Easter, the Christian holiday that celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, falls on Sunday, April 8th this year. Lent, the 40-day time period that leads up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance that represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before beginning his ministry. Christians believe that during this time, Jesus survived many temptations from the devil himself.  The week prior to Easter, “Holy Week” , begins with Palm Sunday, a day that recognizes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and also includes Maundy Thursday (commemorates the Last Supper) and  Good Friday (this day honors Christ’s crucifixion). The fifty days following Easter Sunday are called Eastertide and celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven.  Easter is Christianity’s most important holiday in that it recognizes and honors the fact that Jesus Christ died for the forgiveness of sins.

http://stikii.com/hoppy-easterhappy-passover-to-all-those-who-celebrate/

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, along with its date. Passover is one of the Jewish religion’s most sacred holidays and commemorates the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt and slavery. The story of Passover tells that God helped the Israelites escape slavery in Egypt by inflicting the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians before the Pharaoh would release them. These plagues consisted of:  water turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, disease of livestock, unhealable boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of all first-born children. The Israelites were instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a spring lamb, and by doing so, the Lord would “pass over” their homes and leave their children unharmed.  During Passover, no leavened bread is eaten, and traditional meals known as Seders take place.

Passover Traditions - The following are just a few Passover traditions:

Passover Seder :

One of the most important parts of the Passover celebration is the ceremony of Seder (which means “order” in Hebrew). All the rituals are observed in a particular order on this day. Seders consist of lavish meals, special foods, stories, and histories of Passover.

Seder Plate - It usually has five foods that have a special Passover meaning:

1. Karpas – a green vegetable representing the initial flourishing of the Israelites during the first years in Egypt.
2. Charoset – a mix of fruits, wine or honey, and nuts to symbolize the mortar that the Israelite slaves used to construct buildings.
3. Maror – a bitter herb that represents tasting the bitterness of slavery.
4. Z’roa – a roasted lamb shank bone meant to represent the lamb that the Jews sacrificed as a special Passover offering.
5. Beitzah – a roasted egg that symbolizes the festival sacrifice offered in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Seder Wine - Four glasses of wine are poured during the Seder in recognition of the four main stages of Exodus that led Hebrew slaves to the promised land of freedom.  These stages were: Freedom, Deliverance, Redemption, and Release.

Matzo - The baking of unleavened flatbread is a symbol of the Passover holiday and eaten during the Passover week.

http://fr.wikihow.com/c%C3%A9l%C3%A9brer-Pessah-(P%C3%A2que-juive)

http://www.un.org/fr/events/happinessday/

L’ONU déclare  la journée du 20 mars « Journée internationale du Bonheur » .

Le but de cette journée : faire prendre conscience aux gouvernements qu’il «faut envisager d’adopter la croissance économique dans une optique plus large, plus équitable et plus équilibrée, qui favorise le développement durable, l’élimination de la pauvreté, ainsi que le bonheur et le bien-être de tous les peuples».  L’Organisation reconnait que le bonheur et le bien-être sont non seulement des aspirations universelles mais qu’ils devraient être pris en compte dans les objectifs politiques. L’ONU invite les États Membres, les organisations internationales et régionales, ainsi que la société civile et le grand public à célébrer la Journée internationale du bonheur en organisant des activités éducatives et des campagnes de sensibilisation.

Le bonheur: un bien à créer,partager et préserver.

Happy birthday to my lovely sister in law who lives in Tracy, California (United States of America).

She received right on time the above card and the little presents hereunder showed.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LuminousCreation

Coeur effervescent avec message surprise
Fleur de coton

Ce coeur effervescent à glisser dans le bain cache un joli message d'amour. Il suffit de le laisser se dissoudre pour que le message apparaisse. Il laisse un délicieux parfum de fleur de coton dans le bain et parfume délicatement la peau.

Cette fragrance s'inspire des femmes qui aiment la vie. C'est l'expression ultime de la féminité, romance et tendresse. Les notes de tête sont : canneberge et cassis juteux. Les notes de coeur révèlent le pamplemousse, la romance des fleurs d'oranger et le pouvoir hypnotique du benjoin. Les notes de fond renferment le plaisir secret de la praline sucrée, le confort du bois de santal et du haricot tonka. Cette formule séduisante est empreinte de séduction, douceur, romance, et féminité.