Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Welsh Valentine's Day), January 25

Today is the feast day for Dwynwen in Wales, who is the patron saint of lovers.

Back in the 5th century she was one of the daughters of King Brychan Brycheiniog who feel in love with a prince named Maelon.  For some reason they were not allowed to marry though they did love each other. Three different versions of why they couldn't marry have survived, I am going with the one most suitable for younger audience and that is the happier of the tales (the other versions are in the links below. The King had already arranged who she was to marry and in despair she ran into the woods.  There she cried to God and asked him to make her forget her love of Maelon. An angle came and gave her a potion that not only made her forget her love for him but also turned Maelon into ice as well as giving her three wishes. With those wishes she asked for Maelon to be unfrozen, for god to watch over lovers and that she would never marry. Those wishes came true; she started a convent and then after she died she becoming the Patron Saint of Lovers. 

Now people celebrate this day in similar fashion to the more popular Valentine's Day.  Some people even go to the ruins of the church attributed to her convent and the well there. There is a fish in the well that legend says will let a women know if her husband is faithful.

So happy Dydd Santes Dwynwen!

Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dydd_Santes_Dwynwen

http://www.squidoo.com/dydd-santes-dwynwen-welsh-valentines-day

http://www.cadwyngifts.com/page.html?id=22

Unification Day, January 24

Today, January 24th is Unification day for Romania. This is the day that back in 1848 two areas (Wallachia and Moldavia) elected the same prince which started the the country that would be today's Romania. 

Traditional dances and speeches of prominent politicians make the day special. 

Bounty Day

The island of Pitcairn celebrates January 23, the day the survivors of the Bounty mutiny landed to set up a life for themselves.  The day is celebrated with a reenactment of the landing with model boats and then the people will walk the path that was followed by the original people.  The Bounty Day is also celebrated on Norfolk Island but on the day the Pitcairners landed there due to not being able to make a sustainable life on the original island, this is done on June 8th.

Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounty_Day
http://www.jasons.com/Norfolk-Island/bounty-day-on-norfolk-island
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Bounty-Day

Act Zluky or Unification Day Ukrainia

Today is the day when Ukrainia celebreates that joining together of the country.

Martin Luther King and Inauguration Day

So I am standing on the Mall in Washington DC waiting to seethe President of the United States be sworn in for his second term. And while it was not intended this way today is MLK day so for the first black president to be sworn in today is kind of amazing. He will also be using MLK's bible during the oath of office.

I would have liked to go to Martin Luther King's memorial but the crowed is just to massive. I did make it there for the first MLK day it was open last year and will have to share photos from then and this trip.