International Day of Friendship By Sharon Schweitzer The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in [...]
Marine Day in Japan By Sharon Schweitzer Since 2003, Marine Day in Japan has been observed on the third Monday of July. Marine Day is a Japanese national holiday that aims to thank the ocean for its bounty. Considering that Japan is a maritime nation, the country and its people are heavily dependent [...]
Graduation Gift Giving By Sharon Schweitzer May and June are the months of college, high school, nursing, trade school and university commencements. A time filled with exams, finals, papers, and bells ringing freedom. Graduation parties and open houses are common as students celebrate meeting their goals, after years of challenging work, and begin [...]
Global Pay It Forward Day By Sharon Schweitzer If you’ve believed in paying back kindness all your life, allow us to introduce you to a more refined and helpful initiative — paying kindness forward! This day is celebrated in over 80 countries, encouraging us to collectively perform random acts of kindness in a [...]
Intercultural Etiquette Holiday Guide By Sharon Schweitzer While any time is a good time to show your appreciation for someone who regularly makes your life easier and more enjoyable, the holidays traditionally are the time to express your gratitude in the form of cash or a gift. By no means is holiday tipping [...]
National Gratitude Month By Sharon Schweitzer In the words of the famous Roman orator and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero: “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the mother of all the others.”. The ancients knew about gratitude. We know about gratitude today, too. It’s one of the first big lessons we learn [...]
Image credit: RODNAE Productions via Pexel By Sharon Schweitzer Let us help answer your puzzling ponderings about how to be gracious during graduation gift giving season.
Image by Julia Volk on Pexels Regifting occurs when someone gives a gift that was previously given to them by someone else. At its heart, regifting lacks integrity because the original gift recipient is repurposing a gift that was especially chosen just for them – to a different person. In U.S. culture, regifting [...]
Prague castle in the Czech Republic, Hlavní město Praha, CzechiaImage by Julius Silver from Pexels As a frequent business traveler, I seek opportunities to bring thoughtful gifts from Austin when I travel to Central and Eastern Europe. My business counterparts enjoy original Texas products including AustinNuts, Lammes Candies Longhorns, and Texas Map linens. So, how do I [...]
Christmas Market in Jena, Germany by Rene Schwietzke In Germany, Christmas decorations appear before December 1st has arrived! It’s a beautiful scene with the snow covered Straße (streets), colorful lights, Christmas-themed markets and warm treats. Country customs make every nation unique. Enjoy reading about these annual German traditions you won't want to [...]
