It’s no secret that sparkling wine and Chambord is a popular festive cocktail during the holidays. This nonalcoholic version is perfect to serve for Thanksgiving dinner, and it won’t give you any buzz.
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Bring 1 (16-oz.) package frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, using back of a spoon to squeeze out juice. Discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean.
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in same saucepan; add 3 family-size tea bags, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and blueberry juice mixture. Pour into a pitcher; cover and chill 1 hour. Serve over ice.
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Stir together orange juice, ginger ale, and pineapple juice. Serve over ice.
October 1 is annually celebrated as International Coffee Day. The unofficial holiday celebrates one of the most popular beverages in the world – coffee.
The holiday also helps raise awareness about sustainable coffee cultivation and fair trade practices within the coffee industry. Before 2015 the day used to be celebrated on different dates in different countries.
Coffee is a drink made from the seeds or berries of the coffee plant. As a beverage, it has been enjoyed by people around the world for many centuries. Historians believe that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia but was cultivated on a large scale and traded for the first time by the Arabs.
Initially used for religious ceremonies and rituals, it became the beverage of choice in most households in the Middle East, Persia and Africa by the 16th century and in Europe and the Americas by the 17th century.
Despite its popularity today, coffee had its share of critics in history. Sultan Murad IV of the Ottoman Empire hated coffee so much that he made coffee drinking an offense punishable by death. In England, King Charles II fearing plots hatched over cups of coffee ordered all coffee houses shut.
Many countries celebrate their own version of a Coffee Day on different dates during the year. For example, Germany started Tag Des Kaffees in 2006 and celebrates it every year on the first Saturday of September.
In the United States, National Coffee Day is celebrated on September 29.
The holiday has unknown origins and is also sometimes known as Coffee Day.
Whether your “cup of coffee” is a refreshing iced coffee or a piping hot Americano, Espresso, Café au Lait (coffee with milk), or plain black with no sugar, International Coffee Day is a day to take some time off from your busy day to enjoy your favorite version of the beverage. Here are some ways to celebrate this day:
Canada Not for Sale: Why Would We Ever Join the U.S.?
The idea of Canada becoming part of the United States is not only absurd but completely off the table. Let’s make one thing clear: Canada is not for sale. And if anyone, including President Trump, thinks otherwise—let’s just say, it will never happen.
Why would we even consider joining a country that has such stark differences in values and policies? Canada is proudly independent, and our identity is built on principles of equality, peace, and community. Meanwhile, the U.S. is dealing with deep systemic issues, such as being one of the most gun-happy countries in the world and having the highest incarceration rate globally. A larger percentage of their population is in prison than almost anywhere else on Earth.
The fact is, Canadians take pride in a society that prioritizes public health care, stricter gun control, and a more inclusive community. We don’t need to adopt a system that perpetuates violence, division, and mass incarceration.
So to anyone entertaining the fantasy of Canada merging with the U.S., let’s set the record straight: Thanks, but no thanks. Canada is strong, free, and proudly Canadian. Always has been, always will be.
