Can you hear jingle bells? That’s right, the holiday season is right around the corner. But do you know what’s even closer? Pre-holiday B2B trade fairs. It means great networking, commercial opportunities, and of course, new contracts. The right preparation helps you make sure that such fairs are stress-free. Drawing on XX of our experience, we’ve created a checklist to make sure your expo is rewarding.  

GETTING READY

1. Seeing is not only believing, but also learning. Before throwing yourself into the preparation, it’s best to visit such an expo at least once. This allows you to see what the procedures are, what kinds of placements there can be, and decide what products/services you’ll pitch to your potential clients.
2. Define your objectives. They should be clear, short term and achievable. For example, meeting with existing partners, scheduling appointments with potential customers, gaining feedback on your product, etc. It’s important to understand why you’re using a B2B expo as a tool and what you expect to receive from it. A clear aim helps outline steps for achieving it and what you should focus on. 
3. Get ready for objectives realization. If your key purpose is to attract potential partners, you need to determine your client’s profile, work on the contact base, initiate the conversation next to your stand, and prepare test samples of your products. Also, be ready to provide the necessary information: prices, confirmation of orders forms, calculations of the logistic expenses to the key cities, etc. 
4. Building a team that carries out all the tasks during the expo.  You need to gather the right people able to meet the goals of the expo. If your main objective is to conquer new markets, then competent managers are who you should be looking for. They’ll be in charge of showcasing the product, discussing pricing and details of the partnership. If you visit an exhibition to launch a product or a set of products, then you’ll work closely with the marketing department.
   Don’t forget about the language barrier. Here you will need either translators or native speakers. Of course, English is a must everywhere, but it’s highly advisable to have some French speakers on an expo in France.
5. Technical preparation. Assembling the stand is yet another challenge. Depending on the tasks and your stand, you need to prepare a list of products, equipment, promotional leaflets, etc. Try to plan everything down to every last detail. That’s right, you’ll even need to think about the number of pens and staples with braces. 
6. Registration and participation fee. Each exhibition has its own rules, but more and more expo organizers offer you an online account. Here you’ll need to sign up and submit all your company’s information. Also, you keep in touch with the managers. They will introduce you to the details of the expo, prompt you which options are available, and send you the invoice to pay the participation fee. 
7. Assigning roles. Getting ready for the expo is laborious. That’s why you’ll need not only the people that will be taking part in the event but also you’ll need a team that will help you prepare. You’ll need R&D to help you with the visuals. The production department will take care of printing promo materials, catalogs, etc. Logistics managers will arrange the delivery of the stand. The sales team will be inviting partners to visit the stand. And, of course, you’ll need to work closely with the CEO for they will define the key goals for the event. 
8. Timing. As with every project, setting and keeping timing is crucially important. Not meeting the deadlines means poor-quality preparation for the exhibition. A schedule must be planned and monitored very carefully.

EXHIBITION

1. Setting up. Usually, the construction of a stand begins 3 days before the start of the event. During this time, you need to fully assemble and equip your stand. Here’s a tip for beginners: construction and furniture stores are a go-to solution for arranging furniture and stand decor. For example, Leroy Merlin and Ikea can always help you out and won’t ruin your budget.
2. The appearance of the stand. Your stand should be presented accordingly to the brand book of the company. Make sure you don’t change it dramatically from exhibition to exhibition. After all, visitors will remember you, so help them recognize you at the following exhibitions. Make sure that all products are easy to access and their purpose and design are easy to understand without help.
3. The appearance of the exhibitors. There are no definitive guidelines on how a stand-presenter should look. However, keep in mind what products you present and who your customer is when choosing the outfit.
4. Communication with prospects. It is important to be “easy-going” and “understanding”. Don’t overload visitors with information. There’s an effective formula to follow when talking to prospects:
   30% of basic information about the company and the product + 70% of individual information for the client.
   For example, if you’re talking to a distributor, assure them of the ability to ship large volumes and discuss a joint vision of market development. On the other hand, when talking to owners of small shops, you’ll need arguments in favor of the convenience of delivery, payment, display of products, the availability of any product sample, etc.
5. Building the contact base. Here’s the main rule: ask for a business card everyone you talk to. If a visitor does not have one, offer them your form for recording contacts. Many exhibition organizers offer to use the application for scanning badges and reading contact information. It’s really convenient, don’t shy away from using it.
6. Comment on business cards. Make a short note on each business card. During the exhibition, you will communicate with hundreds of visitors.  Naturally, after some time it will be difficult to remember what you were discussing with each prospect.
   Here’s what is important to write down: type of cooperation(distributor/store/ ind.-request), what products or conditions they liked, and some key takeaways form your conversation. This will help you a lot when you talk to the client in the future.
7. Networking. Even exhibitors like yourself can become your partners or customers. Some may introduce you to the large network buyer that you were aiming at for so long. Others might advise a local carrier or become interested in distributing your goods. Make friends with the fellow-exhibitors.

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What Is Summer Bucket List?

Summer is not just about eating ice cream, hanging out with your family and friends, or going to barbeques. It can be so much more super-bright and eventful if you do a little bit of arrangements in advance, and here’s where you desperately need your new bucket list. It’s easy to complete and it will help you to arrange your plans. Simply put, it is a list of things to do in the summer that you can either put on your wall, phone, tablet or laptop to have a two-click access to any time. It’s your personal guide to wonderful time and making your dreams come true.

Top Bucket List Ideas for Summer 2018

Write down things you loved about this period of the year when you were kids. Eating ice cream, drinking fresh lemonade, swimming in water, just putting on sandals and shorts, hiking, reading etc. Brainstorm ideas, add things you never did before, start your summer checklist. You see now that the variety of things to do over the summer is huge. Think of your traveling summer goals in advance, and make a checklist.

Summer to do list:

1. Build sand castles.
2. Visit a friend in a different city. Thinking of some crazy activities with your loved ones is wonderful.
3. Play baseball or other new team sports like volleyball on the beach.
4. Jump with a parachute. Add anything connected with jumping to your fun summer bucket list ideas.
5. Go hiking.
6. Flying a kite is what you need.
7. Run in the mornings.
8. Going to the forest or park. Get some fresh air, walk among the trees and watch the birds.
9. Make cool lemonade or fresh juice instead of buying one.
10. 
11. Why not starting to learn a new language? Czech or Chinese. Maybe French?
12. Join the handmade club. Try to make things with your own hands!
13. Blow bubbles. Yes, bubbles.
14. Jump in the biggest puddle in the street.
15. Go to see a movie in the drive-in theatres. Seems a bit old school, but it’s so romantic!
16. Marshmallows in the fire is a must-have.
17. See a waterfall.
18. Camping away from the city.
19. Have you ever tried hitchhiking? Get to the closest city or across the country, it’s up to you.
20. Make a spontaneous trip. Just wake up early in the day and head anywhere.
21. Walk barefoot: on a sidewalk or on the grass.
22. Wear a dress or a really bright colorful shirt.
23. Play in the street or learn how to play one.
24. Learn to make something new. It’s amazing.
25. Swim at night. Naked.
26. Drink your best root beer ice cold. You don’t do it in winter, do you?
27. Go to see a game and root for your team: ‘Go, Sunnies, Go!’
28. Walk in the rain. No umbrellas allowed. Just in your shirt and jeans. You can dance.
29. Take a picture of the reflection in a puddle.
30. Arrange a garage sale!
31. Go canoeing or kayaking. Grab a paddle
32. Become a tourist in your own city for one day.
33. Write an article about this experience and send to the local newspaper.
34. Grab a camera and shoot a DIY movie.
35. Draw a picture, with oil, pencils, watercolor, or acryl.
36. Ride a bike! It’s one of the best stuff to do in the summer.
37. Go to the festival and play around.
38. 
39. Stargazing is what you should do at least one night per month!
40. Host a lunch with your friends.
41. Make tie-dye shirts.
42. Host people on couchsurfing, you can meet many nice people without leaving your town.
43. Try yourself on a paddle board. You’ll train your balance.
44. The zoo is calling your name!
45. Water balloon fight is your must-have.
46. Find an old film camera in the garage and take pictures to print them out in the fall.
47. Go to the farmers to buy fresh vegetables or milk products.
48. Volunteer. A week of volunteering will make the world a better place and you’ll have an unforgettable experience.
49. Play hide and seek with your friends, kids or family.
50. Eat watermelons, it’s their time!
51. Watch the sunsets somewhere on the beach or mountain.
52. Don’t forget that it is you best season ever!

You did amazing job! Your perfect summer list is right here for you to enjoy!

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Why is it so difficult to choose presents for your boyfriend birthday?

Finding the present he’d love is not an easy task, especially if you’re dating for a couple of months or he is not much into posting his wish lists online. Making a guess or buying trivial things might end up with uneasy situations that it’s better to avoid. The present itself in a relatio-nship represents not even your financial capacity but the way you know the person and the extent to which you are ready to discover him by making a thorough investigation about his wishes and desires. When picking the best birthday gift for him it is vital to keep in mind his preferences, hobbies and most desired things. Learn more about the interests of your man: what he collects, what football or baseball teams he likes, what he eats and drinks, what music he listens to and which concerts he wants to attend. Become that little sneaky Sherlock Holmes type of a lady and dig it.

Possible Unique Gifts for Your Man on his Birthday

When you’re done with your investigation about hobbies and interests of your boyfriend, it’s time to consider the possible option what you can get for his birthday. Unique presents are those that are the most cherished ones that you both will remember long years after. Unique gifts are way better than boring regular ones. For example, getting him a unique old school vinyl of the first press is  a much better option than buying him a book, you know. Unique gift also means that you care and you tried hard to find it, and your effort is a great compliment to any present for his birthday. Some of the best birthday gifts for your boyfriend might be a card with signatures of his favourite players, a book with an autograph of his most loved writer or a poster with autograph of favorite group, a unique comic book, etc. But it’s hard to find such gifts.

What Are the Most Popular Birthday Gifts for Men in 2018?

Some of the most universal gifts for men birthday are as following:

• Deadpool 2 T-shirt
• Some useful accessories for his car
• Airplane tickets to a desired destination
• Ben Sherman shirt
• His favourite perfume
• Root beer ice container
• Scratch travel map 1dea.me
• Blue jeans for summer
• Leather jacket or a pair of gloves if he loves bikes
• Fitness bracelet if he’s a sport guy
• Converse All Stars red shoes are always in trend
• Something personalized: piece of art, team cards with signatures or posters or CD’s signed by his most loved band for his collection.

One thing to remember when buying birthday presents for him is relevance and surprise extent. People often expect something to receive as a gift. Make it totally unexpected and pleasant. This is the key constituent of a high-quality surprise.

5 Best Birthday Ideas for Boyfriend

Finding a unique gift is one part of the deal, another one refers to the way you are going to present it. Sure, you can wrap it into the shiny box and hand it in to him accompanied by just “Happy birthday, my love’, but don’t you thinks it’s a bit boring and such a crazy couple like you deserves more emotions and birthday ideas for husband here?

Here are 5 awesome tips how to surprise your boyfriend on his birthday:

• Call all his friends and make a surprise party at his home when he gets back from work.
• Take him out for a date to one place with eventually turning out to be somewhere totally different like a concert of his band or favourite team game.
• Make a birthday present hide-and-seek game in the garage.
• Make a cake if you’re not into cooking or have some of his best friends jump out of that cake singing.

Birthday is all about emotions that the man you love will experience, remember this when preparing a B-day party.

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Now and then, people will play practical jokes on one another. But there is one day in particular when the pranking breaks loose like crazy. Then each of us wants to be vigilant, watching carefully for that impish sparkle in others’ eyes which obviously manifests the human penchant for mischief. We speak about the first of April, when you should remain wide-awake if you dislike being hoodwinked and laughed at. You know that certain folks will never miss the fully legitimate opportunity to do so especially if you give them a chance.

“Hate April Fool jokes? Look at the sunny – or funny – side of things. And maybe you, too, can have a few laughs in the universal battle of pranks at the end of the day.”

The holiday of pranksters is a long-standing tradition which originated… In fact, no one can tell you exactly when and how it originated. There are numerous versions, including humorous ones. But we can tell you for sure why we began to celebrate April Fools’ Day: because there are so many people out there who just love to pull somebody’s leg and get away with it. As a matter of fact, you may well know such people yourself. Some of them may be your friends – or enemies. You may very well be one of them, or you may loathe the festival of foolery. However, there is no escaping April Fools’ Day – unless you travel to an uninhabited island in the ocean without cellular network, where no human soul can reach you to pull off some silly hoax over the phone.

Best jokes of all time

Disregarding a few disgruntled targets, April Fools’ Day is a hilariously cheerful holiday when everyone is trying to demonstrate their smarts, wits and sense of humor. Why not join the celebration? And some of the glee may rub off on you. Fooled by somebody? Why not trick the person in return? Here are some funny April Fools pranks’ suggestions you can use to get ready.

 Broken monitor

To trick your friends or co-workers with this one, it is high time to prepare since April Fools’ Day is almost upon us. Find and download a true-to-life cracked screen image. On the first of April, the moment your mark leaves his or her desk for a while, discreetly set the image as a screensaver on their desktop computer or laptop. When the person returns, he or she is sure to get a startle.

Sprouting keyboard

This is a hilarious joke, and it is worth the effort. If you have not heard of it before, it may be high time you did. To pull it off, one must prepare a week in advance. Get a junked keyboard, some potting soil and seeds of garden plants with short sprouting times. Spread the soil between the keys – you may want to use a fork or a similar object to tuck it in. Moisten the soil with water and saw or copiously set the seeds. Hide the keyboard from others’ view for the time being. On April 1 discreetly substitute someone’s working keyboard for this one.

Wanted by the police

Get a portrait photo of your target and create a wanted poster in Photoshop. Print it out and put up in a well visible place on April Fools’ Day for everyone to have their laughs. Create posters with mugshots of several people to make it all less offensive for an individual person – just try not to blow your cover lest all those ‘crooks’ virtually gang up on you in retaliation.

Ringtone trick

Your ringtone is probably well-known to your friends. Why not change it on April Fools’ Day for someone else’s ringtone? Then put your mobile near them and discreetly place a call to yourself from another phone. The person in question will think it is their phone ringing. Imagine their surprise as they realize the phone is ringing from an unexpected place. They will rush to pick up. The victim of the jest may actually answer the call sooner than it dawns upon him or her – then it is your cue: greet them from the other end with the classic ‘April Fool!’

A fast one on your partner

Inform your husband or wife that your parents are coming over to stay for an indefinite time. Or that you have found a litter of seven stay kittens you are going to adopt. If you are a woman, you may tell your boyfriend that you are pregnant. Those, who are in a particularly mischievous state of mind, may also tell their partners they have cheated on them.

The point of April Fool puns

Actually, the original concept of an April fool joke is to convince the intended fool to do something, run an errand, or believe a piece of information or rumor, and inform the person afterwards he or she has been duped. In other words, the whole point of April fool jokes is to allow people the freedom of choice: to take something at its face value or not. It began in the XVI century France, after the old Julian calendar they used was substituted for the Georgian. The New Year holiday was then moved from spring to winter. Some folks refused to follow suit and continued to mark the old-style New Year around the time of April 1. To teach those backward bumpkins a lesson or two, forward-looking people started to make fools of them sending false invitations as time approached the first of April. The recipient showed up in good faith for a non-existent New Year party – and felt like a dupe.

Today, most jesters disregard this point, and often present their targets with something which screams false from the get-go. Just look at the popular April fool ideas for school. Classroom pranks can be quite disgusting, weird, and lack style altogether. It is a pity those people, who work for the mass media, often spread stupid April Fool puns marketing them as funny April Fools pranks. Here’s our little list of silly jokes coming up when you surf the World Wide Web:

• Substituting toilet paper with a roll of scotch – or any toilet joke, for that matter.
• Serving fake foods like doughnuts or cookies with toothpaste cream, freezing someone’s cereals and so on and so forth – this is trite, witless and totally not cool!
• Sticking silly notes to someone’s back, or car; wrapping things with foils or cellophane.
• Tricking teachers at school – those people have work to do, for Christ’s sake!

Really, people! If you want to be genuinely funny, you should try a bit harder than that. Happy April Fools to all!

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“So what is April fool about if not public celebration?”

Playing jokes and spreading hoaxes on the occasion feels almost like an obligation. Even governments join in, not to mention television and other mass media as well as businesses. Did you read about the trick by Burger King when they promised to sell left-handed hamburgers to millions of their left-handed customers? According to the company, many American people actually bought the whopper – figuratively speaking. We have also witnessed a number of scientific hoaxes since the average person feels rather naïve and often lacks specific knowledge for critical judgment in this area.

Where did April Fools come from?

The penchant for pulling someone’s leg is a pretty common human trait. Folks used to prank each other in the past. Holidays and festivals similar to April’s Fool Day are traced to the time around spring equinox. Some pundits would tell you it could be because the weather is then so fickle as to make people feel fools at Mother Nature’s mercy. True or not, the version is appealing.

Since times out of mind, different peoples held various renewal festivals when spring came. Cold months were over. Nature was waking up from its slumber and entering a new circle of life. For folks, who had endured the winter with all its hardships, it was a very joyful period. You see that contemporary April Fools’ Day history has long roots.

In Ancient Rome, they had a festival called Hilaria celebrating the resurrection of Attis, Phrygian god of vegetation. Roman merrymaking began around March 25 and continued for several days. Anyone could take the occasion to dress in disguise to fool others about the wearer’s identity. Hilaria also went by the name of Roman Laughing Day. Renewal festivals with Aprils Fools’ features were the Holi festival in India, and the Iranian Sizdahbedar. Both were connected with practical jokes. Europe just picked up the custom and gave it a new spin.

Modern April fool story

However, the contemporary Western practice of duping people on the first day of April probably goes back to France under the reign of King Charles IX, when the new Gregorian calendar was introduced following the Pope’s decree. Up to that moment, people normally celebrated the year’s beginning in spring, in connection with the arrival of vernal equinox. The festivities stretched for a few days, approximately until the first of April, with parties and presents. In 1564, the French King issued an order moving the New Year day to the first of January, to bring popular celebrations in line with the new calendar. Many Frenchmen were far from happy with the reform. The new New Year met with opposition on part of the old France that insisted on having the holiday in springtime. As usual, the progressive-thinking crowd ridiculed the traditionalists for behaving like back country hicks, and started playing pranks on them. It often involved sending invitations to fake New Year parties around April 1. The person who accepted the invite and showed up for a non-existent event became a laughing stock – or April fool, in other terms. One more popular way to ridicule the old-timers was to present them with gag gifts in place of serious ones.

Maybe, you have heard that April fools in France are called ‘April Fish’, and wonder why? The phrase t hints to the astronomical fact of the Sun leaving the zodiac sign of Pisces. Hence, ‘April Fish’ moniker may involve connotations of backwardness, suitable for a person who is unaware of the new developments. Napoleon I, too, was labeled ‘Poisson d’Avril’ on an occasion – not to his face, of course – since he married his second wife on the first of April. Besides, fish was one of the common gifts on the occasion of old New Year, so pranksters started attaching a small and not very fresh fish to their victims’ clothes. Back then, people often wore much more copious outfits than today, so the fish could dangle there unnoticed for a while until it started giving off a nasty smell. That was the moment to cry: April Fish!

The whole April fool story became so popular in France that at some point the tradition pushed across the Channel and caught on in England. Over there, it became customary to send gullible people on sham errands, otherwise known as fool’s errands. Association with the old New Year date weakened. From the English Isles the practice was brought to the New World. Strictly speaking, all the jesting and antics on April 1 are supposed to cease by noon. And in some places, people stick to this rule. But for the most part, folks pay it no mind continuing in the afternoon, although pranksters do seem to be most active in the morning.

When is April fools in 2018?

As always, the jokers’ holy day will be on the first of April, which falls on Sunday in 2018. Additionally, this year it will also be Easter Sunday. As the two big festivals are almost upon us, you may want to stock up on April fool pun ideas now, especially in case you are planning to take in somebody. Even if you do not, forewarned is forearmed: check out some of the best April Fools’ jokes as well as the worst ones to know what you may expect.

As a special tidbit of advice for those who loathe all that mischief of April 1, and dread the holiday approaching, consider turning the tables on pranksters: when April Fools’ Day comes, tell people you meet that foolery has become punishable under the new legislation passed by the Senate, or whatever body of authority you have in your country. Make up a plausible pretext if you wish, or go without one. Just remember to put on a very earnest face: practice in front of a mirror if you have to. Good luck and happy April Fools’ Day to everyone!

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There is no school on Easter Monday in most countries, and it is a day-off for grown-ups, too. As it is usually warm enough already, folks gladly spend the time outdoors enjoying the weather after the long and cold winter months. Many people like to arrange picnics in nature’s lap with families and friends. While travelers at Easter are bound to come in touch with numerous fun Easter traditions as well as a few weird ones, observed by peeps in strange countries. Here are some examples:

• At Easter, Brazilians make straw figures of Judas and take pleasure in punishing him; as you may guess, many a Judas resembles a local politician.
• In part of Nordic countries, people burn bonfires to ward off witches who are believed to become especially active the few days and nights before the Resurrection.
• In Spain, they arrange skeleton-costumed parades probably representing the macabre dance of evil that led to Christ’s crucifixion.
• Quite a few Eastern European countries have a custom of spanking or sprinkling passers-by with water. If you plan to travel there at the time, keep in mind you may always have an unexpected encounter with a cold shower out of the blue.

Origin: Easter egg

Easter is a happy festival associated with the beginning of a new life. That explains the origins of Easter egg symbolism. Eggs are a must-have on Easter Sunday menu. Eastern Rite followers put decorated Easter eggs into wicker baskets alongside the traditional Easter bread, cottage cheese, butter, and meat. The baskets are covered with colorful embroidered cloths to be taken to church where the food should be sprinkled with holy water. Only after that, the food is ready for consumption.

Rabbit symbolism

The new beginnings this holiday is linked to, bring us to the mention of probably its most popular character: the bunny. This prolific critter, with large litters of kittens, has become a favorite emblem of fertility and abundance.

“Rabbit symbolism is commonly observed in various Easter attributes and pass-times.”

Quite often, however, the origin of Easter traditions is traced back to pre-Christian times: there is much more to the bunny than meets the eye. The little furry animal is credited with a strong inner sense of direction, able to find the right way even through total darkness. On the other hand, the rabbit knows how to trick his persecutors. In certain world myths, the rabbit serves as a guide between heaven, earth and the underworld, while shamans call upon this animal spirit to assist them in rituals.

When hares or rabbits clean their faces, they stand up on hind-paws putting their front paws to the face – an endearing position resembling a prayer-offering posture of a Christian believer. And do you happen to know the origin of the English word ‘Easter’? It comes from the name of a Celtic goddess Eostre who presided over fertility and earth reborn. Her sacred animal was – yes, you’ve guessed right – the hare, whose shape the goddess took each time it was full moon.

Fun Easter traditions

The drenching customs of Easter Monday, already mentioned above, are common in Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine. Of course, the most active part of the populace is the youth who adore this fun ritual and virtually slosh each other with water. Wielding squirt-guns, pierced plastic bottles, and similar provisional devices, boys pile into streets and can attack passers-by feeling it is quite legit to do so. So anyone traveling there at the time should be aware that Easter Monday is a risky day to step out if you do not wish to end up dripping wet. In former Czechoslovakia, the drenching custom fades away giving way to the lashing of girls with willow twigs – not in earnest, of course. Thus, the willow is supposed to lend its fertility to women.

In fact, the pussy willow or sallow is a universal symbol of spring-coming. It is one of the first trees to bloom, with lovely fluffy catkins. The willow is an attribute of some of Easter rites, too. On Palm Sunday, people in Orthodox countries bring along bunches of willow twigs when they attend church. After that the twigs are used to hit each other while reiterating that the ‘Great Day’ is only a week from now. The willow bouquets must be kept at least until Easter Sunday.

In Sweden and parts of Finland, Easter is, surprisingly, a holiday of and for witches. It is tradition for children to put on long dresses and colorful scarves, paint cheeks scarlet and go from house to house begging for chocolate eggs in return for crafts. On one hand, they burn bonfires up there to ward off witches, on the other hand, they have children dress as witches to take advantage of the day.

Unusual Easter traditions

Australia is one of the countries where Easter is not a spring celebration. It is the first holiday for school children since ‘cherry Christmas’, so families can take long weekends to relish the last days of warmth before the chill of winter, which is, however, warm enough in Australia to skip the word ‘last’. Otherwise, down there they follow the usual Christian Easter traditions. They, too, have painted Easter eggs. But they have no Easter rabbit, which has been replaced with Easter bilby, an endangered indigenous species distantly resembling the hare. The rabbit turned out to be too prolific for Australia.

Not always the origin of Easter traditions goes far back in time. Some of them are quite recent. A rather peculiar Easter tradition was born on the day in Norway in 1923 after people received papers with criminal news on the front pages. Actually, the publications were a publicity stunt a fiction book author had come up with to advertise a new story. It certainly worked! Wonder if Easter in 1923 was near the Aprils Fools Day for that could have been one of the best April Fools pranks ever. The hoax launched the tradition of reading crime novels at Easter. Pretty grim, isn’t it? But folks living in a gloomy country for most of the year may have a peculiar sense of what is entertaining. Perhaps, after all that winter doom and gloom slowing down their metabolism and reactions, Norwegians yearn for a nerve-tickling thriller at the end of the day – or season.

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Those Americans, who have at least one drop of Irish blood flowing through their veins, are keenly proud of their Irish heritage, ancestry and customs. They have a deep connection to the land of their forefathers, and to Irish traditions. One of those traditions, now widely observed in the United States of America, is Saint Patrick’s Day.

What is St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day is, no doubt, one of the most popular national holidays celebrated outside its country of origin. The significance of the holiday has grown beyond religious observances. Although, some Irish still attend church on St. Patrick’s Day, contemporary festivities have little to do with spiritual commemoration. You may be asking: who is St. Patrick for the Irish? Officially, he is the Christian patron of their country of origin. But in reality St. Patrick’s Day is all about the Irish people’s sentiments towards their motherland, history and the hardships this people had to endure for centuries in search in a better life.

In the past, poorer people from Ireland often had to leave their homes and go abroad in search of better fortunes. They served the English for centuries. There was a forced massive emigration to America, to escape the horrors of famine following a potato blight. The Great Hunger killed an enormous portion of Ireland’s population. Alternatively it is referred to as the Irish Holocaust as the neighbors had a hand in the goings-on. So, there is a dark side to all that Irish mirth and ostentatious carelessness. In a way, this may also explain why the famous Irish humor has macabre features. On the other hand, the cheer may serve as a way of compensation in the face of injustice and misfortune.

‘When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees. Maimed, stark and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious.’  – Edna O’Brien

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History of St. Patrick

Naturally, the Irish would hold St. Patrick in great reverence. He used to serve a master the same way many of their ancestors did. Then he fled, became a priest, and came back to embrace the Irish as his own people. He became a symbol of divine benevolence, and a paragon of resilience. It is no big secret that the English despise the Irish defining the latter as lazy and slovenly, although, ironically, people from Ireland cleaned up English houses for centuries. The Irish reciprocate the feeling. There is nothing strange that they want to imagine their patron Saint, born in England, as a simple good-natured buddy. Affectionately, they even call him St. Paddy, derived from the Irish male name Padraig. Just make dead sure you do not mix it up with Patty!

Folk Tales and All Things Green

Irish people love nature and the big outdoors, epitomized by Ireland’s green hills. They prefer simple pleasures of life to sophisticated entertainments. They love folk music and excel at playing various instruments. Fond of tales and myths, the Irish is a nation of story-tellers with a penchant for stretching the truth. Little is known of the true history of St. Patrick, but numerous are the myths and legends surrounding this historic figure.

As nature-lovers, Irish people like all things green – to such an extent that they have made even their patron Saint wear green, too – posthumously, that is. The church might consider it disrespectful, but people of today want to picture St. Patrick as a mischievous free-spirited leprechaun. In fact, St. Patrick’s color was blue but never green or even emerald, for that matter.

It is popularly known that Saint Patrick chased all snakes from the Emerald Isle. Of course, it can be nothing more than a trope. The post-glacial Ireland was never a comfortable place for reptiles to live. There are no traces of snakes in Ireland whatsoever. So we should take the word ‘snake’ as a metaphor. The scientific explanation would be that Saint Patrick drove out all pagans. However, the Irish may have their own ideas about those ‘snakes’. Perhaps, they like to think that, thanks to Saint Patrick, the ‘snakes’ will never again dare set foot on their beautiful home isle.

Irish Traditions in modern America

Ask an American ‘When is Saint Patrick’s Day in Ireland?’ And chances are you will hear the accurate answer. Because on this spring day many Americans don green clothes, and parade through streets of their cities. St. Patrick’s Day marches have become common secular events. People often carry lime-green chrysanthemums.

An amusing explanation of green get-ups on St. Patrick’s Day is that the color renders the wearer invisible for leprechauns, fairy-tale creatures who like to sneak up and pinch people. But if they do not see you, you are safe.

Three-leaved clover, or shamrock, is another shade of green, commonly sported by people of Irish lineage on St. Patrick’s Day. Shamrock is associated with the holiday because St. Patrick used three-leaved clover to explain the nature of the Holy Trinity: the leaves stand for faith, hope and love. Before Christianization, shamrock was carried to thwart evil spirits: the plant supposedly gave the wearer the magical ability to see them.

A fun Irish-American tradition observed on Saint Patrick’s Day is painting rivers green. It is particularly popular in Chicago where each year ecological dye is poured into the local river turning its waters bright green for a couple of hours. The act is meant to call attention to pollution issues.

Why Is Saint Patrick’s Day Celebrated On March 17

In keeping with the liturgical tradition, saints and martyrs are commemorated on the day of their death – the day they exchanged time for eternal life. It is believed that St. Patrick passed on March 17. St Patrick’s Day 2018 falls on Sunday. Although it is the period of Lent, few will be fasting. One of the favorite dishes is corned beef and cabbage. And there will, of course, be many green-colored foods and drinks.

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Do you happen to live in a small space? A lot of urban dwellers have to. Some experts think that micro-houses and tiny apartments may be the future of modern cities. Anyway, the small living space has many advantages. Residing in one, you can learn to balance the indoor and outdoor experiences. And it teaches people to stop cluttering their homes. Another good thing about small-sized apartments is that they allow people to save on the heating costs. So if you thought about moving, perhaps it is time to re-consider and think instead of how to create the feel of spaciousness across the rooms. Turn your apartment into warm and cozy recluse. There many decorating ideas for small spaces that can help you with that.

  Light interior

This is one of the basic small room décor tricks: go for light pastel colors on the walls and pick out interior accessories in the same palette or close to. Paint bigger furniture (a cabinet or chest of drawers) a matching shade to make it blend with the surrounding.

The right curtains

Hang curtains the same colors as your living room walls. They will make it appear roomier than it really is. Do not go for heavy fabrics, like brocade or velvet. Pick out something lighter: chintz is good. A suitable alternative to curtains is the Venetian blinds that you can use for the bedroom or kitchen.

Space-saving furniture

In search of ways of how to make a room look bigger, multi-functional furniture is a blessing: wall beds, hidden beds, sofa beds and various bed-desk combos can save us a lot of space. Another option that helps to avoid the crowded feeling is the traditionally-styled furniture with legs. Look to pieces, sofa included, which ‘float’ over the floor. Free-standing furniture can also be moved if you decide to re-arrange – very hard if your room is fitted wall-to-wall.

Working place

In small-sized apartments you are not left with plenty of room to fit a desk. Opt for a wall mounted solution that can be folded back once you have finished working. Paint it the same color as the wall. You can also create a make-shift desk convertible from flip down cabinet door: use props to ensure there is no too much pull on the brackets. Or buy brackets from hardware store and mount desk-shelves combos to walls.

Window sills

If you still look for more ways to of how to make a small room look bigger, check out the window sills. Do you use them to display flower pots or other decorative objects? Put them somewhere else. Try to keep window sills clear. The more natural light penetrates small rooms, the larger they seem.

Reflective surfaces

Use mirrors facing the windows: they create an illusion of spaciousness. If you cannot forgo fitted cabinets, make them with glazed doors. Buy a lucite coffee table instead of one with a wooden surface, unless you mean to use it as a focal point in your interior.

Shelving systems

If you do not know how to arrange a small bedroom so that you can put all the stuff you need there, various shelving systems are a way to go. You can combine open shelves and shelves with doors. Another good solution is to run shelves around beneath the ceiling or arrange storage space over doors and entrances.

Keep it tidy

Do not scatter stuff around. Think of smart storing systems that blend with the interior. Dispense with too many pillows and other décor accessories to avoid the feeling of messiness in your rooms.

How to decorate a small living room

Do not use heavy patterns to decorate a little living room. Keep it light. Never buy wallpaper with fancy motives. Gaudy small rooms look crass and overladen with details. If you want to embellish the walls, paint them solid color and use light stucco trimmings in the same color. They look much better and hip than stencils.

A simple and cost-effective way to decorate your living room, or any other, is by creating a posterwall. It can hardly go out of style because anyone can easily make unique pictures with modern computer tools using fashionable themes and designs. Look for inspirational posters and scratch-off maps in our online store at 1dea.me. They are easy to hang and remove without leaving marks; and they come with a lot of fun attached.

Try to dispense with the traditional arrangement, when furniture is placed along the walls. Look into the possibility of creating the interior’s focal point in the middle with a plush sofa, a lamp and a coffee-table. Put smaller furniture here and there: a quaint chest of drawers, a mounted shelf, a low cabinet on legs.

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Some Facts about Planes

When we are about to step on board an aircraft, we naturally wish to have a safe flight. But do you prefer to go on as an informed passenger because ‘forewarned is forearmed’? Or are you an adherent of the opposite principle postulating that ignorance is bliss? In other words, the less we know the less we have to worry about. No matter which is your policy, some of the following facts about planes may be of interest to you. Many of them have little to do with safety of modern-day air travel. And you can skip over the rest if you feel you need not know more. Welcome aboard!

Do you have any idea why jets leave the white trail? Or which of the non-stop flights lasts longest? Or what size is the largest airplane up to date? Have you ever wondered if there are any crash-proof spaces inside an aircraft? Or what happens if lightning strikes on a plane in the sky? For these and more interesting facts about airplanes, read on.

What happens when lightning hits…

…Yes, actually modern aircraft can withstand lightning bolts. And they do! Statistically, every commercial jet is hit by lighting once a year, or once for every 1000 flight hours. But passengers will notice nothing. That’s because aircraft are now built lightning-proof. The last time a plane was brought down by lightning was in 1963. Today when lightning hits a plane, the current will travel along the conductor inside a protective double-layer shield with the charge leaving the plane at some point, most often the tail. Those inside just continue flying safely to their destination.

Crash-proof places

Officially there are none, sorry. But some data suggest that chances to die in an air crash are a few percent lower for tail seats, while certain researchers put them at as much as 40% lower. The weakest spot in a plane is the middle because that’s where the hull is most likely to snap in two.

The biggest aircraft

The biggest airplane in the world to have taken to the air is Antonov An-225, built by a design bureau headed by the Ukrainian aviation engineer Oleg Antonov. An-225 is a strategic military plane with a huge cargo hold that has the capacity to transport a space shuttle. The plane itself is as big as a regular size football field.

Flight attendants: discrimination is in order

The first stewards on flights that admitted passengers were all male. Back then women were deemed too tender to serve as cabin crew. However, very soon air companies realized that female flight attendants were, in fact, better suited for the job. Female presence has a calming effect on passengers. For this reason, women soon ousted male flight attendants.

Mobiles cannot really bring down a plane

This is one of the facts the flight attendant will most likely withhold from you: there is no risk of cell phones causing an emergency situation. But mobiles can be really annoying for the pilots who are known to have even missed their landing clearance once or twice because of the interference.

The longest non-stop route

The longest non-stop flight in the world is currently the route connecting Auckland and Doha, with the duration of 18 hours and 20 minutes. However, with more ultra-long-haul airplane flights coming soon, the record will not likely stand for long.

Why planes leave white trails?

The tracks we see in the wake of airplanes traveling across the sky are sometimes called contrails, which is short for condensation trails. They are nothing more than hot water fumes that look like that for the very same reason you can see your breath in cold weather. If the trail is thin and light, it means that humidity is low, whereas a thick and long track can forebode stormy weather.

Flying safely

There are more accidents on roads than up in the air. If you go by statistics, airplane flights are safer than traveling by car. Chances of dying in a plane crash are put at 1 to 11 000 000, while the likelihood of a road traffic casualty stands at 1 to 5000.

And a few more interesting facts about planes:

1. Female cabin crew members have better chances with men than women in any other profession. Even strippers and waitresses lag behind them. Men fall for flight attendants more often than for women in any other job.
2. Airplanes were first fitted with toilets five years after the first commercial flights were introduced.
3. About 20% of all people have a fear of flights, while 3% suffer from severe cases of aerophobia with panic attacks and refusal to fly altogether.
4. The highest altitude a jet has ever reached is 37 650 meters or 123 523 feet. The record was set by a Soviet military pilot Alexandr Fedotov flying a MiG-25 over Podmoskovnoye village in Russia.

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Many people dream of traveling the world about but are deterred by high air fares. The arrival of low-cost carriers makes traveling affordable by anyone. Even students and folks on moderate income can turn into avid globe-trotters, get for themselves a cool-styled scratch map holiday world from 1dea.me to hang on the wall and take pride in each new place they scratch off. With cheap air tickets around and available, one can cover a lot of ground – and map area.

Paying a few hundred bucks to fly to Barcelona and back – doesn’t it sound fabulous? What other locations do you have on your travel bucket list? Check the rates for them: you may feel up to an impromptu vacation. With winter holidays looming, you may still stumble upon an opportunity to visit one of the coveted European destinations. And we at 1dea.me store will be happy to supply you with a designer scratchable map of Europe to track your voyages and keep travel memories.

How cheap flights operate

You may be asking yourself: what’s the catch with discount carriers’ tickets? What is compromised? It is simple: the fare is stripped of all the frills. Budget companies offer a bare-bones service to fly you there and bring back. Did you ever think of how much traditional airlines charge for extras that have nothing to do with fuel, maintenance or staff salaries? A pretty sum of money, actually. For this reason numerous attractive destinations remained outside many households’ budgets for a long time.

Realizing the demand for lower-cost plane tickets could be significant, commercial airlines decided to tap into this market. And consumers took notice. The prospect of going on a dream vacation, without pinching cents first to save for it, can motivate folks to make up plans and study their options.

Yes, cheap flights do come at a cost of passenger convenience, sometimes. But let’s be honest, all air travel sucks. Unless you are a mogul owning a private jet with onboard bedrooms and bathrooms, you are confined to spending hours cooped up in a seat with little space to stretch, let alone sprawl to catch a few winks.

However, it seems certain people criticize low-cost airlines on purpose to scare away competition on both sides of the counter. On one hand, established air companies profit if customers are discouraged from looking for cheap airline tickets. On the other hand, with cabins getting more crowded, some travelers just vent their frustration in negative blog articles or reviews about the horrors of lowcosts. Ask those people if they will fork out more, and you may find out that they are not ready to give up low-cost services. Bottom line: some complaints about cheap flights are unreasonable and far-fetched.

You can explore the world before you have a high-paying job, or save enough money, or cash in your pension, win a lottery, find a buried treasure… You do not have to put off, you can do it now! What more is there to wish for?

Now let’s look at what real inconveniences you may encounter holding a cheap flight ticket in the hand:

1. Yes, flights get delayed, which can thwart your plans. But that happens on mainstream airlines, too. On the bright side, low-cost companies do not benefit from this in any way. It is in their own interest to organize things as expedient as possible.
2. You can be bumped off a flight. Then you are entitled to some type of reimbursement and assistance. Be aware of your rights.
3. Cramped flights. Cabins on low-cost routes do tend to get fuller, with crammed seats and shrinking legroom.
4. Some passengers may even be asked to check in their hand luggage. For this not to happen, get to the boarding gate early.

How to take advantage of lowcosts and avoid eventual pitfalls

1. Book flights a few weeks ahead, but keep monitoring the prices. With the 24-hour rule, some carriers will give you a free refund if you decide to cancel early. So if any cheap options pop up, you will be able to save bucks.
2. Budget airlines have severe luggage restrictions. But if you pack smartly you may be able to avoid inconveniences caused by this.
3. As we mentioned earlier, prices of cheap air tickets do not include any extras. That goes for in-flight meals and beverages: if you want them, you pay for them. You can also bring some snacks in carry-on. Click our article about hand baggage for tips.
4. Do not look for round trips only. Sometimes, it is better to go one way with one company and return with another.
5. Be flexible when planning a vacation. You wanted to go to Barcelona, but the search returns bargain-basement tickets to Madrid. Perhaps, you can make a train trip to Barcelona? And see even more of Spain than you envisaged.

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