A Candle Day Review

Candle Day is held each year on the first Saturday in December. For 2023, that day is December 2.

Candle Day

The retail company “Bath and Body Works” started 'Candle Day' to promote their annual candle sale. The sale gives candle lovers time to stock up on world-famous candles at special low prices. Since candles are great for gifting, especially during the holiday season, this annual 'sale' day in early December is perfectly timed.

Brief History of Candles

Candles have been around for more than 5,000 years. Early civilizations used wax made from available plants and beeswax. They were used to provide light in the many years before electricity was invented. 

Today, candles are mainly a symbol of celebration and for religious ceremonies. They come in many shapes, sizes and scents.

In addition to the Bath and Body Works sales day on December 2, we also celebrate World Candle Day on March 1.  That International candle day was begun by two associations, the Latin American Candle Manufacturers Association and the European Candle Manufacturers Association. 

Let's look at a few sources of candles.

Champagne Candle

Bath and Body Works is famous for their 3-wick candles. This Champagne Candle is perfect for a New Year's Eve celebration. It is a 14.5 oz jar candle with an amazing scent. 

Ocean Air

Another well-known candle brand is Yankee Candles. This Ocean Air candle will allow you to enjoy memories of your beach vacation or those of a fresh breeze off the ocean anytime you want, even in the middle of winter. 

Handmade Candles

Shopping on a handmade site like Etsy, you can choose any scent you want, from favorite kitchen odors like apple pie baking in the oven to holiday and seasonal scents. These candles come in standard jars or pretty glassware, in pretty tins and wood, in fancy & novelty shapes and sizes, and with delightful scents, including aromatherapy. 

Knot Candle

Knot Candle on Etsy

Being a yarn crafter, I fell in love with this Knot Candle, as it reminded me of the Knot Knit Stitch. The twisted knot shape would look so pretty in my craft room. 

It's a homemade soy wax candle handmade by Urban Craft Style on Etsy.

Cat Candle

Chubby Cat Candle on Etsy

Round or square candles, stand-alone or in a glass jar, often appear to be the standard type of candles. But a novelty type candle in a cute shape is also popular. 

Cat lovers like me would love this adorable chubby cat candle. It comes in a variety of colors and scents from the Etsy Store of Melou Candles of Toronto, Canada. Lara also makes her candles in the shape of owls, elephants and teddy bears, among many others. I think they would make darling gifts.

Summary

Candles can give you magical mood moments. Depending upon the scent, they can transport you to a garden of roses or a sunny day on a tropical beach. Light the wick, take a deep breath, and let a favorite scent transport you where you want to be for a few quiet moments. 

So choose your favorite brand, or a fun handmade candle, and enjoy. 

Happy Candle Day!

Link to a Related Candle Review:

• Yankee Candles for Easter review written by Treasures by Brenda

For more Holiday Reviews, Click Here
ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

*Candle Day Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Homemade Bread Day Holiday Review

 

Homemade Bread Day is celebrated yearly on November 17.

Origin of Homemade Bread Day

It appears that this delicious day was begun by the National Homemade Bread committee based in Ann Arbor, MI. It has been observed annually since the 1980s and was founded as a way of bringing families together to bake. Sounds good to me, as I absolutely LOVE any kind of bread product ~ and homemade is the best. 

Many of the contributors here on Review This! agree that bread is a delicious delight and have reviewed their favorites. Check out a wide variety of bread products and recipes in this article. 

Specialty Breads

Raintree Annie brings us a recipe for Irish Soda Bread.

Sam Monaco reviews an Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread, quickly made from a mix.

Mary Beth Grander (MBG Photo) shares her favorite Banana Bread recipe.

And for a bread-related 'sweet treat', Sam Monaco gives us his fried dough recipe made in an Air Fryer.

Dieters Delight

Don't feel left out from enjoying bread products, Keto Fans. Margaret Schindel has reviewed some delicious breads that neatly meet your dietary requirements:

Here's her Keto bread mix review and her yeast bread recipe.

If 'muffins' are your bread of choice, Margaret shares her low-carb Cheddar corn dog muffins recipe for a delicious snack or meal. 

Needed and Necessary Bread Products for Your Homemade Bread Recipes

Dawn Rae reviewed a very helpful French Bread Pan

And for slicing that fresh-baked bread, here's Dawn's review of a very good bread knife.

Oh, and of course you need a pretty bread box to store your homemade breads.  Barbara (Brite-Ideas) reviews a super duper bread box that will be beautiful, as well as helpful, in your kitchen.

Extra Bread Hints

If you don't have time to prepare your yeast bread mix for baking, this frozen bread dough from your freezer will allow you to have fresh baked bread whenever you wish.

Summary

If you need more bread recipes, check out this bread cookbook found on Amazon. It should neatly solve all of your bread cravings! 

Bread Illustrated: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Bakery-Quality Results At Home

Available on Amazon

More Recipe Reviews can be found here: ReviewThisRecipes.com 

Thought for the Day: Bread is a lot like the Sun. It rises in the Yeast and sets in the Waist.

*Homemade Bread Day Holiday reviewed by Wednesday Elf

 

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National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- 4thQuarter

 

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

 When I decided to write a review on bird holidays, I was surprised to find out that there are many different bird holidays.  So, I changed my thinking and decided to do four different reviews, one for each quarter of the year, and in each review, I would pick out a sampling of the holidays for that quarter.  This is now my review for the last quarter of the year.  You can find links to my first three reviews at the end of this review. This quarter I have picked a bird holiday or awareness day for each month.

October 3- Butterfly and Hummingbird Day

Butterflies on a Pink Flower

Although a butterfly is not a bird, it certainly has a lot in common with the hummingbird.  Here is a list of similarities I found on the site Bird Tipper.Com   Here is the link : National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day - BirdTipper

Hummingbird and Butterfly Similarities

• Both have nectar from flowers as a food source
• Both are attracted to certain colorful flowers   (I find in my garden that bright red or pink flowers really attract both of butterflies and hummingbirds)
• Both are very important for pollination
• Both help to provide a safe environment for local plant life
• Both  are necessary parts of our everyday life

In addition to these points I would say that both are fascinating to watch and to learn about.  As a photographer, I also find them both to be wonderful photographic subjects, although they both require patience to catch them at their best.  Here are a couple of photographs I have taken in addition to the ones above.

Choose your favorite way to celebrate Butterfly and Hummingbird day by checking out the suggestions at the bird tipper link listed above.

November is Adopt a Turkey Month

Turkey has long been the staple for the American Thanksgiving feast.  Because of this the turkey population is greatly depleted during the month.  To try to offset this and save some of the loss of the turkey population, certain groups have banded together to try to save some of the turkeys by championing an adoption process for turkeys.  The website for the Adopt a Turkey is   https://nationaltoday.com/adopt-a-turkey-month/

They suggest the following three activities to choose from in celebrating adopt-a-turkey month.

• Adopt a turkey as a pet
• Donate a turkey to an animal sanctuary
• Go meatless for Thanksgiving

For more information on the process and the history of the holiday check out the website above.

December 14 through January 5-Christmas Bird Count Week

The bird count week is celebrated annually and is a tradition that is over 100 years old.  It honors bird lovers from around the world who head out to count and record millions of bird siting's each year.

The bird count is sponsored by the National Audubon Society.  You may go to this link  https://nationaltoday.com/christmas-bird-count-week/  to find out more about the history of this count.

Three things you can do to celebrate bird count week are :

• Participate in the Bird Count
• Take up bird-watching
• Discourage hunting for pleasure

I encourage you to go to www.audubon.org to sign up to receive more information and find out how you can help.  I have just signed up and I found out from their map there is a location near me where the Christmas-bird-count will be taking place this year.  I'm looking forward to getting more information.

More of my Bird Photography from this Year

Links to Bird Holiday from the First Three Quarters

First Quarter Bird Holidays

Second Quarter Bird Holidays

Third Quarter Bird Holidays

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Celebrate Halloweens Links To Nature Reviewed.

 

 

Happy Halloween!! Wishing everyone a fun and happy time! Halloween can be a fun celebration for those who participate.

On the very cusp of saying goodbye to summer and hello to winter time it is an important time in the calendar. 

Today we find many ways to celebrate this season and the Halloween festival. We decorate our homes with orange and black, spiders and ghosts and ghouls, or a display of gorgeous squashes outside the front door.  We might go trick or treating with young children dressed in amazing inventive fancy dress or go to parties dressed in Halloween costumes. 

Some of us buy decorations for our homes, others craft their own and some even become family traditions. Even if you don't decorate or do anything yourself it can be fun driving or walking around the neighbourhood looking at all the inventive decoration. It is a festival that everyone can be involved in if they wish.

  

Nature Relating to Halloween, Festival Of Samhain

With all this going on I was reflecting on the origins of Halloween and how it relates and links to nature. Halloween has a strong connection to nature through its ancient origins and the season of this celebration. 

Halloween developed from the ancient Celtic pagan festival of Samhain pronounced sow win. This festival has deep roots in nature and marks the point of transition between summer and winter or from the new life, growth, light and warmth of the summer time to the lower light levels , slowing down of plants and leaf loss, darkness and colder days throughout the winter months. So this festival marked the change of seasons as seen in nature and the constant rhythm of life and death.

During Samhain, and as the nights drew in and became much colder, people would naturally gather around warm bonfires. These fires symbolised the warmth and light of the sun and of course provided physical warmth so crucial in the cold nights. In addition they were a spiritual beacon, with the belief that they were guiding the spirits of the departed back to the Otherworld. 

People believed at this time of year that the barriers between this world and the other world were broken down and that meant the living could interact with the other world more easily. 

To disguise themselves they dressed as monsters and various animals so that the fairies would ignore them and thus avoid being kidnapped to the other world.

The costumes worn by people during Samhain often included elements of nature such as leaves, animal skins, or masks made from a range of already harvested crops from the fields. In this history, we can see the origins of where our current costumes enjoyed at Halloween may have originated. 

 

Gathering Crops And The Pumpkin

The close connection between the time of Halloween and the harvest season reflects the importance of nature and its crucial link to our lives.

This time of year is traditionally associated with the gathering of crops in from the fields. This is undertaken in order to have food to sustain us and stave off hunger during the long cold winter time, with a good crop ensuring our wellbeing in the worst harsh winter months. 

It is also important to prepare our homes and gardens for the cold sometimes harsh winter months and for us to adjust from the long easier summer days and warmth to the often harsher, colder and darker winter.

 Pumpkins are a prominent symbol of Halloween frequently used as decoration inside and outside our homes, with talented artistic carvings, fun lighted carvings and sometimes competitions. In addition delicious Pumpkin recipes abound at this time of year.

Pumpkins and squashes represent the bountiful harvest and the abundance provided by nature. I love to see the pumpkins and squashes growing in the fields and they are satisfying and wonderful to eat. Originally turnips were used filled with coal for displays but this later switched to pumpkins.

 I really enjoy seeing all the amazing carvings and abundant displays in homes and gardens at this time of year. It certainly brightens up the often dull, low light afternoons and evenings.

Overall, Halloween's origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and its association with the changing seasons and harvest demonstrate its innate connection to nature and the natural rhythms of life. 

This is just a brief look at the ancient festival and its relation to nature and how we celebrate today. There is certainly much more to its fascinating history, but here is just a glimpse of how it relates to nature.  

 So enjoy and celebrate Halloween and this change of the seasons and spare a thought for our ancestors with their beliefs and connections to the natural world. 

Here are amazing and fascinating articles about Halloween from recipes to decor and more written by the talented contributors on Review This Reviews 

Halloween Articles By Contributors On Review This Reviews

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National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- 3rd Quarter

Bluebird of Happiness

 I love to explore designated bird holidays to find out more about these fascinating creatures that give pleasure to our lives.  For the third quarter of the year, I discovered three different holidays that I would like to write about in this post.

National Hummingbird Day

The first Saturday in September is designated as National Hummingbird Day.  These little birds have long fascinated people and as beautiful as they are, they are only found in the America's, especially North and South America.  The first recorded siting of a Hummingbird took place in 1557 in Brazil in by a French explorer.

Hummingbird at Feeder

Hummingbirds are very colorful little birds that are characterized by their ability to hover mid-air and rapidly flap their wings which make a "humming" sound. 

In my area of the country, we put out our hummingbird feeders in early April, hoping to attract these fascinating little birds as they migrate north.  

To find out more about hummingbirds and National Hummingbird Day check out this website. https://nationaltoday.com/national-hummingbird-day/

World Shorebirds Day

World Shorebirds Day is celebrated on September 6th and is a day to learn more about the birds that frequent our shores.  It is surrounded by a week where volunteers count the shorebirds in their area.

Blue Heron

Shorebird fishing on Rock

White Ibis

When we travel to the shore, I always enjoy seeing all the different shorebirds.  They are very different from the types of birds we see at home in the Midwest, and I enjoy trying to identify each bird.  The three photos above are shorebirds I photographed in Florida.

National Bluebird of Happiness Day

The bluebird is my favorite bird and I get very excited the few times each year when they visit my backyard.  I have my camera ready and delight in capturing these beautiful birds with my camera.

Bluebirds Enjoying a Drink

Bluebird of Happiness

There is much written about bluebirds, and you will find them on all types of cards and household decor.  On September 24th we celebrate National Bluebird of Happiness Day.  Here is a little history of the bluebird I found on the website. https://nationaltoday.com/bluebird-of-happiness-day/

For the longest time, it has been known that the bluebird is a harbinger of happiness. This notion was first held by the Chinese who saw the bird as immortal, a protector, and a symbol of the sun. Native Americans too were in deep awe of the bluebird. Navajos revered it as a spirit in animal form, and the Iroquois believed the bluebird’s song would make the harsh winters bearable. For the Russians, the bluebird represented hope.

Bluebird of Happiness Day will be a great time to spend some time learning more about these birds that bring happiness to so many people.

Reviews on Birds

Here are some reviews written on Review This about the birds listed in this review.

Bluebird Facts and Photography

Hummingbirds at Your Feeders 

Photographing Florida Birds

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Visit Your Relatives Day – A Holiday Review

National Visit Your Relatives Day is celebrated yearly on May 18.

A Holiday Celebrating Family

Having recently returned from a visit to two of my grown children in two different states, along with their families, I was intrigued to discover the delightful holiday known as Visit Your Relatives Day.  And I highly recommend visiting family, both your close nuclear family  and extended family. 

So many events occur in family life – weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, new baby, graduations, etc. - each become more special when family can celebrate together.

Grandson and his G-Ma

On my recent visit, not only did I get to see my daughter and her husband in one city, but my daughter & I then traveled together to a nearby state to visit her brother and his family. The main feature of the trip was to celebrate my grandson's 21st birthday. 

In years past, families generally lived near each other, making spending time together fairly easy.  Today's lifestyles tend to take family members in many directions, with siblings and parents, aunts & uncles, cousins and grandparents living vast miles apart. Therefore, having a holiday to celebrate visiting family is a nice reminder to find ways to spend time together. 

Family Visits

With today's technology of cell phones, video calls, and the internet, it is easier than ever to 'keep in touch' with family on a regular basis with video calls and email.

But there really is no substitute for actual face to face interaction.  Physical contact with our relatives both near and far is important to our health and well-being.  It is also marvelous to be able to reconnect with each other and celebrate our memories and shared history.

Summary

Virtual communication is a long-distance treat between real-time visits, but there is really nothing that replaces an actual hug from a grandparent, holding your sibling's new baby in your arms, or being there in person to share your grandchild's birthday. 

So, on National Visit Your Relatives Day, reach out to a relative in any way you can, and always keep in touch. 

National Visit Your Relatives Day
May 18

For More Holiday Reviews, Check out ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

 The Relatives CameCheck Price Visiting FamilyCheck Price

 

*Holiday Review of National Visit Your Relatives Day is written by Wednesday Elf

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National Girl Scout Leaders Day – Holiday Review

 On April 22nd each year, we recognize the thousands of leaders who volunteer their time and experiences to girls in scouting. These leaders have been impacting the lives of girls since Girl Scouting began in 1912.

When Did Girl Scout Leader's Day Begin?

In 1982, the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Proclaimed April 22nd as Girl Scouts Leader's Day to recognize the volunteers who serve as such marvelous role models to Girl Scouts each year.  The organization selected the date of April 22 because it falls near National Volunteer Week each year. 

Eighteen girls were in the very first Girl Scout troop, led by the founder of the Girls Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low.  Her home in Savannah, Georgia is now a National historic landmark.

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
History Museum in Savannah, Georgia
Image Source: Wikipedia

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace

This National Historic Landmark in Savannah, Georgia, also known as the Wayne-Gordon House, is today owned by the Girls Scouts of the USA.  It was Juliette Gordon Low's birthplace and home to four generations of Gordons. The Girl Scouts purchased the home in 1953 and restored it to serve as a portal to the Girl Scouts movement. 

In 1956, the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace was opened as an historic house museum, featuring many original Gordon family furnishings, including art by Juliette herself.  It was designated as Savannah's first National Historic Landmark in 1965 and is open for general tours.  

*I have toured this home twice myself during my years living in the Savannah area and it is lovely place to visit. 

Special Dates Related to Girl Scouts

• Juliette Gordon Low's birthday on October 31st is known as Founders Day for the Girl Scouts of the USA. 
• National Girl Scout Day is March 12.
• National Girl Scout Week is March 12-18
• Girl Scout Leader's Day is April 22.

Summary

So, on April 22, give a special thanks to the leader of the Girl Scout troop a girl in your family belongs to.  These volunteers all deserve our heartfelt thanks and recognition. 

Girl Scouts Faces Logo Magnet - Amazon

For more Holiday Reviews, check out

ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

*Holiday Review written by Wednesday Elf

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National Scrabble Day – Holiday Review

 National Scrabble Day is celebrated each year on April 13, which is the birthday of Alfred Mosher Butts who invented this iconic board game. 

Scrabble Game

The game of Scrabble is based on the crossword puzzle and anagrams and was originally called Criss Cross. It was developed by an architect named Alfred M. Butts in 1931. The game was later redesigned and renamed Scrabble. First sold in Great Britain in 1954, this popular game is now found in three out of every five American homes. The games range from a Junior Edition to the standard game, a deluxe game and even travel-sized games. 

Scrabble is a word game played by two to four players. You score points by placing tiles, that each contain a letter, on a game board which has a grid of squares. Many of the letters are worth one point, while certain letters are worth more points. There are extra-point squares on the board for doubling or tripling a letter or a whole word.

Scrabble is a fun game for kids through adults. A board game that is a family friendly strategy word game. It also makes a great party game.

A Personal Scrabble Game Story

We were playing Scrabble one evening at the home of friends. Hubby Bob had a 7-letter word which would have given him 50 bonus points, in addition to the points he would earn from his letters. Playing all 7 letters in a single turn is called a BINGO. There were three places on the Scrabble Board where he could have played his Bingo on a Triple-Word Score, giving him 3X the points. 

Believe it or not, there were 3 players ahead of Bob before his next turn and, naturally, we each took those triple-word places ~ not having a clue that Bob had this 7-letter word. 

Bob's word was BAZOOKA, which would have scored him 22 points for the points on the letter tiles, times 3 for the triple-word space, PLUS the 50-point bonus for a total of 106 points! 

B3+A1+Z10+01+01+k5+A1=22 

Of course now there was no place left on the board to play. Obviously, it was a big disappointment not to be able to play such a great word, but Bob eventually did play KAZOO for 18 points. The rest of us DID hear about it for several minutes as the game continued. And it became a favorite story every time we'd get together to play games. LOL.

Summary

So, on April 13, or any day, get out the Scrabble game and have a wordy good time! 

More Scrabble-Related Reviews:

• 5 Fun Scrabble Decoration Ideas by Brite-Ideas
• Games Day by Wednesday Elf

National Scrabble Day

April 13

*National Scrabble Day Holiday Review written by Wednesday Elf

A Variety of Scrabble Games

 Hasbro Scrabble Deluxe Edition (Amazon Exclusive)Check Price Scrabble Board Game, Word Game for Kids Ages 8 and Up, Fun Game for 2-4 Players, Classic Crossword GameCheck Price Scrabble Score Pad: scrabble score sheets:100 score Pages _ Perfect size at 8.5 x 11 in / 21.59 x 27.94 cm/A4.Check Price WS Game Company Scrabble Deluxe Travel EditionCheck Price

 

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