APRIL
Facts about APRIL
"April showers bring May flowers"
• April was the second month in an early Roman calendar, but became the fourth when the ancient Romans started using January as the first month. The Romans called the month Aprilis. It may come from a word meaning 'to open', or it may come from Aphrodite, the Greek name for the goddess of love.
• Small animals that hibernate are usually coming out of their burrows in April. The birds fly back northward or they settle down to have their families. The bees and butterflies begin to gather nectar from the first flowers of the season.
• In some parts of the world, it's planting time. In other parts, it's the harvest season. Professional baseball begins in April. Then the amateur athletes begin to go outside in the warm weather. Spring cleaning starts and people start mowing their yards again.
• Special days celebrated in April begin with the first day of April, when children and grown-ups play jokes on one another. Arbor Day is a day for planting trees, and it is observed on various April days. The Jewish festival of Pescah (Passover) is celebrated early in April. Easter is almost always in April, and, with it comes other Christian celebrations such as Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
April Fools' Day, or All Fools' Day, is the first day of April. No one knows where the custom began, but some historians believe it started in France. They had a New Year's festival that was celebrated from March 25 to April 1, and they would then exchange gifts. But, later, King James IV changed the holiday to January 1 for New Years. The people that still celebrated it April 1 were called 'April fish' and sent mock presents.
April Fools' Day may also be related to the ancient Roman spring festival Hilaria, which celebrates the resurrection of the god Attis.
Arbor Day is set aside for planting trees and is mostly celebrated by school children. Most states celebrate the holiday as does most provinces in Canada. Southern States and Hawaii celebrate it somewhere between December and March, while most Northern states celebrate it in April or May.
The holiday began in Nebraska. Through the efforts of Julius Sterling Morton, a newspaper publisher, April 10, 1872 was set aside as Nebraska's first Arbor Day. After his death, the legislature made April 22, the legal holiday for Arbor Day.
The story of the Passover, also called Pesah, is told in the Bible in the book of Exodus, Chapter 12. It begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month Nisan, which usually begins in March or April.
The word Passover comes from the Biblical story of the 10th plague, which God brought on Egypt for keeping the Israelites in bondage. The story says that the blood of a lamb was put on the lintel and two side posts of each Israelite’s home. When God saw the blood, this would save the people in that house.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, thus making it the most important Christian festival of the year. On the third day, Christ' tomb was empty, he arose, and people talked with him. Christians believe his resurrection means that they too will someday receive a new life after death.
The holiday can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25, since it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in the Northern Hemisphere.
The new plant life that comes in the spring is associated with the new life that Christians gain because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The word Easter may have come from the English word, Eastre. Some believe Eastre was the name of a pagan goddess of spring, a spring festival, or the name of a season.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week on the Christian calendar, and is the Sunday before Easter. People spread palms and clothing in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, several days before his crucifixion. Today, many carry on the traditions and observe Palm Sunday by passing out palms.
DAISY and the sweet pea are the flowers of the month.
• Diamond is the birthstone for April
• The Revolutionary War in America began on April 19, 1775, when British soldiers and
• American revolutionaries clashed in Massachusetts.
• William Shakespeare, the playright, was born on April 23, 1564. He also died in England in 1616.
• Feast day of the Patron Saint of England is April 23.
• The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, when South Vietnam surrendered.
Facts about APRIL
"April showers bring May flowers"
• April was the second month in an early Roman calendar, but became the fourth when the ancient Romans started using January as the first month. The Romans called the month Aprilis. It may come from a word meaning 'to open', or it may come from Aphrodite, the Greek name for the goddess of love.
• Small animals that hibernate are usually coming out of their burrows in April. The birds fly back northward or they settle down to have their families. The bees and butterflies begin to gather nectar from the first flowers of the season.
• In some parts of the world, it's planting time. In other parts, it's the harvest season. Professional baseball begins in April. Then the amateur athletes begin to go outside in the warm weather. Spring cleaning starts and people start mowing their yards again.
• Special days celebrated in April begin with the first day of April, when children and grown-ups play jokes on one another. Arbor Day is a day for planting trees, and it is observed on various April days. The Jewish festival of Pescah (Passover) is celebrated early in April. Easter is almost always in April, and, with it comes other Christian celebrations such as Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
April Fools' Day, or All Fools' Day, is the first day of April. No one knows where the custom began, but some historians believe it started in France. They had a New Year's festival that was celebrated from March 25 to April 1, and they would then exchange gifts. But, later, King James IV changed the holiday to January 1 for New Years. The people that still celebrated it April 1 were called 'April fish' and sent mock presents.
April Fools' Day may also be related to the ancient Roman spring festival Hilaria, which celebrates the resurrection of the god Attis.
Arbor Day is set aside for planting trees and is mostly celebrated by school children. Most states celebrate the holiday as does most provinces in Canada. Southern States and Hawaii celebrate it somewhere between December and March, while most Northern states celebrate it in April or May.
The holiday began in Nebraska. Through the efforts of Julius Sterling Morton, a newspaper publisher, April 10, 1872 was set aside as Nebraska's first Arbor Day. After his death, the legislature made April 22, the legal holiday for Arbor Day.
The story of the Passover, also called Pesah, is told in the Bible in the book of Exodus, Chapter 12. It begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month Nisan, which usually begins in March or April.
The word Passover comes from the Biblical story of the 10th plague, which God brought on Egypt for keeping the Israelites in bondage. The story says that the blood of a lamb was put on the lintel and two side posts of each Israelite’s home. When God saw the blood, this would save the people in that house.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, thus making it the most important Christian festival of the year. On the third day, Christ' tomb was empty, he arose, and people talked with him. Christians believe his resurrection means that they too will someday receive a new life after death.
The holiday can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25, since it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in the Northern Hemisphere.
The new plant life that comes in the spring is associated with the new life that Christians gain because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The word Easter may have come from the English word, Eastre. Some believe Eastre was the name of a pagan goddess of spring, a spring festival, or the name of a season.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week on the Christian calendar, and is the Sunday before Easter. People spread palms and clothing in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, several days before his crucifixion. Today, many carry on the traditions and observe Palm Sunday by passing out palms.
DAISY and the sweet pea are the flowers of the month.
• Diamond is the birthstone for April
• The Revolutionary War in America began on April 19, 1775, when British soldiers and
• American revolutionaries clashed in Massachusetts.
• William Shakespeare, the playright, was born on April 23, 1564. He also died in England in 1616.
• Feast day of the Patron Saint of England is April 23.
• The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, when South Vietnam surrendered.
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