Top o’ the Morning and Lá Shona Fhéile Pádraig or Happy St. Patrick’s Day educational travelers! Today, we celebrate one of the most joyous holidays in the calendar…St. Patrick’s Day! Always a cheerful time filled with Irish song, dance, and food, St. Patrick’s Day has long been a cultural and religious celebration. Wondering why it’s […]

Day 12: Merry Christmas! Hello travelers! From all. of us here at EA Tours, we would like to send our warmest wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Christmas is such a wonderful and exciting time of year. The anticipation that comes with this festive time never goes away as we […]

Day 11: The Story of Father Christmas. Happy Christmas Eve! Can you believe that Christmas is one day away? It seems like just yesterday I was starting this special series for you readers. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading and following along with me, but don’t worry because the fun isn’t over yet! Today, I would […]

Day 10: Keep the Yule Log Burning. Christmas is a season for joy and togetherness…laughter…good cheer…light when there is darkness…and warmth. For hundreds of years, people have looked towards light for a sense of comfort. In the northern reaches of Europe, people would burn a yule log to provide a safe and warm atmosphere when […]

Day 9: Traditions of the Season- Christmas Greenery. When the time comes to deck the halls, there is nothing quite like the Christmas greenery that starts to pop up in various shops throughout towns and big cities. An excellent representation of the festive season, Christmas greenery such as holly, ivy, mistletoe, and poinsettias have long […]

Day 8: The Winter Solstice. Today, December 21, marks the start of winter and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Otherwise known as the Winter Solstice. The meaning behind solstice is Latin in origin and is “”sun stand” or “sun stands still” When the sun is at its furthest point from […]

Day 7: Traditions of the Season- Christmas Cards. There’s nothing quite like receiving good old fashion snail mail, and when the holidays roll around snail mail takes the form of the oh so festive and popular Christmas card! From sweet to funny to sentimental and everything in between, Christmas cards have long been a way […]

Day 6: Festive Treats Found at Christmas Markets. I have always believed that one of the most beautiful things about educational travel is that not only do you get to see and learn about historic places and meet new people, but that you get to experience different cultures through their food. During the holiday season, […]

Day 5: The Magic of the Holiday Window Display. The holiday season is a magical time of year; that is heralded in with the welcome sights of over the top and dazzling holiday window displays throughout major department stores and shops. From the glitzy shop windows lining 5th Avenue in New York to the stunning […]

Day 4: The History of the Christmas Tree. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches! For thousands of years, the evergreen fir has long been a Yule time symbol of winter festivals both Pagan and Christian. The Pagans would use the evergreen branches to adorn their homes during the winter solstice, […]