Chinese Newly-Weds Pray For a Good Marriage During the Double Seventh Festival

The Chinese are welcoming the arrival of August through the celebration of the annual Qixi Festival. The festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival, is celebrated by the Chinese every summer on the seventh day of the seventh month, which falls somewhere during early to mid August. Other names for this exciting holiday include the Double Seventh Festival, representative of the holiday’s occurrence on both the seventh day and seventh month. Qixi literally means the Night of Sevens. 

As one can expect with most Chinese holidays and festivals, many traditions and rituals are associated with the Double Seventh Festival. It is celebrated by all Chinese, but particularly important to girls and newly-wed couples. On this day, young girls go to their local temple to pray for wisdom. As they burn paper items as offerings, they wish and pray to marry someone who will be a good and loving husband. 

Newly-weds are to worship and pray to Zhinu and Niulang, the mythological couple the holiday is associated with, for a long and happy marriage. Offerings can be made to the famous couple of fruit, flowers, tea, and face powder. Once the offerings have been completed, half the face powder is to be put on the new bride and the other half thrown on the roof. It is an interesting tradition, but said to bind the woman with the beauty of Zhinu. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

For these couples, the holiday represents the symbol of a successful marriage and shows that the bride is treasured by her new family. 

The Qixi Festival is associated with many traditions but there are century-old legends behind those traditions and celebrations. To learn more about the legend behind the Qixi, or Double Seventh Festival, keep a look out for the second part of this blog! 

To find the book series that inspires these stories, click here

DKNY Features a Clothing Line Specific for Muslim Women During Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. All over the world, Muslims honor this special time through a month of fasting. Beginning June 28th and lasting through July 28th, Muslims have been fasting from sunrise to sunset. 

Other observations of Ramadan include increased prayer and recitation of the Quran. The purpose of such activities is to improve and increase worship and devotion, as well as participate in spiritual reflection. Exercising restraint from other activities, such as drinking, arguing, or engaging in sexual activities, enables the mind to focus more on their spiritual improvement. 

Although Ramadan is a time of great spiritual development, it is important to be cautious when eating and drinking so little in the hot temperatures of summer. But often, it can be difficult for Muslim women to stay cool while meeting the Islamic guidelines. DKNY has tried to combat this issue by releasing a line of clothing designed specifically for Muslim women, not just during Ramadan, but for all year round. 

The best part is that the designers were Muslim women themselves. And in addition to being Muslim, these women are also professionals in the fashion industry. So they not only are up to speed on all the latest trends, but they are experts in the context and requirements of Islamic dress. 

The collection is stunning without crossing any lines. Arms and legs are covered, plunging necklines are not a problem, and slips are added so light doesn’t shine through- all while being chic and trendy. One of the major complaints of a lot of the fashion choices given to Muslim women is that they are bag-like and plain, but these clothes drape around the body, encasing the curves nature gave women without making them obvious or inappropriate.

DKNY has opened the doors of designer fashion to something amazing, and it is my hope that other big name companies will soon follow suit. 

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

How Fireworks Came to be Part of Our Fourth of July Celebrations

One of the most memorable parts of summer is only days away. Since I live in a beach town, I’m mentally bracing myself for the influx of tourists, vacationers, and partiers that is sure to happen tomorrow. On Friday thousands of people across the country are going to be hitting the beach, barbecuing, attending carnivals, getting well acquainted with beer, and celebrating all that is America. Aside from hot dogs, hamburgers, and beer one of the most common (and most looked forward to) aspects of the Independence Day holiday are fireworks. Without fireworks the Fourth just wouldn’t feel complete. But where did our explosive entertainment come from?

While some argue their roots can be traced back to India or the Middle East, most historians believe fireworks originated in China. As early as 200 B.C. Chinese villagers stumbled upon naturally occurring firecrackers and began using them during rituals and cultural ceremonies. To make the delightful noise that everyone seems to love, they would roast bamboo, which explodes and creates a loud bang when it is heated due to its hollow air pockets. The people believed that these loud explosions would scare and ward off any evil spirits lurking nearby. 

As with many people throughout history, eventually curiosity and science came into play and Chinese chemists mixed together saltpeter, charcoal, sulfur, and other things to create an early form of gunpowder. They then stuffed the new substance into their bamboo sticks before throwing them into a fire. Thus, the first fireworks were born. 

 To find the book series that inspires these stories, click here

From that moment on, fireworks became a huge part of celebrating events, particularly military victories and religious ceremonies. So how did they make their way overseas and become part of our Independence Day celebration?

Fireworks have been a part of our Fourth of July since the very first one. It was John Adams who was the first to propose having fireworks become part of the celebrations. In a letter to his wife he wrote, “The day will be most memorable in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade…bonfires and illuminations (a term for fireworks)…from one end of the continent to the other, from this time foreword forevermore.” 

And it looks like John Adams was right because on each anniversary of the 4th to this day fireworks have lit up our sky in celebration of our independence as a nation.  

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

Fireflies Light Up the Night Sky During Japan's Annual Firefly Festival

From young children to adults, fireflies fascinate and entertain many. Whether it is for catching, inspiring music and art, or simply to look at-everyone loves fireflies! And why wouldn’t you? They are harmless creatures with a beautiful glow that is delightful to look at. Unfortunately, the firefly population continues to decline due to the destruction of their habitats and clean water. 

But the community of Higashiizu in Shizuoka, Japan is working hard to conserve the delicate insects. These people dedicate an entire year to the nurture and conservation of fireflies. They do this by catching and feeding water snails to larvae through the summer and then carefully protect them through their nine month long hibernation. Once the nine months are up, local elementary students volunteer their services by returning more than 5,000 larvae back into a pond so they can pupate and complete their transformation into a firefly. 

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

Besides making efforts to preserve their populations, the Japanese community of Higashiizu celebrates the life and beauty of the firefly with an annual festival. Each June for 10 days “Hotaru Kansho no Yube”, or an Evening of Firefly Viewing, takes place. It has been a tradition in the Higashiizu community for the last 30 years.

Visitors gather to view the hundreds of fireflies in the area and then lit lanterns guide them to the festival’s event of the night- with a different one for all ten days. Any tourists staying in the area for the event have their pick of six different hot-spring hotels nearby. 

It is a truly beautiful site and an exciting summer festival worth checking out at least once in your life if you get the chance!

To find the book series that inspires these stories, click here

People Crowd the Streets of Downtown Kyoto During the Annual Gion Festival

One of the most famous festivals in Japan is the Gion Festival, or Gion Matsuri, occurring in Kyoto. This festival, its name deriving from Kyoto's Gion district, stretches over the entire month of July. 

The beloved festival originated as part of an ancient purification ritual to appease the gods responsible for fires, floods, and earthquakes. Now fast forward to today, and though it may not be celebrated as part of a ritual, it is still considered an important aspect of Japanese culture and tradition. 

During this exciting time, Kyoto's downtown area is transformed in anticipation of the three nights leading up to the festival's most celebrated day, the Yamaboko Junko parade. During these three nights, referred to as yoiyama, the streets are lined with carts selling foods like barbecued chicken skewers, traditional Japanese sweets, and many other popular Japanese foods. The girls dress in traditional summer kimonos, or yukata, and walk around carrying with them traditional paper fans and purses. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

Also during these nights, many of the houses located in the old kimono merchant district will open their homes to the public, giving everyone a chance to view a traditional Kyoto residence. As enjoyable as these three nights are, the first one beginning July 14th, they are all purposed to lead up to the main event- the parade. 

The Yamaboko Junko, occurring on July 17th, is the highlight of the Gion Festival. On this day thousands of people line the streets of Kyoto to get a look at the beautiful display of floats that pass by during the annual parade. The most priceless and exquisite Japanese tapestries drape these impressive floats, while dancers and musicians perform a skilled ancient ritual around them.

Smaller, but equally impressive, yama floats follow the larger ones. These represent life-sized mannequins of the ancient emperors, empresses, aristocrats, and deities. 

This parade represents the beautiful collation of art, music, dance, and craftsmanship within Japanese history, tradition, and culture. 

To learn more about the cultural and diversity taught at Fujimini Island, please click here.

Thailand Celebrates Each Full Moon With Their Full Moon Party

If you ever have the pleasure of visiting Thailand, make sure to attend one of their famous Full Moon Parties during your stay. 

Each full moon Haad Rin Beach, off the East coast of Thailand, has what the islanders call a Full Moon Party. With these parties you can be sure to expect lots of dancing, food, body paint and glow sticks, and of course- lots of people. Up to 30,000 people are in attendance for each Full Moon Party, so it can get pretty wild. As many as 15 different sound systems are set up across the beach, playing every different type of genre you can imagine. So no matter what type of music you're interested in, there will be something for you!

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

If  huge crowds and  music isn't your scene, you can still attend a Full Moon Party and have a great time- instead of heading to the beach, check out the bar scene. Haad Rin Beach has some fantastic bars, including the renowned Green Mango Bar. The most popular bars include the Drop-In Bar and the Cactus Bar, which are known for their fabulous drink promotions and fire shows. If you want to grab a bit to eat before you start tipping drinks back, The Floating Bar serves fresh caught crab and oyster, while the Outback Bar offers a relaxed atmosphere and a delicious selection of Thai, Australian, European, and American foods.

The next Full Moon Party is scheduled for July 22nd and then again on August 21st so if you're in the area, or looking for a unique cultural experience, be sure to mark those dates on your calendar! 

To learn more about the cultural and diversity taught at Fujimini Island, please click here.