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Author: US Adult Literacy
We offer free 10-month long ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) classes in Lower East Side of Manhattan. We help immigrant New Yorkers by providing them with intensive English language classes, and counseling. We're located at 175 Eldridge, Street, New York, NY. This is a blog for our students so they can get more practice in English language, and learn about life in New York City.
LIGHT INTO DARKNESS – WINTER HOLIDAYS
VOCABULARY PREVIEW
| chilly – adj., cold |
| winter solstice – n., when the North Pole of the earth is farthest from the sun, the shortest day of the year |
| glittering – adj., sparkling, shiny |
| lavish – adj., fancy, elaborate |
| signify – v., to stand for something, to symbolize |
| struggles – n., difficulties |
| Stonehenge – n.place, a site of huge, ancient, carefully-arranged stones in England |
| doldrums – n., sad and bored feelings |
| renewal – n., newness, rebirth |
The last months of the year bring winter, and winter brings cold and darkness. The days are short and the nights are long and chilly.
BUT – we are lucky that winter also brings holidays for almost everyone! Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and winter solstice celebrations all bring warm cheer and shared joy. These holidays have different meanings for different cultures, but they all share one thing:
LIGHT!
The winter holidays begin with Diwali, celebrated by Hindus the world over, usually in November. It is a five-day-long party. A festival of lights and happiness, it falls on the darkest night of the year in the Hindu month of Kartik.
People celebrate Diwali by lighting their homes and streets with candles, dressing up in new clothes, exchanging gifts, and eating traditional food.
Source: https://blog.asaptickets.com/
Christmas comes with candles, lights, and glittering tinsel. A shining star is an important part of any Christmas story. In America, people decorate their homes with lights, inside and out. Some of the lighting displays are lavish! Dyker Heights, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, is well-known for its Christmas lights. Map to Dyker Heights: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nKRPh96XcMsy7nAg6 Go take a look!
Sources: https://mommypoppins.com/ and https://www.viator.com/
Kwanzaa has a tradition of lighting the kinara, a candleholder for 7 candles. One is lit each night for a week, and the different colors of the candles signify Africa and its peoples’ struggles and hopes. “Kinara” means “candleholder” in Swahili.
Hannukah celebrations include the lighting of a menorah, an eight-branched candleholder. Jews light Hannukah candles to remember victory in ancient battles, and the miracles that happened in those times.
Finally, the actual solstice, which takes place on December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, has been a special time of celebration since the Stone Age. This was a significant and dramatic moment in the year for many cultures. Because it was the darkest night of all, there are monuments and traditions that revolve around bringing light into this darkness.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice
No matter how you celebrate the solstice, use it as a way to replace winter doldrums with a sense of renewal. The winter solstice may signify the day the sun rises lowest in the sky, but it’s also the day before we start growing closer to days of more light.
Why Americans Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving
Most Americans who celebrate Thanksgiving, about 9 in 10, eat turkey with their holiday meal. But if you’ve ever wondered why so many of people eat turkey on Thanksgiving, the answer is a bit more complicated than you may think.
Vocabulary
venison – the meat of a deer used as food
settler – a person who moves with a group of others to live in a new country or area
indigenous – inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists
fowl – birds
plentiful – existing in great quantities
a one-off – done, made, or happening only once and not repeated
First Thanksgiving: No Turkey on the Table?
There’s no evidence that turkey was on the menu in late 1621 when the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony sat down with indigenous Wampanoag people for what we now recognize as the first Thanksgiving celebration.
According to a contemporary account of that event by Edward Winslow, the settlers and Native Americans dined on venison, fish, and shellfish as well as corn and other vegetables. While “fowl” may have been served, that may well have referred to seasonal waterfowl like duck or geese, rather than turkey.
Turkeys were plentiful in the region when the Pilgrims arrived, however. Estimates put the total number of wild turkeys in North America at more than 10 million before European settlement began. In his history of Plymouth Plantation, written more than 20 years later, the colony’s longtime governor William Bradford referred to a “great store of Wild Turkies” around the time of that famous meal in 1621.
By 1789, when George Washington declared a day of national thanksgiving—a one-off, not a recurring holiday—Americans were eating quite a bit of turkey. “I don’t know that I would say it was a staple, but it was certainly being hunted and eaten by the 19th century,” Abrell says. “It was almost extinct in the wild by that time.”
‘Mother of Thanksgiving’ Popularizes Turkey
But like most of the Thanksgiving traditions we know today, turkey didn’t become a part of that November holiday until the mid-19th century. This was largely thanks to the efforts of the writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale, who became known as the “mother of Thanksgiving.”
In her 1827 novel Northwood, Hale included an entire chapter on Thanksgiving celebrations in her native New England and other regions. She also used her platform as editor of the magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book to sway both politicians and the public toward the idea of a national Thanksgiving holiday.
By 1854, thanks in large part to Hale’s work, more than 30 states and U.S. territories held Thanksgiving annually. President Abraham Lincoln made it official in 1863, declaring the last Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey was a key part of Hale’s Thanksgiving vision.
Source: https://www.history.com/news/turkey-thanksgiving-meal
The Beauty Of New York State
Key Vocabulary
Empire State – A nickname for New York, symbolizing its significance.
Culinary – Related to cooking or the kitchen.
Diverse – Having a variety of different elements or types.
Region – An area characterized by certain features, such as geography or culture.
Gorge – A narrow valley with steep sides, typically formed by a river.
Vineyard – A farm where grapes are grown for wine production.
Quaint – Attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
When you think of New York, you probably think about New York City. However, New York State, also known as the Empire State, is filled with diverse landscapes, rich history, and vibrant communities that go far beyond the city’s famous skyline. With a population of nearly 19.68 million, New York State offers a wealth of experiences waiting to be discovered.
Here are a few popular places in New York State to visit….
The Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are known for their rugged wilderness, large forests, and numerous lakes. For nature enthusiasts, the Adirondacks offer majestic mountains and pristine lakes. For outdoor enthusiasts, there’s hiking, camping, fishing, and of course, skiing.
Popular places:
Blue Mountain Lake, Lake George, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake
The Finger Lakes
A waterfall in the Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are known for long, narrow lakes carved by glaciers, with a thriving wine industry and scenic beauty with many things to do: wine tasting, lake cruises, hiking, visiting waterfalls, exploring charming towns.
Popular place:
– Seneca Falls: Known as the birthplace of the Women’s Rights Movement.
– Ithaca: Home to Cornell University and Ithaca College, it offers gorges and waterfalls that make it a beautiful destination.
The Hudson Valley
Storm King Art Park
The Hudson Valley is famous for its historic sites, charming towns, and scenic beauty along the Hudson River. Nestled between the Catskills and the river, the Hudson Valley is renowned for its picturesque towns and outdoor activities. It’s also just a short train or car ride away from NYC!
Popular places:
– Storm King Art Center: An expansive outdoor sculpture park that merges art and nature.
– Beacon, NY: A thriving art community with galleries and the popular Dia:Beacon museum.
– Culinary Institute of America: A premier culinary school located in Hyde Park.
– Sleepy Hollow, NY: Famous for Washington Irving’s famous story about the legendary “Headless Horseman.”
Whatever you love to do, New York has something for everyone!
Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life
“Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” – George Eliot
Vocabulary Preview:
- Meaningful – adj., when something is important to you
- Significant – adj., important, big
- Deceased – adj., something or someone who is not alive
- Reunion – n., a time when many people get together
- Altar – n., platform or table used as a center of worship
- Ancestors – n., pl., your relatives who lived before you
- Skeleton – n., the bones of a human or an animal
- Wacky – adj., silly, crazy
A beautiful and meaningful holiday for many Catholics, the “Day of the Dead” serves as a significant way to honor the deceased. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like a family reunion—except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. Day of the Dead is a joyful time that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate their memory.
First, people set up a candlelit altar in their homes so spirits can find their way back to their relatives. The altar also offers some of the favorite foods of the deceased—just in case they get hungry. Items that were important to the ancestors when they were alive, such as a favorite book or musical instrument, are placed on the altar as well. Then it’s off to the graveyard for a big party. Families bring a huge feast to eat while they clean tombstones, sing songs, and talk to their ancestors. Parents might even introduce a baby to a grandparent who died before the baby was born.
And don’t forget the skeletons. During Day of the Dead, life-size papier-mâché skeletons and miniature plastic or clay skeletons are everywhere. Why? Mexicans honor their ancestors on Day of the Dead, but they’re also reminding themselves that death is just a part of life. Hanging out with skeletons reminds people that one day they will be skeletons—but not for a very long time!
The skeletons are posed doing all sorts of wacky things, such as playing guitar, taking a bath, or making tortillas. Apparently people aren’t the only ones who get to have fun on Day of the Dead!
Get a NYC ID!
https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/card/start-your-application.page
Why do you need a New York City ID? Because it’s another great thing about living in New York!
Your IDNYC card is a widely accepted, official form of identification. IDNYC is accepted:
- By City agencies to access many services and programs;
- By NYPD for the purposes of issuing summons or desk appearance tickets instead of arrest;
- For entry into public buildings, like schools;
- For taking the high school equivalency exam in New York City;
- By employers, when submitted with proof of work authorization.
Your IDNYC card also offers a wide variety of exciting benefits that make it more than just an ID card. Your card can help you experience everything New York has to offer.
IDNYC Benefits Guide
The IDNYC Benefits Guide is a multilingual brochure that provides an overview of the key benefits associated with the IDNYC card in English, Spanish (Español), Chinese (简化字), and Russian (Русский язык), as well as dozens more.
This link will lead you to NYC ID benefit providers. For the most accurate and up-to-date information about these benefits or if you have any questions about accessing them, please contact the organizations listed in the guide. IDNYC is not responsible for determining your access to these benefits.
Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal more information.
Museums and Cultural Institutions
IDNYC cardholders are now eligible for free one-year memberships at over 35 participating institutions in 2022. Visit the Museums and Cultural Institutions page to find out more about the Museums and Cultural Institutions.
Including free one-year memberships at:
The American Museum of Natural History
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Central Park Zoo
Museum of the City of New York
and many more…
Banks and Credit Unions
With your IDNYC Card, you can open a bank or credit union account at one of several financial institutions across New York City. Visit the Banks and Credit Unions page to find out more.
Libraries
You can use your IDNYC card at any public library in New York City. Visit the Libraries page to learn more about each library below.
- Brooklyn Public Library
- New York Public Library
- Queens Library
Housing
Your IDNYC is the only ID card you need for affordable housing through NYC Housing Connect. With IDNYC, you don’t need a driver’s license, social security card or birth certificate to be eligible for housing on Housing Connect. Visit the Housing page to learn more.
Other benefits include discounts on prescription medications, fitness, groceries, and New York City attractions.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
What does indigenous mean? Do you know any synonyms for this word?
Has your country ever been colonized?
Who lived there before the colonists arrived?
How many indigenous cultures can you name?
Vocabulary Preview
Self-government – n., people’s right to decide their own laws and rules
Treaties – n., agreements between two or more nations or countries
Colony – n., a group of people who settle in a new place
Colonize – v. to settle in a colony
Enslave – v., to force into slavery
Mistreatment – n., abuse
Participant – n., someone who takes part in something
Discrimination – n., the treating of some people better than others without any fair or proper reason
Artifacts – n., something or someone from or associated with an earlier time, especially when thought no longer appropriate, relevant, or important
Inhabitants – n. people who live permanently in a place
What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day? How can we celebrate it?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday that recognizes the Indigenous peoples of the United States: American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. It celebrates the culture and history of Indigenous peoples. It also recognizes their right to self-government and commits to honoring the treaties the U.S. government signed with Indigenous nations.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October—the same day as Columbus Day. Many people want to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. They think that Christopher Columbus should not be honored with a holiday. The arrival of Columbus and the Europeans who followed him resulted in the enslavement, mistreatment, and deaths of thousands of Indigenous peoples in the Western Hemisphere.
In 1977, participants at a United Nations meeting suggested that Indigenous Peoples’ Day replace Columbus Day. The meeting was the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas. In 2021, Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to recognize the holiday. Other countries have similar holidays. For example, in Canada, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day takes place on June 21.
An interesting way to observe this holiday would be to learn which peoples lived in your geographic area, and what their cultures were like. For example, New York City was mostly the Lenape, Mohican, and Canarsie Nations. Find out what their customs were, and what foods they ate. Perhaps you could explore some preserved sites.
Source: https://native-land.ca/
Another interesting way to note Indigenous Peoples’ Day would be to visit the National Museum of the American Indian. The museum cares for one of the world’s largest collections of Native artifacts, including objects and photographs covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. There is also the Mili Kàpi cafe, serving refreshments featuring ingredients found in Native American foods. Mili Kàpi means “give me some coffee” in the Native language of the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of New York City.
The Museum is free and is open daily 10 am – 5 pm, except for December 25th.
Getting Here
The museum is located in the historic Alexander Hamilton US Custom House at One Bowling Green in lower Manhattan. The museum entrance is on the south side of Bowling Green, adjacent to the northeast corner of Battery Park.
Subway
4 & 5 trains to Bowling Green
1 train to Rector Street or South Ferry
R (& W on weekdays) trains to Whitehall Street
J & Z trains to Broad Street
2 & 3 trains to Wall Street
Bus
M5, M15, M20
Visit NYC MTA for maps and service updates for subways and buses.
Link to Google Maps to Museum of the American Indian
There are also fascinating exhibits from the Museum online at:
https://americanindian.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/online
Muisca clay head, Colombia, AD 1200 – 1600, clay and paint.
