Technology enriches Chinese lunar New Year customs

Gifting red envelopes stuffed with cash to relatives and friends, visiting temple fairs and making traditional dishes are customs during the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival.
                                                   

These old customs have a new face in the digital age, according to a report issued this week by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Robotic devices have replaced food and new clothes to become popular gifts during the festival.

The sales of steam mops, dish-washers, robot window cleaners and cooking robots on Alibaba's online platform Tmall increased by 320 percent, 188 percent, 169 percent and 145 percent year on year, respectively, during the seven-day festival holiday that ended Wednesday, the report said.

The dining tables of the Chinese have also changed. In addition to the traditional dishes of fish, rice cakes and dumplings, families are using online market places to buy exotic delicacies from all over the world.

The sales of imported fresh food on Tmall surged by around 300 percent during the festival year on year. Chilean king crabs, Boston lobsters, and fish from New Zealand are the most popular, according to the report.

The online availability of temple fair tickets revived this traditional custom. In Beijing, a total of 300,000 temple fairs tickets were sold online between Feb. 8-10.

Digital red envelopes also took the place of traditional paper ones. More than 250 million users of Alipay across the world collected five "fu" -- literally meaning happiness -- characters in the holiday.

Users from over 1,700 cities outside China participated in the Chinese "fu"-scanning game, which allows users grabbing a digital red packet after collecting five "fu" characters.

Duan Baolin, vice chairman with China Folklore Society, said that the customs, new or old, all represent the culture of Spring Festival. "Carrying on the old and innovating the new are both necessary to integrate the culture of the Spring Festival into our life," said Duan.

The report is based on data of Alibaba's 10-plus online platforms including Tmall, Taobao and Alipay.

Several Celtic Imbolc Customs & Traditions for the Feast of Brighid

Imbolc, pronounced IM-olg or IM-olk, evolved into St. Brighid’s day, and is considered the first day of spring. St Brighid’s feast is a February 1st continuation of Imbolc pagan traditions. It is one of the four fire festivals celebrated by the ancient Celts. It probably occurred on what we consider Feb 11th, due to the shift to the gregorian calendar. But the Fire festivals are celebrated always on the kalends of the month sharing the same Irish name as the festival.
                                                 

If you want to join in any of these practices in Texas this Feb, join us for the Imbolc Retreat.

Imbolc and St. Brighid’s Day

It’s many names are Lá Fhéile Bríde, Laa’l Breeshey, Gwyl Mair Dechrau’r Gwanwyn, Goel Kantolyon, Gouel Varia ar Gouloú, Imbolc, Ogronia(Kondratiev 147) and Oímealg(146). Alexei tells us that the Giamos half of the year has its midpoint at Imbolc, and the waning of the winter begins. The name Imbolc comes from words meaning milk or lactation, and Old Celtic Oui-melko, or “Ewe’s milk”. It was a time of returning fertility, and so is associated with the Irish goddess of birth and childbirth.

Brighid as saint has well known lore about her life, however, the goddess she represents goes back to feats of the Irish mythological cycle. She connects to British and continental versions of herself: Brigandu, Brigantia, and the Romans observed her as a guise of Minerva. Her name means “high” or “exalted” one(148). Briga and bri and brig are names for high places, but also imply that they are imparting a fortitude and strength. Alexei calls it an upwelling of ‘force’. In our folk magics, the closest thing some recons have to energy are Bri and Bua. These are ‘power’ and ‘swelling’. Bri is inherent to a thing, while bua is imparted by action, say the ill energy of a battle being put into the ground itself, on top of the plains natural bri.

1. Make Brighid’s Crosses

Making St. Brighid’s crosses was very widespread and popular. They are made on the eve of the feast day. The native name for them are cros Bríde or bogha Bríde. They were hung in homes, cowsheds and stables. Little crosses were called Crosóg.

The diamond lozenge cross was the most common. These were made of rushes or straw. You can put twigs across the legs of the cross, making crosses at the ends of the legs. You can make more elaborate ones by increasing the number of lozenges or forming a wooden lattice about the cross by weaving the intersections(Danaher 16).

2. Make a Brídgeóg

Groups of young folks would go door to door almost like mummers, carrying a symbol of Brighid. While sometimes the cross, other times it was the Brídeóg, or effigy representing Bridhid, that was taken around. These groups were led by a ‘captain’ or lead by a “Bridget”. Young girls would be chosen for this role in their groups, and girls who were named after the saint were especially chosen. This probably incentivised the naming of girls after the Saint among parents.

3. Make a Crown of Rushes

The effigy was carried to neighbors houses and were welcomed in as they announced they were bringing the Saint’s blessing into the home. They would hand out crosses they had made as well(25). The representative of Bridget, if a young woman, would wear a crown of rushes(Brighid’s Crown) and carry a woven shield, and a veil made from the strongest grasses near wetlands.

Annual event celebrates the folk roots of Christmas

In many cultural traditions, the longest night of the year is a cause for celebration with music and dance.
                                             

Cape Ann has a tradition of its own, which started with Rose Sheehan four years ago when she wanted to bring the tales and songs from faraway lands to her new city of Gloucester.

A former resident of Greenfield, Sheehan planted a seed for a holiday tradition that has been going for more than 30 years in the western part of the state.

Her experiment here with “Welcome Yule! A Midwinter Celebration” found an eager audience, and she is now bringing her fourth annual event to the Gloucester Meetinghouse on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. This is a free event where families and all are welcome, she said.

She explained that “yule” is the name for the pre-Christian winter solstice festivals celebrated throughout northern Europe.

Sheehan, founder of Folk Life Studio, said this program “Welcome Yule!” highlights symbols and festivities associated with those older festivals, including wassailing, holly and ivy, yule logs, candles as well as some Christmas lore that blends the old customs with the newer festival.

Songs include “The Wren Boys’ Song,” “Green Grow the Rushes, O,” “Rise Up Jock” and “The Wexford Lullaby.” This year’s featured story will be the “Legend of La Befana,” a tale of Italy’s beloved bringer of gifts on the eve of the Epiphany.

A yule log procession, in which the audience is invited to touch the log with a holly leaf and make a wish for the new year, takes place, along with songs that invite the audience to sing along.

Martin Del Vecchio of Gloucester and his family have attended these events in years past and look forward to each new iteration.

Del Vecchio said he enjoys the lively and communal nature of the event.

The performers also feel the camaraderie that is apparent in this production.

Sheehan has seen a growing interest in this winter production.

“But the challenge is trying to build a core company of adults who want to participate and have time to rehearse,” she said. “However, I will continue to work to create these kinds of productions that help people feel connected.”

Thanksgiving: An American Tradition

The American holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday is during autumn -- the main season for harvesting crops. Thanksgiving is an autumn harvest festival like those found in many cultures around the world.
                                               

On this day, most Americans gather with friends and family. Many take time to think about what they are thankful for, cook up a storm, and eat.

The turkey is cooked in an oven for many hours, often with a mix of celery, bread, onions and spices inside the bird. This mix becomes stuffing -- another star of the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Anna Matteo here at Learning English says the smell of turkey and stuffing roasting together is the quintessential smell of Thanksgiving. “Quintessential” means the perfect example of something.

Thanksgiving Travel

Some Americans must travel long distances to be with their families. In fact, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the entire year. This is usually when people return home from family gatherings.

Not everyone can make the return home each Thanksgiving. So, young people living in cities away from their hometowns sometimes celebrate “Friendsgiving” -- a Thanksgiving meal with their friends instead of their family. They gather at someone’s apartment or house and have a “potluck.” This is a meal where everyone who is invited brings food to share with others.

Beyond the Table

Thanksgiving is a big day for television, games and other entertainment.

One tradition is the television broadcast of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It takes place each year in New York City. Workers of the Macy’s store on Herald Square organized the first parade in 1924. Many of the workers were immigrants and wanted to hold a big parade like the ones in Europe. So, they dressed in costumes and borrowed some animals from the zoo. They also carried small balloons that floated just overhead.

Quebec Will Host Its First-Ever Legal Marijuana Festival This Summer

A cannabis festival will be held in Bas-Saint-Laurent on the weekend of July 1, 2018, when the pot will be legalized.
                                         

The group behind this initiative announced its colors by creating a Facebook page, but without revealing the exact location of the festival or programming.

Certainly, it will take place in the Bas-Saint-Laurent.

The organization wants to reserve the dates from June 30 to July 2, 2018 to offer the first cannabis festival in Quebec, which aims to educate and educate the population on the benefits of the plant for both human health and that of the planet.

One of the festival's missions will also be educating the public about the medicinal properties of cannabis and raising awareness about the responsible use of recreational cannabis.

The Trudeau government's scheduled date for legalization is July 1, 2018. This means that it will happen during the Saturday to Sunday night of the festival, which will be announced next spring.

The co-founder of the ÉchoFête de Trois-Pistoles environmental festival, activist Mikael Rioux is among others behind this initiative.
"We are here because this plant has therapeutic as well as the health of the planet. We will not even talk about everything that is recreational. We know that there will be "hot" who will come to the festival, but this is really not what we want to put forward, "says Mikael Rioux.

If there are kiosks on recreational cannabis, they will focus on the responsible way to consume, especially for the first time.

There will also be some political elements. "We would like to promote the fact that the way in which development is taking shape, with mega giant greenhouses, is not the best, we find rather that the best model would be that of cooperatives in the regions of Quebec," adds Mikael Rioux.

Pick up a festival bargain

ONLY in Airlie Beach can you see 74 legendary bands for the modest price of $3 each.
                                                   

And with the annual Airlie Beach Festival of Music set to feature big names like Leo Sayer, Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols), The Baby Animals, Sneaky Sound System, Kate Ceberano and Shannon Noll - it doesn't get any better.

The best way to snap up this bargain is to book one and three day passes to the Airlie Beach Festival music before October 1 when the early bird special expires.

Tickets will cost $245 for full three days passes and $130 for a single day until the special ends.

Festival of Music founder Gavin Butlin said the deal was too good to miss.

"Let's just say you went to Brisbane and you saw the Baby Animals on Friday night, Leo Sayer on Saturday and Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols on Sunday, you'd probably spend hundreds of dollars in tickets just to see those three, let alone the other 71 bands.

With 2017 marking the fifth Airlie Beach Festival of Music, it is already establishing a reputation as one of Australia's most popular boutique music festivals.

For festival fans across Australia wondering what the Whitsunday accommodation situation was looking like in the lead up to the big three day event, there is no need to fear.

One of the festival's accommodation partners is the recently refurbished Mantra Club Croc.

General manager Luke Harley said one third of the hotel's rooms have already been reserved for the festival's all-inclusive package deals.

Who’s in the Reading and Leeds Festivals 2017 line-up?

THE READING and Leeds Festival team have have been teasing fans with what - and who - to expect at this year's musical extravaganza.
                                                 

So who's on the line-up? And how long do we have to wait for the festival? Here's everything you need to know...

As the band hit their 20th year, Kasabian became the second group to announce their headlining slot at Reading and Leeds.

On February 24 it was confirmed that controversial rapper Eminem will be making a comeback to music with an appearance at Reading and Leeds.

It will be the first time the rapper has played the festival since 2013.

His hits include Lose Yourself, My Name Is, and Without Me - and his set-list could well include new material.

Stadium rockers Muse lead the first line-up announcement for this year's festivities.

This will be the band's third time headlining the festival, and promise to be a sight to be seen after becoming known for their iconic and grand stage performances.

Matt Bellamy, the lead singer of the band, has promised that there will also be "more news" about their plans for 2017 on top of their slot

They have been billed as a European exclusive for the show - meaning this performance will be a must-see for all die hard fans of the band.

After an incredible year hitting the charts with tracks including Lean On feat. MO, Cold Water feat. Justin Bieber and Light It Up feat Fuse ODG, Major Lazer are now bringing their dance anthems to this year's Reading and Leeds.

The American trio have been known as much loved artists for high A-Listers - with Beyonce sampling their track Pon De Floor for her feminist anthem Girls.

They have also become known for their light shows during performances - so it will be a spectacle to be seen.