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Origins of Easter Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection was observed on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The exact origins of Easter are complex and involve a combination of Christian and Pagan traditions. Pagan Influences Easter's timing aligns with ancient spring celebrations, intertwining with pagan customs and symbols associated with fertility and renewal. Across various cultures, spring festivals marked the rejuvenation of life, featuring symbols like eggs and rabbits to denote fertility. The tradition…

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao Zhao’s 2021 award-winning debut commences a Young Adult series combining different themes into a beautiful mosaic. It is set in a society with futuristic technology, but ancient Chinese customs and values, which is in constant war with alien invaders - the Hundun. Giant mechas, powered and controlled by a man and a woman, are their best weapons. However, after each battle, most women die and must be replaced. Wu Zetian lives in this world. She is an eighteen-year-old reimagining of China’s only female emperor, with whom she shares her name. The story sets off…

Through thine eyes may there be the truest star A wonder wide awake if I may say; And Venus shall then be seen from afar Sharing the sky along with the Milky Way. Your breath then echoes onto those shadows Leaving a chilly glimmer of silver; Barely can be seen Cupid’s arrows, Brushing past myrtles, I may thus offer. Everlastingly would I wait, I admit, Since the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?

The Art and Science of Breadmaking Bread has been an important element in the diet of all cultures for thousands of years, it is not only an important food but also a way of expression of tradition, culture, and human intelligence. Baking is an art, and a science, that involves a few simple things but requires skill, patience, and a magic touch.  A Journey through History  The history of bread goes back thousands of years, beginning around 10,000 BC in the Fertile Crescent. Originally, bread was a simple mixture of water and crushed corn, baked on a hot smooth rock.…

Go skating If the temperature allows it, the province of Québec has many different outdoor rinks which are always fun to discover! Here are five suggestions near Québec City: Parc de la Jacques Cartier Domaine de la forêt perdue  Quai Paquet Anneau de glace du Lac Beauport  Lac St-Augustin  Watch a bunch of movies Reading week is a perfect time to watch movies, and what better way to watch movies than to watch them among friends? Cégep Champlain St-Lawrence offers a PCCQ (Prix collégial du cinéma québécois) activity, where you get to watch amazing movies from 2023 and discuss them…

In 2023, an average American spent US$192.80 in Valentine’s Day gifts resulting in about a total of US$25.9 billion spent on that holiday. The top gifts are candy, greeting cards, and flowers, they were respectively bought by 57%, 40%, and 37% of consumers. Gargantuan quantities, a mere 58 billion tons of candy and chocolate, and 250 million roses are bought by Americans on this holiday. An important problem arises: the conditions of production surrounding these goods are not in the minds of consumers hunting for the best bargain. Often, cheaper products resonate with a grand lack of good working conditions…

Halloween, also known as the day of spooky things, is one of the most important events in human history. This scary celebration brings fear among all. Whether you’re a child, teen, adult or elderly, there is always going to be some spooky stuff to make you fall off your chair. Think about ghosts, vampires, zombies, witches, etc. Hopefully, all these creatures don’t exist (including ghosts, which aren’t proved scientifically).  Unfortunately, reality definitively hates us since it brings us some spooky beauties such as murders, starvation, and diseases. The latter is more interesting since we commonly deal with these in our…

The Sun wishes to set early if it may And for the graceful birds to travel South. So the Moon wakes, casting daylight away Leading daytime temperature into doubt To Mother Nature’s kisses is she bound That her cheeks reddened to the leaves’ colors, Gifting youth this colorful playground And bringing light-hearted joyful laughters. Soon the North wind blows and she whispers cold,  Her blissful hair falls into silver threads For her last breath to portray words of gold.

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir Tamsyn Muir’s 2019 long fiction debut is the first book in a four-book series—the Locked Tomb, for which we are only awaiting the last one. The author from New Zealand has been delivering an epic adult science-fiction and fantasy series. Gideon the Ninth takes place in a strange world where an elusive Emperor rules over the nine Houses—nine planets—and he needs necromancers. Each House must send a necromancer from their ruling family to a strange manor. And what’s a necromancer without their cavalier! Gideon is a tall, sarcastic, and buff fighter who uses a great…

Introduction  Jack-o'-lanterns, those grinning and eerie faces carved into pumpkins, are an unmistakable emblem of Halloween. They adorn doorsteps and decorate porches, casting an enchanting and, at times, ominous glow during the bewitching season. But have you ever wondered about the history and folklore that birthed this peculiar tradition? Let's delve into the enigmatic past of jack-o'-lanterns.  The Celtic Roots The history of jack-o'-lanterns can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated on October 31st. Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a dark, cold winter. The Celts believed that on…