by Schuyler Hunt

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of May, and with May quickly approaching, the celebration of this is coming. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month has been celebrated since the 1990s. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated to honor the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The Month of May was picked to remember the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States, and to honor the completion of the transcontinental railroad because the majority of people who built it were Chinese immigrants. 

by Schuyler Hunt

Earth Day is quickly approaching as it is on April 22nd. Earth Day is celebrated to honor the achievements of the environmental movements. Earth Day helps bring awareness for different people to help protect their environment. Earth Day brings thousands of people and organizations together to support the goal of Earth Day, such as bringing awareness to global warming or other environmental concerns. Some people participate in Earth Day by picking up trash on the side of the road or volunteering with a group to do this. Even something like filling up a trash bag of garbage from the side of the road helps the environment. If you are participating by helping pick up trash, make sure you do it safely and sanitarily. Be sure to have gloves, sanitizer, trash bags, a first aid kit, etc. 

by Schuyler Hunt

Every year on April 1st, April Fools’ Day is celebrated. April Fools has been linked back to as far back as the 1500s. The origin of April Fools has not exactly been discovered; however, there are a few different theories on where this holiday originated. Some have suggested that April Fools comes from the early 1500s when the calendars were changed from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar starting in France. “In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1,” (Zapata C.). So from this, it is believed that there were many people who were late to receive the news of the calendar change and continued to celebrate the new year, which became a joke that later led to the holiday of April Fools. Another origin that some believe April Fools came from was an old festival celebrated in Ancient Rome called Hilaria because of April Fools’ similarity to it. Followers of the cult Cybele celebrated this by “dressing up in disguises and mocking fellow citizens and even magistrates,” (Zapata C.). There is another theory of where April Foold came from, people have linked the vernal equinox. People believed that Mother Nature was playing tricks due to weather changes. Although the origin of April Fools is not truly known it is a fun joke-filled holiday that many people have fun with each other.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2008, July 14). Revolution Day (Egypt) | Holiday, celebration, & history. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Revolution-Day

Zapata, C. (2024c, March 18). April Fools’ Day: Origins, Meaning & Hoaxes | HISTORY. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/april-fools-day

by Schuyler Hunt

Easter will be recognized on Sunday, March 31st this year. It is a Christian-based holiday that symbolizes Jesus Christ’s resurrection and is celebrated by many Christians worldwide. “Easter is a Christian festival and properly begins on Ash Wednesday and has the 40 days of Lent (a time of fasting or giving up something for many) leading up to Holy Week, for Easter is a whole week-long festival in many churches across the world,” (Team, A. E).

According to the Bible, it is said that Christ died on the cross on a day called Good Friday, and then he was buried for the next three days. After this, Christ is said to be resurrected, on the day we call Easter. Easter has been associated with bunnies as well as eggs, which some people might view as an odd combination. The reason that bunnies and eggs are the biggest symbol of Easter is because of what they both mean. They both symbolize, fertility, rebirth, and new life.

From other’s perspectives, these two are the symbols of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The eggs more specifically have been painted red to symbolize his blood and Christ’s empty tomb. Eggs were also a part of the Lent as they were one of the foods given up. 

For those of you who may celebrate this holiday, Happy Easter.

Team, A. E. (2023, April 6). So why do we celebrate Easter? And what is it with the eggs and bunnies? | The Inclusive University blog. https://blogs.uwe.ac.uk/equality-and-diversity/so-why-do-we-celebrate-easter-and-what-is-it-with-the-eggs-and-bunnies/#:~:text=Easter%20is%20an%20important%20Christian,to%20life%20on%20Easter%20Sunday.