Photo credit: Joan Wyler
What constitutes a holiday is an interesting question. The Britannica’s definition of holiday is, “A Day fixed by law or custom on which ordinary business is suspended in commemoration of some event or in honor of some person.” Families typically participate in official holidays and celebrate special family occasions. Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day both take place in the month of February. These days have evolved over the years and offer families an opportunity to establish their own customs and ways to celebrate. Remember that you can make any day special by creating your own customs as part of the celebration. These two days lend themselves to creating your personal customs.
Presidents’ Day: A lesson in history
Presidents’ Day is a Federal Holiday, which was originally celebrated on Washington’s Birthday to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, 1968, moved the observance to the third Monday in February to provide workers with a long weekend. It then became known as Presidents’ Day to celebrate and reflect on the United States Presidents. Often parades and speeches mark the day. Presidents’ Day in Ohio is a state holiday to honor all presidents in the United States.
Presidents’ Day is an opportunity for young and old to share their knowledge of United States’ history. Facts about Ohio’s eight Presidents can create a game of Trivia or Twenty Questions. Researching the presidents can become a family game, as family and friends use their computers, encyclopedias and cell phones to find information. Children will delight in demonstrating their skill in retrieving information to share with others.
Parents can introduce children to a different time in the history of the United States. Locally families can experience a bit of history by visiting The William Howard Taft National Historic Site. This site contains the childhood home of President William Howard Taft. Take a guided tour though President Taft’s birthplace and boyhood home. You will participate in history as you visit the nursery, library and living room of his boyhood. Knowledgeable Park Guides relate interesting stories of President Taft’s life, which target different age participants. The home is located on Auburn Avenue, and is open Thursday through Sunday. There is not a fee to visit this national historic site.
Another historic site is the Taft Art Museum, where William Howard Taft announced his candidacy for president. The museum contains an outstanding art collection. Sundays and Monday’s admission is free to the museum.
We are fortunate to have these two historic buildings in Cincinnati, where families can feel they are a part of life in the past. At the same time children will be able to share their knowledge of local and national history,
Another activity can be a multi-generational excursion to the tomb of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison. This can be a pleasant drive where riders exchange facts about Ohio’s Presidents. The William Henry Harrison tomb is located at the intersection of Cliff Road and Brower Road in Northbend. This site overlooks the northward sweep of the Ohio River. Although the tomb will be closed during the winter months, the grounds are open for visitors.
Valentine’s Day: A message of love
Photo credit: Joan Wyler
Valentine’s Day originated as Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine. Through folk traditions, it has become a cultural and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
Formal messages or valentines appeared in the 1500s. By the mid-1800s, valentines were first printed in the United States. These valentines commonly depicted cupid and hearts. Commercially, the day promotes gifts such as candy and flowers, especially red roses as a symbol of love.
As parents, be aware that Valentine’s Day may be the source of either delight or sadness in children. Become acquainted with activities that surround the day at your children’s schools and community centers. If an elementary school classroom has a valentine celebration, make certain that no child is left out of the distribution of valentines. Children should be instructed by parents to place a valentine in all classmates’ valentine boxes. This can be an early lesson demonstrating how a child should care about feelings of others.
If you have a teenager, beware of events where students purchase flowers to place on friends’ hall lockers. This may be used as a fund-raising event. The teens who do not receive any flowers will feel depressed and left out. Also, teens may be disappointed when they do not receive valentines from their special friends. Thus, Valentine’s Day potentially may turn into a hurtful experience. Teens are unlikely to talk about this, but as an adult, be aware of their feelings.
As a parent or grandparent, you are unable to control the activities that occur outside your home. However, you can be aware of the feelings that may accompany this day and create your own home celebration.
1) Valentine Making Day
Create personal valentines that a child can give to his or her parents, grandparents, siblings and special people in their lives. Designate a Valentine Making Day where you have available colored paper, dollies, markers, stickers, glitter, scissors and glue for children of all ages to make their special valentines to give to the meaningful people in their lives. In addition to decorating a homemade valentine, create a verse or message to include on the card.
2) Red Valentine Meal
Set the dinner table with red placemats and napkins. Spread candy hearts as decoration on the table.
Serve a meal with only red colored ingredients. Meal ideas include spaghetti in red sauce, tomatoes and red pepper salad, strawberries and cherry Jello. For dessert, bake heart-shaped cookies or cake and serve with raspberry ice cream or sherbet.
As parents and grandparents, it is heartwarming to create your own special family traditions. These simple activities can make a day special and be continued in future years in the homes of your children and grandchildren. The activity will become a happy reminder of their childhood.
Joan welcomes your comments and ideas.
parentingplus@americanisralite.com
