperative that we come out and let people know who we are and disabuse them of their fears and stereotypes.
– Robert Eichberg, in 1993
Initially administered from the West Hollywood offices of the National Gay Rights Advocates, the first NCOD received participation from eighteen states, garnering national media coverage. In its second year, NCOD headquarters moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and participation grew to 21 states. After a media push in 1990, NCOD was observed in all 50 states and seven other countries. Participation continued to grow and in 1990 NCOD merged their efforts with the Human Rights Campaign.
Observance
National Coming Out Day is observed annually to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the LGBT community and civil rights movement. The first decades of observances were marked by private and public people coming out, often in the media, to raise awareness and let the mainstream know that everyone knows at least one person who is lesbian or gay.
In recent years, the day has been more of a holiday because coming out as LGBT is far less risky in most Western countries. Participants often wear pride symbols such as pink triangles and rainbow flags.
National Coming Out Day is also observed in Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign sponsors NCOD events under the auspices of their National Coming Out Project, offering resources to LGBT individuals, couples, parents, and children, as well as straight friends and relatives, to promote awareness of LGBT families living honest and open lives. Candace Gingrich became the spokesperson for NCOD in April 1995.
From 1999 to 2014, the Human Rights Campaign announced a theme to go with each NCOD.
Perspectives on "coming out":
Radical feminist poet and author Adrienne Rich, in her 1980 essay "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence", suggests that the need to come out stems from the pressure to adhere to heterosexuality from birth, or compulsory heterosexuality. Rich uses the example that heterosexual people never have to come out as heterosexual, and that societal support of heterosexuality as the norm leads to homosexuality being viewed as an anomaly. She explores how the oppressive, ubiquitous nature of compulsory heterosexuality has historically resulted in many lesbians either never realizing their true nature or not discovering their orientation until later in life.
NCOD has traditionally been a celebratory day for the LGBT community. However, Preston Mitchum, a black queer writer, in his article, "On National Coming Out Day, Don't Disparage the Closet", published in The Atlantic in 2013, questions the assumptions that he believes NCOD makes. While Mitchum does not discredit those who have come out and praises them for their bravery, he also points out that coming out may not always be safe for LGBT people who are a part of multiple marginalized communities. Mitchum also suggests that coming out can lead to hypervisibility for those with intersecting identities, potentially leading to discrimination in the workplace, family exile, violence, and criminalization.
National Coming Out Day - In Canada:
October 11th is National Coming Out Day in Canada and the US, a day to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) members of our communities.
‘Coming out’, the expression used to describe the social acknowledgement of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, is a deeply personal process, and often intensely emotional.
But coming out is not a safe option for all Canadians. According to statistics Canada, in 2009 74% of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were violent crimes, with common assault being the most frequent type of violent offence. As a result, 63% of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation resulted in physical injury to the victim—far more than any other identifiable group. And the problem isn’t getting any better. Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation doubled in 2008, and increased by another 18% in 2009.
The situation is just as dire in Canadian schools. The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools, notes that “two thirds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirited, queer and questioning students felt unsafe at school” where “51% of LGBTQ students have been verbally harassed about their sexual orientation and 21% have been physically harassed or assaulted about their sexual orientation.” These numbers were even higher for trans youth, 74% of whom faced verbal harassment, and 37% of whom were physically harassed or assaulted about their gender.
All this, combined with the risks of being abandoned by one’s family and community, rejected by religious groups, and, in over 70 countries worldwide, having one’s rights curtailed and identity criminalized by the state, means that coming out is simply not possible for many LGBTQ individuals. Clearly work remains to be done.
National Coming Out Day serves as an excellent opportunity for all Canadians, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, to acknowledge everyone’s role in making our communities safer and more welcoming for LGBTQ individuals. “Ask yourself what you can do to make your community safer for LGBTQ folks, and if you’re not sure, ask us!” says Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada.
Egale Canada wishes a peaceful National Coming Out Day to everyone, and stands in support of all LGBTQ Canadians, out or otherwise.
Posted by “Egale Canada”.
…
…
Celebrating National Coming Out Day! | ET CANADA PRIDE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtyzdB68dA
…
…
…
Boss's Day
Boss's Day, also known as National Boss Day, is a celebratory day designed to build positive relationships between employers and their employees. By offering appreciation to the bosses who make decisions and lead a workplace on a daily basis, the Observance aims to foster an environment of mutual respect and understanding. Boss's Day serves as a reminder of the importance of leadership, open communication, and collaboration in a professional setting.
The idea of Boss's Day originated in the United States in 1958, when Patricia Bays Haroski registered the day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Patricia chose October 16th to honour her father's birthday, who also happened to be her boss. Though initially observed predominantly in the US, Boss's Day has since expanded to other countries, including Canada. Canadian employees and business professionals have embraced this day, recognizing its value in building a supportive and thriving workplace culture.
In Canada, Boss's Day is typically observed through small acts of appreciation such as exchanging gestures of gratitude, writing thank-you notes, or presenting small tokens of acknowledgment like office accessories or desk ornaments. Some employees may choose to surprise their bosses with a group lunch or treat, while others may prefer a more personalized, one-on-one conversation expressing their gratitude. Though not a public holiday, Boss's Day in Canada is often acknowledged on October 16th each year, fostering positive working dynamics and relationships across the country.
…
…
…
Sweetest Day
"Sweetest Day is a holiday primarily celebrated in the midwestern US states of Ohio and Michigan, but seems to be spreading in popularity in US and in Canada. It is celebrated every third Saturday in the month of October.
The holiday traces its roots to the 1930s in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, during the Great Depression. The story is that a man got a group of citizens together to provide small gifts to homeless people, orphans, and others who had fallen on hard times. This tradition now seems to largely involve giving small presents to family, friends, and spouses/significant others such as cards, candy and flowers."
In Canada, the “Sweetest Day” is popular in the Great Lakes region.
…
…
…
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.
One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which are believed to have pagan roots.
Some go further and suggest that Samhain may have been Christianized as All Hallow's Day, along with its eve, by the early Church.
Other academics believe Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday, being the vigil of All Hallow's Day.
Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants took many Halloween customs to North America in the 19th century and then through American influence Halloween had spread to other countries by the late 20th and early 21st century.
Popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins or turnips into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films. Some people practice the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, although it is a secular celebration for others. Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.
Etymology
"Halloween" (1785) by Scottish poet Robert Burns, recounts various legends of the holiday.
The word Halloween or Hallowe'en ("Saints' evening") is of Christian origin; a term equivalent to "All Hallows Eve" is attested in Old English. The word hallowe[']en comes from the Scottish form of All Hallows' Eve (the evening before All Hallows' Day): even is the Scots term for "eve" or "evening" and is contracted to e'en or een;
(All) Hallow(s) E(v)en became Hallowe'en.
What is the legend of the Jack O lantern?
Legend says the devil gave Jack a bright, glowing ember from the fires of hell. Jack put this ember into a hollowed-out turnip, which he used as a lantern to light his way as he wandered the Earth for eternity.
Practically similar legends do exist in all cultures.
It means the person that does something wrong and after his death, his soul does not find peace. He keeps on wandering the earth. He walks all over without a purpose – because he has nowhere to go. He is just wandering around…
What is the meaning behind “Jack O lanterns”?
A jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved lantern, most commonly made from a pumpkin or a root vegetable such as a rutabaga or turnip.
On Samhain eve, October 31, spirits of the dead were thought to mingle with the living. To ward off restless souls, people donned costumes and carved frightening faces into root vegetables such as beets, potatoes, and turnips—usually plentiful after the recent harvest.
Who carved the first jack-o-lantern?
In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack's wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.
In North America
The application of the term to carved pumpkins in American English is first seen in 1837.
In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general before it became a symbol of Halloween.
In 1895, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended giving a lit jack-o'-lantern as a child's prize in Thanksgiving games.
The poet John Greenleaf Whittier, who was born in Massachusetts in 1807, wrote the poem "The Pumpkin" (1850), which mentions Thanksgiving but not Halloween.
The carved pumpkin lantern's association with Halloween is recorded in the 1 November 1866 edition of the Daily News (Kingston, Ontario. Canada):
“The old time custom of keeping up Hallowe'en was not forgotten last night by the youngsters of the city. They had their maskings and their merry-makings, and perambulated the streets after dark in a way which was no doubt amusing to themselves. There was a great sacrifice of pumpkins from which to make transparent heads and face, lighted up by the unfailing two inches of tallow candle.”
In 1879's Funny Nursery Rhymes, a poem admonishes children to avoid being similar to untrustworthy "Master Jack o' Lantern," described as a "wicked, deceiving boy" similar to a will-o'-the-wisp who "dances, and jumps, and gambols." He is humorously illustrated as a personification of a lantern.
An 1885 article "Halloween Sports and Customs" contrasts the American jack-o'-lantern custom with the British bonfire custom:
“It is an ancient British custom to light great bonfires (Bone-fire to clear before Winter froze the ground) on Hallowe'en, and carry blazing fagots about on long poles; but in place of this, American boys delight in the funny grinning jack-o'-lanterns made of huge yellow pumpkins with a candle inside.”
Adaptations of Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820) often show the Headless Horseman with a jack-o'-lantern in place of his severed head. In the original story, a shattered pumpkin is discovered next to Ichabod Crane's abandoned hat on the morning after Crane's supposed encounter with the Horseman, but the story does not reference jack-o'-lanterns or Halloween.
…
History of Halloween in Canada
Halloween largely considered a holiday for children. Scottish and Irish immigrants brought Halloween to Canada in the 1800s.
As a non-religious, non-ethnic, and non-political holiday Halloween quickly became very popular.
Halloween is celebrated in Canada on - or around - October 31st.
It is a day to mark the single night in the year when, according to old Celtic beliefs, spirits and the dead can cross over into the world of the living. Some people hold parties and children may trick-or-treat in their neighborhood.
Halloween is a very popular celebration that is considered to be the second-largest commercially successful holiday in Canada.
Halloween in Canada is marked by decorations, costumes, and of course, trick-or-treating. And of course, the tradition of pumpkins continues.
…
…
…
LGBT History Month.
Date: Sun, Oct 1, 2023 – Tue, Oct 31, 2023
Event Length: 31 Day
LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_History_Month
…
…
…
Montreal October 2023 festivals and events:
1. Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (October 4 to 15, 2023)
2. Phénomena (October 6 to 20, 2023)
3. MTL Connect (October 10 to 13, 2023)
4. Montréal Burlesque Festival (October 13 and 14, 2023)
5. La Grande Dégustation de Montréal (October 19-21, 2023)
6. Ramen Ramen Festival (annually in October)
Montreal October 2023 festivals and events - from "Go Montreal Website":
http://www.go-montreal.com/attraction_events_oct.htm
…
…
…
Traditional Canadian food recipes for Thanksgiving:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/inspiration/canadian-thanksgiving-recipes.html
…
…
…
Traditional Canadian food recipes for Halloween:
…
…
…
Month of October quotes and sayings:
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
— Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ann of Green Gables
"October is a hallelujah! reverberating in my body year-round..."
— John Nichols
"October’s poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter."
— Nova Beir
"I wish that every day was Saturday and every month was October."
— Charmaine J. Forde
“A boy who loved Autumn. A girl who was forever October.”
— Nitya Prakash
"October was always the least dependable of months...full of ghosts and shadows."
— Joy Fielding
"October is a symphony of permanence and change."
— Bonaro W. Overstreet
"It must be October, the trees are falling away and showing their true colors."
— Charmaine J. Forde
"The clear light that belongs to October was making the landscape radiant."
— Florence Bone
"I have been younger in October than in all the months of spring."
— W.S. Merwin
"October is a fallen leaf, but it is also the wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hill once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above that hill once again."
— Hal Borlan, This Hill, This Valley
"He loved October. Had always loved it. There was something sad and beautiful about it—the ending and beginning of things."
— Jacqueline Woodson, If You Come Softly
"You don't waste October sunshine. Soon the old autumn sun would bed down in cloud blankets, and there would be weeks of gray before it finally decided to snow."
— Katherine Arden, Small Spaces
"October had tremendous possibility. The summer's oppressive heat was a distant memory, and the golden leaves promised a world full of beautiful adventures. They made me believe in miracles."
— Sarah Guillory, Reclaimed
"Yet, I can face the winter with calm. I suppose I had forgotten what it was really like. I had been thinking of the winter as a horrid wet, dreary time fit only for professional football. Now I can see other things—crisp and sparkling days, long pleasant evenings, cheery fires. Good work shall be done this winter. Life shall be lived well. The end of the summer is not the end of the world. Here's to October…"
— A.A. Milne, "A Word for Autumn"
“We were letting go of October, relinquishing color, readying ourselves for streets lacquered with ice, the town closed like a walnut, locked inside the cold.”
— Mark Perlberg
"Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul...but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October."
— Peggy Toney Horton
"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter."
— Carol Bishop Hipps
"I remember it as October days are always remembered, cloudless, maple-flavored, the air gold and so clean it quivers."
— Leif Enger, Peace Like a River
"In October a maple-tree before your window lights up your room like a great lamp. Even on cloudy days its presence helps to dispel the gloom."
— John Burroughs
"Listen! the wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"
— Humbert Wolfe, "Autumn Resignation"
"October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!" — Rainbow Rowell, Attachments
"In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible."
— Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond
"October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book." — John Sinor
"October is the opal month of the year. It is the month of glory, of ripeness. It is the picture-month."
— Henry Ward Beecher
October Poems:
"October is the treasure of the year,
And all the months pay bounty to her store…"
Paul Laurence Dunbar
"October is the month of painted leaves.
Their rich glow now flashes round the world.
As fruits and leaves and the day itself
acquire a bright tint just before they fall,
so the year near its setting.
October is its sunset sky;
November the later twilight."
Henry David Thoreau
"Pale amber sunlight falls across
The reddening October trees,
That hardly sway before a breeze
As soft as summer: summer's loss
Seems little, dear! on days like these."
Ernest Christopher Dowson
"O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather."
Helen Hunt Jackson
"O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all."
Robert Frost
William Cullen Bryant, October 1866
"The sweet calm sunshine of October, now
Warms the low spot; upon its grassy mould
The purple oak-leaf falls; the birchen bough
Drops its bright spoil like arrow-heads of gold."
William Cullen Bryant
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Maple Leaves
"October turned my maple's leaves to gold;
The most are gone now; here and there one lingers:
Soon these will slip from out the twigs' weak hold,
Like coins between a dying miser's fingers."
Thomas Bailey Aldrich
October Quotes – Goodreads
…
…
…
Thanksgiving quotes and sayings:
· "What if today, we were just grateful for everything?"
· —Charlie Brown
· "I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual."
· —Henry David Thoreau
· "Be present in all things and thankful for all."
· —Maya Angelou
· "It's not too much food. This is what we've been training for our whole lives. This is our destiny, this is our finest hour."
· —Lorelai Gilmore
· "Even in the trials of life, if we have eyes to see them, we can find good things everywhere we look."
· —Joanna Gaines
· "The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don't think so."
· —Nora Ephron
· "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
· —Charles Dickens
· "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more."
· —Oprah Winfrey
· "Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have."
· —Catherine Pulsifer
· "We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives."
· —John F. Kennedy
· "Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy."
· —Jefferson Bethke
· "Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are."
· —Joyce Giraud
· "Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast."
· —William Shakespeare
· "Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is."
· —Ernest Hemingway
· "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
· —William Arthur Ward
Thanksgiving Quotes – Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/thanksgiving
…
…
…
Halloween quotes and sayings:
Scary Halloween Sayings:
“Believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see.” —Edgar Allen Poe
"I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul." —Bram Stoker
“There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.” —Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” —Stephen King
“I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.” —The Criminologist, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
“It’s as much fun to scare as to be scared.” —Vincent Price
“Be afraid ... Be very afraid.” —Ronnie, The Fly
"Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen. Voices whisper in the trees, ‘Tonight is Halloween!'" —Dexter Kozen
"I love Halloween, and I love that feeling: the cold air, the spooky dangers lurking around the corner." —Evan Peters
…
Funny Halloween Quotes
“I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.” —Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family
“Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days until Christmas.” —Stephen Graham Jones
“Eat, drink and be scary!” —Unknown
“I witch you a Happy Halloween.” —Unknown
“For some of us, Halloween is everyday.” —Tim Burton
“A mask tells us more than a face.” —Oscar Wilde
“May your candy supply last you well into the Christmas season.” —Unknown
“Halloween is the only time I can easily convince others that my children are monsters.” —Unknown
“The cobwebs in my house just became my decorations!” —Unknown
"Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?" —Linus, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
"Magic is really very simple, all you've got to do is want something and then let yourself have it." –Aggie Cromwell, Halloweentown
"During the day, I don't believe in ghosts. At night, I'm a little more open-minded." —Unknown
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…and spiders." —Unknown
"If the broom fits, ride it!" —Unknown
"This witch can be bribed with chocolate." —Unknown
“Keep calm and scary on.” —Unknown
“A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween.” —Emma Bombeck
…
Sweet Halloween Sayings
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." —L. M. Montgomery
“Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.”—Mason Cooley
“When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween.” —Unknown
“The farther we’ve gotten from the magic and mystery of our past, the more we’ve come to need Halloween.” —Paula Guran
“Wishing you a spook-tacular Halloween!” —Unknown
“Hope you don’t have a scare in the world this Halloween!” —Unknown
“October brings crisp, cool nights and Halloween frights.” —Unknown
“Wishing you a spooky good October and a fang-tastic Halloween!” —Unknown
“A candy a day keeps the monsters away.” —Unknown
"There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch." —Robert Brault
"On Halloween you get to become anything that you want to be." —Ava Dellaria
"We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!" —Humbert Wolfe
"Ghosts and goblins come to play on October's final day!" —Rusty Fischer
…
Short Halloween Quotes
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” —William Shakespeare
"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." —Eden Phillpots
"Where there is no imagination, there is no horror." —Arthur Conan Doyle
“It's all just a bunch of hocus pocus!” —Max, Hocus Pocus
“Something wicked this way comes.” —William Shakespeare
“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” —Brackett
"When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween." —Unknown
"There is something haunting in the light of the moon." —Joseph Conrad
"Werewolves howl. Phantoms prowl. Halloween's upon us now." —Richelle E. Goodrich
"Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain." —J.K. Rowling
"Trick or treat, bag of sweets, ghosts are walking down the street." —Unknown
…
Halloween quotes Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/halloween
…
…
…
October 2023 in Massage Luc
So, the month of September 2023 was busy for "Massage Luc".
I have been busy mostly with tourists.
Many of my regular clients were on vacation this September.
I find it a little strange.
Usually September was the "coming back from vacation" month.
Anyway - for my little business, September 2023 was a good month.
Plus, no tourist found my price - $ 130 - expensive.
I also got tips.
But with my Montreal clients it was not the same.
Many called me to ask me for the "old price".
And I always offered it.
And I repeat that my regular clients should not worry about increases.
Here in my small Massage Place is a "friendly service".
My clients are also my friends.
So, for the month of October 2023, I will have a SUPER SPECIAL.
For the month of October for the entire service only $ 120.
And I will also keep my regular special:
The client that will come 4 times in one month is getting a free boudoir photography session value of $ 150.
Enjoy the month of Thanksgiving and Halloween with a nice Male Massage.
Come to "Massage Luc" this October.
Enjoy unforgettable moments of massage pleasure with only $ 120.
Happy Thanksgiving 2023 to all my clients.
Happy Halloween 2023 to all my clients.
Happy October 2023 to all my clients.
Looking forward to seeing YOU.
...
If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.
Having a big sale, on-site celebrity, or other event? Be sure to announce it so everybody knows and gets excited about it.
Are your customers raving about you on social media? Share their great stories to help turn potential customers into loyal ones.
Running a holiday sale or weekly special? Definitely promote it here to get customers excited about getting a sweet deal.
Have you opened a new location, redesigned your shop, or added a new product or service? Don't keep it to yourself, let folks know.
Customers have questions, you have answers. Display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.
If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.
Having a big sale, on-site celebrity, or other event? Be sure to announce it so everybody knows and gets excited about it.
Are your customers raving about you on social media? Share their great stories to help turn potential customers into loyal ones.
Running a holiday sale or weekly special? Definitely promote it here to get customers excited about getting a sweet deal.
Have you opened a new location, redesigned your shop, or added a new product or service? Don't keep it to yourself, let folks know.
Customers have questions, you have answers. Display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.
If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.
Having a big sale, on-site celebrity, or other event? Be sure to announce it so everybody knows and gets excited about it.
Are your customers raving about you on social media? Share their great stories to help turn potential customers into loyal ones.
Running a holiday sale or weekly special? Definitely promote it here to get customers excited about getting a sweet deal.
Have you opened a new location, redesigned your shop, or added a new product or service? Don't keep it to yourself, let folks know.
Customers have questions, you have answers. Display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.
Our Thai massage services are a unique blend of acupressure, stretching, and rhythmic compression techniques. The therapist uses their hands, feet, elbows, and knees to apply pressure to specific points on the body, promoting relaxation and healing.
Our aromatherapy massage services use essential oils to enhance the massage experience and promote relaxation and healing. We offer a variety of oils to choose from, each with their own unique benefits.
Our reflexology massage services are based on the ancient Chinese practise of applying pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears that correspond to different organs and systems in the body. This technique promotes relaxation and balance throughout the body.
Our hot stone massage services use smooth, heated stones to apply pressure and heat to the body, promoting relaxation and healing. This technique is perfect for those looking to relieve tension and reduce stress.
Our Swedish massage services are a classic technique designed to promote relaxation and ease muscle tension. This technique involves long, flowing strokes and kneading of the muscles.
Our deep tissue massage services are designed to target chronic muscle tension and knots. This technique involves slow, deep pressure on the muscles and connective tissues.