Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Annual Lighting

it's done!

Today is the official Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Annual Lighting

The 74-foot-tall Norway spruce was illuminated by 30,000 lights during a ceremony tonight.

The tree was cut down in Pennsylvania. It's decorated with 5 miles of lights. The lights will be on until Jan. 7. After that, the Christmas tree will be turned into lumber for the housing charity Habitat for Humanity.

Workers building Rockefeller Center set up the first Christmas tree there in 1931. The first official tree-lighting ceremony was in 1933.

Photo credit: The 74-foot-tall Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is lit using 30,000 energy efficient LED lights in the 79th annual lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo) CBS

Computer Security Day

look left, look right, today is Computer Security Day

This day was started back in 1988 to raise awareness of security issues by the Association for Computer Security.

Source: wikiHow, Ultimate holiday
Photo credit: csus.edu

Fact Sheet 18: Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely

Computer Security Day Activities

National Mousse Day!

November 30, 2011 is

National Mousse Day

Celebrate National Mousse Day! Mousse is a divine dessert made from egg whites and cream. Did you know that “mousse” is the French word for “foam”? It’s a fitting name for this light, fluffy, and decadent confection!

Chocolate mousse was a specialty in French restaurants during the 1800s, but now it can be found in restaurants and households worldwide. Popular variations include different kinds of chocolate, nut, and fruit flavors.

To celebrate National Mousse Day, make your favorite type of mousse for you and your friends!

 Source: punchbowl.com

Advent Calendars

DIY (do it yourself) style Advent Calendars, from Martha Stewart

From doors to open to cute pictures or family/friend photos to gifts on little trees, in boxes to unwrap or in hanging socks, there are many ideas to create.

http://www.marthastewart.com/857740/handmade-advent-calendars/@center/307034/christmas-workshop?xsc=eml_org_2011_11_29&om_rid=D6K54A&om_mid=_BO1NmsB8d-4sgQ#/856921

 

Happy Red Planet Day! (Mars)

Red Planet Day commemorates the launch of the Spacecraft Mariner 4 on November 28,1964. The 228 day mission of Mariner 4 brought the spacecraft within 6,118 miles (9844 kilometers) of Mars on July 14, 1965.

The Mariner 4, the first spacecraft to obtain and transmit close range images of Mars. It took 4 days to transmit the image information to Earth and the spacecraft returned useful data until October 1965, when the distance from Earth and its antenna orientation temporarily halted the signal acquisition.  Data acquisition resumed in late 1967 and continued until December 20, 1967.

Source: Wikipedia, holidayinsights.com, National Whatever Day
Photo credit: science.howstuffworks.com

More info on Mars: http://science.howstuffworks.com/mars.htm

Cyber Monday is almost over!

Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, created by companies to persuade people to shop online. 

The term made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled "'Cyber Monday' Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year".

Source: Wikipedia
Photo credit: usatoday.com

HQ prefers definitely powdered sugar!

It's National French Toast Day! Do you like yours topped with fruit, syrup or powdered sugar? Got a fav PA diner that serves it up just right?

 

https://www.facebook.com/visitPA

Today is National French Toast Day!

November 28, 2011 is

National French Toast Day

It’s National French Toast Day! French toast is the perfect way to start your day. Although it is typically made with bread, milk, and eggs, and then topped with delicious maple syrup, many variations of this classic breakfast can be found around the world.

The origin of French toast is unknown, but recipes date back to the sixteenth century in Europe. Prior to the Hundred Years War, French toast was known in England as "poor knight's pudding" because it was a basic and affordable dish that a knight with no money could afford. In France, it was called "pan perdu" or lost bread, because it was a way of using lost or stale bread.

Celebrate French Toast Day by surprising your friends and family with breakfast for dinner!

• November is National Pomegranate Month & Peanut Butter Lover's Month & Family Literacy Month
• http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/2011/11/28/national-french-toast-day

Birthday freebies from Anderson Cooper:

SUPER SAVINGS: BIRTHDAY FREEBIES

Monday, October 24, 2011 8:47AM

On today’s show, Anderson learns about a variety of birthday specials available at restaurants. Here, we summarize all of the birthday specials mentioned so you can take advantage of the great deals. 

Please remember, it is always best to call the restaurant ahead of time, as birthday freebies are subject to change. 

BIRTHDAY FREEBIES

p

n

BASKIN-ROBBINS

Sign up for the Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club and you’ll receive a free-scoop coupon and a discount on your birthday cake.

It is always best to call the restaurant ahead of time, as birthday freebies are subject to change.

Read more: http://www.andersoncooper.com/2011/10/21/anderson-super-savings-birthday-freebies/#ixzz1f2GZlAaZ

New shopping twist: Green Gift Monday?

Nature Conservancy/Screen capture

Just a reminder that it is Green Gift Monday, an alternative to Cyber Monday. Jeff wrote previously:

The Green Gift Monday campaign is from The Nature Conservancy. To participate, it's the same deal as last year:

1) Sign the pledge to give green this holiday season. 
2) Promote the day through social media, using the hash tag #GGM2011 on The Twitter. 
3) Don't forget to tell your regular friends, too, through something called "word of mouth."

The Nature Conservancy provides Seven Tips for a “Greener” Holiday that include receiving less, giving wisely, wrapping right, using e-cards, buy a real tree (always a controversial issue) and I think the most important, spend some time in nature.

More on TreeHugger: Get a Case of the Green Gift Mondays and The Nature Conservancy.

 http://www.treehugger.com/culture/forget-cyber-monday-its-green-gift-monday.html#mkcpgn=fbth1

got mulled wine/ glögg / wassail?

got mulled wine/glühwein/glögg/wassail/mulled apple cider?

Mulled wine is wine, usually red or fruit flavored, combined with spices (cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar) and typically served warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas.

It is also common to have hot spiced apple cider as well. Served with gingerbread and cookies. Yum!

Source/photo credit: Wikipedia

Chocolate Advent Calendars!

Chocolate Advent Calendar (Lindt)

A fun way to help kids count down the days until Christmas is a chocolate advent calendar. 

There are many different scenes, all with small doors with numbers from 1-24 (with 24 the largest door) and they have to find the door for the day, open it, read the words/scripture and eat the small chocolate. 

HQ's mother started this tradition with my kids and they loved it.

Photo credit: Chocolate Advent Calendar (Lindt), giftswithlove.com, mamaneedsmaintenance.com

Welcome to Advent!

Today, Sunday, November 27th marks the first Sunday of Advent.

Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It serves as a time for people to prepare themselves for the spiritual aspects of Christmas.

Many churches celebrate advent and often the celebrant wears violet-coloured or blue vestments on this day, and the first violet or blue Advent candle is lit. The candles can be various colors but purple and pink are common.

Advent Sunday is the fourth, last Sunday before Christmas Day. This year with Christmas on a Sunday, the last Advent Sunday is the week before, December 18th.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo credit: siouxsue.blogspot.com

Happy b'day Jimi

Today is Jimi Hendrix's b'day. Celebrate him by listening to his music.

Photo credit: licklibrary.com

HQ is back!

Gimme a minute or two, I have to put up the turkey and leftovers.....
Will be putting posts up soon, including past posts.
There are some up on my facebook link which you can go to. Just type in "Holiday Queen"


Photo credit: Martha Stewart, of course