Labor Day: Honoring America’s workers
Today, the first Monday in September, is Labor Day in the US. The legal holiday has been celebrated for more than 100 years and came out of the labor movement. It is a tribute to contributions made by workers.
To many, however, the three-day weekend is the last blast of summer, with many communities’ schools opening on the day after.
For more on the holiday, look at the Department of Labor's Labor Day 2012 page, with videos, resources and more.
Although more than a century old, the actual founder of the day is not certain. Some believe that the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, Peter J. McGuire, who was also a founder of the American Federation of Labor, was the first to suggest a day to honor workers. Others believe that a machinist, Matthew Maguire – we don’t know if he was related to Peter - founded the day.
Continue reading "Labor Day: Honoring America’s workers" »
4th of July: Star-spangled family fun!
Today is Independence Day in the US. It is always marked with fun-filled activities, including parades, barbecues, picnics, and the all-important fireworks displays.
What’s your most memorable 4th of July family memory?
We may celebrate at a lake, at the beach, in a backyard or at a neighborhood park. It’s always a day for family and friends to gather. No matter what was going on in other parts of the world (see newspaper article from 1940 below), this holiday was celebrated to remind us of the freedoms we enjoyed at home.
My grandparents owned a large property with some 80 summer rental cottages, about two hours north of New York City. Many of the same families returned year after year, and we became a close group as we grew up together.
My grandmother organized the two main summer events: 4th of July at the season's opening, and the Labor Day festivities in early September, signaling the end of our carefree summer, returning to the city and getting ready for school.
In the faux Tudor “big house,” Grandma's big country kitchen sported a black cast iron stove, the source of everything delicious! Every year, she produced buckets of the most delicious coleslaw, potato and macaroni salads.
Continue reading "4th of July: Star-spangled family fun!" »
Father’s Day: Your advice
Last week we asked you to send in your best fatherly advice. We wanted to hear the advice you have given your children, or advice your father has given you.
We received lots of great pearls of wisdom and in honor of Father's Day we wanted to share our favorite ones with you.
- Frances Lynch: My father always said "look after the pennies and the pounds will mind themselves". So true!
- Debbie Baldwin: "A friend is like a dollar in your pocket."
- Diana N Gary Dinsick: "When in doubt do the right thing."
- Ali Eltigani Mahmoud: "Don't make friends with money."
- Susan Yeatman: "Don’t let anyone make you do something that you don’t want to do."
- A Phakade Mchunu: Our Dad said "Manners and honesty are your passport to success."
- Nancy Mendes: My father taught me what family truly is and not to be selfish. RIP Albert Henry Smith
- Lillian Heron: Dad used to say "Never think anyone is more important than you and never think anyone is beneath you. Treat everyone as your equal and most important - be yourself".
- Barbara Pettard: My father taught me by example: honor, trust, honesty & truth!
- Prisca Campbell: "Never let the gas tank fall below half empty". I still hear my Dad's voice in my head whenever I look at the gas gauge.
- Geraldine Barker: Ever the entrepreneur his advice: "Always buy land because God isn't making it anymore". Continue reading "Father’s Day: Your advice" »
Father’s Day: Share your father’s best advice
Fatherly advice: One day you're getting it, and the next, you're giving it.
Fathers are known as the bastions of advice, the go-to address for pearls of wisdom. They know what to say - in every situation - whether asked for an opinion or not!
Many of our life decisions and character traits are shaped by our fathers' advice.
As we approach Father's Day - Sunday, June 17 - we'd like you to share the best advice your father gave you or that you, as a father, have given to your own children.
Tell us in comments below or on our Facebook wall. Our favorite will receive a 1 year PremiumPlus MyHeritage subscription.
Let's use Father's Day to collect the best in paternal wisdom, to share with everyone.
Happy Father's Day!
International Day of Families: Balancing work and life
Today, May 15, is International Day of Families.
This annual event was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993. It’s a day for reflecting on the importance of family and for raising awareness of issues affecting families across the globe.
The theme of this year's International Day of Families is "Ensuring work family balance."
Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is one of the major challenges of modern life. We may work longer or shorter hours than our ancestors, but we live further away from family who are traditionally our key support network.
We constantly strive to succeed in our careers, but with the world becoming smaller and more digital, we are always online and always connected so that we can stay on top of our ever-increasing workloads.
According to AOL’s 4th annual ‘Email Addiction’ survey, 62% of people check work email on weekends.
How can we ensure that we reach a healthy balance of personal life and work? Continue reading "International Day of Families: Balancing work and life" »
Mother’s Day: Your stories
We wish all of you celebrating it today, a Happy Mother's Day! May those mothers enjoy a day filled with fun, surrounded by family.
We asked you to share with us via our blog, Facebook page or Twitter, what makes your Mom special. We received some very moving responses from all over the world and selected our favorite ones for publication:
Mother’s Day: Share your stories
As we approach Mother's Day, we focus our thoughts towards our mothers and think of ways to show our appreciation for all they do for us.
Mother’s Day is about reflecting on the special connection we have with our mothers and recalling the happy memories we share.
People say you learn to be parents from your parents. Does your mother share her mother’s characteristics or mannerisms? Do you?
On Sunday, May 13, (Mother's Day in the US), we'll be writing a special post, a tribute to all the mothers out there.
We'd like to hear from you as to what makes your mother special. Tell us in the comments below and we'll share some of your stories on the blog. If your story is published, send your mother the link. It's one of the many ways you could show her how much you care.
This is open to all, so please send us your story even if Mother's Day is celebrated on a different day in your country.
As my mother say's, every day should be Mother's day.
Mother’s Day: Family history an ideal gift
Mother’s Day is an opportunity for families to celebrate their mothers and show them the appreciation they deserve.
Mothers are often compared to superheroes – they appear to have a supernatural ability to look after their family while juggling a million tasks. The time and love they give and the continual self-sacrifice they make creates a unique bond that lasts over time and distance. Continue reading "Mother’s Day: Family history an ideal gift" »
Holiday: Easter around the world
Easter is celebrated in almost every country around the world, although its observance differs.
We asked the MyHeritage international community managers to describe how the holiday is celebrated in their own countries, with a focus on the family aspects.
How do you celebrate Easter as a family? Please share with us in the comments below.
Continue reading "Holiday: Easter around the world" »
Heroines in your family: International Women’s Day 2012
Photo: Galt Museum & Archives on The Commons
International Women's Day is March 8, 2012 and we invite you to submit stories about the heroines in your family. We will showcase the best here in our blog.
We're looking for stories from the major to the everyday achievements of women in your family, whether they saved someone in WWII or raised amazing children as single mothers.
Post your stories and photos on our Facebook page or on Twitter @myheritage with the hashtag #WomenRock.
Here are comments from our own team about what International Women's Day means to them:
Ania - Marketing Manager, MyHeritage:
Continue reading "Heroines in your family: International Women’s Day 2012" »
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