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Blog Home » Archives for February 2012

Archives for February 2012

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eCard of the week – Tree of Hope

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Our pick for eCard of the week this week is Tree of Hope. We love this Encouragement eCard because it’s great to send a friend or loved one any time. It gives you a chance to send wisdom, encouragement, blessings and more with the click of the mouse. The magical design allows your friends to unlock a few words that will help them great through their day with a sense of purpose and a smile on their face.

Everyday eCards are perfect to let those you care about most know that you’re thinking of them. But, if you’re looking for the perfect Birthday eCard, or a specific Holiday eCard, Blue Mountain is here to help. Find everything from Talking eCards to Wallpaper Calendars today!

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Happy Birthday W.E.B. DuBois!

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“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.”          _  W.E.B. DuBois

 

Civil Rights activist, protest leader and contributor to the creation of the N.A.A.C.P., William Edward Burghardt DuBois left a legacy that helped change the face of racial issues in America.  His friends and colleagues saw him as a devoted, spirited, and erudite defender of freedom and individual rights.  DuBois graduated from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and later received a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1895.

As opposed to his contemporary, Booker T. Washington who preached hard work as the avenue to a better life, DuBois preached that change would only come with protest, and with actively getting involved in making sure that voices were heard and systems were changed.  Change comes hard and he knew enough to recognize that it usually needs an advocate, someone to champion the cause for a better life.  He was willing and prepared to be that guy, a servant of his fellow man, bent on exploring the truth of their lives and finding ways to make things different.

DuBois became a writer, editor and passionate speaker.  He had a brilliant mind and a gift for delivering his message.  He made a difference and his efforts stand out as a source of pride for all of us today.

In his own words, he said, “I have loved my work, I have loved people and my play, but always I have been uplifted by the thought that what I have done well will live long and justify my life, that what I have done ill or never finished can now be handed on to others for endless days to be finished, perhaps better than I could have done.”

Happy Birthday, Dr. DuBois!  Thank you for your part in creating a better America!

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eCard of the Week – Happy Mardi Gras postcard!

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Whether you prefer Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras – it’s a day to celebrate with good friends and good food! We thought this festive Mardi Gras postcard would be perfect as our eCard of the week to help you get in the Mardi Gras spirit. This postcard was designed by Blue Mountain artist Terry Flores, and captures the magical essence of this celebratory holiday! This postcard is great to post on a friend’s facebook wall, or even post it on your own to wish all your friends a Happy Mardi Gras.

Know someone with a birthday around Mardi Gras? In addition to this postcard, send them a fun Birthday eCard for double the celebration! No matter if you’re looking for Talking eCards, fun Postcards or Holiday eCards – Blue Mountain is sure to help you stay connected and celebrate!

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A little Mardi Gras history

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Mardi Gras is February 12th this year, and with it comes music, parades, krewes, beads, and celebration!  You can find a mask, create a costume,  head to New Orleans, or participate in colorful local events. It’s a big celebration, but what is it exactly and how did the whole thing get started? Here’s a little Mardi Gras history:

“Fat Tuesday” marks the last day of the Carnival season, a period of rich feasting and frivolity which follows Epiphany and is the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins. It’s a floating holiday and its date varies slightly because it must fall 47 days before Easter Sunday.

In 1856, a group of businessmen founded New Orleans’ first and oldest krewe, the Mistick Krewe of Comus and in 1857, held its first parade. Comus is the oldest continuously active Mardi Gras Organization and is responsible for starting a number of traditions that continue today including the use of floats in parades.

The traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green have their roots in political
and religious arenas. In 1872 the Rex Organization invented the King of the Carnival festivities and the first Rex selected the colors and the significance they hold today. A new king (Rex) is chosen each year by the School of Design in New Orleans, the sponsors of the Rex parade. In the “city that care forgot,” the parade champions make sure that visitors and natives alike follow Rex who will always set their hearts to music with “If ever I cease to love.”

Here are some extra Mardi Gras fun facts:

  • Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”
  • Mardi Gras celebrations have their origins in the ancient Roman festival, Lupercalia. It is considered the last great indulgence before the 40-day fasting period of Lent.
  • Mardi Gras migrated to the United States by way of many French influences, including French explorer Pierre le Moyne d’Iberville in the Louisiana territory
    in 1699.
  • The first Mardi Gras parade in the United States was held in Mobile, Alabama
    in 1830.
  • The official colors of Mardi Gras are green (faith), purple (justice) and gold (power).
  • Krewe: a non-profit organization or club participating in a parade.
  • The first “throw” (beads or small trinkets) happened in 1837 when a krewe member tossed small “gifts” to parade revelers.

So, how are you going to celebrate Mardi Gras? Try making a famous King Cake, decorating fun masks, throw a party or post a Mardi Gras postcard on your wall or email one to a friend!

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