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MERRY CHRISTMAS 2014

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WHITE HOUSE 2014 CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

This year’s theme for the White House decorations is “a children’s winter wonderland.”

East Room decorations.

3D ornaments.

Ornament.

Hallway decor.

Ginger Bread.

East Room trees.

Blue Room tree.

OBAMA LIGHTS THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE

First lady Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Sasha Obama, and President Barack Obama light the 2014 National Christmas Tree during the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014.

Obama said the national tree is a "symbol of hope and holiday spirit."

This year's ceremony marks the 92nd annual lighting of the Christmas tree near the White House. The National Park Service says the tradition was started by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.

THE 2014 WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE ARRIVES

The First Lady, along with Sasha, Malia, Bo, and Sunny, receive the 2014 White House Christmas Tree at the North Portico on the day after Thanksgiving.

TURKEY, TURKEY WHAT DO YOU SEE?

THANKSGIVING DINNER

HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING primarygames.com

Pilgrims sailed to America from Holland to escape religious persecution. In the hope of a better life, they took the help of a London stock company to move out to America and set sail aboard a ship called the Mayflower.

They reached Plymouth in 1620. There, they had to face a terrible winter. Around 46 of the original 102 had died by the next fall. But fortune turned in their favor and the harvest of the next year was plentiful. The remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast, including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted for three days. Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl. 

On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives". October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair.

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday.

Later, President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving. It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies' Magazine, and later, in Godey's Lady's Book.

Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later.

In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

THE STORY OF THANKSGIVING

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

MOMA FOR KIDS

LONDON EYE Project Britain. British Life and Culture by Mandy Barrow

The world's highest observation wheel (a type of Ferris wheel).

The British Airways London Eye (Millennium Wheel) stands 135 metres (443 feet) high on the South Bank of the River Thames between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. It is the world's highest observation wheel.

The wheel was constructed in sections which were floated up the river Thames on barges and assembled lying flat on pontoons. Once the wheel was complete it was raised into its upright position by cranes, initially being lifted at a rate of about 2 degrees per hour until it reached 65 degrees.

The total weight of steel in the Eye is 1,700 tonnes.

BRITISH NATIONAL ANTHEM Project Britain. British Life and Culture by Mandy Barrow

The National Anthem is God Save the Queen. The British National Anthem originated in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. It became known as the National Anthem from the beginning of the nineteenth century.

On official occasions the first verse is sung, as follows:

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.

The second verse is occasionally sung as well:

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And give us ever cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.

When is the British National Anthem sung?

The National Anthem is played whenever The Queen makes a public appearance and is played by the British Broadcasting Corporation every night before closedown.

It is also sung:

• At the end of all Remembrance Day services.
• Medal ceremonies for Team GB (representing all countries).
• England and Northern Ireland football matches (the Scottish use Flower of Scotland, the Welsh use Land of my Fathers - Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

BRITISH ANTHEM, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN (WITH LYRICS)

PARTS OF THE BODY Mrs. HAQUET

PARTS OF THE FACE Mrs. HAQUET

BREAKFAST Mrs. HAQUET

CHORES Mrs. HAQUET

LOOKS ALIKES? National Geographic Young Explorers

FEELING THE HEAT National Geographic Young Explorers

SEEING STARS National Geographic Young Explorers

BRIDGES OVER THE RIVER THAMES IN LONDON Learn about London by Mandy Barrow http://www.projectbritain.com/

Twenty-four bridges span the Thames in London, from Kew Bridge to Tower Bridge. Some our railway bridges and there is a footbridge, however most are road bridges. The oldest is London Bridge, which was originally made from wood. In 1209 it was replaced by a stone bridge with shops and houses along its sides. This was followed by a granite bridge in 1831, and the present concrete bridge in 1973.

Photo taken by Adrian Pingstone in November 2004

Lambeth Bridge is the central bridge of the three bridges in the photograph on the left. Nearest the camera is Westminster Bridge and in the far distance is Vauxhall Bridge.

Seen from the London Eye observation wheel.

Tower Bridge: 1894

Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognisable bridges in the World. It is the London bridge you tend to see in movies and on advertising literature for London. Tower Bridge is the only Thames bridge which can be raised.

Its middle section can be raised to permit large vessels to pass the Tower Bridge. Massive engines raise the bridge sections, which weigh about 1000 tons each, in just over a minute. It used to be raised about 50 times a day, but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week.

Tower Bridge is 60 meters long with towers that rise to a height of 43 meters.

London Bridge: 1176

London Bridge is between the City of London and Southwark. It is between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge. London's original bridge made this one of the most famous bridge in the world.

The first London Bridge is thought to have been built by the Romans sometime in the first century, with several rebuilds over the centuries. Eventually wooden bridges were replaced with a stone bridge, the first one being started in 1176 and finished years later.

Throughout its history, London bridge has been a busy thoroughfare, and was once lined with shops. The road over the bridge was only about 4m wide between the shops. It was so narrow it often jammed with people, horses and carts. In 1733 a 'keep left' rule was enforced to keep the traffic moving. This became the rule of the road in Britain.

In 1757 the houses and shops on the bridge were demolished. A new bridge was built in 1831 to replace the old one. This in turn was demolished in 1967 and rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, USA, as a tourist attraction. The present London bridge opened in 1973.

The Millennium Bridge: 2000

Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the background.

The Millennium bridge is a pedestrian bridge erected to connect the Tate Modern Art Gallery to the City and St Paul's Cathedral. Almost immediately after opening the bridge had to be shut because of dangerous swaying. It has now been reopened.

The Millennium bridge is about 320 metres, costs 16 million pounds to build and only takes pedestrians.

Southwark Bridge

Southwark Bridge is a road-bridge linking Southwark and the City across the River Tames. It was designed by Ernest George and Basil Mott and opened in 1921.

Blackfriars Railway Bridge

Blackfriars Railway Bridge is a railway bridge crossing the River Tames between Blackfriars Bridge and the Millennium Bridge

Blackfriars Road Bridge

Westminster Bridge

Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster and Lambeth. The current Westminster Bridge was opened in 1862 to replace an earlier bridge which dated from 1750.

There had been a ford at low tide here since Roman times and many historians believe that the Romans used to wade cross the river near this point.

TELEPHONE BOXES OF LONDON Learn about London by Mandy Barrow http://www.projectbritain.com/

The Red Telephone Kiosk (telephone box)

The red telephone kiosk was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott at the request of the Post Office in 1924. (Gilbert Scott also designed Waterloo Bridge and Battersea Power Station.)

Two different telephone boxes are seen in London.

K2 Telephone Kiosk

The first telephone kiosk was known as the K2 - the K stands for "kiosk".

Too expensive for national use, the K2 was produced exclusively for the London area.

The royal emblem of the crown was made by pierecing holes through the top facia.
This acted as a ventilator.

All K2 kiosks now on the street are preserved as Listed buildings.

K6 Telephone Kiosk

Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George the Fifth in 1935 the K6 kiosk was the first to be installed across the country. The K6 is smaller than the K2

Modern Telephone Kiosks
Black Telephone Boxes (kiosks)
A K6 design used by one of the new telecoms operators. (Red telephone boxes are owned and run by British Telecon)

Internet Telehone Boxes (kiosks)
BT introduced KXPlus in the late 1990's. It has a domed roof.

CHOMP! National Geographic