Friday, June 21 marks this year’s summer #solstice — the longest day of 2019. Every location north of the equator worldwide will have at least 12 hours of daylight, and a few U.S. cities — in Alaska, naturally — will see no sunset whatsoever. Celebrate the sun by making sun tea, planting a garden or making a solstice feast of fresh (yellow) summer ingredients such as lemons and summer squash, WikiHow suggests. As the sun finally sets, light a candle or bonfire and keep it lit until the sun rises again, as the ancient pagans once did to honor of the gifts of dark and light.
Author: Jordank
Editorial Coordinator
Flag Day: Be True to the Red, White & Blue
Flag Day is one of the more under-the-radar (some might say forgotten) holidays of the year. Nobody gets the day off; there’s no cookout; there may not even be a mattress sale. So why do we celebrate it — and how?
The idea of a day celebrating the flag was first suggested by Wisconsin schoolteacher B.J. Cigrand, says USFlag.org, who held the first “Flag Birthday” on June 14, 1885 — the 108th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars & Stripes as America’s official symbol. Appropriately enough, Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia picked up on the idea just a few years later in 1891.
The concept continued to spread among schools and patriotic organizations until 1894, when New York State made it official policy to fly the flag on June 14 and the Chicago-based American Flag Day Association staged events for more than 300,000 schoolchildren. Flag Day was a regular observance by 1916, when President Wilson established June 14 as the day to observe it. An Act of Congress made the day official in 1949 under President Truman.
While still not a federal holiday with a guaranteed paid day off, Flag Day invites homes and businesses to fly the flag (observing official guidelines for display). People can celebrate the symbol by pledging allegiance, singing the national anthem and/or saluting the red, white and blue. Veterans’ groups often add a performance of Taps to their Flag Day observances.
To get kids involved in the event, says Everyday Health, give them craft projects such as decorating patriotic flowerpots or making red, white and blue necklaces and baked goods. You can usually find a variety of craft supplies, kitchenwares and lightly used flags of all sizes on sale at the thrift and secondhand stores supplied by ClothingDonations.org.
As you celebrate Flag Day, remember what the Stars & Stripes stand for: The blue field and stars symbolize heaven and men’s goals, in addition to the current states in the union. Red is the color of valor, and white is the color of purity; the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies. Stitched together, they symbolize the promise of America and the dreams of its many people — truly the fabric of our country.
Clutter-Free Gifts for the Grad
Recent graduates don’t have a lot of stuff (yet), but that’s no reason to give them things that add to the #clutter unnecessarily. Instead of a single-purpose kitchen appliance or inspirational plaque to hang on the wall, give the grad a subscription to Blue Apron or a local farm co-op to help them eat right and hone their cooking skills. A Fitbit will help them track healthy exercise habits, Business Insider says, while an e-reader will furnish lifelong learning without the burden of books. Similarly, digital subscriptions and gift cards to services such as Netflix and Lyft will be appreciated without taking up a lot of space.
His & Hers Graduation Gifts
“You can do better than just shake their hand and sliding them a crisp $20 bill” when giving a #graduation gift, says The Today Show. Shopping for for a male high-school graduate? Try giving a quality pillow, a watch, a pair of shower sandals or a portable turntable (yes, for vinyl records). For the female grad headed off to school, the show suggests a phone case, robe, sleep mask or electric toothbrush. For the new college grad, a backpack or briefcase, noise-canceling headphones, a cookbook, coffeemaker or passport case might be the thing they didn’t already know they needed for the years ahead.
Giving Grads Something Other Than Cash
Money always makes a good #graduation gift, especially if the #graduate in question is going away to school. But if you’re in the mood to offer the new graduate a practical, wrappable gift, Real Simple suggests giving them an instant camera or day planner to document the many moments of their new adult life. Electronics such as Bluetooth trackers and portable chargers will keep their phone available and ready to place calls and texts home when they need more money. Storage bins are an essential dorm room accessory, and a kit of simple household tools will be treasured at unforeseen moments.