6 月 10th 端午節 Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival   端午節

相傳楚國詩人屈原精通治理國家的道理，二十多歲時，便得到楚懷王的信任，管理國家的內政和外交。可是，當時有個上官大夫嫉妒他的才能，向楚懷王說他的壞話，楚懷王便疏遠了屈原。懷王死了後，兒子繼位為頃襄王，還做了秦王的女婿。自此，楚國便長期處於屈辱的地位了。屈原看見祖國的處境，非常心痛，為此寫了很多詩篇。可是屈原詩中正直的話，得罪了奸臣。上官大夫在頃襄王面前說他的壞話，頃襄王便把屈原放逐到南方荒涼的地方去。當楚國的首都快要被秦攻破時，屈原回到京城，希望能參與救國，但頃襄王卻不准他逗留。屈原絕望極了，走到汩羅江時，便投進滔滔江水中。傳說屈原死後，民眾划船尋找他的屍體，並投下粽子，以防屈原屍體受魚蝦所噬。自此，便有了龍舟競渡和吃粽子的習俗。

The Dragon Boat Festival is dedicated to the great poet Chu Yuan (343-290 BC).  Chu Yuan was a minister of the state of CHU.  He loved his country very much and wanted to make it strong.  But the king of CHU believed the words of his treacherous advisiors and rejected Chu Yuan’s plans for making the country rich and strong. Chu Yuan was so disappointed that he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Milo River.

Upon learning of Chu Yuan’s suicide, the people rushed to row their boats in search of his body. Accordingly, the Chinese people have commemorated this day as the Dragon Boat Festival. Originally, the boats had a very simple appearance, but later on people added dragon decorations to the boats for this special occasion.

In memory of Chu Yuan, people put rice inside bamboo stalks and threw it into the river as an offering. Later on, to express their admiration and respect for the great poet Chu Yuan, the Chinese  people also designated this festival as Poet’s Day.

5 月 1st 鬱金香節 Tulip Festival

Tulip Festival    鬱金香節的由來　

（請參看我的相簿)

1945年，荷蘭王室贈送出10萬個鬱金香球莖到渥太華, 感謝加拿大人在第二次世界大戰納粹黨佔領荷蘭的時候, 庇護茱莉安娜公主和她的女兒。
最值得注意的事件, 在1943年茱莉安娜公主在渥太華公民醫院, 產下瑪格麗特公主。由於茱莉安娜公主是荷蘭皇室的緣故, 女兒不可能在其他國家誕生，為了保存瑪格麗特公主荷蘭公民的身份,　所以當時的產房被宣布成為臨時國際領土的一部分, 以保存她的國籍。1946年，朱莉安娜公主再贈送20,500個鬱金香球莖並請求在公民醫院展示，並答應每年繼續贈送一萬多個鬱金香球莖。過去的日子中，每年的鬱金香節都會提醒加拿大人, 加拿大是一個慷慨及友善的國家，好讓我們身為加拿大人引以自豪。

History behind Tulip Festival　

(See My Photo 我的相簿)

In 1945, the Dutch royal family sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa in gratitude for Canadians having sheltered Princess Juliana and her daughters for the preceding three years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, in the Second World War.

The most noteworthy event during their time in Canada was the birth in 1943 of Princess Margriet to Princess Juliana at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The maternity ward was declared to be officially a temporary part of international territory, so that she would be born in no country and would inherit only her Dutch citizenship from her mother. In 1946, Juliana sent another 20,500 bulbs requesting that a display be created for the hospital, and promised to send 10,000 more bulbs each year.  Every year, the Tulip Festival will remind every Canadian that our Country is a generous and friendly nation.  We should be proud of that.

5 月 1st 母親節 Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day 母親節

每年五月第二個星期日是母親節。母親節是特別記念及感謝母親的日子。 通常兒女們都會送上康乃馨表示謝意。粵五甲班同學為了向母親表示謝意，花了多個星期每週十幾分鐘時間用彩紙摺成花朵，做成美麗而滿有心意的花朵盤栽送給媽媽。真替你們有這樣愛你們的兒女而自豪啊!

Mother’s Day is the second Sunday of May of every year.  This is a day for us to remember and to show our appreciation to our mothers.  Generally children will give their mother Carnation as a token of appreciation.  Cantonese 5A class has spent few minutes each week for many weeks to fold origami flowers to show their appreciation for their mothers.  From the pictures below, you can see the beautiful and thoughful arrangements they have made for their mothers.   I am really proud of your children for how much they love you!

2012-2013

2011-2012

4 月 1st 復活節 Easter

復活節的來源–是記念主耶穌基督復活的日子

很多人認為復活節是為了復活蛋或復活兔。原來復活節是為了記念主耶穌基督愛世人的緣故，甘願被釘十字架代世人的罪，第三日復活。　

About Easter–Many people think that Easter is for Easter egg or bunny.  Originally, Easter is to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for people’s sin, and risen on the 3rd day.

2 月 10th 農曆新年 Chinese New Year

恭賀大家新年快樂, 身體健康, 心想事成, 學業進步!

Wish you all have a Happy Chinese New Year! Good Health! Wish Come True!  Academic Improvement!

2 月 1st 冰雕節 Winterude

加拿大首都渥太華每年二月份都舉行冰雕節。

舉行地點：

１）渥太華河（加拿大文化博物館旁）－－煙花匯演　

２）麗都運河－－世界最長的室外溜冰場，全長7.8公里（健力士大全認可）

３）聯邦公園－－水晶公園，展示來自不同國家參賽代表的大型冰雕作品。

４）約克卡迪公園－－雪花王國（設有雪做的迷宫，多款巨型的雪滑梯等）

週末一家人的好去處, 請勿錯過!

Winterlude  will be held in Ottawa February 

4 different locations:

1) Ottawa River (next to Canadian Museum of Civilization)–Fireworks

2) Rideau Canal (the World’s Longest Outdoor Skating Rink–total 7.8 Km)

3) Confederation Park (Crystal Garden–Ice Sculptures by Sculptors around the world)

4) Jacques-Cartier Park (Snowflake Kingdom–Snow Sculptures, Maze and giant slides)

It’s a weekend fun place to go for the whole family!

http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/celebrate/winterlude

11 月 1st 國殤紀念日 Remembrance Day

國殤紀念日     

每年11月11日早上11時, 是一個紀念在第一次世界大戰、第二次世界大戰和其他戰爭中犧牲的軍人與平民的紀念日子。第一個國殤日於1919年在整個英聯邦舉行，紀念第一次世界大戰於1918年11月11日上午11時結束。每年在加拿大首都渥太華及各大城市，加拿大人都會聚集一起，肅然靜默紀念無數為維護和平服務國家而捐軀的愛國軍人。過往的日子，參軍人數超過一百五十萬人，而超過十萬人賠上自己的生命及他們的將來，好讓我們在和平的環境中生活。

加拿大的價值觀及機制、參與文化及政治活動的自由、及居住在我們所選屬政府的權利，我們都會看作是理所當然的。其實，是這些遠赴遙遠地方參戰的加拿大軍人深信加拿大人所享有的價值及信念備受威脅。他們深深的相信” 沒有自由就無法保證有和平，而沒有和平就無法保證自由” 的這個信念下，而願意擺上自己生命及一切。我們要向他們致敬！

藉著記念他們對國家人民的服務及犧牲，我們便認知這些軍人艱苦爭取所保存的傳統自由。他們深信他們現今所作的行動，會對將來產生一個重大的改變，但決擇於我們是否願意去保證他們這個對和平夢想的實現。在國殤紀念日，我們確認他們服務國家的勇敢精神及犧牲，並且確認我們對爭取和平的責任，就是他們艱苦戰鬥所達成而來的和平。

在1915年的第一次世界戰伇中，一名加拿大的軍醫John McCrae在悼念戰友時，見到墓旁週邊長滿了罌粟花而啟發所寫成的一首詩《在法蘭德斯戰場》（In Flanders field），這首詩讓我們更明白為國捐軀者的情操，而配帶罌粟花也成為世界各地國殤紀念日作為對捐軀者的尊敬記念。

A Day of Remembrance　　

Every year on November 11 at 11 hour, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as those who have served since then. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died. They gave their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace.

We often take for granted our Canadian values and institutions, our freedom to participate in cultural and political events, and our right to live under a government of our choice. The Canadians who went off to war in distant lands went in the belief that the values and beliefs enjoyed by Canadians were being threatened. They truly believed that “Without freedom there can be no ensuring peace and without peace no enduring freedom.”

By remembering their service and their sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom these men and women fought to preserve. They believed that their actions in the present would make a significant difference for the future, but it is up to us to ensure that their dream of peace is realized. On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve.

During the Battle of Ypres in 1915, Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae was inspired to write the poem In Flanders Fields on sighting the poppies growing beside a grave of a close friend who had died in battle. The poem was a great inspiration in adopting the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance in Canada, France, the U.S, Britain and Commonwealth countries.

10 月 16th 重陽節 Chung Yang Festival

 重陽節的由來?  為什麼人們要登高呢?

10 月 1st 感恩節 Thanksgiving Day

感恩節 (加拿大) 從1957年開始在每年十月第二個週一為一個感謝上天賜豐收的節日, 讓人們存著感恩的心, 並藉著感恩節感謝家人及朋友.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday  on the second Monday of October since 1957.   It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and an appreciative heart for the things they have,  and also an opportunity to thank their family and the people around them.

感恩節好去處: (Where to go for Thanksgiving)

到 Gatineau Park 欣賞秋天景色及五顏六色的楓葉

這是我與家人在感恩節期間到 Gatineau Park 拍下來的照片, 請細心欣賞! 

9 月 11th 中秋節 Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival  中秋節 

八月十五日是中秋節, 你會和家人怎樣慶祝中秋節呢? 賞月? 吃月餅?

How are you going to spend Mid-Autumn Festival with your family? Eating Mooncake?  Watching the moon?