Happy Leap Day!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 28 February 2024 > Celebrate

If you are born on 29 February, you can consider yourself very special… or very unlucky! The chances of being born on a leap day (the extra day we have every four years in leap years) are 1 in 1461. So, people born on that day are rare. But they also only have one “real” … Continue reading “Happy Leap Day!”

Remembering Presidents

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 14 February 2024 > Celebrate

On the third Monday in February, Americans celebrate Presidents’ Day, in honour of all 46 Presidents but especially George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. A good time to brush up on what qualifications you need to be President. Today’s Presidents’ Day grew out of individual celebrations of George Washington’s birthday on 22 February and Abraham Lincoln’s … Continue reading “Remembering Presidents”

Ireland Has a New Holiday

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 25 January 2024 > Celebrate

Ireland has a new bank holiday: St Brigid’s Day, the first to be in honour of  a woman. From 2023, it is marked on the first Monday in February. St Brigid is one of Ireland’s three patron saints, alongside St Colmcille and St Patrick. Like so many Irish celebrations, the Catholic saint’s day on 1 … Continue reading “Ireland Has a New Holiday”

Waitangi Day in New Zealand

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 24 January 2024 > Celebrate Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée

New Zealand is a unique country, so it’s not surprising that its national day is unique too! New Zealand’s nearest big neighbour, Australia, is more than 4000 kilometres away. Because it is so isolated, it has some unique plants and animals, like the kiwi, a bird that can’t fly. People from New Zealand are often … Continue reading “Waitangi Day in New Zealand”

European Day of Languages 2023

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 21 September 2023 > Celebrate Shine Bright Collège

26 September is the day the EU celebrates all the many languages spoken in Europe and around the world. They have lots of resources for multilingual fun in schools. This language detective game requires no preparation. There are 40 short texts in 40 different languages each time you have to choose between six possible languages. … Continue reading “European Day of Languages 2023”