Did our Ancestors Have Chocolate for the Spring Holidays?

This past weekend saw the overlapping of the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter, and most of us celebrated by sharing special holiday meals and treats with our friends and families. Our ancestors likely did the same, but they may have approached their indulging in chocolates in different ways. One of the traditions you probably enjoyed with the children in your family was filling an Easter basket with chocolates or munching on specially prepared chocolate chip coconut macaroons after a Passover meal. Chocolate has always been special and for many reasons, which we will take a look at this week.

Celebrating Valentine's Day, a Very Old Tradition

Happy Valentine’s Day! If you are indulging in flowers, chocolate, and greeting cards to your loved ones today, you are not alone, and it’s quite likely that your ancestors did the very same thing. Many of the traditions of this holiday, including its origins, go back hundreds of years and encompass much of the world. Let’s look at some of the more interesting aspects of celebrating Valentine’s Day.