Ghosts, goblins, witches, and zombies usually dominate this time of year for the Halloween holiday in the U.S. However, around the world November 1st is acknowledged as a holiday to remember those who have passed. The most famous celebration occurs in Latin America, specifically Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico. The festival […]
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Asia’s Ghost Festivals
The Ghost Festival is a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival held in many Asian countries. Taiwan is celebrating the Ghost Festival on Friday, August 28th, though in some countries the date is different. Traditionally, locals believed that ghosts haunt the island of Taiwan for the entire seventh lunar month, when the mid-summer Ghost Festival […]
How Do You Celebrate Birthdays?
When US Americans think of birthday celebrations, images of parties, cake, blowing out candles, and the Happy Birthday song comes to mind. For a baby’s first birthday, some parents will even get the birthday child a smash cake, which the baby with play with, and hopefully eat, smashing it to pieces in the process. However, […]
China’s Newest Status Symbol
A recent article from BBC pointed out one of China’s latest social problems: etiquette. China has become one of the most powerful countries in the world. In a 30 year span, the country has moved from an isolated state to a powerhouse requiring more interaction with other cultures. China has also gained an incredible amount […]
Chinese New Year 2015
This year the Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, begins on February 19th. It is the longest celebration on the Chinese calendar, and many consider it to be the most important holiday in China. The belief behind the holiday is that people born on the corresponding years of animals will take on some […]
The Adaptation of Culture
Borrowing ideas from other nations and adapting them to fit your own culture has been the norm since the history of human civilizations. The Greeks took papyrus and scrolls from the Egyptians, made libraries, and educated the world. The Italians learned how to make noodles from the Chinese and established a world-renowned cuisine. Recently, US […]
