The White House has released President Obama’s Presidential Proclamation for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

…THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, December 7, 2009, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

Full text of proclamation: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Presidential Proclamation

Did You Know?
Facts, Figures &
Folklore about Chanukah
the Jewish Festival of Lights
Dec 07 : 04 days till Chanukah

Did you know the Chanukah lights are placed from left to right in the chanukiah, but are lit from right to left?

This topic was extensively debated thousands of years ago by the Jewish sages, who ultimately decided on this order of things. Since then, every Jew has lit his or her chanukiah in the same manner.

Did you know that the chanukiah is supposed to be lit at nightfall, except on the Sabbath*, when the candles are lit immediately before sunset so that the Sabbath candles may be lit afterwards?

The Chanukah lights are supposed to remain illuminated for at least thirty minutes after dark. Olive oil was originally used to light the chanukiah, but today many families opt for the less expensive option of brightly colored candles. These special Chanukah candles are designed to burn for 40 minutes.

*This year (2009) the first night of Chanukah falls on the Sabbath.

Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is a celebration of the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. It also commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days. Jewish people mark this eight-day holiday by lighting the menorah, an eight-branched candelabra, and eating foods fried in oil such as potato latkes and jelly donuts. Join us for a new Did You Know? each day as we count down to Chanukah.

Chanukah, Hanukkah, Hanaka — no matter how you spell it — the fun begins at sundown on Friday December 11th.

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Pearl Harbor Day
By Presidential Proclamation, today we honor and remember those who were killed when the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese Air Force on December 07th, 1941. Before September 11th 2001, this was the first and only only attack on US soil.

photo credit: via flickr

You can check out a new holiday video each day right here or check out our Advent Calendar each day.

link: Advent Calendar on the Net