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09

Dec

Meaningful Greetings for the Holiday Season

by Janine Boylan on December 9, 2013

Rwandan orphans overcoming obstacles through their fair-paying jobs at Cards from Africa. (Image © Cards from Africa)

Youth in Rwanda display their hand-crafted cards.
Image courtesy of Cards from Africa, a division of Good Paper

Crafting Cards and Overcoming Obstacles

When we choose our family’s annual holiday greeting cards, we try to find something that shows a bit of our personality and what is important to us as a family. After all, this is often the only letter some friends receive from me all year long!

But what if our cards could help others at the same time?

I discovered three card lines that do that. These handmade greetings are transforming the lives of people in Haiti, the Philippines, and Rwanda.  Read more...

 

Haiti/Philippines/Rwanda/The World's Entrepreneurs

08

Dec

Culture Smart: Wrap a Gift and Don’t Forget the Feather

by Sheron Long on December 8, 2013

Swan standing on planet Earth, representing a Chinese gift giving legend. Image © Denis Zaporozhtsev / Hemera.

China’s swan feather legend is a gift to the world.
© Denis Zaporozhtsev / Hemera

In Chinese tradition, the legend of the swan feather dates to the Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE) and is still relevant today, especially during this gift-giving season.

According to legend,  a local official in a far-away vassal state asked Mian Bogao to take two swans to the emperor as a gift. Such gift-giving was customary to show respect to the emperor, and swans (rarely found in China) were the most precious of gifts.

Swan feather, symbolizing gift giving with sincerity and respect in Chinese tradition. Image © Lendy 16 / iStock.

A single swan feather sends a significant message.
© Lendy 16 / iStock  Read more...

 

China/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Cultural Symbols/Literary World

07

Dec

Aha Moment Maker: Where’d You Get Those Jeans?

by Your friends at OIC on December 7, 2013

Jeans2

EUROPE, 1650—It’s hard to think of something more “American” than a good old pair of blue jeans. As it happens, historians have long argued the origin of the iconic trousers, and America might not even have a leg to stand on in the debate!

The French make their case with a sturdy fabric that originated in the 17th century in Nimes, France. Pants made from the fabric “serge de Nimes” were favored by plantation workers for their durability. Since fabrics at that time were commonly named for their place of origin, it became known as “de Nimes,” which is widely considered the source of the word “denim.”  Read more...

 

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