Remembering the Meaning of Memorial Day

Wearing poppies, waving flags, parades, placing flags and wreaths at soldiers' graves, twenty-one gun salutes followed by hot dogs and ice cream at the local American Legion were all part of the Memorial Day pre-boomers remember as kids. It was a solemn yet celebratory day because we remembered those who died serving our country and rejoiced in the freedom we enjoyed as a result of their sacrifices.

There are many versions of how this day of remembrance came to be. Dozens of cities in the United States lay claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. In fact, it was originally called Decoration Day - a time to place flowers and flags on the graves of America's fallen heroes and honor their service.

Some say the day got its start before the end of the Civil War, when ladies in the South organized to decorate the graves of the Confederate dead. Others believe a group of former slaves exhumed the bodies from a mass grave in South Carolina filled with the bodies of Union soldiers, buried the remains in individual plots and planted flowers to decorate the cemetery. But Waterloo New York is considered to official home of the day's first observance in 1866.

The tradition of honoring the military dead was renewed during WWI. It started in the United States with the wearing of poppies, inspired by the poem, "in Flanders Fields." The poppies were sold and the proceeds used to benefit servicemen in need. This idea later caught on in Europe to benefit orphaned children and widows of servicemen who lost their lives. A few years later, the European effort petered out and the founder approached a US organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), to support the effort. In 1922 the VFW began selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.

Although the term "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882, it did not become more popular than "Decoration Day" until after WWII. Memorial Day was declared a Federal Holiday in 1967. Over the years, the meaning and observance of the day has diminished. Poppies are still sold by veterans groups. Flags are displayed, but fewer than in the past. And the parades have all but vanished; however, there is a national parade each year in Washington, DC.

Now, Memorial Day, which has turned into a long weekend, marks the beginning of the summer season with cookouts and family activities taking the place of community events. Many have tried to return to the traditional roots of this day. To accomplish this, Americans must be re-educated about the history of Memorial Day and set it aside as a day of remembrance rather that just a day off from school or work.

Legislation has been introduced to Congress in an effort to return the observance of Memorial Day to May 30th instead of the last Monday in May. If you believe this is a tradition you would like to see restored, contact your elected representative and let them know you don't want the meaning of Memorial Day forgotten.

Christian Fundraiser Ideas

Looking for Christian fundraiser ideas? Here are ten ways to raise funds with a Christian approach or focus, even more if you include fundraising events as well as selling products.

Christmas trees

A great fundraiser at Christmastime is selling Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias, and other holiday decorations. Simply setup a tree lot in your church parking lot, staff it with volunteers, and promote it with large signs well down the road.

You can also offer Christian-themed ornaments, decorative yard art such as wire-framed angels pre-decorated with twinkling lights, door wreaths with bible messages, etc.

Garden sale

A garden sale makes a wonderful spring fundraiser. Emphasize your Christian theme with peace lilies, Easter lilies, and other plants symbolizing peace. Flower bulbs and wildflower seeds are always good sellers, plus you can make arrangements with a nursery for flowering shrubs such as azaleas.

Mulch or pine straw are also good revenue producers. You can even sell Father Dom's Duck Doo Compost, an organic fertilizer that supports a good cause.

T-shirts

Many church youth groups sell message t-shirts that appeal to today's youth. These can be custom produced by a screen print company or ordered in bulk from national t-shirt companies. Expect to pay about $8 plus freight for shirts selling in the $12-$15 range.

Christian music

CD sales of Christian music groups are another easy way to raise funds. Focus on top selling groups and look for compilation CDs that feature hit songs from a variety of musicians. That way your music will have the broadest appeal. Take orders in advance and expect to pay 50% of retail price plus freight.

Auction

Hosting an auction is a fun way to raise money for your favorite cause. Seek donations from local businesses and ask everyone in your group to also ask their personal contacts. the more items donated the more you'll raise. To attract an even larger crowd, publicize your event well in advance with a press release.

Yard sale

A yard sale or rummage sale is another easy fundraiser. Put the word out to get as many items to sell as possible. Have it on a Saturday morning in a church parking lot and use road signs and newspaper classifieds to draw a big crowd. You can even turn it into a monthly event during good weather.

Music concert

A Christian-themed music concert can be a great family night or you could do the same thing for a teen audience. Be sure the groups you bring in have the right sound by asking for tapes or CDs. For bigger groups, you can pay a fee or give them a share of the ticket sales.

Fundraising bricks

Many church groups do landscape projects with laser-engraved fundraising bricks. Design a sidewalk, meditation garden, or outdoor patio fountain and incorporate the use of message bricks. Sell individual bricks that people can inscribe with a name and message of their choice. The bricks are surprisingly affordable and priced right, the project will raise amazing amounts for your cause.

Discount cards

Contact local Christian businesses for inclusion on a discount card for families. These usually retail for $10 and expire after a year. If you supply the advertisers, you can get the cards printed for $1 each which means huge profits. Sell these to supporters or to the general public with a sales table outside a grocery store or other high-traffic location.

Christmas carol-grams

Instead of going door-to-door caroling, assemble some talented singers, print up some flyers offering Christmas Carol-grams, and you're in business. Arrange to have a quartet deliver holiday cheer to a loved one's office, nursing home, hospital room, etc. Make sure your singers take flyers with them because this is a great word-of-mouth fundraiser!

That's all the space I have in this article for Christian fundraiser ideas. Look for the companion article coming soon on Christian fundraising events.

Swags and Wreaths - Not Just for the Holidays

Swags and wreaths are often used as holiday décor but you needn't put them away for the rest of the year. Typically we think of pine needles and red bows, but swags and wreaths not only come in many spring, summer, and fall colors, they are very purposeful year-round décor for the front door, the family room fire place mantle, and a host of other locations.

Swags and wreaths are generally designed in three ways:

Artificial swags and wreaths are made to last in most environments including high humidity or dry climates and in hot or cold conditions. Advanced manufacturing processes and synthetic materials along with UV and other special coatings mean that they will provide years of lasting beauty without degradation. Hypoallergenic and low or no maintenance are additional benefits of artificial swags and wreaths. Most high quality swags and wreaths look extremely lifelike and will provide years of beautiful enjoyment. The use of artificial swags and wreaths is the recommended and best choice for longevity and lasting beauty.

Preserved swags and wreaths are made of live flowers that have been chemically preserved. Some preserving agents also add a boost of color to give the wreath a longer life and more vibrant colors. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a dry climate as humidity often causes their artificially added color to run or their preservation to be compromised.

Dried swags and wreaths are made of flowers and leaves that have been dried either in a controlled environment or by exposure to natural sunlight. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a humid climate. Without dense humidity, breakage and flower crumbling occurs quite easily.

There are lots of choices when it comes to using beautiful swags and wreaths for home décor and keeping them in season is easier than you might think. For a light, happy spring feel, look for swags and wreaths made with a combination of morning glory, petunias, eucalyptus, dainty ferns, hydrangea, daisies, peonies, or other brightly colored blooms. White magnolia swags and wreaths are lovely summer selections. If flowers aren't what you prefer, consider some more earthy choices. Pine cones, wheat-head stalks, textured balls, variegated grasses, leaves, moss and feathers are popular things found on swags and wreaths. For a romantic, Victorian touch select swags and wreaths made of roses with berries, grapevine, ivy, eucalyptus, or small buds and blooms of other types of flowers.

Swags and wreaths are a great decorating choice all year round and with just a little creativity you can use your swags and wreaths in multiple seasons.

Christmas Wreaths - History, Tradition and Uses

Evergreen wreaths at Christmas time are a familiar sight on doors, above fireplaces, and on homes. Wreaths have been in use for many hundreds of years, even before the birth of Christ. Many historians believe that the first wreaths date back to the Persian Empire, when royalty and members of the upper class wore diadems, or fabric headbands adorned with jewels. Other cultures would later become fascinated with this tradition, picking it up and adapting it for themselves.

About 800 years before the birth of Christ, Greeks began to recognize the winners of their Olympic games by crowning them with wreaths made of laurel tree branches. Years later, when the games moved from city to city, branches from local trees were used to make these victory wreaths for the winners. During the Roman Empire, military and political leaders wore crowns of leaves and greenery. For example, Julius Caesar was crowned with a wreath made of fresh laurel branches and leaves. The transition of the wreath from a head adornment to a wall decoration is believed to have occurred when athletes (or perhaps victorious military leaders) returned home, and they would hang their headbands on their walls or doors, as a trophy of their victory.

The Egyptian, Chinese, and Hebrew cultures were known to have used evergreen branches as a symbol of eternal life, because the conifer trees stayed green throughout the winter months. After the birth of Christ, the Christmas wreath made of evergreen branches came to symbolize the triumph of life over the long winter months.

The Advent wreath also became a popular holiday tradition after the birth of Christ. This decoration was usually placed flat on a table and was used to count down the four weeks immediately preceding Christmas. Traditionally the wreath was constructed with four candles in a circle and one candle in the middle. The four outside candles were purple or violet, and the center candle was white. Four weeks before Christmas, the first violet candle would be lit. The following week, an additional candle would be lit, and so on, until the white center candle is lit on Christmas Eve or day, signifying the arrival of Christ. A brief prayer was said to accompany the lighting of each candle. The reason for the final candle being located in the center is to symbolize that we should keep Christ at the center of our lives and the center of the Christmas celebration.

Based on drawings and paintings, most historians believe that the use of evergreen wreaths at Christmas time spread across Northern Europe, Spain, and Italy during the early 19th century. The greenery was used as a symbol of life persevering through the cold winter months, and the holly berries that were often used as an adornment were a symbol of the blood of Christ.

It is also believed that Europeans also used wreaths on their doors to represent their family identity, much like a family crest. These wreaths were made from products grown in their own gardens, such as grapevines, fresh flowers, or other produce. The crafting of these wreaths was a family ritual that followed the same general pattern year after year.

Today, wreaths are still widely used around the world. In the U.S., wreaths are a traditional decoration for Christmas, as well as many other holidays throughout the year. Wreaths now adorn doors for Halloween, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July, and Easter. Furthermore, wreaths are no longer limited to only evergreen branches. Many craft stores, books, and television shows feature unique wreaths made of a variety of unusual materials and decorations for almost any occasion.

Add Christmas Splendor With a Santa Claus Postmark!

It's time to start thinking about Christmas again and how to make it even more special. If you are like the typical American that celebrates this wondrous holiday, you will be pulling out your favorite and best loved decorations from past Christmases and adding to them. Most people seem to continuously build that arsenal. After all, there are always new and gorgeous ornaments, wreaths, garlands, and other decorative embellishments we can add. The truth is that having a great variety offers the opportunity to either have a themed oriented decorating scheme, or a free for all style.

Decorating the home is usually a Christmas tradition that all family members participate in. Even the very young get into the act. And of course, us older folks sometimes get a little sentimental at Christmas time. It's not hard to do as we reminisce about favorite Christmases from years gone by. And if we are really lucky we will even have some keepsakes from those times that seem to keep us in touch with our past. Christmas traditions are a great way to bridge the gap between old and new, and young and old. The handing down of traditions keeps a bond of sorts between the generations. Just as our parents did certain things during the holidays, we have followed, and our children will too.

Whether your family traditionally spends a particular day or evening creating and displaying Christmas craft projects, or simply decorating, or just spending quality time together, these can all become treasured Christmas traditions. And great memories will be a part of each Christmas as the tradition is continued. My family's Christmas traditions include putting our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day. Afterward we work on a few Christmas craft projects - a family favorite is creating snowmen out of Styrofoam balls. It's easy enough even for the youngest members to do and fun for all.

When the craft projects are finished it is time to write our letters to Santa Claus. The children love this. I always enjoy learning what it is that they really want for Christmas. When the letters are finished we put them in envelopes addressed to Santa Clause at the North Pole. And when the kids receive a genuine letter back with a Santa Claus postmark from the North Pole they are ecstatic. As soon as their eyes take in the postmark from Santa Claus they are overjoyed, and I get to share in their delight.

No matter what activities you and your family enjoy together, the most important thing is to make it fun and make it special. There's something about Christmas that is magical and I believe that magic lives in our hearts. It just takes the magnificence of Christmas to bring it out in each of us.

Giving Handmade Christmas Gift

With Christmas season fast approaching, most people are already thinking of an appropriate gift that can be given to their loved ones. One of the sweetest and most meaningful gifts that one can receive this Holiday season is one that is personally made by the gift giver.

Making your own gift can be time consuming but if you have the time to spare, why not do it especially if making your own gift can win you brownie points. Below are some Christmas gifts that you can do handmade. Check them out. You may find something that you are willing to do.

1. Crocheted items
One of the popular items that you can actually do as a Christmas gift is a crochet item. Depending on your skill and the amount of time that you are willing to sacrifice for the task , you can make lots of things. You can do placemats and pot holders for the kitchen for mom or a mobile phone holder for your kid sister.

You can crochet a scarf or a bonnet for your dad or a sweater for your brother. You can even crochet the family a large blanket that they can use in the living room when they gather together by the fireplace.

2. Boxes
Although you can actually make your own boxes, this will be really time-consuming and it really needs a great degree of skill to be able to construct a box that is sturdy enough to hold most of your things.

To make the job easier for you, you can actually purchase boxes in crafts stores. What you can do about it is to design it yourself. Use handmade papers, ribbons and glossy materials, which you can wrap on the box. Placing wreaths and flowers will make a great finish for the box.

3. Christmas Balls
Another great gift idea that you can do yourself is a Christmas ball. There are Styrofoam balls that you can buy in craft stores in the city. Use these Styrofoam balls as base and then put some designs on it. You can use glitters to surround the balls or use ribbons to wrap them up. Some people even put photographs on the Christmas balls to make it even more personalized.

4. Jewelry
It may seem hard to make beaded jewelry upon first glance but the truth is, it is relatively easy. In fact, the steps in making beaded jewelry can be easily followed if you have all the materials and the tools.

Just buy a craft magazine or better yet a magazine that is solely devoted to beaded jewelry. These magazines have projects that you can follow.

Artificial Wreaths - Not Just For Christmas

Artificial Wreaths can be used for Christmas or any other season. There are a lot of people who put up an Artificial Wreath for Christmas but why not put other wreaths in that place year round.

Artificial Wreaths are not just the traditional pine wreaths with red bows. Now there are many choices in wreaths to dress up a wall or entryway. While the pine wreath is a seasonal favorite, floral and foliage wreaths are finding a place in home decor as well. These fake wreaths are taking the place of more traditional wall hangings like pictures because they are more dimensional.

The great thing about these wreaths is that they are available in countless colors, styles and sizes. Regardless of the size wall you have, you are sure to find the perfect wreath to fit the wall.

Wreaths generally come in 5 styles. The traditional pine wreath is available in both lit and unlit. These are the Christmas Wreath favorite. Floral wreaths typically use a combination of flowers and foliage to create a lovely wreath. Some silk floral wreaths use only flower buds. Foliage leaves are available with fall colors or with greenery. Berry wreaths mix foliage or evergreen branches together to create a stunning combination. Lastly there are decorator wreaths that use feathers, glittered greenery and other unique features to make a wreath to fit a special look.

Artificial Wreaths are popular for entryways but also work well in other areas like on a dining wall. Because of the variety these can work with both traditional and contemporary decorative schemes. They can also be used for Christmas.

Empire Style Furniture - Antique Furniture

Napoleon Bonaparte revolutionized war and French empire style furniture. Every modern military unit in the world uses his tactics and formations. Luckily the same can't be said for his empire style furniture. It was in 1804 that Napoleon had himself crowned Emperor of France. Apart from numerous self-glorifying portraits empire style furniture was to become the icon of that era.

Empire style furniture reflects the Bonaparte majesty, grandeur, and Napoleon felt it fitting to honor his glory. The empire style furniture is the last of the great French styles that spread its look throughout the world. Napoleon was overwhelmingly proud of his military successes in Italy and Egypt.

He brought to France archaeological images of ancient Egypt. Empire furniture of this period imitated the design features of these other great empires. Napoleon commissioned the designers and artists of Europe to create buildings and decor that would invoke the grandeur of Greece, the glory of Rome and the excesses of the Pharaohs.

Empire style furniture is BIG. It reflects Napoleon's testosterone fueled ego. It has a severe, heavy, masculine look. It is devoid of wood carving which was the hallmark of the styles of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. Delicate carving is replaced by veneers polished to a high sheen. To compensate for the blankness of wood veneer, metal gilts adorn empire style furniture.

Empire style furniture is instantly distinguished by the vulgar use of ormolu mounts. Ormolus are gilt-metal decorations usually in decorative but always jingoistic motifs. The motifs are from Egyptian artifacts such as falcons, sphinxes, cobras, obelisks, winged lions and so on. Napoleon promoted both the French language and Egyptology.

As well as Egypt there are decorative touches derived from ancient Greek and Roman designs. Vases, lamps, torches, heads of Greek gods, ram's head and cornucopias are all to be seen on Empire style of furniture. French jingoism ran rampant during the Napoleonic era and it was evident in the many furniture features. Picture laurel wreaths, eagles, swords, lances, rifles, drums and bugles. Animals or mythical creatures such as sphinxes replace the curved traditional legs on empire furniture.

In summary then, the common characteristics that make empire furniture distinguishable are:

o A Hefty masculine look.

o Wood veneers polished to high sheen.

o The excessive use of large, often badly cast ormolu motifs.

o Wood back chairs with upholstered seats.

o Greco-Roman classical decals.

o Mirror-back console tables. Ladies skirts were shorter now and this was a device for everyone to check out the ankle displays

o Nationalistic and military motifs and the use of letter "N".

There is no mistaking the empire style of furniture of the 1800s.