Santa Ushers in the Holiday Season

Kid's in the United States art all set and ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Not only will they be giving thanks to God for all He has done for them and feasting on delicious turkey and desserts, they will be enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Kids and parents from all over the U.S come to New York and brave the cold weather just to get a first hand view of the spectacular floats and Balloons. Their favorite cartoon characters are blown up to larger than life size and float down broadway to the oohs and aahs of the on looking children. At the end of the parade Santa Claus is welcomed as he officially ushers in the start of the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

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Balloons for Macys Thanksgiving Parade
Jodi Cobb
64 x 48 inches

Photographic Print

(6 other sizes available)
$148.98

Santa waves to the crowd at 2006 parade

The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade has been an American Thanksgiving Day tradition for 81 years . It is internationally recognized as the official start of the holiday season and world famous as a uniquely American Entertainment Extravaganza. Each year Macy features a line-up of spectacular floats, giant helium balloons and the best of high school and college marching bands, specialty youth performance groups and top stars from television, music and films.

The debut of shrek in 2007

This year's 11 giant helium balloons include three new ones: William Steig's swamp-loving ogre, "Sesame Street's" fairy-in-training Abby Cadabby and Hello Kitty Supercute, the cape- and tiara-wearing feline superhero. A returning feature is Kermit the frog. Pikachu has been a yearly favorite since 2001.

2007 floats: The Care Bears Winter Fun-Derland, International Cele-Bear-Ation Clock Tower, M&M's Chocolate Candies on Broadway, Music Bigger than Life

This year's Macy's Thanksgiving parade will march down Broadway on Thursday with a grumpy green Shrek — one of three new balloons — and the Virginia Tech marching band playing in tribute to victims of last spring's campus shooting.

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2007:An earth balloon and the Ronald McDonald balloon all set
for the parade tomorrow

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2007: Snowman is all ready to take to the skies. He'll have to
wait till tomorrow.

Everyone can watch it Thursday from 9:00 am - noon ET. on NBC

Thanksgiving in Canada

How Thanksgiving got to Canada

In Canada Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second
Monday in October. Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest.
The harvest season is earlier in Canada than in the United States because
Canada is further north. Thanksgiving in Canada was also celebrated
43 years before it was celebrated in the United States.

Canadian and Quebec Flags at Full Mast, Montreal, Canada

Photographic Print

by Wayne Walton

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$49.99

Usually ships same day

Thanksgiving started in Canada with the English explorer, Martin Frobisher,
who was on his way to the Orient. He did not make it to the Far East but
instead established a settlement in Northern America. To give thanks for
surviving the long journey he held a formal ceremony. This took place in 1578 in
NewFoundland.This was Canada's First Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived
and continued these ceremonies. He was later knighted and had an inlet of
the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay.

French settlers also crossed the ocean at that time and arrived in Canada
with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks.
They even formed 'The Order of Good Cheer' and gladly shared their food
with their Indian neighbours.

Thanksgiving Greetings, Corn and Pumpkin

Fine Art Print

Our Price:$19.99

During the American Revolution, Americans who remained loyal to
England moved to Canada where they brought the customs and practices
of the American Thanksgiving to Canada. There are many similarities between
the two thanksgivings such as cornucopia and pumpkin pie

On January 31st, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed...

"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful
harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed
on the 2nd Monday in October.

Both Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with parades, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and a whole lot of turkey!

Children's Thanksgiving Stories

Easy Thanksgiving Decorations

String of Leaves

Supplies needed:

Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones) Crayons or markers Scissors Glue, tape, or staples A long piece of green or brown yarn or string 1. Draw a leaf on a piece of construction paper. Make sure to draw a thick stem on the top (your leaf will hang from this stem, which will be folded over). 2. Cut out the leaf. Draw the leaf veins if you wish. Fold the leaf's stem in half. 3. Attach the leaf to a long string using tape, glue, or staples. Make more leaves and attach them to the string. Hang your string of leaves across the room for a wonderful Thanksgiving decoration.

Children Around the world Love Halloween

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Trick Or Treat
Vicky Brago-Mitchell
40 x 32 inches

Fine Art Print

Halloween, a popular Kid Holiday, is one of the world's oldest celebrations that is still celebrated in several countries around the globe. Though it is most popular with children from North America and Canada.
Halloween is the holiday when the most candy is given and is second only to Christmas. The tradition of "trick or treat", where child go from house to house collecting candy, make it top on the list of Kids favorite holidays.
The mere fact that it is a celebration of the dead has little meaning to children in the West. It is just a happy feel good celebration that is enjoyed by Kids all around the World.

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Grrr! Wild Creature
Sarah Bengry
10 x 12 inches

Fine Art Print

So, Happy Halloween! Always a treat. Never a trick.

Here are how some Kids around the world celebrate Halloween.

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Greetings from Halloween, Black Cat and Jack O' Lantern
17 x 11 inches

Fine Art Print

Austria

In Austria, some people will leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. They once believed such items would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night, believed to be brimming with strong cosmic energies.

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The Kitty Cat Meow
Kate Ward Thacker
16 x 20 inches

Giclee Print

Belgium

The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives.The Belgians believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross once's path and for it to enter a home or travel on a ship

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Halloween Labrador
Tina Tinibaybeez
20 x 16 inches

Wall Poster

Canada

Modern Halloween celebrations in Canada began with the arrival of Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Jack O'Lanterns are carved and the festivities include parties, trick-or-treating and the decorating of homes with pumpkins and corn stalks.

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The Black Cat
Larry Weingartner
10 x 8 inches

Wall Poster

China

In China, the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bondires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Haloween night.

Halloween, Children with Jack O'Lantern
14 x 11 inches

Pre-Matted

Czechoslovakia

In Czechoslovakia, chairs are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. There is one chair for each living family member and one for each family member's spirit.

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Jack-O-Lantern, Halloween...
Jamie Wild
18 x 24 inches

Photographic Print

England

At one time, English children made "punkies" out of large beetroots, upon which they carved a design of their choice. Then, they would carry their "punkies" through the streets while singing the "Punkie Night Song" as they knocked on doors and asked for money.

However, in recent years, the American "trick or treating" custom, together with the donning of costumes for going door-to-door, has become a relatively popular past time among English children at Halloween, although many of the adults (particularly the older generations) have little idea as to why they are being asked for sweets and are usually ill-prepared to accommodate their small and hopeful callers.

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Bartolo I
Kinna
12 x 12 inches

Fine Art Print

France

Unlike most nations of the world, Halloween is not celebrated by the French in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an "American" holiday in France and was virtually unknown in the country until around 1996.

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Halloween Cat Girl
Jamie Edwards
20 x 24 inches

Wall Poster

Germany

In Germany, the people put away their knives on Halloween night. The reason for this is because they do not want to risk harm befalling the returning spirits.

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Historic Reading Posters ...
14 x 22 inches

Wall Poster

Hong Kong

The Halloween celebration in Hong Kong is known as "Yue Lan" (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and is a time when it is believed that spirits roam the world for twenty-four hours. Some people burn pictures of fruit or money at this time, believing these images would reach the spirit world and bring comfort to the ghosts.

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Pumpkin in full moon Many...
Allyson Thomas
16 x 20 inches

Reprint Poster

Ireland

In Ireland, believed to be the birthplace of Halloween, the tradition is still celebrated as much as it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were in the days of the Celts and children dress up in costumes to spend the evening "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhoods. After the visiting, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends. At these parties, many games are played, including "snap-apple," in which an apple on a string is tied to a door frame or tree, and players attempt to take a bite out of the suspended apple. In addition to bobbing for apples, parents often arrange treasure hunts with sweets or pastries as the "treasure." The Irish also play a card game where cards are laid face-down on a table with sweets or coins beneath them. When a child selects a card, he or she receives whatever prize might be found there. A traditional food is eaten on Halloween called "barnbrack." This is a type of fruitcake which can be baked at home or store-bought. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake which, so it is said, can foretell the future of the one who finds it. If the prize is a ring, then that person will soon be wed and a piece of straw means a prosperous year is forthcoming. Children are also known to play tricks upon their neighbors on Halloween night. One of which is known as "knock-a-dolly," where children knock on the doors of their neighbors but then run away before the door is opened.

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A Cheerful Pair of Jack-O...
Stephen St. John
24 x 18 inches

Photographic Print

Japan

The Japanese celebrate the "Obon Festival" (also known as "Matsuri" or "Urabon") which is similar to Halloween festivities in that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set afloat on rivers and seas. During the "Obon Festival," a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found. "Obon" is one of the main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces. Memorial stones are cleaned and community dances performed. The "Obon Festival" takes place during July or August.

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The Cat
Rabi Khan
30 x 24 inches

Giclee Print

Korea

In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as "Chusok." It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The "Chusok" festival takes place in the month of August.

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Hallowe'en Trick or Treat...
Jamie Edwards
20 x 24 inches

Wall Poster

Mexico, Latin America And Spain

Among Spanish-speaking nations, Halloween is known as "El Dia de los Muertos." It is a joyous and happy holiday...a time to remember friends and family who have died. Officially commemorated on November 2 (All Souls' Day), the three-day celebration actually begins on the evening of October 31.

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Moonlight Sleeper
Nicole Marques
8 x 10 inches

Wall Poster

Sweden

In Sweden, Halloween is known as "Alla Helgons Dag" and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, "Alla Helgons Dag" has an eve which is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint's Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation.

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Halloween Candy Corn
Mitch Diamond
24 x 18 inches

Photographic Print