Cinco de Mayo — Cinco de Mayo means “Fifth of May” in Spanish, and is a celebration of the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862. The Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, won the battle even though the French force was three times as large and better equipped. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico, and has become a popular heritage celebration in the United States.
As you probably know from math class, “π (sometimes written pi) is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of any Euclidean circle’s circumference to its diameter. π is approximately equal to 3.14. Many formulae in mathematics, science, and engineering involve π, which makes it one of the most important mathematical constants.” Pi is such a fascinating number that it has its own holiday. Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th, which also happens to be the birthday of Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Albert Einstein (March 14, 1879). See our page of resources to learn more about Pi and about the great Einstein.
Women’s History Month — Learn more about the role of women in history
Women’s History Month Booklist — A list of women’s history books for kids, linked to the library catalog
Saint Valentine’s Day was established in 496 AD to honor one or more early Christian saints named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the Middle Ages, and by the fifteenth century, it had become a day in which couples expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, notes or other symbols of devotion.
Today Valentine’s Day celebrates all types of love and friendship, and cards and gifts are exchanged by people of all ages. Symbols of Valentine’s Day include hearts, cupids, flowers (especially roses) and the colors red and pink.
Valentine’s Day — Here’s a page of links to sites with more information and ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday — Our sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln, was born on February 12, 1809. He lead the country through the crisis of the Civil War, but just as the war was ending, President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.
Groundhog Day, celebrated on February 2, has its roots in an ancient Celtic celebration called Imbolog, marking the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. This was a time to celebrate having made it halfway through winter. The superstition arose that if the weather was fair on Imbolog, the second half of the winter would be cold and stormy, but if the weather was cold and overcast or stormy, the second half of the winter would be mild.
In early Christian times, February 2 was celebrated as Candlemas, but the earlier superstitions persisted. The Romans learned these traditional beliefs from the Scottish Celts, and brought them to the area that was to become Germany, where they became a part of the folk culture. German immigrants brought these beliefs with them to Pennsylvania, where the tradition of predicting the weather became centered around the woodchuck or groundhog. The town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, has an annual celebration centering around the activity of the groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil.”
Groundhog Day — Our Groundhog Day page includes a Groundhog Day Booklist for Kids and other links for more information and activities for Groundhog Day.
