Thomasina Sealy
The Hogwarts Unicorn Herd is a sight you will never forget. The glow of the first light of day glistening off the water fall makes rainbows of color all around. The unicorns look as if they were made of pearl. Carefree and pure, they romp over the grounds and through the dark forest. Mothers and their foals share the day with playful innocence and beauty. The stallion guards his mares and children looks strong and proud, galloping over the grounds, keeping a watchful eye out for danger.
A few years ago "you know who," with the help of a servant, murdered and drank the blood of a few of the herd, giving them reason to fear wizards. Now, they are harder to approach than ever. If you can gain their trust it is well worth the effort, for they are beautiful creatures with a playful nature. It is up to all of us to protect them so they can be enjoyed for years to come by future students and staff at Hogwarts.
By Jess Dark Wing
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the native Wampanoag came together for a 3 day harvest feast in what most consider to be the first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving began at some unknown date between September 21 and November 9, but most likely in very early October.
Few people realize that the Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the next year, or any year thereafter. Prior to the mid-1800s, Thanksgiving had nothing to do with the 1621 harvest celebration, Pilgrims or Native People. Thanksgiving started as a traditional New England holiday that celebrated family and community. This tradition began in England and was brought by the Pilgrims to America. It descended from Puritan days of fasting and festive rejoicing. The governor of each colony or state declared a day of thanksgiving each autumn, to give thanks for general blessings. As New Englanders moved west in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, they took their holiday with them. After the harvest, governors across the country proclaimed individual Thanksgivings, and families traveled back to their original homes for family reunions, church services and large meals.
For over 200 years, many Americans were celebrating some version of "Thanksgiving" after the fall harvest but there was no set holiday and it undoubtedly had a wide variety of meanings depending on the heritage and upbringing of each individual.
Thanksgiving became an official holiday in the United States on October 3, 1863 via proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. The proclamation declared the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. By 1916, Thanksgiving was being referred to in writings as Turkey Day due to the popularity of the bird at the traditional feast.
Thanksgiving, in contemporary terms, is an invented tradition. It doesn't originate in any one event but instead it is a compilation of the New England puritan Thanksgiving, which is a religious Thanksgiving, the traditional harvest celebrations of England and New England, and commemoration of the Pilgrims. All of these have been gathered together and transformed into something different from the original parts, but what we now call Thanksgiving.
by Summer Levy
�Each year, a batch of foreign children is invited to spend their all of their teenage years living in the Strawgoh culture. Although they are invited, they must also bring the right items so that they can start to learn and join the Strawgoh.
It begins when the whole group of foreigners arrives to this sacred place. Parents of the children who have been invited to the same place in their teenage years are more likely to allow their child to experience the same.
There is an annual ritual that takes place upon the very moment the new group of children arrives. It starts with a musical performance by an enchanted ancient garment, once owned by one of the honorable masters of the culture. The wise, and true words of this melody introduces to the new children a brief history and a hint about what is to happen next.
In the spotlight, being watched by their seniors of this long journey, each foreign child is called up to determine which legendary name should be added to their native name. This decides which portion of the enchanted establishment the child is to live in for their time here, and it also decides how to personalize the Strawgoh attire they are required to wear. Immediately after this naming ritual, the child is now �one of them� and must join their seniors of the same legendary name at the indicated table. After the main ritual is completed, the master of the Strawgoh declares that all should start devouring the food to end off the annual ceremony.
It appears that the different legendary names that have grouped together the newcomers have also given them a chance to generate bias towards a fellow group who takes a different legendary name than their own.
To get the child to engage in the Strawgoh culture, they are initially forced to attend various hearings. Some where they are immersed in a situation where they must shout threats and dangerous vocal commands that are intended to defend themselves. Others include concocting both evil and good in a single cauldron.
A most popular practice with the Strawgoh takes place various times of the teens� years at Strawgoh. Of each legendary name group, a handful of teenagers are chosen based on skill to participate in this practice. Only two groups participate at a time. Those not chosen or not participating in that particular practice would be invited to observe the ritual in play. They can chant and shout threats at the participants. This ritual is only ended when one player successfully passes all the obstacles to get a precious valuable toy.
Throughout all the years the child is to live in Strawgoh, they have no physical contact with their native family. That is, unless the family member is also on the journey alongside them, or they are reunited with their native family during the holy days and during the mid-year ritual where all the children who are at the Strawgoh establishment are sent back to their native home for a period of time.�
Got any idea what this �culture� is? You should be quite familiar with it� Yep, that�s it, it�s Hogwarts! Reread this if you don�t believe it! It�ll all make sense once you know what it�s talking about
~ Two new contests are coming your way in December - one Monthly & one IHC! Be sure to enter for a chance to win your house some extra points!
~ Be sure to attend our annual Yule Ball being held in the Great Hall! More details coming your way soon so stay tuned to the announcements section of your CR & the BB.
~ Want to hook up with your Hogwarts friends in a live chat environment? Well, now you can! Schedule time to meet in your house chat rooms or, if your friends are in different houses, the Great Hall chat can accommodate all! What are you waiting for? Go mingle!!
~ I am officially designating this month as "Head Boy & Girl Appreciation Month"! Show our Head Boy & Girl how much you appreciate them & all their hard work by posting in a thread on the BB titled "Head Boy & Girl Appreciation Month" in the General Section. The first 15 people to post in the thread will get an extra surprise for Christmas! (Anyone can start the thread as long as you use the title I provided & place it where I stated it should be.)
~ Need an e-mail account for your Hogwarts character but don't have a lot of cash? Then open a FREE PAD's E-Owl account today! Details can be found on the BB.