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Day After Christmas – Fun Facts About the Holiday Season

Santa Claus may live in the North Pole according to all those holiday stories, but did you also know that there’s a Santa Claus, Ind. (population 2,303) and a Santa Claus, Ga. (247)? And we can’t forget about Noel, Mo. (1,615); Snowflake, Ariz. (5,686); and, for those reindeer lovers, both the village of Rudolph, Wis. (418) and Dasher, Ga. (821).

Here are some other fun facts to share with your family and friends this season, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau:

• Potato latkes are a staple of Hanukkah celebrations, and in 2009 50.9% of potatoes in the U.S. were produced in Idaho and Washington.
• Last year, 14 percent of sales for department stores in all of 2009 occurred in December (the figure was 21 percent for jewelry stores).
• Book store sales jumped 98 percent from November to December, 2009.
• $1.2 billion of candles were shipped in 2008 by U.S. manufactures, and candles play a big part in a variety of holiday celebrations.
• Holly Springs, Miss., and Mount Holly, N.C. are just two of a dozen places named Holly in the United States.
• The U.S. is expected to have a population of more than 311 million once 2011 arrives.

May the rest of your holiday season be safe and joyful, and wishing you a very happy new year!

Federal Holiday

What’s on Your Thanksgiving Table? Fun Thanksgiving Facts

Two years ago, we reported some surprising statistics about Thanksgiving feasts, including the number of turkeys raised in the United States and more. But where are we now?

But First…A Bit of History
Despite the popular belief that Thanksgiving originated with the colony at Plymouth Plantation in 1621, researchers have actually pinpointed the first Thanksgiving 56 years earlier. According to scholars, the first known Thanksgiving took place during September 1565, in Saint Augustine, Florida when Spanish settlers held a Mass of Thanksgiving after arriving safely in the new world. English settlers in the Virginia Colony held a similar day of thanks in 1619. Two years later, the colonists at Plymouth Plantation celebrated the famed Thanksgiving of 1621.

The celebration continued when the colonies became the United States of America. In 1789, George Washington proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. The tradition of thanks was carried on sporadically by President John Adams in 1798 and 1799, as well as President James Madison in 1814 and 1815. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln finally proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Years later, President Franklin Roosevelt stated that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month–as opposed to the occasional fifth Thursday.

Eel and Seal…Mmmmm! My favorite!
What exactly did the colonists eat at the early Thanksgiving celebrations? According to food historian Kathleen Curtin, the answer may surprise you. In addition to wild turkey, other popular sources of meat that were likely served include eel, clams, lobster, wild goose, eagles, venison, and seal…yes, seal. Peas, beans, and carrots were probably on the table, but sweet potatoes and corn on the cob weren’t. And although pumpkins were likely consumed, pumpkin pie wasn’t on the menu because no recipe existed for it at that time.

Talking Turkey…242 Million Turkeys!
Today, turkeys are a popular choice for Thanksgiving and holiday feasts. This popularity has turned turkey farming into a big business. In fact, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates that 242 million turkeys will be raised in the U.S. this year alone. That’s down from 271 million turkeys two years ago.

Weighing In On What We Eat
Ever wonder how many cranberries, pumpkins, and other Thanksgiving Day foods we go through each year? The U.S. Census Bureau has the skinny! According to their research, the U.S. will produce some serious poundage this year alone when it comes to these holiday favorites, including:

• 735 million pounds of cranberries (that’s up from 689 million pounds in 2008)
• 1.9 billion pounds of sweet potatoes (versus 1.8 billion in 2008)
• 931 million pounds of pumpkins (down from 1.1 billion pounds in 2008)
• 2.2 billion bushels of wheat (an increase from 2.1 billion bushels in 2008)
• 736,680 tons of snap green beans (down from 769,760 in 2008)

No wonder we feel so full after those holiday meals!

Did You Say You’re From Turkey?
That’s right – there are three places in the United States named Turkey (Turkey, TX; Turkey Creek, LA; and Turkey, NC), plus nine townships also share the Thanksgiving main-meal moniker. Not to be out done, there are five places in the U.S named Cranberry (though some are spelled Cranbury) and twenty-eight places named Plymouth, after the Plymouth Rock landing site of the first Pilgrims.  

Can Turkey Really Make You Tired?
Here’s how the story goes. Turkey contains tryptophan…which helps the body produce niacin…which then helps produce serotonin. And serotonin is the key to this theory because it calms the brain and induces sleep.

The problem with that theory is that tryptophan actually works best on an empty stomach–which most of us don’t have after our Thanksgiving feast! So, it’s more likely that the heaviness and the high carbohydrate content of the entire Thanksgiving meal are responsible for that sense of lethargy you feel, as your body works to digest it all. Add a glass of wine or other alcohol to your meal, and you’ll increase that feeling of sleepiness even more.

Then again, we all work hard throughout the year, so maybe that tired sensation is just your body requesting a well-deserved nap.

Whether you spend this Thanksgiving eating turkey and sweet potatoes or sneaking a catnap in the afternoon, we wish you, your family, and your friends all the best on this day of thanks.

Federal Holiday

Be Thankful Veterans Day IS NOT Memorial Day

Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Both holidays were established to recognize and honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces.

But Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday in May, was originally set aside as a day for remembering the honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wound sustained in battle.

While those who dies are also remembered on Veterans Day, which is observed on November 11, Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime.

In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living Veterans for their service, to acknowledged that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that  all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. (*The Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide)

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” – General George S. Pattan, Jr

Today is Veterans Day. Therefore, we want to thank every member of the US Armed Forces as our freedom is a direct result of their service to our country. Without them we would not have the freedom to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of the American Dream.

From all of us at WelcomeHomeNWI.com we take this day very seriously and truly want to thank each veteran who has served our country, pray for the safety of those who are actively serving our country today and applaud those who will step up to serve our country in the future. God Bless and Thank YOU Veterans!

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No Tricks, All Treats, Happy Halloween Northwest Indiana

For those who are in search of a mystical and magical adventure through the great communities of Northwest Indiana in search of tasty treats, here are the official hours so you can avoid being tricked this holiday weekend.

Saturday, Oct. 30

• Burns Harbor: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Chesterton: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• DeMotte: 3 to 6 p.m.
• Porter: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 31

• Brook: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Cedar Lake: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Crown Point: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Dyer: 5 to 7 p.m.
• East Chicago: 4 to 6 p.m.
• Gary: 4 to 7 p.m.
• Griffith: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Hammond: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Hebron: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Highland: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Hobart: 4 to 7 p.m.
• Kouts: 5 to 7 p.m.
• LaCrosse: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Lake Station: 4 to 8 p.m.
• LaPorte: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Lowell: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Merrillville: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Michigan City: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Morocco: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Munster: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Ogden Dunes: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Portage: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Porter County, unincorporated: 6 to 8 p.m.
• Rensselaer: 4 to 7 p.m.
• Schererville: 5 to 7 p.m.
• St. John: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Valparaiso: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Wanatah: 5 to 7 p.m.
• Whiting: 5 to 7 p.m.

While having you as a client for life and a raving fan has been a real “treat“, you may know someone who’s been “tricked” by a ghoulish real estate professional. If that’s the case, send them our way. As our real estate businesses are based largely on referrals, we always aim to please. Happy Halloween Northwest Indiana!

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Labor of Love for Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals

For those real estate and mortgage professionals who have endured through the housing collapse and mortgage implosion, our sanity is constantly being questioned. Ex-Realtors, former mortgage brokers and homeowners alike scratch their heads and collectively ask “are you crazy?”

It’s more than being crazy about real estate. To be crazy would imply that there is some cure for our illness.

For us real estate and mortgage professionals who have survived the down market, it’s a Labor of Love.

Labor Day is more than just an extra day off from work or simply the last fling of summer. It is a much-deserved rest in recognition of the hard work and daily disciplines that fuel our businesses and drive our economy.

From all of us at WelcomeHomeNWI.com, we hope you enjoy this time relaxing with friends and loved ones. You deserve it. We wll be back to our Labor of Love to help you with all your real estate and mortgage needs.

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Happy Independence Day

Freedom is essential to the American way of life. On July 4th we celebrate those who dared to declare our independence and ensure our right to pursue happiness and the American dream of home ownership.

I want to wish everyone a happy and safe Independence Day, and I’m truly honored that you’ve chosen me for all of your mortgage needs. Feel free to contact me any time.

Federal Holiday

Martin Luther King Day – I Have A Dream

Every year I am asked by many the following question. What is it about this day that we need to celebrate?

Up until last year, I actually misunderstood the meaning behind this holiday dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.

I originally thought that this holiday was a day to recognize a dream towards equality.

Through my research, I learned that this day did not become a federal holiday until November 3, 1983 when former President Ronald Reagan singed the Holiday Bill establishing the 3rd Monday of January as Marting Luther King, Jr a National Holiday. Although it was signed in 1983, official celebration did not being until 1986.

Martin Luther King Day is more than acknowledging the fight against inequalities. Ultimately, this holiday is dedicated to nonviolence and all those who endured violence passively to unify humanity.

What Are You Doing to Keep The Dream Alive?

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Will You Make A Difference with Your Life in 2010?

As we begin to enjoy the last hours and minutes of 2009, there is so much anticipation for a better 2010.

2009 has definitely been a challenge to so many households in Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago land area. I should know as not only have our mortgage clients and Realtor partners expressed this to our team, but our own personal families have been affected as well.

Please take a few minutes to watch the following inspirational movie called The Dash by Linda Ellis.

If you are up to the challenge, let’s collectively agree to make 2010 a phenomenal year.

From the entire team at Benchmark Mortgage we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Federal Holiday

Thank You to Our Soldiers from The Barath Group

Today is Veterans Day. We want to thank every soldier as our freedom is a direct result of men and women that fight for our country. Without them we would not have freedom. We definitely would not be facilitating home loans and most certainly would not have the life style we all enjoy.

Benchmark Mortgage: The Barath Group takes this day very serious and truly want to thank each of you that have served our country and pray for the safety of those that are serving our country today.

May God Bless OUR Military, OUR Troops and OUR Country.