celebrations, family, mothers day

18 Traditional Ideas for What to Do on Mother’s Day This Year

There are many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, from the simple and traditional to the more elaborate and creative. For those looking for an easy, yet heartfelt way to show their appreciation for everything that mothers do for us year after year, here are some simple yet meaningful ideas for what to do on Mother’s ...

Raven Montmorency

Blonde boy holds flowers behind his back to give to his mother.

The Story of Ah Xiu, a Tale of Love and Loss

This is a story like no other, told by Ah Yi about his adopted sister Ah Xiu. He did not know his father, who died in a car accident when he was very young. Ah Yi remembers that when he was 10 years old, his mother took him to the markets where they saw a group of children ...

Emma Lu

Shadow of a cild on a swing.

Why a Woman Is the Feng Shui of the Family

The most profound character in Chinese is “安,” pronounced “aan,” meaning peace. It is comprised of two parts — the top is a roof, and the bottom is a woman, meaning that a home makes her settled, and a home with a woman gives a man peace. When she is kind and decent, she brings happiness and good fortune ...

Emma Lu

A senior woman with hands on hips stands outside a two-story brick house with a smile on her face.

10 Reasons Motherhood Is More Valuable Than Fame and Fortune

When you become a mother, your whole world changes. You are responsible for someone else’s life and welfare. Everything you do now impacts them one way or another. This is why motherhood is greater than fame and fortune. No matter how much money you have or how famous you are, nothing can compare to the ...

Emma Lu

Asian mother and daughter reading a book together while laying on the floor.

‘Jeju’: A Unique Slow Travel Adventure on Brompton Bikes in South Korea

Jeju is a 24-minute travel documentary about one family’s slow travel adventure on a Korean island named Jeju. It’s a bike-packing adventure, friendly enough for the whole family. Along the way, they meet remarkable people and discover the island’s unique landscapes. The film was featured at the Korean Expat and Indie Film Festival and the International Bicycle Film Festival in ...

Jessica Kneipp

A poster for the film 'Jeju.'

4 Uplifting Stories About Family Love, Laughter, and Tears

Every family has cherished memories, a long history, and can recount stories, events, and anecdotes of good times, happy times, and difficulties. 4 insightful family stories from around the world 1. Under the wall A boy was addicted to the Internet at a secondary boarding school. He often snuck out of the school dormitory in ...

Michael Segarty

A family walking on the beach.

Qingming Festival: Chinese Honor Ancestors and Spring

The Qingming Festival is also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day or the Pure Brightness Festival. It falls on April 4, 5, and 6 in the Western calendar. The number “four” is a homophone for the word “death” in Chinese. So double numbers (such as the date 4/4) are usually not considered auspicious. However, April 4 is ...

Jessica Kneipp

The Tang style poem of Qinming by Du Mu.

Teaching Children How to Be Kind to Family Members and Others

As parents, not only are you constantly trying to impart and teach your children core life values and lessons, but you are also teaching them how to be kind, along with the golden rules for good behavior. In providing children with life skills and lessons, the development of emotional intelligence is often overlooked. Children naturally ...

Emma Lu

A mother and daughter packing lunch together.

The Decisive Factors Affecting Longevity

Good health and longevity have been the subjects of many human studies. Elizabeth Blackburn the 2009 Nobel Prize winner in physiology, concluded that it was a balanced mind that helps us live longer. To be able to live for 100 years, one has to maintain a reasonable diet (25 percent), a balanced mind (50 percent), ...

Michael Segarty

A family at the beach.

Reflections From Past Christmas Holidays

Ah, Christmas. It’s a time of joy and cheer, lights and festivities, family and friends. It is, as they say, the most wonderful time of the year. I grew up loving Christmas. My mom always went to great lengths to make the holiday season fun for us kids. Of course, it always seemed like Christmas ...

Tatiana Denning

A Christmas tree ornament.