Other winter holidays celebrated around the world besides Christmas and New Year's

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are far from the only major holidays celebrated around the world once the weather gets colder and the year comes to a close. Several other days on the calendar serve as important festive celebrations for different cultures inside and outside America that are deserving of increased awareness.

It’s important to understand different winter holidays besides Christmas because of the growing multicultural population in the United States and the rise in celebration rates of many culturally specific holidays. Consider that, by 2050, the majority of the US will be multicultural, and each major racial and ethnic group – Hispanic, Black, Asian – is growing in size.

Learn more about the different holidays on the calendar you may not be aware of or know much about by reading my latest piece for The Post and Courier, available here.

The great debate: Should you choose a real or artificial Christmas tree?

There’s nothing quite like having a genuine Christmas tree in your home during the holiday season. The fresh scent, vibrant needles and branches and authentic appearance of a bona fide fir, spruce, pine or other species creates a comforting and festive ambience in any residence.

Then again, most artificial trees today look just like the genuine article but spare you from the mess, hassle, and risks associated with a real tree.

So which type is right for you? That depends on your budget, tastes, available space and other factors, say the experts. And it’s a decision that is best made well ahead of time.

To help you make the right choice, read my newest article for CTW Features, available here.

Cineversary podcast rings in A Christmas Story's 40th birthday

In Cineversary podcast episode #65, host Erik Martin talks Chinese turkey with leg lamp expert Andrew Scahill, a film studies professor at the University of Colorado Denver known for his holiday movies course, as they commemorate the 40th anniversary of A Christmas Story, directed by Bob Clark. Andrew and Erik cover this film from soap to fudge, exploring why this film remains timeless and deserves celebration four decades later, how it became a pop culture phenomenon, and much more.

Andrew Scahill

To listen to this episode, click here or click the "play" button on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download, or subscribe to Cineversary wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, PodBean, RadioPublic, and Overcast.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com.

What's involved with a mortgage refi

Mortgage rates more than doubled last year and have remained stubbornly higher in 2023. For most borrowers, that's not the ideal climate for replacing a current loan with a new one. Regardless, a refinance might be in your near future for many reasons.

Learn more about how refinancing a mortgage works, the common options available to you and pros and cons to consider by checking out my newest article for the McClatchy Media Network, available here.

How home equity can help build generational wealth

Every parent’s hope and wish is to provide their children with tools and resources that can help them live healthier, safer and happier lives – including financial resources. One of the best ways to grow generational wealth is to invest in real estate as a homeowner and transfer that property and the home equity you’ve accrued to your inheritors.

Learn more about why home equity is important, how to build generational wealth through home equity, building wealth through real estate, and how to pass down property and the challenges associated with it by reading my newest article, published in the Charlotte Observer, available here.

Cineversary podcast honors 70th birthday of Ozu's Tokyo Story

In Cineversary podcast episode #64, host Erik Martin is joined by David Desser, emeritus professor of cinema studies at the University of Illinois and one of the world’s foremost experts on Asian cinema, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tokyo Story, directed by Yasujirō Ozu. They discuss why and how this film remains a masterwork, Tokyo Story’s prominent themes, Ozu’s unique style, and much more.

David Desser

To listen to this episode, click here or click the "play" button on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download, or subscribe to Cineversary wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, PodBean, RadioPublic, and Overcast.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com.