Willow Tree

Every year on March 8, we get the chance to honor the inspirational women in our lives. International Women’s Day is about recognizing women who have lived life with purpose, empathy, and vision, and work to effect change in the world around them. International Women’s Day started in 1911 and has since been celebrated across the country. Last year, more than100 groups participated in the official 2018 campaign to showcase their work and achievements in accelerating gender equality in their communities. Outside of the official day of celebration, the group continues to work for and celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Although International Women’s Day marks a specific day on the calendar, there are women everywhere who work on behalf of causes they believe every day, to create a more prosperous, equitable community. If there is a woman (or women) in your life that you feel deserves recognition and gratitude, you don’t need...

Many of us are familiar with the faith-based narrative behind Christmas. However, fewer of us know the origin of the Christmas gift, and specifically why we exchange gifts on or around December 25th each year. According to The Atlantic, s ome historians link the act of gifting back to the three wise men in the story of Jesus’s birth while others draw a connection back to the burgeoning upper class in New York City at the turn of the century. Regarding the latter point, historians explain that as New York’s wealthy population grew between 1800 and 1850, elites worked to move the December celebrations from the crowded urban streets into a more secluded and private home setting. As the Christmas celebration became a more insular celebration within the home, parents worked to encourage “young Americans to associate the joys of the holiday with the morally and physically protective space of home.” Whatever the origins of gift-giving, the act of exchanging presents is n...

Humans have been collecting things for centuries. During the 1700s and 1800s, aristocrats collected world artifacts, including shells, zoological specimens, and works of art and literature, according to The National Psychologist . Wealthy collectors would then display their pieces—often as a way to also showcase wealth—giving rise to what we now know as museums. Although aristocratic collections were largely a sign of status, the art of collecting things remains deeply engrained in our culture today. Now, collecting is less about an ostentatious display of stature and more about psychology. Whether it be fine art, rare coins, figurines , souvenir spoons, photographs, or baseball cards, the art of collecting serves many purposes in our society today. Sentimental Value Some of us create and build collections to preserve and honor the past. A collection of antique plates or silverware, family photo albums, an old baseball card collection, or an antique train set can a...