Category: Holidays Page 8 of 14

Stories about the occasions that matter most.

St. Patrick’s Day Traditions You Should Join

On March 15, 2019

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most fun holidays in the USA. Even if you don’t have Irish heritage, you can’t help but want to join in the festivities. Good thing there are so many ways to spread the Irish cheer on St. Paddy’s Day! Here are some of them.

Wear green.

It’s not a proper St. Patrick’s Day Celebration if you’re not in green! Why green, though? Well, legend has it that mischievous leprechauns enjoy pinching people randomly. Wearing green, however, renders you invisible to leprechauns, meaning they won’t be able to pinch you. To play it safe, it won’t hurt to paint the town green on St. Paddy’s. You don’t have to be in head-to-toe emerald—accessorizing in green will do!

Attend a St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in the USA for centuries, with several cities going all out for the occasion. A simple online search should reveal if there are any events in or near your hometown. New York City, in particular, is well-known for its festivities, which starts with Mass at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral before a grand parade that wounds around the metropolis.

Drink a few pints of beer.

To be more specific, drink a few pints of Guinness. The Irish stout, loved worldwide for its robust flavor, is consumed by lots of adults who are out the celebrate the holiday. If you want to join in the fun, you might as well first learn how to pour a pint of beer properly: Tilt the glass at a 45-degree angle and fill it with beer until it’s 3/4 full, then let it settle a bit before filling it all the way to the top. Cheers!

Eat corned beef and cabbage.

Corned beef with cabbage is considered a St. Patrick’s Day staple for historical reasons. When the Irish began immigrating to America, they discovered that beef was more affordable than pork (the opposite was true back in Ireland). The growing Irish-American population paired corned beef, which almost everyone can afford, and cabbage, which was traditionally paired with salted pork. The rest, as they say, is delicious history.

Look for a four-leaf clover.

A little extra luck never hurt anybody. And what better way to attract luck this St. Patrick’s Day than with a four-leaf clover, one of the ultimate symbols of luck? That is, if you manage to find one: the ratio of ordinary three-leaf clovers to four-leaf clovers is estimated at 5,000 to 1. You’ll be a lucky soul, indeed!

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Don’t forget to capture the spirit of the holiday in photos! Display your memories on your Nixplay Frame, and take advantage of our St. Patrick’s Day sale to get up to 25% off on selected frames!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About St. Patrick’s Day

By Mars Salazar

On March 14, 2019

In Holidays

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! It’s one of the most celebrated holidays around the world, marked by all things Irish and a whole lot of green. Embrace the spirit of the holiday with these lucky little bits of trivia:

St. Patrick was actually British.

According to legend, St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain and was kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16. He was able to return home after six years in captivity, studying Christianity in Auxerre, France before returning to Ireland as a missionary.

The shamrock symbolizes the Holy Trinity.

Legend has it that St. Patrick used the shamrock, a three-leafed plant, to explain the Holy Trinity. This greatly boosted his evangelical efforts, as three was a very significant number for the pagan Irish.

The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day celebration happened in the USA.

And it wasn’t held in New York or Boston, but in the Spanish-held colony of St. Augustine, Florida, in 1600. The first known St. Patrick’s Day parade was also held in the same city in 1601, possibly due to the influence of the few Irish residents of the town.

Several monuments will turn green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Over 400 landmarks around the world will be greenified on March 17 to join the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. These include Victoria Falls, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Sydney Opera House, the Burj al Arab, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, and the Empire State Building.

Lots of adults celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by drinking green beer.

St. Patrick’s Day would not be complete without a pint (or two) of this emerald concoction! The best part is that it’s so easy to make: Just squirt a few drops of green food dye into your beer glass, then fill it with ale. Cheers!

Feeling lucky? Get the Nixplay Seed 10.1 inch and the Nixplay Iris at up to 25% off for St. Patrick’s Day, only until March 24!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

How You Can Get Involved In International Women’s Day

By Mars Salazar

On March 7, 2019

In Holidays

In the not-so-distant past, women were treated as second-class citizens. They were only expected to stay home and take care of the family. They were unable to vote, work in some industries, or even participate in sporting events.

Fortunately, we have come a long way since then, and International Women’s Day is held every year to celebrate the milestones and achievements that women have achieved through the decades.

However, the fight is not yet over. There’s still so much that can be done to improve the lives of women. The good news is that these need not be grand gestures—you can celebrate femininity and empower women in your own way. Read on:

Join an International Women’s Day event

Your city should have a few events that celebrate International Women’s Day. Gather your gal pals and join the fun! Who knows, it might just be one of the most enlightening and fun days of your life. Check out https://www.internationalwomensday.com/EventList to find an event near you!

Support a female entrepreneur

HTC. Spanx. Net-a-Porter. What do these brands have in common? They were all founded by women entrepreneurs: Taiwan-born Cher Wang is a co-founder of HTC, Shark Tank guest judge Sara Blakely started Spanx, and Dame Natalie Massenet founded Net-a-Porter and went on to change the world of luxury e-commerce. You don’t have to splurge, though! If you have female loved ones with their own businesses, you can simply make a purchase from them. It will go a long way!

Donate to an organization that supports women

There are lots of non-profit organizations that support women. Catalyst is dedicated to improving the progress of women in the workplace, while the Malala Fund, which was started by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, champions young women’s right to be educated. Another alternative is to donate to your local women’s shelter.

Read books written by women authors.

Women usually offer an interesting perspective on things, and this is pretty evident in their literary work. Just look at the magical Wizarding universe that J.K. Rowling created, the dystopian reality that Margaret Atwood created for The Handmaid’s Tale, the gothic masterpiece that is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the masterfully painted scenes in Virginia Woolf’s novels.

Do something nice for a woman you love.

Really, you don’t have to go far and wide to change the world this International Women’s Day. We’re all lucky to have amazing women in our lives—honor them by doing something that will make them smile. Be it a bouquet of flowers, a box of cookies, or even just a warm, tight hug, these little shows of support will go a long, long way.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Nixplay! Get up to 25% off selected frames, only until March 10!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

4 Unique Ways to Make Your Date Feel Special on Valentine’s day

By Nixplay Team

On February 12, 2019

In Holidays

Valentine’s Day is the best day to show the person dearest to your heart how much you truly care for them. Romance is in the air, and it’s nearly impossible to resist the stores selling flowers, cards, and stuffed bears. Maybe your significant other has even dropped hints as to what they want to get on the 14th–in that case, your search for the perfect present just got way, way easier!

But Valentine’s Day shouldn’t have to be all about material gifts. Sure, presents are nice to receive, but there are many other ways to express your love. Here are other ways to spread romance!

Serve your lover breakfast in bed.

This is a simple way to make your loved one feel special. Rise early, cook some pancakes and bacon, chop up some fruits, and plate them artfully. Place it on a tray, add a small vase with flowers, and bring it to your loved one. Trust us, waking up to the delicious smell of bacon is the best way to jumpstart your day!

Take them on a surprise adventure.

If you’ve got some vacation leaves to spare, use one on the 15th to have an extra-long Valentine’s Day celebration! Whisk your lover to a destination you’ve always wanted to visit, be it a sunny beach or a cosmopolitan hotspot, and have an itinerary planned out. Only got one day? Make the most of it with a visit to your favorite amusement park or hiking trail.

Compile your most precious photos.

Rekindle your most precious memories this Valentine’s Day by compiling photos of your favorite moments! You can create a photo book of your most memorable photos, adding love notes, tickets, and other small artifacts collected throughout your relationship. Another option: Display your favorite photos on a Nixplay Frame! Set up a playlist just for Valentine’s Day and place it somewhere your lover will easily see.

Don’t have a Nixplay Frame yet? Take advantage of the ongoing Valentine’s Day Sale to get up to 25 percent off the Nixplay Iris!

Prepare their favorite food.

It’s said that the way to most people’s hearts is through their stomachs. Judging by the neverending flood of food photos, videos, and content on social media, this seems to be a universal truth. That said, make your date’s tummy happy on Valentine’s Day by preparing their favorite food! Just don’t forget to take into consideration their dietary preferences, and don’t serve anything they might be allergic to. Going to a restaurant may be par for the course on Valentine’s Day, but you have to admit that a home-cooked meal prepared with love will be more memorable.

Your Valentine’s Day 2019 Checklist

By Nixplay Team

On February 11, 2019

In Holidays

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us! Are you all set for the big V-Day? Granted, it can be extremely overwhelming—there are so many things to do, and just a few days to go.

Fear not: We’re here to get you revved up for romance. In fact, we made you a checklist to get you on track for Valentine’s Day. Read on and take note of what you should prepare for February 14!

__ Buy flowers.

Even if you’re defiantly anti-romance, you have to admit: Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without some lush blooms! Make sure you know your lady love’s favorite blossoms, and place an order for a bouquet a few days ahead. You better hurry, as flower shops tend to get overwhelmed with orders for the 14th.
If you’re a happy singleton: It wouldn’t hurt to have some flowers delivered to yourself, right? 😉 go on and get yourself a nice bouquet—you deserve it.

__ Secure dinner reservations.

As cliche as it may sound, wining and dining is a crucial part of Valentine’s Day. Make sure to choose the restaurant wisely: It doesn’t have to be at a Michelin-starred restaurant, though if this is what you fancy, then do go all out! The important thing is that the place you dine at holds significance to you and your significant other.
If you’re a happy singleton: Dining out alone or even with friends on Valentine’s Day—when it seems like everyone’s out on a date—can suck. The solution? Make a reservation for another day. You can go out on the 15th, or even the weekend after.

__ Get a date.

Of course, what’s a Valentine’s Day celebration without someone to spend it with? That’s what the day is all about, after all: A day you ought to celebrate with the person (or people) you love most. So make sure the love of your life knows quite clearly that you want to spend the day with them!
If you’re a happy singleton: Well, it’s not yet too late to look for a date! Download a dating app and start swiping, or sign up for a speed dating event. Maybe you might find The One—or at the very least, you’ll meet interesting new people! And if your friends offer to set you up with someone interesting, say yes! There’s no harm in expanding your horizons and going out of your comfort zone, relationship-wise.

__ Take pictures!

Now that you’ve got all the ingredients of a perfect Valentine’s Day celebration, don’t forget the most crucial thing: Photos of your day! You’re making so many memories on the 14th—you might as well document every precious milestone by snapping away. Display your photos on your Nixplay Frame, and take advantage of Nixplay’s Valentine’s Day sale to get up to 25 percent off the Nixplay Iris, only until February 14!