5 Unique Cultural Celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day Worldwide
You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day – many cultures enjoy this festive day!
Don’t Be Offended – it’s Holi!
One of the most exotic holiday celebrations I experienced was India’s Hindu festival Holi. We were in Rajasthan and were humbled to receive an invitation from Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar to attend the HOLIKA DAHAN, a regal festival. The HOLIKA DAHAN ceremony was held at the Zenana Mahal, City Palace Complex, in Udaipur, complete [...]
International Valentine’s Day Celebrations, Part II
International Valentine’s Day Celebrations, Part II – Asian Traditions Continuing the theme of Valentine’s Day around the world, we will now look to the East to discover more international traditions. While some celebrations of love in Asian cultures are rooted in ancient traditional holidays, others involve adaptations of popular Western customs. Either way, the following [...]
International Valentine’s Day Celebrations, Part I
Ever wonder how the “day of love” is celebrated around the world? Many cultures dedicate a special day to expressing love and appreciation to loved ones, family, and friends. Though not always celebrated on February 14th, a wide variety of modern customs and long-standing traditions are observed worldwide. Whether traveling abroad or simply curious about [...]
New Year’s Eve and International Toasting, Part II
Toasting around the World As I mentioned in my earlier blog, champagne was traditionally served at the Coronations of French kings. It has historically been associated with christenings, new beginnings, and rare moments including New Year’s Eve festivities around the world for this reason. We can thank the Ancient Greeks for introducing the art of [...]
New Year’s Eve and International Toasting 2015
In light of the many hours spent in 2014 interviewing all the people who contributed insights to my forthcoming book, Access to Asia, I now have many more colleagues and friends to toast with a glass of champagne in the New Year. Of course, most of you know that in Asian countries with significant Chinese [...]
Valentine Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts
Do you want to avoid those awkward moments on Valentine’s Day? Keep a few thoughts in mind as you prepare.
A Proper Global New Year’s Eve Toast
Are you looking to add international flair to your New Year’s Eve conversation?
Holiday Thanking in Today’s Tight Times
Black Friday weekend 2011 reported a record $52 billion spent by the US consumer. On Cyber Monday 2011, another $1 billion was spent online. But these numbers do not include all seasonal spending. In the US, we brought the ‘tipping’ custom to our shores from medieval England and Europe, and it is now a significant [...]