Results tagged “Holidays” from Intelligent Travel Blog

The third and last Friday the 13th of 2009 is upon us, so we thought we'd try to get to the bottom of why this day is feared by some 17-21 million Americans (as estimated by the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute).

Paraskevidekatriaphobia, the scientific term for fear of Friday the 13th, is an amalgam of superstition and old wives' tales having to do with Friday--a day some claim Jesus was crucified as it was the Romans' execution day, or when Eve ate that darn apple, when Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden or even the day that Noah's Great Flood began (which is unlikely as Friday didn't exist way back then)--and the number 13.

The number 13 is considered unlucky in many pockets of the world (though not in ancient Egypt or China) as it's not 12, a number with positive connotations in numerology, related to the 12 months of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 12 signs of the zodiac, the 12 apostles, the 12 gods of Olympus, 12 hours on a clock, and the 12 tribes of Israel. Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Or, 13 may have gotten its bad rep because in a tarot deck--the 13th card represents death. Others trace the superstition to legends surrounding witchcraft; witches covens supposedly had 12 members but that number rose to 13 when the devil appeared at the satanic ceremonies.

Going back to pre-Christian times, in Norse myth, 12 gods were dining at Valhalla when Loki, an uninvited 13th guest arrived, causing chaos as he arranged for Hoder to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness. Balder died, the world went black, and 13 began its path to notoriety. 

We'd like to take a moment to commemorate April Fools' Day, the annual day of pranks and hoaxes, and promise you we won't run any false headlines or posts today. Or will we? . . .
   
April Fools' Day has been around since perhaps Roman times and explanations of its origins are diverse. Some say the day of fun at others' expense may derive from the change in 1582 from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, marking those observing the old New Year as fools. Or, as April Fools' Day is close to the vernal equinox, perhaps the sudden change in weather disoriented many a fool. Planting too soon, in April, may have brought the title to a past era's farmers. There may even be a mention of the holiday in The Canterbury Tales.
   
Origins aside, April Fools' Day is celebrated around the world in various ways. In Iran, the 13th day of the month of Navrus, either April 1 or April 2, is a day of fun and joking. Flemish tradition allows children to lock their parents or teachers out on this special day; letting them in the house or classroom only after being promised treats. Poland's prima aprilis (first of April) is also a day full of hoaxes. In France and French-speaking Canada poisson d'avril (literally, April fish) involves trying to attach a paper fish to a victim's back without being noticed.
   
Some of the best hoaxes in the English-speaking world include a news story the BBC ran in 1957 on Panorama that reported the Swiss harvesting spaghetti from trees. The BBC fielded plenty of calls from viewers inquiring where they themselves could purchase such trees. In the U.S., Burger King duped customers in 1998 when it announced  the launch of a left-handed Whopper to save southpaws the ignominy of condiments dripping down their left hand. Many requested the new burger and many more asked for the righty original.

Read More: National Geographic News asks humor experts about the origins of the day. And check out a list of History's Hoaxes. 

How will you mark April Fools' Day?

Illustration courtesy Hulton Archive/Getty Images 

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Tokyo and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up-to-date on the rest by bookmarking the series here. Traditionally, celebrating the New Year is much more important than Christmas in Japan (less than one percent of Japanese are Christians). Holidays come early in Tokyo, with many of the lighting ceremonies happening mid-November and lasting through January. 


Mayako Sumiyoshi, Chief Concierge

Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

• January 1st to 3rd are called shogatsu (Japanese New Year's holidays) in Japan. January 1st is called gantan and is a Japanese national holiday. Shogatsu is the most important holiday in Japan. To celebrate, Japanese people eat osechi.  Like a bento box, osechi offers foods that are colorful and presented in a lovely fashion. Each dish has a particular meaning. For example, prawns for long life, kuromame (sweet black soybeans) for health, kazunoko (herring roe) for fertility, tazukuri (teriyaki-flavored small sardines) for a good harvest, kurikinton (sweet chestnuts and mashed sweet potato) for happiness. Many local hotels and gourmet grocery stores take orders for osechi (available in traditional and Western versions).

• Japan lights up during the holidays. A must-see display is Sapporo White Illumination with more than 370,000 white lights decorating Odori Park and Ekimae Avenue. The Shibuya area from Dogenzaka to Miyamasuzaka and Koendori Street is decorated with more than 600,000 lights.

• Take to the sky at the top of the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Opened for its first holiday season, the Sky Deck is 886 feet above sea level and provides an open-air, 360-degree view of the city.  

• Since the traditional Christmas celebrations are not observed, the holiday season has become a commercial event and locals like to shop. Among the popular places to shop in Tokyo are the Galleria at Tokyo Midtown, where you'll find upscale shops and boutiques, Omotesando Hills for high-end fashions, and Roppongi Hills for an eclectic mix of shops, cafés, and restaurants.

• Pick up specialty cakes during the holidays at the Café & Deli at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. Other sweet shops that sell traditional pastries during this time, include Toshi Yoroizuka and Kyohayashiya.

• Get thee to a Temple. The Japanese all go to temple during the New Year holiday. New Year's Eve is relatively quiet, with the exception of the tolls of the temple bell. It rings 108 times to banish each of the 108 sins. At temple, people pray for safety, health, and good fortune.