Children are home from schools, families are in town to visit and sometimes you can’t think of something new or different to do. Or maybe you just need to find a place to escape! Look no further than the Library for great ideas during Winter Break!

Below is highlight of the programs available across all Library locations. The Library has a full list of programs and events available during the Winter Break, with offerings for all ages. There’s no way you can be bored with all the learning and exploring you can do! Check your local branch calendar for all activities, or search system-wide and find a new program at a branch in a different area.

(Holiday hours: All Libraries will close on December 23, 2019 at 5 p.m. and are closed December 24, 25 and 26, 2019, reopening on December 27 at 9 a.m. Please check local branches for Sunday hours. On December 31, 2019 all Libraries will close at 5 p.m., are closed on January 1, 2020. All Libraries will reopen on January 2, 2010 with regular hours.)

Adults

Looking for technology help of any kind from learning how to use Microsoft Word to setting up an email account? Or did you receive new devices during the holidays and need help setting them up? The Library offers many Technology Tutoring classes.Times may vary at each location. Click below.

Technogology Tutoring

Saturday, December 28

Main Library 9:30 am  to 10:00 am Click here

University City 10 am to 12 pm  Click here

Beatties Ford Road Library 10 am to 12 pm   Click here

Independence Boulevard (in Spanish) 2 pm to 3 pm  Click here

Monday, December 30, 2019 - Morrison Library 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm  Click here

Healthcare Navigator

Friday, December 27, 2019 9 am to 4 pm. Do you need health insurance? Do you have questions about your coverage? Speak with a Health Insurance Navigator from the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy for help with Marketplace coverage through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Medicare. These appointments are FREE. Individuals interested in scheduling an appointment with a Navigator can do so by calling 1-855-733-3711 or going online to ncnavigator.net.  West Boulevard Library  Click here

Billy Wilder Film Series

Saturday, December 28, 2019 3 pm to 5:30 pm. Join us as we screen and discuss three works from one of Hollywood's most acclaimed directors. The last film in our series is The Lost Weekend (1945). Morrison Library  Click here

Genealogy Discussion Group

Thursday, January 2, 2019 1 pm - 2:30 pm Do you have a family mystery to solve or a favorite relative you would like to learn more about? Join the Matthews Genealogy Discussion Group! You can explore resources in the library, community, and online. Learn how to search, evaluate, organize, and share your discoveries. Newcomers and experienced researchers are welcome! Matthews Library Click here 

Genealogy One-on-One

Thursday, January 2, 2019 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm Learn to trace your roots and family history in an individualized one-on-one session. Learn how to get started and tips for research. University City Library Click here

1-on-1 Adult Reading Support Session

Thursday, January 2, 2019 9 am to  8 pm Increase your reading confidence, fluency and comprehension by reading aloud with a library volunteer/staff member during a 30-minute one-on-one session. Beatties Ford Road Library Click here

Teens

Measure Up Cooking: Cooking on a Budget

Monday, December 23, 2019 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Learn how to source, select and prepare healthy to go foods on a budget. This program will detail helpful tips for teens and first-time college goers living on a budget. Beatties Ford Road Regional, Randolph Room  Click here 

Community Service Project

Saturday, December 28, 2019 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Do you want to help the Library with improving lives and building a stronger community? Join us for a unique service project where you can earn community service hours, while also giving back to the city of Charlotte. Independence Regional   Click here 

Teen Anime Club

Thursday, January 2, 2020 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Participate in a discussion about anime, manga and the Japanese language, history, and culture. University City Regional, Teen Corner  Click here 

Preteens

STEAM 101: Virtual Reality for Preteens

Tuesday, December 31, 2019 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  Experiment and explore new technologies. This session we'll be working with Virtual Reality. North County Regional, Makerspace Room A  Click here 

Children

Winter Festival

December 30, 2019  1 pm to 3 pm  Join us as we celebrate the new season with storytelling, literacy activities, music, treats and more for the entire family to enjoy. Beatties Ford Road  Click here 

New Year's Eve at Noon

December 31, 2019  1 pm – 3 pm. Cheers! Celebrate with the kids during an early New Year’s Eve at noon at several branch locations:

Cornelius   Click here

Morrison  Click here

Myers Park  Click here



Snowflakes

January 2. 2019 1 pm – 2 pm. The beautiful ice crystals we call snowflakes are a magnificent work of art created by nature. Learn all about these unique crystals and the man who photographed them, Snowflake Bentley. Ages 5-11. Mountain Island  Click here

On Saturday, December 14, 2019 from 2:30-3:30 p.m., renowned artist Martha Clippinger will discuss the inspiration behind and the process she used to create "Open Stacks," the new public artwork at North County Regional Library.

The plaque on her artwork reads: "In Open Stacks, two-and three-dimensional elements combine to create a colorful mural reflecting the act of reading. Horizontal planks exist on the wall, like text on a page. Blocks of jewel like colors leap from one plank to another, skipping from left to right and back again. The movement created by these arrangements of colors guide our eyes back and forth across the page. Where the words of a text remained fixed to the paper, our imagination transforms the author's words into visions of our own."

Martha is a Durham-based artist who was born and raised in the textile town of Columbus, Georgia. Her father sold shirts, her grandfather was a quilter and her ancestors were cotton-mill workers. Her rich and creative history led her to become a textile artist.

Most of Martha’s pieces are quilts that take 50-60 hours to create. They consist of highly saturated colors and lighter ones with corduroy, polyester and seersucker textures. Her first quilt, made in 2000, was formed with patches from one of her father's shirts and the patches were evenly cut to make grids.

Martha is no stranger to having her masterpieces put on public display. She’s had exhibits in the Smith Gallery at Appalachian State University, The Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill, the Southampton Arts Center in Southampton, New York, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, Lexington, Kentucky and the Ella Pratt Gallery at the Durham Arts Council.

Martha attended Fordham University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then went on to receive her Master of Fine Arts from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. She has received grants and numerous awards.

In 2013, Martha received a Fulbright-Garcia Robles research grant to complete work in Oaxaca, Mexico. In 2014, she was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters Purchase Award and, in 2017, she received the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant from the Durham Arts Council.

Come out and learn more about Martha and her work on Saturday.

Learn more and register here

Photo courtesy of Chris Hildreth

NOTICE: This blog was updated on October 6, 2021 to reflect that the Robinson-Spanger Carolina Room is currently closed to the public.

October is Family History Month, but the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room offers access to historical and genealogical resources all year long. In celebration of discovering family ties, Carolina Room staff interviewed Sue Abbate, a family history researcher, who used Carolina Room librarians and resources to find her birth parents. 

“It was a major moment in my life. It was like these invisible puzzle pieces finally shifted and started to fit together.”  

Sue (left) with her mother, Terry (right).

How the story begins

Sue was adopted as a newborn by John and Mary Ann through Catholic Social Services. She had a wonderful childhood, growing up in a small town in Arizona, but always had a deep curiosity about her biological parents. She often wondered: Who did she look like? Where did her sense of humor come from? Did she share any of the same mannerisms with someone else? She remembers writing a letter to the adoption agency once when she was in high school, but never sent it. 

Sue’s curiosity intensified as she married and had children of her own. “I couldn’t imagine having my daughter and not taking her home,” Sue explained. "Me and my friends sometimes share birth stories [from each pregnancy], which made me really want to know more about my own birth story.”  With both of her adoptive parents having passed away years ago, Sue felt free to one day see if she could find her birth mom. 

A DNA discovery

In December 2017, Sue’s youngest daughter, Amanda, almost 16, encouraged her to send in a 23andMe DNA test to get more information on their medical history. “We sent our tests in but I didn’t expect anything other than the basic stuff, like our ethnic identities, medical information and other types of results.”  Sue remembers not thinking much about the adoption angle, as it didn’t cross her mind that she might actually find her birth parents. 

Shortly after receiving the results online that March, they were contacted by Dana who said they were related by blood. Sue was excited that they had found a family member only hours after the results had been posted. “We were so surprised that someone reached out to us so quickly. Dana knew we were related, but she didn’t know how.  I was a mystery to her.” According to the DNA, Dana could tell that they were second cousins on Sue’s father’s side. Dana investigated our new relationship that weekend, and determined that her mom’s cousin, Joe, was Sue’s birth father.  Dana shared Sue’s contact information with Joe, who then contacted Sue. “I never thought I would know who my birth dad was. Maybe I would somehow find my birth mom, but not him.”  

Sue and Joe had a long conversation about his life and family. Sue learned that she was one of 10 kids (7 biological and 3 step). Joe had been married three times. Sue also learned that her biological mother’s name is Terry. Joe explained that their relationship hadn’t been serious and that he left to serve in Vietnam shortly after Terry found out she was pregnant. The two of them hadn’t kept in contact. 

But, wait. There's...more  

After getting Terry’s name from Joe, Sue said “I immediately started to search online for her. I even messaged a few people on Facebook with the same last name. I posted online about my excitement about this new chapter in my life.” It was at that moment that the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room’s Senior Librarian, Shelia Bumgarner, became part of Sue’s story:  

“Helping Sue locate her birth Mom, Terry, was one of the biggest highlights of my career. Armed with only a name, location and birth year, I started my search. I remembered that Sue said Terry was Catholic, so when I came across a Catholic High School Annual in Ancestry.com, I immediately clicked on the resource. When I saw the photo of Terry, my jaw dropped-- it was like staring at a young Sue with bigger hair. This finding led me to conduct more genealogical research, tracing Terry’s family back for several generations. I also found Terry’s current phone number and address. I called Sue to share my findings and we were both so happy and close to tears. I am so happy for Sue. It was a perfect ending to hear that she spoke to her birth mother that night. I really felt chuffed for a few days. All of my experience and knowledge had come into play to connect two people separated by time and circumstances.” 

Shelia also found the obituary of Terry’s mother, which mentioned Terry’s children’s names as survivors. “All of a sudden I had a mother and more half-siblings!” Sue excitedly explained. She said she felt “an adrenaline rush and overwhelming excitement, followed by anxiety and a strange mix of emotions.” 

Mamma mia! 

Sue turned to Facebook again to see if she could connect with any of her half-siblings on her mother’s side. She found Rachel and decided to message her for Terry’s number. Sue didn’t tell Rachel who she was— she wanted to keep the matter between her and Terry, in case Rachel didn’t know. Little did she know, Terry had told Rachel, and her son, Matt, about Sue just a few months earlier. When Rachel called Terry to tell her about Sue contacting her, she said “Mom, your other daughter is trying to get in touch with you.” Terry called Sue on the phone that night and Sue remembers being speechless several times. 

Over the course of the next few months, Sue got to meet both Joe and Terry, Rachel and Matt. Connections were made, relationships were started and some questions were answered. Joe and Sue’s older daughter, Emily, share a love of engineering. Joe and Sue have the same sense of humor. Sue learned about family she never thought she would ever meet. Sue immediately felt a strong connection with Terry. 

A meeting between Terry and Sue.

When Shelia found an online photo of Terry from high school, Sue saw an uncanny resemblance to a photo of herself taken at the same age.  When they met, Sue remembers “We had lunch and we kept catching ourselves staring at each other. We are so similar that I know exactly what I’m going to look like when I’m 70.”    

Terry's high school photo (left) and a picture from Sue's passport (right).

When asked what her first moments were like with her biological mother, she replied, “That hug healed me to my core.” Sue explained how she had always felt a sense of holding back to protect herself from the unknown. “I don’t know if I felt abandoned, like other adoptees feel. I knew [Terry] did the best she could by making the most loving choice in giving me up for adoption.”  

Pieces to peace

Sue is over the moon that her biological parents were willing to meet her and answer questions that she’s had her entire life. “Do you start with the now? Do you start with what happened before? How do you navigate? It’s definitely a dance.”   

The adoption agency had a fire that destroyed Sue’s birth records, so the DNA test through 23andMe was her only chance at finding her family. “It was truly life changing. Genealogy is such a great way to learn about history based on your own family’s history.”    

Sue’s greatest hope is to learn more about who she is, where she came from and where these new relationships with her biological family will go. “It’s bizarre and comforting at the same time. It's like we are blood strangers. We share DNA, but what do we talk about?” 

New and emerging family ties.

Sue summarized her journey by speaking to how blessed she felt when Shelia saw her Facebook post. “It moved me how librarians in the Carolina Room were so excited to work with me. Having that support was incredible. It was more than just help. Shelia went above and beyond to help me find the answers, and family, I never thought I’d have.”



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NOTE: The Carolina Room is currently closed to the public as Main Library prepares to close this fall for a total replacement project.  Click here for contact information and available services.

Library Branch Channel Leader and Interim Director of Libraries, Dana Eure, made a guest appearance on WCNC's Charlotte Today on Thursday, December 12, 2019 and shared six of the best titles of 2019.
 

Click here to search titles

Adult fiction
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
A mesmerizing novel about a college town transformed by a strange illness that locks victims in a perpetual sleep and triggers life altering dreams.

Adult nonfiction
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land
A economic-hardship journalist describes the years she worked in low-paying domestic work under wealthy employers, contrasting the privileges of the upper-middle class to the realities of the overworked laborers supporting them.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
"From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world--where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she)."

Teen fiction
Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh
Fifteen-year-old Plum and her older sister Ginny find their relationship tested by family finances, personality differences, and the secrets they are keeping from each other.

Youth fiction
Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlan
Eleven-year-old aspiring writer Louisa considers traveling the world with her globetrotting parents, but friendship with George helps her to see her grandparents' farm on Deer Island in a new light.

Picture Books
Another by Christian Robinson
"A young girl and her cat take an imaginative journey into another world."

NOTE: This blog is the first in a series on the history of winter holidays. This series will also cover Moravian Christmas and Kwanzza. 

 Hanukkah is celebrated from the evening of December 22 to the evening of December 30. Often called the "Festival of Lights," Hanukkah dates to 200 BC when Judah Maccabee led the Maccabees in a successful rebellion against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. According to the Talmud, a late text, the Temple was purified and the wicks of the menorah miraculously burned for eight days even though there was only enough sacred oil for one day's lighting.  

The word Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew, celebrating the rededication of the Holy Temple. During the second century BCE, the people of Israel were forced by their ruler, the Seleucids, to accept Greek beliefs instead of the traditional mitzvah beliefs. The small army of Jews led by Judah the Maccabee eventually drove the Greeks out and reclaimed the Holy Temple and rededicated it to God. The Jews used olive oil to light the Temple’s Holy Menorah after they found one olive oil branch that was in possession of the Greeks. The flame lasted eight days, thus starting the tradition of Hannukah.  

The Menorah is the main symbol of Hanukkah, which holds nine candles. The family chooses their finest menorah to glorify God. There are a few important requirements to light the Menorah: candles must burn for 30 minutes before nightfall, all candles must be the same  height, candles must be lit left to right, and the Shamash candle must be the tallest. Menorahs are placed in front windows or porches when lit. The Shamash (middle candle) is lit while saying the blessing along with an additional candle each night. By the last night of Hanukkah all nine candles are lit.  

Hanukkah instills several important life lessons: to never be afraid to stand up for what’s right, always increase in matters of goodness and Torah observance, a little light goes a long way, take it to the streets, and don’t be ashamed to perform mitzvahs. 

Some traditional foods enjoyed are the potato latke (pancake) garnished with sour cream or applesauce and the jelly-filled sufganya(doughnut). The Hallel prayer is recited after meals to offer praise for God for His miracles, salvations, and wonders.  



Jewish children enjoy the holiday with toys and gifts. The dreidel, a four-sided spinning top, is a popular game. The words num, gimmel,hei and shin are on each side and form an acronym, “nes gadol hayah sham,” that translates to “a great miracle happened here.” It is common for children to receive gifts on each night of Hanukkah. One of the most popular gifts is                       

gelt, which is money that the receiving child often donates to charities. 

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Photos courtesy of: The Chicago Tribune, The Spruce Eats and My Jewish Learning

Citations:  

“How to Light the Haunkah Menorah and Recite The Hanukkah Prayers.” Learnreligions.com. Accessed December 2019. https://www.learnreligions.com/how-to-light-the-chanukah-menorah-2076507  

“What is Hanukkah?” Chabad.org. Accessed December 2019. https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/What-Is-Hanukkah.htm 

Update: While we prepare to close Scaleybark for our move to South Boulevard, the Scaleybark location will reduce services and programs. Starting 9 a.m. Monday January 6, 2020, only HOLDS,  PICKUPS & RETURNS for materials will be available at Scaleybark. If you need Wi-Fi, computers, programs or other services, please visit another nearby branch location including Myers Park, West Boulevard, Main Library or another location here. We apologize for the inconvenience, and look forward to serving you in the new location on South Boulevard.

Scaleybark Library moves to new location with a new name
It’s a new building with a new look. The Scaleybark Library re-opens as South Boulevard Library on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 9 a.m. The new branch is located at 4429 South Boulevard – approximately 0.4 miles south of its former location*.

The branch remains an essential connector in the community. The Library continues to offer services, programs, Wi-Fi and computer use, along with a wide selection of books and audio-visual materials including DVDs, CDs and audiobooks, but the new South Boulevard location offers more space and resources to the growing local community. 

Note: The materials/book drop will stay open at Scaleybark until 9 a.m. Monday, January 13, 2020, when South Boulevard Library officially opens. After that time, it will close permanently and all materials should be returned to the South Boulevard location.

What's new at South Boulevard Library? 
In its brand-new location, South Boulevard Library boasts 18,850 square feet – an increase of 13,350 square feet (nearly 300%) from the old location. South Boulevard includes new spaces for both children and teens, public computers, children’s computers, three self-checkouts, an expanded community room, a dedicated children’s program room, a quiet reading room, five group study rooms, a laptop bar for customers who want to bring their own devices, many collaborative spaces and a vending café. Features include free Wi-Fi, audio-visual capabilities and a public computer lab with 12 computers.

There are two entrances to the branch, one in the front (facing South Boulevard) and one in the back of the building, along with ample parking spots in both locations.

Additionally, South Boulevard customers will be excited to know that the branch’s materials collection has increased by 20%, with the largest growth happening in picture books (50% increase), Young Adult and Teen Collections (45% increase) and World Languages (38% increase).

Library Hours
Starting January 13, 2020, South Boulevard Library begins normal operating hours. The Library is open Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The branch is closed on Sundays. The Scaleybark branch location will close its doors on Saturday, January 11, 2020, after regular business hours and will no longer accept holds or pickups.

Library Holds and Pick-ups
Scaleybark customers with items currently on hold can pick those items up at Scaleybark through January 11, 2020. Those items will seamlessly transition to be available for pick-up at South Boulevard beginning January 13, 2020. Any new holds placed after January 13, should be designated for pick-up at the new South Boulevard location by selecting it from the drop-down in the Library catalog.

Returning books and materials to South Boulevard Library
Customers may return books and materials at designated drop-boxes throughout the Library facility. (Please note after January 13, the old Scaleybark branch location will no longer accept returns.)

Funding for South Boulevard Library
Public funding for the South Boulevard project was approved in 2019 by Mecklenburg County and cost $1.7 million. The project was managed by Mecklenburg County’s Asset and Facility Management Team, the architect was Robert Johnson Architects and the builder/contractor was Shiel Sexton Company, Inc. The South Boulevard relocation is the fourth of several projects for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system; Morrison Regional Library was renovated and re-opened in 2017, North County Regional Library was renovated and re-opened in 2019, and South County Regional Library currently closed for renovations until early 2021.

When’s the celebration?
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a Grand Opening at South Boulevard Library with a ribbon cutting ceremony and lots of activities inside the branch. Watch for dates and times to be announced.

See you at the new South Boulevard Library location soon!

*The Scaleybark branch location will close on Saturday, January 6, 2020, after regular business hours and will only be open for returns and holds during normal business hours through January 11. The materials/book drop will remain open until Monday, January 13 at 9 a.m. and then will close permanently. All materials should be taken to the South Boulevard branch for return after this time.

NOTE: This blog is the second in a series on the history of winter holidays. Hanukkah was covered in this series and Kwanzaa comes next. Stay tuned!

Before there was Winston-Salem, there were two distinctive towns-- Winston and Salem. Salem was established by the Moravians in 1766. The Moravians were a Protestant church that began in what is now known as the Czech Republic. During the colonial period, Salem became a central trading center in North Carolina’s backcountry. Today, visitors continue to visit “Old Salem” which retains its early charms.  

Several Moravian traditions are incorporated in how we celebrate winter holidays in North Carolina. The delicious Moravian sugar cookies that we enjoy are now more available than ever and are particularly popular during the holidays. Many Moravian churches throughout the state hosts a colonial tea. The Moravians further celebrate on Christmas Eve with a traditional Love Feast, which dates back to the 1700s. Tapered, beeswax candles wrapped in red ribbons are lit then distributed to everyone present including the children. Hymns are sung and it all ends with the eating of sweet buns served with milky coffee or tea.  

In many homes throughout North Carolina, you will find a Moravian Star decorating the home. This 28-point star became popular in Germany and eventually in America and Europe where there are Moravian congregations. In Germany, they are known as Herrnhut stars, named after the Moravian Mother Community in Saxony, Germany, where they were first commercially produced. 



To learn more about Moravian Christmas, visit the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room on the third floor of Main Library.

Photo courtesy of Our State Magazine 

NOTE: This blog is the third and final in a series on the history of winter holidays. We've covered Hanukkah,  Moravian Christmas and now Kwanzaa.

What is your favorite memory from celebrating Kwanzaa?  

Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26-January 1. The celebration was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University-Long Beach, in 1966 to celebrate the African culture and the African harvest.  

After the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles and a series of police clashes, Karenga formed a discussion group called “The Circle” to spread awareness of issues that plagued the Black community. He felt that the black community didn’t have a holiday that they could identify with, so he created one. 

Courtesy of SporcleBlog 

Kwanzaa is a Pan-African cultural holiday, uniting people of African descent all over the world. Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits.” 

There are seven candles to represent each pillar of Kwanzaa:  

• Unity (Umoja) 

• Self-determination (Kujichaguila) 

• Collective work and responsibility (Ujima) 

• Cooperative economics (Ujamaa) 

• Purpose (Nia) 

• Creativity (Kuumba) 

• Faith (Imani)

Unity means doing everything together as a family, community, nation and race. Self-determination is defining, naming, creating and speaking for themselves as a nation. Collective work and responsibility mean solving family problems together. Cooperative economics is to profit from businesses together. Purpose is restoring people and their community to greatness. Creativity is to do everything possible to make their communities more beautiful than it was when it was inherited. Faith is believing in the community and the victory of their struggle. 

Courtesy of History.com 

There are also seven symbols of Kwanzaa:  

• Woven mat (Mkeka) 

• Candleholder (Kinara) 

• Seven candles (Mishumaa saba) 

• Unity cup (Kikombe cha umoja) 

• Ear of corn (Vibunzi) 

• Bowl of fruits and vegetables (Mazao) 

• Gifts for children (Zawadi).  

African culture, history, foundation, identities and aspirations are demonstrated by the woven mat. During Kwanzaa, reflections on the past and how it benefits the future are made. The mats were made from straw, African mud cloth, and other African textiles. This is the foundational symbol upon which the other symbols are placed. 

Ancestry is honored through the candleholder, standing tall as the original stalk from which African ancestors came. Sun and light are depicted by the seven candles (3 red, 3 green, 1 black). The red candles stand for Kujichaguila (self-determination), Ujimaa (cooperative economics), and Kuumba (creativity); the green candles stand for Nia (purpose), Ujima (collective work and responsibility and Imani (faith); the black candle stands for Umoja (unity). Each night, one candle is lit, and the purposes are reflected upon.  

Courtesy of Antioch Baptist Church 

The unity cup celebrates the ritual that takes place on the sixth day of Kwanzaa (tambitko). During this ritual, each person takes a sip of a libation (a drink made of juice, wine or water). The eldest person in the room blesses the cup, holds the libation to the four winds (north, south, east, and west) to bless their ancestors, pours some on the floor and says "Amen." The elder will always drink the last drops of the libation. 

One ear of corn is given to each family to represent the children. It signifies the lessons in discipline, positive thinking, expectations, compassion and self-direction the child is expected to carry forward to future generations. In families without children, an ear of corn is given to support the children of the community.  

Fruits and vegetables depict the African harvest festival, reaffirming the commitment to the unity, thanksgiving, joy and sharing of the work put into planning all economic parts of the community. Laws, values and customs recognize those that fed the community and the animals. 

Courtesy of the Long Beach Post 

Joy, family and thanksgiving are the meaning behind the fruit basket. The baskets of fruit also demonstrate the farmers’ sacrifice and collective labor to reaffirm commitment and responsibility to the community.  

Throughout Kwanzaa, gifts are given to children in order to promote self-determination, purpose and creativity. These are normally handmade to avoid the chaos of the Christmas shoppers. Examples of gifts include dolls, mats or cards. You become part of the family when you accept a gift, and it is that person’s responsibility to continue the gift giving if they are the host.  

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“Kwanzaa.” History.com. Accessed December 2019. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/kwanzaa-history 

Watson, Stephanie. “The History of Kwanzaa.” HowStuffWorks. Accessed December 2019. https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/kwanzaa2.htm. 

This holiday season, many people will give the gift of genetic ethnicity tests. During the last few years, the popularity of consumer DNA tests like AncestryDNA and 23andMe has noticeably soared. As of early 2019, MIT Technology Review estimated that more than 26 million people had taken an at-home ancestry test. Continuing at that rate, they estimate that the number could grow to more than 100 million people within 24 months.



As additional people submit their DNA to these test providers, existing customers may find their test results evolving. In fact, the top-selling test, AncestryDNA, recently announced to customers that their test results have been updated. Ancestry calls it their “most precise breakdown yet.” This is not the first time that results have been updated, and updates will continue to happen periodically as more people take the test (at no additional charge to the customer). So, why exactly do these updates happen and how do they impact your ethnicity estimate? 

Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com 

Though they are always adding new features, AncestryDNA test results are primarily made up of an ethnicity estimate and DNA matches. When calculating ethnicity estimates, customers’ DNA is compared to a reference panel comprised of DNA samples from people with long family histories in a single region or group. Test takers’ DNA segments are assigned to the population in the reference panel that they are most similar to.

With each update, customers may find that their ethnicity estimates change—sometimes quite drastically. In some cases, your percentages from a specific region may differ from those in previous estimates, or new regions may suddenly appear. Some regions, especially those with low percentages, may disappear from your ethnicity estimate entirely. According to Ancestry, more samples allow them to do two things: divide the world into more regions and create a more precise picture of what the DNA “fingerprint” from those specific regions looks like. With the latest update, the more closely related ethnicities have been better resolved and the ethnicity estimates have been split into smaller, more defined regions. Simply put—your DNA has not changed, but as the data pool has grown, your results have evidently become more precise.  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers free access to Ancestry.com Library Edition in all library branches. Here in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, where we specialize in local history and genealogy, we often get questions from patrons about deciphering their genetic ethnicity test results. If you have any specific questions about AncestryDNA or genealogy in general, feel free to contact us. We can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (704) 416-0150. Our staff is always happy to offer guidance! 

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The feature photo of the Ancestry DNA test kits accompanying this article is from SmarterHobby.com.

Countries around the world celebrated the new year at different times based on the calendar they chose to follow. The first of the year would align based on an astrological or agricultural event, which explains the difference in calendars. For Egyptians, it was after the Nile River flooded. In China, it was after the second new moon.



The earliest recorded new year’s celebration occurred in March (on the Gregorian calendar) about 4,000 years ago in Babylon, in an ancient Mesopotamian city located in what is present-day Iraq. Babylonians observed Akitu (derived from the Sumerian word for barley) to celebrate the new year with an 11-day religious festival. This festival allowed them to practice rituals, elect a new ruler or approve the continuation of the current ruler and celebrate the victory of the sky god, Marduk, over the sea goddess, Tiamat. (Right photo: Chinese New Year Mongkol Chuewong/Getty)                                              



What we know as a 365-day year used to be much shorter. Romulus, the founder of Rome and ruler in the 8^th century BC, created and enforced a 10-month calendar with 304 days. A later Roman ruler, Numa Pompilius, added the two months of Januarius and Februarius, but the calendar eventually fell out of sync with the sun.

Julius Caesar ultimately created the Julian calendar, which is closely related to the Gregorian calendar the world uses today. Caesar is credited with choosing January 1 as the first day of the year to honor the month’s namesake, Janus, the god of beginnings. Janus was believed to be a two-faced god who could look behind into the past and forward into the future.

Today, the world continues to celebrate the new year in a variety of festive (and delicious) ways. In Spain, a dozen grapes are hung right before midnight to symbolize hope in the months ahead. Financial success is symbolized by eating legumes and lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. In Cuba, Austria and Hungary, pork is eaten to represent progress and prosperity. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries are eaten in the Netherlands, Mexico and Greece to show how the year has come full circle. Good luck and fortune are represented in Sweden and Norway by a hidden nut in rice pudding. (Left photo: NYE Copenhagen, dailyscandinavian.com)

It is encouraging to know that for at least 4,000 years, the new year has always been perceived as a fresh start with hope, joy and pending success.

What are some of your New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traditions?

Times Square Seth Wenig/AP

This blog was updated December 31, 2020.

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Citations:

“New Year’s.” History.com. Accessed December 2019. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years