December/2010/
Fifty
people gathered in the Smithfield Township Municipal
Center on Dec. 17 for a festive Silent Auction Wreath
Raffle to benefit the Monroe County Historical
Association. Infusing the air with the scent of fresh
evergreens, more than 30 wreaths — trimmed with
everything from ribbons and pinecones to holly boughs
and mountain laurel — along with other holiday décor
adorned the walls. Read
More...
December/2010/
Many people
today enjoy setting up a miniature village
and/or nativity scene as part of their holiday
decorations. This custom was embraced throughout
central Europe, particularly in present-day
Germany by the Moravians, a Protestant
denomination. By the early 18th Century, many
Moravians had left Europe for America and
settled in the Lehigh Valley of eastern
Pennsylvania. With them came the tradition of
celebrating the nativity that was the
inspiration for the Christmas “Putz.”
Read More...
December/2010/
Wreaths of
every description, Christmas carols sung to the
accompaniment of the Pocono Dulcimer Club and
free refreshments will be featured during a
Smithfield Township fundraiser Friday for the
Monroe County Historical Association.
Read More...
June/2009/
The recognition
of Father’s Day grew out of the celebration of
Mother’s Day. The first observance of Father’s
Day occurred on July 5, 1908 in West Virginia
(the same state that held the first Mother’s
Day) at the Central United Methodist Church in
Fairmont.
Read More...
May/2009/
The celebration
of Mother’s Day unofficially began in the early
1900s. Anna Jarvis was born outside the small
town of Grafton, W. Va., in 1864 to Granville
and Ann Marie Jarvis. As a child, young Anna
watched her mother volunteer for a number of
social causes to better their hometown. For
example, Anna’s Mom, Ann Marie, worked to
provide nursing care to Civil War veterans and
fought for better sanitation practices for her
community. Read More...
December/2008/
During the
holiday season, many families decorate their
homes with a Moravian star. While these unique
multi-pointed stars are beautiful, they also
have a rich history. The star originated in the
German towns of Niesky and Kleinwalka in the
1830s. The stars were used as craft projects to
help demonstrate geometry lessons to young boys
attending Moravian school. Read
More...
November/2006/
Veterans Day
was established to honor servicemen (and now
service-women) who had enlisted or were drafted
into the armed forces. The day, however, was not
always called Veterans Day; its original name
was Armistice Day, and it was created following
World War I to honor those veterans who had
served in the “War to End All Wars.”
Read More...
December/2005/
The tradition
of bringing evergreen boughs and even whole
trees indoors during the Winter Solstice began
in Europe well before reliable written records.
These early indoor trees, however, were not
adorned with fanciful decorations. Relatively
modern Christmas tree traditions began in the
16th Century, with the Protestant reformer
Martin Luther being credited with first
decorating a small evergreen tree with candles.
These candles represented the stars in the sky
that twinkled over Bethlehem. Read More...
