Reviews (2)

Understand together
This is a great book and the whole family can learn together.It is simple, easy to read and understand yet very detailed on the explanations and descriptions.Everybody can learn and it is a great way to open the world to your children for understanding who other cultures celebrate.A very nice book.

Festivals Together
This book is a very thorough, yet simply written book that gives a great over-view of Multi-cultural celebrations. As a teacher, it has been a great asset to my classroom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activities    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Holidays (non religious)    4. Holidays - General    5. Comparative religion    6. Customs    7. Folklore    8. Religion: general    9. Religious festivals    10. Religious festivals & pilgrimages    11. Religious worship, rites & ceremonies   

Reviews (5)

Excellent book on kwanzaa by the inventor of kwanzaa
This book was excellent at describing the origin of Kwanzaa and how it should be celebrated.My family and I have celebrated Kwanzaa for 10 years and found this to be the best book I have read on the subject.The seven principles of Kwanzaa is great to teach chidren of any age.These principles inspired me and my husband to start our own business (...)
Finally!The most definitive text on the holiday!
If you're searching for the most definitive text on the African American holiday of Kwanzaa, look no further!Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of this beautiful holiday, has written a very readable text for children and wonderful resource for parents, educators and all of us that want to celebrate the holiday correctly.
The Definitive Text on Kwanzaa
Maulana Karenga's most recent work on the celebration of Kwanzaa he created in 1966, is simply the best work on the holiday.In fact, of the three books that Dr. Karenga has written, this text is the authoritative work on the history, origins and practices of Kwanzaa.Dr. Karenga created his cultural nationalist philosophy, Kawaida (tradition in Kiswhalli), in 1965, along with his organization US and is one of the leading Afrocentric writers today.He has 2 Ph.D.'s and is arguably the most important African-American intellectual of our era.Dr. Karenga's Kawaida philosophy and Nguzo Saba (7 principles) have influenced the development of independent Black schools, rites of passage programs, social service programs using the 7 principles, Afrocentric thought and practice, development of African wedding ceremonies--Akika, naming ceremonies--Akika and funerals--Maziko,the creation of independent Black organizations utilizing aspects of his philosophy and Black Studies programs on college campuses all use his other definitive text, Black Studies.In a word, Maulana Karenga is the most important "independent" thinker in modern African American intellecual history.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Issues    2. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    3. Holidays (non religious)    4. Kwanzaa    5. Manners And Customs    6. Social Science    7. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Children    2. Children's Studies    3. Holidays (non religious)    4. Methodology    5. Moral and ethical aspects    6. Research    7. Research & Methodology    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Adolescents    11. Child welfare    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Research    13. Social research & statistics   

Reviews (1)

�Carnival! Delights and Amazes
In the forward to the vibrant, sumptuous and well-researched �Carnival!, Joyce Ice, Director of the Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA), notes that festivals "as cultural phenomena never fail to intrigue and captivate us as human beings, whether we are casual observers, researchers, or participants."Edited by Barbara Mauldin, curator of Latin American folk art at MOIFA, �Carnival! does indeed intrigue and captivate as we are plunged-through essays, photographs and illustrations-into the fascinating and diverse celebration of this important and lively Christian festival.�Carnival! focuses on communities in Spain, Mexico, Switzerland, Haiti, Bulgaria, Italy, the United States, Bolivia, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago.A varied and highly-qualified stable of historians, folklorists, anthropologists, linguists and curators offer well-researched and insightful essays that demonstrate how one festival could evolve into wonderfully diverse (yet similar) pre-Lenten celebrations.Colorful photographs and illustrations capture the sizzle and sass of the parades and costumes that take center stage in each of the cultures represented in this book.�Carnival! was almost a decade in the making and it shows.Meticulous yet soulful, scholarly yet enchanting, �Carnival! delights and amazes as much as it reminds us of the astonishing diversity of the world's cultures.[The full review first appeared in Southwest BookViews.] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Carnival    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    5. Customs & Traditions    6. Folk & Outsider Art    7. Holidays (non religious)    8. Social Science    9. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Customs & Traditions    4. Economic aspects    5. Ethnic Studies - General    6. Family    7. Holidays    8. Holidays (non religious)    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Special events    12. United States    13. Cultural studies    14. Customs    15. Ethnic studies    16. Family & relationships    17. History / United States / General    18. Social history    19. USA   

Subjects:  1. Holidays (non religious)    2. Music    3. Music/Songbooks    4. Musical Instruments - Piano    5. Seasonal    6. Songbooks - General    7. Music / Songbooks   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. History    4. Holidays & Celebrations - General    5. Holidays & Celebrations - Thanksgiving    6. Holidays (non religious)    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Thanksgiving Day   

Reviews (1)

Great book for adults who love Halloween
I picked this up thinking that it would primarily be written for Wiccans.It did include several of the charms and spells that I expected, including an intriguing section about making a scrying mirror.What made me buy the book, though, was the other content.It is a great source of historical and cultural information about Halloween.Read more

Subjects:  1. Divination    2. Halloween    3. Holiday - General    4. Holiday decorations    5. Holidays (non religious)    6. Magic    7. Seasonal    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Witchcraft    11. Social Science / Holidays (non-religious)   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Congresses    5. Fasts and feasts    6. Festivals    7. Holidays (non religious)    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Customs    11. Ethnography    12. Social & cultural anthropology   

Reviews (6)

Samhain means Summer's End
okay, here is another guy who is getting his information from incorrect places.Samhain(pronounced Sow-en) is Celtic for Summers end, which Halloween is.It is the Celtic new Year.There is no Celtic God of the dead!Feralia was celebrated in February, if your going to write a book or spread around information it might do you well to actually research a bit on your chosen topic.Also going to the Catholic Herald to check on the dates of a PAGAN festival probably isn't the smartest idea in the world.They may have appropriated all of our holidays and twisted them into something Christian, but that doesn't mean theyknow anything about them.

Gregory III
Historians credit Pope Gregory III with setting All Saints Day on Nov. 1.In the early 700's, he dedicated a chapel to all saints in St. Peter's on that date, associating Nov. 1st with All Saints Day.By the 800s, the date was fixed throughout Western Europe.Church records aren't as complete as one might think but there's good reason to give the credit to Greg 3 for making Nov. 1st All Saints Day.All Souls Day, to pray for the more ordinary dead, was commonly linked to All Saints Day, so by establishing the date for the former, Gregory can be credited with positioning the later even though it took centuries to make it official.
I liked it
I liked this book.It's a popular history not an anthropological tract.The errors cited below were trivial--the Pope Gregory given has the wrong number, for example.As for the Celtic Lord of the Dead, there are two schools of thought.The older one, citing folktales, says yes while the newer one favored by neo-pagans says no.Since the Celts left no written records of their beliefs, an argument can be made for both sides.I prefer the folklore.As for the rest of the book, I enjoyed the section on ghosts and staging a haunted house. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Halloween    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Holidays (non religious)    6. Seasonal    7. Parties   

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Holidays    3. Holidays (non religious)    4. Juvenile literature    5. Korea    6. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Christmas cookery    2. Christmas decorations    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. General    6. Handicraft    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Holidays (non religious)    9. Seasonal   

Reviews (1)

Outstanding.
This book along with the nine preceding this one, should be required reading for anyone interested in the day to day living of early days in the south. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Appalachian Region    2. Christmas    3. General    4. Holidays (non religious)    5. Manners And Customs    6. Nature / Field Guide Books    7. Reference    8. Social life and customs    9. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

Who says a thorough reference book has to be dull? Filled with minutiae and irrelevance as well as useful information, Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for Business People and Parents
I have bought this book for the first time, and it is not just a conversation piece.I use it to keep track of secondary holidays and events and promote products at appropriate times.If you are in retail orconsumer products, it can be fun and creative to notify customers of ArborDay, Flag Day, religious holidays, famous people birthdays,...and promoteyour products or create displays for them. Makes the world a more entertaining place
I've bought Chase's Calendar of Events every year since 1996. It's great fun to discover a reason for a special celebration nearly every day, andeven more fun to amaze one's friends by announcing that it's "TakeYour Houseplant for a Walk Day" or casually mentioning that you sharea birthday with Beatrix Potter. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Directories    2. Holidays    3. Holidays (non religious)    4. Reference    5. United States   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Holidays & Celebrations - Patriotic Holidays    4. Holidays (non religious)   

Reviews (2)

Wasted Opportunity
This book, written by someone who positions herself as an authority on old Halloween items, is disappointing. There is very little information. It is disorganized with low-end photography. I expected more of a well-rounded reference, especially considering the high cover price!

Collectible Halloween
The color photo's of the objects are clear and the sizes are large enough to see details. I would say buy this book if you want to view a variety.This is the only Halloween book that Ive seen that has items fromthe 1920's to the 1990's. I would also purchase Halloween Collectables,byDan,Pauline Campanelli. In this book you'll see items that were made up tothe 1950's, the color and size of the pictures are a bit better. I own bothof these books, and wouldn't give up eithier one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Catalogs    2. Collectibles    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. General    6. Halloween    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Holidays (non religious)    9. Seasonal    10. Antiques & Collectables    11. Customs   

Subjects:  1. Holidays (non religious)    2. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    3. New Age / Parapsychology    4. New Thought    5. Spirituality - General   

Reviews (2)

"Las Christmas" is the book Hispanics were waiting for.
Every year, around mid November, I begin searching for stories, poems, and comments relating to the holidays. I usually look for something that amuses me, like "A Christmas Carol," "Navidad en las Monta?as"and Capote's "A Christmas Morning;" I look for something thatmakes me review my present and my past. I must admit that I found verylittle material referring to those of us who live in the United States. Inthe fall, 1998, se?ora Santiago came to Chicago and mentioned thepublication "Las Christmas" during a radio interview with LuisaTorres. Then, one December morning my son (Pablito) and I went to B&Nand bought it. I read it during my vacation, in Valhalla, a town near WhitePlains, where my in-laws live. I am glad se?ora Santiago decided to publishthese great experiences. Some of them are very funny. Others are sad, but Iwas inpressed by how much first, second and third generations of Hispanicsborn in the United States retain. At times, these bicultural experiencesseem more authentic than those we had in our countries. They are, I wouldsay, multicultural. There is no morality or religiosity in them. Each pagereveals a surprise. Since this is the first book that reflects the Hispanictraditions during the holidays, I sure more people will read it in theyears to come. I will certainly will reread it with "muchogusto."I understand that you had space limitations, but if you decideto reprint it with additional texts, I would like to see Mr. Hijuelos'included. Also, I would like to see more vegetarian recipies and morepoetry.I hope you had very pleasant holidays. I wish you the best in1999.Con afecto, Enrique Murillo

"Las Christmas" is the book Hispanics were waiting for.
Every year, around mid November, I begin searching for stories, poems, and comments relating to the holidays. I usually look for something that amuses me, like "A Christmas Carol," "Navidad en las Monta�as"and Capote's "A Christmas Morning;" I look for something thatmakes me review my present and my past. I must admit that I found verylittle material referring to those of us who live in the United States. Inthe fall, 1998, se�ora Santiago came to Chicago and mentioned thepublication "Las Christmas" during a radio interview with LuisaTorres. Then, one December morning my son (Pablito) and I went to B&Nand bought it. I read it during my vacation, in Valhalla, a town near WhitePlains, where my in-laws live. I am glad se�ora Santiago decided to publishthese great experiences. Some of them are very funny. Others are sad, but Iwas inpressed by how much first, second and third generations of Hispanicsborn in the United States retain. At times, these bicultural experiencesseem more authentic than those we had in our countries. They are, I wouldsay, multicultural. There is no morality or religiosity in them. Each pagereveals a surprise. Since this is the first book that reflects the Hispanictraditions during the holidays, I sure more people will read it in theyears to come. I will certainly will reread it with "muchogusto."I understand that you had space limitations, but if you decideto reprint it with additional texts, I would like to see Mr. Hijuelos'included. Also, I would like to see more vegetarian recipies and morepoetry.I hope you had very pleasant holidays. I wish you the best in1999.Con afecto, Enrique Murillo ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American - Hispanic American    3. Anthologies (multiple authors)    4. Fiction    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Minority Studies - Ethnic American    7. Spanish: Adult Fiction    8. Social Science / Holidays (non-religious)   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Culture and tourism    4. Festivals    5. Holidays (non religious)    6. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. Sociology, Social Studies    10. Tourism industry   

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 2-3    2. Holidays (non religious)    3. Sociology