nextgen_holiday:

It was a perfect Southern California day. The sun was warm and bright and the water was nice and cool. Traditionally the large bbq pit would be fired up and food slow cooked over it all day, but today the Defenders went for something different. Two very large grills were carried down to the beach along with tables and all of the food. The Defenders' Labor Day celebration would be a beach party.

The volleyball net was strung up and the surf board were carried down. Two brand new jetskis were also purchased and taken down to the beach.

Massive amounts of food were prepared to satisfy godly appetites. A whole pig was set up over a pit and put on a spit, burgers, hot dogs, sausage, barbecued ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

It was a day of rest and relaxations for those who put their lives on the line for others.

nextgen_holiday:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 8th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At the Avengers' Mansion in NYC Jarvis and some helpers he managed to rope into helping with the preparations were busy getting the food ready. Tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up to get nice and hot. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

To help get to know each other the Thunderbolts received an invitation to attend.

It was a day of rest and relaxations for those who put their lives on the line for others.

nextgen_holiday:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 7th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

It was a day of rest and relaxations for those who put their lives on the line for others.

nextgen_holiday:

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Across the great nation of the United States of America people everywhere celebrate the freedoms that they enjoy, the history, government, and traditions of the United States with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events.

nextgen_holiday:

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

nextgen_holiday:

On the last Monday in May the country pauses to mourn its war dead, the spirit of redemptive sacrifice is extolled and pledges to American ideals are renewed. Flags are placed on soldiers' graves and those who sacrificed their lives for their country are remembered.

The holiday first began in the 1860s to honor the Civil War dead and took place near the day of reunification after the war, it has since come to encompass all war dead. People observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time and another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at National Cemeteries. The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol where music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

Families and friends come together for barbecues and cookouts. Kids rejoice at the opening of pools and knowing that summer has begun and school is ending.

nextgen_holiday:

Mothers are the place that we call home.
On them we rest our heads and close our eyes.
There's no one else who grants the same soft peace,
Happiness, contentment, sweet release,
Erasing nighttime tears with lullabies,
Restoring the bright sun that makes us bloom. - Anonymous

nextgen_holiday:

April 1st is celebrated around the world as a day for pranks and tom foolery. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible.

This April Fool's is no exception.

team_mascot:

Valentine's Day was one of Zoey's favorite holidays (after Christmas of course) and she had sent the week making Valentines for the Defenders, the Avengers and for the Fantastic Four. Red and pink construction paper along with lace were turned into fancy hearts.

She made a special one for Scotty and had mailed it to him along with a box of her favorite candy. Reeses Pieces of course. Though in pink and red of course. The others were mailed to the respective recipient along with Scotty's. Mom was taking her out today and they would have lunch and do a little shopping. Mom even promised to take her to the Disney Store.

dorthyjames:


It was a bitter day for Dorthy, just plain bitter. When she was little, her father would always come home from work with two dozen roses. Red for her mother, and pink for her. But now she was alone at Xavier's, on a day when everybody had somebody, and she had nobody. So instead of going downstairs and dealing with all the lovey dovey stuff, Dorthy grabbed her old copy of Pride and Prejudiceand began to read.

dream_catcher:

Lucas doesn't have anything by way of money, but he's got other preparations in place. He's once again made arrangements to take the van, and has plenty of food made, including both the oat cakes and some things Danielle should try. And this time, its not just Danielle along as an extra wheel. While the food and park were planned around them, most of the singles from the school with no Valentine's Day plans are invited along for a picnic, including guaranteed nice weather, despite the season, and a scavenger hunt - teams of two only. While he's judging, even he doesn't know where the items are - he's had nature spirits of various sorts hiding them in tricky, but possible to access places all week.

cosmic_son:

Having found a pretty good mix of spoiling and privacy, and having a place to get both in abundance, Iason sends an invitation to Eliza to join him in Vegas for the holiday weekend - he can provide the flight, of course. Arrangements have already been made, and they shouldn't even need to leave the room if she doesn't want to.

strongbox:

Jordan has helped provide the means for everyone else's Valentine's Day - dinner for Mason and Marrina, private picnic for Mel and Alex, and exclusive dinner reservations for their new leadership couple.

Emily, when she next goes into her room, will find a note taped to her computer instructing her to be ready for a night out, and to dress nice. If she doesn't have anything nice, she's to let him know and arrangements will be made.

tooth_n_claw:

Alex and Mel weren't quite a couple, so Alex had been really unsure of what to do for Valentine's Day. He wanted to get her something because he did appreciate her (not to mention the really big crush he had on her) and had spent quite a bit of time searching for something that she would like, but wasn't too big. Eventually he found the perfect thing for her. He thought about taking her out, but he had to be honest with himself, they were both sort of uncomfortable out in public.

It came in a small box and when it arrived, he added a small bow to it. That along with a box of chocolates were left on her pillow.

After delivering the gift, he passed out on the couch in the rec room. He had been practicing with his human form and it took its toll on him.

marlow:

Marlow had never celebrated Valentine's Day. She knew about it and why, but it didn't really register. There was extra chocolate around in brightly wrapped foils, and heart shaped cookies available in the kitchen, but given how much the compound residents ate every day the extra goodies didn't last long enough to give her a clue they were for a reason other than the usual one.

She thought the valentine Zoey gave her was lovely and told the little girl so. It was on the mirror in her bedroom along with the Christmas card Zoey had given her. In return, she drew on Zoey's cheek with her fingertip and bit of magic to give her a sparkly red heart that would fade within a few hours.

got_the_touch:

So... yeah, okay. They'd still never had time to address the whole dating versus boyfriend/girlfriend issue yet, but Mason was content to let that wait a little longer. He'd never dated before.

But it was Valentine's Day, so the girl gets romance. That's just how it goes. He'd tried calling Dad to get some advice, but Mom had wrestled the phone away from him to stop him talking, and before he could build a new one, told Mason just to be himself. Which didn't help at all. So, he'd set to work on his own.

He'd automatically decided that something handmade was best. Of course he'd cashed in one of the vouchers from Jordie to set up dinner reservations, after some careful prodding in conversation to figure out what kind of food suited Marrina best, but he wanted do something on top of that. Money was money, and could buy very nice things, but he wanted to show the effort himself.

He'd torn apart a greeting card that played music, "Just what I Needed", to extract the audio component, and inserted it into one he made himself. Well, that was after a dozen or so papercuts and a lot of aborted attempts. (He wished he could reconstitute paper products, but his powers still didn't seem to be able to crack the organic/inorganic barrier. Oh well, that's what recycling bins were for.) It was a rather nice, if simple, card (he can't draw), brightly colored with a mosaic heart of various bits of construction paper glued on the front and with a brief note inside.

Marrina,

You are a very sweet, strong, and intelligent member of the team, and much more attractive and awesome than I ever expected anyone willing to go out with me would be.

XOXO
Mason

P.S. I'd like you even if you weren't a princess or a superhero.

He came within a hair of putting in 'Love, Mason', but chickened out just a little. He doesn't want to be too aggressive.

The homemade chocolate had come out well, according to the test pieces he'd sectioned off from the main assortment. Only a few burns, and no major kitchen disasters.

Finally, the 'hard' gift. A metal jewelry box lined with velvet (okay, so he couldn't make the velvet himself, he had to cut up some from a fabric shop). He'd used acid etching to decorate the surface of it, and again came out with only a couple minor burns, and scratches from the edges before he got them smoothed out. Now granted, his mutant powers made handmaking the jewelry box a little less of an undertaking than it would be otherwise, but he was quite pleased with how it came out. Inside the box were a pair of spiral shell earrings he'd plated with metal.

And so, he knocks at Marrina's door at the appointed time, dressed in the nicest jacket he has, arms full of his efforts, hands partially bandaged, and ready to take her out to dinner.

quitethecharmer:

Vincent had let Andrea know to dress up however nicely she chose, as he had special plans for them for Valentine's Day. He'd been dropping various hints about what he had in mind, but they were all seemingly unrelated items.

Unable to forgo the classics however, he tapped at Andrea's door, appreciating once again that she was in the room adjacent to his own, with a miniature potted rosebush (cutting flowers just for the sake of sticking them in a vase always seemed wasteful), and a box of her favorite chocolates.

borntolead:

As he did every year, whether he had a girlfriend or not, Charlie bought a little something for each of the Avenger girls for Valentine's Day. Nothing too big (he didn't want to deal with angry boyfriends, after all), just a singular rose and a small box of chocolates for each girl.

A smile on his face, Charlie made his way around Avenger's mansion to deliver each girl her gift.

notinplainsight:

Valentine's Day had arrived and Kal had made plans. She had spent a lot of time away from New York recently and knew she had to do something special for Valentine's Day with Jack. Family demands were high, but she wasn't going to ignore Jack because of her crazy family. Crazy was an appropriate term for them.

She packed a picnic lunch and included all of Jack's favorites. Including a few bottles of wine. Once she was ready, she flew over to Jack's and landed on the fire escape. Kal knocked on the window.

next_avenger:

Living with three women, especially the women in his family, for over a year had taught James quite a few things about women and what they liked. Valentine's Day had come and James had to do something for Valeria. He did wish that Anya was around to ask for her advice, but he'd muddle through somehow.

He didn't have the Stark name to throw around to get into nice places, but he did know someone who could hook him up. A week ago he had wandered into Stark Inc and talked to Pepper. Pepper could make the arrangements James needed and also give him advice. James was not afraid to admit that he was clueless when it came to these types of things.

With Pepper's help, plans had been made and the day had finally arrived.

James put on a suit, bought flowers (daisies, not roses) and showed up at the Baxter Building.

sammyfury:

Everything Sammy knew about Valentine’s Day romance she learned from Nick. Flowers and candy. A really nice piece of jewelry. Reservations to Mom’s favorite restaurant. A late night slow dance on the terrace under the stars. Sneaking upstairs past the kid’s room and closing the door to the parents’ room. If she’d been dating a girl, she would’ve known exactly what to do, minus the kid part.

That Valentine’s Day was just around the corner didn’t really register with her. It wasn’t a holiday that she’d ever been involved with other than grade school card exchanges and ‘helping’ Dad pick out a gift for Mom. Also, she was distracted by a second request from Brendon Hill and this time he had a carrot to dangling in front of her. He would help her track down the escaped Zodiac members. Clearly she needed to talk to someone. This was what boyfriends were for, right?

sydney_ashcroft:

The week had been a series of ups and downs, twists and turns, and quite frankly Syd wanted off the roller coaster ride. At least for a little while. Avery showing up was definitely a twist. She wasn't sure it would turn into a down or an up at the moment, but her money was on a down. Time would tell.

An up was a naked man falling out of the sky. While Quinn had definitely made things around the compound more interesting, he was eye candy at best. Still. she'd take the eye candy.

Today was Valentine's Day, and while she normally spent it with Zoey, Sydney actually had plans. She was to meet Michael at the museum today and she welcomed the break from the insanity that had become her life. It would help her get her mind off of Avery and his sudden appearance back in her life.

She put on nice clothes, slacks and a blouse, did her hair and put on some makeup. It didn't take her too long to get to the museum and she had arrived a few moments early.

stone_bear:

The information from Anya had been most helpful. He's had to go through channels, but with the Defenders' connections it hasn't been a problem. He's sent invitations to two of his favorite women he's met on Midgard: Chris Grant-Pym and Vernique Denning, asking them to join him for Valentine's Day, if they're free. No, he hasn't checked with anyone on the propriety of asking them both.

aerosmithette:

Once again, Akilah was easily found with her nose in some information.  This time, however, she was sitting at a computer with various tabs open about Valentines Day.  She'd heard about the occassion from the rest of the Avengers she'd been listening to.  It was something she'd never been familiar with, but it interested her greatly.

son_of_hercules:

Unlike his Asgardian former companions, the Son of Hercules possessed at least some familiarity with the mortal world and its customs.  One of which, he understood, was the day devoted to Saint Valentine.  A day for celebrating love and companionship!  A day for people coming together everywhere!

A day when single women congregated to drown their sorrows over being single.  A day where a handsome young demigod could easily swoop in and sweep them off their feet.  Which, in turn, would lead to a night of many, many delights.

He was showered, he was combed, and he was dressed.  His was a face that would turn the heads of countless mortal women, with a body that did not lag far behind at all.

All he had to do was leave.

nextgen_holiday:

There were traditions around the holidays and then there were traditions. One such tradition on New Year's Day was a snowball fight at Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning. Each New Year's Day the students and faculty gathered on the front lawn and participated in a snowball fight. Snow was never a problem with the resident weather goddess and in later years hydrokinetics.

A fresh blanket of snow covered the ground thanks to Mother Nature.

High noon struck and the snowball fight was officially under way.

nextgen_holiday:

The beginning of a New Year, a time for new hopes, new experiences to come. A time to reflect on times past, remembering fond memories happily and trying to put less pleasant thoughts and experiences in the past.

It is a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. And for much of the world, it is a time of celebration. This is no less true for the super hero set as anyone else. If anything, they just have that much bigger of things to look forward to.

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

1407 Graymalkin Lane is well decorated, and snow covers the grounds. A massive tree stands in the mansion's living room, and ribbons or pine line stairwells or the walls. As for the X-Men themselves...

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

Alpha Flight headquarters are fairly drab, but some lighting and decorations have been hung, and a tree sits in the common area. As for the team themselves...

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill, even in Los Angeles, arguably the most superficial city in the country.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

The Defenders Manor has been decked out with lights, as has most of the grounds. Ohu has made hanging lighting a top priority, and every tree on the grounds -- including the palm trees -- is well lit with multi-colored lights. Despite the warm location, Ohu has made sure that there's plenty of snow on the grounds, too, with a bit of magic. As for the gods themselves, and their mortal keepers...

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill, even in New York City, arguably the most skeptical city in the country.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

The Baxter Building is too large to have lights hung from it like most residences, but some festive lighting has been arranged. A light, slowly alternating between red then green, shine up the sides of the building. And on the top floor, where the Fantastic Four reside...

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill, even in New York City, arguably the most skeptical city in the country.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

The Avengers mansion is decorated in lights, made all the more beautiful by the snow capping the roof and lying on the ground. As for the Avengers themselves...

nextgen_holiday:

The grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57 East 57th street was festively decorated for the holidays. A series of lit candles on every table gave off warm light and the dulcet tones of a jazz ensemble filled the room.

People, the upper elite of New York society, Hollywood celebrities, musicians, politicians and New York’s own superheroes moved around the room. People sat at tables and talked, while some moved gracefully around the large dance floor.

Tables loaded with unwrapped and unopened toys lined one wall and at one end stood a very large decorated Christmas tree. Wrapped presents sat under the tree, but they were just empty boxes wrapped for decoration. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling near the tree and people stopped to kiss.

The air was light and the mood happy and festive.

nextgen_misc:

You are cordially invited to attend the 26th annual Maria Stark Foundation's Winter Charity event.

Four Seasons Hotel
57 East 57th Street
New York, NY 10022

Saturday December 19th
Seven O'clock pm - Midnight

Formal dress required.

Please bring a donation for Toys for Tots.

nextgen_holiday:

“We need to be more grateful. I think there is no true character without gratitude. It is one of the marks of a real strong character to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in the church, everywhere. It doesn't cost anything, and it is so easy to cultivate.” - Ezra Taft Benson

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.

nextgen_deviant:

The town of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada had a population that was close to 5500. It wasn’t a big town in terms of towns, but it had a long history and was in a good location. It sat in Conception Bay protected from the harsh winter storms and not far from St. Johns the capital of the island allowing the town to be a hub for transportation and distribution for the island.

It was Halloween and the residents were celebrating. The children were dressed up and trick-or-treating and some adults were dressed up as well. Some adults dressed up as things from pop culture and some a ghoulish fiends. It was a night of fun for everyone.

Along the shore in the bay a more sinister thing was happening. Dark misshapen figures crawled out of the water and crawled ashore. These were creatures of nightmares and they weren’t costumes. The Deviants, with a few priests, started walking toward the town.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

In New York every Halloween a charity masquerade ball was held. The proceeds benefited local charities that helped those who were more unfortunate than others.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

In Los Angeles and Hollywood it could be said that every day was like Halloween. People were always dressed up and most were costumes. On Halloween just about everyone dressed up, not just the normal ones.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

The streets of New York saw children and adults dressed up in costumes and moving about.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

Xavier's mansion was decorated appropriately to celebrate the holiday. Spiderwebs (fake of course), jack-o-lanterns, ghoulish dummies of witches, mummies, vampires and other images right out of horror movies were strategically placed. Artificial smoke floated inches above the floor and swirled around objects and legs. There would be very few trick-or-treaters because of the relatively remote location of the mansion, but it didn't stop the inhabitants from celebrating.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

The Avengers' mansion was decorated appropriately to celebrate the holiday. Spiderwebs (fake of course), jack-o-lanterns, ghoulish dummies of witches, mummies, vampires and other images right out of horror movies were strategically placed. Artificial smoke floated inches above the floor and swirled around objects and legs. The front stoop was well lit inviting trick-or-treaters.

_tsunami_:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 8th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

Cait had even gone as far as going into the woods yesterday and made some garum. It was a surprise for her brother, the twerp liked the stuff, and making it near the mansion was not an option. It was currently in a small container on the table.

She stood on the edge of the pool and made different water sculptures unpon request. Yes, once and awhile a sphere of water would "just happen" to get out of her control and soak someone.

cosmic_son:

Not needing to sleep is definitely a benefit in preparing for an event of this size. The tables have been laid out on the lawns since last night, the chicken has been marinating, the burgers and brats are laid out, and the giant multi-section grill is all laid out. But his real work has been on the ribs. His latest experiment in building on his culinary hobby, he started them with a black pepper and cajun spice rub, moved on to homemade bbq sauce of hot and sweet pepper mix, and has been slow cooking the ribs most of the night.

All is about ready as the time arrives for people to start arriving, and Jarvis and his helpers have most of the tables set and the salads, condiments and party trays laid out. Informed of the time, Iason starts laying out the rest of the meat in segregated sections, readying to serve the first arrivals.

nextgen_misc:

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Across the great nation of the United States of America people everywhere celebrate the freedoms that they enjoy, the history, government, and traditions of the United States with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events.

nextgen_misc:

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." Clarence Budington Kelland

"It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father." - Pope John XXIII

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers and fathering is a very important stage in their development." ~ David Gottesman