Fatima wrote yesterday from Iran, "It’s Yalda night ceremony (the longest night of the year).  Iranian people eat nuts, walnuts, pomegranate, and watermelon for Yalda." Yaldā is an ancient Persian Winter Solstice celebration. People used to stay up for most of the night to ward off misfortune.  Nowadays, families mainly gather together for a nice meal. ...

Yuzu Fruit Ayako Egawa wrote from Japan: December 22nd is the Winter Solstice in Japan.  [It's on the 21st in the U.S.*]  We Japanese enjoy “yuzu” around this time. You can enjoy “yuzu tea” and a “yuzu bath” easily. Wash...

My daughter made these thumbprint guys in art class today. They’re made with paint and Sharpie permanent markers. All you do is dip your thumb in paint and make thumbprints in different places on thick paper.  Let the thumbprints dry.  Then add details with a black Sharpie marker.  At top you can see a guy skating...

Yuan Xiao is a traditional food for the Lantern Festival in China. The Lantern Festival is at the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. People go outside with lanterns, watch the dragon dance, set off firecrackers, and they eat Yuan Xiao. (Yuan Xiao is also called Tang Yuan.) There’s a...